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
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
Kings Court To whom the lad answered You shall not get me from the fellowship of these holy men who bred me up with whom I lived in the fear of God and with whom I desire to die and with whom I trust I shall obtain the glory to come And so being all put into the ship they were burned together After the death of Hunrick Gundabund succeeded in the Kingdom who continuing in the steps of his cruel predecessors afflicted the Christians grievously by sundry kinds of persecution during the space of twelve years at the end whereof he died and Thrasamund succeeded him a man that excelled all his Predecessors in magnanimity and courage His manner was by perswasions flatteries promises and rewards to seek to draw the Christians to his Arrian Heresie but they which would not be prevailed with hereby he no way punished or molested them In his time there were great Wars between the Moors and Vandals the Moors had one Cabaon for their General who commanded all his souldiers to use abstinence in their diet and to abstain from women and from all Injury and wrong-doing The women he enclosed within trenches by themselves commanding that under pain of death no man should have access to them Then did he send forth a certain company of Moors commanding them privately to follow the Camp oâ— the Vandals and that wheresoever the Vandals profaned any Church of the Christians presently after their departure they should follow and purge the same For saith he if the Christians God be a good God then will he assist them that are devoted to him and punish the Blasphemers These men in counterfeit base attire followed the Vandals Camp and whereas the Vandals where ever they came took up the Christians Churches for their Horses and Beasts of burthen carrying themselves very insolently against God and his House beating and abusing the Ministers and Church-Officers making them to attend upon them as their slaves After their departure the Moors on the contrary cleansed the Churches carried out the dung kneeled down to and reverenced the Ministers and distributed money to the poor and thus they did continually Then did Cabaon prepare to give his enemies battel and whereas the Vandals were all Horse-men and very well mounted their Horses were so afrighted at the sight of the Moors Camels that they were presently put into disorder and the Moors with darts and arrows did so pelt them that they put them to flight and slew many of them whereupon Thrasamund shortly after died of grief Then did Ilderick the son of Hunrick succeed in the Kingdom who was equally mild and gentle both to the Vandals and Christians and one that kept very fair correspondence with the Emperour Justinian But Gilimer a cunning and ambitious man deposed him and usurped the Kingdom to himself Whereupon Justinian sent against him that brave and gallant General Billisarius who overcame him in several battels took him prisoner freed the Christians from persecution and subverted the Empire of the Vandals in Africk after they had reigned there for the space of ninety years wherein for the most part they had been cruel persecutors of the true Church of God Salvian who was Bishop of Masilia and lived at the same season complaineth that before these brutish Vandals came into Africk the Church of God there was much degenerated from its ancient purity and the power of Godliness was much decaid insomuch as they which lived exactly according to the Rule of Gods Word were hissed at as they went in the streets as if they had been monsters Whereupon saith he the passage of the Vandals into Africk was not to be imputed to Gods rigour but to the Africans wickedness c. Collected out of a Book written by Victor Bishop of Utica who lived at the same time and was himself a Sufferer under this persecution Here place the fifth Figure THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH UNDER THE PAPACY CHAP. XXI The Persecutions of the Waldenses which began Anno Christi 1160. WHen the darkness of Popery had overspread the Christian world so that Kings and Princes imploied their Authority to establish the Romish Idolatry appointing to slaughter such as denied Transubstantiation Adoration of the Host bowing the knees before it c. this occasioned many Christians to detest this superstition as unknown to the Apostles and primitive Church And first of all God raised up Berengarius presently after the year one thousand who boldly and faithfully preached the Truth and against the Romish Errors continuing his Ministry till about the time that William the Conqueror came into England whereupon the Gospellers were called Berengarians till about the year 110. At which time common notice being taken of their separation from the Church of Rome and their disagreeing from so many of their Tenents they were branded with the odious name of Hereticks And twenty years after when they were grown into a very great multitude they had one Peter Bruis for their most famous Preacher who taught long and publickly at Tholouse under the protection and favour of a noble Earl called Hildephonsus whereupon in those parts they were called Petro-Brusians For Peter Bruis Anno Christi 1120. published their Tenents in a book called Anti-Christ wherein he declared both the ground of their Doctrine and the causes of their separation from the Romish Church Twenty years after this they were grown into a mighty multitude about Anno Christi 1140. whereupon the Popes of Rome now began to lay about them for their Extirpation For which end he stirred up his most learned followers to write against them and warned Princes to take heed of them and to banish them out of their Territories Anno Christi 1147. they had Henry of Tholouse for their most eminent Preacher whereupon they began to be called Henericians and because they were well red in the Scriptures especially in the Epistles of St. Paul whom by way of eminency they called the Apostle alleadging Texts out of him nnd would admit of no Testimonies for the proof of Religion but only out of Scripture they were called Apostolicks And shortly after God raised up Peter Valdo a Citizen of Lions in France who shewed himself most couragious in opposing the Popish inventions withal taxing divers other innovations which were crept into the Church of Rome and he was the more eagerly hearkened unto because he was in high esteem for his Learning and Piety and his liberality to the poor for besides the nourishing of their bodies he did also feed their souls by exhorting them to seek Jesus Christ and salvation by him The Arch-Bishop of Lions being informed that Valdo used thus to instruct the people boldly taxing the vice luxury and pride of the Pope and his Clergy forbad him the same upon pain of Excommunication and proceeded against him as an Heretick Valdo replied that he could not be silent in a cause of so great importance
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
Popish Clergy preached that the way to pacifie Gods wrath and to remove the plague was to cut off Hereticks whereupon these two godly men were brought out and condemned and presently after burned Also one Nicholas a godly man was apprehended at Antwerp bound up in a sack cast into the river and drowned Also Pistorius a learned and godly Preacher coming from Wittenburg into Holland preached against the Masse Popish pardons c. Whereupon he was cast into prison amongst Malefactors whom he instructed and much comforted in their distressed condition and one of them being half naked he gave him his gown His father visiting him in prison encouraged him to constancy At last he was condemned and carried forth to execution with a fools coat on his back when he was tied to the stake he said O death where is thy victory and so he was first strangled and then burned Another for speaking against the Masse and Reliques was hanged in Suevia Another godly Minister being commanded to go to sixteen men that were to be beheaded to counsel and comfort them at their death when they were executed was himself bidden to kneel down and so they cut off his head Also George Scherter a godly Minister that took great pains in instructing his people in the knowledge of the Gospel in a town near Salizburg was apprehended and cast into prison where he wrote a Confession of his faith and afterwards was condemned first to be beheaded and then burned As he went to the execution he said to the Spectators That you may know that I die a true Christian I will give you a signe and accordingly when his head had been cut off so long as whilst a man might eat an egge his body all the while lying upon the belly it turned it self upon the back crossing the right foot over the left and the right hand over the left by which miracle many were induced to believe the Gospel Another godly man was burned at Dornick Anno 1539. A godly minister not far from Basil was murthered in his own house by a Popish Priest whom he had kindly entertained many other Ministers about that time were some drowned some beheaded Anno 1543. Notice was taken that there were divers godly persons in Lovain whereupon an Inquisitor came from Bruxels thither and having gotten a company of souldiers in the night time he brake into their houses plucking men and women out of their beds from their children and casting them into prison Thither the Doctors of Lovain came thinking either to convert them or confound them but the spirit of God assisting his Saints the doctors went away confounded themselves Then did they cruelly torment every one of them by themselves amongst these an aged Minister of about sixty years old was condemned to perpetual imprisonment in a dark and stinking dungeon where he could neither read nor write nor might any man come to him and he was fed onely with bread and water Two were burnt alive in the fire an aged man was beheaded Two aged women were buried quick others for refusing to do pennance were burned also All which took their death very patiently and cheerfully The year after in the same University of Lovain was one Master Persival a very learned and godly man cast into prison and because he could by no means be brought to recant he was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment and there to be fed only with bread and water neither would they suffer the Citizens to send any relief to him shortly after he was made away in prison Also one Justus Insberg in the same city for having a New Testament and some of Luthers Sermons found in his house was cast into prison and command given that none should speak with him At the same time there were prisoners in a room under him Aegidius and Encenas metioned before whose door being left open accidentally they went to this poor man and much confirmed and strengthned him in the faith insomuch as when the Lovain Doctors came to perswade him to recant he before them all made a bold confession of his faith from which he would not be disswaded whereupon he was condemned and beheaded About the same time there was one Giles Tilleman a Cutler at Bruxels who by diligent reading of the Scriptures through Gods grace was converted and became very zealous for the truth he was also very humble mild and merciful whatsoever he could spare from his own necessity he gave it to the poor living by his trade himself Some he refreshed with meat others with cloathing to others he gave shooes to others houshold-stuffe to others he ministred godly exhortations for their edification One poor woman being delivered of a child and wanting a bed to lye on he sent her his bed and himself was content to lie on the straw At last he was discovered and cast into prison where much pains was taken to bring him back to Popery but alwayes his adversaries went away with shame After eight months imprisonment he was sent to Bruxels to be judged in which place he comforted many that he found in prison there exhorting them to constancy that they might attain the Crown Most of his food he divided amongst them contenting himself with some few scraps He was so ardent in Prayer kneeling by himself in some secret place that often he forgat himself and being many times called to his meat he neither heard nor saw them that stood by him till he was lifted up by the armes Divers Friars coming to reduce him he would still request them to go their wayes for he was at a point and when they reviled him he would not answer them again insomuch as they reported abroad that he had a dumb Devil in him But when they spake of matters of Religion he answered them freely mightily confuting them by the Scriptures Often he might have escaped the prison doors being set open but he would not that he might not bring his Keeper into trouble Afterwards he was removed to another prison where they sought by torments to enforce him to recant and when all would not prevail he was condemned to the fire which when he heard of he gave hearty thanks to God for that the hour was come wherein he might glorifie his name Seeing a great pile of wood prepared for his burning he desired that most of it might be taken away and given to the poor for a little said he will serve to burn me and seeing a poor man by that lacked shoos he gave him his Being tied to the stake the hangman would have strangled him but he refused saying It needs not I fear not the fire and so in the midst of the flames he gave up the Ghost Anno 1543. and 1544. There was a great persecution all over Flanders so that there
the President of the Huguenots Shortly after came thither the Duke de Monpensier who caused gibbets wheels and stakes to be set up whereupon many more especially of the richer sort were murthered to the number of some hundreds when they put any man or woman to death they entred their houses murthered their children and took all their goods A poor woman whose husband was a little before drowned having a young infant sucking at her breasts and a beautiful daughter of about sixteen years old in her hand These bloody villains drew them to the River there the woman on her knees prayed ardently unto God then took her infant and shifting it in the Sun laid it upon the grasse In the mean while this hellish Rabble endeavoured partly by threats partly by fair promises to seduce the young maid and one of them finer then the rest promised to marry her if she would do it so that the poor wench stood in a disway which her mother perceiving who was now ready to be thrown into the River she earnestly exhorted her daughter to persist in the truth the daughter hereupon cryed out I will live and die with my Mother whom I know to be a vertuous woman as for your threats and promises I regard them not do with me what you please The mother was not yet dead when they threw in the daughter after her where making towards her mother they mutually embraced each other and so yielded up their souls into the hands of God Also in the same City there was a godly Matron called Glee who was carried before the Captain where she gave a reason of her Faith and confirmed it by evident testimonies of Scripture She dispuited also with some Friars whom she so silenced that they had nothing to say but that she was in a damnable condition It seems so indeed saith she being in your hands But I have a God that will not faile nor forsake me c. Then was she committed to prison where she was much sollicited to recant but all in vain for she spake her mind freely and comforted the prisoners which were in the same Prison for Religion News being brought her that she was condemned to be hanged when the rope was put about her neck she kneeled down praising and magnifying the name of God in that he shewed her such mercy as by this death to deliver her out of the troubles of this wretched world as also for that it pleased the Lord to honor her so far as to die for his truth and to wear his livery meaning the halter Then she brake her fast with the rest of the company and giving thanks to God she exhorted them to be of good courage and to trust to the end in his free mercy c. As she went to execution a Kinswoman met her with her little children perswading her to recant telling her that thereby she might preserve her life and see those her Babes provided for This meeting wrought so upon her motherly affection as made her shed plenty of tears but presently taking new courage she said I love my children dearly yet neither for love to them nor for any thing else in the world will I renounce my God or his truth God will be a Father to these my children and will provide better for them then I could have done and therefore to his providence and protection I commend and leave them At the place of execution having prayed to and praised God with a chearful heart and voice she quietly resigned up her spirit unto God The Duke de Aumale in Normandy took Pontea de Mer by subtilty where he used all kinds of cruelty especially against the Minister Master Brione Shortly after Roan was besieged and two Forts taken wherein they put all to the sword the Queen-mother in an impudent manner leading the King who was but twelve years old to shew him the naked bodies of the women weltring in their own blood After divers assaults the City of Roan was taken wherein the Kings souldiers used all kinds of monstrous cruelty massacring all they met many English and Scots souldiers were hanged the sick and wounded were cast into the river Divers Ministers were retreated into a strong Tower which they yielded upon promise of safety but contrary therereto they were cast into prison Augustine Marlorat with three Counsellors were condemned to be hanged which was presently executed with many opprobrious speeches against Marlorat The sackage of this Town lasted foure moneths together in which space divers were executed In Valougnes divers persons of good quality were massacred and the houses of the Protestants were filled with souldiers that did what they listed therein Amongst other outrages they slew a godly Minister called Monsieur de Valougnes whose body they stripped naked dragd it up and down his house with many scorns and jears at last bringing it into the chamber where he used to preach to his people they spurned his corpse saying Now pray to God and preach if thou canst The Priests that were present stuffed his mouth and wounds with the leaves of his Bible saying to him Preach the truth of thy God and call upon him now to help thee In Vire as they came from a Sermon some were slain some stoned and a while after many were put to the sword In and about Agen Monluc killed and massacred many two young children were roasted In the Castle of Reime Monluc used great cruelty against those of the Religion sparing none but murthering young children in their mothers armes and then killing the mothers some other women they reserved for their lust which they so abused that saith mine Author I abhorre to write it Above five hundred men were hanged upon gibbets amongst whom was a grave Counsellor in his long gown and square cap. One poor man they cut and mangled in several parts of his body filling all his wounds with salt In the City of Blois there was a godly woman called Nichola at whose house some holy people used to meet to pray and confer together for their mutual edification and comfort The murtherers hearing of it came rushing in thinking to have found a Minister preaching but being disappointed in their expectations they dragged these good women out by the haire of the head loaded them with many stripes and then threw them into the river but behold a singular Providence God so endowed them with strength and skill that they swam safely to an Island yet after a while some watermen finding them there they stript them stark naked and threw them again into the river yet they still sought to save themselves by swimming and coming at last to the Suburbs of Vienne they were there most cruelly knocked on the head by the bloody Papists Monluc having defeated a party of the Protestants under Monsieur Duras he took divers Prisoners most of which he hanged
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
into quarters and gobbets eighteen Scottish infants they hanged upon a clothiers tenterhooks One fat man they murthered and made Candles of his grease of another Scottish man they ript up his belly took one end of his small guts tied it to a tree and forced him round about it till he had drawn them all out of his body saying that they would try whether a dogs or a Scotchmans guts were the longer By the command of Sir Philem O Neale Master James Maxwell was drawn out of his bed being fick of a Feavor and murthered and his wife being in child-birth the child half borne they stript her stark naked drove her about a flights shoot and drowned her in the Blackwater the like or worse they did to another English woman in the same town They took one Master Watson and cutting two collops out of his buttocks they roasted him alive Of a Scottish woman great with child they ript up her belly cut the child out of her womb and so left it crawling on her body Master Starkey Schoolmaster at Armagh being above one hundred years old they stripped stark naked then took two of his daughters being Virgins whom they stripped stark naked also and then forced them to lead their aged father under the armes a quarter of a mile to a turspit where they drowned them all three feeding the lusts of their eyes and cruelty of their hearts with the same object at the same time In some places they shewed the like cruelty to the English beasts which they would not kill out-right but used to cut collops out of them delighting to hear their roaring and so the poor cattel would sometimes live two or three dayes in that torment To one Henry Cowel a gallant Gentleman they profered his life if he would marry one of their base Truls or go to masse but he chose death rather than to consent to either Also to one Robeâ—t Ecklin a child about eleven years old they profered his life if he would go to Masse but he refused saying That he saw nothing in their Religion for which he would change his own Many of the Protestants they buried alive solacing themselves in hearing them speak to them whilst they were digging down old ditches upon them They used also to send their children abroad in troops armed with long wattles and whips wherewith they used to beat dead mens bodies about their privy members till they beat them off and then would return very joyful to their Parents who received them as it were in triumph for their good actions If any women were found dead lying with their faces downwards these bruitish persons used to turn them on their â—acks viewing and censuring every part of them especially those parts that are not fit to be named which also they abused so many ways and so filthily as chast ears would not endure the naming rhereof They brake the back-bone of a young youth and so left him in the fields and some dayes after he was found having like a beast eaten all the grasse round about him yet neither then would they kill him out-right but removed him to a place of better pasture wherein was fulfilled that saying The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty In the County of Antrim they murthered nine hundred fifty four Protestants in one morning and afterwards about twelve hundred more in that County Near Lisnegarvy they forced above twenty four Protestants into an house and then setting fire on it they burned them all counterfeiting their out-cries in derision to others Sir Philem O Neal boasted that he had slain above six hundred at Garvagh and that he had left neither man woman nor child alive in the Baronry of Munterlong In other places he murthered above two thousand persons in their houses so that many houses were filled with dead bodies Above twelve thousand were slain in the high ways as they fled towards Down Many died of famine many were starved to death for want of clothes being stript of all in a cold season Some thousands were drowned So that in the very Province of Ulster there were about one hundred and fifty thousand murthered by sundry kinds of torments and deaths These bloody Persecutors themselves confessed that the Ghosts of divers of the Protestants which they had drowned at Portendown Bridge were daily and nightly seen to walk upon the river sometimes singing of Psalms sometimes brandishing naked swords sometimes screeching in a most hideous and fearful manner so that many of the Popish Irish which dwelt near thereabouts being affrighted herewith were forced to remove their habitations further off into the Countrey The Popish English were no whit inferiour yea rather exceeded the natural Irish in their cruelty against the Protestants that lived amongst them within the pale being never satisfied with their blood till they had seen the last drop thereof Anne Kinnard testified that fifteen Protestants being imprisoned and their feet in the Stocks a Popish boy being not above fourteen years old slew them all in one night with his skeine Another not above twelve years old killed two women in another place An English Papist woman killed seven men and women of her neighbours in one morning And it was usual for the Papists children to murder the Protestants children and sometimes with their woodden Swords sharp and heavy they would venture upon people of riper years An English woman who was newly delivered of two children some of these villains violently compelled her in her great pain and sicknesse to rise from her bed and took one of the infants that was living and dashed his brains against the stones and then threw him into the River of the Barrow the like they did by many other infants Many others they hanged without all pity The Lord Mont Garret caused divers English Souldiers that he had taken about Kilkenny to be hanged hardly suffering them to pray before their death they dyed very patiently and resolutely in the defence of the Protestant faith and one of them being an Irish man had his life offered if he would turn Papist but he rather chose to dye and so was executed with the rest Some of these Persecutors meeting a poor young Girle that was going to see her friends they first half-hanged her and then buried her quick One Fitz Patrick enticed a rich Merchant that was a Protestant to bring all his goods into his house promising safely to keep them and to redeliver them to him But when he had thus gotten them into his possession he took the Merchant and his Wife and hanged them both the like he did by divers others Some English mens heads that they had cut off they carried to Kilkenny and on the market day set them on the Crosse where many especially the women stab'd cut and slashed them every one accounting themselves happy that could but get a
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
dens The Kings Captains having intelligence hereof with the Garison that was in the Citadel at Jerusalem they pursued them into the desert and having overtaken them they first endeavoured by perswasions to draw them to Idolatry but the Jews absolutely refusing to yield to their wicked wils resolved rather to die then to submit to them and to commit such impiety whereupon these bloody persecutors assailed them on the Sabbath day and burned them in their caves who neither resisted their enemies nor closed up the mouths of their Caves supposing it to be a violation of the Sabbath if they should fight or work upon that day some thousands of men women and children were there stifled yet divers escaped who joined themselves with Matthias and chose him for their Captain Then did he inform them that they ought to fight on the Sabbath day if they were assailed by their enemies and prevailed with them not to be guilty of their own death by their neglect to defend themselves and so having assembled a sufficient number he destroyed the Altars and slew those that had forsaken their Religion commanding others to circumcise their Children and driving those from every place whom Antiochus had set to see his Laws executed But when he had thus governed one year he fell sick and perceiving his end to approach he called his sons and exhorted them to follow his steps in maintaining the Law of God and fighting for their Countrey telling them that then they should have God for their Assister who will not forsake those that love and fear him but taking pleasure in their vertues will once more grant them favour to recover their former peace and liberty and saith he God will establish you in the possession of your ancient Laws and though our bodies be mortal and subject unto death yet the memory of our virtuous actions is enfranchised by immortality make therefore no difficulty to hazard your lives in so good a cause But above all things I exhort you unto concord and in whatsoever any one of you shall be found more naturally apt and fitted then another let him prosecute the same without any contradiction from the rest I charge you to obey your brother Simon who is a Politick and valiant man in whatsoever he shall counsel you but make Judas your Captain who is both valiant and strong for he shall revenge the injuries and out-rages which have been done to our Nation and shall put our enemies to flight second him therefore with men of valour and such as fear God and by this means you shall be sure to prevail CHAP. IV. The Life of Judas Maccabeus AFter Matthias his death Judas took upon him the government of the wars and by the help of his brethren and other Jews he drave the enemies out of the countrey purgâ—ng the land of all the uncleaness that had been brought into it But when Apollonius who was Antiochus his Generall in Samaria heard of it he gathered his Army together and invaded Judea against whom Maccabeus went forth and after a terrible battel overthrew him slew Apollonius and many of his souldiers took his Camp and therein a very rich booty and Judas gat Apollonius his sword for his part in the spoil Then Seron Governor of Caelosyria gathered all his forces together and hired many Apostate Jews to joyn with him and so marched against Judas as far as Bethoron Judas also advanced towards him but when he perceived that his souldiers were unwilling to fight by reason of the inequality of their numbers and for that they had eaten no meat but had fasted for a long time he encouraged them saying that the means to obtain the victory consisted not in the greatness of their number but in their devotion towards God whereof they had evident examples in their forefathers who with a small number had often defeated many thousands of their enemies c. Hereby he so prevailed with his souldiers that dreadless of the number of their enemies they all together ran upon Seron and after a cruel fight routed his Army and slew him together with eight hundred of the Syrians The rest escaped by flight Antiochus hearing of these things was highly displeased and therefore he assembled all his forces and hired many mercenaries but having mustered his Army he found that his treasure failed him to pay so great a multitude whereupon he resolved first to go into Persia to gather up his tributes and in the meane time he made Lysias his Vicegerent a man of greate esteem with him and one that governed all the countries from Euphrates to the borders of Egypt with him he also left some Elephants and part of his Army commanding him expresly that when he had conquered Judaea he should make the inhabitants thereof his slaves and sell them to those that would give most for them and that he should destroy Jerusalem and utterly abolish that race Lysias having received this commandment sent Ptolemy Nicanor and Gorgias men of great authority about the King with an Army of forty thousand Foot and seven thousand Horsemen to invade Jury who marching as far as the City Emmaus encamped in the field and increased their Army with many Syrians and Apostate Jews There came also divers Merchants a long with them to buy the prisoners that should be taken bringing gieues along with them to manacle the prisoners withall Judas having viewed the Camp and number of his enemies encouraged his souldiers exhorting them to repose their confidence and hope of victory in God he also appointed a Fâ—st that they might humble themselves and call upon God by supplications and prayers for success in such an extreame danger Then he told them that God would have compassion upon them and give them strength to stand against their enemies and to put them to shame The next day he marshalled his Army by thousands and by hundreds and sent away all that were newly married or that had lately bought pessâ—ssions according to the Law And tâ—en he said unto the rest My countrymen and companions we never yet had any occasion more necessary wherein we ought to express our courages and contemn dangers then at this present for now if you fight valiantly you may recover your liberties which ought the more to be prised because thereby you may win opportunity to serâ—e God and so live an happy life but if ye prove cowards in the fight you shall be branded with perpetuall infamy and hazard the utter extirpation of our Nation Think therefore that if you fight not you must die and on the contrary assure your selves that in fighting for your Religion Laws and Liberty you shall obtain immortall glory be ready therefore that to morrow morning you may bid your enemies battel Immediately news was brought him that Gorgias with five thousand foot and a thousand horsemen was sent forth under the conduct of some fugitives by night to fall
us one Master instructed us c. Therefore no longer prolong the time in vain I came to suffer not to speak use all the Tyranny that possibly you can against my body yet have you no power over my soul. This so moved the Tyrant that he devised new torments beyond the reach of humane wit and commanding a globe to be brought he caused him to be tied about it in such sort that all his bones were put out of joint hanging one from another in a most pitifull manner yet was the holy Martyr nothing dismaid then the skin of his head and face was pulled off and then was he put upon the wheel but he could be racked no worse for all his bones were dislocated before the blood issuing from him abundantly he said We O Tyrant endure this torment for the love of God and thou the Author of such cruelty shalt be punished with everlasting pain Then was his tongue cut out and he being put into a fiery frying pan resigned his spirit unto God Next followed Judas the fourth brother whom all the people perswaded to obey the King But he said Your fire shall not separate me from the Law of God nor from my brethren To thee O Tyrant I denounce destruction but to such as believe salvation Try me thou cruel wretch and see if God will not stand by me as he did by my three brethren now in glory c. The cruel Tyrant hearing this was so inraged that he leaped down from his chaire to torment this Martyr himselfe He commanded also his tongue to be cut out to whom Judas said Thy cruelty will nothing avail thee our God needs not by voice to be awaked c. he heareth such as call upon him with their hearts and know's our thoughts afar off c. Cut out my tongue if thou please would thou wouldst so sanctifie all the parts of my body c. and think not that thou shalt long escape unpunished Then was his tongue cut out and he bound to a stake was beaten with ropes ends which torments he bore with admirable patience After which he was put upon the wheel where he ended his life and went to the rest of his brethren Then spake Achas the fift brother Behold O Tyrant I come to be punished before thou commandest me therefore hope not to alter his minde that desireth to be tormented The bloud of my innocent brethren hath condemned thee to hell I shall make up the fift that by it thy torments may be increased What offence have we committed that thou thus ragest against us c. All that thou canst alledge against us is that we honour God and live in obedience to his Laws and therefore we esteem not punishment which is an honour to us though no part of us be left untormented yet we shall be the more rewarded by God Then at the command of the Kings the executioner cast him into a brazen pot where he was prest down with his head to his feet and afterwards he sufferred all the torments inflicted on his brethren but he was so far from being discouraged that suddenly starting up he said Cruel Tyrant how great benefits dost thou though against thy will bestow upon us yea the more thou ragest the more acceptable to God shalt thou make us therefore I shall be sorry if thou shewest me any mercy by this temporall death I shall go to everlasting life And having thus finished his sufferings he died Then was Areth the sixt brother brought to whom the Tyrant proferred the choise of honour or punishment But he being grieved at this profer said O Tyrant though I be younger in years then my brethren yet the constancy of my minde is not inferiour as we have lived so we will die together in the fear of God Hasten therefore thy torments and what time thou wouldest spend in exhorting me spend it in devising torments for me Whereupon Antiochus in a rage commanded him to be tied to a pillar with his head downwards Then caused he a fire to be made at such a distance as might not burn but rost him Then he made them prick him with awles that the heat might pierce the sorer In these torments much bloud like froth gathered about his head and face yet said he O noble fight O valiant warre O strife between piety and impiety My brethren have past through their Agonies whose crown of Martyrdom is the punishment of their Persecutors I willingly follow them that as by blood I am conjoyned to them so by death I may not be separated from them Devise O Tyrant some new torment for I have overcome these already O Master of cruelty enemy of piety and persecutor of Justice we young men have conquered thy power thy fire is cold and heateth not thy weapons are bended and blunted in our bodies our God giveth us more courage to suffer then thou hast to punish c. As he thus spake they pulled out his tongue with an hot pair of tongs and lastly frying him in a frying pan he gave up the ghost There being now only the youngest brother left called Jacob he presenting himself before the Tyrant moved him to some compassion wherefore he called the Child to him and taking him aside by the hand he said By the example of thy brethren thou seest what to expect if thou disobeyest me therefore deliver thy self from these torments and I will give thee what honour my Kingdom can afford thou shalt be a Ruler Generall of my Army my Counceller c. But when this prevailed not he called his mother who coming and standing by her son the Tyrant said to her O worthy woman where now are all thy Children yet thou hast one remaining advise him therefore not to ruine himself and to leave thee childless by his obstinacy c. The mother bowing her self to the King said to her child in Hebrew that she might not be understood of others Pity and comfort thy sorrowfull mother O my son who bare thee nine moneths in my womb gave thee suck with my brests three years and with great care have brought thee up hitherto I pray thee dear son consider the heavens and earth and remember that God created them all of nothing c fear not therefore these pains and torments but imitate thy brethren and contemn death that in the day of mercy I may receive thee with thy brethren again in heaven Then did he desire to be unbound which being granted he immediately ran to the torments and coming where was a frying pan red hot he said to the King Cruel Tyrant I now know thee not only to have been cruel to my brethren but even cruelty it self Wretch that thou art who gave thee these purple robes who exalted thee to thy Kingdom Even he whom thou in us dost persecute whose servants thou tormentest and killest for which thy self
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
in mount Ararath were ten thousand Christians crucified crowned with thorns and thrust into the side with sharp darts after the example of the Lords passion Eustachius a noble Captain who Trajan had sent out to war against the Barbarians after through Gods Mercy he had valiantly subdued his enemies was returning home with victory Hadrian for joy went to meet him and to bring him home with triumph but by the way he would needs sacrifice to Apollo for the victory obtained willing Eustachius to do the same with him but when by no means he could be perswaded thereto coming to Rome he with his wife and Children suffered Martyrdom by the command of the ingratefull Emperour Also Faustinus and Jobita Citizen of Brixia were martyred with many torments which caused one Calocerius beholding their admirable patience in the midst of their cruel torments to cry out Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum Verily great is the God of the Christians whereupon being apprehended he was made Partaker of their Martyrdom Also Eleutherius Bishop in Apulia was beheaded together with his mother Anthea Also Symphorissa a godly Matron was often cruelly scourged afterwards hanged up by the hairs of her head at last had a huge stone fastened to her and so thrown into the river after which her seven Children in like manner with sundry and divers kinds of torments were all of them martyred by the Tyrant These seven Children of Symphorissa were fastened to seven stakes then racked up with a pully afterwards thrust thorow Crescens in the neck Julianus in the breast Nemesius in the heart Primitivus in the navil Justinus was cut in every joint of his body Statteus run thorow with spears and Eugenius cut asunder from the breast to the lower parts and then all of them were cast into a deep pit Adrian being at Athens sacrificed to the Idols after the manner of the Grecians and gave free leave to whomsoever vvould to persecute the Christians which should refuse it whereupon Quadratus bishop of Athens a man of admirable zeal and famous for learning exhibited to the Emperour a learned and excellent Apology in defence of the Christian Religion The like also did Aristides an excellent Philosopher in Athens There was also one Serenus Granius a man of great nobility who writ pithy and grave Letters to Hadrian shewing that it was neither agreeable to right nor reason that the blood of innocents should be given up to the rage and fury of the people and be condemned for no other fault but for their opinions Hereupon the Emperour became more favourable to them writing also in their behalf to Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia that if they had no other crime objected against them but their Religion they should not be put to death Yet notwithstanding all this the rage of the heathen multitude did not disquiet and persecute the people of God imputing to them whatsoever mischief and judgements befell them yea they invented against them all manner of Contumelies and false crimes to accuse them of whereby many in sundry places vvere molested and put death After Hadrian succeeded Antoninus Pius vvho being informed of the cruel sufferings of the Christians vvrote this Letter to his Commons of Asia forbidding them to persecute the Christians any further which Epistle he thus concludes If any hereafter shall offer any vexation and trouble to Christians having no other cause but because they are such let him that is appeached be released and freely discharged and let his Accuser sustain the punishment c. By this means then the tempest of persecution began in those days to be appeased through the mercifull providence of God who would not have his Church to be utterly overthrown and rooted up thereby The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the righteous Psalm 125.3 Here place the second Figure CHAP. X. The fourth Primitive Persecution which began Anno Christi 162. AFter the death of that quiet and mild Prince Antoninus Pius his son M. Antoninus Verus succeeded in the Empire a stern and severe man by nature who raised the fourth persecution against the Christians wherein a great number of them who truly professed Christ suffered most cruel punishments and torments especially in Asia and France amongst whom was Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna who was burnt at a stake at Smyrna together with twelve others that came from Philadelphia Also Germanicus a young man did most constantly persevere in the Doctrine of Christ whom when the Proconsul of Asia desired to remember his age and to favour himself he would by no flatteries be with-drawn from his stedfastness but remaining constant was thrown to the wild beasts whom he allured and provoked to come upon him and devour him that he might be the more speedily delivered out of this wretched life Also in this persecution suffered Metrodorus a Minister who was consumned by fire and Pionius who after much boldness of speech with his Apologies exhibited and his Sermons made to the people in defence of the Christian faith and after much relieving and comforting such as were in prisons and distress at last was put to cruel torments and then burned in the fire Also at Pargamopolis in Asia suffered Carpus Papilus and Agathonica a woman who after their most constant and worthy confessions were put to death At Rome Felicitas with her seven Children were martyred whereof her eldest son after he vvas whipt and grievously scourged with rods vvas prest to death with leaden weights the two next had their brains beaten out with mawls the fourth was thrown down head-long from an high place and brake his neck the three youngest were beheaded and lastly the mother was slain with the svvord Also Justin Martyr a man that excelled in learning and Philosophy and a great Defender of the Christian Religion who had delivered to the Emperor and Senate an Apology in defence of the Christians suffered Martyrdom in this persecution There was in Egypt a certain woman married to a husband that was given much unto laciviousness whereunto she her self also had been formerly addicted but being instructed in the Christian Religion she became a chast and godly Matron and endeavoured to perswade her husband also thereunto But he continuing in his filthy life she resolved to be divorced from him yet at the request of her friends she forbore to try if by any means he would be reclaimed But he going to Alexandria and living more licenciously then before she sued out a bill of Divorce and so was separated from him then did this malicious wretch accuse her to be a Christian which was no lesse then death whereupon she being in great perill delivered up a supplication to the Emperour craving but so much favour that she might go and set her family in order and then she would be ready to answer to all such crimes as should
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
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
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
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
sent an Earl after him to bring him back again who pursuing him with sails and ores had almost overtaken his ship whereupon the Marriners would have run her ashore and fled into a wilderness that was hard by to whom Athanasius said Quid turbamini filii quin in occursum eamus persecutori nostro ut intelligat quia longe major est qui nos defendit quam qui persequitur My sons why are you thus affrighted Let us rather turn and meet our pursuer that he may know that he is greater which defends us then he that follows to apprehend us Hereupon the Marriners turned back again and the Earl supposing nothing less then that Athanasius was in the ship that came towards him he only called to them and enquired whether they had not heard of Athanasius they answered that they had seen Athanasius a little before whereupon he hastned forward to overtake him and Athanasius in his ship returned back privately into Alexandria where he lay hid till that persecution was over Julians Officers in exacting the fines of the Christians demanded more then they were assessed at and sometimes tormented their bodies also of which wrongs when they complained to the Emperour he scoffingly answered them It s your part when you are injured to take it patiently for so your God commandeth you At Meris in Phrygia the Governor Commanded the Idol-Temple to be set open and cleansed and began himself to worship the Idols Whereupon some Christians inflamed with zeal in the night time brake into the Temple threw down the Idols and stamped them to powder The Governour being wonderfully incensed herewith purposed to execute some Christian Citizens which were innocent and guiltless whereupon the Authors of their own accord presented themselves before him chusing rather to die for the truth then that others should suffer for their sakes Thereupon the Governor commanded them to sacrifice to the Idols or else he would severely punish them but they setting at nought his threats prepared themselves to suffer what he could inflict Then did he assay them with all kinds of torments and at last laid them on the grid-iron and broiled them to death to whom they said If thou long O Tyrant for broiled meat turn up the other side lest in eating the blood run about thy teeth When Julian went against the Persians of very malice and hatred against the Christians whom scornfully he called Galilaeans he made a vow that if he obtained the victory he would sacrifice to his gods the blood of those Christians which would not sacrifice to the Idols But what the issue of that exepdition was See in my second part in the Life of Jovianus Collected out of the imperial History and Socrates Scholasticus Theodor. and the Magd. Hist. Cent. 4. CHAP. XIX The Persecution of the Church under the Arrian Hereticks which began An. Christi 339. COnstantine the Great dying divided his Empire amongst his three sons Constantius Constans and Constantine Constantius that governed the East was seduced by an Arrian Presbyter who had been in his fathers Court with his Aunt Constantia So pernicious a thing it is to have deceitfull Hereticks lurking in Princes Courts and Ladies Chambers This Presbyter complained to Constantius that the Return of Athanasius from banishment was very dangerous to the peace of the Common-wealth Yea he so far incensed the Emperour against him that he sent a Captain with five thousand armed men to slay him but the Lord delivered him miraculously out of their hands for the armed souldiers being placed round about the Church where he was he went safely through the midst of them undiscerned though many Arrians were present on purpose to point him out to the souldiers as a sheep ordained for the slaughter But neither in banishment could he enjoy peace and safety for this Arrian Emperour sent to all the officers in his Army to search him out wheresoever he was proposing a great Reward to those that could bring Athanasius to him either alive or dead whereupon he was forced to hide himself in a deep pit where he lay six years never so much as seeing the light of the Sun till at last a Maid that used to carry him his food was corrupted by those which sought for him to betray him to them but it pleased God by his Spirit to reveal to him his danger whereby he escaped a little before they came to apprehend him Afterwards Constans forced his brother Constantius though much against his will to restore Athanasius to his Church at Alexandria But after the death of that good Emperour Constans Constantius drave him into banishment again yet the Lord stirred up a godly woman to hide him in her house till the death of Constantius In Alexandria in the room of Athanasius was George an Arrian Bishop placed who also was furnished with armed souldiers to assist him in his devillish devices Thereupon he caused a great fire to be made took many Christian Virgins caused them to be stripped naked requiring them to renounce their faith or else they should be burned but when the sight of the fire could not terrifie them he caused their faces to be so dashed with strokes that their countenances were disfigured yet like patient souldiers of Christ they endured all kind of rebuke for his names sake Thirty Bishops of Egypt and Lybia were slain in the fury of this Arrian Persecution Fourteen Bishops were banished whereof some of them died in the way the rest in exile Forty Orthodox Christians in Alexandria were scourged with rods because they would not communicate with the Arrian Bishop George and so pitiously handled that some pieces of the rods were so deeply fixed in their flesh that they could not be drawn out and many through excessive pain of their wounded bodies died The like cruelty did the Arrians exercise in Constantinople Paul the good Bishop was banished to Cucusus where he was strangled by the Arrians Macedonius a notable heretick was placed in his room who used no less cruelty in forcing men to communicate with him then was used formerly to force them to sacrifice to Idols These Hereticks used also great diligence in procuring Councels to establish their Errors But not long after the Emperor died sorrowing much that he had changed the form of the Nicene faith After the death of Jovian Valentinian succeeded in the Empire who associated to himself his brother Valens and made him Emperor of the East This Valens was an Arrian and raised up a cruel Persecution against the Orthodox Concerning which Greg. Nazianzen in his Oration of the praise of Basil thus writeth Insurrexit repente nebula grandine plena perniciose stridens quae omnes Ecclesias in quas incidit contâ—ivit postravit Christi Cultor pariter osâ—r qui post persecutorem persecutor fuit post Apostatam non quidem Apostata sed
them yea they were so spread in Germany that they could travel from Collen to Milan in Italy and every night lodge with Hosts of their own profession Hereupon the Pope hath always used all his art for their utter extirpation by his Thunder-bolts Curses Canons Constitutions Decrees and whatsoever else might make them odious to Kings Princes and people giving them over to Satan interdicting them all Communion and society with others making them incapable of any charges honours profits to inherit lands to make wills to be buried in Church-yards yea confiscating their goods dis-inheriting their heirs and where they could apprehend any of them they condemned them to be delivered to the secular power their houses to be razed their lands and goods to be confiscated commanding Kings Princes Magistrates Consuls and people to make an exact inquisition to shut the City-gates to ring the Toll-bell to arm themselves to apprehend kill or use any other violence to them giving to their Accusers a third part of their Estates condemning all favorers of them to the same punishment Anno Christ 1163. came some of these godly persons to Collen in Germany out of the parts of Flanders where they secretly remained for a time in a barn near the City But the diligence of the Popish Clergy found them out by their not coming to their Church and so caused them to be apprehended and brought before them and after examination because they constantly adhered to the truth and would by no means be brought to recant the same they condemned them and delivered them to the secular power who carrying them out of the City being four men and one young woman they first bound the four men to a stake and set fire to them The people much pitied the young woman and would fain have saved her hoping that the burning of her companions would have wrought her to a recantation but she perceiving their drift strugled out of the hands of those that held her and voluntarily leaped into the fire whereby she was burned with them Godfridus Monachus Anno Christi 1194. Aldephonsus King of Arragon probably by the instigation of Pope Celestine and mis-information of his Clergy published this evil Edict against them Aldephonsus by the grace of God King of Arragon c. to all Arch-Bishops Bishops and the rest of the Prelates of the Church in his Kingdom to Earls Vicounts Knights and all the people of his Kingdom and to all that are in Authority health c. Because God would have us to be over his people it is a worthy and just thing that we take continual care as far as in us lies of the salvation and defence of them Wherefore being imitators of our Predecessors and in obedience to the Canons we judge that all Hereticks cast out of the sight of God and of all Catholicks are to be condemned and persecuted every where namely the Waldenses or poor men of Lyons whereof there is no number who being cursed by his holy Church We also command to depart and flie from all our Kingdoms and places within our power as enemies to the Cross of Christ our selves and this Kingdom Therefore from this day forward shall presume to receive the foresaid Waldenses into their houses or to hear their doleful preaching or to give them meat or any other relief let him know that he hath incurred the indignation of God and of us and that he shall be punished as a Traitor and all his goods shall be confiscated without remedy or appeal And this our Edict we command to be published upon Sundays by Bishops and all Rectors of Churches c. through all our Dominions And we command that the foresaid punishments be inflicted upon all Transgressors of it by our Bailyffs Justices c. And if any of the foresaid naughty people whether noble or ignoble shall presume to stay three days after the publication hereof and not hast their removal we will and command all men to bring upon them all mischief disgrace and agrievance except death or cutting off their members which shall be gratefull and acceptable to us neither shall they fear any punishment for the same c. But this same Aldephonsus that made this cruel Edict by the just retribution of God the very next year lost part of his Kingdom to the Moors and his son having also fifty thousand of his men slain in one battel Hoveden The Popelings exercising such cruelty against the Gospellers they began to defend themselves by arms repelling force with force and when being overpowred by multitude they could defend themselves no longer they left their places and became souldiers abroad and many of them became very helpfull to our King Henry the second in his Wars when he was molested about Arch-Bishop Beckets death Also our King Richard the first at his return out of the Holy land as they called it made good use of them who though they were cursed by the Pope yet were they blessed by God for the recovery of his right and for the defence of his people Valdo notwithstanding all the curses of the Pope continued to publish that the Pope was Anti-Christ the Mass an abomination the Host an Idol and Purgatory a fable whereupon Pope Innocent the third Anno 1198 seeing that the other remedies were not sufficient to suppress these Hereticks as he called them authorized certain Monks Inquisitors who by process should apprehend and deliver them to the secular power by a far shorter but much more cruel way then was used formerly for by this means the people were delivered by thousands into the Magistrates hands and by them to the Executioners whereby in a few years all Christendom was moved with compassion to see all those burnt and hanged that did trust only in Christ for salvation The Pope seeing that this suppressed not but rather increased the number of his enemies sent certain Bishops and Monks to preach in those places of the Waldenses but their preaching converted not any of them from their former opinions Amongst those Monks was Dominick who was a zealous persecutor of these Saints of God both in word and deed who seeing himself to be in Authority instituted an Order of begging Monks called after his name Dominicans which order was confirmed by the Pope for their zealous assisting of him against the Waldenses and this Dominick laboured in the inquisition with such contentment to the Popes that from that time forward the Monks of his order have always been imploied in the inquisition The power of these Inquisitors was without limitation they could assemble the people by the sound of a bell when they pleased proceed against the Bishops themselves they could imprison and release without controul Any accusation was sufficient with them A sorcerer a whore was a sufficient witness in the case of pretended Heresie It mattered not who accused or whether by word of mouth or ticket thrown in before the
Inquisitors for process was thereby framed without party without witness or without other Law then the pleasure of the Inquisitors To be rich was a crime near to Heresie and he that had any thing to lose was in the way to be undone either as an Heretick or as a favourer of them yea bare suspition stopped the mouths of parents kinsfolk and friends that they durst not intercede each for other If any did but convey a cup of cold water or a pad of straw to the poor Saints that lay in stinking dungeons he was condemned as a favourer of the Hereticks and brought to the same or worse extremities No Advocate durst undertake the defence of his nearest kinsman or friends no Notary durst receive any Act in his favour yea death it self made not an end of their punishment for sometimes they passed sentence against the bones of the dead to dis-inter and burn them it may be thirty years after the death of the party accused Such as were heirs had nothing certain for if their fathers or kindred were accused they durst not undertake the defence of their own right possess their own inheritance without the crime or suspition of Heresie The greatest and richest amongst the people were constrained even to adore these Monks Inquisitors and to give them great sums for the building of their Convents houses for fear to be accused of Heresie And the better to keep the people in aw these Inquisitors would sometimes lead in Triumph their prisoners in their processions enjoyning some of them to whip themselves others to go in their shirts bare-foot and bare-headed having a With about their necks and a torch in their hands for the greater terrour to the beholders seeing persons of all estates and sexes in so miserable a condition Some of these accused persons were sent into the holy Land or enrolled for some other expedition against the Turks and Infidels where they were to serve for a certain time at their own charge in the mean time these Fathers Inquisitors took possession of their houses and goods and when they returned home they must not so much as enquire whether these Monks had in their absence lain with their wives lest they would be condemned as back-sliders and unworthy of favour Anno Christi 1201. A gallant Knight that was one of these Waldenses called Enraudus whom Henry Earl of Nivers had made Gonour of his land was accused of Heresie and brought before the Popes Legat who called a Common Council at Paris against him consisting of the Arch-Bishop Bishops and Ministers of Paris who after examination of witnesses condemned him for an Heretick and so delivered him to the secular power by whom he was burned in the flames Chron. Rol. Altissiodorensis In Octo. Anno Christi 1207. in the Town of Mont-royal near Carcasson in the Earldom of Tholouse there was held a famous disputation between Didacus Bishop of Oxon a Spaniard Frier Dominick Peter of the New Castle the Popes Legat and Raph his Colleague on the one party and Arnold Hot Pastor of the Albingenses with some other of his fellow-labourers on the other party The Arbitrators were two noble men viz Bernard de villa nova and Pernail of Arras and two Plebians viz. Raimond Godius and Arnold Riberia The Questions disputed upon were these First that the Church of Rome is not the Spouse of Christ nor an holy Church but an impure one and instructed by the Doctrine of Satan Secondly That their Ecclesiastical Polity is not good nor holy nor established by Jesus Christ. Thirdly That the Mass as it is celebrated therein was not instituted by Christ or his Apostles The Bishop undertook to prove the contrary but after three days disputation he desired fifteen days to commit his Arguments to writing and Arnold Hot required eight days to put in his Answer At the day appointed the Bishop brought in a very long writing and Hot desired to answer by word of mouth intreating his Auditors that he might not seem troublesom to them if he were long in answering so long a discourse and it was granted that he should be heard with patience without interruption and so he discoursed for divers hours four days together to the great admiration of all that heard him and so ready was he therein that all the Bishops Abbats Monks and Priests wished themselves elsewhere For he framed his answer to each point in order as it was set down in the writing and that with such plainness and perspicuity that he gave all that were present to understand that this Bishop though he had writen much yet had he concluded nothing that might truly turn to the advantage of the Church of Rome against his Assertions Then did Arnold request that forasmuch as the Bishops and himself in the beginning of the conference were bound to prove whatsoever they affirmed by the Word of God only it might now be imposed upon the Bishops and Priests to make good their Mass as they sing it part by part to have been instituted by the son of God and so used by the Apostles c. But the Bishops were not able to prove that the Mass or any part of it was so ordained or used whereupon they were much discontented and ashamed Arnold proceeded to prove that it was not instituted by Christ or his Apostles For said he if the Mass were the holy Supper instituted by our Saviour there would remain after the consecration that which was in the supper of our Lord viz. Bread But in the Mass there is no bread For by transubstantiation the bread is vanished therefore the Mass is not the holy Supper of the Lord c. The Bishops Legats Monks and Priests having nothing to answer to these things retired themselves not being willing to here any more and fearing least these Gospellers should work such an impression on the hearts of those that were present as might shake their beliefe touching the Masse they dessolved the Assembly Nich Vignerius Between the years 1176. which was the time when this Inquisition was first erected to the year 1228. there was so great a havock made of poor Christians that the Arch-Bishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne being assembled at the request of the said Inquisitors to conferre with them about divers difficulties in the execution of their offices had compassion of the great number that were accused cast into prison saying We hear that you have apprehended such a multitude of the Waldenses that it is not only impossible to defray the charge of their food but to provide lime and stone to build prisons for them we therefore advise you to forbear this rigour till the Pope be advertised and direct what he will have done in this case c. Yet notwithstanding all this cruelty there was in the year 1260. according to the report of George Morrel in his memorials p. 54. above eight hundred thousand persons that made profession
the effecting of it but as soon as the men were in Arms it pleased God by the death of King Francis to put an end to that design whereby the Waldensian Churches in Dauphine enjoyed peace and were well furnished with godly Pastors who held them in the exercise of religion though they were in continuall danger of being persecuted to the death for the same The Waldenses in Dauphine many years before being multiplyed so that the countrey could not feed them dispersed themselves abroad into divers parts whereof some went into Piedmont who lived in great love with those of Daâ—phine and though they were alwaies oppressed with troubles yet with hearty love and charity they ever-succoured one another not sparing their lives and goods for their mutuall conservation The first Persecution in Piedmont were occasioned by the Preists who complained to the Arch-Bishop of Turin that these people lived not according to the manner and belief of the Church of Rome that they offered not for the dead cared not for Masses Absolutions or to get any of theirs out of the pains of Purgatory c. Hereupon the Arch-Bishop persecuted them complaining of them to their Princes to make them odious But the Prince enquiring of their neighbours heard that they were of a good conversation fearing God without deceit or malice loving plain dealing alwaies ready to serve their Prince with alacrity c. He therefore purposed not to molest them But the Priests and Monks gaining nothing by their belief charged them with an infinite number of calumnies and ever and anon catching one or other of them they delivered them to the Inquisitors and the Inquisitors to the executioners so that there was scarce a Town or City in Piedmont wherein some of them had not been put to death At Turin one of them had his bowels torn out of his belly and put into a bason before his face and then was he cruelly martyred At Revel in the Marquisat of Saluces one Catelin Girard being on the block whereon he should be burnt requested his Executioner to give him two stones which he refused to do fearing least he would throw them at some body but he protesting the contrary at last they gave him two stones which he held in his hands and said When I shall have eaten these stones then shall you see an end of our Religion for â—hich you now put me to death and so he threw them on the ground and died cheerfully Thus they burnt many of them in the fire till Anno 1488. and then they resolved to assault them by open force because they saw that otherwise they should never be able to extirpate them besides their constant sufferings converted many to the faith Hereupon they levied an Army of eighteen thousand men besides many inhabitants of Piedmont who ran to the pillage from all parts These marched all at once to Angrogne Lâ—cerne La Perouse c. They raised also forces in Dauphine where with they over-ran the Valley of Pragela so that they being put to defend themselves could not assist their friends in Piedmont But the enemy by this division of his forces being weakned was every where beaten especially in the Valley of Angrogne where the VValdensians having been informed of the levies of their enemies against them prepared themselves to receive and resist them keeping the strait passages where few men might defend themselves against many They defended themselves with long Targets of wood whereby they covered themselves from the hurt of their enemies arrows Whilst they were thus bickering with their enemies the women and children upon their knees cried out O God help us The enemies made themselves merry with this fight and amongst them one Capt. Saquet who as he was imitating the woman was slain and tumbled down into a very deep valley Another Captain crying out to the women in derision was killed with the shot of an arrow in the throat Hereupon the souldiers betook themselves all to their heels and the greatest part slew themselves by tumbling down from the rocks Another providence of God was this that the enemies approaching to the stongest entrance by nature might their have fortified themselves and so made themselves masters of that Valley But God sent so thick a cloud and dark a fog that they could scarce see one another whereby they wanted opportunity to discover their advantage and therefore departed which the VValdenses seeing couragiously pursued them and by that means the enemy being dispersed and not seeing which waies they went the greatest part fell headlong down the mountains quitting their arms and booty which they had gotten at their first entrance into the Valley by which means the Waldenses recovered it again Then it pleased God to move the Princes heart which was Philip the seventh Duke of Savoy and Lord of Piedmont with pity towards these poor people saying That he would not have that people which had been alwaies true faithfull and obedient to him to be unjustly destroyed by Arms being content that twelve of the Principall should come to him to Pignerol to crave pardon for all the rest for taking arms in their own defence without his authority These he entertained lovingly forgiving all that was past during the warre And having been informed that all their children were born with black throats with foure rows of teeth and all hairy he caused some of them to be brought to him and seeing them fair and perfect creatures he was much displeased with himself for beleeving so easily the reports which were brought to him against them giving command that none should hereafter molest them but that they should enjoy all the priviledges which they rest of his subjects in Piedmont did Notwithstanding which the Monks Inquisitors daily sent out processe against them lay in wait for them and as they could aprehend any of them delievered them over to the secular power This Persecution lasted to Anno. 1532. at which time the Waldenses ordered that there exercises of religion should be performed no more in covert as formerly they had been but in publick that every one might know them and that their Pastors should preach the Gospell openly not fearing any persecution that might happen unto them The prince being advertised hereof was highly offended with them and thereupon caused one of his Commanders to hast with his Troops into the said Vallies which was performed with such diligence that he was entred with five hundred horse and Foot before they were aware ransacking plundering and wasting all before them Then did the Waldenses leave their ploughs putting themselves into passes and with their slings charged their enemies with such multitudes of stones that they were constraned to flie and to abandon their prey many remaining dead upon the ground This news was presently carried to the Prince and withall he was told that these people were not to
passing by before he was dead and hearing him implore Gods mercy kickt him on the head saying Is this dog yet living take him and cast him to the hogs Sixtly women were racked so violently that the cords pierced into their arms and legs and being then cast into prison they died there only nine of the handsomest being delievered to the fathers of the Inquisition were never heard off after Many others were delivered to the secular power to be burnt and if any interceded for them he was presently put on the rack as a favourer of Hereticks Pope Pius the fourth sent the Marquesse of Butiane promising that if he would wholly cleare Calabria of these Waldenses he would make his son a Cardinall But he was put to no great pains to do it for the Inquisitors and the Vice-roy of Naples had by sundry deaths killed all the men women and children that they could light of One of their Ministers was famished in prison Another was carried to Rome where he was condemned to be burnt The Pope and his Cardinals would needs see that pleasing spectacle But the Minister spake so many things out of Gods Word against the Pope that the Pope gnashed his teeth for anger wishing that he had been some where else And thus were these godly people wholly rooted out of Calabria CHAP. XXIII The Persecutions of the Waldenses in Provence THese came from Piedmont when their vallies were over-peopled The country of Provence at their first arrival was a desert but within few years by Gods blessing upon their labours it-abounded with Corn Wine Oil Chesnuts and other fruites There Habitations being near to Avignion many times the Popes seat they were exposed to sundry persecutions as Anno 1380. and at other times but the greatest of all began about the year 1360. in the time of King Lewis the twelfth who being informed that in Provence was a certain kind of people that lived not according to the Laws of the Church of Rome but were an accursed people committing all kindes of wickednesse and villanies He gave Commission to his Parliament in Provence to take cognizance of it and to punish them according to their demerits The Court prosecuting this order with rigour and the King hearing that diverse innocent persons were put to death he sent his Master of Requests and Confessor into Provence to finde out what kinde of persons these were who at their return certified him that all the former suggestions were untrue that they were neither Socerers nor Whoremongers but lived honestly did hurt to none caused their children to be Baptized taught them their Belief and the ten Commandments and that they carefully kept the Lords day and had the Word of God purely expounded to them Whereupon the King swore an oath That they were honester then himself and his Catholik subjects Upon this information he sent and staâ—ed the Persecution Then did the Waldenses send two of their Ministers George Morrell and Peter Masson to Oecolampadius Capito Bâ—cer and Haller to confer with them about matters of Religion and to have there advice in many things In their return Masson was apprehended at Dijon where he was condemned and put to death for a Lutheran Morrell escaped with his Letters and Papers and came safe to Provence where he much comforted and confirmed the Churches Yet all this while did the Parliament of Aix apprehend one or other of them condemning some to the fire others to the gibbet they which scaped best returned with marks in their forheads Anno Christi 1540. The inhabitants of Merindoll were summoned and some of the chief appearing for the rest they were all condemned to be burned alive their children and families to be outlawed and that the place of their habitation should be laid waste the woods cut down two hundred paces round about and so left desolate The King being informed of the rigour of this Edict and of the innocency of the people countermanded the execution of it but his Letters were suppressed and the Cardinall of Tournon obtained for a great some of money the revocation of them Anno 1545. The President of Opede proclaimed war against them both at Aix and Marseilles Divers companies of souldiers were listed and five bands of the old souldiers of Piedmont were joyned with them and presently they began to set fire on the Villages of Cabrieres Pepin c. The poor people without any resistance were slain women and their daughters ravished some great with child murthered the breasts of many women were cut off after whose death their poor infants died of famine Opede also proclaimed that on pain of death no man should give any relief or sustenance to them All their habitations were pillaged sacked and burnt and none of their persons spared but such as were reserved for the Gallies Opede comming to Merindol found none there but one simple lad who had yielded himselfe prisoner to a souldier and promised two Crowns for his ransom but Opede paid the money to the souldier and caused the lad to be shot to death then he utterly razed the Town and laid it levell with the ground Then did he march against Cabrieres and with the Cannon battered the wals There was within only about sixty poor sick Pesants who sent him word that he needed not to spend powder to batter the wals for they were ready to open the gates and quit the Country if they might but have leave with their wives and children to go to Geneva or Germany and to leave all their goods behinde them Opede entring the Town caused all the men to be brought into a field and to be cut in pieces the souldiers striving who should shew the best manhood in cutting off heads arms and legs The women he caused to be locked in a barn with much straw and so put fire to it where many women great with childe were burnt One souldier moved with pity opening a hole in the wall that some of them might come out but Opede made them to be beaten back againe into the fire with Pikes and Halberts Some of them that came forth he slew with his own hands ripping open their bellies so that their children came forth whom he trod under his feet many were fled into cellers and caves whom he caused to be dragged out had into the field stripped stark naked and then slain Others were bound by two and two together and slain by the Captains who rejoyced in their bloudy butchery Then did this Tyrant worse then Herod command one of his Captaines to go into Church into which many women children and infants were fled and to kill them all which the Captain at first refused saying that it was a cruelty unbeseeming men of warre Whereat Miniers being displeased charged him upon pain of rebellion against the King to do it The Captain fearing what might be the issue entred with his souldiers and destroyed them all sparing
shall as Martyrs immediately passe to Paradise hereupon one of Earl Simons great Captains said Monsieur Cardinall you talke with great assurance but if the Earl believe you it will be little for his profit for you and other Prelates have been the causers of all this evil and will be of more if he believe you Then was it resolved that the City should be besieged on the side of Gascon but the Citizens made such a blunt salley that they put their enemies to flight and presently the Earl of Foix coming with new supplies fell upon Earl Simon chased him to the river Garonne where many of his Pilgrims were drowned and the Earle with his horse fell into the river and hardly escaped The Earl Remund caused publick thanksgiving to God for this happy victory Earl Simon being in great perplexity a Bishop bid him be of good comfort for that the Cardinal had sent messengers throughout the world to raise him succours and so he was inforced to wait with much impatiency the coming of these new supplies Anno 1218. There came to him a hundred thousand Pilgrims and he was resolved that they should earn their pardons knowing that at the end of fourty daies they would vanish Whereupon the next morning they were ordered to give a generall assault to Tholouse But Earl Remund perceiving in the night that they were very secure because of their great multitude he sallied out upon them and that with so good successe that ere morning all the field was covered with their dead bodies and the Earl with his men being weary with killing returned into the City to give thanks unto God for his assistance Then did Earl Simon enter into the Castle of Narbonnes to see if he could discerne any way to enter into the City but finding none it much troubled him whereupon two Lords gave him Counsell to come to some honourable agreement yet the Cardinal Betrand told him that there was no need for him so to do To whom one of them answered Monsieur Cardinal pray you where finde you that you should take from Earl Remund and his son that which belongs unto them If I had known as much as I know now I had never taken upon me this business After nine moneths siege the Citizens of Tholouse made another sally killing as many of the crossed souldiers as they encountered with and Earl Simon coming in to the reliefe of his men had his horse shot in the head with an arrow which caused him to run away with him which one of the Albingenses seeing with his Cross-bow he shot him thorow the thigh Simon perceiving that he lost much bloud was labouring to get out of the presse but just at that present a woman discharging an engine from the walls of Tholouse a stone parted his head from his shoulders and thus by Gods just judgement he that had been the deflourer and murtherer of many women was himselfe slaine by a woman Upon his death the Legate and all the Bishops fled never staying till they came to Carcasson the Pilgrims disbanded and returned to their homes and Earl Remund caused a publick Thanksgiving to be returned to Almighty God for this so signall a deliverance Afterwatds at the instigation of the Pope Prince Lewis of France went and besieged Tholouse but finding the business too hot for him he returned without doing any thing of note yet in this iourney he tooke the towne of Miromand wherein he cruelly put to the sword men women and children to the number of five thousand Upon his returne the Legat Bertrand being weary of these warres wrote to Pope Honorius the 3. desiring to be recalled because of his age yet with all he signified a necessity of continuing these warrs Otherwise saith he not only the lands of the Albingenses wil be lost but the Church of Rome itself will be ruined the Doctrin of the Albingenses shaking the authority of the Popes themselves And saith he this war hath cost us very deare for within less then fifteene years there hath dyed above three hundred thousand Crossed soldiers and therefore all wil be lost except these Hereticks be utterly destroyed This occasioned the Pope to send a new Legat Conradus Bishop of Portua Also he granted to all Crossed soldiers that fought against the Albingenses the same in dulgences as to those that went to fight against the Saracens in the Holy land Moreover he tooke King Philip of France into his protection and made peace betwixt him and young King Henry the third of England so that Philip wholly bent himself to roote out the Gospellers Anno Christi 1220. Earl Guido of Monfort son and heire to Earl Simon went against the Albingenses but was soone after slaine by the E. of Sant Giles as he besieged a Castle in Tholouse Then did his brother Almerick besieg the same Castle and swore that he would never depart from it till he had taken it But after a while his hoped-for aides failing him he was faigne to leave the siege and depart After whose departure the Albingenses recovered many places Anno Christi 1221. the young Emperor Frederick by the instigation of the Pope published a cruell and bloody Edict against the Gospellers with in his Dominions where in he damned them with perpetuall ignominy and declared them publick enemies Commanding their goods to be confiscated without redemption and their sons to be disinherited As also that all of them that were apprehended by the Inquisitors or others should be kept in Prison till they were killed with an abomminable death The like punishment he commanded to be inflicted on all such as should aide or assist them Also he tooke away all benefit of appeale from such as were receivers or favourers of them And further he commanded that their houses and the houses of such as should receive defend or favour them either where they have taught or where they have laid on hands should be plucked downe and never more repaired Also the same yeare some of these Albingenses going into Bosina and Dalmatia drew many of the people to imbrace their faith whereupon the Bishop of Collen was sent thither by Pope Honorius as his Legate and required to force them to returne to the Catholick faith as they called it either by perswasion or by the arms of the Crossed souldiers but where neither prevailed he being a weary of the work left it to the Frier predicants to see if by arguments they could convince and convert them Columminus the King assisting them and saith mine Author when they had got footing they burnt with fires those that were obstinate in their Heresies and purged the Churches which were defiled by them Leander de viris illust ordinis praedicatorum Anno Christi 1223. Bartholmew the Bishop of the Albingenses of Tholouse ordeined a Bishop for Bulgary Croatia and Dalmatia where their faith spread so fast that Bishops themselves were drawn
suspected to be of their Religion should be excluded from office bearing that all houses should be pulled downe wherein any of them should be found that all their goods and inheritances should be confiiscated That the like should be done to all that should aid or abett them or that should hinder or not assist the Inquisitors in the execution of their office That whosoever should be suspected of their Heresie should have an oath given him to keep the peace and the Catholike Faith That the houses of such as should be detected of Heresie after their death should be pulled downe That whosoever should refuse to weare the Cross should have his goods seized on c. The same year the Inquisitors were informed that in the territories of Brixia there had lately lived one Guido de Lacha who was much honoured for his austerity and integrity of life but that he dyed out of the communion of the Church of Rome having been infected with Heresie whereupon they ordered his bones to be digged up and burned The Earl of Foix and Comminges and the Prince of Bearne yet remained to be conquered and the Popes Legate thought that the Earl of Tholouse was the fittest person to deale with them whereupon he caused him to write to them to perswade them to embrace the Catholike Faith c. But the Earl of Foix returned answer That he could not forsake his faith in such a time wherein men might think that he did it rather out of feare then from any good grounds and that it was fitter for them to convince him of the truth of their way then to allure him by promises or force him thereto by Armes And that if they brought that world of Pilgrims against him which they threatned he trusted in God that he should make them know the Justice of his cause and repent of the rashnesse of their vow But the Earls subjects fearing that their Lord being aged and without wife and children should leave them to the mercy of the first Conqueror intreated him to come to a composition with the Legat whereupon he began to treat and at last yielded up diverse Castles into the hands of the King of France upon promise that he would rule with justice and equity Anno Christi 1234. the opinions of the Albingenses were much spread abroad in the parts of Spaiâ—â— and other adjacent countries and they had Bishops among them who boldly preached against the Romish errors and especially against Transubstantiation whereupon a Croisado was preached against them and a very great Army of Pilgrims being assembled together were by Pope Gregory sent against them who slew them all with their Bishops seized of their City and plundered them whereby saith Mathew Paris they returned rich and joyfully into their own countries Also about the same time another Army of these Pilgrims went against others of them on the borders of Germany who retiring into a Fenny place for there security were their all slaine But the same yeare the Lord raised up Trancavel the natural son of the Earl of Beziers deceased who was encouraged and assisted by a number of valiant Captaines as Oliver de Fumes Bertrand Hugon de Serrelong Bertrand de villenense Jordaine de Satiat who told him that they would assist him to revenge the outrages done to his father who was deprived of his land betrayed imprisoned and poisoned whereupon he resolved to recover by the sword what was so unjustly taken from him and before the enemies had notice of his designe he took in diverse strong Castles so that the Popes Legate and Bishop of Tholouse were much astonished to see these men stand up for the Albingenses whom they supposed to have been utterly suppressed Then did the Popes agents cause the cross to be preached and the Bishop of Narbonne animated the people of his Diocess to go against them and to make an end of the poor remainder of the Albingenses An army being raised the Popes Legate led it to Tholouse and when the Citizens appeared upon their ramparts he told them that he was come thither for their preservation They thanked him but withall told him that if he did not instantly retire himselfe they would give him the chase And presently came Trancavell who so bravely and valiantly set upon the Legates Troops that he quickly overthrew them and chased them to the very gates of Carcasson and the Legate had much adoe to save himselfe but that which most angered the Legate was that Trancavell found intertainement in some part of Carcasson so that the Pilgrims durst hardly peep out of the City gates and when he heard of any more Pilgrims comming to the Legate he used to meet them to lay Ambushes for them so that usually overthrowing them their designes were marred This man kept the field till the year 1242. and still prevailed against all the crossed souldiers that came against him whereupon Ameline the Popes Legate wrote to the Pope that if he caused not the cross to be preached in many parts of Europe the Church was like to sustain much damage by this enemy For saith he he is more cruell and subtile then any before him But a little before the Bishop of Tholouse was informed of a certain Matron who having her children brethren and friends about her was dying an Heretick whereupon he ran to her and found it even so by the confession of the woman her selfe who desired to die in the faith of the Albingenses and doubted not to be saved then did the Bishop condemne her and delivered her to the secular power who presently carried her forth in the bed wherein she lay sick and burned her Anno Christi 1235. Earl Remund getting from Paris returned into his owne country and forbad the Citizens of Tholouse to company with the Friers predicant and shortly after expelled them the City And the Monastery of Narbonne belonging to the same order of Friers was pulled down by the Albingenses And in June following Pope Gregory the ninth made new Inquisitors against the Albingenses in Arragon and France Anno Christi 1236. King Lewis of France wrote to the Pope that Earl Remund had violated the Covenants which he had made with the Church and had cast the Bishops Clergy and Friers out of Tholouse and brought Hereticks into their roomes whereupon he desired that he might be reduced into order c. And indeed by the power of the Pope and King he was forced to recall the Popish Clergy and to banish the Albingenses and to take upon him the signe of the Cross for the aid of the Holy land by way of Penance for his former deeds The same year many imbracing the faith of the Albingenses be-beyond the Alps Inquisitors were sent against them especially one Frier Robert who caused many of both sexes to be apprehended and when they continued constant in the true faith and would not renounce the same in
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
of the condemned persons humbly petition for their lives but answer was made that all the favour which could now be granted to them was that they should have leave to bury the corps of their friends In the evening the condemned men which were twenty seven in number had notice given them of the day wherein they were to suffer and thereforâ— they were advised to send for Jesuits or Capuchins or a Minister of the Augustine Confession for the good of their souls but they must expect no Minister of the Brethren for that would not be granted to them The Jesuits and Capuchins not staying till they were called for flocked to them using many perswasions promising life c. if they would turn but God so strengthened them that all those endeavours of Satans imps were in vaine Then were some Ministers of the Augustine Confession sent for who spent that time which remained in Religious exercises conferences prayer and singing of Psalms and lastly by administring the Sacrament to them They which were of the Brethren willingly admitted these Ministers protesting that they acknowledged them for Brethren though they differed from them in some things only two of them did not partake of the Sacrament for fear of some false accusation comforting themselves with that saying Beleeve and thou hast eaten They which were prisoners in the Majors house being called to supper the night before they were to suffer comforted themselves saying that this was their last supper on earth but to morrow they should feast with Christ in his Kingdom whereupon a great Papist flouted saying Hath Christ Cooks for you in heaven When it was told them that the Noble men were coming to the Scaffold in the Market place where they were to suffer they hasted to the windows and entertained their fellow Martyrs with singing the 44. Psalm The night after they spent in Psalms prayer godly discourse and mutuall exhortations that since it pleased God to call them before others to this honour of Martyrdom they hoped by their constancy to confound the world to glorifie Christ and to leave a good example to others and singing the 68. Psalm where in David praies to God to shew some token of good upon him one of them said Shew therefore some token of good upon us O God whereby we thy servants may be strengthened by thy goodnesâ—e and our enemies confounded And being full of faith he said further Be of good chear for even in this God hath hard your voice and to morrow he will shew some wonderfull signe whereby he will witnesse that we suffer for his cause Early in the morning they washed their faces and put on clean clothes as if they had been going to a wedding and cut off the collars of their dublets that when they came to the Scaffold there should need no new making ready Then did they earnestly pray to God that he would be pleased to confirm and strengthen both themselves and the people concerning their innocency Presently after the sun rising a beautifull bow appeared and compassed the heavens the Ministers souldiers and many others looking upon it The Martyrs looked out at the window and saw a Rainbow of an unusuall colour the heavens being very clear and no rain of two daies before whereupon falling upon their knees they lifted up their voices and hands praising God for this sign that he shewed from heaven Then presently was a Gun discharged which was a warning for their bringing forth to execution whereupon those Champions of Christ encouraged one another praying that each of them might be strengthened c. Then Troops of horse and foot came to fetch them the streets market-place and houses being filled with multitudes of spectators The Martyrs being called forth one by one went to their death with and undaunted courage hasting as if they had been going to a banquet When one was called for he thus took his leave of the rest Farwell most loving friends God give you the comforts of his Spirit patience and courage that what formerly with your mouths you have professed you may confirm by your glorious death Behold I go before that I may see the glory of my Lord Jesus Christ you will follow me that we may together see the face of our heavenly Father At this houre all sorrow departs from me and joyfull eternity shall succeed it Then did the rest answer God above to whom you are going prosper your journey and grant that you may passe happily from this vale of misery unto that heavenly Country The Lord Jesus send his Angeles to meet you Go dear brother into thine and our Fathers house and we will follow after presently we shall meet in the heavenly glory and this we are confident of through him in whom we have beleeved The first was the Lord Schlik a man of admirable parts about fifty years old When he was condemned to be quartered and his parts to be scattered here and there he said The loss of a sepulchre is easie Being exhorted by a Minister to courage he said I have Gods favour so that no fear of death doth trouble me I have formerly dared to oppose Antichrist and I dare now die for Christ. The Jesuites troubling him when he came to the Scaffold he shaked them off and seeing the sun shining bright he said Christ thou Son of righteousness grant that through the darknesse of death I may passe into eternall light and so having ended his prayers he constantly received the stroak His right hand and head were hung on the high Tower upon the Bridge The Lord Wenceslaus was next about seventy years old famous for Learning Religion and his travels through divers countries His house was formerly plundered even to his wearing apparell he only saying The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away Being asked why he would engage himselfe in Fredericks cause he said My conscience pressed me to do what I did I am here my God dispose of me thy servant as seems good in thine eyes I am full of years take me out of this life that I may not see that evill that is coming on my Country Afterwards holding forth his Bible he said Behold my Paradise it never yeelded me so much Nectar and Ambrosia as now When he was sentenced he said to the Judges You have a long time thirsted after my bloud but know withall you will finde God a revenger of innocent bloud for whose cause we suffer A Frier saying to him You are deceived in your opinion he answered I rely not on opinion but on the infallible truth of God for I have no other way but him who said I am the way the truth and the life On the Scaffold stroaking his long beard he said My gray hairs behold what honour remains for you that you should be crowned with Martyrdom And so praying for the Church his Country his enemies and
commending his soul to Christ his head was cut off and set on the Tower The next was the Lord Harant a man that had gained much experience by his travels in Asia Africa and Europe his crime was that he had taken an oath to be true to Frederick and durst not violate it As he was going to suffer he called the Minister to him and told him that he much feared his wives inconstancy in Religion and therefore desired him to exhort her to constancy and not to suffer her self to be drawn from her Religion by any allurements assuring her that it is the infallible way to salvation Then to exhort her to use more clemency to his subjects rather easing then over-charging them with burthens Lastly to require her to have a care of his children and to bring them up in the pure Religion c. Being called to execution he said I have travelled through many Countries through many barbarous Nations escaped many perils by sea and land and now suffer innocently in my own Countrey and by them for whose sake I and my forefathers have spent our Estates and Lives Father forgive them Then he said In thee O Lord have I hoped let me not be confounded On the Scaffold he said Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit In the O Lord have I trusted from my youth I am confident that I shall be accepted by that ignominious death of my Saviour and falling upon his knees he said To thee O Lord I commend my spirit for thou O God just and true hast redeemed me and so he received the fatall stroke with the sword The next was Casper Kaplitz a Knight of eighty six years old When the Minister came to him after his condemnation he said See me a miserable old man who have often intreated my God that he would have mercy upon me and take me out of this miserable life but have not obtained it for God hath reserved me to be a spectacle to the world and a sacrifice to himselfe Gods will be done My death indeed is disgracefull in the eyes of men but glorious in the sight of God for God will account that death precious in his sight which I suffer for his glory and truth And when it was told him that he might have his life if he would ask pardon he answered That he would ask pardon of him against whom he had committed many sins all his life but he never offended the Prince and therefore would not give occasion to suspect that he had committed some crime for which he had deserved death c. God forbid therefore said he that I should be separated from this holy company of Martyrs As he was going to the Scaffold being feeble with age he said Oh my God strengthen me lest I fall down and become matter of scorn to the enemies Being crooked with age and hanging down his head the executioner could not well come at his neck whereupon the Minister said to him My noble Lord as you haâ—e commended your soul to Christ so now offer up your heavy head chearfully to God and lift up your selâ—e towards heaven Then lifting up his head as well as he could he said Lord Jesus into thy hand I commend my spirit and so is head was cut off The next was Procopius Dorzecki who after his condemnation said to the Minister I haâ—e had a great contention all night with old Adam so that it made me sweat againe but thanks be to my God by whom my soul hath overcome all tentations saying further O Almighty God strengthen thy servant that I may not be made a derision to mine enemies by any fear of death and as thou waâ—â— wont to encourage thy holy Martyrs so I â—trongly beleeâ—e thou wilt comfort me When he was called forth to execution he said Thanks be to my God who doth now call me to himselfe to him I have lived and for him I will die for my Saviour hath therefore died and risen again that he might be Lord both of the living and the dead I know that my soul shall liâ—e and my body shall be raised like to his glorious body Upon the Scaffold he said to the Imperiâ—ll judges Tell Caesar that we are now under his â—udgement buâ— he shall undergoe a more grievous yet just judgement of God And seeing a gold Medal hanging about his neck wherein was ingraven the Coronation of Frederick he delivered it to one that stood by saying I require â—hee that when my dear King Frederick shall recover the Throne of this Kingdom thou deliver him this and tell him that for his sake I wore it till my death and that now I lay down my life willingly for God and my King and so presently after he lost his head The next was the L. Frederick de Bile who suffered death likewise patiently and piously The next was the L. Hen. Otto a man of great judgment who having received the sentence of condemnâ—tion said O Caesar do you indeed establish your Throne by our bloud but what account will you make to God of it in the day of judgement c. kill my body dispâ—â—se my members whither you please yet dâ— I beleeâ—e â—hat my Saviour will gather them together againe and clothe 〈…〉 so that with thâ—sâ— eyes I shall see hâ—m with these ears I shall hear him with â—his toâ—gue I shall praise him and rejoyce with this heart fâ—reâ—er Afterwards when the Minister came to him amongst other 〈◊〉 he saiâ— I was â—roubled but now I feel a wonderfull refreshing in mâ— heart adding with his hands lift up to heaven I give thee thanks O most mercifull Saviour who hast beâ—n pleased to fill me with so much 〈◊〉 now I fear death no longer I will die with joy As he was going to the â—caâ—fold he said to the Ministâ—r I am sure that Christ Jesus will meet my soul with his Angels that he may bring it to an everlasting marriage where I shall drink of a new cup a cup of joy for ever This death I know shall not separate me from him Upon the Scaffold lifting up his eyes to heaven he said Behold I see the Heavens open pointing with his hand to the place where others also observed a certain brightnesse which dazled their eyes after he had prayed silently he said Into thy hands O Lord God I commend my spirit have pitty on me through Jesus Christ and receive me that I may see thy glory and so he received the stroak of the sword The next was Dionysius Zervius formerly a Papist but being told of the promises made to the people of God concerning the pardon of sins and assurance of salvation to those that believe in Christ he struck his breast and with tears in his eyes cried out This is my faith and in this I die I rest in the grace of Christ and I
was neither town nor City in all the Countrey wherein some were not banished beheaded or condemned to perpetual imprisonment neither was there any respect either of age or sex But especially at Gaunt many of the chief men were burned for Religion Also at the Emperours going to Bruxels there was a terrible persecution and slaughter made of Gods People in Brabant Artois c. so that two hundred men and women were apprehended at one time whereof some were drowned some buried quick some privily made away others sent to perpetual prison yea so many others were put to death that the hands of the hangman were tired with slaying of men Anno 1545. There was one Martin at Gaunt a Fishmonger who lived very dissolutely to his old age but it pleased God by a Sermon that he heard to bring him to the knowledge of the truth and to repentance for his former sins whereupon he left Gaunt and sought out the company of godly Christians who used much reading of the Scriptures by whom he was further instructed and grounded in the truth Then after three moneths he returned to the City again where he visited the Captives in prison comforted them in persecution and confirmed them in the truth which were led to the fire The Friars seeing this though formerly he had been very bountiful to them yet now they conspired against him whereby he was laid in bands and by sharp and cruel torments they would have enforced him to recant but not prevailing he was condemned and his goods confiscated as he stood at the stake a Friar said to him Martin except thou dost turn thou shalt go from this temporal to everlasting fire to whom he answered It is not for you to judge me and so he quietly slept in the Lord. The next day after two other men were burned and a woman buried alive for the same cause who joyfully and cheerfully suffered Martyrdome At Delden two Virgins of a noble stock who frequently and diligently attended Sermons being apprehended and examined couragiously confessed and maintained the truth whereupon they were condemned and the younger was first burned In the fire she prayed so ardently for her enemies that the Judges greatly marvelled at it Then did they exhort the elder that if she would not recant yet at least that she would petition to have her punishment changed into beheading instead of burning whereupon she answered that she held no errour of which she had cause to repent but the truth which was consonant to the Scriptures in which she trusted to persevere unto the end And for the kind of her punishment she feared not the fire but would rather follow the example of her dear sister and so being put into the fire she quietly slept in the Lord. But this was marvellous that after their death the bodies of them both remained white and unhurt by the fire whereupon some Christians privily in the night buried them Anno Christi 1545. There was in Mechlin one Andrew Thiessen who had three sonnes and a daughter whom he carefully brought up in the knowledge of the truth after which he went into England and there died Two of his sonnes went into Germany to study there and after a time returned home again instructing their mother brother and sister in the right knowledge of Christ which being taken notice of they were all carried before the Magistrate and exhorted to returne to the Church of Rome again The younger brother and sister being not so throughly grounded in the truth by reason of their yeares yielded something and so were sent home again the mother who remained constant was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment the two elder brethren defended the truth stoutly against the Friars Disputation not prevailing they proceeded to torments endeavouring to know of them who was their Master and what fellows they had they answered that their Master was Christ who bare his Crosse before them and for fellows they had innumerable dispersed in all places At last they were condemned to the fire and at the place of execution they began to exhort the people whereupon bals were put into their mouths which through vehemency in desiring to speak they thrust out again intreating them for the Lords sake that they might have leave to speak and so singing with a loud voice they were fastened to the stake where they prayed for their Persecutors exhorted one another and endured the fire patiently One of them feeling the violence of the flame said O what a small pain is this compared with the glory to come and so committing their spirits into the hands of God they finished their race Anno 1545. There was a great persecution in Dornick and amongst others there was one Adrian Tailor and his Wife apprehended and upon their examination the man being somewhat timorous relented something and so was beheaded but the woman being more constant was put into an iron grate and so buried alive There was also one Master Peter Bruly about the same time sometimes a Preacher in Strasburg but now at the request of the faithful in Dornick a diligent Preacher there He used to preach in houses the door standing open the Magistrate hearing of it laid wait for him shutting up the City gates and searching three days for him but the brethren in the night time let him down in a basket over the wall and when he was down one of them leaning over the wall to bid him farewel unawares threw down a loose stone which falling upon his leg brake it in pieces He complaining of his hurt the watchmen heard him and apprehended him Then did he give thanks to Almighty God who by that providence staid him there to bear witnesse to his truth whilst he was in prison he ceased not to instruct and confirm all them that came to him in the Word of grace after four moneths imprisonment he was condemned to be burnt and his ashes to be cast into the river The Friars took care that he should have but a small fire that his pain might be the more increased yet he constantly and chearfully suffered Martyrdom God made the Ministry of this good man very powerful to many amongst others there was one Peter Mioce who had lived long in all manner of wickedness and licenciousness but being through Gods grace converted he excelled all the rest of the brethren in zeale and holinesse at last he was apprehended and being asked whether he was one of Peter Brulies disciples he said that he was and that he had received much benefit by his Doctrine withall professing that his doctrine was consonant to the holy Scriptures whereupon he was let down into a deep dungeon full of Toads and other vermine Afterwards he was brought forth before the Senate who had provided some Friars to convert him To whom he said When I lived an ungodly life in all manner of
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
but the Prince as God would have it turning at the same instant the bullet entred in at his throat under the right chap being so near that the fire entred with the bullet into the wound burning his Ruffe and Beard it brake out one of his teeth pierced the jugular vein but hurt not his toungue and so came out at his left cheek hard by his nose the blow being given one with an Halberd could not contain himself but thrust the Villain through and slew him The Chirurgions being sent for found that the fire which entred the wound had cauterized the jugular vein and had done him much good so that the wound was not mortal The Friar was afterwards apprehended and executed Anno 1584. The Spaniards thinking they had no greater enemy in the world than the Prince of Orange and that if he were dead they should quickly attain their desires in the Netherlands they suborned one Baltazar Gerard an high Burguignon to murther him who bought a good paire of Pistols and on the tenth of July watched when the Prince should go down into the Hall to dinner at Delpht in Holland and as he passed by he demanded a Pasport of him the Princesse observing that he spake with an hollow and unsetled voice she asked her husband who he was saying that she did not like his countenance the Prince answered that he demanded a Pasport which he should presently have After dinner the Prince going out of the Hall the murtherer stood behind a Pillar in the Gallery and as the Prince passed by suddenly shot him from the left side to the right through the stomack and the vital parts who said no more but O my God take pity of my soul I am sore wounded my God take pity of my soul and of this poor people and presently after he gave up the Ghost Collected out of Sleidens Commentaries and the History of the Netherlands c. CHAP. XXXII The Modern Persecutions of the Church in Germany since the year 1630. THe Swedes being possessed of a Town called Pasewalck the Imperialists took it by storm beat killed and drave out the Swedes and not content therewith they fell to torturing of the townsmen ravishing women and gilrs in the open streets and Church-yards yea women in child-bed then they killed the men fired their houses and burnt many in them thrust straw into Cellars where children were hidden and so burnt and smothered them Then they burnt the Churches and massacred the Ministers and at last burn down the whole Town The like cruelty was used against the City of Magdenburg famous for Religion which being taken by Tilly and Pappenheim Anno 1631. was in twelve hours space wholly turned into cindars except one hundred thirty nine houses by which fire six godly Churches were burnt down no mercy was shewed to any age sex or condition above twenty thousand persons were slain burnt and smothered to death six thousand were drowned in the river Elve Ladies and Gentlewomen like beasts were yoked together all about the Country and driven into woods to be ravished and such as resisted were stript stark naked whipt had their ears cropt and so were turned up Anno 1634. The Popish Army having taken the town of Hoxter they spared neither man woman nor child most inhumanely butchering and hewing in pieces all without respect of age sexe or condition and what the sword could not spoile they caused the fire to consume and the dead corpses they cast into the Weser At Griphenburg they kept the Senators shut up in a Chamber macecrating and tormenting them so long with hunger and smoak that divers of them died In Heidleberg they shut up divers Reverend Ministers and Bourgers in prison allowing them nothing to eat but bread and water Frankendall being surrendred upon Articles contrary to Covenants the grave Counsellors and other Electoral Ministers were forced to endure such conditions as were fitter for Dogs than men Some were cast into prison and so abused that they died there others were forced to redeem themselves with unreasonable ransoms the goods of such as were fled were confiscated and though the inhabitants were willing to have left their houses and all their goods yet were they detained in the City and their destruction most cruelly plotted Their rage was so great against the Professors of the Gospel that neither Turks nor Heathens did ever exceed them Princes sacred Person were not exempted from their fury The old Lantgrave of Hessen and the old Dutchesse Dowager of Wittenburgh were taken prisoners reviled and abused In Saxoni Tillies Souldiers tortured the Protestants by half strangling them and pressing their thumbs with wheels In Pomeren they forced the people to eat their own excrements and if they refused they thrust them down their throat whereby some of them were choaked If they suspected that any had hidden their gold or silver they used exquisite torments to make them to confesse it They wound and tied about the heads of some strong matches or cords and with short truncheons twisted them till blood came out of their eyes ears and noses yea sometimes till their eyes started out of their heads to others they tied burning matches between their fingers yea to their eyes ears noses tongues cheeks breasts leggs and secret parts yea such parts that nature hideth they either stuffed with gunpowder or hung bags of powder to them and so giving fire to it in an horrible manner they burst their bellies and killed them With bodkins they made holes or with knives they cut the skin and flesh of many They drew strings and cords through the fleshie parts of some and through the muscles of their thighs leggs armes c. or through their noses ears lips c. Some they hung up in the smoak drying them with small fires and sometimes refreshing them with small drink or water taking care lest in their torments they should die too soon Some they put into hot Ovens roasting or smothering them there Some they roasted with fires of straw Some they stifled strangled or hanged and this was a great favour so soon to rid them out of their pain Of many they bound their hands and feet so hard that the blood spirted out their fingers and toes ends Of some they tied their hands and feet backwards together stopping their mouths with clouts to hinder them from praying Some they hung up with ropes fastened to their privy parts and hearing their cries strove by their roarings to drown their cries as in sport Where they found poor creatures troubled with ruptures they enlarged them by villanous means filling them with gunpowder and blowing them up as a Mine by giving fire thereto Many they drew up on high hanging great weights at their feet to pull their bodies out of joynt Of some they plained their faces with Chisels Some men they openly gelded in the presence of their wives and
and shortly after three Suns appeared in the Heavens In the beginning of April Anno 1619. and Anno 1621. in March in the same Country of Austria were two Armies seen in the Heavens by clear day-light fighting furiously together with great thundering of Ordnance and Canons In the same Country Anno 1623. in the moneth of January just over the City of Lintz two swords were seen one over against the other and two great Armies fighting a pitched battel together which caused great terrour to the beholders At Heidleberg in February Anno 1622. were seen three Suns and three Rainbows Shortly after which that City was besieged by the Inperialists and at last taken where a grear slaughter was made of the Imhabitants and in Neckergemund three miles off all the inhabitants Men Women and Children were put to the sword In April Anno 1622. In the Country of Darmstad were trees whose leaves drop't blood and the year after in the same Country in divers Towns and Villages were seen bloody signes on Houses and stone-walls About Meyenfield and Malants as men were reaping their Corne their Hands and Sickles were all bloody In July Anno 1622. In the Dukedome of Wittemburgh it rained so much blood that it fell upon the hands and cloaths of people in the fields and was seen upon Trees Stones and other places May the twelfth Anno 1624. in the Dukedome of Anhalt there appeared a strange prodigie in the Heavens which continued from six till eight a clock at night First there came out of the clouds an Ancient-bearer After him came forth a grave man in the same habit then came forth a Chariot drawn with two particouloured Horses Then another Chariot with four armed Horses Then suddenly there brake out of the Clouds an infinite number of people like a swarm of Bees After them followed a man sitting on horseback with a long Robe putting the people before him A quarter of an houre after came forth another Army consisting of many horse and foot c. The two Armies fought till one of them was routed and presently after all vanished away Anno 1624. In May a strange tempest happened at Ratisbone The weather being very calme with little raine two dark clouds met together which suddenly belched out a great wind mingled with fire which raised such a tempest that near to the City it tore up trees by the roots and in a moment drave them into divers places and thence extending it self to the City it overturned above two hundred houses in the Towne and Suburbs not leaving a Chimney standing nor a roof to cover an house The Church of Emerans besides the shattered windows had one of the steeples laid flat to the ground and the other broke off in the middle two other of the chiefest steeples in the City were also broken down This tempest lasted not above a quarter of an hour nor extended beyond the City neither were there above four men slain by it Anno 1625. Near Troppash a great multitude of Jack-dawes met in the aire where they fought a great battel and that with so great eagernesse that many of them fell down dead so that the Countrey-men gathered up whole sackfuls of them Anno 1628. In Pomerland the heavens seemed to open and an Army came forth of the Northern part the Avauntguard consisting of Pioneres Musqueteres then followed great peeces of Ordnance and in the Reare came the Cavalry Another Army came forth on the other side and betwixt them there became a cruel battel The victory inclining to the Northern Army And at last a fiery beame followed upon the Northern Conquerour which continued for the space of some hours Anno 1631. At Hall in Saxony the water was turned into blood to the great astonishment of the inhabitants During the siege of Magdenburg a Captains wife being in travel when she could not be delivered and was near death she desired that when she was dead her body might be opened which being done there was found in her womb a boy almost as big as one of three years old with an head-piece and breastplate upon him great boots after the French fashion and a bag by his side with twoo things in it like musket bullets June the nineteenth Anno 1631. In the lower Saxony two great Armies appeared in the aire one in the North the other in the South which fought a great battel together After long fighting the Northern Army obtained the victory After the battel was ended there appeared a man in a long coat bearing a bow with which he shot at and overthrew the Commander of the Southern Army In the same Countrey a woman having bought a loafe of bread when she came home was dividing it and in the cutting of it there came forth blood Anno. 1633. In the Countrey of Altenburgh a fish-pond was turned into blood which stank so extreamly that if any Passengers did but touch it they could not wash off the stink thereof in three days space Anno 1634. At Berlin in Brandenburg it rained blood and brimstone Anno 1635. In Hessen there met two armies of strange birds which fought a set battel And not far off about that same time a multitude of dogs had their Randevouz which fought so eagerly that they would not be reconciled and when the Governour of a neighbour Garrison sent out four companies of Musqueteers against them they seeing a common enemy joyned together and in despight of their guns beat them away and devoured nine of them Here place the eighth Figure CHAP. XXXIII The Persecution of the Church in France which began Anno Christi 1524. ANno Christi 1209. There were certain learned men in France disciples of one Almericus at Paris whose names were Master William a sub-deacon of Poictiers well studied in the Arts and Divinity Bernard another sub-deacon William Goldsmith Steven a Priest Steven of the Seller and one John a Priest who upon examination held That God was no otherwise present in the Sacramental bread than in any other bread That it was Idolatry to build Altars to Saints or to cense their Images They mocked those that kissed the Reliques They said that the Pope was Antichrist and Rome Babylon That God was not seene in himself but by his creatures For which when they could not be drawn to recant they were condemned to be burnt at Paris which accordingly was executed Bzorius out of Caesarius And Almenneus who had been their Master had his body digged up in the Church-yard and was buried in the field And all French books of Divinity were for ever condemned and burned Anno Christi 1524. At Melden in France there was one John Clark who set up a Bill upon the Church-door against the Popes pardons lately come thither wherein he called the Pope Antichrist for which being apprehended he was adjudged three several days to be whipt then to have
on his knees craved pardon refusing to run against him the King being eagerly set on commanded him upon his Allegiance to run and put the spear into his hands Montgomery thus enforced addressed himself to the course and the King and he meeting together brake their spears and the Kings Heâ—met falling down at the same instant one of the splinters of Montgomeries spear entred just into his right eye and so pierced his head that the brains were perished which wound despising all means of cure killed him within a eleven dayes whereby his hope of seeing Du Bourg burned was frustrated and thereupon Du Bourg his execution was deferred for six moneths longer at the end whereof he having constantly persevered in the confession of his faith was first degraded and the next day carried out to execution The Judges appointed six or seven hundred Horse and Foot well armed to guard him he was first hanged and then his body was burnt to ashes Presently after divers others were burnt in Paris and in many other places for their Religion many also were massacred as they passed along the streets for not doing reverence to the images which were then newly set up in the corner of every street such also as refused to contribute money to buy wax candles to burn before them it cost them their lives Notwithstanding which cruelties those of the Religion increased daily both in zeal and number in all parts of the Realm This much incensed the Duke de Guise in his Government of Dauphine whereupon he sent Mangiron a cruel man and great enemy to the Protestants with charge wholly to root them out This Mangiron first played his part very subtilly but at last he fell upon Valence lacking the houses of the Protestants as if he had taken the Town by assault and the more to strengthen him in his mischief he had many Troops of Horse and some Lanciers sent him Truchon also President of Grenoble cast sixty of the chiefest of the Protestants into prison at Valence whilst Mangiron pillaged those of Montelimart to whom he had promised and sworn to do no wrong Truchon caused two Ministers at Valence to be hehaded and three of the principal Citizens to be hanged the rest he punished with great fines whippings and banishments At Roan he hanged two men whipt one and afterwards sent him to the Gallies Anno 1559. In Provence a godly Gentleman was traiterously massacred for his profession of Religion Those of the Religion seeing themselves destitute of all humane aid resolved in all their dangers instead of seeking to man for help to pray to God to hear his Word to continue in true obedience unto it living in great love and concord one with another whereby abundance of Papists were so edified that by whole Troopes they left the Masse and made open profession of the Protestant Religion Anno 1561. There happened a great mutiny in the City of Paris raised by some Priests which rang a Bell while those of the Religion were hearing a Sermon from which proceeded wounds murthers and imprisonments foure of the Protestants were hanged to please the people and the rest paid a fine CHAP. XXXIV The Persecution in the time of the Civil Wars ANNO 1562. The Duke de Guise passing towards Paris and coming near to Vassy understanding that the Bell rang to a Sermon which was to be preached in a Barn in which place there were assembled about twelve hundred men women and children he presently went vvith all his Troops to the barn and entring into it they cryed out Death of God kill kill these Huguenots then did some of them shoot at those vvhich vvere in the Galleries others cut in pieces such as they met with Some had their heads cleft in twain others had their Armes and hands cut off so that the Walls and Galleries of the Barne were died with the blood of the slain The Duke with his sword drawn stood amongst them charging his men to kill without sparing especially the young men Some of these godly persons getting upon the roof hid themselves there but at length some of this bloody crew spying them shot at them with long pieces whereby many of them were slain falling down from the roof like Pigeons Then they fell to murthering of them all without distinction the poor Saints of God made no resistance only praying unto God and every one running to save himself as it pleased God to direct him many men and women were slain others being sore wounded escaped which died shortly after the poor mans box was taken and emptied The Minister in the beginning of the Massacre ceased not to preach still till one discharged his Peece against the Pulpit Then falling upon his knees he intreated the Lord to have mercy upon him and upon his poor persecuted flock and so coming down from the Pulpit attempted to escape but by the way he received divers wounds whereupon finding himself as he thought mortally hurt he cryed Lord into thy hand I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth yet before he was slain some took him and carried him before the Duke Who said to him who made thee so bold thus to seduce the People Sir said the Minister I am no seducer but have faithfully preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them Then did the Duke curse and swear saying Death of God doth the Gospel teach sedition and calling the Provost he said Take this Varlet and hang him upon a Gibbet Then was the Minister delivered to two Pages who basely abused him The popish women also threw dirt at him and could scarce be restrained from tearing him to pieces He was kept close Prisoner none being suffered to bring him necessaries and he was oft threatned to be sown up in a sack and drowned yet at last through Gods mercy he was released at the earnest request of the Prince of Portion The pulpit was broken down the slain stript stark naked and so the Duke departed with his bloody Troops sounding his trumpets as if he had obtained a great victory When he came to Paris he with the Constable and Marshal of Saint Andrews seized upon the King defaced and overthrew the places where they of the Religion used to assemble which so encouraged the Popish party that in every place they so abused those of the Religion as the most cruel Barbarians would have been ashamed to do the like This caused a Civil War wherein the Duke of Guise having taken Roan sacked it for three dayes space and executed many of the Citizens Not long after he went to Orleance boasting that within twenty four houres he would win the Town and neither spare man woman nor child in it and that he would so destroy the Town that the memory of it should be extinct for ever But mans purposes and God disposes for the same night there was
a most detestable manner The Minister was slain two Gentlemen and sixty others were hanged A widdow of great account redeemed the virginity of her only daughter with a great summe of mony but the villain that promised to defend her ravished her in her Mothers presence and then killed them both Yea after peace was proclaimed fourteen of the Religion coming thither were all slain In Nonnay Monsieur Chaumont having surprised the Town murthered many Protestants spitting out infinite and horrible blasphemies against God himself A Locksmith being commanded to despite and blaspheme God because he refused to do it was presently hewen in pieces for the same cause another was brained with the butt end of a musket A Naylor because he would not give himself to the Divel was drawn about his shop by the ears then being laid on his Anvile they beat his head in pieces with hammers yea all manner of cruelty was used that could be devised Three of the principal in the Town were thrown down from an high Tower many other were thrown down to make sport Some were burnt in their houses others thrown out at windows others stabbed in the streets women and maids were most shamefully handled a young woman that was found hid in an house with her husband was first ravished before her husbands face then forced to hold a Rapier wherewith one thrusting her arme made her kill her own husband In Foix many Protestants were cast into prison of whom some had their armes and legs cut off and then were beheaded Some burnt some hanged and others sent to the Gallies In Aurange they killed the Protestants without distinction of age sex or quality Some they stabbed others they threw upon the points of Halberds Some they hanged others they burnt in the Churches Of some they cut off their privy members sparing neither old nor bedrid nor the diseased in the Hospitals Women and maids were killed others hanged out at windows were harquebushed sucking children massacred at their mothers breasts girls of five or six years old ravished and spoiled the wounds of the dead were filled with leaves torne out of Bibles Those in the Castle yielding upon oath and promise of safety were all stabbed or thrown over the wals being one hundred and ninety of them In Grenoble they slew many of the Religion and others they cast from the Bridge into the River In Cisterno the men that were of the Religion being fled the popish party fell upon the women and children whereof they slew three or foure hundred Some women with child were rip 't up many were buried quick Some had their throats cut like sheep others were drawn through the streets and beaten to death with clubs In Beaune they were bereaved of the exercise of Religion their three Ministers imprisoned many were driven out of the Town to the number of eight hundred persons with women and children their houses were filled with souldiers who made spoile of all such as were found in their houses were vilely abused and some were slain In Mascon the bloody Persecutors having apprehended a godly and learned Minister called Bonnet Bor who was of a very unblameable life having served twenty years in the Ministry and in that time had been put to his ransome three times they carried him along the streets with a thousand scoffs and scorns smiting him with their fists thrusting him up and down and then made a Proclamation That whosoever would hear this holy man preach should come to the slaughter-house at which place they again buffeted and mocked him two hours together Hereupon he requested them that before his death they would permit him to pray to God Then one stepping to him cut off half his nose and one of his ears saying Now pray as long as thou wilt and then we will send thee to all the Divels and so this holy man kneeling down prayed with such fervency of spirit that drew sighs from some of the Murtherers and aftervvards directing his speech to him that had cut off his nose he said Friend I am now ready to suffer what thou hast further to inflict upon me But I intreat thee and thy companions to bethink you well of the outrages committed by you against this poor City for there is a God in heaven before whose Tribunal you must shortly give an account of these your cruelties A Captain passing by cryed send that wretched man to the Divel which one of them hearing took him by the hand pretending to have him to the river to wash off his blood but when he came thither he threw him into it battering him with stones till he was drowned CHAP. XXXV The History of the Massacre at Paris ANNO 1571. After the end of the third Civil War in France great means was used to draw the chief of the Protestants to Paris under pretence of a marriage between the Prince of Navar and the Lady Margaret sister to the King of France but in the mean time the Papists in Roan murthered divers Protestants as they came from a Sermon and grievously beat others this seemed much to displease the King and three or four were executed for the mutiny then were the Articles of marriage agreed upon The place for it Paris and the Admiral sent to by the King to be present at the wedding and to prevent all Jealousies those of the house of Guise were sent away whereat they seemed much discontented The Admiral was allowed to bring with him fifty Gentlemen armed for his greater security When he came to Paris he was honourably received and conducted to the King who calls him his Father protesting that in all his life he had not seen any day more agreeable to his mind than that wherein he assured himself to see the end of all troubles and the beginning of firm peace and quietness in his Realm the Queen-mother and the rest of the great Courtiers received him with greater favour than he expected Then did the King send him one hundred thousand Franks out of his treasury for the losses which he had received in the wars c. The Admiral had divers advertisements of the intended treachery yet God so blinded him at that time though a very prudent man that he gave little heed to them Yea such a general stupidity seized upon the Protestants that their minds were very wavering and few there were that shewed themselves zealously bent to Religion but all both great and small thinking deeply upon worldly matters built them goodly Castles in the aire Then was the Queen of Navar sent for by the King of France to Paris to prepare all things against the wedding but presently after her coming she fell sick of a Feavor made her will in a most Christian manner had much inward joy and comfort and at five dayes end died not without suspition of poison from certain perfumes
was stript seven times in one day and they bade her go and look for her God and bid him give her cloaths again In Kilkenny they cruelly beat an English woman till they forced her into a ditch where she died then they took her child a girle of about six years old ript her belly and let out her guts One they forced to go to Masse with them yet afterwards wounded him ript his belly took out his guts and so left him alive A Scottish man they stripped and knocked on the head who afterwards coming to himself went into the Town naked Then did they again take him and hewed him all to pieces They also ript up his Wives belly so that a Child dropped out of her womb Many other women great with childe they hung up then ript their bellies and let the Infants fall out Sometimes they gave their children to be devoured of Swine and Dogs One John Stone with his son two sons in law and their wives they took and hung them all up and one of the young women being great with child they ript her belly took forth her child and used such beastly barbarous actions to her as are not fit to be mentioned At the Newry they ript up a womans belly that was great with two children throwing them to be devoured of swine Also another woman being delivered of a childe in the fields they which had formerly killed her Father and Husband killed her also with two of her children and gave the new-born infant to be devoured of Dogs In the County of Armagh they Robbed stripped and murthered abundance of Protestants whereof some they burned some they slew with the sword some they hanged and some they starved to death and meeting Mistris Howard and Mistris Frankland with six of their children and themselves both great with child with their pikes they killed and murthered them all ript open the Gentlewomens bellies took out their children and threw them into a ditch A young Scottish womans child they took by the heeles and dashed the braines out against a tree the like they did to many other children Anne Hill going with a young child on her back and four more by her side these cruel persecutors pulled the child off her back trod on it till it died stripped her self and the other four children starke naked whereby they died of cold Some others they met with hanged them up upon a Windmill and before they were half dead cut them in pieces with their Skeins Many other Protestants especially women and children they pricked and stabbed with their Skeins Forks and Swords slashing cutting and mangling them in their heads faces breasts armes and other parts yet killed them not but left them wallowing in their blood to languish starve and pine to death and when they desired them to kill them out of their paine they refused yet sometimes after a day or two they would dash out their braines with stones or clubs which they accounted as a great favour One goodwife Harvey at Kilkenny was forced to go to Masse yet afterwards together with her children was stripped and one of her daughters had her belly ripped that her intrails fell out and her self was so beaten and wounded that she hardly escaped with life The Castle of Lisgoole being set on fire by these mercilesse Papists a woman leaped out at a window to save her self from burning but they presently murthered her the next morning her child was found sucking at her breast which they murthered also And whereas many Protestants with their wives and children fled into vauls and cellars to hide themselves they were all murthered there One Jane Addis they stabbed and then putting her child of a quarter old to her breast bid it suck English bastard and so left it to perish there One Mary Barlow had her husband hanged before her face and her self with six children were all stript stark naked in frost and snow after which sheltring themselves in a Cave they had nothing to eat for three weeks but two old Calves skins which they beat with stones and so eat them hair and all her children crying to her rather to go out and be killed than to famish there In the cold weather many thousands of Protestants of all ranks ages and sexes being turned out stark naked perished of cold and hunger thousands of others were drowned cast into ditches bogs and turf-pits Multitudes were inclosed in houses which being set on fire they were burnt miserably Some that lay sick of feavors they drew out of their beds and hanged them Some men women and children they drove into boggie pits and if any of them endeavoured to get out they knockt them on the heads Some aged men and women these Barbarians enforced their own children to carry them to the river where they were drowned yea some children were compelled unnaturally to be the Executioners of their own Parents wives were forced to help to hang their own husbands and mothers to cast their own children into the water after all which themselves were murthered In Sligo they forced a young man to kill his own father and then hanged him up In another place they forced a woman to kill her husband then caused her son to kill her and then immediatly hanged the son and this they did that they might destroy both soul and body Yea such was their detestable malice against the English Protestants that they taught their children to kill English children One of these Villains wives was very angry with their souldiers because they did not bring the grease of a fat Gentlewoman whom they had slaine with them for her to make candles of The Irish women that followed the Camp egged on the men to cruelty always crying out kill them all spare neither man woman nor child They took the child of one Tkomas Straton being about twelve years old and boiled him to death in a Cauldron One Goodwife Lin and her daughter were carried into a Wood where they first hanged the mother and then the daughter in the hair of the mothers head Some women and children of the Irish meeting an English woman great with child stript her to her smock then pulled off her smock and so rent and abused her that the poor woman falling into labour both she and her child died under their hands In some places they plucked out the eyes and cut off the hands of the Protestants and so turned them out into the fields to wander up and down till they perished The very women in some places stoned the English women to death together with their children One man they shot through both his thighs then digging a hole in the ground they set him in it upright upon his feet and then filled up the hole leaving out only his head where they left him till he pined and languished to death Of another man they held his feet in the fire till he was
blow at them One of the heads being a Ministers a woman struck so hard with her fist that the same night her hand grew black and blew and so rankled that she was lame of it a quarter of a year after Another woman that looked on those heads with much rejoycing presently after fell so distracted that neither night not day she could rest but cryed out continually that she saw those heads before her eyes One English Protestant saying that he would believe the Divel as soon as the Pope they presently hanged him up in an Apple Tree till he dyed A poor Protestant woman with her two children going to Kilkenny upon businesse these bloody miscreants baited them with Dogs stabbed them with skeins and pulled out the guts of one of the children whereby they dyed and not far off they took divers men women and children and hanged them up and one of the women being great with child they ripped up her belly as she hanged so that the child fell out in the cawle alive Some after they were hanged they drew up and down till their bowels were torn out How many thousands of Protestants were thus inhumanely murthered by sundry kinds of deaths in that one Province of Ulster we have heard before What the number of the slain was in the three other Provinces I find not upon Record but certainly it was very great for I finde these passages in a general Remonstrance of the distressed Protestants in the Province of Munster We may say they compare our woe to the saddest Parallel of any story Our Churches are demolished or which is worse profaned by Sacrifices to Idols our habitations are become ruinous heaps No quality age or sex priviledged from Massacres and lingring deaths by being robbed stript naked and so exposed to cold and famine The famished Infants of murdered Parents swarme in our streets and for want of food perish before our faces c. And all this cruelty that is exercised upon us we know not for what cause offence or seeming provocation its inflicted on us sin excepted saving that we were Protestants c. We can make it manifest that the depopulations in this Province of Munster do well near equal those of the whole Kingdome c. And thus in part we have heard of the mercilesse cruelties which the bloody Papists exercised towards the Protestants Let us now consider at least some of Gods judgements upon the Irish whereby he hath not left the innocent blood of his servants to be altogether unrevenged Some particular instances have been mentioned before as also the apparitions at Portendown Bridge which affrighted them from their habitations concerning which it is further testified that by their own confession the blood of those that were knocked on the head and then thrown into the River at that Bridge remained for a long time upon the stones and could not be washed away as also that ofttimes they saw apparitions sometimes of men sometimes of women rising breast-high above the water which did most extreamly screech and cry out for vengeance against the Irish that had murdered them there Catherine Coke testified upon oath that when the Irish had barbarously drowned one hundred and eighty Protestants men women and children at Portendown Bridge about nine days after she saw the apparition of a man bolt upright in the River standing breast-high with his hands lift up to heaven and continued in that posture from December to the end of Lent at which time some of the English Army passing that way saw it also after which it vanished away Elizabeth Price testified upon oath that she and other women whose husbands and children were drowned in that place hearing of these apparitions went thither one Evening at which time they saw one like a Woman rise out of the River breast-high her haire hanging down which with her skin was as white as snow often crying out Revenge Revenge Revenge which so affrighted them that they went their way Divers Protestants were thrown into the river of Belterbert and when any of them offered to swim to the Land they were knocked on the head with Poles after which their bodies were not seen of six weeks but after the end thereof the murtherers coming again that way the bodies came floating up to the very Bridge where they were Sir Con mac Gennis with his company slew Master Turge Minister of the Newry with divers other Protestants after which the said Mac Gennis was so affrighted with the apprehension of the said Master Turge his being continually in his presence that he commanded his souldiers not to slay any more of them but such as should be slain in battel A young woman being stript almost naked there came a Rogue to her bidding her give him her money or he would run her through with his Sword Her answer was You cannot kill me except God give you leave whereupon he ran three times at her naked body with his drawn Sword and yet never pierced her skin whereat he being confounded went his way and left her This was attested by divers women that were present and saw it But besides these forementioned judgements of God which befel them for their inhumane cruelties we may observe how the hand of God hath been out against them ever since and that in a special manner by emasculating and debasing of their spirits whereby it hath come to passe that ordinarily a few English Souldiers have chased multitudes of them and generally in all the battels and fights that have been betwixt them they have always been beaten though the ods was great of their side And as they made themselves formerly drunk with the innocent blood of the unresisting Protestants so now God hath given them their fill of blood in jealousie and fury Many thousands of them have perished by the Sword of War And how heavy hath the hand of God lain further upon them this present year 1650. in that terrible and universal plague that hath been scattered all over the Nation whereby many thousands more of them have perished and God is still fighting against and probably will continue their destruction till they either shall truly be humbled for their horrid sins or be utterly consumed from the face of the earth Amen Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly These particulars were attested upon Oath by sundry persons before Commissioners appointed to take their Examinations Here place the tenth Figure CHAP. XLI A continuation of the History of the Waldenses from the year 1560. ending with the late persecution in the Valleys in PIEMONT ANNO Christi 1561. the Duke of Savoy published an Edict in favour of the Evangelical Churches in the Vallies of Piemont wherein he granted an indemnitie to the people of the Vallies of Angrognia Bobio Villaro Valguicchiardo Rora Tagliaretto and La Rica di Boneti at the end of La Torre Saint Martino Perosa Roccapiatta and Saint Barthelemo from
is the cruelties which were there excuted would exceed the belief of any man were they not so fully proved by the formal attestations of eye witnesses by the wofull crys of so many desolate and poor wretches who have been miserably robb'd of their Relations Houses Lands and all other comforts yea by the formall oath of one of the chief Commanders of the Army that acted these cruelties signed with his own hand in the presence of two authentick witnesses and the voluntary confession of one of the Soldiers who told some of his Comrades that many times during the heat of the Massacre he had surfetted with eating the boiled Brains of the Protestants The Declaration of Monsieur du Petit Bourg first Captain of the Regiment of Gransey subscribed with his own hand at Pignerol Nov. 27. 1655. in the presence of two other Commanders I Sieur du Petit Bourg being commanded by Prince Thomas to go and joyne my self with the Marquesse of Pianessa who was then at La Torre upon my departure I was requested by the Ambassador to speak to the Marquesse and to use my endeavour to accommodate the troubles which were amongst those of the Religion in the Valleys of Piemont which accordingly I did entreating him with much earnestnesse that he would give way thereunto and I doubted not but I should be able to effect it but he refused this my request and that divers times notwithstanding all the endeavours I could possibly use to perswade him thereto and instead of the least mitigation I was witnesse to many great violences and extreme cruelties exercised by the Bandets and souldiers of Piemont upon all sorts of every age sex and condition whom I saw massacred dismembred hanged up burnt and ravished together with many horrid confusions which I beheld with horror and regret and without any distinction of those that resisted and such as resisted not they were used with all sorts of inhumanity their houses burnt their goods plundered and when prisoners were brought before the said Marquesse I saw him give order to give them no quarter at all saying his Highnesse was resolved to have none of the Religion within his Dominions And whereas in his Declaration he protests that there was no hurt done to any but during the fight nor the least outrage committed upon any persons that were not fit to beare Armes I will maintaine that it is not so having seene with my eyes many persons killed in cold blood as also women aged persons and young children miserably murdered c. The attestation of divers persons of honour and integrity who were for the most part eye and eare witnesses of the ensuing barbarous cruelties which were exercised upon diverse members of the Evangelical Churches in the Valleys of Piemont in the late Massacre 1655. Sarah Rastignole des Vignes about sixty years of age being overtaken by divers souldiers was commanded to say her prayers and when she had done they bade her say Jesus Maria which the poor woman refusing one of the souldiers thrust a sickle into the lower part of her belly and ript her up to the navel and then dragged the poor creature upon the ground being half dead till another came and cut off her head the daughter in Law of this poor woman who hid her self in the snow for two dayes after without any succour was an eye-witnesse hereof Martha Constantine of Giovanni after that she had seene several others most cruelly put to death was her self first ravished and afterwards had her Breasts cut off and part of her Privities by some of the souldiers who fried them and set them before some of their Comrades making them believe they were Tripes but when they had eaten a good part they told them what they were which caused a quarrel amongst them and they that had eaten them were so sick that some of them died soon after This was certified by a Papist to one Andrea Javel of Einachia A man of Thrassaniere being taken prisoner received divers stabs in the soles of his feet and in his eares by two of the souldiers who afterwards cut off his privie members and then applied a burning candle to the wound frying it with the flame thereof that so the blood might be stopped and the torments of that miserable creature prolonged Then tore they his nailes off with burning pincers to force him to renounce his Religion But when nothing would do they tyed one of his legs to a Mule and dragged him thorow the streets till he was almost dead and then binding a â—ord about his head they twisted it with a staffe till his eyes and braines dropped out and then cast his carcasse into the River Peter Simond of Angrogna about eighty years of age was tyed neck and heeles together and so violently thrown down a fearful Precipice but by the way falling upon a cragged branch of a Tree he there hung in a most languishing condition for divers days together a most lamentable spectacle to behold being neither able to help himself nor capable of receiving help from others the Precipice being inaccessible Esay Garcino of Angrogna of ninety years old had first his body cut and hacked in small pieces and then his head chopped off The wife of Daniel Armand of La Torre had her body torne and cut in pieces and the parts of it strawed along the high-way and hung upon the hedges Captain Pola of Plancalier took two poor women of La Torre and with his Fauchin ript up their bellies and left them grovling upon the Snow in this sad and lamentable condition till they died The souldiers of Bagnols cut off first the nose then the fingers and lastly the hands of a very old and decrepid woman and so left her languishing in this woful condition not having so much as an hand to feed her self with till she died They took also many little children and tender infants and flung them down the steep Rocks whereby they were dashed to pieces Magdalen Bertino of La Torre they stripped stark-naked tied her head between her legs and threw her down one of the Precipices Mary Reymondeâ— of La Torre a lame woman was found in a Cave with all her flesh sliced off from the bones and chopt as small as herbs to the pot Magdalen Pilot of Villaro being exceeding decrepit and blinde with old age was cut in pieces in a Cave near Castelus Anna daughter to Giovanni Charboniere of La Torre had a long stake thrust into her privities by some of the souldiers who each man in his turne carried her upon their shoulders till they were weary and then stuck the end of the stake into the ground and so left her hanging in the aire A terrible spectacle to every one that passed by Giovanni Andrea Michialin of La Torre being taken Prisoner escaped miraculously having first seen three of his children torn in pieces limb from limb before his eyes and the fourth being about six weeks
old snatched out of the mothers Arms stripped of its swadling cloaths and its brains dashed out against the Rocks Jacob Perrin an Elder of the Church of Villaro and David his brother being taken Prisoners in their Beds were carried to Lucerna and cast into the Marquesses Prison where they were most barbarously and cruelly handled the bloody Souldiers stripping off the skin on their Arms and Legs in long slices like leathern points till the flesh was left quite bare after which they were miserably starved to death in the same Prison and their Carcasses left to rot there Giovanni Pelanchion a young man about twenty five years old having been taken Prisoner made an escape but being taken again by the Souldiers they tyed one of his Legs to the taile of a Mule and so dragged him through all the streets of Lucerna and because the poor wretch sometimes lifted up his hands and head through pain and anguish that he suffered by the grating of his body against the ragged flints the bloody and mercilesse villains batterâ—d and bruised his body with stones and brick-bats crying that he was possessed with the Divel which kept him from dying After which they cut off his privy members and crammed them violently down the poor Creatures mouth and down his throat to stop his breath and at last chop 't off his head and so drawing him to the Rivers bank they left him there unburied Magdalen the daughter of Peter Fontana a beautiful Girle about ten years old being taken by some of these lecherous Brutes because her body was uncapable of being forced in an ordinary way they tore her in so inhumane a manner that afterwards she was found half dead wallowing in her own blood A poor woman apprehending her danger having a sucking child in the Cradle took the child and Cradle upon her head and fled some of the Souldiers seeing her pursued and she perceiving that she was like to be overtaken left her Cradle in the way supposing that those Butchers could not have such hearts of Adamant as to hurt her innocent babe and so hid her self in the cleft of a Rock not far off But these hell-hounds finding the Infant in the Cradle took it out and tore it in pieces and afterwards finding the Mother they first ravished her and then cut off her head and left her dead body upon the Snow At Villa Nova the daughter of Moses Long about ten years old as she was slying upon the Snow some Souldiers of Piemont took her broached her upon a Pike and roasted her alive with a fire made upon a broad stone and after a while they cut off a slice of her flesh intending to have eated it but finding it not well roasted their stomacks would not serve them to eat it Jacopo Michelino one of the chief Elders of the Church of Bobio being taken Prisoner had his two hands tyed to his privy members and so hung upon a Gate in a shameful posture but the shame was nothing to the torments the whole weight of his body hanging upon so tender a part which caused most exquisite and almost incredible pain and this they did to force him to renounce his Religion but when this prevailed not they took him down and carried him away amongst other Prisoners And afterwards having with incredible constancy endured a world of other cruelties he at last exchanged this life for a better Peter Gros during the time of his imprisonment saw two of these poor Protestants of La Sarcena hanging in a most hideous manner meerly by their privy members and their hands tyed behind them till their very bowels were almost torn out and so at last they dyed with horrible pain and anguish Giovanni Rostagnal of Bobio being eighty years old had his Nose Ears and other parts of his body cut off and so he was left languishing upon the Snow for a long time till at last he gave up the Ghost Daniel Salvagio and his Wife Giovanni Durant Daniel Revel Lodwick and Bartholomew Durant all brothers and Paolo Reynaud being taken by the Souldiers had their mouths and throats stuffed with Gunpowder and then setting fire to it their heads were torn all to pieces Jacob Di Rone a Schoolmaster of Roras being stript stark naked after they had torn off his Nails with Pincers and made a thousand holes in his hands with a Daggers Point they dragged him by a cord fastened about his middle through the Bourge of Lucerna and at every step he took one Souldier on one side cut off a piece of his flesh with a Fauchin and another on the other side gave him a great blow with a staffe crying What sayst thou now Barbet wilt thou go to Masse To which the poor creature with admirable constancy as long as he was able to speak answered Much rather death than the Masse dispatch me quickly for the love of God A while after came a notorious cut-throat who as soon as he saw him cryed out Lo here is the Minister of Roras withal giving him a deadly blow athwart the head with a Back-Sword From thence they dragged him to the Bridge and cutting off his head they threw him into the River of Pelis Paolo Garnier of Roras being taken by these murderers they first violently pulled out his eyes then cut off his privy members thrusting his yard into his mouth and in this posture they exposed him to publick scorn for several days together afterwards in a most inhumane manner they flead him alive and then cutting his skin in four parts they hung it in the windows of foure of the principal houses of Lucerna Daniel Cardon of Roccappiata being taken by some of the Souldiers they cut off his head took out his brains and frying them in a Pan eat them up they cut open his breast also and were taking out his heart to fry and eat that but that they were frighted by some of the poor peoples Troops that were coming that way Margaret Revel of La Cartere aged eighty five years Mary Di Pravillerm aged ninety years and blind both of S. Giovanni were taken and in a most barbarous manner were both burned alive Madona Lena aged eighty years and blind and Jeanna Batzan aged ninety years both of La Torre were used in the like cruel manner and burned A widow of La Torre who had lain very sick for three years together was taken by some of these bloody villains together with one of her daughters and were drawn upon a Carr through the streets of La Torre and as they passed along some of these blood-hounds stabbed their bodies with Pitchforks others bruised them with flints and stones and then they threw them into the River of Angrogna where they threw stones and bats at them till they dyed Paolo Giles of La Torre as he fled for his life was shot into the neck by one of them after which they slit his face through the chin and nose and when they had slain
him they left his carcasse to be eaten by the dogs Some of these Murderers having taken eleven men at Garcigliana heated a great Furnace red hot forced these poor creatures to throw one another into it and when it came to the last man they themselves threw him in also These sons of blood pursued and hunted out multitudes of these poor Protestants amongst the Rocks and Mountains by the traces of their bleeding legs and feet which were cut and mangled with the ice and flints which they met with in the way and having found them basely murdered them Michel Gonet of Lucernetta aged ninety years at least was burnt alive by the Mountains of Bobio whither he had fled to hide himself Bartholomew Frasche of Fenile was taken by the Souldiers and after they had slashed and mangled his legs they thrust a poysoned knife through his heels and in this woful plight they dragged and threw him into the common Prison at Turin where he lay in continual torment till he dyed Giovanni Baptista Oudri an Old man was cruelly murthered at La Sarcena after he had been barbarously abused by them Magdalena La Peire a woman of about thirty five years of age being pursued by these Villains and knowing what measure she should meet with if she fell into their hands chose rather to throw herself down a dreadfuly Precipice whereby she dyed Margeret Revella aged about eighty five years together with Marie Di Pravillerm about ninety years old and blind were both burnt alive Mary Davi was basely murdered by them Michel Bellino with Anna Di Pol Bochiardino and a servant of theirs were beheaded The daughter of Peter Mallonat a Councellor of Saint Giovanni together with her brother an infant of eight months old in her Arms were rolled down a steep hill and two days after they were found dead upon the Snow One Giovanni with his wife and child were hurled down a mighty Rock the mother holding the child in her Arms and three days after they were found dead only the child was alive and clasped so fast in the dead Mothers Arms that they had much ado to get it out Joseph Chiairet having received a wound in the flight was flayed alive and his grease taken out of his body The like was done to Paolo Carniero Mattheo Turin was massacred at Lucernetta and his body devoured by dogs Margeret Saretta was stoned to death and her dead body cast into the River Cypriano Bastia was cruelly starved to death and his body cast to the dogs Antonio Bertino had first his nose paps and privities cut off and then his head cleft in twain Two Children were first murdered and then burnt to ashes Joseph Pont was first wounded in his back and then had his body cut off in the middle Daniel De Maria being found in a place where he had hid himself and lay sick had first two of his children murdered before his eyes and then himself barbarously slain Judith a widow of eighty years old was dragged up and down upon the ground and at last had her head cut off Three Infants of Peter Fine were stifled in the Snow A maid that was an innocent was first stripped stark naked and then had a long stake driven through her belly whereof she dyed Luce the wife of Peter Besson being near the time of her lying down as she fled for her life was so affrighted with the shreeks of some that were massacred that she fell in travel upon the Mountains where she was and afterwards was found dead with the new born infant and two other sucking children lying by her Francis the son of Mr. Gros a Minister being taken had his body cut into small Gobbets whilst he was alive and that in the presence of his wife and then they took two of his small children and most inhumanely murdered them The Sieur Thomas Margher being forced to flye from his house being an Elder of La Torre was miserably starved to death with hunger and cold Judith Ravelin with her seven children were all barbarously murdered in their beds Anna a widow of about seventy five years old was cut in pieces by the souldiers The wife of Gaspar Fayol being taken was forced to labour hard for them by cutting down the corne and at last as she was so at work they came behind her and cut off her head Jacob Rosseno refusing to say Jesus Maria was first cruelly beaten with cudgels and clubs and having received several shots in his body they at last clave his head Two children both of them dumb were most unmercifully murthered Susanna the daughter of Pâ—olo Giacquin resisting a souldier that would have ravished her and by chance pushing him down a rock was hewed in pieces by others of them Giovanni Pullius a poor Pesant of La Torre being taken by the Souldiers after all manner of reproaches and scorns cast upon him by the Friers and others in words and actions was by the command of the Marquesse of Pionessa dragged by the hangman to a place near the Convent where the Marquesse commanded the hangman to place the ladder against a tree and to prepare for his Execution at which time the Monks and Priests ceased not to use all the arguments which the Devil and their own wicked wits could possibly furnish them with to shake the Faith and Constancie of this poor creature yet could they not prevaile yea by all his gestures and expressions he shewed the inward joy of his soul that he was counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ and though they oft pressed him to remember the sad estate that he should leave his children and family in yet he alwayes answered that it was his hearty Prayer to Almighty God that his children might follow their fathers steps and die like himself whereupon the Priests seeing all their labour lost assisted the Hangman to end this poor mans life and hasted to turn him off the ladder Sieur Paolo Clement an Elder of the Church of Rossana was shortly after brought by the Monks and Priests to this same place and shewed the dead body of the other thinking thereby to scare him from his Principles and profession but he answered them with undaunted courage that they might kill the body but could never be able to prejudice the soul of a true Believer He told them also that God would assuredly avenge the innocent blood that they had spilt and so having by some ejaculations prepared to resigne up his soul unto God he desired the Hangman to do his work three or four dayes after the Marquesse of Pianessa coming that way one of the souldiers discharged a Musquet at his dead body whereupon there gushed out a streame of fresh blood which the Marquesse observing said to some about him This blood cries for vengeance Afterwards they took both these dead bodies and hung them up naked by one foot neer to La Torre and when any prisoner of the Protestants passed that way they forced him
afterwards she recovered so much strength as to get upon her knees and as she was praying to God the bloody enemy dispatched her Giovanni Salvagiot as he was returning from Bagnol after the peace was concluded as he passed by a Chappel because he put not off his hat and made obeysance thereto was murthered and his body left unburied Giovanni Gayo and divers other men women and children hid themselves in a Cave where for a time they continued in safety but at last were discovered by some of these Bloodhounds whereupon they fell upon their knees and begged their lives of them most of the murtherers having been their neighbours and familiar acquaintance and such as had pretended great friendship to them But the mercy of these men proved extreme cruelty For the kindest salute they could afford their old acquaintance was with Swords Musquets and Pistols which the poor people perceiving and not desiring to behold the lamentable misery each of other they kneeled down in a Ring and thrust their heads into Ferne and such like stuffe as they had prepared to lie upon in which posture they were all miserably shot to death and their dead bodies afterwards horribly mangled and cut in pieces Jacob Barral and his wife having been taken prisoners by the Earle of Saint Secondo were three or four dayes after carried forth and having first cut off the womans breasts they shot them to death Antony Guiguo went to Periero with a purpose to change his Religion but it pleased God so to touch his heart that he repented of the resolution and sought to make an escape But as he was flying some Troops of the Marquesse of Galeas caught him and used him most cruelly because he would not yield to go to Masse and as they carried him prisoner towards Praly passing by a Precipice the poor man to avoid his tormentors leaped down from the Rock and so was dashed in pieces Very many others there were which might here have been inserted whereof some were drowned some burnt some slaine with the sword some shot to death some starved some smothered in the Snow some pined some killed with staves some cut in pieces but I am weary with reckoning up their names and I suppose the Reader also is tired with these cruelties yet are their names written in red letters in the Kalender of Heaven though their Popish adversaries would have them written in the dust and whosoever desires to see more may finde a larger Catalogue in Master Moorlands History of the Peresecutions in the Valleys of Piemont CHAP. XLV A true Narrative of the War in the Valleys of Piemont between the Popish and Protestant party upon the occasion of the Massacre IN the former Chapter you have a faithful Narration of what cruelties were exercised against the Reformed party in the Valleys of Piemont from the first arrival of the Marquesse of Pianessa's forces at St. Giovanni which was April 17. 1655. to the 21. of the same by which time they had made such havock of the poor people that there was now onely the little Communalty of Roras which was left entire and untouched But that they also might in all things be made like unto their suffering brethren of the other Churches and that it might appear that the destruction was designed to be universal the Earle of Christophle upon that very day being April 21. sent three hundred Souldiers secretly by the way of Villaro to surprize them of Roras and to put them all to the sword This party being got upon a little hill called Rumer belonging to Roras it pleased God that they were met with by some Souldiers belonging to Captaine Joshua Gianavel whom God raised up at that time as a choice Instrument for the preservation of the poor scattered remnant of his people These Souldiers being but seven or eight of them yet having been beforehand placed in ambuscado at a convenient Post to prevent the inrode of the enemy they fired upon them and plyed them so hard that many of them were killed upon the place and the rest supposing by the great number of bullets that flew about their eares that the men in Ambuscado were sixe times more in number than indeed they were they fled back in great disorder and confusion which the others perceiving they fell upon their Rear and chased them at least three quarters of a League amongst the Rocks and Woods doing notable execution upon them in their flight The Members of this little Church of Roras to take away all occasions of exceptions presented their complaints to the Marquesse of Pianessa who that he might have the better opportunity to deceive and surprize them answered that those of his Souldiers that went to Roras were but Thieves Robbers and Out-lawes that herein had wholly disobeyed his Orders adding that they had done him a singular favour in driving them out of their Countrey and that he would take a course to prevent their being disturbed for the future and hereupon he published an Order whereby he straightly charged his Souldiers not to give them any further causes of complaints nor to molest them in any kind hereafter Yet perfidiously the very next day he sent a party of five hundred chosen men to put his first bloody designe in execution As these men were passing over a little hill of Roras they were so saluted by eleven Musqueteers of the Protestants and six men with slings under the conduct of Captaine Gianavel who had divided them into three Squadrons that the enemy was soone put to flight and this poor handful of despicable men pursued them for an whole League slaying a very great number of them without the losse or hurt of any one of themseves which shews the admirable Providence of God in preserving and prospering those that fight his battels The Marquesse of Pianessa though he had failed this second yet was resolved to make a third attempt and still to deceive them he made new promises and protestations that no injury in the world should be offered them and that in regard of the Intercession of the Earle of Christophle their Lord and Patron he would protect and defend them yet the very morrow after he sent a party of seven hundred men who first seized upon and secured all the passes that none might escape their bloody hands and then most barbarously burnt and destroyed whatsoever they met with thorow all the Communalty of Roras Hereupon seventeen housekeepers whose hearts God had marvelously strengthened and encouraged for their poor Brethrens preservation seeing what they must expect and that nothing but death and destruction waited for them unlesse some admirable providence prevented it as also calling to mind those signal deliverances which God had vouchsafed to his ancient people of the Jewes in their greatest straits they unanimously resolved to cast themselves with their lives and estates into the hands of the same God resting upon his gracious promises and freely
to the slaughter as well by reason of its being very much frequented and grown famous as also because of the Synod there usually celebrated as likewise a famous University and Printing-house and books frequently published to the world When therefore in the year 1655. the Swedish Army out of Pomerania drew near to the borders of Poland and the Nobility were summoned to Arms according to the custome of the Countrey it came to passe that the Papists brake forth into many furious expressions crying out That the Hereticks had invited the Enemy and therefore they were first of all to be put to the sword and extirpated which reports though most falsly scattered abroad for the searcher of the heart and the reins knoweth that we never so much as dreamt of it yet they easily found credit among the sworn Enemies of the Gospel who sought nothing more than our ruine Hereupon they who first consulted to agree with the Swedish Army being terrified by its power concluded about the surrender of all Great Poland into the Kings protection and namely the Royal Cities of Posen Calissen Meserick c. to which also Lesna was expressely added In a little time after they endeavoured to cast off the Swedish Yoke and turned their Arms not against the Swedes but first against our Evangelical Professors as conspiring with the Swedes upon the account of Religion and none of them scrupled to take revenge upon them They first of all set upon those of Lesna with resolution of putting all to the sword and destroying that Heretical City by fire and they had effected both unlesse God had by sending some persons before who by signifying the coming of the Enemy and with what intent they came had possest the Citizens with a Panick fear so that leaving all their Estates they every man fled and thus within the space of one hour a most populous City abounding with all manner of wealth was left without Inhabitants who in a miserable condition wandered then into the neighbouring Woods and Marishes into Silesia But the Polish Nobility with their Army entring the City did what they pleased slaying a number of decrepit old people and sick persons that were not able to save themselves by flight then the City it self was first plundred and afterwards so destroyed by fire for three dayes together that no part of it remained beside rubbish and ashes In what manner they would have handled the Citizens especially their Pastors they shewed by their heroick actions performed in other places by the most savage slaughtering of divers Ministers of the Church and other faithful Members of Christ of both Sexes for of all that they laid hold on they gave not one man quarter but very cruelly put them to death with most exquisite tortures They endeavoured to force Master Samuel Cardus Pastor of the Church of Czuertzinen to renounce his Religion after they had taken him and miserably handled him with all manner of cruelty but he stoutly resisting they first put out his Eyes and led him about for a spectacle then they pulled off his Fingers-ends with pincers but he not yet condescending to their mad Fury they found out a new kinde of torment poured molten Lead into his mouth and at length while he was yet half alive they clapt his Neck between folding Doors and violently pulling them together severed his Head from his Body They took John Jacobides Pastor of the Church of Dembnick and Alexander Wartens his Colleague and another that was in company with them as they passed through the Toun of LUBIN and hurrying them up and down for divers hours and grievously handling them after the manner of Tyrants then last of all cutting their Throats with a Razor threw them headlong while they were yet breathing into a great pit which had been before-hand prepared for their Martyrs and stifled them by casting down Dung and Dirt upon them They a great while pursued Andrew Oxlitius a young man designed for the Ministery whom after long seeking they at last found in the open field and in the end having taken him they cut off his Head with a Sithe chopping it into smal pieces and the dead carcase also they slasht in a barbarous manner The same fate befell Adam Milta a Citizen of Lesna but they more grievously handled an old man of above seventy whose name was Simon Priten and many others whose names it were too tedious to relate Of that barbarous execution which they did upon the weaker Sex there were besides other examples horrid Trophies of Cruelty erected in the said City of Lesna a pious Matron there who was the mother of three children not being able quick enough to leave the City and being slain in the open street they cut off her hands feet cutting off her childrens heads they laid two of them at her breasts and the third by her side In like manner another woman having her hands and feet cut off and her tongue cut out being inclosed and bound in a Sack lived the space of two dayes making most miserable lamentation Grief forbids us to adde more for they behaved themselves so furiously towards us that there remains not an example of any one man saved of all those that happened to fall into their hands It is notoriously known how that fury of theirs tyrannized also over the dead some they dragg'd out of their graves and cut in pieces as at Zichlin others they exposed naked for a publick Spectacle as at Lesna of which outragious action we had an example even in the dead body of the most Serene Landgrave of Hassia which was drawn out of the grave who was heretofore slain in a most barbarous and tyrannical manner at Koscian but buried by our Friends at Lesna The like was acted also upon the Body of the most Noble Arciszevius heretofore the valiant Admiral of the Hollanders in Brazile which was likewise dragg'd out of the grave and being stript of the grave-clothes was found after the firing of Lesna There are divers other examples which the Christian Reader may finde in the Book Entituled Lesnae Excidium faithfully written and lately set forth in print but they are such examples onely as are commonly known for who is able to relate all things in particular as burning men alive drowning others with stones tied about their necks c. Now Lesna being destroyed the fury of the Enemy proceeded to the persecutions of others they in a short time utterly demolished all our Congegations not onely driving away the Pastors but also either burning or leaving most of the Temples desolate as at Karmin Dembnick Skochy Czriuczin c yea and the Auditories themselves were either slain as in the Town of Skochy where there was a very flourishing Church of the Bohemian Exiles Sixty persons both men and women were cruelly put to death or else they were scattered abroad so that there remained not one place wherein the Worship of God may be celebrated Lo
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
and comfort Tentation Constancy of a boy An excellent example of an Heathen Profaness of Hereticks The destruction of the persecuting Vandals Sin the forerunner of persecution The fâ—â—st Reformers Peter Valdo Charity Popish malice Christian courage Pope Alexander raiseth persecution Godâ— Providence Persecution spreads the Gospel King of France persecutes them Many burnt The spreading of the Gospel Malicious slanders Vindication The greate encâ—ease of the Waldenses Popish rage and malice Five burnt at Collen A bloody Edict against the Waldenses They defend themselves by Arms. Valdo's Zeal and Courage Sangâ—iâ— Martyrum semen Ecclesia Dominicans instituted Inquisitors begun An. Chri. 1176· Injustice Prodigious cruelty A Knight burned A Disputation between the Popelings and the Waldenses The Popelings bafled Horrible cruelty The number of the Waldenses Their godly lives Good Pastors Persecution raised Popish cruelty In Pragela Popish malice Infants starved to death Popish cruelty Frassiniere Popish cruelty The King forbids the persecution Yet the Arch-Bishop continues it Popish malice Slanders Ja Pateneri The Arch-Bishops cruelty Gods judgement on persecutors Popish lies Gods providence Popish subtilty Barbarous crueltie A girevous persecution The Lieutenant repulsed Plain dealing Popish uncleannesse In Dauphine The weaknesse of a woman The innocency of the Waldenses Popish subtilty and injustice A speciall providence In Piedmont Love Popish malice Slanders Persecution in Piedmont Cruelty Cat. Girard Popish malice Prayer Profanenesse A just judgement A specall prouidence Gods judgement on persecutors Gods mercy Slanders Zeole and courageth Persecution renued Constancy The antiquity of the Faith Unity Zeal The first French Bibles printed One of them drowned A speciall providence The Pope stirs up persecution Courage A special providence Bar. Hector Persecution renewed Profanenesse Prudence Popish malice The German Prince interceds for them Popish malice A great persecution Humane infirmity Popish malice A speciall providence Treachery Prodigious villany A miracle of Mercy A special providence Popish subtilty Popish dissimulation and perfidiousness Fasting and Prayer A special providence Power of Prayer Profaneness A special providence A just reward Prayer A speciall providence Popish subtilty Perfidiousness Papist trechery A notable story A speciall providence Barbarous cruelty Gods judgement on persecutors Uncleannesse Popish Perfidiousness Their Ministers sent away Cruelty Barbarous cruelty Prayer in danger A League A good resolution Images demolished A speciall providence Popish subtilty A special providence Gods Providence Joy in tribulations Prayer in danger Speciall providences Thanksgiving A speciall providence Prayer The enemies every where beaten Prayer in danger A speciall providence Scorners punished Subtilty Perâ—idiousnesse The Spaniardsâ—epulsed â—epulsed Peace obtained Bar. Copin Zeal Christ best of all Tentation Constancy His exhortation to his wife and children Copin murthered Gods providence Their holy lives Their godly conversation The Pope persecutes them Popish lies Humane frailty Popish cruelty A speciall providence Barbarous cruelty Prodigious wickednesse Zeal Horrible cruelties Their totall extirpation Devilish slanders Note P. Masson martyred A cruel decree K. Francis the first Called Miâ—â—irs Barbarous cruelty Prodigious cruelty A bloody speech Gods judgement on persecutors Miniers his horrible death Gods judgement on persecutors Popish uncleannesse Profanenesse A godly Book-seller burnt Popish subtlity Popes rage against Earl Remund He goes to the Popes Legate The Earl whipt naked Beziers besieged Faith and courage Beziers stormed Barbarous cruelty Carcasson besieged Popish cruelty A brave speech Popish cruelty and unleannesse Carcasson stormed The Pilgrims repulsed with great losse Popish Profaanenesse and perfidiousness The Earl made a prisoner A speciall providence Carcasson taken Simon of Montfort made Generall Eearl of Beziers dieth The King of Arragon encourageth the Albingenses Earl Simons pride abated Prodigious cruelty Menerbe taken Courage and constancy The Castle of Termes taken Six thousand Pilgrims slain Horrible cruelty Popish subtilty The Legate dies The English help the Albingenses Popish pride Popish hypocrisie Articles against Earl Remund Earl Remund in danger His brother betrays him Tholouse besieged The Pilgrims beaten The siege raised Popish perfidiousnessâ— and cruelty Popish perfidiousnesse Subtilty Prince Lewis retires Earl Simon beaten Young Remunds successe Earl Simon honoured And disgraced A Council against the Albingenses Popish cruelty A new Army of Pilgrims Cruelty A popish brag E. Sâ—mon beaâ—en Thanksgiving Many Pilgrims slaine E. Simon slain by a woman Prince Lewis his cruelty Earl Guido slaine The Emperours cruell edict against them The Gospellers dispersed Persecuted The Gospellers encrease The King of France against them Avignion besieged A Famine in the Kings Army A dreadfull Judgement Many of them drowned The French beaten The Kâ—ng removes further from the City A plague in the French Camâ— The King of France dyeth Avâ—gnion taken by treachery The young â—ing of France persecuts them His armies beaâ—en Tholouse besieged A great Famine Popish treachery Unreasonable terms put upon the Earl of Tholouse Pope Gregories Counsells against them Persecution continued A cruell Edict against them The bones of one of them burnt A brave answer Albingenses in Spaine Persecuted and destroyed Trancavell and others defend them He prevailes exceedingly A dying woman burnt Earl Remund escapes He is forced to submit Persecution in Italy 1240. Earl Remund prospers Persecution in Millan Earl of Provence beaten A great Persecution Pope Urban Persecutes them Another Persecution A cruel Edict They increase and are persecuted Lollard Christianity brought into Bohemia Persecution begun Tyranny Persecution in Prague A speciall providence The Christians prevaile Subtilty 300. Christians slain Gods judgement on persecutors Wenceslaus reigns Ludomilla murthered Wenceslaus murthered Gods judgement on persecutors Woytich banished The Pope usurps over the Bohemians John Melicius The Pope Antichrist Melicius imprisoned M. Mathias Mathias banished John Husse Jerome 〈◊〉 Prague Popish malice and subtilty The Pope excommunicates the Bohemians Multitudes martyred Encouragment Apostacy Constancy Unnaturall cruelty Many drowned A loving wife Cruelty A Minister and others burned Profanenesse and blasphemy Martin Loquis Prodigious cruelty Some beheaded Schism Calixtines Popish subtilty Thaborites destroyed Reformation begun Popish malice A Minister racked A wicked Edict Popish cruelty Elders chosen A Synod Ordination of Ministers The Waldenses· Admonition The Waldenses persecuted The Church increaseth Popish subtilty Slanders Confession The Brethren banished Persecution Popish malice Gods judgement on persecutors Anno 1510. A cruel Edict Devillish wickednesse Tentation resisted Gods judgement on persecuâ—ors Anno. 1523. Luther Zahere an Apostate Popish lies and slanderous Persecution Two burnt A godly woman burnt Two godly men burnt Comfort in death Gods judgement on persecutors A new persecution Popish malice Charles the fifth warres against the Protestants A great persecution Persecution causeth reformation A speciall providence Popish malice Ministers persecuted A speciall providence Conversion John Augusta Popish lies and slanders A wicked Edict Two hundred Ministers banished The Baron of Schanow Jesuites first brought into Prague Maximilian Emperour Rodulphus Emperour Sin the forerunner of persecution Mathias Emperour Ferdinand