a table of the x. first persecutions of the primitiue time of tiberius, vnto constantinus emperour foxe, john, 1516-1587. 1632 approx. 3 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a72084 stc 11228.3 estc s124849 99898643 99898643 173222 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a72084) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 173222) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 2024:3) a table of the x. first persecutions of the primitiue time of tiberius, vnto constantinus emperour foxe, john, 1516-1587. 1 sheet ([1] p.) : ill. a. i[slip,] f. k[ingston] and r. y[oung,], [london : 1632] imprint from stc (2nd ed.). kingston alone pr. this. page references in the text are to 11228, e.g. st. peter is on p. 44; ss. maturus and sanctus on p. 62. -stc. o copy, reel 2024, is incomplete; one folio only. reproduction of original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng martyrs -early works to 1800. 2008-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-10 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-11 john pas sampled and proofread 2008-11 john pas text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a table of the x. first persecutions of the primitiue time of tiberius , vnto constantinus emperour depiction of martyrs the christians cruelly throwne downe the mountaine● . 58. christians driuen by the mountaines . 45. 102. and so failing downe vpon sharpe stakes . the christians with swords thrust through . 44. their braines beaten out with ma●les . 59. the christians stoned to death . 44. 94. 115. the christians stabbed in with forkes . 44. 116. matur●s and sanctus fried in an iron chaire . 62. some burnt with their entrals torne out . 44. peter the apostle hanged vpon the crosse . 44. laurence laid vpon the gr●●yr●● by galienus , or decius . 93. the christians most cruelly thrust through , 116. this side is now rolled enough● turne vp , o tyrant great , &c. 93. depiction of angels and a man standing on a skull and crossbones ad hoc . ab hoc . per hoc . xlii. monethes . reuelat. xi . iii. yeeres and a halfe . iii. daies and a halfe . reuelat. xi . a time , times , and halfe a time . reuelat. xii . m.cc.lx. daies . reuelat. xii . the tying and loosing againe of satan . reuelat. xx . these persecutions in the primitiue church lasted two hundred ninety foure yeeres , counting from the the holy citie xlii . moneths . and againe in the xiii . chapter : and power was giuen to the beast to wherein is to be noted the error of them , which taking these xlii . moneths simply ( as the letter scripture , and so they make ccxciiii . yeeres : during the time of which yeeres , antichrist then the like vnderstanding also hath the iii. dayes and a halfe mentioned in the reuelation , chap. xi . and so whether ye count by months or by dayes , both waies it giueth a time , times , and halfe a in the reuelation , chap. 12. furthermore , where in the said reuelation of s. iohn , chap. 12. mention is made of m.cclx . dayes , it commeth likewise note moreouer , that after the time of these persecutions expired , s. iohn in the said booke of his reuelation , chap. xx . dome of the turkes first began vnder ottomannus , wasting and destroying then the churches of asia , and afterward of the booke of martyrs· vvherein are set downe the names of such martyrs as suffered persecution, and laid downe theire lives for witnesse-bearing unto the gospell of christ jesus; drawne downe from the primitive church, to these later times, especially respecting such as have suffered in this land under the tyranny of antichrist, in opposition to popish errours. taylor, john, 1580-1653. 1639 approx. 28 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a13422 stc 23733 estc s118187 99853396 99853396 18779 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a13422) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 18779) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1260:2) the booke of martyrs· vvherein are set downe the names of such martyrs as suffered persecution, and laid downe theire lives for witnesse-bearing unto the gospell of christ jesus; drawne downe from the primitive church, to these later times, especially respecting such as have suffered in this land under the tyranny of antichrist, in opposition to popish errours. taylor, john, 1580-1653. [22] p. : ill. (woodcut) by i[ohn] b[eale], london : 1639. by john taylor. in verse. printer's name from stc. signatures: a b⁴ (-b4). running title reads: a catalogue of martyrs. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. a3r stained; ill. not filmed. quire a of british library copy filmed at end. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng martyrs -poetry -early works to 1800. 2000-00 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2001-00 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2001-06 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2001-00 tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-11 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the booke of martyrs vvherein are set downe the names of such martyrs as suffered persecution , and laid downe theire lives for witnesse-bearing unto the gospell of christ jesus ; drawne downe from the primitive church , to these later times , especially respecting such as have suffered in this land under the tyranny of antichrist , in opposition to popish errours . london , printed by i. b. 1639. a briefe catalogve of such martyrs as suffered persecution , and laid downe their lives for witnesse-bearing unto the gospel of christ iesus ; drawne downe from the primitive church , to these later times , especially respecting such as have suffered in this land under the tyranny of antichrist in opposition to popish errors . i sing their deaths who dying made death yeeld , by scriptures sword , & faiths vnbatterd shield , whom satan , men , or monsters could not tame , nor force them to deny their saviours name . evangelists , that did the gospel write , apostles and brave martyrs , that did fight gainst death and hell , and all the power of sin , and boldly di'd eternall life to win . iohn baptist by king herod lost his head , who to the world repentance published , our blest redeemer in his love did follow , and conquered death mans sinful soule to hallow , he was the death of death , and he did quell the sting and power of satan , sin , and hell , and vnder his great standard , valiantly , a number numberlesse have dar'd to dye . through bondage , famine , slavery , sword and fire through all divised torments they aspire victoriously to gaine th'imortall crowne , of never ending honour and renowne . saint steven was the third that lost his breath , and ( for his masters sake ) was ston'd to death : and after him in scripture may be read , th' apostle iames was brain'd and butchered . saint marke th'evangelist in fire did burne , and bartholmew was flead , yet would not turnes saint andrew like a valiant champion di'd , and ( willing ) on a crosse was crucifi'd mathias , philip , peter , and saint paul , ston'd , crucifi'd , beheaded , martyrs all . th' apostles of their lives , no reckoning make , and think them wel spent for their saviors sake the tyrant emperours , in number ten , ( most cruell , barbarous , and inhumane men ) more christians by their bloody meanes did slay then for a yeere five thousand to each day . and many romish bishops in those daies , were martyr'd to their high creators prayse ; and though each day so many thousands bleed , yet doubly more and more they daily breed . as camomile growes better being trod , so death and tortures drawes more unto god. or as the vine that 's cut and prun'd beares more in one yeere , than it did in three before : this bloody persecution did out-weare after christs death the first 300. yeares : thus did the primitive church first indure , being catholike , apostolike , and pure : then over all the world was truely knowne , that romish bishops claimed but their owne in their owne dioces to be chiefe pastor . and not to be the worlds great lord and master . and now our britains glory will i sing , from lucius raigne , the worlds first christian king vnto these daies of happy peacefull state , a catalogue of martyrs i 'll relate : first vrsulae , and eleven thousand with her , all virgins , for christs faith did die together . then hengist with the saxons hither came , who many kill'd with sword and furious flame . besides eleven hundred monkes were kill'd . at bangor abby all their bloods were spill'd . and when the saxons race to end was run , the danes came in ; and all the kingdome won . before whose swords did many thousands fall , which on the name of iesus christ did call . then william conqueror with a multitude . vnto the normans yoake this land subdu'd , the pope then caus'd all priests to leave their wives , to lead foule sodomitick single lives . then afterward in second henries raigne , was sawcie saint thomas becket slaine ; a popish saint and martyr made , because he di'd a traytor to his soveraignes lawes . king henry and king richard dead and gone , their brother iohn ( by right ) ascends the throne , whom all his life the pope of rome did vex , and with oppressions all the realme perplex ; with candle , booke , and bell , he curst and blest , and bulls and legates did the king molest ; vntill such time he on his knees fell downe , and to the pope surrendred up his crowne . at last , because he durst the pope withstand , he di'd impoysoned by a friers hand . when thus by treason they had kil'd king iohn , then the third henry englands crowne put on : then england bought the romish doctrine deare , it cost her threescore thousand marks a yeare . for agnus dei , pardons , peter pence , for which the pope had all this coine from hence : king henry died , then edward tooke the sway , his sonne and grandchilde , england did obey , the first of them call'd long shankes , conquests won , lost by carnarvan his unhappy son , who by his queene was in a dungeon cast , till ( being murder'd ) sadly breath'd his last . edward the third , a brave victorious king , did frenchmens pride into subjection bring . richard the second next to raigne began , who lost more then his royall grandsire wan . then 'gan iohn wiekliffe boldly to begin to preach 'gainst antichrist , that man of sin ; who many troubles stoutly did abide , yet ( spight the pope ) he naturally di'd ; and being dead , from out his grave was turn'd , and had his martyr'd bones to ashes burn'd ; which ashes they did cast into a brooke , because he had the romish faith forsooke . yet whilst the second richard here surviv'd , no martyrs were by fire of life depriv'd . henry the fourth was in the throne invested , in whose raigne many were too much molested . and william sautre first his life did give through flames of fire , who now in heav'n doth live . the next iohn badby in the furious flame , and william thorp , but wan immortall fame . then the fifth henry , a victorious prince , the realme of france did conquer and convince . the good lord cobham then ( oldcastle nam'd ) by popish priests an hereticke was proclaim'd , was hang'd and burn'd by the unlawfull doome , of satans servants , slaves to hell and rome . and leaving some unnam'd , iohn browne esquire , iohn beverly a preacher di'd in fire . besides a number from the lollards tower , racks , tortures , halters , and the flame devoure . iohn hus a glorious martyr of the lord , was in bohemia burned for gods word . and reverend ierom did to constance come , from prage , and stoutly sufferd martyrdome . in smithfield one iohn claidon sufferd death , and with him richard turming lost his breath , at this time sixteene godly folkes in kent , the antichristian vassalls did torment . then death cut off the fifth king henries raigne , the crowne the sixth king henry did obtaine . and william taylor a true zealous priest , did passe through fire unto his saviour christ. good richard hoveden , with him william white , each unto god ( through fire ) did yeeld his sprite , duke humphrey ( though no martyr ) kild in 's bed , and richard wych a priest was burned dead . then saint-like good king henry was depos'd , by the fourth edward in the tower inclos'd : then edward fled , and henry once againe , by warwicks power the kingdome did obtaine . thus did the various state of humane things , make kings of captive , and of captives kings : vntill at last king edward turned backe , brought henries royalty to finall wracke : in whose raigne iohn goose ( as the story saith ) was the first martyr , burned for christs faith. king henry in the tower was stab'd to death , and edward yeeldeth up his life and breath , his sonne young edward , of that name the fift , whom the third richard from his life did lift . who by foule murders , blood , and tyranny , vsurp'd the throne of englands monarchy ; till valiant henry of that name the seven , kill'd him , and made uneven england even : then first ioan broughton , & a man call'd babrane by faith ( thorow fire ) went to old father abram . an old man was in swithfield burn'd , because hee did resist against the roman lawes . one ierom hang'd and burned on the gallowes , in florence , with two other of his fellowes : and william tilsworth , thomas bernard , and iames morton , cause they did the pope withstand burned all , and father rogers , and old reine , did die by fire , a better life to gaine . one thomas novice , and one thomas chase , di'd constant martyrs by the heavenly grace . a woman and a man call'd laurence guest , by death gain'd everlasting life and rest : besides a number past mens reckoning up , for iesus sake dranke of afflictions cup. some carried faggots through a world of mocke some rackt , some pin'd , some fetred in the stocks : some naked strip'd and scourged with a lash , for their rejecting of the romish trash . some branded in the cheeke did alwaies beare the badge and marke of their redeemer deare . thus the insulting tyrannizing pope , with cursings , fagot , fire , and sword and rope . did force the soules , and consciences of men , to run despairing to damnations den . and they that valiantly his power withstood , did seale their resolution with their blood . before his triple , treble , trouble crowne , ( in adoration ) emperours must fall downe , were they as high as any caesar borne , to kisse his feet they must not hold it scorne . henry the sixth the emperour did fall downe , whom with his feet pope celestine did crowne . henry the fourth his empresse and young son , all three to rome did barefoote goe and run : and three daies so , these three did all attend his holinesse , a godlesse eare to lend , which afterward was granted on condition , that he should give his crowne up in submission , pandulphus the popes legat , with a frowne , did make king iohn of england yeeld his crown . king henry of that name the second , hee kneeld downe , and kist the romish legats knee . the emperour when pope adrian was to ride , did hold his stirrop on the meere wrong side , for which his holinesse in angry sort , disdainfully did checke the emp'rour for 't . when as the pope doth ride in cope of gold , kings ( like to foot-men ) must his bridle hold : in pomp he must be borne upon mens shoulders , with glorious shew , amazing the beholders . whilst kings and princes must before him goe , to usher him in his vaine-glorious showe : this being true , as no man can deny , those that will not be blind may plainly spy , that their insulting proud commanding priest , is absolute and onely anti-christ ; h'exalts himselfe 'bove all that 's called god , vpon the emperours necke he proudly trod : he is th'abomination ( void of grace ) that mounts himselfe into the holy place : he makes the princes of the earth drinke up , and quaffe the poyson of the cursed cup , who being drunken with the dregs of sin , they have his sworne and forsworne vassals bin , bewitched with his soule inchanting charmes , gainst one another they have rose in armes ; by forraigne and domesticke bloody broiles , whilst he hath fild his coffers with their spoiles : his double dealing too too plaine appeares , in setting christian princes by the eares , whilst he into his avaritious hands , hath seiz'd their persons , moveables , and lands : and as the christian kings thēselves made weak , the turke into their kingdomes 'gan to break ; and thus the turk and pope ioin'd with the devil , have beene the authors of all christian evil . the second booke . vvhen the 7th henry in his grave was laid , and the 8th henry englands scepter swaid , romes bloody persecution raged more in england , than in ten kings raignes before : and therefore reader , in this little booke , for every martyrs name thou must not looke : but men of chiefest note , respect and fame , that died in england , onely those i name . and first the papists tyranny began , in murthering richard hun , a zealous man , for being kept in prison by their power , they closely hang'd him in the lollards tower. and then they all in generall decreed , reporting hun himselfe had done the deed . and sixteene daies just after this was done , they burn'd the foresaid corps of richard hun. then to the number of full thirty five , the furious flames did all of life deprive ; in severall places of this wofull land , because they did the pope of rome withstand . at which time thomas bilney did beginne , to preach and teach 'gainst antichristian sinne ; where in saint georges church in ipswich town the papists from the pulpit pluckt him downe and as in dolefull prison he did lie , he put his finger into the flames to trie ; he prov'd , & god did give him strength to beare his death , to live with his redeemer deare . the next of note was one iohn frub , a man of learning great , a martyrs fame he wan . then learned luther , and grave zwinglius , with calvin , beza , oecolampadius , all glorious , gracious reverend lamps of light , were instruments to clear bleard englands sight . in flanders william tindall for gods word , was sacrific'd to glorifie the lord. iohn lambert valiantly his death did take , and burn'd in smithfield for his saviours sake . about this time , that honourable man , lord cromwell , life , and timelesse death began ; he like an earth-quake made the abbies fall . the fryeries and the nunneries all . this famous noble , worthy essex earle , this iem , this iewell , this most orient pearle , was for his truth from all he had discarded . and with his heads losse , all his faith rewarded , the next of worthy note by fire that dide , was good * anne ayscough , who did strong abide , racks , torturs , & the cruel raging flame , to magnifie her high creators name . then'gan the kings eies to be opened quite inlightned by the everlasting light . he banisht superstitious idle fables , and packt the papists hence with all their bables . then bonner , gardner , brethren both in evill , factors and actors , blood-hounds for the devill , their burning fame to infamy soone faded , they godlesse , gracelesse , were disgrac'd , degraded . the king then having this good worke begun , he died , and left the kingdome to his son . then raign'd young edward , that sweete princely child . by whom all popery was cleane exil'd . but he too good to live 'mongst wicked men , th' almighty tooke him hence to heaven agen : no sooner edward was laid in his tombe , but england was the slaughter-house of rome . gardner and bonner were from prison turn'd , aud whom they pleas'd were either sav'd or burn'd , queene mary imitating lezabel , advanc'd againe the ministers of hell : then tyranny began to tyrannize , tortures and torments then they did devise ; then master rogers with a faith most fervent , was burn'd , and di'd ( in smithfield ) gods true servant . next unto him did laeurence sanders die , by fire ( for iesus sake ) at covenerie ; he did imbrace , and kindly kisse the stake , to gaine heav'ns glory , did the world forsake . good bishop hooper was at gloster burn'd , cause he against the romish doctrine spurn'd ; and doctor tayler a true zealous man , at hadley burned , eternall glory wan . then bishop farrer next his life did spend in fire , to gaine the life shall never end . next william flower , first did lose his hand , then burn'd , because he did the pope withstand in essex , thomas hawkes , with faith victorious did die with fire to gaine a life most glorious . master john bradford ( for his saviours sake ) in smithfield burn'd , a godly end did make . two reverend bishops , father latimer , and ridley , each of them a heavenly star , liv'd in gods feare , and in his favour di'd ; at oxford burn'd , and now are glorifi'd . john philpot gladly did the fire imbrace , and died , and lives in his redeemers grace . then that grave father , and religious man , arch-bishop cranmers troubles hot began , his pomp , his state , his glory , and his pride , was to know iesus , and him crucifide : he liv'd a godly preacher of gods word , and dy'd a glorious martyr of the lord. iohn careles in close prison carefully , did change his cares for joyes eternally . but this small volume cannot well containe , one quarter of the saints in england slane . in henries raigne and maries , ( cruell queene ) eight thousand people there hath slaughterd bin some by the sword , some hang'd , some burnt in fire some starv'd to death in prison all expire : twelve thousand and seven hundred more beside much persecution trouble did abide , some rackt , some whipt , some tortur'd , some in stocks , some doing pennance with a world of mocks ; some with an iron in the faces burn'd , some out of all their goods to beggry turn'd . some bar-foot , baring faggots on their shoulders were made a wondring stocke to the beholders : all this and more , much more they did endure , because they would not yeeld to live impure : but now to speake the law lesse cause wherefore , and why these people troubled were so sore , because they would not make their plaints and mones to senslesse images , dead stocks & stones , because they said the sacramentall bread , is not the lord which shall judge quick & dead . because they not beleev'd a purgatory , and held the popes decrees an idle story . because they would not creepe unto the crosse , and change gods sacred word for human drosse because they held the masse an idoll soule . at once which pickt the purse and damn'd the soule because they knew the pope and all his crue , hell-hounds whom heaven ( in rage ) on earth did spue . and in a word , they thus were over-trod , because they truly serv'd the living god. this was the maine and onely cause of all , because they would not offer unto baal . the popes outragious aud contagious actor , was bishop benner , hells most truly factor : romes hang-man , & the firebrand of this realme , that with a flood of blood did overwhelme , the true beleevers of gods holy truth , he butchered , not regarding age or youth . with him was joyn'd a man almost as il , who tooke delight gods servants blood to spil ; call'd steven gardner , englands chanceller , and bishop of the see of winchester : these two did strive each other to excell , who should doe greatest service unto hell ; vntill at last god heard his servants cry , and each of them did die immediatly . thus when iehovah heard the just complaints , of his beloved , poore , afflicted saints ; then this too cruell pope defending queen , ( the bloodiest princesse that this land hath seen ) she did decease , and persecution ceast , and tired wofull england purchast rest . queene mary being dead , her welcome death reviv'd our joyes in blest elizabeth , innumerable were her woes and cares , abundant were the subtill wyles and snares , which satan and his ministers oft laid , to rave the life of that most harmelesse maid . she was accus'd , abus'd , revil'd , miscal'd ; she was from prison unto prison hal'd : long in the tower she was close prisoner shut , her loving servants all away were put : from thence to windsor , thence to woodstock sent , closely mewd up from all the worlds content : but god whose mercies ever did defend her , did in her greatest sorrowes comfort send her . he did behold her from his throne most high , and kept her as the apple of his eye , let hell and hell-hounds still attempt to spill , yet the almighty guards his servants still . and he at last did ease her sorrowes mone , and rais'd her to her lawfull awfull throne ; this royall debora , this princely dame , vvhole life made all the world admire the same . as iudith in bethulia's same was spread , for cutting off great holophernes head : so our eliza stoutly did beginne , vntopping and beheading romish sinne , shee purg'd the land of papistry agen , she liv'd belov'd of god , admir'd of men : she made the antichristian kingdome quake , she made the mighty power of spaine to shake : as farre as sunne or moone disperst their raies , so far and further went her matchlesse praise . she was at home , abroad , in every part , load-starre and load-stone to each eye and heart supported onely by gods powerfull hand , she foure and forty yeeres did rule this land , and when she left this royall princely seat , she chang'd earths greatnes to be heavenly great . thus did this westerne worlds great wonder die , she fell from height to be advanc'd more hie . terrestriall kings and kingdomes all must fade . then blest is she that is immortall made . her death fill'd wofull england full of feares , the papists long'd for change with itching eares . for her decease was all their onely hope , to raise againe the doctrine of the pope . but he whose power is all omnipotent , did their unhappy hopelesse hopes prevent . succession lawfully did leave the crowne , vnto a prince whose vertue and renowne , and learning doth out-strip all kings as far , as doth the sunne obscure a little star . vvhat man ( that is but man ) could baffle more romes seven headen purple whore , how wisely hath he bellarmine confuted , and how divinely hath he oft disputed . how zealously he doth gods faith defend , how often on gods word he doth attend . how clement , pious , and how gracious good , is he , as fits the greatnesse of his blood . vvert not for him , how would the muses doe ? he is their patterne , and their patron too . he is th'appollo , from whose radiant beames , the quintessence of poetry out-streames . and from the splendor of his piercing raies , a world of worthy writers wins the baies . yet all the worthy vertues so transparent , and so well knowne in him , to be inherent , cannot perswade papists leave their strife , with cursed treasons to attempt his life : for when their disputations help'd them not , they would dispute in a damn'd powder-plot . in which the romish went beyond the divell , for hell could not invent a plot so evill . but he that plac'd him on his royall throne , ( the god of iacobs , iudahs holy one ) that god ( for iesus sake ) i doe beseech , ( with humble heart , and with unfaigned speech ) that he and his , may britaines scepter sway ; till time , the world , and all things passe away . finis notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a13422-e60 * daughter of sir 〈◊〉 ayscough , knight the protestant martyrs: or, the bloody assizes giving an account of the lives, tryals, and dying speeches, of all those eminent protestants that suffered in the west of england, by the sentence of that bloody and cruel judge jefferies; being in all 251 persons, besides what were hang'd and destroyed in cold blood. containing also, the life and death of james duke of monmouth; his birth and education; his actions both at home and abroad; his unfortunate sentence, execution and dying-words upon the scaffold: with a true copy of the paper he left behind him. and many other curious remarks worth the reader's observation. tutchin, john, 1661?-1707. 1688 approx. 73 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a63971 wing t3382aa estc r220942 99832326 99832326 36798 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a63971) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 36798) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2139:17) the protestant martyrs: or, the bloody assizes giving an account of the lives, tryals, and dying speeches, of all those eminent protestants that suffered in the west of england, by the sentence of that bloody and cruel judge jefferies; being in all 251 persons, besides what were hang'd and destroyed in cold blood. containing also, the life and death of james duke of monmouth; his birth and education; his actions both at home and abroad; his unfortunate sentence, execution and dying-words upon the scaffold: with a true copy of the paper he left behind him. and many other curious remarks worth the reader's observation. tutchin, john, 1661?-1707. 16 p. : ill., ports. printed by j. bradford, at the bible in fetter-lane, london : [1688?] by john tutchin. publication date conjectured by wing. title page contains eleven engraved portraits. reproductions of the originals in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng jeffreys, george jeffreys, -baron, 1644 or 5-1689 -early works to 1800. monmouth, james scott, -duke of, 1649-1685 -early works to 1800. last words -early works to 1800. bloody assizes, 1685 -early works to 1800. martyrs -great britain -early works to 1800. great britain -history -1660-1714 -early works to 1800. 2007-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 pip willcox sampled and proofread 2007-09 pip willcox text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the protestant martyrs : or , the bloody assizes , giving an account of the lives , tryals , and dying speeches , of all those eminent protestants that suffered in the west of england , by the sentence of that bloody and cruel judge jefferies ; being in all 251 persons , besides what were hang'd and destroyed in cold blood. containing also , the life and death of james duke of monmouth ; his birth and education ; his actions both at home and abroad ; his unfortunate adventure in the west ; his letter to king james ; his sentence , execution and dying-words upon the scaffold : with a true copy of the paper he left behind him . and many other curious remarks worth the reader 's observation . portraits of the executed london : printed by j. bradford , at the bible in fetter-lane , the protestant martyrs or , the bloody assizes , &c. the most illustrious prince james duke of monmouth is not , for the illustriousness of his descent , inferiour unto any prince in europe , being descended from the loins of the most renowned monarch , king charles the second ; and also his eldest son : by which royal extraction he is descended from the incomparably wise and vertuous prince , the royal martyr charles the first and his illustrious consort henrietta maria de bourbon daughter of the great king henry the fourth of france : from which two ancient and illustrious stocks , he was ingrafted into all the royal families of europe , and hath concentred in his princely veins some of their royal blood ; being thereby allied to all those great personages that are of the most high and illustrious quality in europe ; viz. james duke of york , william of nassaw prince of orange , the lady madamoiselle queen of spain , and her sister madame de valois , daughter of the duke of oleance , and the late princess henrietta ; also to charles prince elector palatine of the rhine : his highness rupert , lewis the fourteenth king of france , now reigning ; and many other princes and potentates of europe ; which is abundantly sufficient to demonstrate the nobility of his birth , and the illustriousness of his extraction . but to render him yet more eminent , it pleased his royal father to dignifie him with severel magnificient titles , and to confer upon him the several great offices following , vz. duke of monmouth and bucclugh , earl of doucaster and dalkeith . lord scott of tindale , whinchester and askdale , lord great chamberlain of scotland , lord lieutenant of the east-riding of yorkshire , governour of his majesties town and cittadel of kingstone upon hull , chief justice in eyre , of all his majesties forrests , chaces , parks and warrens on the south-side of the river of trent . lord general of all his majesties land-forces , captain of his majesties life-guards of horse , chancellor of the university of cambridge , master of the horse to his majesty , one of the lords of his majesties most honourable privy-council , and knight of the most noble oder of the garter . all which places he discharged with so much honour and fidelity , that the most inveterare and implacable of his enemies notwithstanding all their noise and clamour against him , were not able to produce one single instance wherein he acted otherwise . besides his honour at home , he had likewise been highly honoured abroad , by having the honour to command an army in flanders as lieutenant-general under the french king , whose continual success and numerous victories in flanders may be chiefly attributed to the conduct and valour of the great monmouth . he was born at rotterdam , april 9. in the year 1649. in the very heat of our unnatural broils . about the year 1656. his mother was sent a prisoner to the tower of london , as appears by a warrant from the protector , july 12. 1656. to barkstead , then lieutenant of the tower , whereby he discharged mrs. lucy barlow from her imprisonment . the officers found a grant when she was apprehended , signed charlet r. by which she had an anuity or yearly pensiod of five thousand livres granted to her for her life , with an assurance to better the same when it should please god to restore him to his kingdom , and it was subscribed by his majesties command edward nicholas . during her abode about london , the cavilears as the loyalists were then call'd , carried themselves towards her with a profound reverence and awful respect , treating her 〈…〉 person serving her on the knee . an english nurse was provided 〈…〉 and both for privacy , lodged at the house of mr. claes ghysen a merchant living at schiedam about a mile from rotterdam , his mother lodging at the same time at the house of mrs. harvey , mother to the famous doctor harvey , and lived in abundance of pomp and splendor , having a gentleman and other servants to attend her . some time after he had been there at nurse , his mother being desirous to see him , took her gentleman with her , who at a place where she called by the way to , to pay a visit , desired to be excused for some small time , from attending on her , till he had dispatched some extraordinary business which he pretended , promising to return again immediately , and having obtained her permission , away he went ; but like an ungrateful and treacherous villain , repaired immediately to mr. ghysens at schiedam , where the princely babe was nursed , and pretending to be sent for that purpose to his mother , carried him and the nurse both away . his lady waited his coming with abundance of patience , but at length night drawing on , and no gentleman appearing , she began to suspect her self to be abused , whereupon a gentleman offering to wait on her thither , she presently posted away , and being arrived , and finding her son gone , i want words wherewith to express her grief , and surprize ; she rent her apparel , tore the hair from off her head , and with whole showers of tears bewailed the greatness of her loss , and the deplorableness of her condition , yet suffered not grief to prevail so far , as to make her uncapable of endeavouring to right her self ; whereupon she presently gave order for the providing horses , which being ready , she presently posted away to maesland-sluce , riding all night , she suspected that he was carried thither , in order to be transported to england , there having been some inquiry made after him , she arrived there early in the morning , just as the sieur newport , one of the lords of the state , and the maesland were taking boat for the hague , those that were with her , advised her to make her application to him as the likelieft person to assist her , telling her that he could english , whereupon she addressed her self to him in that languish , discovering to him the condition of her self and son , and the relation they stood in to the king of england , with the circumstances of his stealing away , and pulling out a handful of gold , if money will do it , said she , i will spare for no charges ; imploring his help and assistance for the recovery of that royal treasure ; this occasioned abundance of people flocking about them to learn the occasion of her address , wherefore he advised her to go into some house and make no noise about it , lest she thereby prevent the accomplishing her desire , which she did , and he presently ordered a general search to be made , and that no ships should go off till they were searched , notwithstanding which they could make no discovery of him till about 10 or 12 days after , when he was found at loesdymen , where he had been all that time concealed , and having to her inexpressible joy recovered him , she took a stately house at boscal , where they resided for some time . upon his majesties going for scotland , in june 1650. he was committed by his majesty to the care of his illustrious grandmother , who lived then at the par-le-roy in paris , and was by her committed to the care of one goff belonging to her majesty , charging him to provide a good careful nurse for him , which he did accordingly , commending to her majesty one mrs. miles ▪ a gentlewoman that belonged likewise to her majesty . the beauty and make of his person , and the majesty of his port and cerriage , even whilst an infant , plainly discover'd the greatness of his birth , and the largeness of his soul , and every succeeding year of his childhood , and afforded new promises and hopes that he would prove an illustrious branch of growing honour ; making an early discovery even at that tender age , not only of a great and princely spirit but also of an extraordinary goodness and sweetness of nature , seeming to have that even and well-biassed temper of mind radicated in his very nature , which other men with extraordinary industry and help of philosophy and religion hardly acquire , when arrived at years of maturity . nor were his inclinations to vertue more admirable than the desire he had to learn useful and solid arts , his genius rendring the study and exercises thereof , far more acceptable to him , than the vanity of the most exquisite divertisements . wherefore when he was about 8 or 9 years of age , he was taken from goff , and committed to the care of mr. ross , a gentleman , who after his majesty's restauration , went secretary to the honourable henry coventry esquire , ( in his embassy to sweden ) and sent to julen , a place about 7 leagues from paris , there to be accommodated with learning , and fitted for those great employments which god and nature as well as his majesty had designed him for , in the future part of his life . he went there by the name of mr. crossts soon after his majesty's happy restauration ▪ he commanded mr. ross to turn away all his former servants , and entertain new ones more suitable to his quality ; and to demonstrate his paternal love , and to render his own happiness the more compleat , ordered him to be brought to court , that so he might always have him in his royal presence ; whereupon he was provided with gentlemen and pages to wait on him , together with a rich coach and 6 stately horses , a coach-man , postillion , groom , and foot-men in good liveries , wherewith he set forward towards england . about july , 1662. he came to calis , where he imbarked for england ; he landed at dover from whence he came by land to london , and not finding his majesty there , he presently repaired to hampton-court , where his mejesty then resided , by whom he was received and imbraced with all the demonstrations of joy imaginable ; and about the middle of august , he came with the court to white-hall , where his majesty was pleased to appoint him his lodgings in the privy gallery . soon after his majesty was pleased to make him a peer of this realm , by creating him duke of arkeny , which title was after changed for that of monmouth ; and the cap and robes being presented to him , in the ensuing parliament he took his seat in the house of peers . in april , 1663. he was with the usual solemnity installed knight of the garter at windsor . this was followed by that which made his happiness yet more full and compleat , his majesty being pleased to consent to a contract of marriage between his grace and the only surviving child , and sole heir of the late earl of bucclugh , a lady reputed to be the greatest fortune , and to have the largest dowery in the three kingdoms , her incomparable vertues , and surprising beauty , being no way inferior to ( but rather exceeding ) her portion ; her mother , the countess of wembs , being consulted about the match , having received satisfaction from his majesty in whatsoever she proposed , she willingly gave her consent , and the marriage was speedily celebrated with extraordinary pomp and splendor , to the great content of his majesty , the queen's mother , and the whole court. soon after this , upon the resignation of the lord brandon gerard , his father king charles , created him captain of his life-guard , and admitted one of his majesty's most honourable privy-council . in the year 1672. the french king lewis xivth . made great preparations for a war against the datch , in which king charles engaging , the duke was sent to command the english , whose gallantry and bravery was sufficiently admir'd by all present , where was the french king himself . he was attended by a numerous train of english volunteer gentlemen . with this vast army the french sat down before orsoy and rhinberg , which presently surrender'd : from thence they march'd to wisel , accounted an invincible city , which after 4 days siege was deliver'd up ; also duysbury surrender'd , without venturing the brunt of a storm . this success of the fren●h so terrify'd the hollanders , that they abandon'd their towns as fast as the enemy approach'd to take possession of them ; nay , and of some they invite them to be masters ; for the city vtrecht , with the whole province , in which were nine fine cities besides vtrecht it self , receiv'd a french garrison : zutphen and arnheim follow'd the same fate ; and such a rapid progress was made by the arms of france , that by the 28th of june , they were advanc'd within 4 leagues of rotterdam , and the same distance from amsterdam . never was any state nearer ruin than that of holland at this time ; and where the policy of england could be to assist them in such an expedition , has i believe been dearly experienc'd since ; for it was no small assistance they receiv'd from the succours under the d. of monmouth , which will more particularly appear in another campaign ; for this being ended , the duke took his leave of the french king , who highly extoll'd his conduct and personal bravery , and passing through flanders , arriv'd safely in england , and was joyfully receiv'd , especially at court ; but he was in solemn manner welcom'd home by his dutchess , who was soon after , august 26●h . happily brought to bed of a son , which was christened charles , and died soon after . about november following , having taken leave of the king , he set out again for france , where he was received in a very splendid manner by the french king and the nobility ; and being arriv'd at calais , dec. 18 th . he sent an express to his majesty , to acquaint him that the prince of orange was on the 15th sat down with his army before char eroy , and that there was great expectation in those parts , what would be the issue of that enterprize . the duke was highly welcom'd in all the places through which he pass'd , and return'd to england again before the opening of the campaign ; at what time he attended the king of france into the field , and is remarkably distinguish'd in history for his conduct and valour at the siege of maestrich , and came into england afterward with great applause . but the next year the scale turn'd , and the duke ( as general of his father 's forces ) commanded against the french in conjunction with the dutch , always behaving himself with singular conduct and personal bravery . what happen'd otherwise concerning him , is hardly material . he grew into love and favour with the people , which appear'd in the business of the walisea race , for which he was taken into custody ; he was also banish'd ; but we shall pass over all these things , and come nearer to the design in hand , which is the business of the west , in which we shall comprehend his death . king james iid . being ascended the throne , and the duke of monmouth then abroad , and being sufficiently stunn'd with the unexpected news of the death of king charles , having enter'd into a league with the earl of argyle , putting great confidence in his own courage , and a vain assurance of a popular affection and assistance , bore up himself against all pretended difficulties , and with three small ships , and between threescore and fourscore men , landed about the 12th of june at lyme in the west of england , while the parliament was sitting : a romantick kind of invasion , and scarce parallel'd in history ; yet with this handful of men , and afterward with the common people that join'd him , without arms , provisions , martial discipline , money , or any one place to retire to in case of accidents , did this brave unfortunate man bid fair for a crown . he landed , as was said before , at lyme in dorsetshire , where he increas'd his number to one hundred and fifty , from thence he march'd to taunton , where he was proclaim'd king , and men flock'd to him , and listed under him as fast , as if he had already been master of the whole country . after staying there a while , he marched in some kind of order to bridgwater , still increasing his numbers ; from thence to bath , where he was denied entrance , the train'd-bands still flying two days march before him , by order from the court , to give pretence to the king to raise more forces . at philips norton , by a surprize or ambush , he cut off the best part of a troop of horse , the duke of grafton narrowly escaping with his life . with this success he marched within 2 miles of bristol , where a consult being held , he was advised not to enter that city , but to retreat back to bridgwater ; which was the first thing that dishearten'd his party , and hinder'd many from joining with him : whereas if he had entred bristol , where there was no force to oppose him but the train'd-bands , and the generality of them for him , not only in their hearts , but in open discourses and drinking his health , he might have furnish'd himself with men , arms and money , to have enabl'd him to march into gloucestershire among the clothiers , where great numbers , and some of quality , waited to join him , and by this means might have kept up the war till he had shak'd king james's throne , if not overturn'd it . in this time the king had sent an army into the west against monmouth , under the command of the earl of feversham as general , who incamp'd upon sedgmore , not far from bridgwater , where the duke of monmouth and his party were quarter'd ; and the duke seeing his men daily desert in great numbers , it was agreed to make one push for all , and to that purpose issu'd out of bridgwater by night ; but his guide mistaking his way in the dark , the duke 's ill fate lead him upon a battallion of dumbarton's regiment plac'd in his way ; who encountering him , alarm'd king james's whole army , with whom engaging he was routed ; or in all probability he had surpriz'd the king's army in their camp , and perhaps at that single blow decided the fortune of england for once . yet however , tho' he came too soon , before matters were ripe , by king james's setting up for the open establishment of popery and arbitrary power , yet he may be said to have pav'd the way for a nobler change in the throne , by leaving king james at liberty through this success , to act without controul , which at length made him abdicate the government . monmouth paid the price of his rebellion with his blood , being on the 15th of july , 1685. beheaded on tower-hill , by vertue of an attainder pass'd upon him in parliament soon after his landing . an account of what passed at the execution of the late duke of monmouth , on wednesday the 15th . of july , 1685. on tower-hill . the duke of monmouth came from the tower to the scaffold , attended by the bishop of ely , the bishop of bath and wells , dr. tenison , and dr. hooper ; which four the king sent him , as his assistants , to prepare him for death : the duke himself entreated all four of them to accompany him a the place of execution , and to cantinue with him to the last . the two bishops going in the lieutenant's coach with him to the bars , made seasonable and devont applications to him all the way ; and one of them desired him not to be surprized , if they to the very last upon the scaffold , renewed those exhortations to a particular repentance , which they had so often repeated before . at his first coming upon the scaffold , he looked for the executioner ; and seeing him , said , is this the man to do the business ? do your work well . then the duke of monmouth began to speak , some one or other of the assistants during the whole time , applying themselves to him . monmouth . i shall say but very little ; i come to die ; i die a protestant of the church of england . assistants . my lord , if you be of the church of england , you must acknowledge the doctrine of non-resistance to be true . mon. if i acknowledge the doctrine of the church of england in general , that includes all . assist . sir , it is fit to own that doctrine particularly , which respects your case . here he was much urged about that doctrine of non-resistance ; but he repeated in effect his first answer . then he began as if he was about to make a premeditated speech , in this manner . mon. i have had a scandal raised upon me about a woman , a lady of vertue and honour . i will name her ; the lady henrietta wentworth . i declare , that she is a very vertuous and godly woman . i have committed no sin with her ; and that which hath passed betwixt us , was very honest and innocent in the sight of god. assist . in your opiuion , perhaps , sir , as you have been often told ; ( i. e. in the tower ) but this is not fit discourse in this place . mr. sheriff gostlin . sir , were you ever married to her ? mon. this is not a time to answer that question . sher. gostlin . sir , i hoped to have heard of your repentance for the treason and bloodshed which hath been committed . mon. i die very penitent . assist . my lord , it is fit to be particular ; and considering the publick evil you have done , you ought to do as much good now as possibly you can , by a publick acknowledgment . mon. what i have thought fit to say of publick affairs , is in a paper which i have signed ; i refer to my paper . assist . my lord , there is nothing in that paper about resistance ; and you ought to be particular in your repentance , and to have it well grounded . god give you true repentance . mon. i die very penitent , and die with great chearfulness , for i know i shall go to god. assist . my lord , you must go to god in his own way . sir , be sure you be truly penitent , and ask forgiveness of god , for the many you have wronged . mon. i am sorry for every one i have wronged , i forgive every body ; i have had many enemies , i forgive them all . assist . sir , your acknowledgment ought to be particular . mon. i am to die ; pray , my lord — i refer to my paper . assist . they are but a few words that we desire : we only desire an answer to this point . mon. i can bless god , that he hath given me so much grace , that for these two years last past , i have had a life unlike to my former course , and in which i have been happy . assist . sir , was there no ill in these two years ? in these years , these great evils have happened ; and the giving publick satisfaction is a necessary part of repentance ; be pleased to own a detestation of your rebellion . mon. i beg your lordship that you would stick to my paper . assist . my lord , as i said before , there is nothing in your paper about the doctrine of non-resistance , mon. i repent of all things that a true christian ought to repent of . i am to die ; pray , my lord — assist . then , my lord , we can only recommend you to the mercy of god ; but we cannot pray with that chearfulness and encouragement , as we should if you had made a particular acknowledgment . mon. god be praised , i have encouragement enough in my self ; i die with a clear conscience , i have wronged no man. assist . how , sir , no man ! have you not been guilty of invasion , and of much blood , which hath been shed , and it may be , of the loss of many souls that followed you ? you must needs have wronged a great many . mon. i do , sir , own that , and am sorry for it . ass . give it the true name , sir , and call it rebellion . mon. what name you please , sir ; i am sorry for invading the kingdom , and for the blood that has been shed , and for the souls which may have been lost by my means ; i am sorry it ever happened . mr. sher. vandeput . he says , he is sorry for invading the kingdom . ass . we have nothing to add , but to renew the frequent exhortations we have made to you , to give some satisfaction for the publick injuries to the kingdom . there have been a great many lives lost by this resistance of your lawful prince . mon. what i have done , has been very ill ; and i wish with all my heart it had never been : i never was a man that delighted in blood ; i was very far from it ; i was as cautious in this as any man was ; the almighty god knows how i now die , with all the joyfulness in the world. ass . god grant you may , sir ; god give you true repentance . mon. if i had not true repentance , i shonld not so easily have been without the sear of dying : i shall die like a lamb. ass . much may come from natural courage . mon. i do not attribute it to my own nature , for i am fearful as other men are ; but i have now no fear , as you may see by my face ; but there is something within me that does it , for i am sure i shall go to god. ass . my lord , be sure upon good grounds ; do you repent you of all your sins , known , or unknown ; confessed , or not confessed ; of all the sins which might proceed from error in judgment ? mon. in general for all , i do with all my soul. ass . god almighty of his infinite mercy forgive you . here are great numbers of spectators , here are the sheriffs , they represent the great city , and in speaking to them , you speak to the great city ; make some satisfaction by owning your crime be●ore them — he was exhorted to pray for the king ; and was asked , whether he did not desire to send some dutiful message to his majesty , and to recommend his wife and children to his maiesty's favour . mon. what harm have they done ? do it if you please : i pray for him , and for all men. ass . ( at his undressing ) my lord , you have been bred a soldier ; you will do a generous christian thing , if you please to speak to the soldiers , and say , that here you stand a sad example of rebellion , and en reat them and the people to be loyal and obedient to the king. mon. i have said , i will make no speeches ; i will make no speeches ; i am come to die . ass . my lord , ten words will be enough . m. ( then calling his servant , and giving him something like a tooth-pick case ) here , said he , give this to the person to whom you are to deliver the other things . ( to the executioner : ) here are six guinea's for you ; pray do your business well : don't serve me as you did my lord russel . i have heard , you struck him three or four times . here ( to his servant ) take these remaining guinea's , and give them to him if he does his work well . exec. i hope i shall . mon. if you strike me twice , i cannot promise you , not to stir . during his undressing , and standing towards the block , were used divers ejaculations , and much of the 51st psalm , and particularly , deliver me from blood-guiltiness , o god , thou god , &c. then he lay down ; and soon after he raised himself upon his elbow , and said to the executioner , prithee let me feel the ax. he felt the edge , and said , i fear it is not sharp enough . execut. it is sharp enough , and heavy enough . then he lay down again . during this space , many pious ejaculatious were used by those who assisted him , with great fervency . god accept your repentance , god accept your repentance , god accept your imperfect repentance ; my lord , god accept your repentance ; god almighty shew his omnipotent mercy up on you : father , into thy hands we commend his spirit , &c. lord jesus receive his soul. a brief abstract of the paper left behind him . i repent in general of all my sins , and am more particularly concern'd for what blood hath been spilt on my account , and the rather , seeing the issue is such as i sear will prove of fatal consequence to the reformed protestant religion . instead of being counted factious and rebellious , the very opposing of popery and arbitrary power , now arising and appearing plain enough , would sufficiently have protected my cause ; besides , several other most heinous and notorious crimes ( such as the unhappy fate of the earl of essex , and my father of ever blessed memory , and others now covered over with jesuitical policy ) should have been detected and avenged . i have lived , and shall now die in the faith of this , that god will work a deliverance for his people ; and then will be discovered the great , and horrid , and scarcely to be parallell'd villanies our enemies have heen guilty of ; but now you see my case is desperate , yet know , that i die a martyr for the people , and shall rather pity the state , that their false and covetous minds have brought themselves and me to , than discover who are the persons concerned in my overthrow ; and i heartily forgive all that have wronged me , even those that have been instrumental in my fall , earnestly praying for their souls . and i hope king james will shew himself to be of his brother's blood , and extend his mercy to my children , even as he was wont to his greatest enemies , they being not capable to act , and therefore not conscious of any offence against the government . a copy of the duke of monmouth's letter to the king , dated from ringwood the 8th of july , 1685. your majesty may think , it is the misfortune i now lie under , makes me make this application to you ; but i do assure your majesty it is the remorse i now have in me , of the wrongs i have done you in several things , and now , in taking up arms against you . for my taking up arms , it never was in my thoughts since the king died . the prince and princess of orange will be witness for me , of the assurance i gave them , that i would never stir against you ; but my misfortune was such , as to meet with some horrid people , that made me believe things of your majesty , and gave me so many false arguments , that i was fully led away , to believe ▪ that it was a shame and a sin before god not to do it . but , sir , i will not trouble your majesty at present with many things that i could say for my self , that i am sure would move your compassion ; the chief end of this letter , being only to beg of you , that i may have that happiness , as to speak to your majesty : for i have that to say to you , sir , that i hope may give you a long and happy reign . i am sure , sir , when you hear me , you will be convinced of the zeal i have for your preservation , and how heartily i repent of what i have done . i can say no more to your majesty now , being this letter must be seen by those that keep me . therefore , sir , i shall make an end , in begging of your majesty to believe so well of me , that i would rather die a thousand deaths , than excuse any thing i have done , if i did not really think my self the most in the wrong , that ever any man was , and had not from the bottom of my heart an abhorrence for those that put him upon it , and for the action it self . i hope , sir , god almighty will strike your heart with mercy and compassion for me , as he has done mine with the abhorrence of what i have done . therefore i hope , sir , i may live to shew you how zealous i shall ever be for your service ; and could i say but one word in this letter , you would be convinced of it ; but it is of that consequence , that i dare not do it . therefore , sir , i do beg of you once more , to let me speak to you , for then you will be convinced how much i shall ever be your majesty's most humble and dutiful . monmovth . there was also a short paper printed at that time with his speech wherein he declares , that his father had told him in his life-time , that he was never married lo his mother ; which he hop'd would be a means for king james to use his children with the more tenderness . we shall now proceed to give an account of the persons that suffer'd for the sime cause , some of the more principal of which ( whose essigies are hereunto affix'd ) 't is thought worth the while to treat distinctly of ; giving an exact list of the other , and the places where they suffer'd ; and first , of those remarkable brothers , mr. benjamin , and mr. william hewling ; the elder was a captain of horse , and the younger a lieutenant of foot in the duke of monmouth's service : they got on ship-board after the defeat at sedgmore , but were cast away on the coast again , and so taken : the last , william , was executed at lyme , where just before he went to die , he said to one of his fellow-sufferers , here is a sweet promise for us ; i will not leave you comfortless . i will come unto you . one taking leave of him , he said , farewel till we meet in heaven ; presently i shall be with christ , o! i would not change conditions with any that stay behind for ten thousand worlds : pray remember my dear love to my brother and sister , and tell them i desire they would comfort themselves that i am gone to christ , and we shall quickly meet at the glorious mount sion above . afterwards he prayed for near half an hour with great fervency , blessing god earnestly for the blood of jesus christ , praying for the peace of the church of god , and of these nations in particular . when he was going out of the world , with a joyful countenance he said , oh! now my joy and comfort is , that i have a christ to go to ; and so gently resign'd his spirit to god the 12th of sept. 1685. as to the elder brother , when he had receiv'd the news of his brother's death , and that he died with so much comfort and joy , he replied , we have no cause to fear death , if the presence of god be with us ; and added , perhaps my friends may think this summer the saddest time of my life ; but , i bless god , it has been the sweetest and most happy time of all . speaking of the disappointment of their expectations in the work they had undertaken , he said , with reference to the glory of god , the prosperity of the gospel , and the delivery of the people of god , we have great cause to lament it , but for that outward prosperity that have attended it , it 's but of small moment , and death would have ended i● . the day of his execution , with others , being come , it is remarkable that they sat in the sledge near half an hour before the officers could make the horses draw : at which they were greatly enrag'd , there being no visible obstruction from either weight or way ; but at last the mayor and sheriffs hawl'd them forward themselves , baalam like , driving the horses . being come to the place of execution , and having embrac'd his fellow-sufferers , he desir'd of the sheriff that he might pray particularly , but he could not grant it ; only ask'd him , if he would pray for the king ? he answer'd , i pray for all men. he then desir'd he might sing a psalm ; but the sheriff told him , it must be with the halters about their necks : to which he replied , with all his heart ; and then sung with such heavealy joy , that many present said , it both broke and rejoyc'd their hearts . in the midst of which he clos'd his eyes on a vain world sept. 30th . 1685. the next was one william jenkin , condemn'd at the bloody assize at dorchester , sept. the 29th , at night . after he had heard he must die the next day , he was exceedingly compos'd and chearful , expressing his satisfaction in the will of god. he us'd many excellent speeches before , and at his death : among the rest he said , this manner of death hath been the most terrible thing in the world to my thoughts , but i bess god , now am i neither afraid nor asham'd to die . when the sheriff came to perform his execution , he was still as compo●'d as ever , and had the same chearfulness and serenity of mind in taking leave of his friends ; and likewise in the sledge ; insomuch that some of his friends , who had before censur'd him , thinking he had been unmindful of his death , by being so chearful , now profess'd they were rather astonish'd to see so young a man leave the world , and go through death as he did . we come now to the most moving scene of this horrid and barbarous tragedy , in the death of the lady lisle , above 80 years of age , for only corresponding with one nelthrope , and dr. hicks ; for which she was beheaded at winchester . her speech made at her execution is as follows . the last speech of the lady alicia lisle . gentlemen , friends and neighbours , it may be expected that i should say something at my death ; and in order thereunto , i shall acquaint you , that my birth and education was both near this place , and that my parents instructed me in the fear of god , and i now die of the reformed protestant religion ; that if ever popery should return into this nation , it would be a very great and severe judgment ; that i die in expectation of the pardon of all my sins , and of acceptance with god the father , by the imputed righteousness of jesus christ , he being the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes : i thank god , through jesus christ , that i do depart unto the blood of sprinkling , which speaketh better things than that of abel ; god hav●ng made this chastisement an ordinance to my soul. i did once as little expect to come to this place on this occasion , as any person in this place , or nation ; therefore let all learn not to be high-minded , but fear . the lord is a soveraign , and will take what way he sees best to glorifie himself in , and by his poor creatures ; and i do humbly desire to submit to his will , praying to him , that i may possess my soul in patience . the crime that was laid to my charge , was for entertaining a nonconformist minister and others i● my house ; the said minister being sworn to have been in the late duke of monmouth's army ; but i have been told , that if i had de●ied them , it would not at all have affected me ; i have no excuse but surprize and fear , which i believe my jury must make use of to excuse their verdict to the world. i have been also told , that the court did use to be of counsel for the prisoner ; but instead of advice , i had evidence against me from thence ; which though it were only by hear-say , might possibly affect my jury ; my defence being but such , as might be expected from a weak woman ; but such as it was , i did not bear it repeated again to the jury ; which , as i have been informed , is usual in such c●ses . however , i forgive all the world , and therein all those that have done me wrong ; and in ●●●ticular , i forgive colonel penruddock , although he told me , that he could have taken these men before they c●me to my house . and i do likewise forgive him , who desired to be taken away from the grand jury to the petty jury , that he might be the more nearly concerned in my death . as to what may be objected in reference to my conviction , that i gave it under my hand , that i had discoursed with nelthrop ; that could be no evidence against me , being after my conviction and sentence . i do acknowledge his majesty's favour , in revoking my sentence ; i pray god to preserve him , that he may long reign in mercy , as well as justice , and that he may reign in peace ; and that the protestant religion may flourish under him . i also return thanks to gd and the reverend clergy , that assisted me in my imprisonment . alicia lisle . one mrs. graunt was the next that suffered in this cause ; it was for harbouring one burton , his wife and family , for which she was sentenced to be burnt , and was accordingly so executed on the 23d of october , 1685. at which time she left her murderers the following memorial . mrs. graunt's speech , written the day before her sufferings . not knowing whether i should be suffered or able , because of weaknesses that are upon me through my hard and close imprisonment , to speak at the place of execution ; i writ these few lines to signifie , that i am well reconciled to the way of my god towards me , though it be in ways i looked not for ; and by terrible things , yet in righteousness ; having given me life , he ought to have the disposing of it , when and how he pleases to call for it ; and i desire to offer up my all to him , it being but my reasonable service ; and also the first terms that jesus christ offers , that he that will be his disciple , must forsake all and follow him ; and therefore let none think hard , or be discouraged at what hath happened unto me ; for he doth nothing without cause , in all he hath done to us , he being holy in all his ways , and righteous in all his works ; and 't is but my lot in common with poor desolate sion at this day . neither do i find in my heart the least regret for what i have done in the service of my lord and master jesus christ , in succouring and securing any of his poor sufferers , that have shewed favour in his righteous cause : which cause , though now it be fallen and trampled upon , as if it had not been anointed , yet it shall revive , and god will plead it at another rate than ever he hath done yet , and reckon with all its opposers and malicious haters ; and therefore let all that love and fear him , not omit the least duty that comes to hand , or lies before them , knowing that now it hath need of them , and expects they shall serve him . and i desire to bless his holy name , that he hath made me useful in my generation to the comfort and relief of many desolate ones , and the blessing of those that are ready to perish has come upon me , and being helpt to make the heart of the widow to sing . and i bless his holy name , that in all this , together with what i was charged with , i can approve my heart to him , that i have done his will ; tho' it does cross man's will , and the scriptures that satisfie me are , isa . 16. 4. hide the outcasts , bexray not him that wandereth . and obad. 13 , 14. thou shouldst not have given up those of his that escape in the day of his distress . but man says , you shall give them up , or you shall dye for it . now who to obey , judge ye . so that i have cause to rejoyce and be exceeding glad , in that i suffer for righteousness sake , and that i am accounted worthy to suffer for well doing , and that god has accepted any service from me , which has been done in sincerity , tho' mixed with manifold infirmities , which he hath been pleased for christ's sake to cover and forgive . and now as concerning my fact , as it is called , alas it was but a little one , and might well become a prince to forgive ; but he that sh ws no mercy , shall find none : and i may say of it in the language of jonathan , i did but taste a little honey , and lo i must die for it . i d●d but relieve an unworthy , poor , distressed family , and lo i must dye for it . well , i desire in the lamb-like gospel-spirit to forgive all that are concerned , and to say , lord , lay it not their charge ; but i fear he will not : nay , i believe when he comes to make inquisition for blood , it will be found at the door of the furious judge ; who , because i could not remember things through my dauntedness at burton's wife 's and daughter's vileness and my ignorance , took advantage thereat , and would not hear me , when i had called to mind that which i am sure would have invalidated their evidence ; tho' he granted something of the same nature to another , yet denyed it to me . my blood will also be found at the door of the unrighteous jury , who found me guilty upon the single oath of an out-lawed man ; for there was none but his oath about the money , who is no legal witness , though he be pardoned , his out-lawry cannot be recalled ; and also the law requires two witnesses in point of life : and then about my going with him to the place mentioned , 't was by his own words , before he was out-lawed , for 't was two months after his absconding ; and tho' in a proclamation , yet not high treason , as i have heard ; so that i am clearly murdered by you . and also bloody mr. a. who has so insatiably hunted after my life ; and though it is no profit tlo him , through the ill will he bore me , left no stone unturned , as i have ground to believe , till he brought it to this ; and shewed favour to burton , who ought to have dyed for his own fault , and not bought his life with mine ; and capt. r. who is cruel and severe to all under my circumstances , and did at that time , without all mercy or pity , hasten my sentence , and held up my hand , that it might be given , all which , together with the great one of all , by whose power all these , and a multitude more of cruelties are done , i do heartily and freely forgive , as against me ; but as it is done in an implacable mind agaigst the lord christ , and his righteous cause and followers , i leave it to him who is the avenger of all such wrongs , who will tread upon princes as upon mortar , and be terrible to the kings of the earth : and know this also , that though ye are seemingly fixt , and because of the power in your hand , are writing out your violence , and dealing with a despight●ul hand , because of the old and new hatrred ; by impovering and every way distressing those you have got under you ; yet unless you can secure jesus christ , and all his holy angels , you shall never do your business , nor your hands accomplish your enterprizes ; for he will be upon you e'er you are aware ; and therefore , o that you would be wise , instructect and learn , is the desire of her that finds no mercy from you , elizabeth graunt . the earl of argyle . we must now take a step over into scotland , that poor country , which has been harass'd and tired for these many years , to render them perfect slaves , that they might help to enslave england , to prevent which , and secure the protestant religion , which 't was grown impossible to do , but by arms ; this good lord embarkt from holland about the same time with the duke , and arrived in scotland with what forces he could make ; to which were added some others who joined him ; which after several marches and counter-marches , were at length led into a boggy sort of a place , on pretence , or with intention to bring him off from the other army then upon the heels of 'em , where they lost one another , dispersed and shifted for themselves ; the earl being taken by a country-man , and brought to edinburgh , where he suffered for his former unpardondable crime — requiring care should be taken of the protestant religion , and explaining his taking the test conformable thereto ; for the legality of which he ha● the hands of the most eminent lawyers about the city . he suffered at edinburgh the 30th of june , 1685. his speech has a great deal of piety and religion , nor will it be any disgrace to say , 't was more like a sermon . — 't is as follows . the earl of argyle's last speech , june 30. 1685. job tells us , man that is born of a woman , is of few days , and full of trouble ; and i am a clear instance of it . i shall not say thing of my sentence , or escape about three years and a half ago ; nor of my return , lest i may thereby give offence , or be too tedious : only being to end my days in your presence , i shall , as some of my last words , assert the truth of the matter of fact , and the sincerity of my intentions , and professions that are published . that which i intend mainly now to say , is , to express my humble , and ( i thank god ) chearful submission to his divine will ; and my willingness to forgive all men , even my enemies ; and i am heartily well sati●fied there is no more blood spilt , and i shall wish the stream may stop at me : and that ( if it please god ) as to zerubbabel , zech. 4. 6. not by might , nor by power , but by my spirit , saith the lord of hosts . i know afflictions spring not out of the dust : god did wonderfully deliver and provide for me , and has now by his special providence brought me to this place ; and i hope none will either insult or stumble at it , seeing they ought not ; for god almighty does all things well , for good and holy ends , tho' we not always understand it . love and hatred is not known by what is before us , eccles . 9. 1. & 8. 11 , 12 , 13. afflictions are not only foretold , but promised to christians ; and are not only tolerable , but desirable . we ought to have a deep reverence and fear of god's displeasure ; but withal , a hope and dependance on him for a blessed issue , in compliance with his will ; for god chastens his own , to refine them , and not to ruin them , whatever the world may think , heb. 12. 3. to 12. prev . 3. 11 , 12. mat. 10. 18. to 40. mat. 16. 24. to 28. we are to imitate our saviour in his sufferings , as x pet. 2. 23. and 1 pet. 16. to 20. we are neither to despise our afflictions , nor to faint under them ; both are extreams . we are not to suffer our spirits to be exasperated against the instruments of our trouble ; for the same affliction may be an effect of their passion , and yet sent to god to punish us for our sin : though 't is a comfort when we may say to them with david , psal . 59. 3. not for my transgressio , nor for my sin , o lord. nor are we , by fraudulent , pusillanimous compliances in wicked courses , to bring sin upon our selves : faint hearts are ordinary false hearts ; chusing sin rather than sufferings , and a short life with eternal death , before temporal death and a crown of glory . such seeking to save a little , loses all ; and god readily hardens them to proceed to their own destruction . how many , like hazael , 2 kings 8. 13. run to excesses they never thought they were capable of ! let rulers and others read seriously , and weigh prov. 1. 10. to 20. 2 chr. 28. 6. to 17. prov. 24. 11 , 12. and prov. 28. 10. and avoid what is bad , and follow what is good . for me , i hope by god's strength to join with job , chap. 13. 15. and the psalmist , psal . 22. 4. and 16. 7. and shall pray , as psal . 74. 19. to 24. and psal . 122. 6. to 9. and luke 1. 74. 75. and shall hope , as psal . 94. 14 , 15. i do freely forgive all that directly or indirectly have been the cause of my being brought to this place , first or last ; and i pray god forgive them . i pray god send truth and peace in these three kingdoms ; and continue and increase the glorious light of the gospel , and restrain the spirit of prophanity , atheism , superstition , popery and persecution , and restore all that have back slidden from the purity of their life or principles ; and bless his whole people with all blessings , spiritual and temporal , and pnt an end to their present trials . and i intreat all people to forgive me wherein i have offended , and concur with me to pray , toat the great , good , and merciful god would sanctify my present lot , and for jesus christ his sake pardon all my sins , and receive me to his eternal glory . it is suggested to me , that i have said nothing of the royal family ; and it remembers me , that before the justices at my trial about the test , i said , that at my death i would pray , that there should never want one of the royal family to be a defender of the true , ancient , apostolick , catholick , protestant faith , which i do now : and that god would enlighten and forgive all of them that are either luke-warm , or have shrunk from the profession of it . and in all events , i pray god may provide for the security of his church , that antichrist , nor the gates of hell may never prevail against it . colonel rvmbold . at the same place died colonel richard rumbold , june 26 , 1685. most of what occurred considerable in his defence and speech , you have had already in the business of the assassination . two or three passages more there are worth remarks in the same , as arguments of his sense and courage . for this cause , he says , we●e every hair of his head and beard a life , he 'd joyfully sacrifice 'em all . that he was never antimonarchical in his principles , but for a king and free parliament : the king having power enough to make him great , and the people to make 'em happy . [ that he died in the defence of the just laws and lib rties of the nations . ] [ that none was marks by god above another ; for no man came into the world with a saddle on their backs , nor others booted and spurr'd to ride upon 't . ] and being askt if he thought not his sentence dreadful ? answered , [ he wisht he had a limb for every town in christendom . ] the next place was lyme , where many of note died , particularly col. holmes , who was the first of those there executed , near the same place where they landed , when they came a-shoar with the duke of monmouth , being brought to the place after some difficulty ; for the horses that were first put into the stedge would not stir , which obliged those concerned to get others , which they did from the coach-man , who had that morning brought them to town ; when they were put into the sledge , they broke it in pieces , which caused the prisoners to go on foot to the place of execution ; where being come , as i told you before , the colonel began thus at the foot of the ladder ; he sat down with an aspect altogether void of fear , but on the contrary with a kind of smilin● countenance , so began to speak to the spectators to this purpose . that he would give them an account of his first undertaking in the design , which was long before in london ; for there he agreed to stand by , and assist the duke of monmouth , when opportunity offered ; in order to which , he went to holland with him , and there continued until this expedition , in which god had thought fit to frustrate his and other good mens expectations : he believed the protestant religion was bleeding , and in a step towards extirpation , and therefore he with these his brethren that were to suffer with him , and thousands more , had adventured their lives and their all to save it ; but god almighty had not appointed 'em to be the instruments in so glorious a work ; yet notwithstanding he did verily believe , and doubted not , but that god would make use of others , that should meet with better success , though the way or means was not yet visible ▪ but of this he did not doubt : he also was satisfied of the duke's title , so that matter did not afflict him on account of his engaging on his score : and going on further with a discourse of this nature , he was asked by a person , why he did not pray for the king ? he with a smiling countenance answered , i am sorry you do not yet understand the difference between speaking and praying . and having ended his discourse , he then prepared himself by prayer for his dissolution , which was very devout and pious for half an hour . col. holmes in his prayer not mentioning the king , he was charged as before ; to which he replied , he prayed for him in general , praying for all mankind . thus fell the valiant and good christian , col. holmes ; his dying words we have now found come to pass , he was much lamented by all that saw him , except by some , that 't is feared , are delivered up to a feared conscience . the last speech of dr. hicks . i am now going into that world , where many dark things shall be made perfectly manifest and clear , and many doubtful things fully resolved , and a plenary satisfaction given concerning them ; all disputes and mistakes concerning treason , rebellion , and schism , shall be at an end , and cease for ever : many things that are innocent , lawful , and laudable , which have soul marks and black characters stampt and fixe upon 'em here , they shall be perfectly purified , and fully cleansed from there ; where at one view more shall be known of them , than by all wrangling debates and eager disputes , or by reading all polemical books concerning them here . i greatly deplore and bewail the greedy appetite and insatiable thirst , that professing protestants have after the blood of their brethren , and the high pleasure they take in the effusion thereof . but what will not men do , when they are either judicially blinded , or their secular worldly interest insensibly insinuates and winds it self into their religion , is so twisted and incorporated with it , that it animates and acts it , is the life and soul , the vital form and power , and made wholly subservient thereunto . my lord jefferies , after he had left bristol , being come to the king to give an account of his affairs in the west , the great seal being to be disposed of , by the death of the late keeper , he kiss'd the king's hand for it , and was made lord chancellour , which was only an earnest of his desert for so eminent and extraordinary a piece of service ; so now that which remains , is to give an account of divers that had fled , and hid themselves up and down in holes and privacies , whose friends made all application to some great men or other to procure their pardons ; some to this , and others to such as they thought favourites of the king ; but the rewards must be ascertain'd before any application could be made : divers lists being sent up , and the rewards ascertained , which amongst many of them put together , did amount to considerable ; so that it was now who could find a friend to relieve his distressed relations , which were forced to wander up and down in caves and desarts for fear of being taken : but this misfortune attended the agents , that unless my lord chancellour were used , by his creatures , that were allowed by him so to do ; other applications commonly met with disappointments , which caused an emulation among the great men ; one supposing to have deserted the king's ear as well as the other , which caused other measures to be taken , though some were wheedled out of their money . at last came out a general pardon , with exceptions , very few , if any of those that were sollicited for , not being excepted , were of course pardoned ; but however , divers sums of money having been paid , no restitution to be had , for from hell is no redemption . a western gentleman's purchase came to fifteen or sixteen hundred guineas , which my lord chancellour had . amongst the exceptions were a parcel of yaunton girls , some of which were children of eight or ten years old ; however something was to be made of them , if these ladies were judged guilty of treason , for presenting the duke of monmouth with colours , &c. and for to preserve these from trial , they were given to maids of honour to make up their christmas ▪ box ; so that an agent of theirs was sent down into the country to compound with their parents , to preserve them from what might after follow , if taken ; so that some , according to ability , gave 100 l. others 50 l. all which however did not answer the ladies first expectations ; yet it did satisfie , and they were accordingly pardoned . thus we have given you an account of what hath happened on this occasion , being in every point truth : we might have farther enlarged , but that would have spoiled the design , and swoln our pocket-companion to a volume too big . we shall therefore next proceed to give you a true and exact list of all them that were condemned , and suffered in the west , and the year 1685. under the sentence of my lord chief justice jeffreys , with the names of the towns where every man was executed . lyme 12. col . holmes , mr. batiscomb , mr. william hewling , mr. sampson lark , dr. temple , capt. madders , capt. matthews , mr. joseph tyler , mr. william cox , &c. bath 6. walter baker , henry body , gerrard bryant , thomas clotworthy , thomas collins , john carter . philipsnorton 12. robert cook , edward creaves , john caswell , thomas hayward , john hellier , edward beere , henry portridge , george pether , thomas peirce , john richards , john staple , john smith . froome 12. francis smith , samuel vill , alias vile , thomas star , philip usher , robert beamant , william clement , john humphrey , george hasty , robert man , thomas pearl , laurence lott , thomas lott . bruton 3. james feildsen , humphrey braden , richard bole. wincanton 6. john howel , richard harvey , john tucker , william holland , hugh holland , thomas bowden . shepton-mallet 13. stephen mallet , joseph smith , john gilham , jun. giles bramble , richard chinn , william cruise , george pavier , john hildworth , john ashwood , thomas smith , john dorchester , sen. john combe , john groves . hensford 12. roger cornelius , john starr , humphrey edwards , william pierce , arthur sullway , george adams , henry russel , george knight , robert wine , william clerk , alias chick , preston bevis , richard finier . wrington 3. alexander key , david boyss , joshua french. wells 8. william mead , thomas cade , robert doleman , thomas durston , john sheperd , abraham bend , william durston , william plumley . ulvelscomb 3. william ruscomb , thomas pierce , robert combe . tuton upon mendip 2. peter prance , william watkins . chard 12. edward foote , john knight , william williams , john jervis , humphrey hitchcook , william godfrey , abraham pill , william davy , henry easterbrook , james dennett , edward warren , simon cross . creokern 10. john spore , roger burnoll , william pether , james evory , robert hill , nicholas adams , richard stephens , robert halfwell , john bushel , william lashly . somerton 7. william gillet , thomas lissant , william pocock , christopher stephens , george cantick , robert allen , joseph kelloway . yeovil 8. francis foxwell , george pitcher , bernard devereux , bernard thatcher for concealing bovet , william johnson , thomas hurford , edward gillard , oliver powel . netherstoe 3. humphrey mitchel , richard culverell , merrick thomas . dunster 3. henry lackwell , john geanes , william sully . dulverton 3. john basely , john lloyd , henry thompson . bridgewater 12. robert fraunces , nicholas stodgell , joshua bellamy , william meggeridge , john hurman , robert roper , richard harris , richard engram , john trott , roger guppey , roger hore , isaiah davis . ratcliffe-hall at bristol 6. richard evans , john tinckwell , christopher clerk , edward tippot , philip cumbridge , john tucker , alias clover . ilminster 12. nicholas collins , sen. stephen newman , robert luckis , william kitch , thomas burnard , william wellen , john parsons , thomas trooke , robert fawne , western hillary , john burgen , charles speake . stogersey 2. hugh ashley , john herring . wellington 3. francis priest , philip bovet , robert reed . south-petherton 3. cornelius furfurd , john parsons , thomas davis . porlock 2. james gale , henry edny . glasendury 6. john hicks , richard pearce , israel briant , william mead. james pyes , john broome . taunton 19. robert perrot , abraham ansley , benjamin hewling , peirce murren , john freake , john savage , abraham matthews , william jenkyns , henry lisle , john dryer , john hucker , jonathan england , john sharpe , william deverson , john williams , john patrum , james whittom , william satchel , john trickey . langport 3. humphrey peirce , nicholas venton , john shellwood . arbridg 6. isaac tripp , thomas burnell , thomas hillary , john gill , senior . thomas monday , john butcher . cutherston 2. richard bovet , thomas blackmore . minehead 6. john jones , alias evens , hugh starke , francis bartlet , peter warren , samuel hawkins , richard sweet . evilchester 12. hugh goodenough , samuel cox , william somerton , john masters , john walrand , david langwell , osmond barret , matthew cross , edward burford , john mortimer , john stevens , robert townsden . stogummer 3. george hillard , john lockstone , arthur williams . castlecary 3. richard ash , samuel garnish , robert hinde . milton-port 2. archibald johnson , james maxwel . reinsham 11. charles chapman , richard bowden , thomas trock , lewis harris , edward halswell , howel thomas , george badol , richard evans , john winter , andrew rownsden , john phillebey . suffer'd in all 251. besides those hanged and destroyed in cold blood. this bloody tragedy in the west being over , our protestant judge returns for london ; soon after which alderman cornish felt the anger of some body behind the curtain . finis . the mirror of martyrs in a short vieuu lively expressing the force of their faith, the feruency of their loue, the wisedome of their sayings, the patience of their suffrings, etc. : with their prayers and preparation for their last farevvell : whereunto is added two godly letters written by m. bradford, full of sweet consolation for such as are afflicted in conscience. cotton, clement. 1613 approx. 150 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 122 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a19420 stc 5848 estc s756 22352016 ocm 22352016 25437 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a19420) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 25437) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1774:4) the mirror of martyrs in a short vieuu lively expressing the force of their faith, the feruency of their loue, the wisedome of their sayings, the patience of their suffrings, etc. : with their prayers and preparation for their last farevvell : whereunto is added two godly letters written by m. bradford, full of sweet consolation for such as are afflicted in conscience. cotton, clement. bradford, john, 1510?-1555. [18], 216, [8] p. printed by t.p. for io. budge, and are to be sold at his shop at the great south doore of s. paules, and at brittaines bursse, at london : 1613. dedication signed: clem. cotton. signatures: a⁸(-a1) [par.]² b-k¹² l⁴. page 161 misnumbered as 191. includes index. reproduction of original bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually 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remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng martyrs -england. 2002-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-09 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-10 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2002-10 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the mirror of martyrs . in a short vievv lively expressing the force of their faith , the feruency of their loue , the wisedome of their sayings , the patience of their suffrings , &c. with their prayers and preparation for their last farewell . whereunto is added two godly letters written by m. bradford , full of sweet consolation for such as are afflicted in conscience . ¶ they loved not their liues vnto the death . reuel . 12.11 . at london , ¶ printed by t. p. for io : budge , and are to be sold at his shop at the great south doore of s. paules , and at brittaines bursse . an. 1613. deut. 15.15 . ¶ remember that thou wast a bond-man in the land of egypt : and that the lord thy god redeemed thee . deut. 16.3 . ¶ remember the day thou camest out of the land of egypt , all the dayes of thy life . to all svch as from a true heart delight to see the mightie power of christ magnified in his martyrs , salvation . deare christian reader , who either wantest leisure to read , or abilitie to buye that rich and plentifull store-house of storie , doctrine , and comfort , the acts and monuments : penned by the most innocent hearted man of god , and true nathanaell , m r. iohn foxe : and yet knowing th'incomparable worth of the things contained therein , doest often wish thy selfe some of that pretious store for thy present vse , loe here , a mirror fitched thence , which how so euer in regard of the smalnesse , it cannot shew thee all ; yet mayest thou here behold the choice of many memorable things , which will yeeld thee sound comfort , and profitable delight . accept then ( good reader i praye thee in stead of the greater ) this little institution of a christian martyr , with the same mind with which it is now offered vnto thee , & vse it to the same ends for which it was at the first framed into this so smal a volume & if in reading the whole or any part therof , thou , or any of thine , doe reape but the least good ; be thankefull therfore to thy good god , and helpe mee with thy prayers . thine ever in christ , c. c. the faythfvll soule , to her spouse christ . i am my welbeloveds , & my welbeloved is mine . set me as a seale on thine heart , and as a signet vpon thine arme : for loue is strong as death : ielousie is cruell as the graue : the coles therof are fiery coles , and a vehement flame . much water cannot quench loue , neither can the flouds drowne it : if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue , they would greatlie contemne it . a preamble before the booke . happy , happy , yea thrise , and everlastingly happy is that soule which by faith feeles it selfe handfasted vnto christ ! thogh it meet with a prosperous estate in this world , it easily swels not : and if it meet with th' adverse things of the world , it easily quailes not . for it hath the word of christ , and the spirit of christ residing and dwelling in it . shee is not to learne in whome shee hath beleeued : neither can she ever be finally forced from beleeving . bring her to triall , and prooue whether of the two , christ or belial she will embrace ; offer her gold to forgoe christ shee greatly contemns it : let the mighty terrify with threats , shee feares not their feare , nor is carefull vpon the perill of life , to giue them a direct answere : she regards not whippings ; she dreads not rackings : vpon honorable conditions shee esteems the prison a pallace ; fetters of jron , ornaments of fine gold : the darkest dungeon , a delightsome dwelling ; rather then shee will violate the chastitie of her faith to christ her onely spouse , she will willingly endure headding and hanging ; yea burning and broyling : in a word , nothing can be able to separate this sweet soule from that loue of god to her ; which is in christ iesus her lord. now the jmage of such a soule who desires to see , and by sight thereof to be transformed inro the same jmage : let him often with a spirituall eye prie into this mirrour of martyrs , following : where he shall behold their faith victorious , their hope liuely , their peace passing al vnderstanding , their ioy vnspeakable and glorious : their speach alwaies gracious , their prayers full of fervor , their liues full of beautie , their ends full of honor : this honor shal be to all the saints . revel . 7.13 . what are these ? and whēce come these ? verse 14. these are they that came out of great tribulation , and haue washed their long white robes in the bloud of the lambe . verse 15. therefore are they in the presence of the throne of god , and serue him day and night in his temple , and hee that sitteth on the throne will dwell among them . verse 16. they shal hūger no more , neither thirst any more , neither shall the sunne light on them , neither heat . verse 17. for the lambe which is in the midst of the thron shal governe them , and shall lead them to the liuely fountaines of waters , and god shall wipe away all teares from their eies . revel . 14.12 . heere is the patience of saints : heere are they that keepe the commandemets of god , and the faith of iesus . verse 13. and i heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto mee , write , blessed are the dead which die in the lord from henceforth ; yea saith the spirit , that they may rest from their labours ; and their works do follow them . psal. 116.15 . precious in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints . psal. 72.14 . and deare shall their bloud bee in his sight ▪ reuel . 6.10 . how long lord , which art holy & true ! doest thou not judge and auenge our bloud on thē that dwel on the earth ? verse 11. and it was sayd vnto thē that they should rest for a little season , vntill their fellow servants & their brethren that should bee killed even as they were , were fulfilled . to the right noble and vertuous princesse , the lady elizabeths grace , eldest daughter to our soveraigne lord king iames. that neither this poore and weake seruice which is heere to be offred to the church of christ , nor the memorie of his faithfull martyrs which in this small briefe i endevor to reviue , and celebrate , might bee the lesse esteemed of the good , or any way vilified of the bad , by comming abroad without the patronage and protection of some person of eminencie in the sayd church : it was needfull for me most noble lady , to make choyse of such a patron as for eminencie of place , and vertues , might h●ue large romth in the hearts of the former ; and also whose sole authoritie might suffice to put to silence the jgnorance of the foolish . all which meeting togeather in your grace , my humble sute is , that through your princely hands this poore mite may now be cast into the lords treasurie . wherein your grace shall walke in her royall stepps , who ( though dead , yet now seemes to liue in you ) by her sacred hands did first consecrate the larger volume , whence this epitome is extracted , to the vse of the church and people of god. be pleased then most gratious lady ( for the matter belongeth vnto you ) to receiue vnder your favorable protectiō this mirrour or memorial of the martyrs , who living , had the protection of angels : and when the lord shall haue perfourmed to your grace all the good that hee hath promised , and of all loyall hearts is earnestly expected , it shall then bee no offence vnto your princely mind that you haue so doone . that great god who by his omni-presence filleth heaven and earth with his glorie , fill and replenish your graces heart with all the gifts and graces of his blessed spirit ; which may beautifie and adorne your person in the sight of god and man in this life : and heereafter crowne you with jmmortall glorie for ever and ever in his kingdome of glory , amen . your graces most humbly devoted in all humble and dutifull affection , clem : cotton . the mirror of the martyrs . ¶ in a short view liuely expressing and shewing the force of their faith , the feruencie of their love , the wisedome of their sayings , the patience of their suffrings , their constancy , comforts , and sweet meditations in the middest of all their conflicts . ¶ with their prayers and preparation for their last farewell . bishop hooper . the godly bishop hooper being brought vnto the place where he should suffer , seeing a pardon lying vpon a stoole to be tendered vnto him if he would recant , cryed to them that stood by , if you loue my soule , away with it : if you loue my soule , away with it . a blind boye being suffered to come vnto him ( after much entreaty ) to conferre with him : m r. hooper hearing his talke , the water stood in his eyes : ah poore boy sayd he , god hath taken from thee the sight of thy bodilie eyes , for what cause he best knoweth : but hee hath giuen thee another sight much more pretious ; for he hath endued thy soule with the eye of knowledge and faith . god giue thee grace that thou loose not that sight : for thē should'st thou be blind both in body and soule . the day before his martyrdome , he spent the most of the day in prayer , vnlesse any were licenced to speake with him , amongst the which s r. anthony kingston was one : who being brought into his chāber found him at prayer , and at the first view of him , burst foorth into teares . m r. hooper at the first blush knew him not . then sayd s r anthony why my lord , know you not me , an old friend of yours , anthony kingston ? yes m r. kingston i know you well sayd m r. hooper and i am glad to see you in good health , & doe praise god for it . kingston , but i am sorie to see you in this case : for as i vnderstand , you are come hither to die : but alas consider that life is sweet , and death is bitter . therefore seeing life may be had , desire to liue : for life hereafter may do good . hooper . indeed it is very true m. kingston i am come hither to die , and to end this life heere ; because i will not gainesay the former truth i haue heeretofore taught in this diocesse amongst you : and i thanke you for your friendly counsaile , though not so friendly as i could haue wished it . life indeed is sweet , and death is bitter ; but alas cōsider that the death to come is more bitter , and the life to come more sweet . therefore for the desire & loue i haue to the one , & the feare and terror i haue of th' other , i do not so much regard this death , nor esteeme this life : but haue setled my selfe through the strength of gods spirit , patiently to passe through the torments and extremities of the fire now prepared for me ; rather then to deny gods word and truth . the night before he suffred , his desire was to go to bed that night betimes , saiing , that he had many things to thinke on : and so did at 5 of the clock , and slept one sleepe soundly , and bestowed the rest of the night after in prayer . being got vp in the morning , hee desired that none should come vnto him , that hee might bee solitary till the hower of his death . bishop ridley . worthie bishoppe ridley going to his burning at oxford , looking backe , espyed m r. latimer coming after : to whome he sayd , oh be ye there ? yea sayd father latimer , haue after as fast as i can . bejng come to the stake , he ranne to m r. latimer , jmbraced him and kissed him , and as they that stood neere reported ) comforted him , saying : bee of good comfort brother ; for god will either asswage the furie of the fire , or else strengthen vs to abide it . being at the stake , he held vp both his hands to heaven , and sayd : oh heauenly father , i giue thee most heartie thankes , that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee euen vnto death . a fagot being brought which was kindled with fire and laid downe at m. ridleys feet , father latimer spake on this manner to him : be of good comfort m. ridley , and playe the man : wee shall by gods grace light such a candle this day in england , as i trust shall neuer be put out . by reason the fire was ill made , m. ridley continued long in his torments , in so much as he often cryed , i cannot burne , i cannot burne : for christs sake let the fire come to mee : lord haue mercie vpon mee : let the fire come to me , i cannot burne . m. iohn philpot. the valiant servant of christ m. iohn philpot having the newes of his death brought him by one of the sheriffes men , that hee must the next day bee burned at a stake , sayd , i am ready : god grant me strength , and a ioyfull resurrection . and so went to his chamber and powred out his spirit vnto the lord , giving him most heartie thankes , that had made him worthy to suffer for his truth . as hee was entring into smithfield , the passage was somewhat foule , and twoo officers tooke him vp to beare him to the stake . thē he sayd merilie , what ? will ye make me a pope ? i am content to go to my iourneys end on foote . but first comming into smithfield , hee kneeled downe there , saying these words , i will paye my vowes in thee o smithfield . iohn bradford . holy bradford having newes brought him in great haste by the keepers wife of the counter , that hee should be burned the next day , and that his chayne was a buying : with that put off his cap , and lifting vp his eyes to heaven , said : i thanke god for it : i haue long looked for this time , and therefore it commeth not to me now sodainlie ; but as a thing expected euery houre , the lord make me worthy thereof . after which he went alone , and prayed secretly a long time . a little before they carried him from the counter to newgate , he made a notable prayer of his farewell , with such plentie of teares , and aboundance of the spirit of praier , that it ravished the minds of the hearers . also when he shifted himselfe with a cleane shirt that was made for his burning , hee made such a prayer of the wedding garment , that some there present so admired him , that their eies were no lesse thorowly occupied in beholding him , thē their eares gaue place to the hearing of his prayers . at his departing the chāber , hee made in like sort a prayer , in which hee vehemently desired of god that his wordes might not bee spoken in vaine . ¶ his behauiour at his death . mr. bradford cōming to the stake fell flat vpon his face , praying the space of one minute of an hower , the sheriffe willed him to make an end , because the presse was great : at that word standing vpon his feet , he tooke a fagot in his hand and kissed it , and so likewise the stake : so putting off his rayment , he went to the stake holding vp his hands , and casting vp his countenance to heaven , sayd thus , o england , englād , repēt thee of thy sins , repent thee of thy sins , &c. to the young man that suffered with him hee sayd , be of good comfort brother , for we shall haue a merry supper with the lord this night , and spake no more wordes that any man heard , but jmbracing the reeds , sayd thus , straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth vnto life eternall , and fewe there be that find it . m. william tims . william tims being convented before bonner & winchester : tims said the bishops ; thou hast a good fresh spirit , it were well if thou had'st learning to thy spirit : yea my lords sayd tims , and it were well also that as you bee learned men ; so yee had a good spirit to your learning . bishop latimer . reuerend latimer writes thus to bishop ridley , lo sir , i haue blotted your papers and play'd the foole egregiously : but so i thought it better , then not to fulfill your request at this time . pardon me , and pray for me : pray for me , pray for me i say . for i am sometimes so scarefull that i could creepe into a mouse hole : sometimes god doth visit me againe with his comforts . so he is comming and going , comming and going ; to teach me to know mine owne infirmitie , that i might thanke him who is worthy , least i should rob him of his glorie , as many doe , and almost all the world , fare yee well . ¶ the 3 requests which father latimer was wont to make . the first was , that as god had appointed him to be a preacher of his word ; so also he would giue him grace to stand to his doctrine vnto the death , and that he might giue his heart blood for the same . the second was , that god of his mercie would restore his gospell to enggland once againe : and these words once againe , once againe , hee did so inculcate and beat into the eares of the lord , as though hee had seene god face to face , and would haue no nay . his third request was for the lady elizabeth our late soueraigne , whō in his prayer hee was wont to name , & euen with teares begged of god , that shee might liue to be a comfort to this comfortlesse realme . bishop ridley . ridley writes thus in a letter to bradford , wee looke euery day to be called on : i weene i am the weakest many waies of our company : and yet i thanke our lord god and heauenly father through christ , that since i heard of our deere brother rogers departing , and his stout confession of christ and his truth euen vnto death , mine heart blessed be god reioyced so in it , that since that time ( i say ) i never felt any lumpishnesse nor heauinesse of heart , as i grant i haue felt sometimes before : o good brother bradford blessed bee god for thee , and blessed be the time that euer i knew thee . iohn rogers . maister rogers that morning hee should be burned , being in a sound sleepe , was hardly awaked with much shogging , whē the keepers wife came sodainely vp to giue him warning of his burning . at length beeing awaked , and bid to make hast , nay then sayd hee , and if it be so , i shall not need to tye my points . the sunday before hee suffred , hee dranke to m. hooper being then in a chamber vnderneath him in newgate , and bad them commend him to him , and to tell him , that there was never little fellow would better sticke to a man , then he would sticke to him : supposing they should haue beene burned together . laurence saunders . mr. savnders at the time of his first examination before steven gardiner , reporto his bed-fellow that lay with him the night following , that in the time of his examination , he was so wonderfully comforted , that not onely in his spirit , but also in body hee receiued a certaine tast of that holy communion of saints ; whilst a most pleasant refreshing issued from euery part and member of his body vnto the seat of the heart , and from thence did ebbe and flow to & fro vnto all the parts againe . in a letter to his wife : faine would this flesh make strange of that which the spirit doth imbrace . oh lord how loth is this loytring sluggard to passe foorth into gods path ? it fancieth forsooth much feare of fraybugs ? and were it not for the force of faith , which pulleth it forwards by the raines of gods most sweet promise ; and hope which pricketh on behind ; great aduenture there would be of fainting by the way . but blessed & euerlastingly blessed be that heauenly father of ours , who in his christ our sufficient sauiour , hath vouchsafed to shine in our hearts by the light of his knowledge in the face of iesus christ. his wife comming to visit him in prison , was forbidden to enter the prison ; by reason whereof the keeper tooke the little babe shee had in her armes and caried him to his father . lavrence savnders seeing him reioyced greatly , saying , that hee esteemed more of such a boy , then if 2000 pound should be giuen him . and to the standers by which praysed the goodlinesse of the child , he sayd , what man fearing god , would not loose this life presently , rather then by preserving it heere , hee should adiudge this boy to be a bastard , and his wife an whore , and him-sefe an whoremonger , yea were there no other cause why a man of my estate should loose his life , yet who would not giue it to avouch this child to be legitimate , and his mariage to be lawfull and holy . beeing come to the stake where hee was burned , hee fell prostrate to the groūd and prayed : and rysing vppe againe , hee tooke the stake in his armes to which he should be chained , and kissed it , saying , welcome the crosse of christ : welcome euerlasting life . robert glouer gen. mr. glover a day or twoo before hee should bee burnt , felt his heart so lumpish and heavy , that hee found in himselfe no aptnes not willingnesse to die , but rather a dulnesse of spiritfull of much discomfort to beare the bitter crosse of martyrdome ready now to bee layd vppon him : wherevpon , fearing in himselfe least the lord had vtterly withdrawen his wonted favour from him ; he made his moane to one avgvstine bernhere his deere friend , signifying vnto him how earnestly hee had praied vnto the lord , and yet could receiue no motion nor sence of any comfort from him . to whome the sayd austen answering , desired him patiētly to waite the lords leisure , howsoeuer his present feeling was ; and to play the man , nothing doubting but the lord in due season would satisfie his desire with plentie of consolation , whereof hee sayd hee was right certaine and sure : and therefore desired him whensoeuer any feeling of gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch his heart , that hee would giue him some signe thereof . the next day when the time of his martyrdome was come , and as hee was going to the stake & come to the sight of it , albeit all the night before prayjng for comfort and courage , hee felt no answere of his praier : sodainely he was so mightily replenished with the comfort of gods holy spirit and heavenly joies , that hee cried out clapping his hands to austen sayjng these words , hee is come austen , hee is come , hee is come : and that with such joy and alacritie as one seeming rather to bee risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life , then as one passing out of this world by any paines of death . m. iohn lambart . iohn lambart having his nether parts consumed with fire , lifting vp such hands as hee had , and his fingers ends flaming with fire , cryed to the people , none but christ , none but christ. adam damplip . this good man beejng advertised by his keeper that his execution drew neere , was never seen to quaile , but was as merrie , and eate his supper that night as chearefully as ever hee did in all his life ; at which his keeper and the rest of the prisoners wondring , asked him how hee could take such newes so chearefully : ah my maisters sayth he , doe yee thinke i haue beene thus long gods prisoner in the marshalsey , and haue not yet-learned to die ? yes , yes , i doubt not but god will strengthen me therein . kerby martyr . one kerby beeing councelled by m. winkfield to pittie himselfe , and to take no more vppon him then hee should bee able to performe : the fire saith hee is hot , the terrour is great , the paine wil be extreame , and life is sweet . to whom kerby answered , m. winkfield be at my burning , and you shall say , there standeth a christian souldier in the fire . for i know that fire , and water , sword , and all other things are in the hāds of god , who will suffer no more to bee layd vppon vs then hee will giue strength to beare . thomas bilney . mr. thomas bilney beeing put in mind , that though the fire which he should suffer the next day should be of great heat vnto his body , yet the comfort of gods spirit should coole it to his euerlasting comfort and refreshing : at those words putting his finger towards the flame of the candle thē burning before them ( as also hee diuers times did ) and feeling the heat thereof , o sayd hee i feele by experience and haue knowne it long by philosophy , that fire by gods ordinance is naturally hot , but yet i am perswaded by gods holy word , and by th' experience of some spoken of in the same , that in the flame they felt no heat , and in the fire they felt no consumption : and i constantly beleeue ▪ that howsoeuer the stubble of this my body shal be wasted by it , yet my soule and spirit shall be purged thereby . a paine for the time : after which notwithstanding followeth vnspeakeable ioy. and then entreated notably vpon the first and second verses of the 43 chap. of isaias , which sentēces for the joy & cōfort some of his friends tooke in them , caused them to be faire written out ; the comfort whereof they left not to their dyjng day . the sayd bilney beeing visited by certain of his friēds the night before he suffred , they found him eating an alebrew with such a cherefull heart and quiet minde , as made them wonder thereat , sayjng , they were not a little glad to see him at that time so cheerefully to refresh himselfe . to whome hee made this answere , oh sayd he , i follow the example of the husbandmen in the countrie , who hauing a ruinous house to dwell in , doe yet bestow cost as long as they remaine in it , to vphold the same : and so do i now with this ruinous house of my body ; refreshing the same as you see , with these good creatures of god. iames baynam . this baynam as hee stood at the stake in the midst of the flaming fire , which fire had halfe consumed his armes and his legges , hee was heard to speake these words , o yee papists . behold yee looke for miracles , and heere yee may see a miracle : for in this fire i feele no more paine then if i were in a bed of down ; but it is to me as sweet as a bed of roses . henry voes . the like speach i finde of a young man burnt at bruxels , who when the fire was kindled at his feet , sayd , me thinks you strew roses vnder my feete . hugh laverocke . this laverocke a lame creple , & iohn apprice a blind man , being chained both of them to the stake ; lavercock casting away his crutch , and comforting his fellow . martyr , fayd , be of good comfort my brother , for my l. of london is our good phisition , hee will shortly cure vs both : thee of thy blindnes , and me of my lamenesse . william hunter . william hvnter apprētice of the age of 19 yeares standing at the stake , sayd , son of god shine vppon me : and jmediately the son in the element shone out of a darke cloud ( for it was a glomie day ) so full in his face , that hee was constrained to turne his face an other way . the sayd william hvnter beeing brought downe from london to be burnt : remained by the way two dayes at burntwood , whether his father and mother came to comfort him , who heartely desired of god that hee might cōtinue in the good way hee had begun , vnto the end ; and his mother sayd vnto him , that shee was glad shee was euer so happy as to beare such a sonne who could find in his heart to loose his life for christs sake . then said william to his mother : for my little paine which i shall suffer which is also but for a moment , christ hath promised me mother ( saith he ) a crowne of life . and may not you bee glad of that mother ? with that his mother kneeled downe on her knees , sayjng , i pray god strengthen thee my sonne vnto the end . and i thinke thee as well bestowed as any child that euer i bare . at which words m. higbed ( one that was then to suffer for the same cause ) tooke her in his armes , sayjng , i rejoyce much to see you in this mind , and you haue good cause so to doe . robert samuel . mr. robert samvel minister , was kept in streight prison by the bishops chancellor of norvvich : wherein hee was chained boult vpright to a great post , in such sort , that standing only on tip-toe , hee was faine to stay vp the whole poyse of his body thereby . and to make amends , they added a far greater torment , keeping him without meat and drinke , whereby hee was miserablie vexed with hunger and thirst , saving that hee had allowed him every day 2 or 3 mouthfuls of bread and 3 spoonfuls of water , rather to reserue him to further torment , then to preserue his life . o the worthy constancy of the martyr ! o pitilesse hearts of the papists , worthy to be complained of before god & nature ! o the wonderfull strength of christ in his martyrs ! how oft-times would hee haue drunke his owne water , but his body was so dryed vp with long emptines , that hee was not able to make water , no not so much as one drop . now after he had beene thus long famished with hunger ( see a strange thing that happened to him , of which himselfe was the reporter ) he fell as it were into a slumber , at which time one clad all in white , seemed to stand before him : which ministred comfort vnto him , by these words , samuell , samuell be of good cheare , and take a good heart vnto thee : for after this day , thou shalt never hunger nor thirst : which thing came even to passe accordingly : for speedily after hee was burned , and from the time till hee should suffer he felt neither hunger nor thirst . cut. simpson , deacon . cvtbert sympsons patience was thus commended by bishop boner : ye see saith boner what a personable man this is : & touching his patience , i say vnto you , that if hee were not an hereticke , i would affirme that he were a man of the greatest patience that ever yet came before me . for i tell you , hee hath been thrice racked in one day . also in my house hee hath felt some sorrow , and yet i never saw his patience broken . the day before he was cōdēned ( being in the stockes in the bish : colehouse ) cloney his keeper came in with the keyes about 9 of the clocke at night after his vsuall manner , to view his prison , and to see whether all were present : who when he spied the sayd cutbert to be there , departed again , locking the dores after him . within 2 houres after at a 11 of the clocke towards midnight ( whether awake or in a slumber i cannot say ) hee heard one comming in , first opening the outward doore , then the second , and after the third doore , and so looking in to the said cvtbert , having no candle nor linke that hee could see , but giving a brightnes and light most cōfortable & joyfull to his heart , saying , ha , vnto him ; and departed away againe . who it was hee could not tell . but this hee declared 4 or 5 times with his owne mouth to one m. avsten , to his wife , & thomas sampson , besides many others in newgate , a little before his death . at the sight whereof hee received such a joyfull comfort , that hee also expressed no little joy and solace in telling of it . iohn rough. mr. iohn rovgh minister , having bin at the burning of one avsto in smithfield , returning homeward mette m. farrar a marchant of halifax , who asked where hee had beene ? i haue bin saith he where i would not for one of mine eyes but i had bin . where haue you been sayd m. farrar ? forsooth saith hee , i haue been to learne the way . and so told him the whole matter of the burning of avsto , where shortly after hee was burned himselfe . d. rowland taylor . mr. doctor taylor beeing come to chelmesford in the way towards his martyrdome , was receiued there of the sheriffe of svffolke to conduct him to hadley to be burnt . at supper the sheriffe of essex labored him with might and maine to haue him returne to the vnitie of the catholique romish church , affirming that that which he spake proceeded of a good heart & good will towards him , and therevpon drank to him : the yeomen of the guard also sayd , vpon that condition m. doctor we all drink to you . when they had all dranke , and the cup was come to him , hee stayed a while as one studyjng what answere hee might giue . at length he spake thus to them , m. sheriffe , and my maisters all , i heartely thanke you of your good will. i haue given eare to your words . and to be plaine with you i doe perceiue that i haue bin deceiued my selfe , and am like to deceiue a great many at hadley of their expectation . at which speach they all reioyced , yea good m. doctor sayd the sheriffe , jt is the comfortablest word you spake yet . why should yee cast away your selfe in vaine , play a wise mans part , and i dare warrant you , you shall haue favour . and then they began to pray him to explaine his meaning further vnto them . then sayd doctor taylor , i will tell you how i am deceiued my selfe , and how i thinke i shall deceiue a great many . i am as you see a man that hath a great carkasse whicht i though should haue beene buried in hadley church-yard , had i dyed in my bed as i well hoped i should haue done : but therein i see i was deceiued : and there are a great many of wormes in hadley church-yard that should haue had iolly feeding vppon this carkasse , which they haue long looked for . but now i know wee bee deceiued , both i and they : for this carkasse must be burnt to ashes , and so shall they loose their bait and feeding which they expected . the same morning in which he was called vp by the sheriffe to goe to his burning about 3 of the clocke in the morning , being sodainely awaked out of his sound sleepe , he sate vp in his bed and putting on his shirt , hee had these words ; speaking somewhat thicke after his accustomed manner , ah horson theeues , ah horson theeues , robbe god of his honor , robbe god of his honor . beeing risen and tyjng his points , he cast his arms about a balke which was in the chamber between m. bradfords bed and his , and clasping his hands about it ; o m. bradford sayd he , what a great swing should i giue , if i were hanged ? beejng come within 2 miles of hadley , he desired to light off his horse to make water : which done , hee lept and fecht a friske or twaine as men cōmonly do in daunsing , why m. doctor sayd the sheriffe , how doe ye now ? well i thanke god m. sheriffe sayd he , never better , for now i know i am almost at home , i lacke but 2 stiles to go ouer and i am euen at my fathers house . but m. sheriffe , shall wee not goe through hadley ? yes , you shall sayd the sheriffe . thē said he , o god i thanke thee that i shall yet once ere i dye see my flocke , whom thou lord knowest i haue most deerely loued , & truly taught . good lord blesse them , and keepe thē stedfast in thy truth . at the time of his degrading by bishop boner , bejng furnished fully with all his attire according to their ridiculous custome , hee set his hands by his side walking vp and down , and sayd : how say ye now my lord , am i not a goodly foole ? how say ye my maisters ? if i were now in cheap , should i not haue boyes enough to laugh at these apish toyes , and toying trumperies ? when all his trinkets were taken from him , hee sayd , good lord deliver me from you : and gojng from them vp to his chamber , hee sayd , good lord deliuer me from you , good lord deliuer mee from you . iohn leafe . this iohn leafe a prentise to one hvmphrey gavvdy tallow chandler , who was burned with m. iohn bradford , had 2 bils sent him into the counter in breadstreet after his judgement , th' one containing a recantation , th' other his confession : to know to which of them hee would subscribe . hearing first the bill of his recantation read vnto him , ( because hee could nether write nor read himselfe ) that hee refused : and when hee heard th' other read vnto him , which hee liked well off , in stead of a pen , he tooke a pinne , and so pricking his hand , sprinkled the blood vppon the sayd bill , willing the reader thereof to shew the bishop , that hee had sealed the same with his blood already . richard woodman . the conflicts whieh richard woodman had with the feare of death , recorded in his owne words , as followeth . then 3 daies after , my lord chamberlain sent 3 of his men to take mee , whose names were deane , ieffrey , , and frauncis , i being at plough with my folkes , right in the way as they were comming to my house , least mistrusting them of all other , came vnto them and asked them how they did . and they said they arrested me in the king and queenes name , and that i must goe with them to my lord chamberlaine their maister . which words made my flesh to tremble and quake in regard the thing was sodaine . but i answered them , that i would goe with them . yet i desired them to go with me to my house that i might break my fast , and put on some other geare : and they sayd i should . then i remembred my selfe , saying in my heart , why am i thus afrayd ? they can lay none euill to my charge , if they kill me for well dooing , i may thinke my selfe happy . i remembred how i was contented gladly to dye before , in that quarrell , and so haue continued euer since , and should i now feare to die ? god forbid i should , for then were all my labour in vaine . so by and by i was perswaded i praise god , cōsidering it was but the frailtie of my flesh which was loth to forgoe my wife , children , & goods : for i saw nothing but present death before mine eies . and as soone as i was perswaded in mine heart to die , i regarded nothing in this world , but was as merrie , glad , and ioyfull i praise god as euer i was . this battaile lasted but a quarter of an houre , but it was sharper for the time then death i dare say . m. glouer . robert glover had a contrarie effect in his troubles , as his owne words testifye . after i came into prison sayth hee and had reposed my selfe a while , i wept for joy and gladnes my bellyfull , musing much of the great mercies of god , and as it were , saying thus vnto my selfe , o lord who am i , on whome thou should'st bestow thus thy great mercie , to bee numbred among thy saints , which suffer for thy gospell sake ? and so beholding on the one side my jmperfection , vnablenes , sinnefull miserie , and vnworthines ; and on th' other side the greatnes of gods mercie , to be called to so high promotion , i was as it were amazed and overcome for a while with joy and gladnes , concluding thus with my selfe in mine heart , o lord thou shewest power in weakenes , wisedome in foolishnes , mercie in sinfulnesse : who shall let thee to choose where and whom thou wilt ? as i haue euer zealously loued the profession of thy word , so haue i euer thought my selfe vnworthie to bee partaker of th' afflictions of the same . the same robert glover , at an other time was much discouraged by satan , not to persevere in his suffring , suggesting to him his vnworthines to suffer for christ and his gospell , but these his suggestions were thus repelled by him . what were all those whome god in former time chose to be his witnesses ? were they not men subiect to sinne and imperfection as other men bee ? all wee sayth iohn haue receiued of his fulnes . they were no bringers of any goodnes to god : they were altogether receiuers . they chose not god first , but hee chose them . they loued not god first , but hee loued them , yea , when they were enemies to him , and full of sinne . hee is and wil be the same god still . as rich in mercie , as mighty , as ready , as willing to forgiue sinnes now without respect of persons , as hee was then ; and so wil be to the worlds end , to all that call vppon him . it is no arrogancie , nor presumption in any man to burthen god with his promise , chalenging his ayd and assistance in all perils and daungers ; calling vpon him in the name of christ , for whose sake , whosoeuer commeth to the father , is sure to receiue more then hee can wish or desire . i also answered the enemie on this manner : i am a sinner , and therefore vnworthy to be a martyr . what then ? must i deny gods word , because i am a sinner ; and not worthy to professe it ? what bring i to passe in so dooing , but adding sinne to sinne ? what is a greater sinne , then to deny the truth af christs gospell ? i might also by the like reason , forbeare to doe any of gods commaundements , when i am prouoked to pray , th' enemie may say vnto mee , thou art not worthy to pray , and therefore i shall not pray . i shall not forbeare to steale , &c. because i am not worthy to do any of gods commaundements . these be delusiōs of the deuill , which must be ouercome by continuance of prayer , and with the word of god applied according to the measure of euery mans gift . george wise-heart . this wise-heart a scottishman ( rightly so called in regard of that true wisedome of the spirit wherewith his heart was filled , ) beejng come to the place of execution , the hangman came vnto him vppon his knees , craving forgiuenesse of him . to whome he answered , come hether to me : when hee was come nie him , hee kissed his cheeke , and sayd , loe here is a signe that i forgiue thee ; my heart doe thine office . and by and by hee was put vpon the gibbet and martyred . walter mill. walter mill a scottish minister beejng disturbed in his praier in the time of his examination , having ended the same , sayd ; wee ought more to obay god then men. i serue one more mightie , even th'omnipotent lord. and where ye call me s r. walter , they vsually call mee walter , and not s r. walter . i haue beene one of the popes knights too long . beejng threatned with the sentence of death : i know i must die once saith he , and therefore as christ said to iudas , quod facis , fac citius . ye shall know , that i will not recant the truth ; for i am corne , i am no chaffe : i will not be blowne away with the wind , nor burst with the flaile : i will abide both . patrick hamleton . mr. patrick hamleton beejng in the fire , was heard by certaine faithfull men of credit then aliue , there to cite and appeale the black frier campbell that accused him , to appeare before the high god as generall iudge of all men , to answere to the innocency of his death , and whether his accusation were iust or no , between that and a certaine day of the next moneth which hee there named . moreouer , by the same witnesse it is testified , that the sayd fryer dyed immediately before the same day came , without remorse of conscience that hee had persecuted the poore innocent . robert farrar . bishop farrar being visited of a knights sonne called richard iones a little before his death , the sayd richard seemed much to lament the painfulnes of the death he had to suffer . to whom the bishop answered , that if hee saw him once to st●r●e in the paines of his burning , he should giue no credit to his doctrine . and as he sayd , so he right well performed the same : for so patiently hee stood , that hee neuer mooued , but even as hee stood holding vp his stumps of his hands , so hee still continued , till one richard gravell with a staffe dashed him vppon the head , and so stroke him downe into the fier . rawlins whight . this whight a fisherman , a very aged man in the towne of cardiffe in wales , grew very expert in the scriptures by the helpe of a little boy he had , beejng his owne sonne , who dayly read the same , to him every night after supper , sommer and winter , and now and then some other good booke . in which kind of vertuous exercise the old man had such delight and pleasure , that as it seemed , hee practised himselfe rather in the studie of the scripture , then in the trade or science which before time hee had vsed : so that ravvlins within few yeares , in the time of king edvvard , by the helpe of his little boy , as a speciall minister no doubt appointed by god for that purpose , profited and went forward in such sort , that hee was not onely able to resolue himselfe touching his former blindnes and jgnorance ( for by all likelihood hee was before king edvvards dayes a papist ) but was also able to admonish and jnstruct others . so as when occasion serued , hee would go from one place to another visiting such as he had best hope in . and thus in that countrey became a notable professor of the truth , beejng at all times and in all such places not without the helpe of his little boy . and to this his jndustrie god added to him a singular guift of memorie , so that by the benefit thereof hee could and would doe that in alleadging and rehearsing the text , which men of riper knowledge by their notes and other helps of memorie could hardly accomplish . in so much that vpon alleadging some place of scripture , hee was able very often to cite the booke , the leafe , yea and the very sentence : such was the wonderfull worke of god in this simple and vnlearned father . in the daies of queene marie it so fell out , that god called him not onely formerly to beleeue in him , but then to suffer for his sake : in which his suffrings , the lord endued him with inuincible cōstācie , in so much as beeing convented before the bishop of landaffe , the bishop would needs with his company fall to prayer in his chappell , to see ( as he sayd ) if god would turne the poore mans heart : which ravvlins hearing , sayd , now you deale well my lord , and like a good bishop indeed . go to therefore my lord , pray you to your god , and i wil pray to my god : i know that my god will heare my prayer , and performe my desire . by and by the bishop and his men fell to prayer . and ravvlins turning him to a pew somewhat neere , fell downe vppon his knees ; covering his face with his hands . bejng all risen from praier : the bishop sayd , now rawlins how is it with thee ? wil 't thou revoke thine opinions , or no ? surely said rawlins ; my lord , rawlins you left mee , and rawlins you find me , and by gods grace rawlins i will continue . the bishop seejng his prayers tooke none effect , was perswaded by some about him ( before hee read the sentence ) to haue a masse , thinking that god would thereby worke some miracle vpon the old man , when ravvlins heard the sacring bell ring , ( as the vse is ) hee rose out of his place and came to the quier doore , and there standing a while turned himselfe to the people , speaking these words , good people , if there be any brethren amongst you , or at the least , if there bee but one brother amongst you , l●t that same one beare witnesse at the day of iudgement , that i bow not to this idol , meaning the host the priest held over his head . hearing that the time of his burning drew neere , he sent to his wife willing her to provide him his wedding garment , in which he ment to be burned , meaning his shirt . beejng brought out of prison and seejng himselfe guarded with a great company of bils and gleaues , he sayd , alas what needs all this adoe ? i will not start away by gods grace : but with al my heart and mind i giue vnto god most hearty thank th●t hath made mee worthy to abide all this for his holy names sake . at the light of his wife and children whome hee saw in the way as he went to be burnt , it so pierced his heart , that the teares trickled downe his cheekes : but sodainely misliking his jnfirmitie , he began to be angrie with himselfe , and striking himselfe on the brest with his hand , vsed these words , ah flesh , stayest thou me so ? would'st thou faine preuaile ? well , i tell thee doe what thou canst , thou shalt not by gods grace get the victorie . when hee came to the sight of the stake , hee set himselfe forwards very boldly , but in going towards it , he fell downe vppon his knees and kissed the ground , and in rising againe , the earth a little sticking vpon his nose , he sayd these words , earth vnto earth , and dust vnto dust : thou art my mother , and vnto thee shall i returne . then went hee cheerefully and very joyfully vnto the stake , setting his back close vnto it , and when hee had stood there a while , casting his eye vpon the reporter of this historie , and call●ng him to him , sayd , i feele a great fighting betweene the flesh and the spirit , and the flesh would very faine get the masterie : and therefore i pray , if you see mee any thing tempted , hold vp but your finger to mee , and i trust i shall remember my selfe . the reporter . there was observed in this good father going to his death , and standing at the stake , a wonderfull change in nature . for whereas hee was wont before to goe stooping , or rather croked through the jnfirmitie of age : and having a sadde countenance , and feeble complexion , & withall a feeble and soft voice and gesture : now he went and stretched vp him selfe & bare withall a most pleasant countenance , not without great courage , both in speach and behauiour . thomas spurdance . this spvrdance being asked of the bish. when hee was at masse , and received the ceremonies of the church , answered , neuer sayd hee since i was borne . no ? sayd the bishop , how old art thou ? he sayd , i thinke forty . why , how vsed you your selfe 20 yeares agone sayd the bishop ? as ye doe now , sayd hee . and even now quoth the bishop , he sayd , he vsed not the ceremonies since hee was borne . no more i haue my lord sayd hee , since i was borne againe . iohn . 3. elizabeth folkes . elizabeth bejng examined if she beleeued not that christs body was in the sacrament substantially , and really , yes sayth she i beleeue it is a reall lye , and a substantiall lye indeed . iulius palmer . palmer shewing his vnmoueable constancy in standing to the truth , and beejng now ready to yeeld vppe his life for the same truth , s r. richard abridges said vnto him , well palmer sayth the knight , i perceiue that one of vs two must bee damned , for wee be of 2 sundrie faiths , and sure i am there is but one faith that leadeth to life and salvation . pal. o sir i hope that both of vs shal be saved . brid . how may that be palmer ? pal. very well sir. for as it hath pleased our mercifull saviour according to the gospels parable , to call me at the third houre of the day , even in my flowers , at the age of 24 yeares ; even so i trust hee hath called , and will call you at the 11 houre , in this your old age , and giue you everlasting life for your portion . brid . sai'st thou so ? well palmer , well , i would i might haue thee but one moneth in mine house , i doubt not but i would cōvert thee , or thou shouldst convert me . bradbegs wife . this good woman had 2 children named patience and charitie . at the time of her condemnation shee told the bishop that if he would needes burne her , yet shee trusted hee would take and keepe patience and charitie , ( meaning her two children ) nay by the faith of my body sayth the bishop will i not : i will meddle with neyther of them both . m. frith . iohn frith after much trouble , bejng at length sent for to croydon from the tower to appeare before th'archbishoppe of canterbury , thomas cranmer , sitting therewith other bishops , to receiue his last doome ; was earnestly laboured withall by one of his gentlemen , and his porter , who were the messengers that set him , to free himselfe out of the bishops hands . for they greatly lamented friths case , beejng sure if hee came to croydon he would bee cast away , such was his cōstancie : in regard whereof vppon bristow causie , the gentleman plotted a way for frith to escape , and drew the porter to his part . in the end they acquaint frith with their purpose , who with a smiling countenance made them this answere , and is this the effect of your secret consultation so long continued betweene you ? surely you haue lost a great deale more time then this ere now : and so are yee like to doe at this time , for if you both should leaue me heere alone , and should goe tell the bishops that you had lost frith , and that he had escaped away from you , i would surely follow you as fast as i could , and would bring them newes of friths finding . do ye thinke ( sayd he ) i am afrayd to declare mine opinion to the bishops of england in a manifest truth ? agnes bongeor . this deere servant of christ bejng condemned to be burned , had prepared her selfe to goe with her fellowe martyrs to the stake , the same morning they went : but it was her happe of all the rest to bee kept backe , in regard her name was wrong written , to wit , agnes boyer , for agnes bongeor : what piteous moane this good woman made , how bitterly shee wept ; what strāge thoughts came into her mind , how naked and desolate shee esteemed her selfe , into what plunge of dispaire & care her poore soule was cast ; it was lamentable to behold ; because she went not with her fellows to giue her life in the defence of her christ and his gospell , for of all things in the world shee least expected this restraint . for that very morning in which shee was kept backe from burning , shee had put on a smocke which she had prepared onely for that purpose : and also having a little jnfant sucking on her , shee likewise sent it away to another nurse ; so little looked she for life . bejng in this great perplexitie of mind , a friend of hers came to her , demaunding of her whether abrahams obedience was accepted before god , for sacrificing his sonne isaak , or in that hee would haue offred him , vnto which she made this answere , i know that abrahams will before god was allowed for the deede , for he would haue done it , if the angell of the lord had not stay'd him : but i sayd shee am vnhappy , the lord thinks mee not worthy of this dignitie , and therefore abrahams case and mine is not alike . friend . why ? you were resolved to goe with your company , if god had beene so pleased . agnes . yes with all my heart , and for that i went not with them , it is my chiefest griefe . friend . deere sister i pray thee consider abraham and thy selfe well , & thou shalt see , thou nothing differest from him at all . agnes . alas sir , there is a farre greater matter in abraham then in me : for abraham was tryed with the offring of his child , but so am not i ; our cases therefore are not alike . friend . good sister weigh the matter jndifferently : abraham i graunt would haue offred his owne son : and haue not you done the like in your little sucking babe , which you were content to part with ? but consider that whereas abraham was commaunded but to offer his sonne , you are heavy and perplexed because you cannot offer your selfe ; which goeth somewhat more neere you , then abrahams obedience did , and therfore in gods sight and acceptation is assuredly no lesse allowed . after which talke between them she began a little to stay her selfe , and gaue her selfe wholy to th'exercises of prayer , and reading , wherin shee found no little comfort , waiting for the time of her martyrdome , which at length she obtained . thomas hudson martyr . seaman , carman , and hudson , beejng all three fastened to the stake in a pit called the lolards pit without bishops-gate in norvvich : hvdson suddainely slippeth from vnder the chame from his two fellowes , to the wonder of many , whereby arose much doubtfulnes in mens minds . but sweet hvdson felt not his christ. he felt more in his heart and conscience , then they could conceiue off . in the meane while his 2 cōpanions at the stake cried out to him to cōfort him , what they could : exhorting him in the bowels of christ , to be of good comfort . but alas good soule hee was compassed ( god knoweth ) with great dolour and griefe of mind , not for his death , but for lacke of feeling the comfort of the holy ghost , the comforter . and therefore beejng very carefull , hee humbly fell on his knees praying vehemently and earnestly vnto the lord , who at length according to his mercies of old sent comfort , and then rose he with great joy , as a man new changed even from death to life , saying , now i thank god i am strong and passe not what man can doe vnto mee . so went hee to the stake to his fellowes againe , who all suffred together most joyfully . roger holland . holland having leaue giuen him to speake after sentence pronounced by boner bishop of london , vttered these words . i told you even now that your authoritie was from god , and that by his sufferance you doe these things : and now i tell you , god hath heard the prayers of his servants , which hath beene poured out with teares for his afflicted church which daily you persecute , as now ye doo vs. but this i dare be bold in god to say , ( which by his spirit i am mooued to speake ) that god will shorten your hand of cruelty , that for a time you shal not molest his saints : and this shall you in short time well perceiue my deere brethren to bee most true : for after this day in this place , shall there not be any by him ( boner he meanes , put to the tryall of fire and faggot . and after that day , was there never any that suffred in smithfield for the testimonie of the gospell , god be thanked . william pickes somewhat before his apprehension , went into his garden and tooke with him a bible of rogers translation , where hee sitting with his face towards the south , reading on the said bible , suddenly fell downe vppon his booke betweene 11 and 12 a clocke at noone , 4 drops of fresh blood , not knowing from whence they came . then he seeing the same was sore astonished , and could by noe meanes learne from whence they should fall : and wiping out one of the drops of blood with his finger , called his wife & said , in the vertue of god wife what : me●neth this ? will the lord haue 4 sacrifices ? i see well enough the lord will haue blood . his will be done , and giue mee grace to abide the triall . afterward hee looked dayly to be apprehended of the papists , which came to passe accordingly . prests wife . one prests wife of exeter , beeing asked of the bishop whether she had an husband & childrē , or not , answered , i haue an husband and children , and i haue them not . so long as i was at libertie , i refused neither husband nor children : but standing heere as i doe in the cause of christ and his truth , where i must eyther forsake christ , or my husband , i am content to sticke onely to christ my spirituall husband , and to forsake th' other . beeing oft-times offred money to relieue her necessities , shee would for the most part refuse it , saying , that she was going to a countrey , where money beares no masterie . elizabeth yong. elizabeth yong beejng committed to close prison , the keeper was charged by doctor martin in her hearing , to giue her one day bread & an other day water , to which shee made this answere , sir , if you take away my meat , god i trust will take away my hunger . iohn cardmaker . mr. cardmaker disputing with one about the real presence , asked the partie whether the sacrament whereof he spake had a beginning or no. which hee affirmed . the sayd m r. cardmaker thus inferred therevppon : if the sacrament ( sayd hee ) as you confesse haue a beginning and an ending , then it cannot be god : for god hath neither beginning nor ending , and so willing him to note it well , hee departed from him . iohn bradford . mr. bradford beejng solicited by one percivall cresvvel to make sute for him , after many words , said . cres. i pray you let me labor for you . brad. you may do what you will. cres. but tell me , what sute i should make for you . brad. forsooth that that you will doe , doe it not at my request , for i desire nothing at your hands . if the queene will giue me life , i will thanke her . if she will banish me , i will thanke her . if shee will burne me , i wil thanke her . if shee will condemne mee to perpetuall prison , i will thanke her . ¶ out of a letter of bradfords , to crāmer , ridley , and latimer . this day i thinke , or to morrow at the vttermost . hearty hooper , sincere savnders , and trusty taylor , end their course , and receiue their crowne . the next am i , which hourely looke for the porter to open mee the gates after them , to enter into the desired rest . cranmer archbishop . svch was the patience & mildnes of that worthy martyr thomas cranmer towards his enemies , that it was grown to a common proverb : doe my l. of canterbury a shrewd turne , & thē you may be sure to haue him your friend for your labor , while you liue . laurence saunders . ¶ out of a letter written to his wife . to number the mercies of god vnto me in perticular , were to number the drops of water which are in the sea , the sands on the shore , the starres in the skie . o my deere wife , and ye the rest of my friends , rejoyce with mee i say , reioyce with thanksgiving for this my present promotion , in that i am made worthy to magnifie my god , not onely in my life by my slow mouth , & vncircumcised lippes , bearing witnes vnto his truth : but also by my blood to seale the same to the glory of my god , and confirmation of his true church . and as yet i testify vnto you , that the comfort of my sweet christ , doth driue from my fantasie the feare of death . but if my deere husband christ do for my tryall , leaue mee alone a little to my selfe , alas , i know in what case i shall bee then : but if for my proofe hee doe so , yet am i sure he will not be long or farre from mee . though hee stand behind the wall and hide himselfe as salomon sayth in his misticall song , yet will hee peepe in by a crest to see how i doe . hee is a very tender hearted ioseph : though he speke roughly to his brethren , and handle them hardly , yea & threaten greeuous bondage to his best beloved beniamin : yet can hee not contain himselfe from weeping with vs , and vpon vs , with falling on our necks , and sweetly ●issing vs ▪ such , such a brother is our christ vnto all &c. ¶ out of another letter to his wife . we be shortly to be dispatched hence to our good christ , amen , amen . wife , i would haue you to send mee my shirt : you know wherevnto it is consecrated , let it be sowed downe on both sides , and not open . o my heauenly father looke vpon me in the face of thy christ , or else i shall not bee able to abide thy countenance , such is my filthines . he will doe so , and therefore i will not be affrayd what sin , death , hell , and damnation , can do against me . ¶ out of a letter written to m. robert glover the same morning hee was burned . oh deare brother , whome i loue in the lord , being loved also of you in the lord , be merrie and rejoyce for mee , now ready to goe vppe to that mine jnheritance , which i my selfe jndeede am most vnworthy of , but my deare christ is worthy , who hath purchased the same for me with so deare a price . oh wretched sinner that i am , not thankfull vnto this my father , who hath vouchsafed mee woorthy to bee a vessell vnto his honour . but o lord , now accept my thankes , though they proceed out of a ( not enough ) circumcised heart . salute all that loue vs in the truth , gods blessing bee with you alwayes , amen . euen now towards the offring vp of a burnt sacrifice . o my christ helpe , or else i perish . bishop hooper . ¶ out of a letter consolatory , which he writ to certain godly brethren taken in bow church-yard at prayer , and layd in the counter in bread-streete . remember what lookers on you haue to see and behold you in your fight ; god and all his holy angels , who are ready alwaies to take you vp into heaven , if you be slaine in his fight . also you haue standing at your backes all the multitude of the faithfull , who shal take courage , strength , and desire to follow such noble and valiant christians as you be . be not afrayd of your adversaries : for he that is in you , is stronger then hee that is in them . shrinke not although it be paine to you : your paines be not now so great , as hereafter your joyes shall bee . read the comfortable chapters to the rom. 8 10.15 . heb. 11.12 . and vppon your knees thanke god that ever you were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for his names sake . read the second of lukes gospell , and there you shall see how the sheapheards that watched vppon their sheepe all night , as soone as they heard that christ was borne at bethlem , by & by they went to see him . they did not reason or debate with themselues , who should keepe the wolfe from the sheep in the mean time , but did as they were commanded , and committed their sheepe vnto him , whose pleasure they obayed . so let vs , now wee bee called , commit all other things to him that calleth vs. hee will take heede that all things shall be well . he will helpe the husband , hee will comfort the wife . hee will guide the seruants , hee will keepe the house , hee will preserue the goods . yea , rather then faile , if it should lye vndone , he will wash the dishes , and rocke the cradle . cast therefore all your care vppon him , for he careth for you . ¶ out of another letter of m r. hoopers to his friends , perswading them to constancy . it was an easie thing to hold with christ whiles the prince and the world held with him , but now the world hateth him , it is the true tryal who be his . in the name and in the vertue thē of his holie spirit prepare your selues to adversity & constancy . let vs not run away when it is most time to fight . remember none shall bee crowned but such as fight manfully . you must now turne all your cogitati●ns from the perill you see : and marke the felicitie that followeth the perill : either victorie of your enemies in this world , or else a surrender for euer of your right in the inheritance to come . beware of beholding to much the felicite or miserie of this world : for the consideration and too earnest loue or feare of either of them draweth from god. thinke with your selues : the felicitie of the world is good : but yet none otherwise then it standeth with the fauor of god. it is to be kept : but yet so farre forth as by keeping of it wee loose not god. it is good abiding and tarrying still among our friends here : but yet so that we tarrie not therwithall in gods displeasure , and to dwell hereafter with deuils in fire euerlasting . there is nothing vnder god but may bee kept , so that god , being aboue all things we haue , be not lost . of aduersity iudge the same . long imprisonment is painfull , but yet libertie vppon euill conditions is more painfull . the prisons stincke : but yet not so much as sweet houses whereas the feare and true honour of god lacketh : losse of goods is great , but losse of gods grace and fauour is greater . i must bee alone and solitarie : it is better to bee alone and haue god with mee , then to bee in company with the wicked , and want his presence . i am a poore simple creature , and cannot tell how to answere before such a great sort of noble and learned wen : it is better to make answere before the pompe and pride of wicked men , then to stand naked in the sight of all heaven and earth , before the iust god at the latter day . i shall die then by the hands of the cruell man : hee is blessed that looseth his life full of miseries , and findeth the life of eternall ioyes . it is paine and griefe to depart from life and friends : but yet not so much as to depart from grace and heauen it selfe . felicitie nor adversitie then can apreare to be great , if it be wayed with the joyes or paine of the life to come . ¶ the last will and testament of doctor rowland taylor . i say to my wife , and to my children : the lord gaue you vnto mee , and the lord hath taken me from you , and you from mee : blessed be the name of the lord. i beleeue they are blessed that dye in the lord. god careth for sparrowes , and for the haires of our heads . i haue euer found him more faithfull and fauorable , then is any father or husband . trust yee therefore in him by the meanes of our deere sauiour christs merits : beleeue , loue , feare and obay him : pray to him , for hee hath promised to helpe . count me not dead for i shall certainely liue , and neuer die . i goe before you , and you shall follow after to our long home . i goe to the rest of my childrē susan , george , ellen , robert , zacharie : i haue bequeathed you to the onely omnipotent . i say to my deare friends of hadley , and to all other which haue heard me preach : that i depart hence with a quiet conscience , as touching my doctrine : for the which i pray you thanke god with me , for after my small tallent , i haue declared to you those lessons i gathered out of gods blessed booke the bible . if i therefore or an angell from heaven should preach vnto you any other gospell then that ye haue received , gods great curse vppon that preacher . beware for gods sake that ye deny not god , neither decline from the woord of faith , least god decline from you , and so ye doe everlastingly perish . for gods sake beware of poperie , for though it appeare to haue in it vnitie , yet the same is in vanitie , and antichristianitie , and not in christs faith and veritie . beware of the sin against the holy ghost , now after such a light opened so plainlie and simplie , truelie , thorowlie , and generally to all england . the lord grant all men his good and holy spirit ; increase of his wisdome , contemning this wicked world , heartie desire to bee with god & the heavenly company , through iesus christ our onely mediatour , advocate , righteousnes , life , sanctification , and onelie hope . amen , amen , pray , pray . rowland taylor , departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternall salvation , i thanke god my heavenly father through his sonne iesus christ my certaine saviour . iohn warren . in the confession of his faith hath this sweete speach , without christ no heauenly guift is giuen , nor sin forgiuen . iohn warren vpholster . alice binden . shee beeing at the stake , tooke forth a shilling of phillip and marie , which her father had bowed and sent her , ( when she was first sent to prison ) desiring her brother ( there present ) to returne the same to her father againe , with obedient salutations : and to tell him it was the first peece of money that he sent her after her troubles began , which ( as she protested ) shee had kept , and now sent him : to doe him to vnderstand , that shee neuer lacked mony while she lay in prison . and yet what extremity she endured in prison , this briefe relation following may testifie . her constancy beeing such in the profession of the trueth , that shee could no waye bee remooved from it , her fond husbād ( who first had procured her jmprisonmēt , & had also taken money of the constable to carrie her to prison himselfe ) told the bishop that she had a brother called richard hale , who if his lordship could keepe from her , she would turne : for he comforteth her ( sayd hee ) and giveth her mony , and perswadeth her not to relent . this councell beeing as soone apprehended as tendered ; was forth-with put also in execution . for thervpon the bishop gaue cōmandement she should bee committed to his prison called mondayes hole , giving also straight charge that if her brother at any time came at her , he should be layd hold on . this prison was within a court where the prebends chambers were , beeing a vault beneath the ground , and the window beeing jnclosed with a pale ; of height by estimation 4 foot and a halfe , and distant from the same three foot , so that she looking frō beneath might onelie see such as stoode at the pale . her brother in the meane while sought her , with no lesse danger of life , then diligēce . but in regard of many impediments hee could never know where she lay , till comming by gods vnsearchable providence very earlie thither in a morning ( her keeper being thē gone to church to ring , for he was bel-ringer ) chanced to heare her voice as she poured out her sorrowfull complaints vnto god ; saying the psalmes of david : in which place hee could none otherwise releeue her , but by putting money in a loafe of bread , and sticking the same on a pole , and so reached it vnto her ; for neither with meate nor drinke could hee sustaine her . and this was 5 weekes after her cōming thither . all which time no creature was knowne to come at her , more then her keeper . her lyjng in that prison was onely vppon a little short straw , between a paire of stocks and a stone wall : beeing allowed 3 farthings a day ; that is a halfe peny bread , & a farthing drinke : neither could shee get any more for her money : wherfore she desired to haue her whole allowance in bread , and vsed water for her drinke . thus did she lye 9 weekes , during all which time , shee never chaunged her apparell : whereby she became at the last a most piteous & loathsome creature to behold . at her first comming into this place , shee did greevously bewaile her state with great sorrow and lamentation , reasoning with her selfe : why her lord god did with so heauie iustice suffer her to be sequestred from her louing fellowes , into so extreame miserie . in these dolorous mournings did she continue , till on a night , as shee was in her sorrowfull supplications , rehearsing this verse of the psalme : why art thou so heauie o my soule ? and againe , the right hand of the lord can change all this : she received comfort in the middest of her miseries : and after that , continued very joyful vntill her deliverance from the same . in march following the bishoppe called her before him : demaunding of her whether shee would goe home and goe to church or no , promising her great favour if shee would be reformed . to whom she answered , i thinke , and am throughly perswaded by the great extremitie that you haue already shewed mee , that you are not of god , neither can your dooings bee godly , and i see sayth she , that you seeke my vtter destruction , shewing how lame she was of the cold shee had taken , and for lacke of foode while she lay in that painefull prison . then did the bishop deliuer her from that filthie hole , and sent her to west-gate , where after shee had been changed , and for a while been cleane kept , her skinne did wholly pill and scale off , as if shee had been poysoned with some mortall venom , where shee continued till the 19 of iune , on which day shee was bereaved of life by the terrible fier . one thing more touching this good woman is to be noted , that while she was in prison shee practised with a prison fellow of hers , the wife of one potkin , to liue both of them with 2 pence halfe-penny a day , to try thereby how wel they could sustaine penurie and hunger , before they were put to it , for they had heard , that when they should remoue from thēce to the bishops prison , their allowance should be but 3 farthings a day a peece , and thus they lived 14 daies ere shee was remoued . ¶ thomas wats his farewell to his wife and children . after his priuate praier made to himselfe , hee came to his wife and sixe children being there , and sayd these words in effect : wife and my good children , i must now depart away from you . therefore hencefoorth know i you no more : but as the lord hath giuen you vnto me , so i giue you againe vnto the lord ; whom i charge you see you obay , and feare him : aad beware yee turne not to this abhominable papistrie , against the which anon you shall see mee by gods grace giue my blood . let not the murthering of gods saints cause you to relent , but take occasion therby to be the stronger in the lords quarrell , and i doubt not but hee will bee a mercifull father vnto you . in the end hee bad them farewell , and kissed them all & was carried to the fier . ¶ bradfords mementoes to the lord rvssell , afterwards called the good earle of bedford . remember lots wife which looked backe . remember that none are crowned , but such as striue lawfully . remember fravncis spira . remember that all you haue , is at christs commaundement . remember he lost more for you , then you can loose for him . remember that it is not lost which you loose for his sake , for you shall find much more heere , and elsewhere . remember you shall dye ; when , where , and how , ye cannot tel . remember that the death of sinners is terrible . remember that the death of gods saints is precious in his sight . remember the multitude goeth the wide way , which windeth to wo. remember the straight way which leadeth to life , hath but few trauellers . remember christ biddeth you enter in thereat . remember hee that trusteth in the lord , shall receiue strength to stand against all the assaults of his enemies . be certaine , all the haires of your head are numbred . be certain , your good father hath appointed your bounds , over which the devill dare not looke . commit your selfe to him : hee is , hath been , and will bee your keeper . let christ be your marke and scope to prick at : let him be your patterne to worke by : let him be your ensample to follow : giue him as your heart , so your hand : as your mind , so your tongue : as your faith , so your feet : and let his word be your candle to goe before you in al matters of religion . blessed is he that walketh not to these popish praiers , nor standeth at them , nor sitteth at them : glorifie god both in soule and body . ¶ fifteene short sentences left by robert smith martyr , to anne smith his wife . 1 seeke first to loue god deere wife with your whole heart , and then it shall be easie for you to loue your neighbour . 2 be friendly to all creatures , but especially to your owne soule . 3 be alwaies an enemie to the deuill & the world , but chiefely to your owne flesh . 4 in hearing of good things , ioyne the eares of your head and heart together . 5 seeke vnitie and quietnesse with all men , but specially with your conscience : for it will not easily be pacified . 6 loue all men , but specially your enemies . 7 hate the sinnes that are past , but especially those to come . 8 be as ready to further your enemie , as hee is to hinder you , that yee may bee the child of god. 9 defile not that which christ hath cleansed , least his blood bee layd to your charge . 10 remember that god hath hedged in your tongue with the teeth and lippes , that it might speake vnder correction . 11 be ready at all times to looke to your brothers eye , but especially to your owne eye . for he that warneth an other of that hee himselfe is faultie , giueth his neighbour the cleere wine , and himselfe the dregges . 12 beware of riches and worldly honor : for without vnderstanding , prayer , and fasting , it is a snare , & like to consuming fier , of which if a man take a little it will warme him , but if too much , it will consume him . 13 shew mercie to the saints for christs sake , & christ shall reward you for the saints sake . 14 among all other prisoners , visit your owne soule : for it is inclosed in a perillous prison . 15 if you loue god , hate euill , &c. your husband ro : smith . if yee will meet with me againe , forsake not christ for any paine . certaine deuout prayers , which some of the godly martyrs made at the hower of their death . ¶ the prayer which m r. hooper bishop of glocester , made at his death . lord , sayd he , i am hell , but thou art heaven : i am swill and a sincke of sinne , but thou art a gracious god , and a merciful saviour and redeemer . haue mercie therefore vppon me most miserable and wretched offender , after thy great mercie , and according to thine jnestimable goodnes : thou art assended into heaven ; receiue me hell to be partaker of thy joyes , where thou sittest in equall glory with the father . for well thou knowest lord wherefore i am come hither to suffer , and why the wicked doe persecute this thy poore seruant : not for my sinnes and transgressions committed against thee , but because i will not allow of their wicked doings , to the contaminating of thy blood , and to the deniall of the knowledge of thy truth wherwith it did please thee by thy holy spirit to jnstruct mee : the which with as much diligence as a poore wretch might ( being called thereto ) i haue set forth to thy glory . and well thou seest my lord & god what terrible paynes and cruel torments be here prepared for thy poore creature : such lord as without thy strength none is able to beare or patiently to passe . but all things that are jmpossible with man , with thee are possible . therefore strengthen me of thy goodnesse , that in the fire i breake not the bounds of patience ; or else asswage the terrour of the paines as shall seeme most to thy glory . heere the party who heard thus much of his prayer , beeing espied of the maior , was commaunded away and could be suffred to heare no more . ¶ the prayer of doctor cranmer archbishop of canterburie : when it was thought he would haue made his recantation . o father of heauen : o sonne of god , redeemer of the world : o holy ghost three persons and one god haue mercy vppon me most wretched caytiffe , and miserable sinner : i haue offended both against heauen and earth , more then my tongue can expresse . whether then may i goe , or whether should i flee ? to heauen i am ashamed to lift vppe mine eyes , and in earth i find no place of refuge or succour . to thee therefore o lord do i runne ; to thee do i humble my selfe , saying . o lord my god , my sinnes be great , but yet haue mercie vppon mee for thy great mercie . the great mistery that god became man , was not wroght for small or few offences . thou didst not giue thy sonne o heauenly father vnto death for little sinnes onely , but for all the greatest sinnes of the world : so that the sinner returne to thee with his whole heart , as i doe heere at this present . wherfore haue mercie vppon mee ô god , whose property it is always to haue mercie : haue mercie vpon mee ô lord , for thy great mercie . i craue nothing for mine owne merits , but for thy names sake , that it may be hallowed thereby , and for thy deere sonne iesus christs sake . and now therefore , o our father , &c. his repentance for subscription ; vttered a little before his death . and now i come to the great thing , that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that ever i did or sayd in my whole life , and that is , the setting abroad of a writing contrarie to the truth : which now i heere renownce & refuse as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which i thought in mine heart , and written for feare of death , and to saue life if it might be ; and that is , all such bils and papers which i haue written or signed with mine hand since my degradatiō : wherein i haue written many things vntrue . and for as much as my hand offeded in writing cōtrary to my heart ; mine hand shal be punished therefore : for may i come to the fire , it shall first be burned : which accordingly he did . for being at the stake , whē the fire began to flame , hee put his right hand vnto it , which hee held so stedfast and jmmoueable ( saving that once with the same hand hee wiped his face ) that all men might see his hand burned before it touched his body . ¶ the prayer of steven knight , made vppon his knees at his death . o lord iesus christ , for whose loue i willingly leaue this life , and desire rather the bitter death of the crosse , with the losse of all earthly things , then to abide the blaspheaming of thy most holy name , or to obay men in breaking thy holy commandemēt . thou seest ( oh lord ) that where i might liue in worldly wealth to worshippe a false god and honour thine enemy , i choose rather the torment of the body and losse of this my life , and haue counted all things but vild , dust , and dunge , that i might winne thee : which death is dearer vnto me then thousands of gold and silver . such loue ( oh lord ) hast thou layd vppe within my breast , that i hunger for thee as the deere that is wounded desireth the soile . send thy holy comforter ( o lord ) to ayd , comfort , and strengthen this weake peece of earth , which is empty of all strength of it selfe . thou remembrest ( oh lord ) that i am but dust , and able to doe nothing that is good . therefore ( o lord ) as of thine accustomed goodnesse and loue , thou hast bidden me to this banket , & accounted me worthy to drinke of thine owne cup amongst thine elect : even so giue me strength ( oh lord ) against this thine element , which as to my sight it is most yrksome and terrible : so to my mind it may at thy commandent ( as an obedient servant ) bee sweet and pleasant , that through the strength of thy holy spirit , i may passe through the rage of this fire into thy bosome according to thy promise : and for this mortall , receiue an jmmortall ; and for this corruptible , may put on jncorruption . accept this burnt offring ( o lord ) not for the sacrifice , but for thy deare sonnes sake my saviour . for whose testimonie i offer this free-will offring , with all my heart , and with all my soule . o heauenly father forgiue mee my sinnes , as i forgiue all the world : o sweet son of god my sauiour , spread thy wings ouer me . o blessed holy ghost , through whose mercifull inspiration i come hither to dye : conduct me into euerlasting life . lord into thine hands i commend my spirit . amen . ¶ a prayer which master george marsh vsed daily to say , o lord iesus christ which art the onely phisition of wounded consciences , wee miserable sinners trusting in thy gracious goodnesse , doe briefly open to thee the evill tree of our hearts , with all the rootes , boughes , leaues , knots and snags , all which thou knowest : for thou throughly perceiuest as well th'jnward lusts , doubtings , and denyings of thy prouidence ; as these grosse outward sinnes which wee commit in words & deeds . wherefore wee beseech thee according to the little measure we haue receaued , we being farre vnable and vnapt to praye , that thou wouldest mercifully circumcise our stonye hearts , and for these old hearts , create within vs and replenish vs with a new spirit : & water and moysten vs with the juice of heauenly grace and wels of spirituall waters , whereby the jnward venome and noisome juice of the flesh , may be dryed vp , and custome of the old man changed : and our hearts alwayes bringing forth thornes and bryars to be burned with fire ; frō hence forth may beare spirituall fruits in righteousnes and holinesse vnto life euerlasting , amen . beloued , among other exercises i doe daily on my knees vse this confession of sinnes , willing and exhorting you to doe the same , and daily to acknowledge vnfainedly to god your vnbeliefe , vnthankfulnes , and disobedience against him . this shall you doe if you will diligently consider and looke vppon your selues , first in the pure glasse of gods commandements , & there see your jnward euils , filthines , and vncleanesse , and so learne to vanquish the same , that is to wit , to fall into hearty displeasure against sinne , and thereby be provoked to long after christ. for we truely are sinners : but he is just and the justifier of all them that belieue in him . if wee hunger and thirst after righteousnesse , let vs resort to his table , for he is a liberall feast-maker . hee will set before vs his own holy body , which was giuē for vs to be out meat , and his pretious bloud which was shed for vs , and for many , for remission of sinnes , to be our drinke . he biddeth , willeth , calleth for guests which hunger and thirst : come ( sayth he ) all yee that are laden and labour vnto mee and i will refresh , coole and ease you , and you shall find rest vnto your soules . ¶ a prayer of nicholas sheterden before his death . o lord my god and saviour , which art lord in heauen and earth , maker of all things visible and jnvisible . i am thy creature & worke of thine hands . lord looke vpon mee and other thy people which at this time are oppressed of the worldly minded men , for thy lawes sake , yea ; for thy law it selfe is now trodden vnderfoote , and mens jnventions exalted aboue it ; and for that cause do i , and many of thy creatures refuse the glory , praise , and commodities of this life , and do chose to suffer adversitie , and to be banished , yea to be burnt with the books of thy word , for the hopes sake that is layd vppe in store . for lord thou knowest , if wee would but seeme to please men in things contrarie to thy word , wee might by thy permission enioy these comodities as other men do ; as wife , children , goods , and friends , which all i acknowledge to be thy gifts , given vnto the end i shold serve thee . and now lord , that the world will not suffer mee to enioy them except i offend thy lawes , behold i giue vnto thee my whole spirit , soule , and body . and lo i leaue heere all the pleasures of this life , and doe now leaue th' vse of them , for the hopes sake of eternall life purchased in christs blood , and promised to all that fight on his side , and are content to suffer with him for his truth , whēsoever the world and the deuill shall persecute the same . o father , i presume not to come heere to thee trusting in mine owne righteousnes : no , but in the onely merits of thy sonne my saviour . for the which excellent gift of salvation , i cannot worthilye prayse thee , neither is any sacrifice worthy or to be accepted with thee , in comparison of our bodies mortified and obedient to thy wil. and now lord whatsoever rebellion hath been , or is found in my members against thy will , yet doe i heere giue vnto thee my body to the death , rather then i will vse any strange worshipping , which i beseech thee accept at my hands for a pure sacrifice . let this torment be to me the last enemie destroyed , even death the end of miserie , and the beginning of all joy , peace , and solace : and when the time of the resurrection commeth , let me enjoy againe these mēbers then glorified , which now be spoyled and consumed by the fier . o lord iesus receiue my spirit into thine hands . amen . george tankerfield . george tankerfield sitting before a fier , a little before his death at st . albans , after he had put off his hose and shooes , stretched out his legge to the flame and when it had touched his foot , he quickly withdrew his leg , shewing how the flesh did perswade him one way , and the spirit an other . the flesh sayd , ô thou foole , wilt thou burne and needst not ? the spirit sayd , be not afrayd , this burning is nothing to eternall fier . the flesh sayd , do not leaue the company of thy friends and acquaintance which loue thee , and will let thee lacke nothing . the spirit sayd , the company of iesus christ and his glorious presence , doth farre exceed all fleshly friends . the flesh sayd , doe not shorten thy time now , for thou maist if thou wilt , liue much longer . the spirit sayd , this life is nothing to that which is to come , which lasteth for euer and ever . ¶ the prayer of richard browne , who standing at the stake and holding vp both his hands sayd . o lord i yeild mee to thy grace , graunt mee pardon for my trespasse . let neuer the feend my soule chase . lord i will bow , and thou shalt beat , let neuer my soule come in hell heat . into thy hands i commend my spirit . ¶ a godly and deuout prayer mentioned in the storie of m r. philpot martyr , fit for such as suffer at the stake . mercifull god and father to whome approached our sauiour christ in his feare & need by reason of death , and found comfort : gracious god , and most bounteous christ , on whome steuen called in his extreame need and receiued strength : most benigne and holy spirit , who in the midst of all crosses and death did'st comfort th'apostle st . paul with more consolations in christ thē hee felt sorrows & terrors ; haue mercie vpon me miserable , vild , and wretched sinner , who now draweth neere vnto the gates of death , deserued both in body and soule eternall , by reason of my manifold , horrible , old , and new transgressions , which to thine eies ô lord are open and knowne . oh be mercifull vnto mee for the bitter death and bloodshedding of thine onely sonne iesus christ. and though thy justice do require in respect of my sinnes , that thou shouldst not heare me , measuring mee with the same measure i haue measured thy maiestie , contēning al thy gracious calls : yet let thy mercie which is aboue all thy works , and wherwith th' earth is filled , let thy mercy i say prevaile towards mee through and for the mediation of onr saviour , for whose sake it hath pleased thee now to bring mee foorth as one of thy witnesses , and a record bearer to thy veritie and truth taught by him , to giue my life therefore ; ( to which dignitie ô lord and deere father i acknowledge there was never any so vnfit nor vnworthy , no not the theefe that hanged vppon the crosse ) so i therfore most humbly beseech thee , that thou woldst accordingly aid , helpe , and assist me with thy strength and heavenly grace , that with christ thy sonne i may find comfort : with steven i may see thy presence and gracious power : with paul and all others which for thy names sake haue suffred affliction and death , i may find thy sweet consolation so present with mee , that i may by my death glorifie thy name , propagate and ratifie thy truth , comfort the hearts of the heavie , confirm thy church in thy veritie , convert some to be converted , & so depart foorth of this miserable life , where i doe nothing but heape sinne dayly vppon sinne , and so enter into the fruition of thy blessed presence and mercie : whereof giue and encrease in mee a liuely trust , sence , and feeling , where through the terrors of death , the torments of the fire , the pangs of sinne , the darts of satan , and the dolours of hell , may never depresse mee ; but may bee driven away through the working of thy most gratious spirit , which now plenteously endew mee withall that i may offer ( as i now desire to do in christ by him ) my selfe wholy , soule and body , to be an holy , liuely , and acceptable sacrifice in thy sight . deere father whose i am , and alwaies haue been even from my mothers wombe , yea even before the world was made to whom i commend my selfe , soule , and body , familie , friends , countrey , and all thy whole church , yea , even my very enemies according to thy good pleasure : beseeching thee entirely to giue once more to this realme of england the blessing of thy word againe , with godly peace , to the teaching and setting foorth of the same . oh deare father now giue me grace to come vnto thee , purge and so purifie mee by this fire in christs death & passion , through thy spirit , that i may bee a burnt offring of sweet smel in thy sight , who liuest and raignest with the son and holy ghost , now and for ever more , amen . m. bartlet greene. ¶ a sweet description of the miseries of this life , and of the ioyes of the life to come , written by m r. bartlet greene. better is the day of death ( sayth salomon ) then the day of birth . man that is borne of a woman liueth but a short time , and is replenished with many miseries , but happy are the dead that dye in the lord. man of a woman is borne in trauell to liue in miserie : man through christ doth dye to liue . straight as he commeth into this world , with cries hee vttereth his miserable estate : straight as he departeth , with songs hee praiseth god for ever . scearce yet in his cradle , 3 deadly enemies assaile him : after death no adversarie can annoy him : whilst he is heere , hee displeaseth god : when hee is dead , hee fulfilleth his will. in this life hee dyeth through sinne : in the life to come he liueth in righteousnesse . through many tribvlations on earth he is still purged : with joy vnspeakable in heaven , hee is made perfect for ever . heere hee dyeth every houre : there hee liveth continually . heere is sinne ; there is righteousnes . here is time , there is eternitie . heere is hatred : there is loue . heere is paine : there is pleasure . heere is miserie : there is felicitie . heere is corruption : there is jmmortalitie . heere we see vanitie : there we shall behold the maiestie of god , with triumphant & vnspeakable joy , in glory everlasting . seeke therefore the things that are aboue , where christ sitteth on the right hand of god the father , to whom with the holy ghost be all glory and houour world without end , amen . lady iane. ¶ an effectuall prayer made by the lady iane in the time of her trouble . o lord thou god & father of my life , heare me poore and desolate woman , who flyeth vnto thee onely in all troubles and miseries . thou ( o lord ) art the onely defender and deliuerer of those that put their trust in thee : & therfore i beeing defiled with sinne , encombred with affliction , vnquieted with troubles , wrapped in cares , over-whelmed with miseries , vexed with temptations , and grieuously tormented with the long jmprisonment of this vilde masse of claye my sinfull body : do come vnto thee o mercifull saviour crauing thy mercie and helpe : with the which so little hope of deliuerance is left , that i may vtterly despaire of any libertie . albeit it is expedient , that seeing our life standeth vpon trying , we should be visited sometime with some adversity , whereby we might be tried whether wee be thy flocke , or no , and also know thee and our selues the better : yet thou that sayd'st thou would'st not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power , be merciful vnto me now a miserable wretch i beseech thee ; that i may neither bee too much puffed vppe with prosperity , neither to much pressed downe with adversity : least i beeing too full should denye thee my god , or being too low brought , should despaire & blaspheme thee my lord and saviour . o mercifull god , consider my miserie , best knowne to thee , and bee thou now vnto mee a strong tower of defence , i humbly require thee , suffer me not to bee tempted aboue my power , but either be thou a deliuerer to mee out of this great misery , or else giue me grace patiently to beare thy heauy hand and sharpe correction . it was t●y right hand that deliuered the poore people of israell out of the hāds of pharaoh , which for the space of fortie yeares did oppresse and keepe thē in bondage . let it therefore seeme good to thy fatherly goodnesse to deliuer me sorrowfull wretch ( for whome thy sonne christ shedde his pretious bloud on the crosse ) out of this miserable captiuitie and bondage wherein i now am . how long wilt thou bee absent , for ever ? oh lord hast thou forgotten to bee gracious , and hast thou shut vppe thy loving kindnesse in displeasure ? wilt thou bee no more entreated ? is thy mercy clean gone for ever , and thy promise come vtterly to an end for evermore ? why doest thou make so long tarrying ? shall i despaire of thy mercy o god ? farre be that from me . i am thy workemanship created in christ iesus : giue mee grace therfore to tarrie thy leisure , and patiently to beare thy workes : assuredly knowing that as thou caust , so thou wilt deliuer me when it shal please thee , nothing doubting or mistrusting thy goodness towards me : for thou knowest better what is good for me , then i doe : therefore doe with mee in all things what thou wilt . onelie in the meane time arme me i beseech thee with thy armor , that i may stand fast , my loines being girt about with veritie , having on the breast-plate of righteousnes , and shodde with the shoes prepared in the gospell of peace , aboue all things taking vnto me the shield of faith , wherewith i may be able to quench al the fiery darts of the devil , and taking the helmet of hope , and the sword of the spirit , which is thy most holy word : praying alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication , that i may referre my selfe wholly to thy will , abyding thy pleasure , and comforting my selfe in those troubles that it shall please thee to send : seeing such troubles be profitable for mee , and seeing i am assuredly perswaded , that it cannot but bee well , all that thou dooest . heare mee ô mercifull father for his sake whome thou would'st should bee a sacrifice for my sinnes , to whome with thee and the holy ghost bee all honour and glorie , amen . ¶ a prayer of the lord cromwell which he at the houre of his death . o lord iesu which art the onely health of all men living , and the everlasting life of them which die in thee : i wretched sinner do submit my selfe wholy vnto thy most blessed will , beejng sure that the thing cannot perish which is committed vnto thy mercie : willingly now i leaue this fraile and wicked flesh , in sure hope that thou wilt in better wise raise it vp & restore it to me at the day of the resurrection of the just . i beseech thee most mercifull lord iesus christ that thou wilt by thy grace make strong my soule against all temptations , and defend mee with the buckler of thy mercie against al the assaults of satan . i see and acknowledge that ther is in my selfe no hope of salvation , but all my hope and trust is in thy most mercifull goodnes . i haue no merits nor good works which i may alleadge before thee : of sinnes and evill works alas i see a great heape : but yet thorow thy mercie i trust to be in the nūber of thē to whom thou wilt not jmpute their sins , but wilt accept me for just and righteous , and to bee th'inheritor of everlasting life . thou mercifull lord wastborn for my sake , thou didst suffer both hunger & thirst for my sake : thou didst teach , pray , and fast for my sake : all thy holy actions and workes thou wroughtest for my sake : thou suffred'st most greeuous paines and torments for my sake : finally , thou gavest thy most precious body and blood to be shed vppon the crosse for my sake . now most merciful saviour , let all these things profit mee , that thou freely hast doone for mee . let thy blood clense & wash away the spots and foulenes of my sinnes . let thy righteousnesse hide and couer my vnrighteousnes . let the merits of thy passion and blood shedding bee a satisfaction for my sinnes . giue me lord thy grace , that the faith of my salvation in thy blood waver not , but may be ever firme and constant : that the hope of thy mercie and life everlasting never decay in me . that loue may not bee cold in mee . finally , that the weakenes of my flesh bee not ouercome with the feare of death . graunt me mercifull sauiour , that when death hath shut vp the eies of my body , and hath taken away the vse of my tongue , yet the eyes of my soule may still behold and looke vppon thee , and my heart may still cry and say vnto thee , lord iesu into thine hands i commed my soule , lord receiue my spirit . amen . ¶ the prayer that martin luther sayd at his death . my heavenly father and eternall & mercifull god , thou hast manifested to mee thy deere son our lord iesus christ. i haue taught him , i haue knowne him , i loue him as my life ; my health , and my redemption : whome the wicked haue persecuted , maligned , and with jniurie afflicted . draw my soule to thee . after this hee sayd , i commend my spirit into thine hands , thou hast redeemed mee ô god , of truth god so loved the world , &c. anne askew . ¶ the prayer of anne askew . o lord i haue more enemies then there bee haires on my head : yet lord let them never overcome mee with vaine words , but fight thou lord in my stead , for on thee cast i my care . with all the spight they can jmagine they fall vppon me which am thy poore creature : yet sweet lord let me not set by them , which are against mee : for in thee is my whole delight . and lord i heartely desire of thee , that thou wilt of thy mercifull goodnesse forgiue them that violence which they doe and haue done to me . opē also their blind hearts that they may heereafter do that thing in thy sight which is only acceptable before thee , and to set foorth thy veritie aright without all fantasies of sinnefull men . so be it o lord , so be it . by me anne askew . william flower . ¶ the prayer and confession which william flower made at his death . oh eternall god , most mightie and mercifull father , who hast sent down thy sonne vppon the earth to saue mee , and all mankind , who ascended vp into heaven againe , and left his blood heere vppon the earth behind him , for the redemption of our sinnes : haue mercie vppon mee , haue mercie vpon me , for thy deere sonne our saviour christs sake , in whom i confesse onely to bee all salvation , and justification , and that there is none other meane nor way , nor holinesse , in which , or by which any man can be saved in this world . this is my faith , which i beseech men heere to beare witnes off . then sayd hee the lords prayer , and so made an end . fier beeing set vnto him and burning therein , he cried thrise with a loud voice , o sonne of god haue mercy vpon mee , o sonne of god receiue my soule : and so his speach beeing taken from him , hee spake no more , lifting vp notwithstanding his stumpe with his other arme as long as he could . ¶ here followeth two worthy and godly letters full of heavenly consolation , written by that holie man of god m. iohn bradford martyr : fit for all such to read and obserue as feele in them a wounded spirit . ¶ the first letter written to mistres h. a godly gentlewoman , comforting her in that common and godly sorrow which the feeling and sence of sinne worketh in gods children . i humblie and heartilie praye the everlasting good god and father of mercie to blesse and keepe your hart and mind in the knowledge and the loue of his truth , and of his christ through th'jnspiration & working of the holy spirit , amen . although i haue no doubt but that you prosper and goe forwards daily in the way of godlinesse , more and more drawing towards perfection , and haue no need of any thing that i can write ; yet because my desire is that you might be more fervent and persevere vnto the end , i could not but write something vnto you , beseeching you both often and diligentlie to call vnto your mind as a meane to stirre you hervnto , yea , as a thing which god most straightly requireth you to belieue , that you are the beloued of god , and that hee is your deare father , in , through , & for christ & his deaths sake ▪ this loue and tender kindnesse of god towards vs in christ is aboundantlie herein declared , in that he hath to the godly worke of creation of this world , made vs after his jmage , redeemed vs being lost , called vs into his church , sealed vs with his marke and signe manuel of baptisme , kept and conserved vs all the daies of our life , fedde , nowrished , defended , and most mercifullie chastised vs , and now hath kindled in our hearts the sparkles of his feare , faith , loue , and knowledge of his christ & truth : and therefore we lament because wee can lament no more our vnthankefulnesse , our frailenes , our diffidence , and wavering in things whereof we should be most certain . all these things we should vse as meanes to confirme our faith of this , that god is our god and father , and to assure vs that he loueth vs as our father in christ ▪ to this end i say , should we vse the things before touched , especiallie in that of all things god requireth this faith and perswasion of his father by goodnesse as his chiefest seruice . for before he aske any thing of vs , he saith , i am the lord thy god , giuing himselfe , and all he hath to vs , to be our own . and this he doth in respect of himselfe , of his owne mercie & truth , and not in respect of vs , for then were grace no more grace . in consideration wherof , when he saith , thou shalt haue none other gods but mee , thou shalt loue mee with all thy heart , &c. though of dutie wee are bound to accomplish all that he requireth , and are culpable and guiltie if wee doe not the same , yet he requireth not these things further of vs , then to make vs more in loue , and more certaine of this his covenant that hee is the lord our god. in certaintie whereof , as he hath giuen this world to serue our need and commoditie : so hath he giuen vs his son christ iesus , and in christ , himselfe to be a pledge and gage : wherof the holie ghost doth now and then giue vs some tast and sweet feeling and smell to our eternall ioye . therefore as i said , because god is your father in christ , and requireth of you straightly to belieue it , giue your selfe to obedience , although you doe it not with such feeling as you desire . first must faith goe before , and then feeling will follow . if our jmperfection , frailty , & many evils should bee occasions whereby satan would haue vs doubt ; as much as in vs lyeth let vs abhorre that suggestion as of all others most pernicious : for so indeed it is . for whē we stand in doubt whether god bee our father or no , we cannot bee thankfull to god , we cannot heartily pray , or thinke any thing we do acceptable to god ; we cannot loue our neighbours and giue ouer our selues to care for them , and doe for them as we should do : and therfore satā is most busie hereabouts , knowing full wel that if we doubt of gods eternall sweet mercies in christ , wee cannot please god , or doe any thing as we should to man. continually casteth he into our memories our jmperfection , frailty , folly , and offences , that we shold doubt of gods mercie and fauour towards vs. therefore my good sister , we must not bee sluggish herein , but as satan laboreth to loosen our faith , so must we labour to fasten it by thinking on the promises and covenant of god in christs bloud , namelie , that god is our god with all that ever he hath ; which covenant dependeth and hangeth vpon gods owne goodnes , mercie , and truth onely , and not on our obedience and worthines in any poynt ; for then should we never bee certaine . indeed god requireth of vs obedience and worthines , but not that thereby wee might be made his childrē , and he our father : but because he is our father and wee his children through his own goodnes in christ , therfore requireth he faith and obedience . now , if we want this obedience & worthinesse which hee requireth , should wee therefore doubt whether he bee our father ? nay , that were to make our obedience & worthines the cause , and so to put christ out of place , for whose sake god is our father . but rather because hee is our father and wee feele our selues to want such things as he requireth wee should be stirred vppe to an holy blushing and shamfastnesse , because wee are not as wee should bee : and therevpon should wee take occasion to go to our father in prayer on this manner . deare father , thou of thine owne mercie in christ iesus hast chosen me to bee thy child , and therefore thou would'st i should be brought into thy church and faithfull company of thy children : wherein thou hast kept me hitherto , thy name bee praised therefore . now i see my selfe to want faith , hope , loue &c. which thy children haue and thou requirest of me ; wherethrough the deuill would haue me doubt , yea , vtterly to despaire off thy fatherly goodnesse , favour and mercie . therefore i come to thee as to my merciful father through thy deare sonne iesus christ , and pray ▪ thee to helpe me : good lord helpe me , and giue mee faith , hope , loue , thankfulnesse , &c. and graunt that thy holy spirit may be with me , for ever , and more and more to assure mee that thou art my father : that this mercifull couenant that thou madest with mee in respect of thy grace in christ , and for christ , and not in respect of any my worthinesse , &c. on this sort i say you must pray and vse your cogitatiōs when satan would haue you to doubt of your salvation . he doth all he can to prevaile heerein against you . do you all yee can to prevaile heerein against him . though you feele not as you would , yet doubt not , but hope beyond hope as abraham did . for alwaies as i sayd , faith goeth before feeling . as certaine as god is almightie , as certaine as god is mercifull , as certaine as god is true , as certaine as iesus christ was crucified , is risen , and sitteth on the right hand of god his father , as certaine as this is gods commandement , i am the lord thy god , &c. so certaine ought you to beleeue that god is your father . as you are bound to haue none other gods but him : so are ye no lesse bound to beleeue that god is your god. what profit shold it be to you to belieue this to be true , i am the lord thy god , to others ; if you should not beleeue that this is true to your selfe ? the devill beleeueth on this sort . and whatsoever it be that wold moue you to doubt of this whether god be your god through christ , that same commeth vndoubtedly of the deuill . wherefore did god make you , but because hee loved you ? might hee not haue made you blind , dumb , deafe , lame , frantick ? might hee not haue made you a iew , a turk , a papist ? and why did he loue you ? what was there in you to mooue him to loue you ? surely nothing moued him to loue you , and therefore to make you , and so hitherto to keepe you , but his owne goodnes in christ. now thē in that his goodnesse in christ still remaineth as much as it was that is , even as great as himselfe ( for it cannot bee lessened ) how should it bee but that he is your god & father ? beleeue this , beleeue this my good sister , for god is no changeling : them whome hee loueth , hee loveth to the end . cast therefore your selfe wholly vppon him , and thinke without all wauering , that you are gods child , that you are a citizen of heaven , that you are the temple of the holy ghost &c. if heereof you bee assured as you ought to bee , then shall your conscience be quietted , then shall you lamēt more and more that you want many things which god loueth : then shall you labour to be holy in soule and in body : then shall you endeavour that gods glorie may shine in all your words and works : then shall you not be afraid what man can doe vnto you : then shall you haue wisedome to answere your aduersaries , as shal serue for their shame , and to your comfort : then shall you bee certaine that no man can touch one haire of your head further then it shall please your father , to your everlasting joy : then shal you be most certaine , that god as your good father will be more carefull of your children and make better prouision for thē , if al you haue were gone , then you can : then shall you ( beeing assured i say of gods fauour towards you ) giue over your selfe wholly to helpe & care for others that bee in need : then shall you cōtemne this life , and desire to be at home with your good and sweet father : then shall you labour to mortifie all things that would spot either soule or body . all these things spring out of this certaine perswasion and faith , that god is our father and wee his children by christ iesus . al things should helpe our faith herein : but satan goeth about in all things to hinder vs. therefore let vs vse earnest and hearty prayer : let vs oftē remember this covenant i am the lord thy god : let vs looke vppon christ and his precious bloud shed for th' obsignation and sealing of this covenant : let vs remember all the free promises of god in his gospell : let vs set before vs gods benefits generally in making this world , in ruling it , in governing it , in calling and keeping his church , &c. let vs set before vs gods benefits particularly , how he hath made vs his creatures after his jmage , how he hath made vs of perfect lyms , forme , beauty , memory , &c. how hee hath made vs christians , and given vs a right judgement in his religion : how ever since wee were born , he hath blessed , kept , norished and defended vs : how hee hath often beaten chastised , and fatherly corrected vs : how he hath spared vs , and now doth spare vs , giuing vs time , space , place , & grace . this if you do and vse earnest and often prayer , and so flee from all things which might troble the peace of your conscience , giving your selfe to diligence in your vocation , you shall at length find that ( which god grant mee with you ) a sure certaintie of salvation , without all such wavering as should hinder your peace with god in christ , to your eternall joye and comfort , amen , amen . yours to be vsed in christ iohn bradford . ¶ the second letter written to a faithfull woman in her heauinesse and trouble of mind : most comfortable for all to read that are afflicted or broken hearted for their sinnes . god our father for his mercies sake in christ , with his eternall consolatiō so comfort you , as i desire to be comforted in my most need : yea , hee will comfort you my deare sister , only cast your care vppon him , and hee neuer can nor will forsake you . whom he loueth , hee loueth to the end : none of his chosen can perish . of which nūber i know your selfe to be one my dearely beloved sister . god jncrease the faith thereof daily more and more in you : hee giue vnto you to hang whollie on him , and on his providence and protectiō . for who so dwelleth vnder that secret thing and helpe of the lord , hee shall bee cocke-sure for evermore . he that dwelleth i say : for if we be flitters as was lot a flitter from zoar , where god promised him protectiō if he had dwelled there still , we shall remoue to our losse , as hee did into the mountaines . dwell therefore , that is trust , and that finally to the end in the lord , my deare sister ; and you shall be as mount syon . as the mountaines compasse ierusalem : so doth the lord all his people . how then can he forget you who are as deare to him as the apple of his eye , for his deare sons sake . ah deare heart that i were now with you to bee a symon to you , to helpe & carry your crosse with you . god send you some good symon to bee with you and helpe you . you complaine in your letters of the blindnesse of your mind & the troubles you feele . my dearly beloued , god make you thankefull for that which god hath given you : he open your eyes to see what & how great benefits you receiued , that you may be lesse covetous or rather jmpatient for so ( i feare me ) it should be called , and more thankfull . haue you not receiued at his hands sight to see your blindnes , and thereto a desirous and seeking heart to see where he lyeth in the midde day , as his deare spouse speaketh of her selfe in the canticles ? ah ioyce , my good ioyce , what a guift is this ? many haue some sight , but none this sighing , none this sobbing , none this seeking which you haue ( i know ) but such as hee hath married to himselfe in his eternall sweet mercies . you are not content with the magdalen to kisse his feet , but you wold with moses see his face : forgetting how he biddeth vs seeke his face , psalme 27. yea , and that euer more , psa. 105. which signifieth no such sight as you desire to haue in this life , who would see god now face to face , whereas he cannot be seen , but covered vnder some thing , yea , somthing which is as you would say cleane contrary to god : as to see his mercie in his anger . in bringing vs to hell , faith seeth him bringing vs to heaven : in darkenesse it beholdeth brightnesse : in hyding his face from vs , it beholdeth his merry countenance . how did iob see god , but you would say vnder satans cloake ? for who cast the fire from heaven vpon his goods ? who overthrew his house , and stirred vppe men to take away his cattle , but satan ? and yet iob pierced thorough all these and sawe gods working , saying , the lord hath giuen , the lord hath taken , &c. in reading the psalmes , how often do you see that dauid in the shaddowe of death saw gods sweet loue ? and so my dearely beloued i see that you in your darknes & dimnes by faith do see charity & britnes : by faith i say , because faith is of things absent , of things hoped for , of things which i appeale to your owne conseience whether you desire not . and can you desire any thing which you know not ? and is there of heauenly things any other true knoledge , thē by faith ? therfore my deare heart , bee thankefull , for before god i writte it , you haue great cause . ah my ioyce how happye is that state in which you are . verilie , you are in the blessed state of gods deare children : for they mourne , and doe not you so ? and that not for worldly weale , but for spirituall riches ; fayth , hope , and charitie . do not you hunger and thirst for righteousnes ? and i pray you , sayth not christ , happie are such . how should god wipe away the teares from your eyes in heaven , if on earth you shed no teares ? how could heaven bee a place of rest , if on earth you did find it ? how could you desire to be at home , if in your journey you found no griefe ? how could you so often call vpon god & talke with him as i know you doe , if your enemie should sleepe all the daye long ? how should you elsewhere bee made like vnto christ , i meane in joye , if in sorrow you sobbed not with him ? if you will haue joye and felicity , you must needs feele sorrow and misery . if you will go to heaven , you must saile by hell . if you will imbrace christ in his robes , you must not thinke scorne of him in his ragges . if you will sitte at christs table in his kingdome , you must first abide with him in his temptations . if you will drinke of his cup of glorie , forsake not his cup of jgnominie . can the head corner stone be reiected , and the other more base stones in gods building bee in this world set by ? you are one of his living stones in this building : be content therfore to be hewen and snagged at , that you may bee made more meet to be joyned to your fellowes which suffer with you satans snatches , and freats of the flesh , wherethrough they are enforced to crie , oh wretches that wee are , who shall deliuer vs ? you are of gods corne , feare not therefore the flayle , the fanne , milstone , nor oven . you are one of christs lambs : looke therefore to bee fleeced , halled at , and even slaine . if you were a market sheepe , you should goe in more fat pasture . if you were for the faire , you should be stalled and want no meate : but because you are for gods owne vse , therfore you must pasture vppon the bare common , abiding the stormes and tempests that will fall . happy & twice happy are you my deare sister , that god haleth you now whither you would not , that you might come whither you would . suffer a little and be still . let satan rage against you , let the world crie out , let your conscience accuse you , let the law leade you , and presse you downe , yet shall they not prevaile , for christ is emanuell , that is , god with vs. if god be with vs , who canne bee against vs. the lord is with you ; your father cannot forget you ; your spouse loveth you . if the waues and surges arise , crie with peter , saue lord i perish , and hee will put out his hand and helpe you . cast out your ankor of hope , and it will not cease for al the stormie surges , till it take hold on the rocke of gods truth and mercie . thinke not that hee which hath given you so many things corporally , as jnductions of spirituall & heavenly mercies , and that without your deserts or desire , can deny you any spirituall thing desiring it . for if he hath given you to desire , hee will giue you to haue and enioy the thing desired . the desire to haue , and the going about to aske , ought to certifie your conscience , that they bee his earnests of the things which you asking , hee will giue you : yea , before you aske , and whilst you are about to aske , hee will grant the same as isaiah saith , to his glorie and your eternal consolation . he that spared not his owne son for you , will not , nor cannot think any thing too good for you , my heartely beloved . if he had not chosen you as certainly he hath , he would not thus haue called you : hee would never haue justified you : hee would never haue so glorified you with his gratious gifts which i know to be in you , praysed be his name therefore : hee would never haue so exercised your faith with temptations as he hath done , and doth , if i say hee had not chosen you . if hee haue chosen you ( as doubtlesse deere hart he hath don in christ , for in you i haue seene his earnest , and to me you could not deny it , i know both where and when ) if i say hee haue chosen you , then neither can you , nor ever shall you perish . for if you fall , hee putteth vnder his hand : you shall not lie still : so carefull is christ your keeper over you . never was mother so mindfull over her child , as he is over you . and hath hee not alwaies been so ? speake woman , when did he finally forget you ? and will he now trow ye in your most need doe otherwise , you calling vpon him and desiring to please him ? ah my ioyce , thinke you god to bee mutable ? is hee a changeling ? doth not he loue to the end thē whom hee loveth ? are not his gifts and calling such as he cannot repent him off thē , for els were he no god. if you should perish , then wanted hee power : for i am certain his will towards you is not to bee doubted off . hath not the spirit , which is the spirit of truth , told you so ? and will you hearken with eue to the liing spirit which would haue you to despaire ? god forbid it , for to doubt and stand in a māmering , would cause you that you should never truely loue god , but ever serue him of a servile feare , least hee should cast you off for your vnworthinesse and vnthankfulnesse , as though your thankfulnes , or worthines , were any causes with god why hee hath chosen you , or will finally keepe you . ah my owne deare heart , christ onely , christ onely , and his mercie and truth . in him is the cause of your election . this christ , this mercie , this truth of god remaineth for euer , is certaine for euer , i say for euer . if an angell from heaven should tell you contrarie , accursed bee he . your thankefulnes and worthinesse are fruits and effects of your election , they are no causes . these fruites and effects shall be so much the more fruitfull and effectuall , by how much the more you wauer not . therefore dearely beloved , arise and remember from whence you are fallen . you haue a sheapeheard who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth , night nor day . no man , nor deuill can pull you out of his hands . night and day hee commandeth his angells to keepe you . haue you forgotten what i read to you out of the psalme , the lord is my sheepheard , i can want nothing . doe you know that god sparred noah into the arke on the one side , so that hee could not get out ? so hath hee done to you my good sister , so hath hee done to you . tenne thousand shall fall on your right hand , & two thousand on your l●ft hand yet no euill shall touch you . say boldly therefore , many a time from my youth vppe haue they fought against mee , but they haue not preuailed , no nor neuer shall preuaile , for the lord is round about his people . and who are the people of god , but such as hope in him ? happie are they that hope in the lord : and you are one of those my deare heart , for i am sure you haue hoped in the lord : i haue your wordes to shewe most manifestly , & i know they were written vnfainedly . i need not say , that euen before god you haue simply confessed to mee , and that oftentimes no lesse . and if once you had this hope , as you doubtles had it , thogh now ye fele it not , yet shall ye feele it againe : for the anger of god lasteth but for a moment , but his mercy lasteth for euer . tell mee my deare heart , who hath so weakned you ? surely not a perswasion which came of him that called you . for why should ye wauer ? why should ye wauer , & be so heauie hearted ? whome looke yee on ? on your selfe ? on your worthines ? on your thankefulnesse ? on that which god requireth of you , as faith , hope , loue , feare , ioye , &c. then can yee but wauer indeed : for what haue you as god requireth ? belieue you , hope you , loue you , &c. as much as ye should doe ? no , no , nor neuer can in this life . ah my dearely beloued , haue you so soone forgotten that which should bee had in memory ? namely , that when you should bee secure and quiet in conscience , thē should your faith burst throghout all things , not onely that you haue in you , or else are in heaven , earth , or hell , vntill it come to christ crucified , and th' eternall sweet mercies of god , and his goodnesse in christ. heere , heere is the resting place , heere is your spouses bed : creepe into it , and in your armes of faith embrace him , bewaile your weakenesse , your vnworthines , your dissidence : and you shall see he will turne to you . what sayd i you shall see ? nay , i should haue said you shall feele he will turne to you . you know that moses when hee went into the mount to talke with god , hee entred into a darke cloud : and helias had his face couered when god passed by . both these deare friends of god heard god , but they saw him not , but you would bee preferred before them . see now my deare heart , how couetous you are ? ah , be thankefull be thankefull ; but god be praised your couetousnes is moses couetousnes : well with him you shall be satisfied , but when ? forsooth when hee shall appeare . heere is not the time of seeing , but as it were in a glasse ▪ isaak was deceived because hee was not content with hearing onely . therefore to make an end of these many words , wherewith i feare me i do but hinder you from better exercises : in as much as you are indeed the child of god , elect in christ before the beginning of all times : in as much as you are given to the custody of christ , as one of gods most precious jewels : in as much as christ is faithfull , and hitherto and for euer hath and shal haue al power , so that you shall never perish , no ; one haire of your head shall not be lost : i desire you , i craue at your hands with all my very heart , i aske of you with hand , pen , tongue & mind , in christ , through christ , for christ , for his names sake , bloud , mercies , power , and truths sake ( my most entirely beloued sister ) that you admit no doubting of gods final mercies towards you , howsoeuer ynu feele your selfe : but complaine to god , and craue of him as of your tender father , all things and in that time which shal be most opportune , you shall find & feele farre aboue that your hart or the heart of any creature can conceiue , to your eternall joy , amen , amen , amen . the good spirit of god alwaies keep vs as his deere children : he comfort you as i desire to be comforted my deerely beloved for evermore . the peace of christ dwell in both our harts for ever amen . gods holy spirit alwaies comfort & keepe you amen , amen . this 1. of ianuarie by him that in the lord wisheth to you as well and as much felicitie , as to his owne heart . iohn bradford . finis . a table directing to the names of the martyrs , and to the speciall matters that are mentioned in this booke . a fol. adam damplip , his speach to his keeper . 27. agnes bongeor , her complaint . 80 , 81. she is comforted . 83. alice bindon , her straight handling . 110 , 118. anne askew , her prayer . 170. b bartlet greene , his description of temporall miseries , &c. 155 , 156 , 157. bradbegges wife , shee commends her two children patience and charitie , to the bishop . 76. c fol. cutbert simpson . boner commends his patience . 39. his comfortable vision . 40. d doctor taylor , pag. 44. e elizabeth folks , her answere , pretily retorted . 73 eliza : yong , her sweet speech . 90 , 91. f father latimer . 7 , 14 , 15. g george wise-hart , his speach to his executioner . 58. george marsh , his prayer . 140. george tankerfield , his conflicts with the flesh . 147. h hugh latimer , his speach to m r. ridley at the stake . fol. 7. his comforts were going & cōming . 14. his 3 requests . 15. hugh laverocke , his speach . 33. henry voes , his speach . 32. i iames baynham , his speach at his death . 32. iohn hooper , his speach at the stake . 2. his speach to a blind boy . 2. his answere to s r. ant : kingston . 3 , 4 , 5 ▪ notes out of his letters , frō 99 , to 227. iohn bradford , how he tooke the newes of his death . 10. with what efficacie hee made his prayers in the counter . 11. his behauiour at his death . 12. his answere to creswell . 92 , 93. his mementoes . 120 a note out of a letter of his to cranmer . 93. his two letters . 174 , 193. iohn cardmaker , his question and answere to it . fol. 91. iohn philpot , how he tooke the newes of his death . 8. his speach he vsed in smith-field . 9. a prayer mentioned in his storie . 149. ioh : rough , his speach to one farrar . 42. iohn warren , his sweet sentence . 100. iohn frith , his answere to them that would haue wrought his escape . 78. iohn lābart , his speach at the stake . 26. iohn rogers , his saying when hee heard of his burning . 18. his saying to bishop hooper . 19. iohn leafe , hee liked better the bill of his confession , then that of his recantation . 50. iulins palmer , his charitable answere to sir richard abridges . 74 , 75. k kerby , his speach to m. wink-field . 28. l laurence saunders preacher , his comfort at his first convention . fol. 19. what a sluggard he found of his flesh . 20 his speach vpon the sight of his child . 21 his speach at the stake . 22. notes out of a letter to his wife . 95.96 , 97. out of a letter to m. glouer . 98. lady iane , her prayer . 158 lord cromwell , his prayer . 164. letters of m. bradfords . 174 , 193. m martin luther , his prayer . 169. n nicholas ridley , his saying to latimer . 6 , 7. his mournefull complaint in the fier . 8. what comfort hee felt after the newes of m. rogers burning . 17. nicholas sheterden , his prayer . 142. p patrik hamleton , he foretels the death of his persecut●r . fol. 60.61 . prests wife , her answers . 89 , 90. r rawlins white , expert in the scripture . 64. sundrie of his speaches . 68.69.70 . richard woodman , his conflict with the feare of death . 51. richard browne , his prayer . 148. robert farrar , his speach to m. richard iones . 61. robert glover , his lumpishnes before his death . 23 , 24. with supplie of comfort . 25. his comfort & conflict . 53 , 55 , 56 , 57. robert-samuell , his extreame handling . 36 , 37. his vision of comfort . 38. robert smith , his sentences 23. roger holland , his prophesie . 86 , 87. rowland taylor , his pleasant answere to the sheriffe . 44. fol. his speach when he came neere hadley . 47. to boner when he was degraded . 48. his last will and testament . 106 , to 109. s steven knight , his prayer . 134. t thomas bilney , his saying to his friends . 29 , 31. hee putteth his finger in the candle to trie his strength . 28. thomas spurdance , his answere to the bishop . 72 , 73. thomas hudsons conflict and comfort . 84 , 85. thomas wats , his farewell . 199. thomas crāmer , a proverb of him . 94. his prayer . 130. his repentance . 132 , 133. he burns his right hand first . 133. w fol. william hunter , his mother thinks him well bestowed on christ. 35. walter mill , he would not be called sir walter , and why . 59. his constancie . 60. william pickes , foretels his troble . 88. 89. william flower , his prayer . 172. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a19420-e340 cant. 6. 2. cant. 8. 6. verse . 7. notes for div a19420-e940 qu : eliz. notes for div a19420-e1080 his blood violently gushed out of his heart , at his burning at oxford . an. 1525. the bi : of dover . this was spoken in the moneth of iune 15 8 , and q. mary dyed sep. following the 1.7 . of the parish of staple hurst in ●he coū●y of kēt . ian. 22. 1556. ma. 25 anno 1557. notes for div a19420-e6860 anno. 1518. note . note . note . note . the saints encouragement in evil times: or observations concerning the martyrs in generall with some memorable collections out of foxes three volumes. martin luther. the covenant and promises. living and dying by faith. by edward leigh esquire. leigh, edward, 1602-1671. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a47618 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a47618) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 37759) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2173:02) the saints encouragement in evil times: or observations concerning the martyrs in generall with some memorable collections out of foxes three volumes. martin luther. the covenant and promises. living and dying by faith. by edward leigh esquire. leigh, edward, 1602-1671. [22], 152, [4] p. printed by a[braham]. m[iller]. for william lee and thomas underhill, london : 1648. the title words "foxes ... faith" are joined by left brace. title page signed a2. with an index. copy tightly bound with print show-through. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library, oxford. eng luther, martin, 1483-1546 -early works to 1800. catechisms, english -early works to 1800. christian life -early works to 1800. martyrs -early works to 1800. faith -early works to 1800. a47618 r222045 (wing l1000). civilwar no the saints encouragement in evil times: or observations concerning the martyrs in generall, with some memorable collections out of foxes thr leigh, edward 1648 35059 328 115 0 0 0 0 126 f the rate of 126 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2004-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-03 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-07 melanie sanders sampled and proofread 2004-07 melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the saints encouragement in evil times : or observations concerning the martyrs in generall , with●some memorable collections out of foxes three volumes . martin luther . the covenant and promises . living and dying by faith . by edward leigh esquire . revel. 14. 13. blessed are the dead which die in the lord , mori timeat qui ad secundam mortem de hâc morte transibit . cyprian de mortal . london , printed by a. m. for william lee and thomas vnderhill , 1648. to the christian reader . reader , the church even in her infancy , the christian church was under the crosse , stephanus lapidatus , jacobus trucidatus , saith austin , stephen was stoned , and james beheaded . the church hath had two kinde of persecutions , one from rome ethnicall , the other from rome papall . after the apostles what a continuall storme arose against christians , which lasted three hundred years under the ten monsters of men those bloudie emperours , nero , domitian , trajane , antoninus , severus , maximinus , decius , valerianus , aurelianus , dioclesianus , whose rage was such as a man could not set his foot in rome , but tread on the graves of martyrs ▪ nero was the authour * of the first grand persecution , wherein saint peter ( as it is said ) and saint paul were martyred at rome , with others innumerable , and jacobus iustus at jerusalem , whence tertullian inferred , that the gospel must needs be a precious thing , because nero hated it . dioclesian raised the tenth and extreamest persecution * , wherein churches were overthrown , bibles burnt , whole cities razed , women hanged upon trees naked with their heads downwards . the christians yet in that time under the heathen emperours had many lucida intervalla , many breathing spaces under princes not altogether so bloudy . but the popes have persecuted the protestants for six hundred years together , and that without any intermission . i might exemplifie in many of their cruell practices ▪ 1. in their wars against the waldenses and albigenses . 2. in the massacre of france , in which the rivers were died with bloud . 3. in our tempora mariana queen maries daies ; who hath not heard of bloudy bonner and gardiner ? 4. in the rebellious insurrection in ireland , and the cruell butchery of above 200 thousand protestants there . platina writes of seventeen thousand martyred by dioclesian ; but meterane writes of 50 thousand slaughtered by the pope only in the low-countries , and that in the time of charles the 5th ▪ natalis comes of sixty thousand in france only in one year . iulius the second in seven years shed the bloud of above two hundred tho●sand christians . antichrist is drunk with the bloud of the saints , revel. 17. 6. and 18. 24. in her , that is , babylon , now rome , was found the bloud of prophets , that is , of all those that preacht the word of god , and of saints , and of all that were slain upon the earth ; they were put to death by the authority of the pope . some hold that the bitterest persecutions of the church of god are yet to come , but two considerations may much support the spirits of gods people . 1. the shortnesse of the persecutours lives , and their miserable ends for the most part . 2. the good that comes to the church of god by affiction and persecution . i will not speak of the short lives of many popes , and the short reign of queen mary * , nor of the miserable end of many persecuting emperours , but shall out of foxes martyrology , instance in the exemplary punishments of some of the persecutours of our martyrs . george eagles ( alias , trudge over the world ) hid himself in a corn-field , and by the benefit of the height of the corn , and breadth of the field he had escaped , had not ralph lurdane one of his persecutours with more malicious craft , climbed a high tree to view over the place , and so descried him . this persecutour a lewd fellow of life for theft and whoredome , within a few years after he had apprehended the foresaid george eagles for gain of money , he himself was attached of felony for stealing a horse , condemned and hanged in the same place and town of chelmesford , where george eagles before suffered martyrdome . a bishop coming to stephen gardiner ( bishop of winchester ) on his death-bed , put him in remembrance of peters denying his master ; he answering again : said , that he had denied with peter , but never repented with peter , and so both stinkingly and unrepentantly died . doctour storie was a great enemy to the protestants in queen maries daies , but in queen elizabeths reign he being beyond sea was by a handsome wile brought over into england , and suffered as a traitour , on whom the boyes sung these verses , d. story for you i am sorrie , the hangman must have your gown : your father the pope , could not save you from the rope ; for all his triple crown . secondly , the people of god like commomile , the more they were trod on the more they did spread , and ( like rabbets in frosty weather ) did thrive under persecution . one * saith , martyrologie and catechizing were the great engines by which the reformers battered down poperie . jerome compares the state of the ch●rch under constantine and some christian emperours with that under dioclesian and some persecuting emperours : under the former the church increased much potentia & divitiis , in power and wealth , but diminished virtutibus , in vertue ▪ how strangely was that promise accomplished in england and france , whosoever will save his life shall lose it ; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake , shall finde it . william wolsey martyr being in prison sent by another a noble to richard denton with this commendation , that he marvelled he tarried so long behinde him , seeing he was the first that delivered him the book of scripture into his hand , and told him that it was the truth , desiring him to make haste after as fast as he could . this money and message being delivered to denton almost a year after wolsey was burned , his answer was this . i confesse it is true , but alas i cannot burn . but he that would not burn in the cause of christ , was afterward burned against his will ; for his house was set on fire , and while he went in to save his goods he lost his life . on the contrary , some that were in prison , and purposed to suffer for the truth , were ●y the death of queen mary happily preserved , that being a true observation which * one hath , as good husbands do not put al their corn to the oven , but save some for seed , so doth god ever in the worst of persecutions . when henry the fourth of france had conquered his enemies , he turned papist , and gave this reason of it , that he might settle himself in peace and safety . ravilliak who slew him , confessed that the reason why he stabbed him , was , because he was of two religions . it is well noted by a reverend divine * , that the book of martyrs was in high esteem all the days of queen elizabeth : all churches by authority were injoyned to have it , so as all that would might read it . there was scarce a family of note that had it not , it was usuall to spend the long winter evenings in reading it . by the constancy of martyrs therein set out , people were much encouraged to stand to that faith which was sealed by their bloud . whether the killing of the two witnesses be near at hand or no , i determine not , but sure there is likelihood enough of troubles and persecutions to gods people , therefore i conceive these severall tracts , of the martyrs in generall , and concerning our english martyrs , of martin luther a couragious reformer , of the covenant and promises , of living and dying by faith may be very suitable to our times . but some may urge , that for the first subject concerning the martyrs , there was a book long since published , stiled , the mirrour of martyrs , usefull that way . i deny not but that book might be profitable to divers christians , who either wanted money to purchase or leasure to reade the large book of martyrs : but my drift in this worke is to excerp onely ( among the many dicta facta of the martyrs ) those speeches and acts of theirs , which were specially observable . master co●ton ( who composed the book before mentioned ) hath confusedly jumbled divers things together : some of which are ordinary , though others may be remarkable , and i believe he mistakes in that which he hath of voes , it being not consonant to the originall whence he took it . he hath also the same thing twice of iohn & christopher waid . i hope therefore ( though i have many things the same with cotton , that this work will be of speciall use to those , who would not be ignorant of the living speeches of dying christians . the saints are best toward their end ; so it was with jacob and moses , as appears in his excellent song made a little before his death , so david , solomon , what an excellent sermon and praier did our saviour make a little before his death . i have likewise long since put forth a treatise of the covenant and promises , yet having collected divers new observations of that excellent subject , ( for some of which i was beholding to two of our worthy lecturers * at westminster ) i thought good to adde this tract to the rest , it being of speciall use alwaies for christians , especially in evil times . thus hoping god will blesse these my endeavours for the good of his people , i rest thy true christian friend edward leigh ▪ the saints encouragement in evil times . chap. i. observations concerning the martyrs in generall . a martyr in common use of speech , means one which seals his witnesse to the gospel with his bloud , suffers death for christ . that 's a martyr , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in the highest * degree . but the word in grammar sense , means but a witnesse . tertullian cals confessours to christ , martyrs . he must suffer in a good cause for the name of christ , 1 pet. 4 14. causa non poena facit martyrem . non debet quid quisque patiatur , sed quare patiatur , attendi . aug. contra crescon. lib. 4. cap. 46. the cause not the punishment makes a martyr . when i consider the cause of my condemnation ( said mr bradford ) i cannot but lament , that i do no more rejoyce then i doe . for it is for god● verity and truth , so that the condemnation is not a condemnation of bradford simply , but rather a condemnation of christ and of his truth bradford is nothing but an instrumen● in which christ and his doctrine i● condemned . how early did martyrdome come into the world ? the first man that died , died for religion . one saith , none are saved but martyrs ; martyrs either actually or habitually ; having faith enough to encourage , and love to constrain them to be martyrs , if the honour of their profession should require it . the habit of martyrdome is included in the most fundamentall principle of christianity , love of christ better then our selves , self-resignation or deniall . to suffer death for christ is the greatest honour which can befall a man , and such a promotion that the highest angel in heaven is not permitted to have . in the primitive times they were wont to call martyrdome by the name of corona martyrij , the crown of martyrdome , and stephen the protomartyr had his name in greek from a crown . one woman martyr having her childe in her hand , gave it to another , and offered her self to martyrdome ; crowns ( saith she ) are to be dealt this day , and i mean to have one . luther writing to those which were condemned to death , saith , the lord will not do me that honour , i who have made all this busle : it was very strange * that one who had so provoked the pope and all his potent party , should die quietly in his bed . bernard saith there are three sorts of martyrs , 1. martyrs voluntate solùm , in will only , so all the godly are martyrs . 2. voluntate & opere , in will and act ; those who chearfully lay down their life for christs cause . 3. opere solum , in act only ; so the children of bethlehem , mat. 2. 16. this was rather a passive then an active martyrdome , and improperly so called , since to true martyrdome not only slaughter and a good cause are requisite , but a will and intention of undergoing death for christs sake . it is a question among the schoolmen why christ should so complain in his sufferings , as in the garden and on the crosse , and yet the martyrs suffer so chearfully . 1. they suffered for god , and christ from god . 2. they suffered in their bodies , christ in his soul , and the wrath of god , isa. 43. 10. 3. their sufferings were mixed with joy and comfort , exuberance of joy sometimes . christs sufferings on the crosse were void of all comfort , mat. 27. 46. and there was a suspension of divine influence . m. ball in his catechisme saith , the testimony of conscience is a strong argument to prove that there is a god , and the constancy of the saints * is a good reason to prove the scriptures to be the word of god , both these main principles of religion may be then confirmed from the carriage and courage of the martyrs . first , how forcible was the working of conscience in some of them ! bilny and bainham at first recanted , but what a hell did they feel in their consciences till they returned to god and bewailed their abjuration ! on the contrary , what ravishing comfort did robert glover injoy a little before his martyrdome ? dear wife ( saith sanders * ) riches i have none to leave behinde me , wherewith to endow you after this worldly manner , but the treasure of tasting how sweet christ is unto hungry consciences ( whereof i thank my christ i feel part , and would feel more ) i bequeath unto you , and to the rest of my beloved in christ to retain the same in sense of heart alwaies . secondly , the martyrs constant suffering may much establish us in the assurance of the scriptures coming from god . 1. observe the number of those which suffered for the truth , of all sorts and conditions , stout and tender , noble and base . famesius departing out of italy is reported to have said , that he would make such a slaughter in germany that his very horse might swim in the bloud of the lutherans . so much bloud of the protestants was spilt in france that the very rivers in the streets flowed with bloud . the duke of alba sitting at his table * said , that he had taken diligent pains in rooting out the tares of heresies , having delivered 18000 men in the space of six years only to the hands of the hangman . within the compas●e of lesse then four years continuance , there died in england in q. maries reign 277 persons , without regard * of degree , sex or age . in the heat of those flames were consumed five bishops , one and twenty divines , eight gentlemen , eighty four artificers , one hundred husbandmen , servants and labourers , twenty six wives , twenty widdows , nine virgins , two boies , and two infants . secondly , the persecutours could neither by torments nor pleasures induce them to deny the truth . when valens the emperour coming to caesarea commanded basil to assent to the arians , and threatned to banish and punish him if he obeyed not , pueris ( saith basil ) illa terriculamenta proponenda sunt , sibi verò vita eripi potest , sed confessio veritatis eripi non potest . those bug-bears were to be propounded to children , but for his part ( said he ) though they might take away his life , yet they could not hinder him from professing the truth . when king lysimachus threatned cyrenaeus theodorus with hanging , istis quaeso ( saith he ) ista horribilia minitare purpuratis tuis : theodori quidem nihil interest , humine an sublimè putrescat . threaten those terrible things to thy brave courtiers , theodorus cares not whether he rot in the air , or on the ground . cyprian said amen * to his own sentence of martyrdome , and the proconsul bidding him consult about it , he answered , in re tam justa * nulla est consultatio . bonner said , a vengeance on them , i think they love to burn . when the proconsul threatned andrew the apostle with the crosse , if he left not off his preaching , i would never ( said he ) have preacht the doctrin of the crosse , if i had feared the suffering of the crosse . jerom in the life of paulus the heremite reciteth a story of a certain souldier , whom when the pretor could not otherwise with torments remove from his christianity , he devised another way , which was this : he commanded the souldier to be laid upon a soft bed in a pleasant garden among the flourishing lillies and red roses ; which done , all others being removed away , and himself there left alone , a beautiful harlot came to him , who imbraced him , and with all other incitements of an harlot , laboured to provoke him to her naughtinesse . but the godly souldier fearing god more then obeying flesh , bit his own tongue with his teeth , and spit in the face of the harlot , as she was kissing him , and so got he the victory by the constant grace of the lord assisting him . thirdly , the martyrs suffered with much comfort , courage and assurance of their salvation , going to the fire as to a feast , calling the coles roses , and the day of their martyrdome , their marriage day . i am to die ( said bishop ridley * ) in defence of gods everlasting truth and verity , which death i shall by gods grace willingly take with hearty thanks to god therefore , in certain hope without any doubting to receive at gods hand again of his free mercy and grace everlasting life . rowland taylour departing hence in sure hope without all doubting of eternall salvation , i thank god my heavenly father through jesus christ my certain saviour . amen . they thanked their judges for condemning them , sententiis vestris gratias agimus , cum damnamur à vobis à deo absolvimur . tertul. apol. c. 5. the martyrs were eminent in many graces . 1. in humility . they neither called themselves martyrs , nor did they give way to others so to entitle them , but if any in epistle or speech so named them , they did sharply reprove them , saying , that this appellation was due to christ alone , which only is a faithfall witnes to the truth . ignatius in his epistles saith , i salute you , who am ultimus , the last and least of all : and so in another epistle , tantillitas nostra . lord ( said hooper ) i am hell , but thou art heaven , i am a sink of sin , but thou art a gracious god , and a mercifull redeemer . 2. in love to god and christ . ignatius called christ his love , amor meus crucifixus est , said he , my love was crucified . none but christ , none but christ , said john lambert . they offered to some of them gifts and honors to take them off , to which one well answered , do but offer me somewhat that is better then my lord jesus christ , and you shal see what i will say unto you . 3. in love to the brethren , and one another . ejusmodi vel maximae dilectiovis operatio notam nobis inurit penes quosdam , vide inquiunt , ut invicem s● diligant . in the primitive times the cry of the heathens was , see how they love one another , see how they are ready to die for one another . how did they express their affection to one another likewise by their gilt pence , nutmegs , and other tokens which they sent to one another , and by their hearty praiers ? 4. in * patience , victi sunt gentiles , & eorum idololatria , non à repugnantibus , sed à morient●bus christianis . aust. 5. in liberality to the poor . * 6. in fidelity , john bradford had often leave of his keeper , while he was in prison , to go see a friend , and he returned to his prison again rather before his time . 7. in zeal and fervency in * praier . 8. in mildenes * and forgiving their enemies . chap. ii. some memorable collections concerning the martyrs , especially out of foxes three large volumes . polycarpus . evsebius * saith he was wont to say when he fell into the company of hereticks : bone deus in quae me tempora reservasti ? good god what times hast thou kept me for ? when marcion the heretick casually met him and said , cognoscis nos ? dost thou know us ? polycarpus answered , cognosco primogenitum diaboli , i know the first born of the devil . being urged by the proconsull to deny christ , he answered : i have served him 86. * years , and he hath not once hurt me , and shall i now deny him ? when he should have been tied to the stake , he required to stand untied , saying : let me alone ( i pray you ) for he that gave me strength to come to the fire , will also give me patience to abide in the same without your tying . ignatius . being led from syria to rome , there to be devoured , he wished by the way as he went , that he were in the midst of those beasts which were ready to rent him in pieces , and that their appetites might be whetted to dispatch him quickly , fearing least it should happen to him as to some other martyrs , that the beasts out of a kinde of reverence and humanity , would not dare to approach unto him ; being ready , he said , rather to provoke them to fight , then that they should suffer him so to escape . it is reported of him , by some popish writers ( quam verè ipsi viderint ) that he was so frequent in roling the name of jesus in his mouth , that when he died , there was ingraved and written in his heart the character of that name in golden letters : this may be fabulous , but christ was very dear unto him , he called him his love , meus amor crucifixus est * , my love ( said he ) is crucified . when he heard the lions roaring , he said ; i am the lords wheat * that must be ground with the teeth of wilde beasts , that i may be found pure bread . ignis , crux , ferarum concursus , ( sectiones , lanienae ) ossium discerptiones , membrorum concisiones , totius corporis contritiones & diaboli tormenta in me veniant , tantummodo ut jesum nanciscar . id. ibid. come ( saith he ) fire , gallows , wilde beasts , breaking of bones , tearing of members , contrition of the whole body , and torments from the devil , so that i may gain christ . after all his sufferings he said , now i begin to be a disciple . john hus. martin luther in his preface to daniel , cals him , sanctissimum martyrem , a most holy martyr , where he rehearseth also this prophesie of his : they shall now burn a goose ( for hus in the bohemian tongue signifies a goose ) but a swan * shall come after me , which shall escape their burning . the bishops caused to be made a certain crown of paper almost a cubit deep , in the which were painted three devils of wonderfull uglyshape , and this title set over their heads , haeresiarcha * . the which when he saw , he said , my lord jesus christ for my sake did wear a crown of thorns , why should not i then for his sake again , wear this light crown , be it never so ignominious ? truly i will doe it , and that willingly . you knew how before my priesthood ( which grieveth me now ) i have delighted to play oftentimes at chesse , and have neglected my time , and have unhappily provoked both my self and others to anger many times by that play . hierome of prage . he being condemned by the councell of constance , thus prophesied , et cito vos omnes , ut respondeatis mihi coram altissimo & justissimo judice post centum annos . here i cite you to answer unto me before the most high & just judge within a hundred years . he said thus to the executioner , make the fire in my sight , for if i had feared it i had never come hither . henry voes and john esch. henry voes and john esch friers , being burned at bruxels , one of them seeing that fire was kindled at his feet , said , me thinks ye doe straw rooses under my feet . peter moice . one of the martyrs which suffered in germany , being called befor● the senate at dornick , they bega● to examine him of certain articles 〈◊〉 religion . to whom as he was abou● to answer boldly and expressely t● every point , they interrupting him ▪ bad him say in two words , either yea or nay : then said he , if ye will not suffer me to answer for my self it matters of such importance , send me to my prison again among my toad● and frogs , which will not interrup● me while i talk with my lord my god . peter serre . one of the martyrs which suffered in france , being put to the fire stood so quiet , looking up to heaven all the time of his burning , as though he had felt nothing , bringing such admiration to the people , that one of the parliament said , that way was not best to bring the lutherans to the fire , for that would doe more hurt then good . bartholmew hector . a french martyr at his death , praying and speaking heavenly to the people , and taking his death patiently , many of the people wept , saying , why doth this man die which speaketh of nothing but of god ? pomponius algerius . an italian martyr , thus underwrites a comfortable letter of his to some of his christian friends , from the delectable orchyard of leonine prison . patrick hamelton . certain faithfull men being present the same time when this scottish martyr was in the fire , they heard him to cite and appeal the black frier called cambell that accused him to appear before the high god , a● generall judge of all men , to answer to the innocencie of his death and whether his accusation were ju●● or not , between that and a certai● day of the next moneth , which h● there named . by the same witness● it is testified , that the said frier died immediately before the day came without remorse of conscience , that he had persecuted the innocent . thomas bilney . his first conversion was by reading the new testament set out by erasmus , and particularly , 1 tim. 1. 15. at the last ( saith he ) i heard speak of jesus , even then when the new testament was first set forth by erasmus , which when i understood to be eloquently done by him , being assured rather for the latine then for the word of god ( for at that time i knew not what it meant ) i bought it even by the providence of god , as i doe now well understand and perceive : and at the first reading ( as i well remember ) i chanced upon this sentence of st paul ( o most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul ) in his first epistle to timoth. chap. 1. vers. 15. it is a true saying and worthy of all men to be embraced , that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners , of whom i am the chief . this one sentence through gods instruction and inward working , which i did not then perceive , did so exhilerate my heart , being before wounded with the guilt of my sins , and being almost in despair , that immediately i felt a marvellous comfort and quietnesse , in so much that my brused bones leapt for joy . after this , the scripture began to be more pleasant unto me then the hony or the hony-comb . latimer cals him in his sermons , blessed saint bilney , and shews how he was converted by him , and in what anguish of soul bilney was in after his abjuration , and that he returned again and suffered for the gospel . being in the prison he divers time proved the fire by putting his finge● near to the candle : at the first touc● of the candle , his flesh resisting , an● he withdrawing his finger , did afte● chide his flesh in these words , qu● ( inquit ) unius membri inustione● ferre non potes , & quo pacto cras t●●tius corporis conflagrationem tolerabi● what ( saith he ) canst not tho● bear the burning of one member and how wilt thou endure to mor● row the burning of thy whole body ▪ the night before his execution , divers of his friends resorted unto hi● in the guild hall where he was kep● amongst which one of them findin●● him eating an alebrew with a cheerfull heart and quiet minde , said , that he was glad to see him at that time so shortly before his painfull an● heavy departure , so heartily to refresh himself : whereunto he answered , o said he , i follow the example of the husbandmen of the countrey , who having a ruinou● house to dwell in , yet bestow cos● as long as they may to hold it up ▪ and so doe i now with this ruinous house of my body , and with gods creatures , in thanks to him , refresh the same as ye see . then sitting with his said friends in godly talk to their edification , some put him in minde , that though the fire which he should suffer the next day , should be of great heat unto his body , yet the comfort of gods spirit should cool it to his everlasting refreshing . at this word the said thomas bilney putting his hand toward the flame of the candle burning before them ( as also he did divers times besides ) and feeling the heat thereof , o ( said he ) i feel by experience , and have known it long by philosophy , that fire by gods ordinance is naturally hot , but yet i am perswaded by gods holy word , and by the experience of some spoken of in the same , that in the flame they felt no heat , and in the fire they felt no consumption : and i constantly beleeve , howsoever that the stubble of this my body shall be wasted by it , yet my soul and spirit shall be purged thereby , a pain for the time whereon followeth 〈◊〉 unspeakable . and then most co●fortably entreated of isa. 43. 1 , 2. well in respect of himself , as app●●ing it to the particular use of friends there present , of whom for took such sweet fruit therein , the they caused the words to be 〈◊〉 written on tables , and some in the books . the comfort whereof ( 〈◊〉 divers of them ) was never tak● from them to their dying day . james bainham . as he was at the stake in the mid● of the flaming fire which had ha● consumed his arms and legs , he spak● these words : o ye papists , behold 〈◊〉 look for miracles , and here now y● may see a miracle , for in this fire i f●●● no more pain , then if i were in a bed● down : but it is to me as a bed of rose● ▪ william tyndall . for his notable pains and travel he may well be called the apostle o●england in this our later age . he translated the new testament , and five books of moses ; for his faithfulnesse therein , observe his own words , i call god to record against the day we shall appear before our lord jesus , to give our reckoning of our doings , that i never altered one syllable of gods words against my conscience , nor would doe this day , if all that is in earth , whether it be honour , pleasure or riches , might be given me . there was at antwerp on a time amongst a company of merchants , as they were at supper , a certain jugler which through his diabolicall inchantment of art magicall , would fetch all kinde of viands and wine from any place they would , and set it upon the table presently before them , with many other such like things . the same of this jugler being much talked of , it chanced that master tindall heard of it , he desired certain of the merchants that he might also be present at supper to see him play his parts . the supper was appointed , and the merchants with tindall were there prese●● ▪ then the jugler being required 〈◊〉 play his feats , and to shew his cuning , after his wonted boldnesse began to utter all that he could d● but all was in vain . at the last w●● his labour , sweating and toili●● when he saw that nothing would 〈◊〉 forward , but that all his encha●●●ments were void , he was compell● openly to confesse , that there w●● some man present at supper , whi●● disturbed and letted all his doings . he cried at the stake with a fe●vent zeal and a loud voice , * le● open the king of englands eies . john lambert . after that his legs were consum●●● and burned to the stumps , he lifti●● up such hands as he had , and his fi●●gers ends flaming with fire , cri● unto the people in these words , no● but christ , none but christ . anthony person . he being come to the place of ●●●ecution , with a cheerfull countenance embraced the post in his arms , and kissing it , said , now welcome mine own sweet wife ; for this day shall thou and i be married together in the love and peace of god . henry filmer . he said to person and testwood , two other martyrs which died with him , be merry my brethren and lift up your hands unto god , for after this sharp breakefast , i trust we shall have a good dinner in the kingdome of christ our lord and redeemer . at the which words testwood lifting up his hands and eies to heaven , desired the lord above to receive his spirit . and anthony person pulling the straw unto him , laid a good deal thereof upon the top of his head , saying , this is gods hat ; now i am dressed like a true souldier of christ , by whose merits only i trust this day to enter into his joy . many which saw their patitient suffering , confessed that they could have found in their hearts ( at the present ) to have died with them . adam damplip . he understanding from the keepe● that he should soon suffer , was ye● merry and did eat his meat as wel● as ever he did in all his life , in so much that some at the bord said unto him , that they marvelled how he could eat his meat so well , knowing he was so near his death . ah master ▪ quoth he , doe you think that i hav● been gods prisoner so long in the mar● shalsey , and have not yet learned to dy yes , yes , and i doubt not but god wi●● strengthen me therein . kerby . master wingfield said to kerby 〈◊〉 prison , remember the fire is ho● take no more upon thee then tho● canst perform , the terrour is grea● the pain will be extream , and life 〈◊〉 sweet : better it were betime to sti●● to mercy , while there is hope of lif● then rashly to begin and then to shrink . to whom kerby replied , ah , master wingfield , be at my burning and you shall say , there standeth a christian souldier in the fire : for i know that fire and water , sword and all other things are in the hands of god , and he will suffer no more to be laid upon us then he will give us strength to bear . anne askew . pray , pray * , pray . to her confession in newgate she thus subscribes . written by me anne askew , that neither wisheth death , nor feareth his might , and as merry as * one that is bound towards heaven . wrisley lord chancellour sent her letters ( being at the stake ) offering to her the kings pardon if she would recant , who refusing once to look upon them , made this answer again , that she came not thither to deny her lord and master . sir george blague . he being one of the kings privy chamber , was condemned and appointed to be burned , but being pardoned by the king , and coming after into his presence ; ah my pig ( saith the king to him , for so he was wont to call him ) yea , said he , if you● majestie had not been better to m● then your bishops were , your pig had been rosted ere this time . mr john rogers . that morning he should be burned he was found asleep , and could scarce with much jogging be awaked : at length being raised and waked , and bid to make haste , the●● said he , if it be so i need not to ti● my points . the sunday before he suffered , he drank to mr hooper , being then underneath him , and bad them commend him unto him , and tell him there was never little fellow would better stick to a man , then he would stick to him , presupposing they should both be burned together , although it happened otherwise , for mr rogers was burnt alone . he was the protomartyr of all the blessed company that suffered in queen maries time , that gave the first adventure upon the fire . his wife and children being eleven in number , ten able to go , and one sucking on her breast , met him by the way as he went toward smithfield ; this sorrowfull sight of his own flesh and bloud could nothing move him , but that he constantly and chearfully took his death with wonderfull patience in the defence of christs gospel . laurence sanders . he seeming to be somewhat troubled at his lodging , one which was there about him asked him how he did : in very deed ( saith he ) i am in prison till i be in prison : meaning , that his minde was unquiet untill he had preached , and that then he should have quietnesse of minde , though he were put in prison . he that did lie with him in prison in the same bed , reported that he heard him say , that even in the time of his examination he was wonderfully comforted , in so much as not only in spirit but also in body , he received a certain taste of that holy communion of saints , whilst a most pleasant refreshing did issue from every part and member of the body , unto the seat and place of the heart , and from thence did ebb to and fro unto all the parts again . at coventry ( where he was burned ) a poor shoemaker which was wont to serve him of shoes , came to him and said ; o my good master , god strengthen and comfort you gran mercy good shoemaker , quoth master sanders , and i pray thee to pray for me , for i am the unmeetest man for this high office , that ever was appointed to it ; but my gracious god and dear father is able to make me strong enough . when he came to the fire he fell to the ground and praied , then he rose up again and took the stake to which he should be chained , in his arms , and kissed it , saying : welcome the crosse of christ , welcome everlasting life : and being fastened to the stake , and fire put to him , full sweetly he slept in the lord . in the beginning of q. maries time , there being a communication between laurence sanders and d. pendleton , the doctor took upon him to comfort mr sanders all that he might , admonishing him not to start aside , having put his hand to gods plough ; i will see said he ( being a fat man ) the utmost drop of this grease of mine molten away , and the last gobbet of this flesh consumed to ashes , before i will forsake god and his truth . sanders on the other side seemed so fearfull and feeblespirited , that he seemed rather to fall quite from gods word which he had taught , then to stick to his profession and abide by his tacle , but after sanders suffered most willingly , and pendleton played the apostata . mr john hooper . being at zarick with bullinger , at his parting with him he promised to write unto him how it went with him . but the last news of all i shall not be able to write : for there , said he ( taking m. bullinger by the hand ) where i shall take most pains , there shall you hear of me to be burned to ashes , and that shall be the last news , which i shall not be able to write unto you , but you shall hear of me . when mr hooper being made bishop of worcester and glocester should have his arms given him by the herald , as the manner is for every bishop to have his arms assigned unto him ( whether by the bishops or heralds appointment is uncertain ) the arms to him allotted was a lamb in a fiery bush , and the sun-beams from heaven descended down upon the lamb , rightly denoting as it seemed , the order of his suffering , which afterward followed . his life was so pure and good , that no kinde of slander ( although divers went about to reprove it ) could fasten any fault upon it . i know not one of all those vertues and qualities required of st paul in a good bishop , lacking in this good bishop . bishop ridley and he differed about the ceremonies , yet both being in prison for the truths sake they were reconciled . every day his manner was to have to dinner a certain number of poor folk of worcester by course , who were served by four at a messe , with whole and wholesome meats : and when they were served ( being afore examined by him or his deputies of the lords prayer , the articles of their faith , and ten commandments ) then he himself sate down to dinner , and not before . sir anthony kingston his friend coming to him a little before his death , used these words , life is sweet and death bitter , to whom he replied , that the death to come was more bitter , and the life to come more sweet . a blinde boy being brought unto him , who had not long afore suffered imprisonment at glocester for confessing of the truth , master hooper after he had examined him of his faith and the cause of his imprisonment , beheld him stedfastly , and ( the water appearing in his eies ) said unto him : ah poor boy , god hath taken from thee thy outward sight , for what consideration he best knoweth ; but he hath given thee another sight much more precious , for he hath indued thy soul with the eye of knowledge and faith : god give thee grace continually to pray unto him , that thou lose not that sight , for then shouldst thou be blinde both in body and soul . being at the stake , and having entred into his prayer , a box wa● brought and laid before him upon ▪ stool with his pardon ( or at least fained so to be ) from the queen if he would turn : at the sight where of he cried , if you love my soul away with it , if you love my soul away wit● it . the box being taken the lor● shandoys said , seeing there is no remedy dispatch him quickly . master hooper said , good my lord , i trust you will give me leave to make an end of my praiers . doctor taylor . he told the sheriffe and others ( who laboured to turn him to the popish religion ) that he had been deceived himself , and was like to deceive a great many of hadley of their expectation . i am ( said he ) as you see , a man that hath a very great carkasse , which i thought should have been buried in hadley church-yard , if i had died in my bed as i well hoped i should have done ; but herein i see i was deceived : and there are a great number of worms in hadley church-yard which should have had jolly feeding upon this carrion , which they have looked for many a day : but now i know we be deceived , both i and they ; for this carkasse must be burned to ashes , and so shall they loose their bait and feeding that they look to have had of it . having light off his horse in his journey to hadley a little afore he suffered , he leapt and fet a frisk or twain , as men commonly doe in dancing : mr doctor quoth the sheriffe , how doe you now , he answered ; well , god be praised good mr sheriffe , never better , for now i know i am almost at home , i lack not past two stiles to go over , and i am even at my fathers house . the same morning in which he was called up by the sheriffe to go to his burning ( about three of the clock in the morning ) being suddainly awaked out of his sound sleep , he sate up in his bed , and putting on his shirt , had these words , speaking somewhat thick after his accustomed manner : ah horson theeves , ah horson theeves , rob god of his honour , rob god of his honour . afterward being risen and tying his points , he cast his arms about a balke which was in the chamber between mr bradfords bed and his : and there hanging by the hands , said to master bradford : o master bradford , quoth he , what a notable swing should i give if i were hanged ? william hunter . his mother said to him a little before his suffering , that she was glad that ever she was so happy to bear such a childe which could finde in his heart to lose his life for christs name sake . then william said to his mother , for my little pain which i shall suffer , christ hath promised me mother ( said he ) a crown of joy , may you not be glad of that mother ? with that his mother kneeled down on her knees , saying ; i pray god strengthen thee my son to the end , yea i think thee as well bestowed as any childe that ever i bare . being at the stake , he said , son of god shine upon me , and immediately the sun in the firmament shone out of a dark cloud so full in his face , that he was constrained to look another way , whereat the people mused because it was so dark a little time before . john lawrence . he being not able to go ( because his legs were so worn with heavy irons in prison , and his body weakned with evil keeping ) was born to the fire in a chair , and he sitting in the fire , the young children came about the fire and cried as well as young children could speak , saying , lord strengthen thy servant and keep thy promise , lord strengthen thy servant and keep thy promise . dr farrar bishop of st davids . one richard jones a knights son coming to m. farrar a little before his death , seemed to lament the painfulnesse of the death he had to suffer , unto whom the bishop answered again to this effect , saying , that if he saw him once to stir in the pains of his burning , he should then give no credit to his doctrine . and as he said , so he right well performed the same ; for so patiently he stood , that he never moved , but even as he stood , holding up his stumps , so still he continued , till one richard gravell with a staff dashed him upon the head , and so struck him down . rawlins white . the bishop of landaffe asking him whether he would revoke his opinions or no . surely ( said rawlins ) my lord , rawlins you left me , and rawlins you finde me , and by gods grace rawlins i will continue . the night before he was to suffer , he sent to his wife , and willed her by the messenger that in any wise she should make ready and send unto him his wedding garment , meaning a shirt , which afterward he was burned in . as he went to the place of execution , in his way his poor wife and children stood weeping , and making great lamentation : the sudden sight of whom so pierced his heart , that the very tears trickled down his face , but he soon after , as though he had misliked this infirmity of his flesh , began to be as it were altogether angry with himself , in so much , that in his striking his breast with his hand , he used these words ; ah flesh , staiest thou me so ? wouldst thou fain prevail ? well , i tell thee doe what thou canst , thou shalt not by gods grace have victory . thomas haukes . darbishire bishop bonners kinsman said unto him , that he was too curious , for he would have nothing but his little pretty gods book . and is it not sufficient for my salvation ? said haukes : yes ( said he ) it is sufficient for our salvation , but not for our instruction : god send me the salvation ( said haukes ) and you the instruction . some of haukes his friends privily desired him , that in the midst of the flame he would shew them some token if he could , whether the pain of suffering were so great , that a man might not therein keep his minde quiet and patient . which thing he promised them to do , and so secretly between them it was agreed , that if the rage of the pain were tolerable and might be suffered , then he should lift up his hands above his head toward heaven , before he gave up the ghost . having continued long in the flame , and his speech being taken away by the violence of the flame , and his fingers consumed with the fire , so that now all men thought certainly he had been gon , suddenly and contrary to expectation the blessed servant of god , being mindfull of his promise afore made , reached up his hands burning on a light fire ( which was marvellous to behold ) over his head to the living god , and with great rejoicing , as seemed , strook or clapped them three times together : at the sight whereof there followed such applause and out-cry of the people , and especially of them which understood the matter , that the like had not commonly been heard . john bradford . he did not eat above one meal a day ; which was but very little when he took it : and his continuall study was upon his knees . in the midst of dinner he used often to muse with himself , having his hat over his eies , from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on his trencher . he was very gentle to man and childe , and in so good credit with his keeper , that at his desire in an evening ( being prisoner in the kings bench in southwark ) he had licenc● upon his promise to return again that night , to go into london without any keeper to visit one that was sick lying by the still-yard : neither did he fail his promise , but returned unto his prison again , rather preventing his hour then breaking his fidelity . he slept not commonly above four hours in the night ; and in his bed till sleep came , his book went not out of his hand . he counted that hour not well spent wherein he did not some good , either with his pen , study , or in exhorting of others . whosoever ( saith he ) hath not learned the lesson of the crosse , hath not learned his a , b , c , in christianity . he was not content till he found god coming into his spirit with severall dispensations , according to the severall parts of his prayer . the keepers wife came up suddenly to him ( he being in the keepers chamber ) as one half amazed , and seeming much troubled , being almost windelesse , said , o m. bradford , i come to bring you heavy news , what is that , said he ? marry quoth she to morrow you must be burned , and your chain is now a buying , and soon you must go to newgate ; with that m. bradford put off his cap , and lifting up his eies to heaven , said , i thank god for it ; i have looked for the same time , and therefore it cometh not now to me suddenly , but as a thing waited for every day and hour , the lord make me worthy thereof . creswell offering to make sute for m. bradford : he thus answered , i● the queen will give me life i will thank her , if she will banish me i will thank her , if she will burn me i will thank her , if she will condem● me to perpetuall imprisonment , i will thank her . some of the subscriptions of his letters were observable , the most miserable , heardhearted , unthankfull sinner , john bradford . a very painted hypocrite , john bradford . christopher waid . as soon as he was fastened to the stake , he spake ( his hands and eies being lifted up to heaven ) with ● cheerfull and loud voice , the last verse of the 86. psalm . shew me ● token for good , that they which hate m● may see it and be ashamed , because thou lord hast holpen me and comforted me . fire being put unto him , he cried unto god often , lord jesus receive my soul , without any sign of impatiency in the fire , till at length after the fire was once throughly kindled , he was heard by no man to speak , still holding his hands up over his head together towards heaven , even when he was dead and altogether rosted , as though they had been staid up with a prop standing under them . robert samuell a minister . he would often in prison have drank his own water , but his body was so dried up with his long emptinesse , that he was not able to make one drop of water : after he had been pined with hunger two or three daies together , he then fell into a sleep , as it were one half in a slumber , at which time one clad all in white seemed to stand before him which ministred comfort unto him by these words , samuel , samuel , be of good cheer , and take a good heart unto thee , for after this day shalt thou never be either hungry or thirsty . which thing came even to passe accordingly , for speedily after he wa● burned , and from that time till b● should suffer , he felt neither hung● nor thrist . robert glover . after he was condemned by the b●shop , and was near his death , tw● or three daies before his heart bein● lumpish and destitute of all spiritual● consolation , he felt in himself ● aptnesse nor willingnesse , but rathe● a dulnesse of spirit , full of much dis●comfort to bear the bitter crosse o● martyrdome ready to be laid upo● him . whereupon fearing in himself least the lord had utterly with drawn his wonted favour from hi● he made his moan to austen benh●● a minister , and his familiar frien● signifying how earnestly he had pra●ed day and night unto the lord , an● yet could receive no motion , no sense of any comfort from him : unto whom the said austen answerin● again , desired him patiently to wai● the lords pleasure , and howsoeve● his present feeling was , yet seeing his cause was just and true , he exhorted him constantly to stick to the same , and to play the man , nothing misdoubting but the lord in his good time would visit him , and satisfie his desire with plenty of consolation , whereof ( he said ) he was right certain , and therefore desired him whensoever any such feeling of gods heavenly mercies should begin to touch his heart , that then he should shew some signification thereof , whereby he might witnesse with him the same , and so departed from him . the next day when the time came of his martyrdome , as he was going to the place , and was now come to the sight of the stake , although all night before praying for strength and courage he could feel none , suddenly he was so mightily replenished with gods holy comfort , and heavenly joyes , that he cried out clapping his hands to austen , and saying in these words , austen he is come , he is come , and that with such joy and ala●rity , as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life , then as one passing out of the world by any pains of death . such was the change of the marvellous working of the lords hand upon that good man . bishop ridley . he offering to preach before the lady mary ( being made queen ) was refused . he was after brought by sir thomas wharton to a room , and desired to drink . after he had drunk , he paused a little while looking very sadly , and suddenly brake out into these words ; surely i have done amisse , why so ? quoth sr thomas wharton . for i have drunk ( said he ) in that place where gods word offered hath been refused . whereas if i had remembred my duty , i ought to have departed immediately , and to have shaken off the dust of my shoes for a testimony against this house . these words were spoken by him with such a vehemency , that some of the hearers afterward confessed , that it made their hair stand upright on their heads . the night before he suffered , his bear'd was washed and his legs , and as he sate at supper the same night at m. irishes ( who was his keeper ) he bad the hostesse and the rest of the bord to his marriage ; for , saith he , tomorrow i must be married , and so shewed himself to be as merry as ever he was at any time before . m. ridley looking ( as he was going to the stake ) espied master latimer coming after , unto whom he said , o be ye there , yea , said m. latimer , have after as fast as i can follow : after they came both to the stake , d. ridley with a wondrous chearfull look ran to m. latimer , imbraced and kissed him , and as they that stood near reported , comforted him , saying : be of good heart , brother , for god will either asswage the fury of the flame , or else strengthen us to abide it . d. smith preached at the burning of bishop ridley and m. latimer on the first of the corinth . 13. 3. wherein he railed against the martyrs ( and these two especially ) crying still to the people to beware of them , for they were heretikes , and died out of the church . dr ridley ( after the sermon was ended ) desired liberty to speak , but could not obtain it , unlesse he would revoke his erroneous opinions and recant . to which he answered , so long as the breath is in my body , i will never deny my lord christ , and his known truth : gods will be done in me , and said with a loud voice , well , then i commit our cause to almighty god , which shall indifferently judge all . m. hugh latimer . in king edwards time he did so evidently fore-shew and prophecy o● all those kindes of plagues which afterwards ensued , that if england ever had a prophet , he might seem to be one . and as touching himself h● ever affirmed , that the preaching of the gospel would cost him his life . when the lieutenants man upon a time came to him in prison , the aged * father kept without a fire in the frosty winter , and well nigh starved for cold , merrily bad the man tell his master , that if he did not look the better to him perchance he would deceive him . he praied fervently , and oftentimes so long continued● kneeling , that he was not able to rise without help . the three principal matters he praied for , were first , that as god had appointed him to be a preacher of his word , so also he would give him grace to stand to his doctrine untill his death , that he might give his heart-bloud for the same . secondly , that god of his mercy would restore his gospel to england once again , and these words , once again , once again , he did so inculcate , as though he had seen god before him , and spoken to him face to face . his third request was for the preservation of queen elizabeth , whom in his praier he was wont to name , and even with his tears desired god to make her a comfort to this comfortlesse realm of england . upon new-years day every bishop was used to present the king with some handsome new-years gift , so they did some with gold , some with silver , some with a purse full of money , and some one thing , and some another : but m. latimer being bishop of worcester then , among the rest presented a new testament for his new-years gift with a napkin having this posie about it , fornicatores & adulteros * judicabit dominus , fornicatours and adulterers god will judge . to some that asked him why one that preacht his sermon did not preach as he did , he answered , he had his siddle and stick , but wanted his rozen . quem recitas meus est o fidentine , libellus : sed malè dum recitas , incipit esse tuus . he spake to m. ridley at the stake with him in this manner ; be of good comfort m. ridley , and play the man , we shall this day light such a candle by gods grace in england , as i trust shall neve● be put out . m. john philpot. bishop bonner said thus to him , what say you to the omnipotency of god ? is not he able to perform that which he spoke ? this is my body , i tell thee that god by his omnipotency may make himself to be this carpet if he will . to whom philpot answered , god is able to do whatsoever he willeth , but he willeth nothing which is not agreeable to his word : non potest deus facere quae sunt naturae suae contraria . it is contrary to the nature of god to be a carpet , for a creator to be the creature . a messenger from the sheriffs coming to m. philpot , and bidding him make ready , for the next day he should suffer and be burned at a stake with fire . master philpot answered and said , i am ready ; god grant me strength , and a joyfull resurrection . and so he went into his chamber , and poured out his spirit unto the lord god , giving him most hearty thanks , that he of his mercy had made him worthy to suffer for his truth . as he went with the sheriffs to the place of execution , entring into smithfield the way was foul , and two officers took him up to bear him to the stake . then said he merrily , what ? will ye make me a pope ? i am content to goe my journies end on foot . but first coming into smithfield he kneeled down there , saying these words ; i will pay my vows in thee , o smithfield . and when he was come to the place of suffering , he kissed the stake , and said , shall i disdain to suffer at this stake , seeing my redeemer did not refuse to suffer a most vile death upon the crosse for me ? thomas cranmer archbishop of canterbury . he was so milde to his enemies that if any of them ( who had wronged him ) would seem never so slenderly to relent or excuse himself , he would both forget the offence committed , and also evermore afterward friendly entertain him , insomuch that it came into a common proverb , doe unto my lord of canterbury a displeasure , a shrewd turn , and then you may be sure to have him your friend while be liveth . he was a means to bring some learned men from beyond sea into england , as bucer , paulus fagius , peter martyr , tremellius * , being very hospitable to learned and pious men . and there are in calvins epistles letters between calvin and him . when the fire began to burn near him , he stretching out his arm put his right hand to the flame , which he held so stedfast and immoveable ( saving that once with the same hand he wiped his face ) that all men might see his hand burned before his body was touched . his eyes were lifted up into heaven , and oftentimes he repeated his unworthy * right hand , so long as his voice would suffer him ; and using often the words of stephen , lord jesus receive my spirit ; in the greatnesse of the flame he gave up the ghost . william tyms . he being brought and examined before bishop boner and the bishop of bath , the bishops began to pi●y tyms case , and to flatter him , saying ; ah good fellow thou art bold , and thou hast a good fresh spirit , we wish thou hadst learning to thy spirit . i thank you ( my lord ) said tyms , and both you be learned , and i would you had a good spirit to your learning . hugh laverock an old lame man , john apprice a blinde man , martyrs , burn'd at stratford the bow . at their death hugh laverock after he was chained , casting away his cr●tch , and comforting john apprice his fellow martyr , said unto him ; be of good comfort my brother , for my lord of london is our good physitian . he will heal us both shortly ; thee of thy blindenes , and me of me lamenesse . bradbridges wife . when she was condemned of the bishop to be burned , she had two children named patience and charity . who then said to the bishop , that if he would needs burn her , yet she trusted that he would take and keep patience and charity , meaning her two children . nay , quoth the bishop , by the faith of my body i will meddle with neither of them both . elizabeth folks . she being a young maiden and examined , whether she believed the presence of christs body to be in the sacrament substantially and really o● no , answered , that she believed it was a substantiall lie , and a reall lie . when she was at the stake , she said , farewell all the world , farewell faith , farewell hope , and so taking the stake in her hand , said , welcome love . william sparrow . he said thus to bishop boner , that which you call truth i do believe to be heresie , and that which you call heresie is good and godly , and if every hair of my head were a man ( said he ) i would burn them all rather then go from the truth , &c. john rough . master rough being at the burning of austen in smithfield , and returning homeward again , met with one m. farrar , a merchant of hallifax who asked him where he had been . unto whom he answered , i have been where i would not for one of mine eyes , but i had been . where have you been , said m. farrar ? forsooth ( saith he ) to learn the way . and so he told him he had been at the burning of austoo , where shortly after he was burned himself . roger holland . he said thus to bishop boner . this i dare be bold in god to speak ( which by his spirit i am moved to say ) that god will shorten your hand of cruelty , that for a time you shall not molest his church . and this shall you in a short time well perceive , my dear brethren , to be most true . for after this day , in this place shall not there any by him * be put to the triall of fire and fagot . william pikes . somewhat before his apprehension , he sitting in his garden , and reading in a bible , suddenly there fell down upon his book between 11 , and 12 a clock of the day four drops of fresh bloud , and he knew not from whence it came . then he seeing the same was sore astonished , and could by no means learn from whence it should fall , and wiping out one of the drops with his finger , he called his wife , and said . in the vertue of god wife what meaneth this ? will the lord have four sacrifices ? i see well enough the lord will have bloud : his will be done , and give me grace to abide the triall . afterward he daily looked to be apprehended of the papists , and it came to passe accordingly . alice driver . d. gascoin and she conferring , she asked him whether it was christs body that the disciples did eat over night . he answered , yea . what body was it then ( said she ) that was crucified the next day , he replying , christs body , how could that be ( said she ) when his disciples had eaten him over night ? except he had two bodies , as by your argument he had . one they did eat over night , and another was crucified the next day . such a doctour , such doctrine : she put all her examiners to shame , that one looked on another , and had not a word to speak , whence she brake out into these words , have you not more to say ? god be honoured , you are not able to resist the sperit of god in me a poor woman . i was an honest poor mans daughter , never brought up in the vniversity , as you have been , but i have driven the plough before my father many a time , i thank god , yet notwithstanding in the defence of gods truth , and in the defence of my master christ , by his grace i will set my foot against the foot of any of you all , in the maintenance and defence of the same ; and if i had a thousand lives they should goe for paiment thereof . prests wife . in her trouble she would take no money , for she said , i am going to a city where money beareth no mastery whiles i am here god hath promised to feed me . elizabeth young . she being committed to close prison , the keeper was charged by doctor martin in her hearing , to give her one day bread , and another day water , to which she made this answer : if ye take away my meat , i trust that god will take away my hunger . chap. iii. martin luther . he was born on st martins day , and therefore called * martin luther . he was though strong in body , yet sparing in diet ; i saw him ( saith * melancthon ) when he was in good health , four whole daies eating and drinking nothing at all , i have often seen him at other times to be content many daies with a little bread and herring daily . when he recreated himself , and took his minde off his studies , he was delighted with the play of chesse , and was skilfull at it . he was almost beyond measure liberall toward the poor : it happened once that a student asked some money of him , he bad his wife to give him something , but she excusing the matter in regard of their penury at that time , he took a silver cup which stood near to his hand , and gave it to the scholler , wishing him to sell it to the goldsmith , and take the mon● to himself . erasmus saith , lenitatem se in 〈◊〉 desiderare , he wished him more moderation and temper in his writing erasmus also often said , that god gave to this last age a sharp physitian because of the greatnesse of their diseases . intemperans aeger crudelem medicum fecit . he was by nature fiery but placable ; therefore when melancthon came once to him being vehemently moved , he rehearsed this verse to him the rest being silent , vince animos iramque tuam qui caeter● vincis . overcome thy minde and anger ▪ which overcomest other things . calvin * saith , though luther should call him a devil , yet he would honour him as a famous servant of god , who as he excels with great vertues , so he hath also great vices , but i would ( saith he ) he had alwaies exercised his vehemency which was imbred in him on the enemies of the truth , and not also on the servants of god , and that he had spent more pains in acknowledging his own faults . he was of a just stature , a strong body , of such a lion-like vivacity of eyes that many could not endure to look directly upon him . he had good health , except that towards his later end he was often troubled with a pain in his head ; whence he : valemus omnes praeter lutherum ipsum , qui corpore sanus , foris à toto mundo , intus à diabolo patitur & omnibus angelis ejus . we are all well save luther himself , who being sound in body suffers outwardly from the whole world , inwardly from the devil and all his angels . a great deal of money was given him by dukes and princes , so that i began ( saith he ) to fear least god would herereward me , sed protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari ab eo , but i protested that i would not so be satisfied by him . he saith somewhere of himself , that he was never in all his life tempted to covetousnesse , one that was so great a reformer as he was , had need to have a spirit disingaged from the world . when upon a time one papist demanded of another , why do you not stop the mans mouth with gold and silver ? the other answered , hem , germana haec bestia pecuniam non curat . see , this germain beast careth not for money . he was the first that opposed the popish indulgences . occasione nundinationis indulgentiarum pretio numerato , lutherus initio fuit permotus ad hoc quod suscepit reformaetionis opus . in the same year * when martin luther began , pope leo the tenth did create one and thirty cardinals : in which year and day of their creation , there fell a tempest of thunder and lightning in rome , which so shook the earth when the cardinals were made , that it removed the little childe jesus out of the lap of his mother , and the keyes out of s. peters hands , which thing many then did interpret to signifie and foreshew the subversion and alteration of the sea of rome . erasmus told frederick duke of saxony , that in luther were two great faults : first , that he would touch the bellies of the monks . secondly , that he would touch the popes crown , which two matters in no case are to be medled withall . luthers friends disswading him from going to worms , some crying that by the burning of his books it appeared he was condemned in the judgement of the papists : others instancing in the examples of john hus and savanarola : luther thus answered * , as touching me , since i am sent for , i am resolved and certainly determined to enter worms in the name of our lord jesus christ , yea although i knew there were so many devils to resist me , as there are tiles to cover the houses 〈◊〉 wormes . whose undaunted minde , mos● fervent zeal , great learning ( sait● * chamier ) stirred up many who armed themselves against the errours and commonly received superstitions , among which were zuingllus * oecolampadius , melancthon , b●cer , calvin , and many others , whos● labours and endeavours that way● god would not suffer to be frusta●neous . albertus crantzius an historia● of the vandales is reported to hav● said to luther , frater vade * in cel●lam , & dic miserere mei deus . brother go into thy cell , and say , lord have mercy upon me , insinuating that an aust●n monke should in vai● dispute against the pope . his praiers were so ardent unto christ , that ( as melancthon writeth ) they which stood under his window where he stood praying might see his tears falling and dropping down . he praied every day three hours , and then when his spirits were most lively , pertres horas easque ad studia aptissimas . when he preached they which heard him thought every one his own temptations severally to be noted and touched , whereof when signification was given unto him by his friends , and he demanded how that could be : mine own manifold temptations ( said he ) and experiences are the cause thereof . for from his tender years he was much exercised with spirituall conflicts , and vexed with all kinde of temptations . hee regarded not the threats of his adversaries the papists , he said to melancthon , si nos ●uemus ruet christus una , scilicet ille regnator mundi : & esto ●uat , malo ego cum christo rue●re , quam cum caesare stare . if we fall christ the lord and ru●er of the world falleth with us , i had rather fall with christ then stand with caesar . when any evil news was brought to him , he called for the 46. psal● to comfort him . he saith in one place , odi istud v●cabulum paenitenti● * there was one no word so terrible unto him ( while he was a papist ) and which his so●●did more hate then that , repent , b●● after no word was more sweet , when he understood the gospel . when a certain jew was appointed to come to destroy him by poison yet it was the will of god that luther had warning thereof before , an● by the face of the jew sent to him by picture , whereby he knew him , an● avoided the pill . in the garden of his houses the devil appeared to him in the form of 〈◊〉 black bore , but he regarded it not . cajetan asked him whether 〈◊〉 thought the duke of saxony would make warre in his behalf ▪ he said , 〈◊〉 would not have him : where wil● you be then said cajetan ? luthe● answered , i shall be sub caelo under heaven . erasmus wrote that there was more solid divinity contained in one folio of luthers commentaries , then in many large writings of the schoolmen and such like . he said and taught many things truly and gravely , as concerning the sacred scripture and its authority , solis canonicis libris debetur fides , caeteris omnibus judicium . we must beleeve the canonicall books only , and may judge all others . he was so zealous to have the scriptures read , that he professed , if he thought the reading of his books would hinder the reading of the scripture , he would burn them all before he died . his saying was , ecclesia sanguine & oratione totum mundum convertit . when something concerning a businesse was concluded amisse at norimberg , he said , longe aliter in caelo quam norimbergae hoc de negoti● erat conclusum : it was farre otherwise concluded in heaven then at norimberg concerning that matter . he took a liberty to himself t● speak stoutly when he was brought before the emperour , till he hear● the pen go behinde the hangings . he hath some high expressions in● in his writings , fiat volunt as nostra , let our will be done . cave non tantum à peccatis sed etiam a bonis operibus . take heed not only of sins but also of good works . he being in an agony , and 〈◊〉 glimpse of christs righteousnesse being discovered to him out of rom. 1. 17. and perceiving that it was not meant , de justitia puniente , but justificante , not of his punishing justice , but that which justifieth the ungodly , he saith , i perceived my self regenerate , and to have entred into paradise , the scripture presently appeared in a new hew . he would have been content at the first if they would have taken away indulgencies . he said , brevi efficiam ut anathema sit esse papistam : i will shortly cause it to be a curse to be a papist . a young man about wittenberg being kept bare and needy by his father , was tempted by way of sorcery to bargain with the devil or a familiar ( as they call him ) to yield himself body and soul unto the devils power , upon condition to have his wish satisfied with money , so that upon the same an obligation was made by the young man , written with his own bloud , and given to the devil : upon the sudden wealth and alteration of the young man , the matter first being noted , began afterward more and more to be suspected , and at length after long and great admiration he was brought unto martin luther to be examined . the young man whether for shame or fear long denied to confesse , and would be known of nothing , yet god so wrought being stronger then the devil , that he uttered unto luther the whole substance of the cause , as well touching the money , as the obligation . luther understanding the matter and pittying the lamentable state of the man , willed the whole congregation to pray , and he himself ceased not with his prayers and labour , so that the devil was compelled at last to throw in his obligation at the window , and bad him take it again unto him . he held consubstantiation , but confessed to melancthon that he had gone too far in the controversie of the sacrament . melancthon perswaded him by the publishing of some milde writing to explain himself . luther replied to that , that by this means he should cause his whole doctrine to be suspected , but melancthon might do what seemed good to him after his death . when they said he had recanted , he writing to his friend stupitius , saith , omnia de me praesumas praeter fugam & palinodiam : presume any thing of me sooner then flying and retracting . luther so much esteemed of his book de servo arbitrio , that he gloried in it as unanswerable and wrote to wolfangus fabricius capito : nullum se agnoscere justum suum librum , nisi fortè de servo arbitrio , & catechismo , that he acknowledged none of his books for his , but those two , that de servo arbitrio , and his catechisme . if any of his books be to be disliked , surely that de sermonibus convivalibus is most faulty , of which gerhard * ( a lutheran ) saith thus , liber ille convivalium sermonum à luthero nec visus , nec lectus , nec approbatus est , quin multoties privato quorundam arbitrio mutatus , mutilatus , auctus . he said of the pope , non habeo argumentum robustius , that he should fall , then quia sine cruce regnat . luther speaks slightly himself of his first labours . above all i beseeeh the godly reader , and for our lord jesus christs sake , that he would reade my writings judiciously , and with much compassion , and let him know that i was formerly a monk and a most furious papist , when i first entred into the cause undertaken by me . he fitly called the popes bull bullam , a bubble in respect of its vanity . being reproached , he said , prorsus satan lutherus sit , modo christus vivat & regnet , let lurther be counted a devil so christ may live and reign . his saying was , turcicum imperium quantum quantum est , mica tantum est quam pater-familias pr●jicit canibus , the whole turkish empire is but a crumme that the master of the family throws to a dog . he said he learnt more by one fervent prayer , then he could get by reading of many books or most intent * meditation . melancthon in his preface to his 3d tome reports this of him . when he often seriously thought of the anger of god , or the wonderfull examples of punishments , suddenly he had such terrours that he was almost dead with them , and in disputing once about some points being much amazed , he lay upon a bed in the next room , where he often inserted this sentence in his prayer : he hath concluded all under sin that he might have mercy on all . his prayer a little before his death was this , paeter mi caelestis , deus & pater domini nostri jesu christi , deus omnis consolationis , ago tibi gratias , quod filium tuum jesum christum mihi revelasti , cui credidi , quem sum professus , quem amavi , quem celebravi , &c. my heavenly father , the god and father of our lord jesus christ , the god of all consolation , i give thee thanks , that thou hast revealed thy son jesus christ to me , whom i have beleeved , whom i have professed , whom i have loved and celebrated . when he lay a dying , this was his will for his wife great with childe and his little son . domine deus , gratias ago tibi , quod volueris me esse pauperem super terram & mendicum . non habeo domum , agrum , possessiones , pecuniam 〈◊〉 quae relinquam . tu dedisti mihi uxorem & filios , tibi reddo , nutri , doce , serva , ut hactenus me , o pater pupillarum , & judex viduarum . o lord god , i thank thee that thou wouldst have me to be poor upon the earth , i have no house land or money that i should leave them . thou hast given me wife and children , i restore them to thee , doe thou o father of orphans and judge of widdows , nourish , teach , keep them , as thou hast hitherto me . chap. iiii. of the covenant and promises . i. of the covenant . the hebrew word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} berith , is derived from {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} barah , elegit , to choose , because god in the covenant of works did choose out man especially with whom he made the covenant , and because in the covenant of grace he chuseth out of the multitude the elect , and because a covenant is a thing which two chuse , and of which they mutually agree and promise betwixt themselves , although the word be used where ore alone doth promise with a simple promise , and so it may be referred to the testamentary disposition . or else it may come from {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} barah , comedit , to eat , as if they should say an eating , because they used in the eastern countries to establish covenants by eating and drinking together . the condition was about eating in the covenant of works . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} bara , signifieth to slay ( whence some derive a covenant ) because god made the first covenant of grace and sealed it by sacrifices * of beasts slain and divided . the covenant in generall may be described a mutuall compact or agreement betwixt god and man , whereby god promiseth all good things , specially eternall happinesse unto man , upon just , equall and favourable conditions , and man doth promise to walk before god in all acceptable , free and willing obedience , expecting all good from god , and happinesse in god according to his promise , for the praise and glory of his great name . a covenant is a solemn compact or agreement between two chosen parties or more , whereby with mutuall , free , and full consent they binde themselves upon select conditions tending to the glory of god and their common good . it differs from a promise gradually and in the formalities of it , not naturally or in the substance of it . a covenant usually is the collection of many promises , as a constellation is the collection of many starres , though it be but one promise , i will be thy god , yet it is such a one as comprehends many . there is a difference between a law and a covenant . a superiour may give a law whether the inferiour consent to it or no , but a covenant is ratified by the consent of both parties . a covenant is something unto which two persons by mutuall consent doe freely binde themselves . there are divers distinctions of covenants . 1. a covenant of nature . 2. a covenant of grace . 3. a mixt covenant consisting of nature and grace . others make these three covenants , 1. foedus natura , the covenant of nature made with adam . 2. foedus gratiae , the covenant of grace made to us in christ . 3. foedus subserviens , a preparing covenant to make way for the advancement of the covenant of grace in christ . others say , there were never any but two covenants made with man , one legall , the other evangelicall , of works or grace , the first in innocency , the other after the fall . foedus operum , when it was first made with man , was foedus amicitiae , god and man were then friends , foedus gratiae is foedus reconciliationis inter i●imicos . 1. the covenant of works wherein god covenanteth with man to give him eternall life upon condition of perfect obedience in his own person . 2. the covenant of grace which god maketh with man , promising eternall life upon condition of beleeving . we reade not in scripture the covenant of works and of grace totide● syllabis , the nearest we come to it is rom. 3. 27. the law of works opposed to the law of faith , which holds out as much as the covenant of works and the covenant of grace . the covenant of works was 1. that covenant wherein god was the authour and the ground of it , was gods free grace , it was reciprocall betwixt him and adam . we call not the second covenant a covenant of grace , because there was no grace in the first covenant , but in opposition to the condition of the first covenant which was works , and because greater grace is manifested in it then the first , 2. it was the same covenant under which the best of the creatures the angels now stand and injoy their happinesse , and adam should have been happy by observing this covenant if he had stood . christ was made under this covenant . 3. the promises of this covenant were very glorious . 1. for naturall life , in the body there was perfection without defect , beauty without deformity , labour without wearinesse . 2. for spirituall life , adam should not have had terrours in his conscience , sorrow , fear , shame . 3. for death , he should have been translated without dissolution . the faederati were god and adam together with all his posterity . god made a covenant with adam as a publick person , which represented all mankinde . the reasons of it may be these , 1. from the imputation of adams sin to all mankinde , rom. 5. 12. in whom , or for as much as all have sinned , they sinned not all in themselves , therefore in adam , see vers. 14. in him all died , 1 cor. 15. 47. 2. those on whom the curse of the covenant comes , they are under the bond and precept of the covenant , all mankinde is directly under the curse of the covenant , rom. 8. 20. 21. gal. 3. 13. adam did consent to it and understood the terms of the covenant , for god dealt with him in a rationall way , and expected from him a reasonable service . either he knew the tenour of the covenant , or else he broke it out of ignorance , but the first sin could not be a sin of ignorance , he knew whatsoever was necessary to know in a way of duty . god dealt with adam not only in a way of sovereignty but in a way of covenant , god did this for divers reasons . 1. for the speciall manifestation of his free grace . 2. that it might be the greater obligation to adam to obey , god made a promise and he gave his consent . 3. to sweeten his authority to man , deut. 6. 24. 4. to encourage man to obedience , heb. 12. 2. 5. that this might be a ground to adam to exercise his faith in beleeving whatsoever god had revealed or should reveal . 2. his love , 1 john 4. 19. 3. his hope . 6. to leave man inexcusable if he sin , that a clear way might be made for gods justification and mans conviction . objection , god is a free agent , how can it stand with his honour and absolute liberty to be bound to the creature ? answer , in a strict sense , 1. god cannot be said to be bound , but promittendo s● fecit debitorem , saith austins , and he is rather bound to himself , and his own faithfulnesse , then the creature . objection , how can it stand with gods justice to involve adams posterity in a covenant , which themselves never consented to . answer , it is not an injustice among men for parents to conclude their children , their acts binde them and their heirs . 2. god hath reserved to himself a liberty to visit the sins , not only of the first , but immediate parents on their children , gen. 9. 22. 1 thes. 2. 26. the sodomites children were punisht with their parents . 3. adam was our parent , there was the will of the nature , which was enough to inwrap them in originall sin , the sin of the nature . 4. this covenant was made with adam and his posterity out of free grace , therefore all his posterity was bound by way of thankfulnesse to consent . 5. they ought to rejoice in adams exaltation being so advanced , and to agree to the covenant made with him . 6. god made the best choice for them in the first adam ( as he did in the second ) in so doing , seeing he made him so perfect . the first covenant consists of three parts . gal. 3. 10 , 11 , 12. 1. the precept , that continueth not in all things . 2. the promise , live , the man that doth them shall live . 3. the curse in case of transgression , cursed in every one . the precept requires perfect and personall obedience . the condition of the covenant on mans part was 1. perfect obedience . 1. the commandment then did ( and still doth as it refers to the first covenant ) call for perfect obedience , lev. 18. 5. rom. 10. 5. gal. 3. 12. ezek 20. 25. 2. because there is a curse denounced against the least transgression , gal ▪ 3. 10. one sinne and that but in thought , broke the angels covenant , rom. 5. 17. 3. gods holinesse is such , that he requires from the creature perfect obedience , job 4. 18. heb. 1. 13. 4. there are two things in the law , 1. the principall part of it , the precept . 2. the accidentall , the curse : man is bound to the precept , jure creatoris , to the curse , jure judicis . 5. he gave us a perfect ability to obey in our creation , ephes. 4. 22 , 23. eccles. 7. ult. 6. he requires perfect obedience in christ , rom. 8. 4. 2. personall obedience . 1. there is a perfect obedience to the law required of every particular man , gal. 3. 10. 2. the curse is denounced against the person , the soul that sins shall die . 3. this was required of christ our surety , gal. 4. 4. 4. it was required for the acceptation of our persons and salvation of our souls . 5. the righteousnesse of the first covenant might easily be lost by transgression , dan ▪ 9. 23. chap. v. of the covenant of grace . after man by his fall had broken the first covenant , god our of his free grace did enter into a better and second covenant . 1. all the persons in the trinity did enter into covenant with man , they have all the same nature , essence , will , and this is an act ad extra , 2. sin was against all the persons in trinity , therefore all they were to be reconciled , but the person that chiefly made the covenant with man was god the father , the other persons have their peculiar office● in the administration of this covenant , the persons that god would take into covenant were designed by the father , john 17. 9. rev. 13. 6 , 8. he imploies christ as mediator of the covenant , isa. 49. 8. matth. 12. 18. he appoints how much grace and glory he will give to every one in this covenant . 2. the fountain from whence this covenant flows is the free grace of god , gen. 17. 2. i will make ( hebrew , i will give ) my covenant . ephes. 1. 6. isa. 41. 1 , 2. 2 sam. 7. 21. free grace is here exalted in these particulars . 1. from the consideration of the person that enters into covenant , god alsufficient . 2. of● the persons with whom he enter● into covenant , man fallen , gal. 4. 21. 3. in that this covenant was made with some of those that fell , and not others , ephes. 2. 12. 4. in that the lord hereby exalts our persons and services , hos. 2. 19. 5. in that sin can never spend the righteousnes of this covenant , hos. 3. 2 , 3. the covenant of grace is that free and gracious covenant which god of his free mercy in jesus christ , made with man a miserable and wretched sinner , promising unto him pardon of sin , and eternall happinesse , if he will return from his iniquity and embrace mercy reached forth by faith unfained , and walk before god in sincere , faithfull , and willing obedience , as becomes such a creature lifted up unto such injoyment , and partaker of such precious promises . god himself plotted this covenant , ephes. 1. 9 , 10. he spent infinite thoughts about it , psal. 40. 7. took infinite delight in it , isa. 53. 10. the main end of christs coming into the world was to bring in a new covenant , mal. 3. 1. heb. 7. 22. an● 12. 24. the spirit belongs to the se●cond covenant , isa. 59. ult. his glo●rious works , a witnesse , seal , earnest , belong to the spirit of the second covenant . the covenant of grace is more glorious then that of works . the first covenant was made with the first adam a mutable head , the second with the second adam an unchangeable head , gal. 3. 16. secondly , the covenant it self was a changeable covenant , it gave place to the covenant of grace , but this second covenant was an everlasting covenant . thirdly , the righteousnesse of the second covenant is far more glorious then the righteousnesse of the first covenant , that of the first covenant was the righteousnesse of a creature , this the righteousnesse of god . fourthly , the condition of the second covenant was more glorious then that of the first , the condition of the first covenant on mans part , was perfect and personall obedience of this covenant-faith , to sin against god in christ , is the highest way of sinning , and to glorifie god in christ , is the highest way of glorifying him . fiftly , the power of performing it is more glorious , now we have a constant supply of the spirit , ephes. 1. 19. and 4. 13. then we had none to assist us . sixtly , the promises of the second covenant are more glorious then those of the first , heb. 8. 6. * i will be thy god , i will give thee my son , my spirit , god did not tell adam that he would be his god in that way that he promiseth himself to his in the second covenant . god promiseth a more glorious manifestation of himself , and union with himself in christ , a higher manifestation of his wisdome , holinesse , power , and also of his mercy , which was not before discovered , a higher union , under the first head there was only a moral union of love , under the second a mysticall union , we are the same person with christ ; the second covenant brings repentance and pardon upon repentance . the first covenant said , if thou dost well thou shalt be excepted . we have a higher sonship . adam was a son by creation , we by christ , our ground of the acceptation of all our services is higher , god looks on us as being one with christ , we have a greater ground of perseverance , we have a higher title to our inheritance , adam was made king of this low world , christ was made heir of all things , and we coheirs with him . question , how can the covenant of grace be called a covenant * , as ier. 31. 34. since it contains a meer absolute free promise , whereas a covenant requireth mutuall conditions . now no condition can be required to this covenant , which the covenant it self doth not work ; for i will write my laws doth denote all things done by grace . answer . though god do perform , and in his covenant promise to performe what he requires , yet still there is something required which man consenting to , and promising to perform ( though not of himself by his own power ) it is a covenant . the covenant of grace is mentioned an hundred times directly in the scripture , and a thousand times by consequence . in generall it comprehends all the blessings which god can give from election to glorification . particularly he gives ; 1. his own self , god spared not his own sonne , to us a son is given , i will be thy god , thy reward , thy portion , thine inheritance . he is their reconciled god , theirs in a league of love and friendship . 〈◊〉 scripture useth to expresse this 〈◊〉 some peculiar relations , as of king● husband , father , he will do 〈◊〉 the offices of a good king , of a ●●ving husband and father . 2. he doth actually with himse●● put the soul into the possession 〈◊〉 many other things . 1. he brings reconciliati●● with god . 2. justification , the pardon 〈◊〉 all their sins , and covering 〈◊〉 their deformities with the 〈◊〉 of christs righteousnes . 3. adoption , makes them 〈◊〉 heirs with himself . 4. sanctification , he gi●● his spirit to dwell in them . thirdly , he gives them infin●● wealth in bils & bonds , in promi●● 1. for this life , 1. of preservation and de●●●verance from all evils , they 〈◊〉 either be prevented that 〈◊〉 come not , or sanctified if 〈◊〉 do come , or removed . 2. of a constant supply of 〈◊〉 good things they stand in need of , for soul , body , name , ps. 34. he will prosper and give successe to all the works of their hands , psalm 1. 2. job 22. 28. 2. for life to come . in the new covenant there be three great promises . 1. i will be your god . 2. i will pour out my spirit on ●ou . 3. i will give you my sonne . his giving his son is the ground of both the rest , he is a god to none but 〈◊〉 whom christ is a saviour , we ●ave the spirit also by interest in christ . first , i will be your god , genesis ●7 . 7. psal. 48. this god is our god , psal. 144. ult. 2 cor. 6. 16 , 18 . ●●at is , you shall have as true an in●erest in all my attributes for your ●ood , as they are mine for my glory , ●y grace to pardon you , my power ●o protect you , my wisdome to di●ect you . this is a comprehensive ●romise for god to be our * god it includes all , deus meus & omnia , said luther . the covenant of grace is both faedus amicitiae & conjugale , a covenant of friendship , and a conjugall covenant . abraham was in covenant with god , and god stiles him his friend ; also it is a conjugall league , hos. 2. 19 , 20. secondly , god promiseth his spirit , ioel 2. 28. john 14. 16 , 26. and 15. 26. and 16. 7. luke 24. 49. act. 1. 4. an accomplishment of which promise we have , act. 2. 23. the spirit is called , ephes. 1. 13. the holy spirit of promise , because this was the great promise which christ from the father hath made unto us , the giving of the holy ghost to work in us all the good which he requireth & apply all the good wch he hath promised . the giving of the spirit is a great and excellent promise of the new testament . the great promise of the old testament was the promise of christ , gen. 3. 16. of the messiah , all the ceremoniall law was but a typical enlargment of that promise . christ when he was to goe out of the world promised his spirit . 1. that in this last age of the world there might be a more full discovery of the great things of the gospel , the spirit reveals truth and stablisheth us in the truth , that gods people might know more of himself and his son , and prie more into the mysteries of the gospel . 2. there are more glorious conquests to be made in this last age of the world , all the great enemies of jesus christ are to be vanquished , ze. 4. 7. 2 thess. 2. 9. the sharpest sufferings are reserved for these times , therefore christ hath provided the most sovereign cordials . what undaunted courage , what invincible patience , what ravishing consolation had the martyrs in the flames ? god made good this promise to them in sending his spirit . we should put our bond in sute , turn promises into praiers , presse god with much importunity for more of the spirit . 3. god hath promised to give us his son . the whole covenant of grace i● purchased , founded , sealed , ratified in christs bloud , mat. 26. 28. heb. 9. 14 , 15. and 13. 20. it was gods plot from all eternity to save man in such a way , as should advance all his glorious attributes , his wisdome , power , justice , mercy , compassion , wrath , vengeance . the covenant of grace is the most free and gracious tender of christ , and all his rich purchases to all the lost and undone sons of adam that shall believe in him . all other particular promises found in the book of god receive their confirmation by the promise of christ . god promiseth sometimes to deliver from a particular affliction ; to assure them that that shall be kept , he makes a promise of christ , behold a virgin shall conceive . there are three things in the promise of christ to confirm all other promises . 1. because there may be made more objections against the lords giving of christ , then against any other promise whatsoever , in that the great provoked god must come to be a suter to his vassall , jehovah must lie in a virgins womb . 2. more love and compassion is shewed in that one promise of christ then in all other promises whatsoever . 3. because this is the mother promise , 2 cor. 1. 20. some say , the conditions of the covenant of grace , are repentance , faith and new obedience . sincerity alone ( or evangelicall perfection ) is the only absolute condition of the covenant of grace , gen. 17. ● . it is called an upright heart , that is , straight : it is also called integrity , a body that wants no members , a sound heart , a pure or sincere heart , a single heart , a simple and honest heart . evangelicall perfection is a work of gods spirit whereby the whole inward man is applied to god and his waies without the mixture of strange intentions or affections . 2. sincerity of singlenesse , purity , perfection is the whole substance and mettall of all graces which god worketh in the soul ; it is not any one grace , as patience , meeknesse , but the substance of every grace , faith and love unfeigned , praier which comes not out of feigned lips ; we must worship god in spirit and in truth , ephes. 4. 34. 3. god and the saints have ever judged of men by this , iudge me , o lord , according to mine integrity . 4. the promises are made to this , ps. 119. 1. mat. 5. 8. characters of sincerity . as preparatory or a motive to the rest , to be willing and desirous to have his heart thorowly tried and searched , joh. 3. 18 , 19 , 20. psalm 139. there are three reall marks , 1. it makes the work of grace universall . 1. in regard of the subject : therefore it is called a new creature . 2. in respect of the object , abstains from all sin , and performs all duty . 2. it is constant . 3. it presseth on to have more till it be filled with god and his waies , phil. 3. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. it is a matter of great concernment for a man rightly to understand the nature of the covenant under which he is , 2 sam. 23. 3 , 4. reasons . 1. because it is the covenant which god hath respect unto in all his dealings with you , psal. 105. 8. & 111. 5. 2. else we shall never be able to understand our own state , 1 cor. 11. 28. and 2 cor. 12. 5. galat. 4. 23 , 24 , 25. 3. else we shall never be able to judge a right of any of our actions , neither of gods waies to us , nor ours to him , gen. 4. 4. 4. without knowledge of the nature of the covenant we can never understand our own sinnes , we are not only breakers of the law , but transgressors of the covenant , hosea 6. 7. deut. 29. 21. lev. 26. 24 , 25. 5. according to our covenant , such is the spirit by which we are acted , and such is our law and practice , one under the first covenant is acted by the spirit of bondage , one under the second is acted by the spirit of adoption . 6. we cannot else understand our mercies or afflictions , whether they come from gods love or displeasure . 7. without this we cannot understand the riches of gods grace in the second covenant . 1. that he should enter into a covenant at mans creation . 2. when man had broke that to enter into a new covenant . 3. to finde out such a glorious way to abolish the first covenant . 4. to make it with such a glorious head , christ . 5. that the promises of this covenant should be better then those of the first covenant . 8. all our terrour or comfort comes from our covenant under which we are , heb. 6. 17. 1 pet. 3. 9. eph. 2. 2. we are under the covenant of grace . 1. if we be in the second adam , if we be willing to accept of christ upon his own terms , hos. 2. 18. 2. if sin have not dominion over us , rom. 6. 12. 3. if the lord put his laws into our minde , and write them in our hearts , heb. 8. 8. * it is an allusion to the two tables of the law . they were first written by the finger of god , and then put into the ark : so god first writes the law in our hearts , and then puts it in our mindes . the writing of the law in the heart signifies , 1. similitudinem , a conformity , an inward principle and disposition in the heart answerable to the doctrine in the book . 2. permanentiam , continuance , it is not a flitting but a binding principle , litera scripta manet . all the errours almost of these times may be confuted from the doctrine of the covenant , heb. 8. 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. 1. merit and supererogation of works , satisfaction given to justice must be commensurate to that justice which it must satisfie , infinite . 2. the popish and arminian doctrine of free-will . can man work in a way of grace so as to determine and make it effectuall before he have grace , a principle of working ? can a man receive grace offered without a speciall work of grace stirring and exciting him ? i will write my laws in their hearts , the promise then written in the heart is the foundation of all our faith , and the precept of all our obedience . 3. for in vocation of saints . christ is the mediatour of the new covenant ; he is touched with our infirmities , and yet cloathed with majesty , to his father he gives his merit for us , from his father he gives his spirit to us . 4. that arminian doctrine of universall grace and redemption , that christ should die intentionally for all . where ever the merit of christs death goes , there goes his spirit , the price and power of his death are equal ; all have not the spirit of christ , therefore not his merit . the socinians deny the satisfaction of christs death , justice must have satisfaction . christ ( they say ) came into the world to be an example , and give us a patern of vertue , as the pelagians say we have adams sin by imputation . they deny all infused habits of grace , and would only have moral perswasions . the antinomians also are hence confuted , there must needs be a work of grace in a man else the death of christ will be ineffectuall , then some principle of grace must be put into us . the old rule may stand still , though there be a new principle put into the heart , because the holines of god is not varied . the anabaptists , the covenant is with the house of israel , and gods children born in the covenant are of the house of israel . some say men are miserable two waies by adams fall . 1. as we stand under his covenant , and so come short of conformity to the law which requires perfect , personal , and perpetuall obedience . 2. as we bear his image , life and eternall salvation is offered on impossible terms , therefore ( say they ) in conversion there is required a double change . 1. morall , which is the change of a mans covenant . 2. physical , the change of a mans image . so that as a mans covenant is , such is his state , if under the first covenant , he is in a state of sin , of bondage and death , if he be under the second covenant , he is in a state of grace , of liberty and life , because he is no longer a son of the bond-woman , but of the free-woman . a man in christ is freed from the law as a covenant , in these respects . 1. for justification , gal. 2. 21. in respect of condemnation , christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us , gal. 5. 23. against such ( persons , not works ) there is no law . 2. he is freed from the law in respect of irritation , there is a power in it to stir up the lusts of men , ro. 6. 14. for ye are not under the law , as a covenant ( whether we understand it of its condemning or irritating power ) but under grace . 3. in respect of coaction the law causeth him not to do duties or forbear sins out of fear of the curse of it , gal. 5. 18. ye are not under the law , viz. constraining , 1 tim. 1. 9. a godly man is perfectly freed from the law as a covenant in respect of justification and condemnation , he is freed by degrees from the irritation and coaction of the law , al those that are out of christ are under the law for justification , condemnation , irritation and coaction . the covenant of grace is the same for substance now to us since christ was exhibited , and to them before he was exhibited , but the manner of administration of it is different , because it is , 1. now clearer : things were declared then in types and shadows : heaven was typed out by the land of canaan , we have things plainly manifested , 2 cor. 3. 12. in this respect it is called a better testament or covenant , heb. 7. 22. not in substance , but in the manner of revealing , and they are said to be better promises , heb. 18. 6. 2. of greater extent : then in iudah was god known , now to all nations . 3. abundance of the spirit is poured out now : some few men then had a great deal of grace , but * generally now men partake of abundant more grace , * both for knowledge and holinesse . chap. vi . 2. of the promises . christians have many and great promises , 2 cor. 7. 1. 2 pet. 1. 4. whereby are given to us , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , great and precious promises . 1. god makes them , they are the promises of a great god : great persons make great promises . 2. they are made to gods people , his elect : a king will not bestow mean things upon his favourites . reasons , why god makes great promises to his people . 1. hereby god sets forth his love to them , tit. 1. 2. 2. that we might have ground for our faith and hope : here in this world we are in a state of expectation , heb. 11. 39 , 40. 3. that hereby he might support them in their many troubles , gen. 15. 1. heb. 10. 35 , 36. this is a mercifull administration of the lord , adam had all his good things in possession , he soon lost them , by the promises they are as certain as if we had them already , 1 pet. 1. 3. the promises are sure and certain , god hath confirmed them , 1. by the sacraments . 2. by oath , the strongest confirmation that may be , heb. 6. 17 , 18. the faith of gods people is built upon two pillars , his power and faithfulnesse resembled by those two pillars , 1 king. 7. 21. bo●● in it is strength , jachin , he will establish . 1. gods power , that is often given as a prop to uphold our faith in his promises , mat. 22. 21 , 29. rom. 4. 20. & 11. 23. 2. his faithfulnesse , heb. 10. 23. 1 pet. 4. 19. when gods promises come to be fulfilled to his people , they finde twice as much in them as they expected , 1 cor. 2. 9. the promise is the shell wherein the kernell is contained , ephes. 1. 20. 2 pet. 1. 4. that promise in the covenant of grace that god will be our portion , there is a great deal more in it then we can understand ; god will put his fear in his peoples hearts , job 28. 16 , 17. prov. 3. 13. they shall enjoy eternall life with him in heaven , when this promise comes to be accomplished , it will be farre greater then we can now imagine . they finde the mercies of this life double many times to what they expect . reasons , 1. from our weak capacity , we are not able to understand how much is laid up in a promise , the experience of gods people is a great proof of this , the longer they chew the promise the sweeter it is . 2. the infinite goodnes and bounty of god joyned with his omnipotency and all-sufficiency , because god hath set his heart on his people he will give them abundantly more then they think of . the promises of god are of two sorts . 1. absolute , those which the lord hath undertaken to perform of his own free grace , not only citra meritum , but also citra conditionem , without all supposed or pre-required conditions in us : of this kinde are all those great promises of the new covenant , genesis 3. 15. and 17. 7. isaiah 43. 25. ezekiel 11. 19. jeremy 31. 33. hosea 14. 4. joel 2. 18. i will be thy god , i will give my sonne , i will pour out my spirit , i , even i am he who blot out your iniquities for my names sake , i will take away the heart of stone , and i will give an heart of flesh , i will put my law in your inward parts , and write it in your hearts ; i will heal your backesliding , and love you freely , for mine anger is turned away . 2. conditional , which shews what god will do upon the performance of such duties and conditions by the creature , which conditions without gods grace he is never able to perform ; ier. 17. 8 , 9 , 10. these are made for the encouragement of the creature in the waies of obedience , and to shew a mans inability , that he may flie to christ for strength , but they doe not alwaies shew the purpose of god to give the condition or reward . when once god makes a promise , though it may be a long time before it be fulfilled , yet it yeelds comfortable fruit from the day of his making of it . all agree that a promise is a certain pledge of performance in due time . four other fruits grow from a promise before it come to be accomplisht . 1. it is a certain evidence of gods love , a declaration of his heart and good will ; outward administrations come all from gods hand , but his promises come all from his heart , his affection is set on them who have an interest in the promises . reason , all the promises are made in and thorow christ , to christ and then to those who are united to him . 2. a promise from the day of the date of it is a sufficient pledge to the soul to whom it is made , that god will never doe them hurt , but his purposes and thoughts to them are alwaies good , notwithstanding the outward administrations . 3. it brings preservation to the soul , 1 pet. 1. 5. it will preserve it from the assaults of the devil , and the world . 4. it brings present consolation to the soul : in peter , where the apostle speaks of great and precious promises , he saith , we rejoyce with joy unspeakable . an ingagement of god in a promise is a speciall means to support christians in times of distresse . god was ever wont to bear up the spirits of his people rather by promises then providences . first , a great part of the bible is spent in reporting gods ingagements to his people by promise , and the exemplification of his people in performing his promises . secondly , the saints of god were wont to live by faith , ps. 56. 4. they ever fetcht consolation from the promises , as jacob , hast thou not said ? and jehosaphat , 2 chron. 2. reasons , 1. the end of god in making the promises was to give security . 2. they are a ray of his power for the creating of help : he that hath a promise hath a blessing in the root of it . 3. promises issue from the love , the grace and goodnesse of god , and are as unchangeable as his love , they are founded upon the truth and allsufficiency of god . that in heb. 13. 5. is as full a promise as any is in the bible , it is applicable to particular cases , made in the hazards of warre and difficulties of reformation , it is double to shew it is a fixed truth , and for time to come in the future tense , in the hebrews there is more said then is to ioshua . god saith , he will not leave him nor forsake him , heb. 13. 5. there are five negatives in that little sentence . all the subjects of christs kingdome of grace inherit all the promises of the covenant , they are their portion . 1. it is a great priviledge to be the heirs of gods promises , and the saints have gloried in it , david saith , thy promises have i claimed as mine heritage , by faith they imbraced the promises , heb. 11. 2. every childe of god hath a right to all the promises , 1 tim. 4. 8. gal. 3. 16. rom. 9. 4. 2 pet. 1. 4. 1. they are all made in and through christ , as branches of the covenant of grace . objection , particular promises were made to this or that man in a speciall case . answer , no particular promise was ever made to any for his own sake , but for christs ; therefore those promises which at first uttering of them were made to some particular person on a particular occasion , were after pressed on all gods people , as that , josh. 1. heb. 13. this is a peculiar priviledge to gods people , none but those under christs dominion have interest in the promises . we should therefore , 1. study the promises , and know for what use and time they serve . 2. beware of weighing them by our own carnall sense and reason . 3. set faith awork , let the heart rest on gods alsufficiency , his truth , wisdome , faithfulnesse . a good man fetcheth contentment ▪ and satisfaction to his soul in all conditions . 1. from the covenant of grace in generall , 2 sam. 23. 5. this covenant of grace , which god hath made with his people is gods assurance office , and the saints in all their fears may and ought to go to the covenant to assure all things to them , to assure their estates and their lives . 2. for particular promises in the covenant of grace , a gracious heart looks upon every promise as coming from the root of the covenant of grace in christ . see psal. 34. 10. and 37. 6. and isa. 58. 10. and elsewhere● where there are divers promise● which may bring christian contentment . it is the greatest honour that 〈◊〉 creature is capable of to be taken in●to covenant with god , levit. 26. 18 , 19. jer. 11. 11. zach , 11. the staffe of beauty , that is the covenant , and you sin against offers of a second covenant which the devils never did . those who are in christ and have their covenant changed are in a happy condition . 1. by this means god and thou art reconciled , thy covenant is a covenant of●peace , ezek. 37. 26. 2. being once taken into the covenant thou hast interest into glorious relations ; god is become thy father , thy husband , thy friend , 2 cor. 6. 16. 3. thou hast interest into a most glorious inheritance by becoming the son of a free woman . 4. thou hast a foundation for thy faith and a ground of all thy praiers , the covenant contains all the priviledges a beleeving soul can expect , it is the ground of all thy praiers , jer. 31. 18. isa. 64. 9. the people of god still plead it , it upholds the soul from sinking . when david came to dy , god hath made with me an everlasting covenant . so christ , my god my god , psal. 89. 26. 5. it is a covenant that can never be broken , 2 chron. 13. 5. isa. 50. 7. chap. vii . of living and dying by faith . i. of living by faith . faith is a staying , resting , depending and relying upon the merits and satisfaction of our blessed saviour , by the vertue and merit thereof to obtain remission of sins and eternall life , and all good things promised in the new covenant , at the hands of god . that there is such a life as the life of faith , is plain , habak. 2. 4. but the just shall live by his faith . the just shall live the life of grace here , and of glory hereafter , in and by faith . gal. 2. 20. neverthelesse i live , yet not i , but christ liveth in me , and the life which i now live in the flesh , i live by the faith of the son of god psal. 74. 13 , 14. thou didst divide the sea by thy strength : thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters : that is , of the chief captains , and commanders under pharaoh . thou brakest the heads of leviathan ( that is , pharaoh ) in pieces , and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wildernesse , for their faith , not their bellies . while they were in the wildernesse they remembred gods mercy to them at the red sea , and lived by the faith of this providence of god . it is a life arising from the union of god with us by his sanctifying spirit , whereby a man is able to perform actions spirituall , in the promises is the life of the spirit of gods people . the life of faith ( saith mr perkins ) is a true life indeed , the only life . the schools dispute of faith , ministers preach of faith , professours talk of faith , prophane men swear by faith , but few men live by faith none can live , nor rightly understand this life but the saints of god , a promise from god is sufficient for faith to rest upon against all improbabilities whatsoever . many reasons might be given why we should rather live upon gods word then any thing else . the first reason may be taken from gods alsufficiency . consider 3. attributes in god . 1. his almighty power , he can as easily perform as promise . god urged this to his people when they were weak at any time , numb. 11. is the lords hand shortened ? gen. 18. is any thing too hard for the lord ? 2. the goodnesse and love of god , his promises are given to his people as fruits of his love , jer. 31. 3. 3. his truth , faithfulnesse and unchangeablenesse , mal. 3. 6. the second reason may be drawn from the interest which christ hath in him that makes the promise , and in him to whom the promise is made . 1. all the promises are yea and amen in christ , consider , 1. christs interest in his father who makes the promise , his father makes them all for the sons sake , all the promises are called the sure mercies of david , isa. 55. he being a type of christ . 2. christ hath bought all the promises of the father with his own hearts bloud . 2. the interest christ hath in his people , he is one with them , and they one with him . a third reason may be taken from the nature of faith , the proper object of it is a promise from god , heb. 11. 1. faith sees things clearly , infallibly , strongly . motives to living by faith . first , the necessity of it . 1. take away this and you take away the only principle which distinguisheth the life of a man as a christian from the life of other men . 2. the only cause of all heart-breaking and uncomfortable sorrows which gods people meet with in any condition is the want of this , psal. 42. 3. the want of this is one great cause , if not the only cause of the unevennesse found in the conversation of gods people . rebecca and jacob had a direct promise that jacob should have the blessing , yet because esau was great with his father they used unjust means . 4. without this we can expect no benefit from the promises ( though they be precious ) unlesse we rest our selves upon them , isa. 26. 3. secondly , it is a very becoming , amiable , fitting thing that we should rather live upon a word of god , then any other help whatsoever . no creature on earth ever attains to a self sufficiency , one must have something for his support , therefore it is better to take a promise from god , then to depend upon the deceitfulnesse of creature-comforts . thirdly , the wonderfull gain which comes by it . 1. the soul which hath but once learnt to make the word of god a sufficient stay to it self , such a one will live the easiest life that any man in the world lives . it is not easily learnt ( for much grace is required to it ) but when thou hast once got it , it is comfortable . such a one lives as a childe when he is in his fathers house , he is never troubled with care for meat , drink , or cloathes : the soul is at quiet when it hath learn'd to center it self upon the word . 2. it is the greatest ingagement ( as i may say ) to god to help them , we cannot put a greater obligation upon him , then by trusting in him , god will never fail such as trust in him , isa. 26. 3. psal. 91. 9 , 14. means to attain this life of faith . how may a soul learn to pick a living out of the word , to live by faith . the life of faith is to fetch the counsell , the portion and comfort of his life out of the word . ten directions how the soul may attain to live this life of faith . first , nothing but a sound , true , living faith is a principle of this life , all the schoolmasters in the world cannot teach any creature to live by reason , till it hath a reasonable soul . labour to understand the true nature of faith , and get it wrought in thy soul , the just man will live by his faith . secondly , every degree of saving faith will not serve a man to live comfortably and free from distempers , one must have a sound faith , and a pleropho●y , and a great deal of faith for that end , the least degree of saving faith will serve for justification , sanctification , adoption , salvation , but not for consolation : every blast of temptation overthrew the disciples while they were weak beleevers , they questioned the truth of all , christ therefore rebukes them for it , and saith , why are your hearts troubled ? paul when he could say , i know whom i have beleeved , though after he was told he should be whipt , he said , none of these things troubled him . thirdly , he gets acquaintance with some things in the covenant of grace which may take off those objections that usually trouble beleevers , which are four , and these doe hinder gods people from living by faith . 1. they finde corruption in their hearts , this should no way hinder their comfort , if they hate it and strive against it . 2. temptations trouble them , whereas gods own people are liable to temptations of all sorts . 3. afflictions , god breeds them up which are in covenant with him under divers and great afflictions . 4. desertions , they finde not the working of gods spirit , nor the assurance of his favour , god many times leaves his best children to great and sad desertions . fourthly , thou must get sound acquaintance with the promises of the gospel , else thou wilt be to seek in time of trouble . some generall promises concern all estates we can be in , all things shall work for good to them that fear god , and no good thing shall be wanting to such . 2. there are excellent promises in the scripture for any condition imaginable . fiftly , as the exigents or occasions require , whether to bear afflictions or go through temptations , act thy faith upon that promise which sutes thy present need . a good man having all taken from him , and his wife desiring to know how he and his family would live , he said he would now put his bond in suit . think on gods power , truth , love , and christs interest in the promises to incourage thy soul . sixtly , as a promise from god must be measured by faith , so only by faith , not by carnall sense or reason , doe as abrahaem did , he never told his wife sarah when he was to go cut his childes throat and offer him a sacrifice to god . seventhly , faith must be helped with a use of all other means which god hath appointed to attain the blessing , 2 sam. 7. later end . psal. 5. 3. psal. 119. deal well with thy servant according to thy word . faith made noah to build him an ark , work belongs to us , successe to god . eightly , resolve to wait the lords leasure in all thy beleeving , limit him not to the time or manner of delivering thee , resolve god shall do it in his own time , if thou hast an able good paymaster thou wilt be willing he should pay thee how and when he will . he that beleeves will not make haste . ninthly , get thy will so far subdued to gods will , that his will may be thine , as near as it is possible for poor sinners to attain it : learn to say gods will is the best will , rom. 12. 3. 4. tenthly , study the life of holines , let david be an example to thee , he had great communion with god , and knew how to improve a promise . some think one ought to beleeve whatever corruptions he gives way to , they say men are duty-mongers , merit-mongers . others of gods people are too much dejected with the remainders of their own corruption . chap. viii . 2. of dying in faith . qvalis vita , finis ita : he that will die in faith , must first of all live by faith , and there is but one example in all the whole bible , of a man dying in faith that lived without faith , viz. that thief upon the crosse . to die by faith , is when a man in the time of death , doth with all his heart rely himself wholly on gods speciall love and favour and mercy in christ , and as it is revealed in the word . religion is seen in its glory , when one not only lives but dies in christ , phil. 1. 21. for me to live is christ and to die is gain . and ver. 20. so now also christ shall be magnified in my body , whether it be by life or death . if i live , by preaching , if i dy , by suffering . dr preston said a little before his death , i have long● conversed with christ in the world , and though i change my place , i shall not change my company . revel. 14. 13. blessed are the dead which dy in the lord , from henceforth , yea saith the spirit , that they may rest from their labours , and their works doe follow them . in the lord , that is , say some for the lord , as ephes. 4. 1. which suffer death for christ , rather in the faith of christ being incorporated into him , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} from henceforth , as rom. 8. 1. and 16 , 17. that constantly hold out in these times of persecution , say some , presently , saith dr rainolds , from the very time of their death , they rest from their labours , of their particular calling , under afflictions from god , and persecutions from men , under sin , temptations , desertions . and their works , that is metonymically , the rewards of their works , as 2 cor. 5. 26. do follow them , accompany or go with them , the words well weighed sound so . when a godly man dies he dies in the ●ord by vertue of his union with christ , when there is a dissolution of the soul and body , the mysticall union is not dissolved , as the personall union of christ was not dissolved when he died . before i lay down directions how to die well , and shew the benefits that come to the godly by death , i will shew 1. the necessity , or certainty of death , and the misery of it to the wicked . 2. resolve some questions about death . of the first , death is a common condition appointed for every man first or last to undergo . heb. 9. 27. and as it is appointed unto men once to die , but after this the judgement . the greek word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} translated , it is appointed , signifieth , it lieth as a mans lot . once imploies two things , 1. a certainty , it shall once be . 2. a singularity , it will be but once , 1 samuel 26. 8. 1 king. 2. 2. i go the way of all the earth , saith david job 30. 23. the grave is called the house appointed for all the living . eccles. 12. 5. solomon calls the grave {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} bajith gnolam , domum saeculi , the house of age : we translate it long home , where he must abide for a long time . 1 cor. 15. 26. the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death , that is , death destroies all and after is destroied it self . psal. 89. 48. what man lives and shall not see death ? when we would affirm any thing to be infallibly true , we say as sure as death . a young man may die , an old man must die . it is an hebrew proverb , in golgotha are to be seen sculs of all sizes , that is , death comes on the young as well as the old . omnes una manet nox , et calcanda semel via lethi . when it was told anaxagoras that both his sons ( which were all he had ) were dead , being nothing terrified therewith , he answered , sciebam me genuisse mortales , i knew i begat mortall creatures . there are three speciall reasons why all must die . 1. because god hath so decreed it , heb. 9. 27. 2. all men are made of one mould and matter , job . 4. 19. dust thou art , and unto dust shalt thou return , gen. 3. 19. 3. because all have sinned , rom. 5. 12. wherefore as by one man sinne entred into the world , and death by sin : and so death passed upon all men , for that , or in whom all have sinned . beza prefers that version , in whom , in adam legally , as they stood under his covenant , in him naturally , as they bear his image . sin brought death into the world , either meritoriè , as it deserves wrath , or privativè , as it takes away the power of the law to conferre life . rom. 6. 23. the wages of sinne is death . the word in the * originall signifies properly victuals , because victuals were that which the roman emperours gave their souldiers as wages in recompence of their service : but thence the word extends to signifie any other wages or salary whatsoever . death is then certain , because no man can eschew it , yet it is 3. waies uncertain . 1. in regard of time , no man knows when * he shall die , hezekiah only had a lease of his life . 2. in regard of place * , no man knows where he shall die . 3. in respect of the kinde of death , no man kuows what death he shall die , whether a naturall or violent death . objection , 1 cor. 15. 51. we shall not all sleep , but we shall all be changed , christ is said to be the judge of the quick and dead , therefore all men shall not die . answer , cajetan on 2 thes. 4. 17. gives both a succinct and sufficient answer , statutum regulare est , illos autem non mori singulare est . others say that change shall be a kinde of death . secondly , the misery that comes to the wicked by death . every man in an unregenerate estate lies under the fear of death . 1. the scripture thus frequently sets forth naturall men . heb. 2. 15. and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage . job 18. 14. death is called the king of terrours , an ordinary hebraisme , as the lord of glory , that is , most glorious , death hath a dominion over them . luk. 1. 79. the shadow of death , that is , such darknesse as strikes men with fear of death . 2. all unregenerate men hate the very thoughts of death , isa. 28. 15. lewis the 11th of france straitly charged his servants , that when they saw him sick they should never dare to name that bitter word , death , in his ears . 3. thoughts of death often imbitter all the comforts of this life . the reasons of this truth may be these . 1. because death is contrary to nature it self , and to that inseparable desire of its own preservation , it being a dissolution of the whole man , and a separation of two most loving companions , the soul and body , by vertue of that ancient curse , gen. 2. 17. yet it is not an enemy to the godly mans person , though it be to his naturall estate , 1 cor. 3. 22. christ did maledictionem benedicere , paupertatem ditare , ignominiam glorificare , saith luther . 2. because they die in their sins they must themselves conflict with the terrours of death , 1 cor. 15. 55. john . 8. 44. sin in every man brings with it a secret guiltinesse , which makes him fear something worse will follow after death . 3. it puts an end to all the benefits and comforts of this life . son remember that in thy life time thou receivedst good things . it deprives him of friends , goods , pleasures , credit . 4. it puts an end to all his hopes , job 11. ult. their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost . 5. his conscience shall then be awakened , this is the worm . 6. it brings him to the barre of judgement , heb. 9. 27. he must go to god to give an account , in whom he hath no interest . 7. all offers of grace shall be at an end . 8. it is the inlet to eternity and puts them into an unchangeable condition . in the next place i shall resolve some questions about death . 1. question , whether it be lawfull to desire death ? we have examples of both kindes , paul desired to be dissolved , but hezekiah mourned , and prayed exceedingly against it , so did david , psal. 102. yet he rashly wished to die for absolom , 1 sam. 18. 33. the israelites offended this way , would god we had died in egypt , and would god we had died with our brethren . elisha , job , and jonah were to blame this way , o that i had never been born , said job , o that i had died so soon as i was born , o that i might die out of hand , for these are the three parts of his desperate words . it is often in the mouths of wicked people , would i were dead , and i would i were out of the world . if they were to die indeed they would be loath enough to it . like the man in the fable , who being wearied with his burden of sticks , lay down and called for death , but when death came indeed to take him , and said , what shall i doe man ? thou calledst me : i pray thee , said he , help me up with my burden of sticks . to answer this question , we must distinguish , 1. of desire , there is desiderium carnale , spirituale , heroscum , a carnall , spirituall , and heroicall desire . if this desire ariseth , 1. from diffidence of gods help and succour . 2. from impatience under crosses . or 3. from shunning of those labours and pains which are to be endured for gods glory and the churches good , it is very sinfull , but if it arise from a holy desire to injoy the presence of christ , and to be freed from sin , it may be lawfull . secondly , we must distinguish of the manner in desiring , which is either absolute or conditionate , if it be a conditionate one with submission to gods will , as long as the church hath need of him , it may be lawfull , domine si adhuc populo tuo sim necessarius , n●llum recuso laborem . 2. question , whether a godly man may fear to die ? answer , he may . 1. for some sin that he is not enough humbled for . 2. for want of the clear evidence of pardon and assurance of interest in christ . 3. question , whether may one pray against a sudden and violent death ? answer , a violent and sudden death chiefly by some immediate hand of god , is tedious to mans nature : the apostles themselves in a tempest made bold to waken christ with some what a reproving speech , master , carest thou not that we perish ? christ told peter ( foretelling a violent death ) that he should be led to it as to that which he would not , meaning by the naturall inclination of his will , this gives us just ground and warrant to pray against sudden and violent death . 4. question , whether may we mourn for the dead ? answer , yes , because 1. death is a fruit of sin , in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt d●e the death , and a sign of gods displeasure against it . 2. it is a separation of friends , and they should not part without some grief , onely we must look that our mourning in such cases , be 1. serious , not counterfeit . 2. moderate , not excessive , either for quantity or continuance , which may shew want of hope and excesse of love , both naught . 3. holy , turning our sorrow from the death of our friends to the bewailing of our sins , the only procurers of that and all other crosses . in the last place i shall lay down directions how to die well , and shew the benefits that come to the godly by death . 1. what a christian should do that would die comfortably . 1. discharge the place and office which god hath called him to with much diligence and sincerity , 2 tim. 4. 7 , 8. act. 20. 31. why dost fear o my soul ( said hilarion ) thou hast served god this seventy years , and art thou afraid to die ? live much in a little time , doe all for eternity , be abundant in serving thy generation , acts 13. 36. you live no longer in gods account then you serve him . 2. doe nothing against conscience for the greatest advantage , this troubled iudas , he betraied innocent bloud , this made the wofull tragedy of spira . 3. take heed of unjust dealing and violent oppressing of others . samuel before his death , tell me ( saith he ) whose ox or asse have i stolen or taken away ? * 4. improve thy riches and honours for gods glory , luk. 16. 9. 5. spend the time of thy health well , and lay up praiers for death before hand . teach us to number our daies ( that is , to consider how few they are ) that we apply our hearts to wisdom . 6. get acquaintance with death , take notice of all the approaches of it , behold the mortality of others and consider thine own , do not think to die all at once , the apostle saith , i thank god i die daily , so seriously meditate on death , as to draw from thence some wholesome and profitable conclusions and resolutions for the well ordering of thy life , and that in respect of four things chiefly ; sin , the things of the world , our own persons , and the persons of others . for sin , this conclusion must follow , therefore sin is a most hatefull thing to god , and a most harmfull thing to man , for it alone hath provoked god to inflict this heavy punishment of death , yea of eternall death after this upon the sons of men , unlesse repentance come betwixt . sinne is the parent and sting of death , sin brought it into the world and makes it terrible , therefore i must hate sinne , lament sin , resist and mortifie sin , and must make it my chiefest and in a manner my only care to get my sins forgiven , my iniquity subdued , and then resolve especially to mortifie that sin which thy heart is most unwilling to reform . 2. in respect of the world , we must conclude and resolve , that wealth honour , pleasure , friends , are but very vanities , trifles and toies , poor petty short and vanishing goods , therfore i must , and by gods grace will resolve to pull mine heart from off these things , not rejoice in them , trust in them , boast of them , seeing i brought nothing into the world and must carry nothing out , use the present world as if we used it not . 2. diligently prepare for the life to come , every man must be for ever in heaven or hell ( there is no middle place as * pargatory ) so soon as his soul and body are separated . labour therefore to get good assurance of bettering your estate and injoying eternall life by bewailing the sinfulnesse of your nature and lives , and seeking unto , and resting upon the lord jesus christ alone , and his mediation and obedience and the sprinkl●ng of his bloud for pardon of sin and help against damnation , and lastly labour and study to reform your hearts and lives more and more . 3. concerning our own persons , we must thus conclude that we are but mean and contemptible creatures that must die and turn to dust and be made food for worms , why should i then be proud , or think my self better then others because of my strength , beauty , wit , learning , parentage , titles , offices , attendances ? of all which death will strip me and teach me to know they were but borrowed things . 4. for other men we ought to to conclude thus , they also must die as well as my self , my husband , wife , my dear and faithfull friend , who knows how soon ? therefore it is a great weaknesse to trust on such , to place my happinesse in them . cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils , therefore use al persons as well as all things , as if thou didst not use them . lastly , let the saints of god take great comfort in the contemplation of the good that death will bring them , it concludes all their sorrows and evils and is a beginning of all joies , pleasures , comfort , glory and happinesse . death is to such a resting from their labours , rev. 14. 14. a happy change , phil. 3. 21. job 14. 14. cals death a change , it is not an annihilation or extinction , but a mutation , and that by way of eminency , my change . it is the last change we shall meet with till the resurrection . 2. a lasting , nay an everlasting change , it puts us into an eternall condition of happinesse or misery . 3. an universall change , 1. in respect of persons all must meet with it . 2. in regard of the whole man , body and soul , makes the body a stinking carkasse , and puts the soul into heaven or hell . 4. a different change according to the quality of the person changed , terrible to a sinner , comfortable to the godly . death is their bodies seed-time , 1 cor. 15. the crowning day to the soul , 2 tim. 4. 7 , 8. the funerall of all their sins and sorrows , rom. 6. 7. i shall in the last place mention some of the chief benefits that come to the godly by death . by it he is freed 1. from sin , not only the destroying power , but the being of it is then taken away . 2. from those miseries which follow sin , isa. 57. 1 , 2 , 3. 3. from the temptations of the devil , rev. 12. 8. 4. from the troubles of the world , and vexations of the flesh , rev. 14. 13. eccles. 4. 1 , 2. 2. there is nothing in his death but what conduceth to make him happy . 1. a godly man dies in gods love , and mercy , 2. he never dies til he be prepared , till his graces be perfected and work finished , job . 5. 26. 3. he shall in some measure be assured of a better life , 2 cor. 5. 1. 4. when he dies he shall leave a sweet favour behinde him , prov. 10. 7. the memory of the just is blessed * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the septuagint thus translates it , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the memory of the just is with praises . let the godly therefore comfort themselves against death with these promises , joh. 3. 16. & 5. 24. and 10. 28. and 11. 25. 1 cor. 15. 22 , 57. 2 cor. 5. 1. finis . an alphabeticall table . a. anne askew . p. 29. aprice . p. 59. b. bainham . p. 24. beleever freed from the law , how . p. 111. bilney . p. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. blague . p. 30. bradbridges wife . p. 59. bradford . p. 44 , 45 , 46. c. covenant , the reason of the hebrew name . 81 , 82 what a covenant is , 82. the severall kindes of covenants . p. 83 , 84. 1. the covenant of works . p. 85 , to 91. the covenant of grace . p. 91 , to 113. cranmer . p. 56 , 57 , 58. d. damplip . p. 28. death is common to all . p. 136 , 137 , 138 , 139. the misery which comes to the wicked by death . p. 140 , 141 , 142. whether it be lawfull to desire death . p. 142 , 143 , 144. whether may one pray against a sudden and violent death . p. 145. whether may one mourn for the dead . p. ib. whether a good man may fear to die . p. 144. what a christian should do to die comfortably . p. 146. dying in faith . p. 134 , to the end . e. error , all the errors almost of these : times may be confuted from the doctrine of the covenant . p. 108. to 110. f. faith , what it is . p. 124. farrar . p. 40. filmer . p. 27. folk . p. 60. g. glover . p. 48 , 49. h. hamelton . p. 19. hauks . p. 42 , 43. hector . p. 19. hierome of prague . 17 holland . p. 61. hooper . p. 34 , 35. hunter . p. 39 , 40. hus. p. 16. i. ignatius . p. 14 , 15 , 16. indulgencies , luther first opposed them . 68. k. kerby . p. 28 , 29. l. lambert . p. 26. latimer . p. 52 to 55. laverock . p. 59. lawrence . p. 40. living by faith . p. 124 , to 134. luther , divers memorable things of him . p. 65. to 81. m. martin , why luther was so called . p. 65. 3. martins much opposed the papists . ib. martyr , observations concerning the martyrs in generall . p. 1 , to 13. what a martyr is . p. 1 , 2 , 3. the great honor of martyrdome . p. 3 , 4. the severall sorts of martyrs . p. 4. they suffered cheerfully . p. 5. constantly . p. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. with much comfort and assurance . p. 10. the number of them . p. 6 , 7. they were eminent in many graces . p. 11. to 13. moice . p. 18. p. person . p. 26 , 27. philpot. p. 55 , 56. pikes . p 62. policarpus . p. 13 , 14. pomponius algerius . p. 18. prests wife . p. 64. promises . p. 113 , to 124 r. ridley . p. 50 , 51 , 52. rogers . p. 30 , 31. rough . p. 60 , 61. s. samuel . p. 47 , 48. sanders . p. 31 , 32 , 33. serre . p. 18 , 19. sincerity . p. 103 , 104 , 105. sparrow . p. 60. t. taylor . p. 37 , 38 , 39. tyms . p. 58. tyndall . p. 24 , 25 , 26. v. voes . p. 17. w. waid . p. 46. white . p. 41 , 42. y. young . p. 64. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a47618e-230 when any common calamity befell the people or state , as famine , dearth , pestilence , they straightway imputed it to the christians , saying , that they and their wicked religion were the cause thereof . christianos ad leonem . tertul. away with them to the lion , to the stake . * consule commentarios vestros , illic reperietis primum neronem in hanc sectam●tum maxime romae orientem caesariano gladio ferocisse : sed tali dedicatore damnationis nostrae gloriamur . qui enim scit illum , intelligere potest non nisi grande aliquod bonum à nerone damnatum . tertul. apol. cap. 5. * vide euseb. lib. 8. * of all since the conquest her reign was the shortest , only excepting that of richard the tyrant , but much more bloudy then was his . speeds chro. in q. marie . foxes acts and monum. 3d vol. pag. 1023. foxes 3d vol. p. 95. see also in fox a notable story of the death of dr whittington a persecutour . fox ubi supra * mr manton on rev. 2. 3. mat. 25. foxes acts and monum. 3d vol. p. 433 * dr hall . * dr gouge on exod. 13. 13. deut. 32. john 14. 15. 16. and 17. chap. * mr marshall and mr strong . notes for div a47618e-1940 vide bezam in act. 22. 20 heb. 12. 4. rev. 2. 13. & 6. 9. * martyrū nomen bodiè duntaxat illis attribuitur qui mortem pro christo perpessi sunt . olim verò & potiss●mum aetate cypriani , etiam illis qui à confessione nominis christi nulla tormentorum atrocitate abduci poterant ; quos eleganter tertullianus lib ▪ ad martyres , designatos martyres nuncupat . pamelius ad cypriani ▪ epist. 9. m●bradford to all that professe the gospel in lancashire . d. halls contempl. . m. pinkes fourth sermon on that text ▪ luke 14. 26. see more there . phil. 1. 29. carelesse in his letter to agnes . glascock . foxes 3. vol p. 29. and guide bree 3 vo . p. 38. magnificus martyrij titulus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . grot. in 21. joh. 19. * hic ( sc. amor spon●● ) leonis faucibus 〈…〉 eripuit , & ●uod meritò stupebat mu●dus , in medio tot ac etiam potentum hostium , infimo homuncioni & longam vitam prorogavit , & placidam mortem intra domesticos parictes concessit . brightman in cant. 6. 2 spanhom . dub. evan p●r ● . dub 84. * ex illa tanta multitudine omnis generis sexusque hominū tot locis ac saeculis distinctorum , qui pro hac religione mori non dubitarunt , colligendum , magnam aliquam tantae constantiae fuisse causam , quae alia cogitart non potest , quam lux veritatis grot. de veritate rel. christ . l. 2. see foxes 1. volume in bilney , and 2. vol. p. 300. * in a letter to his wife fox . 3. vol. p. p. 138. see rawlins and william sparrow . sleid con● l 17. * meter . hist. de reb. belg. l. 15. from the beginning of the jesuites to 1580. ( being the space of 30 years ) almost 900 thousand protestants were put to death in france , england , spain , italy , germany , and other parts of christendome . reverend cranmer , learned ridley , down right latimer , zealous bradford , pious philpot , patient hooper . fuller . on heb. 9. 10. * speeds chron. in q. mary . neither in q elizabeths reign , nor in the reign of k. james , nor king charles , vvas any papist put to death meerly for his conscience . cic quest . tusc. l. 1. * s. cyprian●● senten●i●m in se latam audiens , dixit gratias ago deo omnipotenti , qui me à vinculis hujus corporis dignatur absolvere ▪ pont. in vita cypriani . * aug ser. de cypr. foxes acts and mon. vol. 1 p. 8● . see in io. hus. ierom of prague . hen. voes . pet. serre . ia. bainham . anth. person . an. askew * in a letter to his kindred & friends at his farevvel . fox . vol. 3. pa. 506. d. tailour in his last vvill and testament . fox . vol. 3. p. 175. crudelitas vestra gloria est nostra ●ert . ad scap. c. 5. euseb. eccles. hist ▪ l. 5. in a praie● a little before his death . f●xes vol● 3. p. 154. see the subscriptions of brad●ord● lett●rs . tertul. apolog. c , 39. * see m. kerby , io. rogers , d. farrar , * see in b. hooper * see b. ●ati●er ▪ * see archbishop cran●er . * hist. eccles. l. 5. c. 19. * hilarion morti proximus dixisse fertur , egredere , quid times ? egredere anima mea , quid du●itas ? septuaginta propè annis serviisti christo , & mort●m times ? hier. epist. ●am. lib. 3. & in ejus vit● ▪ euse. hist. eccles ▪ permi●tite me sic , inquit , qui enim mihi dedit velle larg●etur & posse ; atque ipsum tollerabilem faciet voluntati ignem ardentem . smyrnensis ecclesiae epistola , de s. polycarpi martyrio . a syria romam usque terra marique cum testiis de pugno , noct● ac interdiu alligatus de cem leopardis ( quae est militaris custodia ) qui & beneficio affecti pejores . fiunt , utinam fruar bestiis mihi paratis , quas opto veloce● mihi inveniri , quas & blanditiis demulcebo , ut citius me devorent , non ut quosd●m me●uentes non attigerunt , sed & si ipsae aversae nolint , ego illas vi adigam . ignatii epistola ad romanos . * ignatii epistola ad romanos . * fr●mentum sum dei , dentibus ferarum molo● ut mundus panis dei inveniar . ignat ep ▪ ad rom. * luther in the bohemian language signifieth a svvan . foxes acts and mon. 1. vol p. 820. * a ring leader and captain of an heresie . foxes 1. vol. p 830. iohn has repents his playing at chesse . foxes 1●vol. p. 830 foxes acts and mon. vol. 2 p. 102. k. hen. foxes act , and mon. in 2. vol. henry 8. p. 122. foxes acts and mon. 2. vol p 143. plures efficimur quotiesme timur a vobis . ter. foxes ib ▪ p. 155. foxes acts and mon. 2. vol p. 183. foxes 2. vol. k. henry the 8. p. 238. see the like propheticall speech of philbert hamlin in foxes● . vol. p 151. and of a poor man in calice , p 565. and of roger holland , 2. vol. p. 145. foxes acts and mon in 2. vol k he. 8. p. 268. psal 50. foxes acts and mon. 2. vol. k he. 8. p. 271 , 27● . and 3. vol. p. 450. soultet . annal. anno 153 foxes 2. vol p. 277. fox ubi supra . foxes ● . vol. k. he. 8. p. 301. foxes acts and mon. 2. vol. p. 361. foxes acts and mon. vol. 2. p. 367. fox ib. tindall said i will go and see this , but i wil set my faith to beleeve t●e contrary . the power of gods saints against the devil . he said , i cannot do it , for there sits the man ( pointing to tindal ) who holds my hands . * he was burned at filford in flanders . fox ib. foxes acts and mon. 2. vol. p. 427. foxes acts and mon. 2d . vol p. 554. foxes●d . vol. p. 555. the like words spake the l. cromwell to the l. hungerford , they both going to their death . foxes acts and mon. vol. 2d . p 564. foxes acts and mon. vol. 2d p. 586. * she said so twice . foxes acts and mon. vol. ●d . p. 576 , 578. sanders saith the s●me tvvice . george marsh saith , pray , pray , pray , never more need . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 235. * foxes acts and mon. vol. ●d . p 576. foxes acts and mon. vol. 2d . p. 580. foxes acts and mon. 2d . vol p. 586 , 587. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 130. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 130. he was a bold israelite that first s●t his foot into the red sea saies d. hall . foxes acts and mon. 3d. vol p. 131. foxes acts and mon. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 140. id. ib. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3. p. 140 , 141. b. hooper prophesieth of himself . foxes act , and mon. vol. 3d. p. 145. fox ibid. p. 146. epistle to timothy . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p 147. while he vvas bishop of glocester and worcester in k. edw. time . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 148. foxes acts and mon. 3d. vol p. 153. id. ib. foxes acts and mon vol 3d. p. 154. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3. p. 176. id. ibid. 177. another martyr said , hold out faith and patience your vvork is almost at an end . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 179. id. ib. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 193. fox ibid. 193 , 194. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 200. foxes act● and mon. vol. d●2 . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. 219. fox ib. p. 220. see before in rogers . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 257. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 265 , 266. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 181. qui non est crucianus non est christianus . luth. foxes acts and mon. vol : 3. p. 282. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 356 , 357. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 382. see a strange token also upon robert smith in the fire , fox ib. 410. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3. p. 414. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 427. foxes acts and mon. 2d . vol. p. 788. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 502. id , ibid. fox ubi supra . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p 502 , 503. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 461. fox ib. * he was called father latimer ▪ viz. not burn , but starve for cold . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 463. the lord did most graciously grant all these requests . latimers new years gift sent to k. hen. the 8. foxes act , and mon. vol. 3d. p. 486. * heb. 13 ▪ 4 they both suffered together in oxford against baily college martialis epig. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 503. foxes act● and mon. 3d. vol p. 555. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 593. fox ibid. his life is written in latin ( out of fox ) by melchior adam . foxes acts and mon. 3 vol. p. 63● . * hom● {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , nec minus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( thomas cranmerus cantuariensis archiepiscopus ) me non solum excepit , sed etiam in aula sua aliquandiu detinuit . sed quid aulam invidioso verbo nomino ? schola certè fuit , vel palaestra pietatis & literarum . tremel . epist. in hos ▪ enarrat . foxes acts and mon. 3d. book , p. 671. * because by his right hand he had formerly subscribed his recantation . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 682. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 701. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d. p. 2 , 7. foxes acts and mon , vol. 3d. 832. id. ibid. 833. there is no use of faith and hope in heaven , love & joy remain . see 1 cor. 8. 13. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 557. foxes acts and mon. 3d. vol. p. 862. foxes acts and mon. vol. 3d p. 877. * b boner , after which day no man suffered in smithfield for the testimony of the gospel . foxes acts and mon. 3d. vol. p. 879. foxes acts and mon. 3d. vol. p. 887. luke 22. 19. fox ubi supra . foxes acts and mon. vol. 3. p. 891. * three martins have much opposed the papists , martin luther , martin bucer , and martin chemnicius . * melanct. praefat. ad ●dum volumen lutheri . homo affectibus suis nimium indulgens , qui ipse animi suiaestum praeproperum saepe agnoscit . rai●ol . de lib. appoc . praelect , quarta vide gesner ▪ b●bliothecam . * saepe dicere solitus sum : etiamsi me lutherus diabolum vocaret , me tamen hoc illi honoris habiturum , ut insignem dei servum agnosca● : qui tamen ut pollet eximiis virtutibus , ita magnis vitiis laborat , vehementian autem quae illi est ingenita , utinam in hostes veritatis semper contulisset , non etiam vibrasset in servos dominitutinam recognescendis suis vitiis plus operae dedisset . cal. bul. as for sedition , for ought i know me thinks i should not need christ if i might so say . latimers 3d serm. before edw. the 6 rivet . iesuit . vap ▪ * about the year 1517. foxes acts and mon. 2d . tom. out of i. bale . the spirit of luther was raised by opposition . concurrimus utrinque , illi extremo ●urore , & ego summo cōtemptu , & vincet mea audacia . * melch. adam . si scirem tot wormatiae esse diabolos quot tegulae in tectis ▪ tamen essem ingressurus . he might more fitly be called doctor resolutus then the schoolman * tom. 2d l. 16. c. 15. * famous writers of the reformation , luther & melancthō in saxony , oecolampadius in helvetia , calvin and beza in france , peter martyr and zanchi●s from italy * sculter . annal fox . acts and mon 2d tom. p. 83. tanta reverentia aliquid petit , ut cum deo : tanta spe & fide ut cum patre & amic● se loquisentiat . melc . ad. he said 〈◊〉 things make a divine , meditation , praier , tēptation . his motto was , sit miser , qui miser esse potest . * prius non fuerit fermè in scriptura tota amarius mihi verbum quam paenitentia , nunc nihil dulcius aut gratius mihi sonat qua● paenitentia . lutherus stupitio . foxes acts and mon 2d . tome . p. 88. quid ( inquit ) putas princi●em frideri●ū propter tearma sumturum dixi ? hoc nollem prorsus , & ubi manebis ? respondi , sub caelo . lutherus praetat . ad tom. primum . ego ipse odi meos libros , & saepe opto eos interire , quod met●o ne morentur lectores , & abducant à lectione ipsius scripturae , quae sela omnis sapientiae fons est ▪ luth. in gen. 19. hic me prorsus renatum esse sensi , & apertis portis in ipsū paradisum intrasse ibi ●ontinuò alia mihi facies totius scripturae apparuit . lutherus praesat . ad pr●mum opus . foxes acts and mon. vol. 2d . p. 88. paulò ante mortem a gens cum philippo melancthone , fatetur in negotio cae●ae ni●●um esse factum . ●●●nold ▪ de lib. apoc prael quarta they offered him a cardinals hat if he would be quiet & not speak against the popish indulgencies , he answered , he would not though he might be pope . * loco primo de sacra scriptura . lutherus de primis conatibus petit , ut ea legatiector cū magna commiseratione & meminerit authorem fuisse aliquando monachum & papistam insaniffimum . luth. tom . 10. operū in praefat. vide melc . ad. * ipse ●go in una aliqua ardenti oratione mea plura saepedidi●i ▪ quam ex multorum librorum lectione aut accuratissima meditatione co●sequi potu●s●em . luth. tom . 1. melc . ad. melch. ad dicitur hebraeis foedus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} berith vel à {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} barah id est , eligendo , quod foedus est ut abenezra scribit mutuus cōsensus super aliqua revel à {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} bara id est exscindēdo , e● quod in foederibus semper ali ●uid occide●●atur ▪ gen. 15 10 , 17. foedus latinis a ferie●do ▪ paul . fag . armot . in deu. ●9 . 11. * berith quasi cerith , because sacrifices were slain in making of covenants , and therefore it is often construed with the verb {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} carath fecijt , he s●ruck , vide su●kii , antiq. conviv . l. 1. c. 30 , see also m● mede on mal. 1. 11. and m. cudworths discourse concerning the true notion of the l. supper chap. 6. omnes nos eramus ille unus . aug. deut 29. 21. god required mans service , non ex indigētia , sed ex abūdantia . aquinas . heb. 12. 24. eph. 13. gen. 17. 1. it is called the covenant of grace , because god of his meer love and favour made it with man when he lay wallowing in his bloud , ezek 16. 6. it doth not exclude all conditions , but only those which will not stand with grace . it is called a new covenant , heb. 8. 8 , 10. the covenant of life , of salvation and grace , rom. 4. 16. gal. 3. 18. isa. 42. as the first adam caput cum faedere , so the 2d , adam , isa. 42. 6. gen. 17. 7. 2 sam. 5. 23. isa. 54. 10. hos 2. 19. vide ames . medul. l. 1. c. 24. 2 cor. 5. ult. the first covenant offers no surety , it is a covenant without a mediator . * all the promises of the law were conditionall , this doe and thou shalt live , those great ones of the gospel , of pardon of sin , of giving a soft heart , are absolute : 2. those of the gospel are mighty promises , they can give the mercy promised , and grace required , the law is weak through the flesh . god in the second covenant set forth as it were a new edition of all his attributes . repentance is a fruit of the second covenant act. 2. * faedus dicitur , quia firma est promissio in scripturis ēim quodlibet firmū statutū , quā vis sit de rebus inanimis , dicitur , faedus ier. 33. 20 , 25. quia tamen gratuita donatione constat , & morte donantis confirmatur , non tam propriè faedus quam testamentum vocatur , heb. 9 16. quod cum in priori non invenitur , illud non tam propriè testamentum vocatur quam foe●us . ames ▪ med the . l. 1. c. 24. he is their shield , ge. 15. a wall of fire round about them zech. 12. the goodnesse of duties lies inadverbs , and the sweetnes of the covenant lies in possessives . deus quantus , quantus 〈…〉 noster est ▪ tolle de● & nullus ero . * substantia foederis , iun. anima foederis . pare . caput foederis , mus. isa. 44 3 ier. 31. 33 ezek. 36. 26 ▪ the spirit reveals & applies the promises . christus impletio legis spiritus impletio evangelij . veritas à quacunque est à spiritu sancto est . abraham saw christs day a farre off , and rejoyced . anna , zacharias , & elizabeth waited for the consolation of israel , l● . 2 ▪ 25 , 30. isa. 7. 14. rom. 8. 20 see those greek words ( which have an emphasis in them ) {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , mat. 10. 16 , and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} phil. 1. 10. explained fully in my greek critica . isa. 34. 5. * god discovers four things to his people by writing the law in the heart . 1 his holinesse , that a conformity to this law is a conformity to his holinesse , ephes. 4. 24. 2. a perfect patern of that glorious image our first parents had in innocency . 3. a perfect patern of the law of god in christs humane nature . 4. a patern of that perfection they shall attain unto , hebrews 12 ▪ 24. heb. 8. 10. it is not barely said thus , you shall not teach every man his neighbor , but that clause is added , saying , know the lord , not as if you were ignorant , but my law shall be in your hearts & you shal be taught as a knowing people . iob 9. ●3 . gal 4. 24. partu● sequitur ventrem . gal. 4. 4. christ was not only under the ceremonial law as he was a iew , but under the moral as a man , for it is under the law under which we were , and frō which we were redeemed . see gal. 3. 13. vid. ames . medul. l. 1. c. 39. * rom. 4. 18. heb. 11. 17. * isa. 11. 9 & 54. 13. rom. 9. 4. though 1. the matter was exceeding great , yet god made good his promise , as in that of christ , gen. 3. 15. who was more worth than heaven and earth , yet in the fulnesse of time christ came . 2. though it exceeded all humane reason as the promise of a childe to abraham and sarah when so old . 3. though it was a cluster of good things , and that to a nation . 4. though he hath taken a great time to make it good . 5. though humane policies have stood in the way , as in the case of the people of israel and david . 2 cor. 12. 4 psal. 16. m. strong on 1 sam. 2. 30. gods promises are of two sorts , such as are absolutely , and such as doe run conditionally according unto the nature of that good thing which he promiseth ; some good things promised are absolutely good for us , as pardon of sinne , grace . thus gods promise is made absolute to the elect in christ : some good things are but conditionally good for us , as degrees of grace , comfort and outward blessings : and concerning these gods promise is made conditionally , which condition if he break , he is at liberty . m. bridge on lam ▪ 5. 2. numb 14 34 q●d i have p●omised to bring you into the land of canaan upon such and such conditions , if you doe not perform the condition i am free . promises are a manifestation of the covenant of grace , the covenant of love . the consolations of the gospel differ from all other comforts , 1 they are unutterable , 1 pet ▪ 1. 8 , phil. 4 5. 2. real , ioh. 14 27. 3 great & strong , ephe. 6. 18 4 reach to the inward man , 5 comfort in the saddest distresses . mic. 5. 5. 6. are everlasting , 2 thess. 2. 18. josh. 1. 5. those that are driven frō their houses , spoiled of their goods , should remember the hundred fold promise , and that mic 4. 6 , 7 when david was driven from house and harbour , he incouraged himself in the lord his god tolle meum & tolle deū . aug. what faith is . justifying faith is a spirituall habit , by which a regenerate man having in himself , upon a divine testimony , an evidence of t●e truth and goodnesse of the promise , and covenant of eternall salvation through jesus christ , relies on him only for everlasting life . mr white . isa 38. 16. m. ward . ephes. 5. so is christ , that is , the church . heb. 11. m. perkins his right way of dying wel psal. 73. ●● . these were the words of tremellius a converted ▪ jew near his end , vivat christus pereat barabbas . domini causa , id est ▪ propter dominum . beza . in domino moriuntur , quicunque perfidem uniti & conjuncti christo inunum quasi corpus cum eo coalescunt . rainold . de l. apoc. praelect. 80 beati a modò , statim , è vestigio , ab ipso mortis tempore . id. ib. there must be a being in christ before there can be a dying in him , those that sleep in iesus . horace . adam of adamah , homo ab humo . some reade {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} propterea quod , for as much as . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} stipendia capitur , lu● . 3. 14. & 1 cor. 9. 7. pro stipendio militum . de dieu . in loc. vide grotium . in loc. * morte nihil certius , boramortis nihil incertius . * incertum est , quo te loco mors expectet , itaque tu illam omni loco expecta . sen. epist. 26. act. 10. 42. vide calv. in 1 cor. 15 , 51 , death is the atheists fear , and the christians desire . tenebrae metum mortis incutientes . 1 cor. 15. 26. lies down with the sins of his youth . a great man wrote thus a little before his death , spes & fortuna valete . phil. 1. 23 1 kings 19. 4. jonah 4. 3. job 7. 15. and 6. 9. m. fenner of conscience . summum nec met●as diem nec optes . mors non est simpliciter & , absolutè optanda , quia habet in serationem mali , sed primò tanquam medium ad finem praestantiorē , secundò propter consecutionē majoris boni . egredere , quid times ? egredere anima mea quid dubitas ? septuaginta propè annos servisti christo & mortem times ? hier epist. fam. l. 3. non est timendum quod nos liberat ab omni timē , do . tertul. deu. 32. 19 * psal. 90. 12. this will make death less bitter and terrible unto us , forewarned fore-armed . tu mor●ē ut nunquā time as , semper cogita . senec it is the act of acts & science of sciences to learn to die . moriantur ante te vitia sen. our saviour being at a great feast at bethanie , sell into meditatiō and speech of his death and 〈◊〉 , ioh. ●● . 7 , 8. ioseph of arimathea made his tomb in his gardē , ioh. 19 4● * nemose decipiat fratres , duo enim loca sunt , & tertius non est visus . qui cum christo regnare nō meruit , cū diabolo absque ulla dubitatione peribit . aug. serm. 1. de ebrietate . see ioh. 11. 44. 2 tim. 4. 7 * the iews when they make mention of any of their deceased worthies , are wont to doe it with this encomium {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} id est , memoria ejus sit in bened●ctionem . which encomiasticall scheme is taken from that of solomon , pr● . 10. 7. buxtorf . de abbreviat hebr. fuller . concord . hebr. transm . and mede on psal. 112. 6. martyrologia alphabetikē, or, an alphabetical martyrology containing the tryals and dying expressions of many martyrs of note since christ : extracted out of foxe's acts and monuments of the church : with an alphabetical list of god's judgements remarkably shown on many noted and cruel persecutors : together with an appendix of things pertinent to martyrology by n.t., m.a.t.c.c. [i.e. master of arts trinity college cambridge] actes and monuments. selections foxe, john, 1516-1587. 1677 approx. 262 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 125 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a40369 wing f2042 estc r10453 12927379 ocm 12927379 95562 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a40369) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 95562) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 692:29) martyrologia alphabetikē, or, an alphabetical martyrology containing the tryals and dying expressions of many martyrs of note since christ : extracted out of foxe's acts and monuments of the church : with an alphabetical list of god's judgements remarkably shown on many noted and cruel persecutors : together with an appendix of things pertinent to martyrology by n.t., m.a.t.c.c. [i.e. master of arts trinity college cambridge] actes and monuments. selections foxe, john, 1516-1587. n. t., m.a.t.c.c. [10], 239, [1] p. printed for r. butler ..., and are to be sold by samuel wooley ..., london : 1677. errata: prelim. p. [4]. advertisement: prelim. p. [4] and p. [1] at end. an alphabetical list of god's judgments remarkably shown on many noted and cruel persecutors. london : printed for richard butler, and an appendix of things pertinent to the ... preceding martyrologic ... london : printed for r. butler, [n.d.] both have special t.p.'s. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng martyrs. church history. persecution. 2002-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-11 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-12 rina kor sampled and proofread 2002-12 rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion μαρτυρολογια αλφαβετικε or , an alphabetical martyrology . containing the tryals and dying expressions of many martyrs of note since christ . extracted out of foxe's acts and monuments of the church . with an alphabetical list of god's judgements remarkably shown on many noted and cruel persecutors . together with an appendix of things pertinent to the understanding this martyrology . by n. t. m. a. t. c. c. — these all dyed in the faith , hebr. 11.13 . — in all these things we are more than conquerors . rom. 8.37 . london , printed for r. butler in barbican , and are to be sold by samuel wooley bookseller in louth , in lincolnshire . 1677. errata , in the epistile page 3. read 2 cor. 4 , 7 , 8 , 9. in the book p. 25. l. 17. read iames bainham . p. 27. l. 18. put out then . p. 9. l. 5. read pomponius . p. 53. l. 21. put out so . p. 69. l. 13. read cruel . p. 79. l. 2. read sparer in words . p. 80. l. 16. read wind. p. 140. l. 20. read wounds . p. 150. l. 17. read trailed . p. 167. l. 22. read must . p. 169. and 170. read thiessen . p. 172. l. 24. read confuted . p. 185. l. 8. read fool. p. 224. l. 10. concerning dr. london's punishment in the former part of the book . add page 174. p. 226. l. 12. read maximinus . p. 230. l. 7. read sute . advertisement . two sermons of hypocrisie , and the vain hope of self-deceiving sinners . a vindication of oaths , and swearing in weighty cases , as lawful and useful under the gospel : and the quakers opinion and practice against oaths and oath-taking , proved to be unscriptural , and without any just reason ; as also against their own principles . both written by iohn cheney , minister of the gospel . printed for r. butler , and are to be sold with the rest of his works by iohn miller , at the rose at the west-end of st. paul's church . to the christian reader , all encrease of grace here , and all fulness of glory hereafter . so great an enmity hath satan evidenced , ever since his own apostasie , against mankind , that he must be conceded to have bin very sedulous and vigilant in all ages to destroy souls , one while alluring them to sin against god , by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of worldly or sensual propositions , or else deterring them from adhering to god , vi & armis , by his assaults and persecutions ; the verity of which hath been continuedly evidenced in the successive ages of god's church , wherein the first member dying , dyed a martyr on the account of his religion , and the several prophets and children of god before christ have been so persecuted , sawn asunder , cast into dungeons , fiery furnaces , lyons dens , &c. that if to these we add the consideration of st. paul's martyrology in heb. 11. we may propose our saviour's enquiry ; which of the prophets have they not slain ? nor did the fury of satan and his instruments terminate there ; but when christ the son of god was incarnated and became man for our salvation , satan the arch-enemy of man , assails him as tempter ; but being put to flight so , he becomes accuser , and by his instruments persecuted our dearest saviour , not desisting till they had crucified the lord of life : which being effected , this serpentine seed continued its enmity againg christ in his members ; so that few of christ's apostles or followers have escaped tribulation ; as the writings of the sacred writ aver , and the succeeding pages will much evidence , which seem in respect of their matter to be serviceable to the church of god many wayes : 1. in demonstrating the verity of our religion , and the great and sure foundation of our faith , sealed by the blood of many thousand martyrs , who have as witnesses thereof , attested the verity of their professions by their deaths . 2. in evidencing the state of god's people here , whose life is but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a warfare , whilst they remain members of the church militant on earth , which may disswade us from singing requiem's to our souls , and may excite our constant watch . 3. in assuring us of the triumph of christ the captain of our salvation , who in himself and members hath verified that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the seed of the woman's breaking the serpent's head , in that in the midst of all troubles the saints of god have experienced joy , which may engage our running with patience the race that is set before us . 4. in declaring god's fidelity to his people , who in the greatest misery hath shown them the greatest mercy , and often then hath most given his people assurance of their living with him , when they were going to dye for him ; which may support our spirits under pressures , in that they cannot separate us from god here or hereafter , rom. 8.38 . 2 cor. 7.8 , 9. 5. in proposing the examples of many thousands of constant martyrs , who chose rather to suffer than sin ; and found more joy in dying for christ than ever they did trouble in serving of christ. 6. in shewing the sad effects of apostasie upon many of god's people , who found all the wordly enjoyments without a christ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , bitter sweets , and have not acquiesced , till through god's spirit they did reassume the profession of christ , and at last did dye for christ , which may incite our holy jealousie over our selves . 7. in setting before us the care of god for his people in their lives , and death , and after death , by supplying their wants , comforting their souls , mitigating their pains , and preserving their names to succeeding generations , verifying his own assertion , that the memory of the just shall be blessed . 8. in representing the efficacy of christianity and its champions constancy , so as often to have influenced the very persecutors of it and them ; not onely to pity them , but also to close with their principles , and dye for the same faith ; so that we have no need to be ashamed of the gospel of christ. 9. in demonstrating the frustration of the grand design of christ's enemies ( the extirpation of his faith and religion by persecution ) it being evidently manifested that christianity hath been more propagated , the more it hath been persecuted ; and it was long since observed that sanguis martyrum was semen ecclesiae . so that against all opposition the faith of christ and its professors have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , more than conquerors ; nor hath the gates of hell hitherto prevailed against the church of christ. 10. in manifesting god's mercy and justice . his mercy in preserving his true religion and its professors amidst all their enemies , and his iustice in his divers inflictions of punishments upon their persecutors . insomuch that some have confessedly acknowledged christ conqueror , his cause true , and themselves because persecutors of it , damned . this is the matter of the pages humbly offer'd , and unfeignedly recommended to thy perusal . and as to the manner of the epitome , an alphabetical method , both as to sufferers and persecutors , seemed most apt for thy reaping advantage . the reasons moving the epitomizing the voluminous works of the author were these : 1. because many who probably would read those greater volumes , either cannot acquire them being scarce , or cannot purchase them being dear , or perhaps have not time to peruse them being great , to occur all which this abstract may suffice . 2. the chief things in these volumes desired by the vulgar ( whose instruction is chiefly designed hereby ) is the lives and deaths , the constancy and comforts of the martyrs , which here are briefly contained as to the most remarkable martyrs ever since christ's time ; which being portable , may serve as a manual to be oft in our hands to be perused , till we get their experiences on our hearts . and although in these halcyon dayes of the church ( which god long continue ) these endeavours way seem to some supervacaneous ; yet if we consider that while we are in the world we must expect troubles , it is no small prudence to prepare for it . however , the ten premised reasons may plead for thy acceptance of what is humbly tendred , and sincerely published for god's glory , and thy soul 's good , by thine in the service of god , n. t. an alphabetical martyrology . a a andrew the apostle , and brother of peter , being conversant in a city called patris in achaia , brought many to the faith of christ. egeas the governour hearing of it resorted to him , and with threats of the cross disswaded him by his proconsul ; but andrew said he would not have preached the honour and glory of the cross , if he had feared the death of the cross. and being condemned , when he saw the cross he said , o cross , most welcome and long looked for , with a willing mind , joyfully and desirously i come to thee , being the scholar of him who did hang on thee , because i have always been thy lover , and have coveted to embrace thee . and so being crucified he gave up the ghost the last of november . see vol. 1. pag. 42 , 43. one alexander under the tenth persecution standing near the bar , at the examination of the christians , beckned to them with signs to confess christ ; which the multitude perceiving , made it known to the judge , who examining what he was , and being answered by him , i am a christian , condemned him to be devoured of wild beasts . and he having endured sad torments never sighed , but from the bottom of his heart praised and prayed to the lord. vol. 1. p. 62. apollinia an ancient virgin , under the seventh persecution , having her teeth dashed out , and being threatned to be cast into a great fire made before her , unless she would blaspheme with them , and deny christ ; she paused a while , and suddenly leaped into the fire , and was burned . vol. 1. p. 80. ammonarion , an holy virgin , told the persecuting judge , that for no punishment she would yield to his request ; and constantly she performed her words , under very severe torments , and was at last slain with a sword. vol. 1. pag. 80 , 81. alban the first english martyr , under the tenth persecution , did receive a clerk into his house , flying for religion , by whose precepts and precedents he of a pagan became a christian ; and when the emperour sent to apprehend the clerk , alban put on the clerks habits , and offered himself to the souldiers as the clerk , and so was had away ; and being commanded on pain of death , by the emperour , to sacrifice to idols , he said , i am a christian , and worship the true and living god , who created all the world ; and the sacrifices offered to devils can neither help them that offer them , nor can they accomplish the desires of their supplicants ; but they whoever they be that offer sacrifice to devils , shall receive everlasting pains of hell for their portion . whereupon he was cruelly beaten , and at last beheaded . vol. 1. pag. 115. agnes a virgin of rome , in the tenth persecution , of noble parentage , before she was marriageable she was dedicated to christ , and boldly resisted the wicked edicts of the emperour , who by fair and foul ways induced her to renounce her faith , yet she remained constant and courageous , and offered her body to suffer any torment or pain , not refusing to suffer whatsoever it should be , though death it self : but the tyrant threatned to expose her chastity to danger , by sending her to the stews , unless she would ask minerva pardon . whereupon she inveighed against minerva , and said , christ is not so forgetful of those that are his , that he will suffer violently to be taken from them their golden and pure chastity . thou shalt , saith she , bathe thy sword in my blood if thou wilt , but thou shalt not defile my body with filthy lust , for any thing thou canst do . after which the tyrant commanded her to be set naked in the open street , to the shame of himself and all present , who went from her ; and she returned god thanks for this deliverance of her chastity : and an executioner being sent to kill her , she willingly met him and prayed , o god vouchsafe to open heavens gates , once shut up against all the inhabitants of the earth ; and receive , o christ , my soul that seeketh thee . and so she was beheaded . vol. 1. p. 121 , 122. anselm , an italian , born and brought up in the abby of beck in normandy , and afterwards made archbishop of canterbury , said he had rather be in hell without sin , than in heaven with sin . vol. 1. p. 240. augustinus a barber , about hennegow in germany , being an embracer of the gospel , yet naturally so timerous that he fled twice when he was sought for , was so bold when he was apprehended that he confounded all opposers : and being desired to pity his soul and recant , he said he evidenced his pity to his soul in giving his body rather to be burned , than to do any thing contrary to his conscience . and being set at the stake , and the fire kindled , he heartily prayed unto the lord , and patiently departed , 1549. vol. 2. pag. 124. aymond de lavoy at bourdeaux in france , a preacher of the gospel , being persecuted and sent for ; his people and friends perswaded him to flye ; to whom he said , he had rather never have been born than so to do ; it was the office of a good shepherd not to flye in time of danger , but rather to abide the peril lest the flock be scattered ; or lest some scruple might by his flight be left in their minds , that he had fed them with dreams and fables , contrary to gods word ; wherefore beseeching them to move him no more therein , he told them he feared not to yield up both body and soul in the quarrel of the truth which he had taught , saying he was ready , with s. paul , acts 21. not only to be bound , but also to dye for the testimony of christ. and when the sumner came to apprehend him , being in the city of bourdeaux three days , aymond preached each day a sermon , and in his defence the people flew upon the sumner , till aymond desired them not to stop his martyrdom , since it was the will of god he should suffer for him . being apprehended , his greatest accusation was , that he denyed purgatory : he was nine months in prison , in great misery , bewailing his former life , though no man could charge him with any outward crime ; and enduring more severe torments by the officers afterwards , he being of a weak body , comforted himself thus , this body ( said he ) must once dye , but the spirit shall live ; the kingdom of god endureth for ever . and swooning , when he came to himself , he said , oh lord why hast thou forsaken me ? but his tormentors further vexing him , he said , o lord i beseech thee forgive them , they know not what they do . and when sentence was given against him , he comforted himself with s. paul's words , rom. 8. saying , who shall separate us from the love of god ? shall the sword , hunger , nakedness ? no , nothing shall pluck me from him . and being brought to the place of execution , he sang the 114. psalm , and testified he dyed for the gospel of christ , and said , o lord haste thee to help me , and tarry not : and desired all to study the gospel , and not to fear them that kill the body . he said he found his flesh to resist marvellously his spirit , but he should soon cast it off : and then begging the people to pray for him , he said often , o lord my god into thy hands i commend my soul. in the often repeating of which he dyed , being strangled and burned . vol. 2. p. 129 , 130. anne audebert , an apothecaries wife and widow at orleance in france , being judged to be burnt for religion's sake , when the rope was about her neck to strangle her , she called it her wedding girdle wherewith she should be married to christ : and as she should be burned on a saturday , she said , i was first married upon a saturday , and on a saturday i shall be married again . and martyred she was with such constancy as made the beholders to marvel . vol. 2. p. 135. somponius algerius a young man , burnt at rome 1555. being in prison at venice , ( from whence he was sent to rome ) he wrote an epistle to the persecuted and afflicted saints , wherein he declares the many ways he was tempted to recant , to which tempters he said , god forbid i should deny christ , whom i ought to confess , i will not set more by my life than by my soul , nor will i exchange the life to come for this present world . vol. 2. p. 180 , 181 , 182. mrs. anne askew being 1545. apprehended , and often examined as an heretick , subscribed two of her confessions thus , by anne askew that neither wisheth death nor feareth his might , and as merry as one that is bound towards heaven , god have the praise thereof with thanks . she always concluded her letters with pray , pray , pray . she was racked till almost dead , to discover her confederates , but she would not ; then was she by flattery tempted , but was not so won to deny her faith , but said she would rather burn than deny it . in newgate before she suffered she made a confession of her faith , clearing her self from errours , and proving her self a christian ; and then prayed for support against the malice of her enemies , that they might not overcome her ; and that god would pardon their sins , and open their eyes and hearts to do what god pleased , and to set forth his truth without errour . she was of a family that she might have lived in great wealth and prosperity , if she had loved the world more than christ , but she being constant , was at last ( being unable to go by reason of her racking ) brought in a chair to smithfield , and there chained to a stake , when wrisley then lord chancellor sent her pardon , and bad her recant ; but she refused to look once on them , and said she came not thither to deny her lord and master ; and so was burned in iune 1546. with whom suffered also iohn lacels , iohn adams , and nicholas belenian , which three men though courageous before , yet by her exhortation and example were emboldened , and received greater comfort . vol. 2. p. 580. iohn ardeley an essex man , being burnt iune 10. 1555. was examined and perswaded by bishop bonner to recant ; to whom he said , bear as good a face , my lord , as you can , you and all of your religion are of a false faith , and not of the catholick church . god foreshield i should recant , for then should i lose my soul ; and if every hair on my head was a man , i would suffer death in the faith and opinion that i now am in . and so he did . vol. 3. p. 253. will. allen a norfolk man , burnt at walsingham 1555. in september , because he would not go in procession and kneel to the cross ; he was in such favour with the justices of peace , for his tryed conversation amongst them , that he was permitted to go to his sufferings untyed , and there being fastned with a chain , stood quietly without shrinking till he dyed . vol. 3. p. 419. rose allen of much bentley in essex , being fetching drink for her sick mother , in a morning with a light candle , who was also with her self and father apprehended by edmond tyrrel esq to be all three carried to colchester goal for the gospel , who perswaded this rose allen to counsel her parents well ; who said , they had a better counsellor than she , to wit , the holy ghost , who i trust will not suffer them to erre . and being for this accused of heresie by him , she said , with that which you call heresie i worship my lord god : to whom he then said , i perceive you will also burn for company's sake : and she answered , not for company's sake , but for christ's sake ; and if he call me to it , i hope in his mercy he will enable me to bear it . so tyrrel took her candle and held it to her hand , burning it crossways the back of it , till the sinews crackt asunder ; and asked her often during that tyranny , what you whore will you not cry ? to whom she said , she had no cause to weep , if he considered it well he had more cause to weep , for she had none she thanked god , but rather had cause to rejoice ; and she said , that though at first burning it was some grief to her , yet the longer it burnt the lesser she felt , or well near no pain at all . vol. 3. p. 830. iohn alcock , a young man in suffolk , apprehended at hadley because he would not move his cap as the priest came into church with a procession , and being bid to take heed of the priest , he said , i fear not , for he shall do no more than god will give him leave ; and happy shall i be if god will call me to dye for his truths sake . and being sent up to london he dyed in prison at newgate , and was buried in a dunghil 1558. vol. 3. p. 883. richard atkins burnt at rome 1581. he was born in hartfordshire in england , and travelling to rome he came to the english colledge , knocking at whose gates several english scholars came out , and bid him go to the hospital , and there he should receive his meat and drink : but he declared he came not to any such intent , but to reprove the great misorder of their lives , which ( said he ) i grieve to hear and pity to behold : i came also to let your proud antichrist understand that he doth rob god of his honour , and poyseneth the whole world with his blasphemies : so declaming against their idolatry he was put into the inquisition by one hugh griffith a welchman , and a student in that colledge , where after a few days he was set at liberty : but one day going in the streets , and meeting a priest which carried the sacrament , which offended his conscience , he catched at it to have pulled it down , but missing of it he was let pass : a while after he seeing divers persons in s. peter's church at mass , he stept up without any reverence , and threw down the chalice of wine , and would have gotten the wafer-cake out of the priest's hands ; for which he was much beaten with persons fists , and cast into prison ; and upon examination why he would do such a crime , he said , i came for that intent , to rebuke the popes wickedness , and your idolatry . upon this he was condemned to be burned : which sentence he gladly received , he said , because the sum of his offence pertained to the glory of god. a while after he was set on the bare back of an ass , stript from the head to the waist , and so carried in the streets , who called to the people and told them they were in a wrong way , and willed them for christ's sake to have regard to the saving of their souls ; all the way as he went he had four men that did nothing else but thrust at his body with burning torches , whereat he never moved nor shrunk , but with a chearful countenance often bended his body to meet the torches , and would take them in his own hand and hold them burnig to his own body ; which posture he continued in near the space of half a mile , till he came at the place of execution , before s. peter's church ▪ then made they a device not to make the fire about him , but to burn his legs first , which he suffered marvellously chearfully ; then they offered him a cross , but he put it away , telling them they did ill to trouble him with such paltry , when he was preparing himself for god , whom he beheld in majesty and mercy ready to receive him into the eternal rest : and so he dyed . vol. 3. p. 1022. francis d' alost in flanders , beheaded may 1. 1566. said to his apprehenders , now ye think to deprive me of life , and so to do me a great hurt , but ye are deceived ; for it is all one as if ye took counters from me , to fill my hand with a great sum of gold. being at the place of execution , he said , seeing ye thirst after my blood , i willingly yield it unto your hands , and my soul into the hands of my merciful lord god almighty . and so he was beheaded , and his body given for a prey to the fowls of the air . addition to vol. 3. of massacre in france and flanders , p. 34 , 35. b b bartholomew the apostle is said to have preached to the indians , and to have converted the gospel of s. mathew into their tongue : he continued there a great space doing miracles , at last in albania , a city of greater armenia , after divers persecutions , he was beaten down with staves , and then crucified ; and after being excoreate was at length beheaded . vol. 1. p. 42. blandina a woman , under the fourth persecution , was so tormented that the tormentors for weariness gave her over , admiring at her strength and courage , who became stronger and stronger ; and as oft as she spake these words , i am a christian , neither have we done any evil , it was a marvellous comfort , and emboldened her to abide the torments . vol. 1. p. 60. she afterwards was fastned to a stake , and cast to ravening beasts , but no beast would come near her ; so the persecutors took her down , and laid her in prison till another time . at length she was put in a net , and cast to the wild bull , and after she was sufficiently gored with his horns she felt nothing of pain , but was thus slain ; of whom the very persecutors said , never woman was put to death of them that suffered so much as she did . vol. 1. p. 62 , 63. barlaam a martyr , under the tenth persecution , having endured many torments , was at last laid on the altar by the persecutors , where incense was offered to their idols , and they put incense into his hand , thinking that fire would cause his hand to scatter the incense , and so he have sacrificed , but the flame eat round about his hand , which remained as though it had been covered with hot embers , when as barlaam recited that of the psalmist , blessed be god who teacheth my hands to fight . vol. 1. p. 118 , 119. ioane boughton , mother to the lady young , was burned april 28. 1494. ( and in the ninth year of king hen. 7. king of england ) in smithfield , for holding of wickliffe's opinions , from which all the doctors in london could not turn her : and being told that she should be burnt , she defied them , saying , she was so beloved of god and his holy angels , that she passed not for the fire ; and in the midst of it she cryed to god to take her soul into his holy hands . vol. 1. p. 956. iohn brown of ashford was burned 1517. at ashford , being taken away by force from his own house , the same day his wife was churched , and he was carried to prison at canterbury , for no crime but for asking a mass-priest , where the soul was when he began mass and when he had done mass ? who answering he knew not ; iohn brown asked him then , how he could save the soul ? for which he was continued in prison from low-sunday till fryday before whitsontide , his wife not knowing where he was all this time ; till the night before he was burned being set in the stocks at ashford , she came and sat up by him , to whom he declared the whole passage , and said that the bishops , warham and fisher , heated his feet on the coals , and burned them to the bones , to make him deny his lord ; which i will never do , added he , for if i should deny him in this world , he would deny me hereafter . i pray thee , said he further , good elizabeth , continue as thou hast begun , and bring up thy children vertuously in the fear of god. and the next day being whitsonday-eve this godly martyr was burned ; standing at the stake he thus prayed , holding up his hands , o lord i yield me to thy grace , grant me mercy for my trespass , let never the fiend my soul chase : lord i will bow , and thou shalt beat , let never my soul come in hell heat . into thy hands i commend my spirit , for thou hast redeemed me , o lord of truth . and so he ended . vol. 2. p. 13. iohn bertrand , a forester in france , 1556. being condemned for the gospel's sake , he being to enter a cart , to be carried to execution , gave thanks he was not there for any evil action , but for the quarrel of our saviour ; and when tyed to the post he sang the 25. psalm ; and with eyes looking up to heaven , seeing the place of execution , he said , o the happy journey , and fair place prepared for me . he in the fire cryed , o lord give thy hand to thy servant , i recommend my soul to thee : and so meekly yielded up the ghost . vol. 2. p. 150. dominicus de basana , an italian , burned at placentia , 1553. being asked whether he was a priest , said , not of the pope , but of christ ; being asked if he would renounce his doctrine , answered , he maintained no doctrine of his own , but of christs , which also he was ready to seal with his blood , and gave hearty thanks to god which so accepted him , as worthy to glorifie his name with his martyrdom : and being cast into prison , he continued constant ; yea at his execution he did preach , and pray for his enemies , and so finished his days . vol. 2. p. 167. a bookseller of avinion was burned by the means of the bishop of aix , for selling some bibles in the french tongue ; and as a sign of the crime for which he was burnt , he had two bibles hanged about his neck , one before and another behind him . vol. 2. p. 191. maurice blane , a young man in merindol in france , being one of the waldenses , and taken by one iohn miniers lord of opede , who went as captain against merindol , was shot to death with harquebusses , and though he was not very well instructed , yet in all his torments he lifted up his eyes to heaven , and with a loud voice ceased not to call on god ; and the last words he was heard to say were , o lord god these men take from me a life full of misery , but thou wilt give me life everlasting , by thy son iesus christ , to whom be glory . vol. 2. p. 198. thomas bilney , being brought up under popish ignorance , and did in order to his obtaining pardon of sins , use fasting , watching , buying pardons , &c. and at last hearing that the new testament was translated into latine elegantly by erasmus , out of a love to the latine more than to the word of god ( which he then knew not what it meant ) bought one and did read it ; and at his first reading he happened on 1 tim. 1.15 . it is a faithful saying , &c. which sentence through gods instructions , and co-workings , exhilerated him , and was a means of his conversion to the faith of christ , learning that all travels and watchings without christ availed nothing : and having tasted of the sweetness of christ himself , he greatly endeavoured the promoting of christ's gospel , and opposed popery in its abuses of pardons , &c. vol. 2. p. 268. he was instrumental to the conversion of mr. latimer , p. 271. he was of trinity hall in cambridge , and first framed that university to the knowledge of christ , vol. 2. p. 274.276 . he once recanted , and was absolved , which created such trouble to him , that for two years he almost despaired , nor could any scripture comfort him , till at length god , by the means of mr. latimer , comforted him . and he propagated the doctrine of christ in norfolk , and was burned at norwich 1531. the night before which eating an ale-berry chearfully , some friends said they were glad to see him so merry , to whom he said , he did as husbandmen , repair the ruinous house of his body . he often tryed the heat of the fire , by putting his finger in the candle flame , saying , i feel and know fire to be naturally hot , yet i am perswaded by gods word , and by experience of some in it , that in the flames they felt no heat . and i believe howsoever that the stubble of my body shall be wasted by it , yet my soul shall be thereby purged : it is a pain for a time , on which follows joy unspeakable . vol. 2. p. 277. richard bayfield , a monk of s. bennets belonging to berry , converted by means of one dr. barnes , was november 20. 1531. degraded and condemned ; and being struck with a crosier he fell backward , broke his head , and swooned ; when he came to himself again , he thanked god that he was delivered from the malignant church of antichrist , and was come into the sincere church of christ militant here on earth : and i trust anon , said he , to be in heaven with christ , and that church triumphant for ever . and being in a slow fire was half an hour alive , and when the left arm was on fire and burned , he rolled it with his right hand , and it fell from his body ; and he continued in prayer to the end without moving . vol. 2. p. 293. iames beinham , a lawyer , in king henry the eighth's days , for knowledge of the new testament was burnt , april the last 1532. who first abjured , but soon relapsed , declaring he would not suffer the like hell he did when he was abjured for all the world ; and when he was again taken and burning , he in the fire , when his legs were half consumed , said , o ye papists , ye look for miracles , here ye may see one , for in this fire i feel no more pain than if i were in a bed of down , and it is to me as a bed of roses . vol. 2. p. 301. thomas benet , master of art in cambridge , thinking after his conversion not safe to stay there , went to exeter , and there taught a school : and at last abhorring the blasphemy of the papists , he fixt up bills against the popes supremacy , &c. for which , after much enquiry being found out , he at length suffered , all their endeavours being not able to reclaim him to popery , to whose perswaders he mildly answered ; desiring them to desist , for he was resolved , and did more desire to dye for christ , than to live longer and partake of and behold their detestable idolatry . at the fire he prayed so fervently , and his sayings were so pious , and himself so constant , that his very enemies counted him a good man , and god's servant ; yet was he burnt : and at stake being commanded by one esq barnhouse to pray to saints , he would not , it being god on whom only he must call : to whom the esquire said , he should pray to saints , or else he would make him , and therewith thrust a fir-bush on fire at his face : to whom the martyr said , alas , sir ! trouble me not ; and prayed , father forgive them . whereupon the esquire caused the fire to be kindled , and then the martyr lifted up his eyes and hands , saying , o lord receive my spirit ; and so continuing prayers , did never stir nor strive , but abode the flames until he ended . vol. 2. p. 314. dr. barnes of cambridge , in king henry the eighth's days , burned in smithfield 1541. iuly 30. he much promoted good learning in cambridge , and then religion , yet afterwards recanted twice , but at length preached christianity again ; for which , he being apprehended , was to be burnt ; who making his confession , said , he dyed for the faith of christ , by whom alone he doubted not but to be saved : he prayed for pardon : and whereas stephen gardner bishop of winchester caused his martyrdom , he there said , i pray god forgive him , as heartily , and as freely , and as charitably , and without feigning , as ever christ forgave them that put him to death . and then putting off his cloaths , made him fit for the fire , and patiently took his death , and was burnt with mr. garret and mr. hierom. vol. 2. pag. 517. see more mr. hierom. george bucker : see adam damlip . iohn bradford a lancashire man , a good scholar , servant to the lord harrington , afterwards went to cambridge , and after one years time was made master of arts and fellow of pembroke hall ; and some time after ordained by bishop ridley , and made prebend of s. paul's in london . vol. 3. p. 380. he was a zealous preacher and a good liver , yet in queen mary's days silenced and imprisoned ; although but three days before he appeased the people in london , by preaching against sedition , and perswading them to obedience , who were incensed much against one bourn ( who afterward was made bishop of bath ) who preached against king edward 6. and pleaded for popery , so that a dagger was thrown at him , till this mr. bradford appeared in the pulpit , and then the people cryed out , god save thy life , o bradford . he slept but four hours in the night , and spent most of the other hours in prayer and studying ; so that he counted that hour lost , he said , in which he had done none good with pen , study , or exhorting : he preached twice a day in prison , unless sickness hindred him . when the keepers wife with sorrow brought him news of his burning next day , he said , i thank god for it , i have looked for the same a long time ; it comes not on me suddenly , but as a thing waited for every day and hour , o lord make me worthy of it . when he went from the counter to newgate , he prayed , and gave every servant and officer in the house money , wishing them to serve god and eschew evil , and prayed to god to effect it in them : he was imprisoned two years , lacking one month and a half . he being upon examination offered mercy , if he would recant , said , mercy with god's mercy i desire ; but mercy with god's wrath god keep me from ; his good will be done , life with his displeasure is worse than death , and death with his favour is true life . vol. 3. p. 283. one creswel , an acquaintance of his , after this came to him , and proffered him his service to make suit to the queen for him : to whom he said , if the queen will give me life , i will thank her ; if she will banish me , i will thank her ; if she will burn me , i will thank her ; if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment , i will thank her . vol. 3. p. 292. at the stake he freely forgave all persons , and beg'd all persons to forgive him : he prayed and kissed the stake and faggot , crying , o england , england , repent thee of thy sins , repent thee of thy sins , beware of idolatry , beware of false antichrists , take heed they do not deceive you . vol. 3. p. 307. his letters were many and pious , exhorting to constancy : 1. from god's love to us : 2. god's power over our enemies , and care for us : 3. the necessity of dying once : 4. the shortness of the troubles : 5. the eternity of our joys : 6. examples of christians : 7. the conjugal relation engageth both soul and body to christ : 8. all worldly enjoyments , and life it self , but tokens of god's love to us , and must not be denyed if call'd for by god , as tokens of our love to him : 9. death is our due for sin , but when for christ , prepares a greater glory : 10. god's care over their children and families that dye for him : 11. our cross from god as a father . vol. 3. p. 307. to 337. roger bernard , a suffolk man , burned with two others at s. edmunds-bury , iune 30. 1556. he being diversly flattery allured to turn , yet though a poor labourer continued constant ; and when he was threatned with punishments , he said , friends , i am not better than my master christ , and the prophets , whom your fathers served after this sort ; and i for his names sake am content to suffer the like at your hands , if god shall so permit , trusting that he will strengthen me in the same , according to his promise , in spite of the devil and all his ministers . and so constantly he endured the flames with prayer and praises . vol. 3. p. 710. agnes bongeor , one of 10 prisoners at colchester , who with another woman , one margaret thurston , was not executed with the other 8 , because of the mistake of her name in the writ , being there written bowyer instead of bongeor ; which mistake caused much sorrow to the poor woman , who was thereupon dejected , even almost to despair , because she was left and the rest taken and burnt , as if god did not think her worthy of that honour ; in order to the receiving of which , she had disposed of a sucking child that morning to another nurse , and had habited her self fit for the fire : but at last with much endeavours she was comforted , by a friend 's proposing the instance of abraham , whose will in offering his son was by god accepted , as if isaac had been sacrificed ; and so her desire to have offered up her self , had god pleased ; and also the real offer of her child , disposed of already to another nurse , in order to her self being burnt , might be acceptable before god. and she being thus comforted in due time , september 17. 1557. was also with the said margaret thurston burnt at colchester . vol. 3. p. 849 , 850. bergerius , being imprisoned for the gospel's sake , met there with one iohn chambon a thief , imprisoned also at lions in france 1553. which chambon was almost famished for want of food , eating only such things as horses and dogs refused , and was also almost devoured of lice , insomuch that he cryed out against god , and cursed his parents that bare him , till by the prayers and endeavours of this bergerius he was converted ; and he declared to divers persons by letters , that his lice left him the next day after his conversion , so that he had not one ; and he was sufficiently provided for by the alms of persons , so that he fared very well . vol. 2. p. 140 , 141. iohn badby an english martyr 1409. martyred for opposing transubstantiation ; he , though he felt the flames , which were immediately quenched , and he invited to recant by the kings eldest son , with promises of great revenues , and with threats of being burned , if he would not recant , could not not be perswaded to recant . vol. 1. p. 681. guy de brez , prisoner at tournay in flanders 1567. writeth to his wife thus ( after the declaring what conflicts he had with his flesh , and the victory which through christ he had in order to suffering ) be comforted , our separation shall not be for ever , it will not be long e're we be gathered together under one head , iesus christ : the world is not the place of rest : heaven is our home , and the world but our place of banishment : let us aspire after our country : consider the honour god doth you , in that you have a husband who is not only called to be a minister of christ , but highly advanced to partake of the crown of martyrdom , which honour the angels in heaven are not capable of . i rejoice in my sufferings , i am filled with the abundant riches of my god. i now taste and see gods goodness , i feel by experience he never forsakes them that trust in him ; i have profited more in the school-house of my prison than in all my life time before ; i would not change my condition with them which are my persecutors , i eat and drink and rest with more hearts-ease than they . additions to vol. 3. concerning massacre in france and flanders . p. 37 , 38. francis le bossu , with his two sons , martyred at lyons in france in the massacre there 1572. he encouraged his two sons to suffer with him for the gospel , exhorting them thus , children , we know the enmity of the wicked and the world against gods people is no strange thing : let not their drawn swords affright us , they will be but as a bridge whereby we shall pass over out of a miserable life into immortal blessedness ; we have breathed and lived long enough among the wicked , let us now go and live with one god. and so all three embracing each other , were found slain . additions to vol. 3. concerning massacre in france . p. 68. c c calocerius seeing the great patience of the christians in so great torments and persecutions , cryed out , vere magnus deus christianorum , that is , truly the god of the christians is a great god. which words being heard , he was apprehended , and brought to the place of execution , and made partaker of their martyrdom . vol. 1. p. 53. cecilia the virgin brought valerian her espoused husband , and tiburtius his brother , to the faith of christ , and with her exhortations made them constant to martyrdom ; after whose sufferings she was apprehended and brought to offer sacrifice to idols , but refusing , she was had to the judge to be condemned ; in the mean time the serjeants and others began to perswade her to favour her self , and not cast her self away ; to whom she so reply'd with reasons and godly exhortations , that by the grace of god they were converted also , and divers others were with them baptized , to the number of 400 persons ; which being done she was condemned , and was inclosed in a hot bath a day and a night without hurt , and was afterwards ordered to be beheaded in the bath . vol. 1. cyprian , being also named statius , he was an african and born in carthage , an idolater and a gentile , altogether given to the study of magical arts , who was converted to the christian faith , through the grace of god , by the means of cecilius a priest , and by the occasion of hearing the history of the prophet ionah ; and was after his conversion ordained priest and bishop of carthage : soon after in which office and dignity he so shined in gifts and vertues , that he had the covernment of all the east church , and church of spain , and was called the bishop of the christian men : and was beheaded in the 259. year of christ , under the eighth persecution . he is said to observe 12 abuses in mans life . 1. a wise man without good works . 2. an old man without religion . 3. youth without obedience . 4. rich men without alms. 5. a woman shameless . 6. a guide without vertue . 7. a christian contentious . 8. a poor man proud . 9. a king unrighteous . 10. a bishop negligent . 11. people without discipline . 12. subjects without love . vol. 1. p. 89 , 90 , &c. christians to the number of 2000 being assembled in their temple at nicomedia , to celebrate the nativity of christ , and fire being caused to be set to the temple by the order of maximianus , under the tenth persecution , with a cryer , that all that would have life should come out of the temple , and do sacrifice upon the next altar of iupiter . one in the behalf of all the rest answered , they were all christians , and that they would do sacrifice only to christ , his father , and the holy ghost , and that they were all now ready to offer . whereupon they all and the temple were burned . vol. 1. p. 102. iohn clardon , a currier of london , was burned only for having english books in his house , which as his enemies said contained heretical opinions , which he owned against the popish party , 1415. year of christ. vol. 1. p. 842. iohn clerke of meldon in france , a wool-carder , for saying the pope was antichrist in a bill he set upon the church doors against the pope's pardons , was to be whipt three several times , and each time marked on the forehead with a note of infamy , whose mother being a christian woman , and seeing those things done to her son , courageously emboldened him , crying , blessed be christ , and welcome be these marks . he afterwards removing to metz in lotharing , the night before the people idolatrously , according to their custom , was to go out of town to worship some images , he brake them down ; and the next day the monks and people coming to worship , found their images broken , whereof they suspected this clerke , who being examined confessed the fact , and shewed his reason for it ; whereat the people were enraged , and cut off his right arm , and with pinsers pulled off his nose , arms , and breast , and then burnt him , an. 1514. who patiently endured it , singing , their images be of silver and gold , the work of mens hands . vol. 2. p. 107. dr. iohn castellane , a french divine , was degraded and burnt only for religion , in which he continued constant to death , and so patiently underwent it , 1525. that many ignorant people were thereby drawn to the knowledge of the truth , and many weak were greatly confirmed . vol. 2. p. 107 , 108 , 109. george carpenter burned in munchen in bavaria , feb. 8. 1527. whose crimes were , because he held a priest could not forgive sins , nor call god out of heaven , that god was not in the bread in the sacrament , nor that the element of water in baptism did confer grace ; which four articles he refused to recant : and being asked if he was let go if he would not go to his wife and children : he answered , if i was let go , whither should i go rather than to my wife and well-beloved children ? and being told if he would recant he should be set at liberty ; he said , my wife and children are so dearly beloved of me , that they cannot be bought from me for all the riches of the duke of bavaria ; but for the love of my lord god i will willingly forsake them . and being led to the place of execution , he promised a sign of his faith , that while he could open his mouth , he would not cease to call upon the name of iesus ; and being in the fire he cryed aloud , iesus , iesus , and so gave up his spirit joyfully . vol. 2. p. 114. one cowbridge burnt at oxford , he was a person distracted , and knew not what he said , and yet burned for an heretick , who in the midst of the flames , lifting up his head to heaven soberly and discreetly called upon the name of the lord jesus christ , and so departed . vol. 2. p. 437. roger clarke , a suffolk man , taken at ipswich , and judged 1546. with one kerby , by my lord wentworth ; who , after sentence given , talked with another justice on the bench a good while , to whom clarke said , my lord , speak out , and if you have done any thing contrary to your conscience , ask of god mercy , and we from our hearts do forgive you ; speak not in secret , for ye shall come before a iudge , and then make answer openly , even before him that shall judge all men. he was burn'd at berry , and at stake , kneeled down , and said , my soul doth magnifie the lord , &c. vol. 2. p. 569. dirick carver , a beer-brewer in bright-hamsted in sussex , an ancient and pious man , though not understanding a letter of the book , was apprehended for having , with some others , been at prayer in his house ; and after his apprehension he so improved his time in learning , though ancient , that before he suffered , through gods blessing , he could read any english printed book . at the stake in lewis , iuly 22. 1555. he went into the barrel , having stript himself , and there spake to the people . dear brethren and sisters , witness to you all that i am to seal with my blood christs gospel , because i know it is true ; and because i will not deny gods gospel , and be obedient to mens laws , i here am condemned to dye . dear brethren and sisters , as many as believe on the father , son , and holy ghost unto everlasting life , see ye do the works pertaining to the same ; i ask ye all , whom i have offended , forgiveness , for the lords sake , as i heartily forgive all you who have offended me in thought word and deed . lord have mercy upon me , for unto thee do i commend my soul , and my spirit doth rejoice in thee . and so the fire being kindled , he said , oh lord have mercy upon me , and sprang up in the fire calling on the name of jesus , and so ended . vol. 3. p. 386. richard colliar of ashford in kent , being examined and condemned for the gospels sake , as soon as he was condemned he sang a psalm , and was afterwards burnt with five more kentish men , at three stakes in one fire , in august 1555. vol. 3. p. 394. tho. cranmer , a gentleman of a family ancient as the conquest , born at arselacton in nottinghamshire , brought up at school , and at cambridge was fellow of iesus colledge , and afterwards one of the heads of the university , used to examine all graduates in divinity , who would not admit any to be batchellors or doctors in divinity , but those who were well read in the scriptures ; whereby he refused many fryars , some of whom by being thereby brought to consult the word of god were converted , and afterwards returned him thanks . this cranmer was afterwards by king hen. 8. made arch-bishop of canterbury , for his service to him in endeavouring to satisfie his conscience about the divorce of his queen , catherine his first wife , the widow of his late deceased brother : he was of a mild nature , soon reconciled to his enemies , and so ready to do them good that it grew proverbial , do my lord of canterbury a displeasure , and then you may be sure to have him your friend whilst he lives . vol. 3. p. 637. he was by many endeavours tempted to recant , and after much resistance did at last recant , chiefly out of a design to compleat an answer against a papish book which he had begun ; but though he subscribed , the papists were ordered to burn him , march 21. at oxford , by the queen , who had ordered doctor cole to have a funeral sermon in readiness against that day ; and accordingly at the day appointed , the doctor did preach , and cranmer was had to the church not knowing the design ; but as he was perswaded to publish his recantation publickly , and after sermon , when it was expected he should declare his recantation , he with many tears and earnest desires did entreat the people to pray for him to god for pardon of his sins , amongst which , none troubled him more than his subscribing to popery with his hand , which he hated in his heart ; but , saith he , for as much as my hand hath offended , it shall be first punished ; for may i come to the fire , it shall first be burnt ; and so he began to cry against the papists and popery , whereby the papists expectation were frustrated and they grew mad at him , stopping his mouth , and pulling him down , and led him forthwith to the town-ditch to be burnt , where in the fire he put forth his right hand into the flames as soon as they came near him , and held it there till it was burnt , his body being unburnt ; often saying , oh unworthy right hand ; and saying often , lord iesus receive my spirit , he stood immovable in the flames , and dyed march 21. 1556. vol. 3. p. 670 , 671. iohn carter , a weaver of coventry , dyed in the kings-bench a prisoner for the gospel , who expected and desired to have been burnt . in a letter to mr. philpot he writes thus , my friends report me to be more worthy to be burnt than any that was burnt yet , god's blessing on their hearts for their good report , god make me worthy of that dignity , and hasten the time , that i might set forth his glory . he wrote divers letters of encouragement to the persecuted brethren ; and in one letter to his wife he begs , and chargeth her to rejoice with him in this his state of sufferings for christ's sake . vol. 3. p. 716. &c. peter chevet : see peter . mrs. gertrude crockhay , wife to mr. robert crockhay at st. katherines by the tower in london , being for the gospel persecuted , fled 1556. to gelderland , beyond sea , to look after some estate that should fall to her children by a former husband : but there also she was betrayed , and came to trouble at antwerp ; where , at the request of her friends , she was set at liberty , and she came for england , where she was infested again by the papists ; and being very sick : they told her daughter , that unless her mother would receive the sacrament she should not be buried with christian burial : who hearing the same , said , oh how happy am i that i shall not rise with them , but against them : the earth is the lords and all the fullness thereof , and therefore i commit the matter to him . soon after she dyed , and was buried in her husbands garden . vol. 3. p. 1013 , 1014. christians to the number of 30000 slain in the massacre at paris in france , 1572. which was effected by the french king 's inviting the chief captains of them , and all other that would , to the wedding between the prince of navarre , and the kings sister ; at which being kindly received , some of them after the compleating of that marriage were slain , and all the souldiers in paris charged to be in arms at a watch-word , so that within three days 10000 of them were slain , besides many other in the days following in paris , and the persecution in other places in a months time compleated the number of 30000 aforesaid ; which news being sent to the pope , he solemnly gave thanks for it as a mercy ; and the french king also did the like ; and the messenger of the news had 1000 crowns for his news : but the poor protestants were much troubled , of whom some turned , others fled , and all had been destroyed , had not those in rochel by god's mercy been courageous , and resolved to be stedfast and fight for the faith ; which being known , the french king besiegeth it , and chargeth all his nobles and gentry , on pain of great punishment , to besiege it ; which was done with great vigour by the whole force of france , and also of the duke of anjou , duke of alanson , navarre , and condee , which forces assaulted it seven times and were resisted , so that they lost 122 captains ; and at last the duke of anjou being made king of polony , which news coming to the camp they rejoiced ; whereat the new king treated with them of rochel , and finding them not unconformable , made peace with them , and prevailed with the french king by edict to let them have peace , and the liberty of religion in that and other cities , 1573. vol. 3. p. 1028 , to 1030. d d dorotheus and gorgoneus , persons of dioclesian's privy chamber , seeing the sad torments inflicted on peter their houshold companion , said to dioclesian , why , o emperour , do you punish in peter that opinion which is in all of us ? why is this accounted in him an offence , that we all confess we are of that faith , religion , and iudgment that he is of ? wherefore he commanded them to be brought forth , and to be tormented almost with like pains to peter's , and afterwards to be hanged . vol. 1. p. 101 , 102. iohn diazius , a spaniard , was murthered 1546. by his brother alphonsus diazius , who hired a man with an hatchet to cleave his own brother's head , as he was reading some letters , under a pretence sent to him by his brother , who was by when the fact was done , and forth with fled with the murtherer : but he being the popes lawyer , and procuring his companion in rome on purpose to murther his brother being a protestant , escaped punishment . vol. 2. p. 109. dennis a french martyr 1528. burnt at melda , for saying the mass is a plain denying of the death of christ ; he was wont to have always in his mouth the words of christ , he that denyeth me before men , him also will i deny before my father , and to muse on the same earnestly . he was burnt with a slow fire , and did abide much torment . vol. 2. p. 128. adam damlip , alias george bucker , a great papist , in his travels at rome seeing the great profaneness and impiety of that place , where he expected so much goodness , loathed popery ; and at calice reforming , he preached against it , and was at length sentenced to death . when the news was told him by the jaylor of the marshalsee in london on a saturday night , that on monday he must for calice , and suffer there , he did eat his supper chearfully , insomuch that some asked him how he could do it , being to dye so soon ; to whom he said , ah masters , do you think that i have been god's prisoner so long in the marshalsee , and have not learned to dye ? yes , yes ; and i doubt not but god will strengthen me therein . he was at calice the next saturday following hanged , drawn , and quartered as a traytor , in king henry the eighth's time . and his greatest enemy , who at his death said he would not depart till he did see his heart out , ( one sir ralph ellerken ) was soon after slain amongst others by the french , and his enemies cutting off his privy members , cut his heart out of his body ; which cruelty they did to none other of the company , and may be looked on as a just judgment of god on him , who so desired to see damlip's heart . vol. 2. p. 564 , 565. iohn denley , a gentleman of maidstone in kent , burnt for the gospel's sake at uxbridge , august 8. 1555. who in the flames sang a psalm ; whereat dr. story caused one to throw a faggot at him , which hurting his face did cause him to lay both his hands on it , and to leave singing ; whereupon the doctor said to him that flung the faggot , you have spoiled a good old song ; but mr. denley being yet in the flame put abroad his hands again and sang , yielding up his spirit into the hands of god. vol. 3. p. 390. alice driver , a suffolk woman and a labourers wife , persecuted for the gospel of christ , said that quen mary , for her persecuting the saints of god , was like iezebel ; for which she had her ears cut off presently , which she suffered joyfully ; and said , she thought her self happy that she was counted worthy to suffer any thing for the name of christ. being examined by several doctors , she reasoned with them so , and silenced them all . she perceiving which , said , have ye no more to say ? god be thanked you be not able to resist the spirit of god in a poor weak woman : i was never brought up at the university , but often drave the plow before my father ; yet , in the defence of gods truth , and in the cause of my master christ , by his grace i will set foot to foot against any of you in the maintenance of the same ; and if i had a thousand lives , they should all go for the payment of it . she being at stake , and a chain put about her neck to bind her with , she said , here is a goodly neck-kerchief , blessed be god for it . she was burned november 4. 1558. vol. 3. p. 886 , 887 , 888. iohn davis , a school-boy of twelve years of age , was , because he had a bible , and had written some things against the papists , betrayed by his aunt , one mrs. iohnson , in worcester , 1546. with whom he lived ; and he was imprisoned from august 14. till 7. days before easter , with fetters and bolts ; and one perswading him from burning , advised him first to try the candle , who holding his finger , and the other holding a candle under it a good space , he cryed not , felt no pain , nor was his finger scorched . he was afterwards arraigned , and should have been punished with death , but that king henry the 8 th . dyed , and the law was thereby out of force . vol. 3. p. 919 , 920. e e eulalia , a virgin of noble parentage in eremita , a city in portugal , of twelve years of age , refusing great marriages and dowries , being a christian , joined her self with gods children under the 10 th . persecution ; and being kept close by her parents , lest she should hasten her own death , she by night stole out and ran to the judgment seat , and cryed out , i am a christian , an enemy to your devilish sacrifices ; i spurn your idols all under my feet , i confess god omnipotent with heart and mouth : isis , apollo , venus , what are they ? maximinus himself , what is he ? the one a thing of nought , because the work of mens hands ; and the other a cast-away , because he worshippeth the same work . whereat the judge incens'd , threatned torments , but first perswades her to return and offer incense ; whereat she spits in his face , spurns abroad with her feet the incense ; and then was miserably tormented , scratched and cut to the bones , she singing and praising god , saying , o lord i will not forget thee ! what a pleasure is it , o christ , for them that remember thy triumphant victory , to attain to these high dignities ? and so she was burned . vol. 1. p. 120. edmund , king of eastangles , in the saxon heptarchy in brittain , being summoned to submit to inguar , a dane , returned an answer , that he , a christian king , would not , for the love of a temporal life , subject himself to a pagan duke , unless he became a christian first ; whereupon he was taken , and fixt to a stake , and shot to death . vol. 1. p. 148. f f fructuosus , bishop of tarraconia in spain , being by emilianus under the eighth persecution , in the year of christ 262. to be burned , because he would not worship idols , said , he worshipped not any dumb god of stocks and blocks , but one god the creator of all things : and being cast into the fire with his hands tyed behind him , his bands were by the fire dissolved , his hands unhurt , and his body remained whole , and he lifted up his hands and praised god , praying also that the fire might speedily dispatch him ; which then was soon done : in the mean time a souldier in the house of emilianus , with the daughter of emilianus , said they saw the heavens open and the martyr to enter in . vol. 1. p. 96. nicholas finchman burned in dornick 1549. who being condemned , blessed god which had counted him worthy to be a witness in the cause of his dear and well beloved son ; and patiently took his death , commending his spirit unto god in the midst of the fire . vol. 2. p. 124. iames faber an old man , about the year of christ 1562. being apprehended , said , he could not answer or satisfie them in reasoning , yet he would constantly abide in the truth of the gospel ; and so was martyred . vol. 2. p. 127. ioannes filieul , or filiolus , and iulianus leville , suffered both at sanserre in france 1554. who having their tongues cut out , yet had some utterance given them of god , that at their death they said , we bid sin , the flesh , the world and the devil farewel for ever , with whom never we shall have to do hereafter . vol. 2. p. 145. fininus at ferraria , an italian , was burnt 1550. who being apprehended , by the perswasion of his friends he recanted , and then was in so great horrour that he almost despaired , till he publickly again preached the gospel ; for which he being again taken , could not by all the solicitations of his wife and children be drawn from it , but told them that his lord had commanded him not to deny him for taking care of his family , wherefore he desired them to depart : and being afterwards commanded by pope iulius the third to be executed , he returned thanks to the messengers of the news , and much rejoiced at it : and being asked what would become of his wife and children , if he so left them : he said he had left them to a good overseer , christ the lord , a faithful keeper of all committed to him . one seeing him so merry before his death , asked the reason , since christ wept and sweat drops of blood before his passion ? to whom he answered , christ sustained in his body all the sorrows and conflicts of hell and death due to us , by whose death we are delivered from sorrow and fear of them all . and at the stake , after his prayers to god , he meekly gave his neck to the cord , with which he was strangled , and was afterwards burned . vol. 2. p. 165 , 166. iohn frith burnt at one stake in smithfield 1533. with one andrew hewet , this frith willingly embraced the stake , and whenas one dr. cooke bad the people pray for them no more than for a dog , he said smiling , father forgive them ; and the fire being by the wind more blown to his partner than himself , he , though in so great torments , rejoiced ; and seeming to feel no torments , comforted his fellow-sufferer rather than was careful for himself . vol. 2. p. 309 , 310. henry filmer , a preacher of the gospel , in king hen. 8. days , about windsor , was brought to be burnt by the envy of dr. london , and the false accusations of his own brother , induced to it by promises of maintenance from the doctor : to which brother , filmer ( seeing himself like to suffer by reason of his accusations ) said , ah , brother , what cause hast thou to shew me this unkindness ? i have been always a natural brother to thee ; and is this a brotherly part , to reward me now so ? god forgive thee it my brother , and give thee grace to repent . he suffered with one testwood and anthony persons . as he came to his brothers door , as he was going to suffer ; he called his brother three or four times , but he appeared not : and then filmer said , and will he not come ? then god forgive him , and make him a good man. he being with the other two at the stake , drank to each other ; and filmer said , be merry , for i trust , that after this sharp breakfast , we shall have a good dinner in the kingdom of christ. vol. 2. p. 553 , 554. dr. robert farrar , bishop of s. davids in wales , being to be burnt , and much pitied by a knights son , who lamented the painfulness of the death he was to suffer ; to whom ferrar said , if ye see me once stir in the pains of my burning , you shall not believe my doctrine : and as he said , so it was ; for he stood so patiently that he never moved ; but as he stood holding up his stumps , so he continued till he was struck down by a staff , march 30. 1555. in the reign of queen mary . vol. 3. p. 216. william flower , alias branch , a cambridgeshire man , brought up a monk , at last was reformed ; and after removing from place to place , he came to lambeth , by london ; and on an easter-day went to westminster , and in s. margarets church he , out of zeal for gods cause , drew his hanger , and wounded the priest as he was administring the sacrament ; for which he was imprisoned , and though he much lamented the fact as done amiss , yet did he justifie his faith against them . and bishop bonner threatning him one while , and then perswading him by proffers of gifts , he thankt him and said , whereas it was in his power to kill , or not kill his body , he was contented he should do what he pleased ; but he knew over his soul he had no such power , but that being separated from the body is in the hands of no man , but only of god , either to save or spill . at length he was burnt in westminster-abby yard , april 24. 1554. where his right hand was cut off , he not shewing any sense of pain ; and at last , burning in the fire , he cryed out , o thou son of god have mercy on me , o thou son of god receive my soul ; and dyed by much torment , his lower part being burnt when his upper part was untouched , by reason of want of fuel . vol. 3. p. 243 , 244. 246. elizabeth folkes , an essex maid , being imprisoned and condemned for the gospel , kneeled down and lifting up her hands , prayed to god and praised him that ever she was born to see that most blessed day , that the lord would count her worthy to suffer for the testimony of christ ; and , lord , said she , if it be thy will , forgive them that have done this against me ; for they know not what they do : and going to the stake at colchester , august 2. 1557. and the people not permitting her to give her petticoat to her mother ( who was present and kist her at the stake , and exhorted her to be strong in the lord ) she threw away the coat , saying , farewel all the world , farewel faith , farewel hope ; and then taking hold of the stake , she said , welcome love. she was burned with five more , who all clapped their hands for joy in the flames . vol. 3. p. 832. iohn frith being in the tower as an heretick , because he held against transubstantiation . and being afterwards sent for to croydon by my lord of canterbury , cranmer , in king henry the 8 th's time , the lords men who were sent for him advised him to submit to the bishops and doctors opinion : to whom frith said , my conscience is such , that in any wise i neither may , nor can , for any worldly respect , without danger of damnation , start aside from that true knowledge , though i should presently lose twenty lives if i had so many . the servants , still endeavouring to save him , contrived how he might fly , and so escape ; which they imparted to him : to whom he said , should you leave me , i would surely follow you ; should you bring the bishops news ye had lost frith , i would bring them news i had found him , and brought him again : for , though before i was taken , i being at liberty , fled , to make use of my liberty ; yet i being taken , cannot fly , but run from god , and should then be worthy of a thousand hells . and so he went chearfully to the bishops at croydon , and there disputed the point ; and after was sent to bishop stokesteys , the bishop of london's consistory ; and soon after was burnt . vol. 3. p. 990 , 991 , 992. see more of frith p. 59. of this book . g g germanicus , a young devout man , being by the proconsul of antoninus verus in the 4 th persecution , perswaded to favour himself being in the flower of his age ; he would not be allured , but constantly , and boldly , and of his own accord provoked the beasts to come upon him to devour him , to be delivered the more speedily out of this wretched life . vol. 1. p. 57. gordius , a centurion of caesaria , in the 10 th persecution , willingly exiled himself , till a publick feast of mars was celebrated , and much people was assembled ; and then appearing in the theatre , cryed out , i am found of them that sought me not : and being examined by the sheriff , he said , i came hither to publish that i set nothing by your decrees against christian religion , but i profess christ to be my hope and safety : hereupon he was scourged , and he said , it would be an hindrance to him , if he could not suffer divers torments for christ. and having more torments tryed on him , he sang , the lord is my helper , i will not fear the thing that man can do unto me ; i will fear no evil , because thou lord art with me . after this , being with prayers and entreaties dealt with , he derided the madness of the magistrates ; who being thereby incensed , condemned him . and he being much importuned by divers acquaintance to deny christ with tongue , and to keep his conscience to himself ; he said , my tongue , which by the goodness of god i have , cannot be brought to deny the author of it . and to those who wept for him , and by tears importuned him to save himself ; he said , weep not , i pray , for me : but weep for the enemies of god , which always make war against the christians , who prepare for these a fire , and purchase to themselves hell fire ; but molest not , i pray , my setled mind ; truly i am ready to suffer for the name of christ a thousand deaths if need were . vol. 1. p. 117. iohn goose in the time of king edward the 4 th , being to be burnt , desired of the sheriff somewhat to eat , and he did eat as if he had been towards no manner of danger , saying , i eat now a good and competent dinner , for i shall pass a little sharp shower ere i go to supper : and having dined , he gave thanks , and desired that he might be shortly led to the place where he should yield up his spirit to god ; and was burned on tower-hill in august 1473. vol. 1. p. 939. lawrence ghest , in king henry the seventh's days , being to be burnt at salisbury , and having his wife and seven children shewn him , and his wife desiring him to favour himself , he desired her to be content , and not to be a block in his way , for he was in a good course , running toward the mark of his salvation ; and so he was burned . vol. 1. p. 1012. galeasius trecius , an italian , burned at aus pompeia in italy 1551. for professing the gospel . he having professed it a while , and then by the perswasion of friends denying it , felt great sorrow , and , as he declared , never greater in all his life ; but recovering by the grace of god , he longed for a time to evidence his return by confession of his faith again , affirming he never felt more joy of heart than when by papists examined , nor more sorrow than when he recanted , declaring that death was much more sweet to him , with the testimony of the truth , than life with the least denyal of the truth and loss of a good conscience : and being imprisoned , he could not be prevailed with to recant , but confirmed his first faith , and burned . vol. 2. p. 167 , 168. franciscus gamba , an italian , burn'd at comun 1554. being accused for an heretick , and importuned to recant ; he defended his doctrine by manifest scriptures , and proved his opinions to be the true doctrine of christ , and rather than he would deny them he was ready to stand to the effusion of his blood : and being long and often assailed by his friends to recant , he could not be expugned , but gave thanks to god , that he was made worthy to suffer the rebukes of the world , and civil death for the testimony of his son ; and so went chearfully to death : and when at his death the fryars held a cross before him , he said that his mind was so replenished with joy and comfort in christ , that he needed not them , nor their cross : and declaring many comfortable things to the people , he was strangled and burned . vol. 2. p. 180. garret , a great promoter of christianity in oxford , was at last iuly 30. 1541. by gardner bishop of winchester to be burnt , who professing his faith , and detesting all heresies , beg'd pardon of god for his sins , and of all persons whom he had offended : he resigned up his soul to god , whom he believed would through christ save him , and pardon his sins , and desired the persons present to pray for him ; and dyed christianly with barus and hierom. vol. 2. p. 528. william gardiner , born at bristow , and there dealing in merchandise under one mr. paget a merchant , at 26 years of age sailed to spain , but by chance the ship arrived at lisborne the chief city of portugal , where he stayed and merchandised , and learning their tongue , he acted for many english merchants , and had much knowledge in scripture and the reformed religion : and being there , and happening to be at the solemnizing of a marriage between the king of portugal's son , and the king of spain's daughter , and beholding great pomp and greater idolatry acted by the kings , and all the assembly's adoring the mass , praying , kneeling and worshipping the external sacrament , he was much troubled , and could he have got near the altar would have interrupted them ; but being hindred by the throng of the people , he was very sorrowful for his neglect of that opportunity to declare against their idolatry , which neglect he much lamented , and contrived how to redeem it ; to effect which he cast up all his accounts , and bad adieu to worldly concerns ; and giving himself to reading , meditating , fasting , weeping , and praying : he being cleanly drest the next sunday , when the like solemnity was to be done , he gat to the altar betimes , and there stood with a testament in his hand till the cardinal came to solemnize it , and till he consecrated , sacrificed , and lifted up on high the host , shewing his god to the people , who with the kings and nobles gave great reverence to it ; and at last , when the cardinal came to begin to toss it to and fro round the chalice , making several circles , this gardner stept in , and with one hand took the cake and trod it under foot , and with the other hand overthrew the chalice , in the presence of the kings , and the nobles and citizens , which abashed them all ; and one cut him with a sword , but the king commanded he should be saved ; and being examined , he confessed himself to be an english-man and a protestant , and decryed much against their idolatry ; for which after several torments to cause him to confess others , he taking all the blame on himself , they put a hard roul of linen with a string into his throat , and so often pulled that up , and then cut of his right hand , which he took in his left and kist , then in the market-place they cut off his left hand , and he kneeling down kissed it , then was he carried to execution , and being hung on high a fire was made under him , and he by degrees let down into it , so that only his legs at first felt the fire , yet would he not recant ; and being bid to pray to saints , he said , that when christ leaves off to be our mediator and advocate , then he would pray to our lady and the saints . and then he prayed , o eternal god , father of all mercies ; i beseech thee look down upon thy servant . and the more terribly he burnt , the more vehemently he prayed ; which his enemies desiring to hinder , he said the 43. psalm ; before the close of which , the rope was burnt asunder , and he fell down into the fire , and was burned to death , 1552. whose death was not unpunished , for among the king of portugal's ships ready to sail , being in a haven hard by , one was burnt by a spark of fire blown from the martyrs fire ; and within half a year the kings son dyed ; and the king himself within a year . vol. 2. p. 745 , 746 , 747 , 748. robert glover was apprehended to be burnt at coventry , being very sickly in prison , said , he found daily amendment of body , and increase of peace in conscience ; many consolations from god , and sometimes , as it were , a taste and a glimmering of the life to come : but he was much assaulted by satan , from his unworthiness , to do or suffer for christ. which objection he answered from gods mercies , and the unworthiness of like servants in all ages , who have been accepted . yet , three days before he was burnt , he had a sad dulness of spirit , and was desolate of all spiritual comfort ; against which he prayed much , and earnestly ; but yet finding no ease , nor comfort , he told it to his friend , one austin , who advised him to wait god's time for the manifestation of himself , and to continue stedfast in the faith and willing to suffer ; knowing his cause to be right , not doubting but god in his due time would replenish his heart with spiritual joy ; requesting him to shew it by some token , if he felt any such thing : and as he went to burning , as soon as he came in sight of the stake ▪ he cryed out , being suddenly full of comfort , clapping his hands together , austin , he is come , he is come ; with so great joy and alacrity , as if he had been one risen from some deadly danger , to liberty of life ; and so dyed chearfully in september , 1555. vol. 3. p. 427 , 428. bartlet green , a londoner , brought up at oxford ; converted from popery by peter martyr , reader of divinity in oxford ; and afterwards he was student in the temple , and at twenty five years of age , ianuary 28. 1556. he was burnt , with six others , for the gospel of christ. he often repeated , as he went to the stake , and at the stake , this distich . christe deus sine te spes est mihi nulla salutis , te duce vera sequor , te duce falsa nego . in english thus . o christ my god , sure hope of health , besides thee i have none ; the truth i love , and falshood hate , by thee my guide alone . vol. 3. p. 627. he wrote to one in a letter , thus : man of woman is born in travel , to live in misery ; man , through christ , doth dye in joy , and live in felicity : he is born to dye , and dyes to live ; whilst here he displeased god , when dead he fulfilled his will. vol. 3. p. 629. charles le roy de gand , once a fryar carmelite , but reformed , had a canonship promised him by the magistrate , if he would but yield a little : to which , he said , you proffer me a canonship , that i might live quietly , and be in security ; but know , sir , that rest is no true rest , which is obtained against peace of conscience ; and so he was burned at bruges , april 27. 1557. addit . to vol 3. of massacre of france , p. 5. h h john husse , a bohemian , was burned 1415. about iuly , by the council of constance ; where he often desired to be heard , to clear himself of the errours they impeached him of , and could not . then he requesting their proving by scripture any errour he held , they would not ; but , because he held wicklif's doctrine they degraded him , and left him to the secular power , to sigismund king of the romans ; by whom he was condemned , and burned , and all this cruelty against a safe conduct , sealed by the emperour , and promised by the council . when he was to be burned he prayed often , and especially for his enemies ; and after the kindling of the fire he sang aloud , iesus christ , the son of the living god , have mercy upon me . vol. 1. p. 821 , 822. richard hunn burned in smithfield , december 20. 1514. sixteen days after he was privately murdered by the papists . vol. 2. p. 19. mr. hierom was condemned in king henry the 8 th's time , 1541. by bishop gardner , bishop of winchester ; and at the stake he confessed his faith , and exhorted all persons to duties to god and man , considering what price christ paid for us ; and exciting them to bear their cross with christ , considering his example of patience under sufferings ; and at last prayed them to pray for him , that he , barns , and garret , who were all three together burnt , might have their souls , leaving these wretched bodies , constantly depart in the true faith of christ ; and so , committing his soul to christ , he dyed . these three , which at this fire were burnt together , took each other by the hand ; and kissing each other , quietly , and peaceably , offered themselves to the tormentors hands ; and took their deaths christianly , and patiently . vol. 2. p. 528 , 529. mr. iohn hooper , student in oxford , flying , in king henry the 8 th's time , beyond sea , because of persecution for the six articles ; was at zurick acquainted with mr. bullinger , and married a burgonian woman : but , in king edward the 6 th's days , he returned , and did promise his friends they should hear from him : though , saith he , the last news of me i shall not be able to write ; for there , saith he , where i shall take most pains , there shall you hear of me to be burnt to ashes : which prophesie came to effect : he preached at london often twice a day , but alwayes once a day : he was , in his sermons , earnest ; in his tongue , eloquent ; in scriptures , perfect ; in pains , indefatigable ; he was spare of dyet , sparest of words , and sparest of time . he was , by king edward the 6 th , made bishop of glocester and worcester ; in both which diocesses he preached at , and visited them : and , at worcester , his manner was every day to have a certain number of poor beggars of the town dine in his pallace with whole and wholsome meat , four at a mess ; whom he examined , or caused to be examined , in the lords prayer , creed , and ten commandments , before himself sate down to dinner . he was with one iohn rogers the two first that were condemned in queen mary's days : to which rogers bishop hooper said , brother rogers , must we two begin first to fry these faggots ? fear not but god will give us strength . he suffered amongst his people , at glocester ; where sir anthony kingston , his old friend , did desire him to accept of life , and not dye ; saying , life is sweet , and death bitter : to whom bishop hooper answered , true , but eternal death is more bitter , and eternal life most sweet ; in respect of which , i value not this life . vol. 3. p. 145 , 146 , 147. he was after that perswaded much , but he said , death to me for christ's sake is welcome . at the fire a box was set on a stool before him with the queens pardon ( as it was said ) if he would turn ; but he cryed , if ye love my sonl away with it , if ye love my soul away with it : he was prohibited to speak to the people , and permitted only to pray : he begged of the sheriffs for a speedy fire to dispatch him ; but when he was to be burnt , what through the wetness of the wood and greatness of the frude , three fires one after another were made before he was consumed ; in the first fire he prayed mildly , as one without pain , lord iesus thou son of david have mercy on me , and receive my soul. after the second fire was spent he wiped both eyes , and looking on the people , beg'd for gods sake more fire : and in the third fire he cryed out , lord iesus receive my spirit , lord iesus have mercy on me ; and so spoke no more , continuing motion of his lips , till they shrank to his gums ; and beating his breast with his hands till one arm fell off , and the other by fat , water , and blood , stuck to the iron , by which he was fastned to the stake ; and so he dyed . vol. 3. p. 156. in a letter he wrote out of prison to divers friends , he undervalues the worldly joyes and troubles , in comparison of hells misery , or heavens glory ; and exhorts them to constancy , thus : it was an easie thing to hold with god and christ , whilst the prince and world held with him ; but now the world hateth him , it is the true tryal who be his : let us not run when it is most time to fight ; none shall be crowned , but them that fight manfully : beware of beholding the worlds felicity , or misery , too much ; whose love , or fear , draweth from god : think the felicity of the world good , but yet no otherwise than stands with gods favour : it is to be kept , yet so as we lose not god ; of adversity , judge the same : imprisonment is painful , yet liberty , on evil terms , worse : i must be alone , and solitary ; yet that is better , and to have god with us , than to enjoy the company of the wicked : loss of goods is great , but loss of gods favour greater : i shall dye by the hands of cruel men ; but he is blessed that loseth a life full of misery , and findeth a life full of eternal ioyes : neither felicity , or misery , in the world , can be great , if compared with joys , or pains , in the world to come . vol. 3. p. 156 , 157. in another letter he exhorts the godly to meet often , and pray and confer together of their ignorance , before their knowledge of god ; and their state , by their knowledge of god in his word ; and to compare their popish principles with gods word , being careful to do all things for three ends ; gods glory , the churches edification , and their souls profit . p. 158 , 159. in another letter , exhorting to patience under the cross , he saith , that our enemies cruelty hath no further power than god permits , and what comes to us by the will of our heavenly father , can be no harm , but felicity to us . we , as men , suffer these evils ; but as christians we overcome them , nor can they separate betwen gods love and us ; they can but last our short life , and then must give way to our partaking of eternal joyes . vol. 3. p. 161. nothing can hurt us that is taken from us for gods cause , nor can any thing do us good that is kept against gods commandment ; let us surrender goods and life to his will , and then it matters not whether we keep or lose it . vol. 3. p. 163. william hunter , an apprence to one thomas taylor , a silk-weaver in london , fled at nineteen years old for religion's sake , to burntwood , to his fathers house ; and being at burntwood , in the church , found a bible , and did read in it , till a sumner came in and threatned him for it , telling him he was an heretick and deserved death ; and called one thomas wood vicar of southwel ( being then in the town ) to him , who said to hunter , he ought not to read , and that he was an heretick ; and threatned him much . to whom hunter said , i would you and i were now fast tyed to a stake , to prove whether you , or i , would stand strongest to our faith ; i dare set my foot to yours , even to death . yet being thus threatned , whilst the vicar went to inform , he fled into the country ; but his father was sent for , and forced to go and seek him , and to bring him into his enemies hands : who , much against his natural affection and will , rode two or three days into the country to seek him . and his son , meeting him , did conjecture the cause of his fathers journey ; and said , he would return with him and save him harmless , whatever came of it : and as soon as he came home he was laid in the stocks , and had before one justice brown ; who soon sent him to bishop bonner , who a while flattered the young man ; but at last , seeing he would not recant , threatned to make him sure enough : to whom william said , you can do no more than god will permit you , i will never recant while i live , god willing : then was he imprisoned for three quarters of a year , and allowed but a halfpenny a day , and at length condemned : to whom , after condemnation , bonner said , if he would turn he would make him freeman of the city , and give him forty pound to set up with ; or else would make him steward of his house : to wom william hunter said , i thank you for your offers , yet if you cannot perswade my conscience by scripture , i cannot find in my heart to turn from god for the love of the world ; for i count all things but dung and loss , in respect of the love of christ. when he came to burntwood to be burnt , his parents came to him , and desired of god heartily that he might continue to the end in that good way he had begun ; and his mother said , she was glad she was so happy to bear such a child that could find in his heart to lose his life for christ's sake : to whom william hunter said , for my little pain which i shall suffer , which is but short , christ hath promised me a crown of joy ; may you not be glad of that mother ? who answered , yea , i think thee as well bestowed as any child i ever did bear ; and prayed to god to strengthen him to the end . he was burnt march 26. 1555. as he went to the stake he met his father , who said to him , god be with thee my son william : and he answered , god be with you my good father ; be of good comfort , for i hope we shall meet again when we shall be merry . and , taking up a faggot , he kneeled down and prayed , and read the 51. psalm , and then went to the stake , standing upright , begging the people to pray for him and to dispatch him quickly : he still had his pardon offered , if he would recant ; but he refused . at his request for the peoples prayers , one justice brown said , he would pray no more for him , than for a dog. to whom william hunter said , you now have , sir , what you sought for ; i pray god it be not laid to your charge , howbeit i forgive you . and soon after he prayed , son of god , shine on me ; and immediately the sun in the element shone out of a dark cloud so full in his face , that he was forced to turn away his head ; whereat the people mused , because it was so dark a day a little time before . then william hunter took and embraced a faggot in his arms , and when the fire was kindled , he lift up his hands to heaven , and said , lord , lord , lord , receive my spirit , and so dyed . vol. 3. p. 191 , to 194. thomas hawks , an essex gentleman , being threatned by bishop bonner if he would not recant , said always , ye shall do no more than god will give you leave ; and at last at his condemnation being urged to recant , he said , no , had i an hundred bodies i would suffer them all to be torn in pieces , rather than recant . as he went to execution , iune 10. 1555. being desired by his friends that he would shew them some sign in the flames , if he could , whereby they might know more certainly , whether the pain of the burning was so great that a man might not therein keep his mind quiet ; which he promised to do , and that if the pain was tolerable he would lift up his hands towards heaven before he gave up the ghost : and being at stake , he mildly and patiently addressed himself to the fire , and after he had been in the fire , his fingers burnt and gone , and skin so drawn together , that all men thought he had been dead , he suddenly reached up his hands burning of a light fire over his head , to the living god , and with great rejoicing as seemed struck or clapped them three times together , and then sinking down into the fire he gave up his spirit . he wrote to his wife and children to fear and serve god , and to continue fervent in prayer , for then god would provide for them better than he was able to do ever ; yea , saith he , god will cause all men that fear him to pity you , to help you , to succour you in all your necessities ; so that if any would do you wrong , he will be avenged on him . vol. 3. p. 265. iohn hullier , fellow of kings colledge in cambridge , was burnt for the gospel ; who being degraded said chearfully , this is the joyfullest day that ever i saw , and i thank you all that ye have delivered me from all this paltry . he was burned on iesus green in cambridge ; he said he dyed in the right faith , and desired the people to take notice that he dyed in a just cause , and for the testimony of the truth : and feeling the fire , he called earnestly on god ; and many books being burnt with him , he gat one which was cast into the fire , and fell into his arms , and was a communion-book , which he did read in till the flame and smoke hindred him from seeing : and then laying the book next his heart he prayed again : and when all the people thought he had been dead , he suddenly said , lord iesus receive my spirit , dying very meekly : and after his flesh was burnt his bones stood upright , as if he had been alive . vol. 3. p. 827 , 828. thomas hudson , a glover , of ailsham in norfolk , an ignorant person till he learned the english tongue , about one or two years before the reign of queen mary ; and then he detested the mass and popish idolatry , and became a zealous protestant , reading , praying , singing psalms ; and being sought for , he prayed , if it was gods will , he might suffer persecution for the gospel of christ : and when persons came to apprehend him , he said , welcome friends , welcome ; you are they that shall lead me to life in christ : and so he went with them . and being by bishop hopton ( then bishop of norwich ) his commissary berry , asked to recant , he said , god forbid , i had rather dye many deaths , than do so . then was he sent to norwich to the bishop , and went as merrily as ever he was ; and was burned with two more , may 19. 1555. and being bound with them to the stake by a chain , he not feeling the joyes of christ , came from under the chain , being troubled in mind , and fell down and prayed earnestly to god , who hearing him , and restoring to him comfort , he arose and went to the stake again , saying , now i am strong , and pass not what men can do unto me . vol. 3. p. 869 , 870. roger holland , son to a lancashire gentleman , and apprentice to a merchant-taylor in london , a zealous man ; to whom this roger was a great trouble , being a debauched lad , and a great papist , yet did he trust him with his accounts ; but it hapned one night that roger lost thirty pound at dice , and not being able to pay it , resolved next morning to go to france , or flanders ; but acquainted his fellow-servant , a maid , whose name was elizabeth , a woman of great christian profession and practice ; to whom he gave a bill to give his master for the thirty pound , that his master might not acquaint his friends with it ; and that if ever he was worth it , he would pay it to his master : and so he going to leave the house , the maid , having money by her , brought him thirty pound , and gave him ; saying , i will take the bill my self , and conceal the thing from your friends , and my master ; and you may have this thirty pound to pay my master , on condition that you will throw away your popish books and read the bible , and attend all christian lectures ; nor more swear , curse , drink , whore , nor play : but if you do those things again , and i know of it , i will then tell my master of the business . but in half a years space roger was so reformed , and so zealous a protestant , that he was admired by his associates : and going into lancashire to his friends , he was , by his books he carried , and by his discourse , instrumental , that his father and his friends began to try the truth of god , and to hate popery . and at his return to london his father gave him fifty pound to set up with ; and then he paid the maid elizabeth her thirty pound , and soon after married her ; and they lived heavenly together , till he was apprehended for the gospels sake , and by bishop bonner persecuted ; to whom he openly told the impurity of their principles , the corrupt tendency of their confessions from his own practice , who cared not what sin he used to commit so long as he was a papist , since the popish priest would , for money , absolve him . and when he was condemned , he told bishop bonner , that his cruelty should be but short , nor after that day should he burn any more : which came so to pass . at the stake , he said , lord , i humbly thank thy majesty that thou hast called me from the state of death to the light of thy heavenly word , and now into the fellowship of saints , that i may sing and say , holy , holy , holy , lord god of hosts ; lord , into thy hands i commend my spirit : lord , bless these thy people , and save them from idolatry : and so praising god he dyed in the flames , with two more , in smithfield , iuly 27. 1558. vol. 3. p. 874. to 878. bartholomew hector , burnt at turin in piedmont , iune 19. 1556. being bound to the stake , and gunpowder and brimstone placed about him , he lifted up his eyes to heaven , and said , lord , how sweet and welcome are these to me ? addition to vol. 3. concerning massacres in france , p. 5. philibert hamelin , a minister in tournay , being perswaded to fly , said , no , i esteem it altogether unbeseeming for a man called to preach the gospel to others to run away for fear of danger , but rather to maintain its truth even in the midst of the flaming fire : and he was executed 1557. at tournay . additions to vol. 3. of massacres of france . p. 5. iohn herwin , a souldier of flanders , of very dissolute prophane life ; but coming over to england was , by means of a beer-brewer in london ( with whom he was a servant ) converted , and became a zealous protestant , and a pious liver . and afterwards , returning to flanders , he was apprehended for the gospel , and imprisoned ; which he took patiently , and chearfully : and in prison he sang psalms , and testified his inward joy by a letter to the brethren , whom he exhorted to persevere constant in the faith. after sentence of death he blessed god for that honour to dye for christ ; and being led out to execution , he said , see how the wicked world rewards the poor servants of christ. whilst i gave my self to drinking , carding , dicing , and such like vices ; i was let alone , and accounted a good-fellow ; and who but i ? and no sooner began i to look after a godly life , but the world wars on me , imprisons me , persecutes me , and will put me to death . at the stake he sang the 30. psalm ; and said to the people , i am now going to be sacrificed , follow ye me , when god of his goodness shall call you to it . he was burned at honscot , november 4. 1560. additions to the 3. vol. concerning massacre in france and flanders . p. 18. i i james , the son of zebedee , and brother of iohn , brought by a person to the tribunal seat of herod , and condemned ; the person seeing he should now suffer death , being moved therewith in heart and conscience , did confess himself , of his own accord , a christian ; and as he and iames were led together , he desired iames to forgive him what he had done : after that iames had a little paused with himself upon the matter , turning to him , peace ( saith he ) be to thee brother , and kissed him ; and both were beheaded together , anno christi 36. vol. 1. p. 42. iames , the brother of our lord , who was bishop of ierusalem ; called , for his holiness , iames the just , had knees like camels knees by praying ; being by the iews set upon the pinacle of the temple to give testimony concerning ( as they expected against ) jesus , he declared jesus to be the christ : whereupon the iews threw him down , and he not being dead , they came to stone him ; who turned on his knees and prayed , saying , o lord god , father , i beseech thee forgive them , for they know not what they do : yet they stoned him , and at last , with a fullers instrument , struck him on the head , and he dyed . vol. 1. p. 43 , 44. iohn the evangelist was banished into pathmos the 97. year of christ ; and after the death of domitian was recalled by pertinax the emperour ; and being returned to ephesus , he was desired to resort to the adjacent places to appoint bishops : where he committed a comely ingenuous young man to the bishop of the place , to be by him kept with great diligence ; in witness hereof , christ and his church : which young man the bishop received , and with diligence brought up , baptized , and at length committed to him a cure in the lords behalf . the young man now having his liberty , through the corruptness of his companions , became dissolute , a thief , and a murderer , yea , the captain of them : and s. iohn being sent for again into those parts , demanded of the bishop , the charge committed to him ; who said , he was dead to god , and become an evil man , a thief frequenting this mountain : whereat s. iohn rent his cloaths , and said , i have left a good keeper of my brother's soul : and got him a horse and presently fell into the company of the thieves , and was designedly taken , desiring to be brought to their captain who was well armed , yet beginning to know s. iohn , fled ; but when recalled by s. iohn , he threw down his arms and became truly penitent , and was received into church again . after this , s. iohn going to bathe himself , and seeing cerinthus the heretick in the bath , would not go in lest the bath should fall on them . vol. 1. p. 47 , 48. ignatius was given to be devoured of wild beasts the 111. year of christ ; when he was going to the lions , he said , oh , would to god i were come to the beasts prepared for me , which i wish with gaping mouths were ready to come upon me ; whom i will provoke , that they may without delay devour me . i esteem nothing visible or invisible , so i may get or obtain christ ; let the fire , gallows , devouring of beasts , breaking of bones , pulling asunder of members , bruising , or pressing , my whole body , and the torments of the devil , or hell it self come upon me , so that i may win christ : and when he heard the lions roaring , he said , i am the wheat , or grain , of christ ; i shall be ground with the teeth of wild beasts , that i may be found pure bread. vol. 1. p. 52. iustin martyr was a profound philosopher , and became a christian by seeing the constancy of their sufferings ; whence he gathered they could not endure carnality or vice , who could thus easily lay down their lives ; and being a christian , he wrote divers apologies in their behalf , and prevailed not a little for their good ; and was at last martyred , soon after polycarpus , in the 4 th persecution ; he dyed chearfully , and with honour . vol. 1. p. 58.63 , 64. iulitta being spoiled of her goods by the emperours officer under the 10 th persecution ; and complaining to the emperour , that so she might have her goods again , the officer pleaded her to be a christian , and therefore not to have her goods ; which being proved , and owned , she was sentenced to lose goods and life : whereupon she said , farewel life , welcome death ; farewel riches , welcome poverty : all that i have , were it a thousand times more than it is , would i lose , rather than speak blasphemy against god my creator . i yield thee thanks most hearty , o god , for this great gift of grace , that i can despise this transitory world , preferring christianity above all treasures . and whenever she was examined , she said , she was a servant of christ , and did detest their idolatry . and as she past to the fire , she exhorted the women thus , o sisters , stick not to travel after true piety , cease to accuse feminine frailty ; are not we created of the same mould with men , and made after gods image as well as they ? god used not flesh only in creating woman to declare her weakness ; but bone also , in token that she must be strong in the living god ; all false gods for saking , constant in faith , and patient in adversity : wax weary of your lives my sisters led in darkness , and love my christ , my god , my redeemer : perswade your selves there is a future state , wherein the worshippers of idols shall be perpetually tormented , and the servants of the high god crowned eternally . with which words she embraced the fire . vol. 1. p. 122 , 123. ierome of prage , a bohemian , burnt 1415. being condemned , and to be crowned with a paper mitre painted with red devils ; he willingly received it , saying , he would wear that for christs sake , who wore a crown of thorns for him . and going to execution he sung psalms , and prayed ; and after the fire was kindled , he said , o lord god father almighty , have mercy upon me , and be merciful unto mine offences ; for thou knowest how sincerely i have loved thy truth . and so the fire consumed him ; whose ashes , as also the ashes of iohn husse , were gathered up and cast into the river rheine . vol. 1. p. 837 , 838. ioris of aschen in flanders , hanged on a gibbit for the gospel , 1567. being condemned , wrote to his parents ; he said , comfortable news , namely , that in all my life i never saw one day so pleasing to me as this is , in which the lord hath counted me worthy to be one of his champions to suffer for his holy name ; for which i give him most humble thanks . — i do take my last farewel of you , till we meet in heaven ; be not grieved , i pray you , but be patient ; for the affliction which is befallen me is most acceptable to me ; for which i bless and praise god. additions to vol. 3. concerning massacre in flanders . p. 96 , 97. k k leonard keyser , of bavaria , was , for maintaining justification by faith , degraded and to be burned ; who as he went to execution spake and said : o lord jesus ! remain with me , sustain me and help me , and give me force and power . and when the wood was fit to be set on fire , he cry'd with a loud voice , o jesus ! i am thine , have mercy upon me and save me ; and so was burned august 16. 1526. vol. 2. pag. 114 , 115. kerby , a suffolk man , being apprehended at ipswich 1546. was to be condemned ; and one mr. wingfield much perswading him to accept of mercy and not burn , he said ; ah m. wingfield , be at my burning , and you will say , there stands a christian souldier in the fire ; for i know that fire , water , sword , and all things are in the hand of god , who will suffer no more to be laid upon me than he will give me strength to bear . being condemned , he said , praised be almighty god ; and at the fire he shew'd himself a christian , and died calling upon god , and holding up his hands . vol. 2. pag. 569. l l lucius hearing ptolomeus unjustly condemned by urbicius , in the 4 th persecution , reproved the judge , who said to lucius , methinks thou art a christian ? which being granted by lucius , the judge forthwith condemned him to be had away to the place of execution : whereupon lucius said , i thank you with all my heart that you release me from most wicked governours , and send me to my most good and loving father , who is the king of gods . vol. 1. p. 59. laurence a deacon of xystus bishop of rome , seeing him going to be martyred , earnestly desired to die with him , and cry'd out to him , saying ; oh dear father ! whither goest thou without the company of thy dear son ? hast thou proved me unnatural ? now try whether thou hast chosen a faithful minister or no ? grant that the body of thy scholar may be sacrificed , whose mind thou hast beautified with good letters . to whom xystus said , he should follow him after 3 dayes . and when this laurence was to be persecuted , he being as deacon , treasurer of the church , and commanded by his persecutors to produce the treasure , caused a number of poor people to come together , and said ; these were the church's riches in whom christ dwells . whereat the persecutors raged , and caused the fire to be kindled , and he was laid on a hot burning iron-bed , or grid-iron , and held down with hot forks , who said to the tyrant : this side is roasted enough , turn up o tyrant that , assay whether roasted or raw thou thinkest the better meat . this was done under the 8 th persecution , vol. 1. pag. 92 , 93. simon laloe burned at dyon in france 1553. shew'd such faith and constancy , that his executioner , iames silvester , seeing it , was so compuncted with repentance , and fell into such despair , that they had much adoe with all their promises of the gospel to recover any comfort in him ; at last through christ's mercy he was comforted and converted , and he with his family removed to geneva . vol. 2. pag. 142. iohn lambert being much examined concerning the sacrament , and released by reason of the death of archbishop warham , was at last by the malice of stephen gardiner bishop of winchester brought before king henry the viii . and many nobles , and ten bishops caused to dispute him 1538. and against reason by popish instigation the king was perswaded to condemn him ; and he was burned in smithfield , who was very chearful the day of his sufferings ; and when in the fire his legs were burned to the stumps , the tormentors withdrew the fire , so that a small fire and coals were left under him , and two persecutors ran their halberts into him ; then he lifting up that hand he had with fingers flaming cry'd out , none but christ ! none but christ ! and so being let down from their halberts fell into the fire , and died . vol. 2. pag. 427. iohn lacels servant to king henry viii . was burnt with mrs. anne askew about iune 1546. who in a letter against transubstantiation , subscribed himself thus , iohn lacels late servant to the king , and now i trust to serve the everlasting king with the testimony of my blood in smithfield . vol. 2. pag. 581. iohn lawrence burnt at colchester march 29. 1555. he was so badly used in prison that he could not go to the stake , but was carried in a chair and burnt sitting . whilst he was burning the young children came about the fire and cry'd as well as they could speak , saying : lord strengthen thy servant , and keep thy promise : lord strengthen thy servant , and keep thy promise . vol. 3. pag. 200. hugh lawrence , a kentish man , being august 2. 1555. examined by the bishop of dover , dr. thornton and dr. harpsfield , stood constantly against popery ; being required to subscribe to their articles , he took a pen and writ , ye are all of antichrist , and him ye fol. intending to write as appears , follow ; but was prevented , condemned and burned with 5 more kentish men at 3 stakes in one fire . vol. 3. p. 393. hugh latimer writing to bishop ridley , saith , pray for me , for sometimes i am so fearful that i would creep into a mouse-hole , sometimes god doth visit me again with his comfort ; so he cometh and goeth to teach me to fell and to know my infirmity . vol. 3. p. 441. he was a leicester-shire man , and went to cambridge at 14 years of age ; he was a zealous papist , till by gods will and mr. bilney's endeavours he was converted , and then he became a zealous protestant , p. 450. and openly preached against popery in cambridge , and other places , for which he was imprisoned , p. 456 , 457. yet was he by god long preserved , and by the lord cromwell in king henry the 8 th's days made bishop of worcester , p. 460. but some years after he lost his bishoprick , because he would not comply to the six articles ; and when his rotchet was pulled off , he leaped for joy of being lightned of so great a burden as his bishops office ; he was usually studying both summer and winter by two of the clock in the morning , p. 462. he was a great prophet , foretelling most plagues that came on england , and used to say his preaching the gospel would cost him his life , as it also did ; he prayed earnestly and often , so that being aged he could not get up again from his knees ; in his prayer he much and earnestly desired the restoring the gospel again to england , which god granted in a short time by queen elizabeth ; he also beg'd that as god had called him to be a minister of the gospel , he might have grace to stand for it to death , and to give his hearts blood for it ; which god answered and effected ; for at the stake in the greatest extremity he lifted up his eyes to heaven , and with an amiable countenance said , god is faithful who hath promised not to suffer us to be tempted above our strength ; and by and by fire breaking his body the blood of his heart was shed for christ , in such abundance , that the standers by did marvel , as if all the blood of his body was gathered to his heart . p. 463. the bishops according to custom presenting the king each new-years-day with a gift , he being bishop of worcester , whilst others presented gold , silver , &c. presented king henry the 8 th with a new testament with a napkin having this poesie , whoremongers and adulterers god will judge , pag. 486. he being at the stake in his shirt , to be burned in oxford with bishop ridley , the executioner brought a faggot kindled with fire and laid it at ridley's feet , to whom latimer said , be of good comfort mr. ridley , and play the man , we shall light such a candle this day by gods grace in england , as i trust shall never be put out ; and in the flame he cryed , oh father of heaven receive my soul ; receiving the flames , as it were embracing them , he soon dyed feeling little or no pain . vol. 3. p. 503. hugh laverock , a lame man of 68 years of age , going on crutches , and one apprice a blind man were burned , 1556. by bishop bonners command ; and at the stake this laverock the cripple threw away his crutches , and turning to apprice did comfort him saying , be of good comfort , my brother , for my lord of london is our good physician , he will heal us both shortly , thee of thy blindness , and me of my lameness . and so they both suffered . vol. 3. p. 701. mrs. ioice lewis , a gentlewoman of manceter , was burnt for the gospel in queen maries days ; who was at first in her days a great papist , till the burning of one laurence saunders by the papists for the mass , which put her upon an enquiry into it ; and she consulting some persons about it , declined it , nor would frequent mass ; for which she was punished , and at last condemned : and when in the morning before she suffered , the sheriff told her of it , after one years imprisonment , giving her but one hours time to prepare for it ; she said , your message is welcome to me ; and i thank god that he will make me worthy to adventure my life in his quarrel . going to the stake she prayed against popist idolatry , and drank to all them that truly believed the gospel : in the fire she neither struggled nor stirred , but only held up her hands to heaven , and so dyed soon . vol. 3. p. 839. mrs. elizabeth lawson , an ancient gentlewoman of 60 years of age of bedfield in suffolk , was sent to berry goal 1556. because she would not go to mass , and at last she was condemned to be burnt : she continued in prison two years and three quarters , in which time her son and many more were burnt , and she hearing of it , said often , good lord what is the cause that i may not yet come to thee with thy children ? well good lord , thy blessed will be done , and not mine . but by the death of queen mary she was delivered . vol. 3. p. 916. m m martyrs to the number of 300 at carthage under the 8 th persecution , being offered near lime-kills , either to offer incense to iupiter , or to go into the furnace of lime , did all together rush into the kill , and were there , with the dusty smoak of the lime , smothered . vol. 1. p. 94. a mother exhorted her child of seven years of age , suffering under the 7 th persecution , to suffer joyfully ; and while it was tormenting and slaying , she sang to god thus , all laud and praise with heart and voice , o lord we yield to thee ; to whom the death of all thy saints we know most dear to be . vol. 1. p. 116. mary . see ursula . michael michfote , a taylor in france , burned 1547. being apprehended for the gospel's sake , and put to his choice whether he would turn and be beheaded , or not turn and be burnt ; he said , god who had given him grace not to deny the truth , would also give him patience to abide the fire ; and so he was burned . vol. 2. p. 134. lodovicus marsac , being with two others , at lyons in france , apprehended and condemned 1553. they all sang psalms ; and the other two having a rope put about their necks , and he having not one , did desire that he might have one of those precious chains about his neck , in honour of his lord ; which request was granted , and they all three were cast into the fire . vol. 2. p. 141. 88 martyrs murthered at calabria in italy , 1560. whom the executioner , bringing out one by one with a muster , on a stage before the people , took a knife and slew , by cutting the throat , of one , and leaving him half dead , bleeding , went for another ; and so served every one till the 88 were murthered ; which sight amazed the people , and shamed even some of the romanists . vol. 2. p. 184.188 . walter mille , a scotch man , 1558. was condemned to be burnt ; whom the popish party could neither affright with threats , nor allure with proposals ; but he said to them , i am accused of my life , i know i must dye once , and therefore ye shall know i will not recant the truth : i am corn , not chaff ; i will not be blown away with the wind , nor burst with the flail , but will abide both : and at the stake , the bishops being constrained by the people to give him liberty to speak , he made his humble supplication to god on his knees ; and then said to the people , dear friends , i suffer this day not for any crime laid to my charge ( albeit i be a miserable sinner before god ) but only for the defence of the faith of christ iesus ; for which i praise god that he hath this day called me , of his mercy , amongst the rest of his servants , the martyrs , to seal up his truth with my life ; which as i received on him , so i willingly offer it to his glory ; and so he dyed : and was the last martyr that dyed in scotland for religion . vol. 2. p. 626. george marsh , of deane in lancashire , married , and was a farmer ; but after his wife's death he went to cambridge to study , and was a minister of gods word , and zealous against popery , for which he was imprisoned : his mother , and divers other friends , advised him to fly : to whose counsel , saith he , my flesh would gladly have consented , but my spirit did not fully agree . whereupon he prayed earnestly to god for direction , and unexpectedly in the morning he had a letter from a friend , whose bearer said to him , before he looked on the letter , that his friends advice was , not to flee , but to abide boldly and confess the name of christ ; which he did . he was many wayes , and much sollicited to turn upon the account of his children : whom , he said , he would gladly keep , could it be with a pure conscience ; and he would have accepted of queen mary's mercy , should he not thereby , by denying christ , win everlasting misery . he was burned april 24. 1555. with a firkin of pitch over his head ; which melting and dropping on him , added much to his torments ; yet after much misery when they thought him to be dead , he spread his hands , saying , father of heaven have mercy upon me , and so he dyed . vol. 3. p. 228. menas , an egyptian , under the 10 th persecution , lived a retired life a great while ; at length returning to the city cotis , in the open theatre , at a time of pastimes , he loudly proclaimed himself a christian ; and being brought to pyrrhus the president , and demanded of his faith , he said , it is convenient i should confess god , citing rom. 10.10 . and being most painfully pinched and tormented , he said in the midst of his torments , there is nothing in my mind that can be compared to the price of one soul ; and said , i have learned of my lord and king , not to fear them who kill the body , and have no power to kill the soul. and being sentenced to be beheaded , he said , i give thee thanks my lord god , which hast so accepted me to be found a partaker of thy precious death ; and hast not given me to be devoured of my fierce enemies , but hast made me to remain constant in thy pure faith to my life's end . vol. 1. p. 117 , 118. n n saintinus nivet , being a cripple , burnt at paris 1546. when apprehended and asked if he would stand to what he said , he asked his judges if they dare be so bold to deny what was so plain in express words of scripture , and did so little regard his own life , that he desired his judges for gods sake , that they would rather take care of their own souls and lives , and consider how much innocent blood they spilled daily , in fighting against christ and his gospel . he suffered at paris . vol. 1. p. 133. noblemen 100 , and others , of alsatia , were burned and martyred the 1212. year of christ , under pope henricus 3. for holding every day was free for eating flesh , so it be done soberly ; and that they did wickedly who restrained priests from their lawful wives . vol. 1. pag. 336. iohn noyes , a shoe-maker of laxfield in suffolk , burned 1557. in september , when he came to the place of execution he kneeled down and sang the 50 th psalm ; and being bound at the stake , he said , fear not them that kill the body , but fear him that can kill both body and soul , and cast it into everlasting fire : and seeing his sister weeping , he desired her not to weep for him , but for her sins . having a faggot thrown at him , he kissed it , and said , blessed be the time that ever i was born to come to this . and in the fire he said , lord have mercy upon me , christ have mercy upon me , son of david have mercy upon me . he wrote a letter to his wife containing nothing but consolation from texts of scripture , and bidding her farewell , he desired his wife and children to leave worldly care , and see that they were diligent to pray . vol. 3. p. 850 , 851 , 852. nichaise of tombe , born in tournay , martyred for the gospel , being condemned , he said , praised be god. at the stake he said , lord they have hated me without a cause ; and prayed thus , eternal father ! have pity and compassion on me , according as thou hast promised to all that ask the same of thee in thy sons name . and so he continued praying until his last gasp . additions to vol. 3. of the massacre in france and flanders . p. 33. o o origen at 17 years old wrote to his father leonides , to encourage him to suffer martyrdom under the fifth persecution , began the 205. year of christ. he wrote about 7000 volumes , as much as 7 notaries and as many women could pen. vol. 2. p. 70. cicely ormes , wife of edward ormes a worsted-weaver in norwich , was burnt september 23. 1557. at norwich . she was an ignorant simple woman , yet zealous in the lord's cause ; and being threatned by the chancellor of norwich , she said , he should not be so desirous of her sinful flesh , as she would by god's grace be content to give it in so good a quarrel . being condemned , at the stake she pray'd and repeated her faith , and then said to the people : i would not have you think that i believe to be saved in that i offer my self here unto death for christ 's cause ; but i believe to be saved by the death of christ 's passion , and this my death is and shall be a witness of my faith unto you all : good people , as many as believe of you , i pray you pray for me . and then she coming to the stake , she kissed it , and said : welcome sweet cross of christ ; and so was bound to it : and in the fire she said ; my soul doth magnifie the lord , and my spirit hath rejoyced in god my saviour ; and so she yielded up her life . vol. 3. p. 833. robert oguier , of the city lile in flanders , his wife and two sons bardicon and martin were apprehended 1556. and first the father and bardicon suffer'd , who upon examination confessed their faith ; and bardicon being apprehended , as he went , said : o lord assist us with thy grace , not onely to be prisoners for thy sake , but so as to seal with our bloods thy truth : and told the emperor's commissioners the tenour of their prayers ( in their meetings ) for god's glory , and the empires and emperors felicity . and then he and his father submitted themselves to the judges ( while martin his brother chose to accompany his mother , who was still detained in prison . ) and these two were by their judges condemned to be burnt , which sentence being past , they returned to prison , rejoycing that the lord had honoured them to enroll them amongst the number of martyrs . the day of execution being told them , they blessed god who delivering their bodies out of prison , would receive their souls into his kingdom . the father being advised to pity his soul , said : you see what pity i have of it , when for the name of christ i willingly abandon my body to the fire , hoping to day to be with him in paradise . at the stake he and his son sang the 16. psalm ; and being chained , the son said to his father ; be of good comfort , the worst will be past by and by : and often repeated these words ; o god , father everlasting , accept the sacrifice of our bodys for thy wel-beloved son jesus christ 's sake : and lifting his eyes to heaven , he spoke to his father , saying ; o father ! behold i see the heavens open , and millions of angels ready to receive us , rejoycing to see us thus witnessing our truth in the view of the world. father , let us be glad and rejoyce , for the joyes of heaven are set before us . fire being kindled , he oft repeated to his father thus , yet a little while , and we shall enter into the heavenly mansions ; and their last words were , jesus christ thou son of god into thy hands we commend our spirits . and within 8 dayes the mother iane oguier and martin her son , were brought forth ; but in prison iane by the papists , was perswaded to recant , and to endeavour her son's return to popery ; who hearing of it , said to her ; oh mother , what have you done ? have you denyed him that redeemed you ? what evil hath he done you , that you should requite him with so great an injury ? ah , good god! that i should live to see this day , which pierceth my heart . and his mother hearing his words , and seeing his tears , began to renew her strength in the lord , and with tears cry'd , father of mercies be merciful to me , miserable sinner , and cover my transgressions under the righteousness of thy blessed son. lord enable me to stand to my first confession , and to abide stedfast in it to my last breath : and when the papists came to her again , she said ; avoid satan , get thee behind me ; for hence forth thou hast neither part nor portion in me , i will by the help of my god stand to my confession , and if i may not sign it with ink , i will seal it with my blood. and so she and her son were condemned to be burnt , and their ashes to be cast into air ; who rejoyced at the sentence , and accounted it a day of triumph over their enemies ; and martin being profer'd an hundred pound if he would recant , said , he would not lose an eternal kingdom for it . addition to vol. 3. of massacres of france pag. 1. to 5. p p philip the apostle , after he had much laboured amongst the barbarous nations , in preaching the word of salvation to them , at length he suffer'd in hierapolis a city of phrygia , being there crucified and stoned to death ; where also he was buried , and his daughters with him . vol. 1. pag. 42 , 43. peter the apostle , being to be crucified under domitius nero , would be crucified with his head downwards , and his feet upwards ; because he said he was unworthy to be crucified after the same manner and form as the lord was . vol. 1. pag. 45. as he was a crucifying , he , seeing his wife going to her martyrdom , was greatly joyous and glad thereof , and spake to her with a loud voice , called her by her name , and bidding her remember the lord iesus . vol. 1. p. 45. polycarpus , three dayes before he was apprehended saw in a vision his bed on fire , and consumed ; and when he awaked he told them with him , how that he should die in the fire for christ : and when he was pursued , having removed once or twice , and might still have fled , he would not , but said ; the will of god be done : and came down to his pursuers as soon as he heard they were come , and spake to them with a chearful voice and a pleasant countenance , and caused the table to be spread , and they to dine with him ; and begg'd of them an hours time for prayer : which he made so , as the hearers thereof were astonished and sorry they had pursued him : and going to the place of execution , in an uproar of the people , when he could not be heard , there came a voice to him from heaven , saying : be of good chear , polycarp , and play the man. many heard the voice , but none was seen to speak . and after this , polycarp being advised by the proconsul to defie christ , he said ; 86 years have i been his servant , and in all this time he hath not so much as hurt me ; how then can i speak evil of my king and soveraign lord who hath thus preserved me . being to be fixed to the stake , he would not ; but said , god who had given him strength to suffer , would give him power to abide , and not stir in the midst of the fire . so he stood , and thank'd god that he should now become a martyr ; and though the fire was kindled , yet could it not burn his body , but the wind kept it off ; and when the persecutors saw that , they order'd his body to be thrust thorow with a sword ; and so much blood issued out as quenched the fire . he suffered the 167. year of christ , about ianuary 24. and was martyred in his own church at smyrna . vol. 1. p. 55 , 56 , 57. ptolomeus being demanded , whether he was a christian , declared that he had taught and professed the verity of the christian doctrine ; for whoso denyeth to be what he is , either condemneth in denying the thing that he is , or maketh himself unworthy of that , the confession whereof he flyeth ; which thing is never found in a true and sincere christian. he was condemned to suffer . vol. 1. p. 59. ioannes pistorius , one of holland , preaching and speaking against the masses and other popish abuses , was committed to prison with ten other malefactors , whom he comforted ; and to one of them , being half naked , he gave his own gown : he was condemned and degraded , and had a fools coat put on him ; his fellows at his death sang te deum : and he coming to the stake gave his neck willingly to the band , saying , o death , where is thy victory ? 1524. vol. 2. p. 116. stephen peloquine , burnt at ville france in france , 1553. being half burnt , ceased not to hold up his hands , and call on the lord , to the admiration of people . vol. 2. p. 141. mrs. philips , a gentlewoman of paris , 1558. being apprehended and condemned for the gospel's sake , received it couragiously ; and being to be distongued , she said , shall i , who do not stick to give my body , stick to give my tongue ? and being distongued , though she was in mourning for her husband , a lord of that country , then late deceased ; she laid aside her mourning , and on the day of execution she decked her self in her best aray , as if she was going to another marriage ; nor did she alter her colour or countenance , during her suffering . vol. 2. p. 156. anthony persons , a great preacher of the gospel in king henry the 8 th's days , 1544. and was , by dr. london , condemned ; who answering to his indictment , said , so long as i preached up the pope and his superstition , so long ye favoured me ; but since i took on me to preach christ , ye have alwayes sought my life ; but it makes no matter , for when ye have taken your pleasure on my body , i trust it shall not be in your power to hurt my soul. he , with one testwood , and filmer , were condemned to suffer : and the night before they suffered they spent almost wholly in prayers for strength under the cross , and comforting one another that their master christ who had led the way before them , and had so far made them worthy to suffer for his sake , would give them stedfast faith and power to overcome these fiery torments ; and of his free mercy , for his promise sake , receive their souls . praying that god would forgive their enemies and turn their hearts , which out of blindness and ignorance had done they knew not what . this persons afterwards coming to the stake , did embrace it , saying , now welcome mine own sweet wife ; for this day shall thou and i be married together in the love and peace of god. vol. 2. p. 152 , 153 , 154. iohn philpot , a knights son of hampshire , brought up at oxford ; a great scholar , and a zealous preacher , who in king edward the 6 th's days was arch-deacon of winchester ; and in queen mary's days , with a few others , opposed popery , and stood in the vindication of the gospel in the convocation-house at london , against all the other prelates called by the queen to determine of religion . vol. 3. p. 538. being apprehended and examined by bishop bonner , and told that the next day he should be judged , he said , i am glad hereof , i look for no other but death at your hands , and i am as ready to yield my life in christ's cause as you are to require it . p. 547. and being in discourse with dr. story , he said , i am sure i have the iudge on my side , who shall justifie me in another world ; and however you now unrighteously do judge me , yet sure i am , in another world , to judge you : and after , when dr. story hastned his death , and said to philpot , he came to hasten it ; which he came to tell him , he said , that he might thank no body else for it : to whom philpot answered , i thank you with all my heart , and i pray god forgive you . and going again to prison , meeting with bishop bonner , who proffered him any pleasure he could shew him , he only requested this pleasure , that his lordship would hasten his judgment , and dispatch him out of this miserable world to his eternal rest , p. 151. at last he being condemned , and having word of it the night before , to be ready next morning to be burnt , he said , i am ready , god grant me strength and a joyful resurrection : and so retiring to his chamber , he prayed and praised god , that he had made him worthy to suffer for his truth . in the morning , coming to smithfield where he was burnt , he kneeled down at the entrance into it , and said , i will pay my vows in thee , o smithfield ! and then coming to the stake he kist it , saying ▪ shall i disdain to suffer at the stake , seeing my redeemer did not refuse to suffer on his cross for me : and then he said the 106 , 107 , 108. psalms ; and was burnt december 18. 1555. his letters were many and pious , comforting the penitent sinners : from , 1. examples of penitents . 2. god can pardon more than we can sin , and will pardon him who with hope of mercy is sorry for his sin . 3. god permits his people to see the evil of their sins , and to sorrow for it , to let them experience his superabounding grace : he brings to hell , that with greater joy he might lift up to heaven . 4. satan's conflict in you tempting , and your strife against sin , is an evidence you are the child of god , whom he may unawares cause to fall by sin , but he shall never overcome ; for god doth it but to try your faith , and he beholds your resistance , is pleased with it , and will never forsake you : the just falls 7 times a day , but yet he riseth again . 5. rejoyce therein , in that your temptation and sorrow shall add to your glory . pag. 598. in divers letters he much exhorts to martyrdom ; and in one to the lady vane , he thus writes : the world wonders we can be merry in such extreme misery , but our god is omnipotent who turns misery into felicity . believe me , dear sister , there is no such joy in the world , as the people of god have under the cross : i speak by experience , therefore believe me , and fear nothing that the world can do ; for when they imprison our bodies , they set at liberty our souls ; when they kill us , they bring us to everlasting life : and what greater glory can there be than to be at conformity with christ , which afflictions do work in us . pag. 603. in another he writes to her , he saith ; i that am under the cross have felt more true joy and consolation in it than ever i did by any benefit that god hath given me in all my life before ; for the more the world hates , the nigher god is unto us , and there is no joy but in god. pag. 604. in another to that lady , he writes thus : we have cause to be glad of the times of persecution as to our selves ; for if we be imprisoned , we are blessed ; if we lose all we have , we are blessed a hundred times ; if we die , we are blessed eternally : so that in suffering persecution all is full of blessings . vol. 3. pag. 605. agnes potten , an ipswich woman , burnt with ioan trunchfield in q. mary's dayes . they being undressed for the fire , with comfortable words of scripture exhorted people to constancy against popery ; and so continuing in the torment of the fire , they held up their hands and called on god constantly , so long as life endured . vol. 3. p. 678. iulius palmer , born at coventry , and student and fellow of magdalen colledge in oxford , who in king edward the sixth's dayes was a great papist , for which he was expelled the colledge , till queen mary's time , when he was received again to his fellowship ; and about 24 years of age by scriptures , and peter martyr's books , and calvin's institutions , god so wrought that he became a zealous protestant , nor would be revoked from it , declaring the pope to be antichrist ; whereupon for his safety he left the colledge , and went to reding to teach a school , where in a short time by false pretended friends he was betray'd and forced to fly . and he thinking to receive some legacy due to him by his father's will , went to his mother in this his need , and begging her blessing on his knees , she saluted him thus ; you shall have christ 's curse and my curse where ever you go : to which words of his mother , he said , being amazed at the salutation : your curse , o mother , you may give me , which ( god knows ) i have not deserved ; but god's curse you cannot give me , for he hath already blessed me . then she said , you went out of god's blessing into the warm sun , when you went from your religion ; for i am sure you believe not as i and your father , and our fore-fathers believed , but art an heretique : and know your father bequeathed nothing for heretiques : as for money and goods , i have none for you ; faggots i have to burn you ; more you get not at my hands . to whom he answer'd , i am no heretick , but do embrace a religion as old as christ and his apostles ; and though you curse me , yet i pray god bless you : and so softly spoke to her , that she threw after him an old angel to keep him honest . so he went away from his mother , going privately to reding again , to gather up some money due to him , where he was basely betray'd , and brought to examination , and was condemned ; and about one hour before his execution , he comforts himself and two others who suffer'd with him , with christ's words , mat. 5.10 , 11 , 12. and by these sayings ; be of good chear in the lord ; faint not we shall not end our lives in the fire , but make a change for a better life ; yea , for coals we shall receive pearls . and in the fire they three lifted up their hands , and quietly and chearfully as if feeling no pain , they cry'd , lord jesus strengthen us , lord jesus assist us , lord jesus receive our souls : and so called on iesus till they dyed , being burnt at newbury iuly 16. 1556. vol. 3. pag. 733 to 741. one prest's wife of exeter , being a protestant , but seeming to be a simple ignorant woman , left her husband and children , because they were papists , and went up and down to work for her living ; and being taken and examined , she said , in the cause of christ and his truth , she must either forsake christ or her husband ; i am content to stick only to christ my heavenly spouse ; and renounce the other ; whom i left not for whoredom , theft , or the like , but because they by their superstition and idolatry persecuted me , rebuked and troubled me , when i would have had them leave their idolatry . the doctors further talking with her , she said : you do but trouble my conscience ; you will have me follow your doings , but i will first lose my life ; i pray depart . she openly reproved and argued against their idolatry , and that they went about to damn souls by their doctrine , and perswading them to idolatry . she seemed to be a very simple woman , yet could she rehearse many places in scripture . and when ( she being condemned ) was desired to ask pardon , because she was an unlearned woman , not able to answer in such high matters ; she said , i am not indeed able to answer in such high matters , yet with my death am i content to be a witness of christ 's death . and being again proffer'd a pardon if she would recant , she said ; nay , that i will not ; god forbid i should lose life eternal for this carnal and short life ; i will never turn from my heavenly husband to my earthly ; from the fellowship of angels to my mortal children : and if my husband and children be faithful , i am theirs . god is my father , god is my mother , god is my brother , god is my sister , my kinsman , my friend most faithful . and at the stake she continued crying , lord , be merciful to me a sinner . vol. 3. p. 890 , 891. peter chevet , burnt at maubert near paris march 11. 1559. being threatned to suffer , he said ; truly i do not think to escape your hands ; and though ye scorch and roast me alive , yet will i never renounce my christ. being asked by the official , if he would not be absolved , he said , it is a question , oh poor man ! whether thou canst save thy self ; and wilt thou take upon thee to save others ? who being thereat angry , threatned him with longer imprisonment ; to whom the martyr said ; alas ! alas ! though i should rot in prison , yet shall you find me still the same man. and at the stake , having his cloaths pull'd off , he said : how happy , how happy , oh how happy am i ? with eyes lift up to heaven ; and so he died . additions to vol. 3. concerning massacre in france , pag. 9. r r romanus , a great encourager of the christians in antioch , when they were persecuted in the 10 th persecution , was himself by galerius , then emperour , called out , apprehended , and sentenced to all the torments the christians should have undergone , who said , o emperour , i joyfully accept of thy sentence , i refuse not to be sacrificed for my brethren ; and that by as cruel a means as thou may'st invent : then he was scourged , and under the lashes he sang psalms , and laughed to scorn the heathens gods ; affirming the christian's god to be the only true god , before whose judicial seat all nations should appear : then was his side launched till the bones appeared ; yet he still preached christ , and exhorted them to adore the living god ; then were his teeth knockt out , his eye-lids torn , his face cut ; and he said , i thank thee that thou hast opened to me many mouths whereby i may preach my lord and saviour iesus christ ; look how many mouths i have , so many mouths i have lauding and praising god. after that he was brought to new wounds and stripes , and distongued ; who still spake and said , he that speaketh christ shall never want a tongue . at length he was had to prison , and there strangled . when some pleaded he was of noble parentage , and it was not lawful to put such a one to an un-noble death ; he said , he required them not to spare him for nobility-sake ; for , said he , not the blood of my progenitors , but chrstian profession maketh me noble . vol. 1. p. 116 , 117. iohn rogers , a cambridge scholar , and chaplain to the merchants of brabant beyond sea , where he was acquainted with mr. tindal , and helped him and mr. coverdale in the translation of the bible ; he threw off the yoak of popery , and becoming a protestant , he married and went to live at wittenberg in saxony , vol. 3. p. 119. and there learning the dutch tongue , he had a congregation committed to his charge , where he staid till king edward the 6 th's time ; and then being orderly called , came into england and preached there , and was by bishop ridley made prebend of paul's ; but in queen mary's days he suffered much , and was burned feb. 4. 1555. he was the first that suffered in queen mary's days ; he prophesied of rome's downfall , and that e're long in england true gospel ordinances should be again restored , and the poor people of england should be brought to as good , or a better state : his wife , and ten children that could go , and one at her breast , met him going to burn ; but he was not moved , but continued constant , and suffered . vol. 3. p. 130 , 131. bishop ridley , born in northumberlandshire , had his education in newcastle , was master of pembroke-hall in cambridge , vol. 1. p. 432. then chaplain to king henry the 8 th , who made him bishop of rochester ; and in king edward the 6 th's days he was made bishop of london . he preached every sunday , and holyday , in some place or other , if not hindred by great affairs : he was kind and affable , one that presently forgave injuries ; and was wont to tell his relations , that if they acted evil , he should esteem them as strangers to him ; and they who did honestly , should be to him as brothers and sisters . as soon as he was ready each morning , he alwayes prayed for half an hour , and then spent most part of the day and night in study , he not going to bed usually till eleven of the clock , and then praying . he did read every day a lecture in his family , gave every one of his family a new testament , and hired them to learn several chapters , especially the 13. of the acts. he being advised , by one that was his chaplain formerly , to consult others , and to turn papist , he said , i would have you know that i esteem nothing available for me , which also will not further the glory of god. vol. 3. p. 447. he being condemned at oxford , was kept close prisoner in mr. irish , the major's house ; where he being at supper the night before he was to suffer , he was very merry , and invited the guests at the table to his wedding next day ; for to morrow , saith he , i shall be married ; which the major's wife hearing , wept ; to whom he said , you love me not now i see , for i perceive you will not be at my wedding , nor are contented with my marriage ; but quiet your self , though my breakfast be sharp and painful , yet i am sure my supper shall be more pleasant and sweet . vol. 3. p. 502. and at the stake , he suffering with mr. latimer , he chearfully ran to him , embraced him , kissed him , and said , be of good chear brother , for god will either asswage the fury of the flames , or else strengthen us to abide it : and then he went to the stake and kissed it , and prayed effectually . being stript into his shirt , he held up his hands , and said , o heavenly father , i give thee most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee , even to death . and fire being kindled , he often said , into thy hands o lord , i commend my spirit ; lord , lord , receive my spirit : but through the badness of the fire he burned on one side , and below on the legs , a great while , and yet his upper parts were not burned , so that he leaped under the faggots ; and calling to the lord for mercy , did call on the persons by to let the fire come to him , for he could not burn , he said ; and shewed them one side clean shirt , and all untouched , whole , and the other burnt . p. 504 , 505. he writing to his friends , and taking leave of them , desires them not to be astonished at the manner of his sufferings ; and said , i assure you i esteem it the greatest honour that ever i was called to in my life ; and i thank my lord heartily for it , that he hath called me to the high favour to suffer death willingly for his sake , which is an inestimable gift of god ; therefore , o ye that love me , rejoice , and rejoice again , with me ; and render , with me , thanks to god that hath called me to this dignity . vol. 3. p. 505. could queen mary have been entreated for bishop ridley , or could his life have been purchased , the lord dacres in the north , his kinsman , would have given her 1000 marks , or 1000 pounds , rather than he should have been burned . vol. 3. p. 996. iohn rabec , burned at aniers in france , april 24. 1556. had his tongue cut out , because he would not pronounce iesus maria , joining them both in one prayer ; and being urged thereto with great threats , he said , if his tongue should but offer to do so , he would himself bite it asunder . additions to vol. 3. concerning french massacre , p. 5. anthony ricetto , a martyr at venice , 1566. being , by his son of twelve years of age , perswaded to recant , that he might not be fatherless ; said to his child , a good christian is bound to forego goods , children , yea life it self , for the maintenance of god's honour and glory : and so he was drowned , having an iron hoop about him , and to a chain fastned to that hoop a great weight fastned ; and so carryed in a wherry into the sea : where being laid on a board , and that board laid cross on two wherries , the wherries removing he fell into the sea ; which was the manner of the venetians punishing their martyrs . additions to vol. 3. p. 44. s s sanctus , being under the fourth persecution grievously tormented ; and by the tormentors asked , what he was , answered nothing , but said he was a christian : and notwithstanding his being scorched by hot plates in the tenderest parts of the body , so that his body lost the shape of a man ; yet he never shrank : and declared , that nothing was terrible or ought to be feared where the love of god is , and nothing grievous wherein the glory of christ is manifested . and when he was again punished , though his body was so misfigured before his second punishment , yet now was it reduced to its first shape of a man , and suppled in all its contracted parts . soon after he was again tormented , and set in an hot iron-chair ; nor yet would he confess any thing but that he was a christian : and after this , being made a sad spectacle to the people , he was beheaded . vol. 1. p. 60.61 , 62. souldiers , being put to their choice by the marshal of the camp by diocletian's order under the tenth persecution , whether they would sacrifice to idols at the emperours command , or lay aside their offices and weapons : they unanimously answered , they were ready not only to lay down their weapons , but their lives also if by the emperour's tyranny required , rather than they would obey the wicked decrees of him . vol. 1. p. 101. simeon archbishop of seleucia , being by sapores king of persia , under the tenth persecution , called and examined , confessed himself to be a christan : and being demanded , why he kneeled not before the king as he used to do , he said , that before he observed what the custom of the realm did require of him ; but now it is not lawful , for i come to stand in defence of our religion and doctrine . he was beheaded . vol. 1. pag. 125 , 126. see usthazares in the latter part of this book . henry sutphen monk , an associate of luthers 1524. converted breme , and being sent for after two years time to deithmar to preach amongst those great idolaters , he at last went , designing only to lay the foundation of a reformation , and so to return to breme , to satisfie the importunity of his friends . he being at breme , the monks and friars conspire against him , and consult his destruction ; accordingly they sent minatory letters to the inhabitants at deithmar , and also to their parish priest , who had received him : but sutphen's ananswer was , that being called by them to preach the gospel , he would do it ; and if it pleased god he should lose his life at deithmar ; there was as near a way to heaven as in any other place : for he doubted not at all that once he must suffer for the gospels sake . upon this courage he preached divers times , and popish priests were sent to supplant him , and to trap him in his sermons ; many of whom were converted by them , and did declare them to be agreeable to the word of god. after this many ways were used to destroy him ; and at last the franciscan friars conspired with some presidents of the country to kill him , before the inhabitants of the town of deithmar should know of it , or before his cause were try'd , not permitting him to speak to them for himself , lest ( as they said ) he should perswade them to be hereticks : whereupon the presidents assembled 500 husbandmen , to whom ( when met together ) they imparted the business ; who detesting it would not do it , but would have returned home ; but were forced to obedience by the threats of their governour ; who to fit them for the work , gave them three barrels of hamborough beer , and then about midnight they came to deithmar to the priest's , and first wofully abused him , and then trained sutphen out of bed naked , and tying his hands behind him , forced him on so fast that his feet were much wounded by the ice ; whereof he complaining and desiring a horse , they said he should go on foot whether he would or no : and in the morning after much misery by him suffered , without any examination they condemned him to be burnt ; and accordingly they bound him hands , neck and feet , and brought him to the fire , which was not oftner kindled than it went out , nor could they make the wood burn . as he passed by to the fire , a woman , seeing the sad usage of him , wept bitterly : to whom he did reply , weep not , i pray , for me . and at the fire , being condemned , he said ; i have done no such thing as they accuse me of : and holding up his hands , he said ; o lord , forgive them , for they offend ignorantly , not knowing what they do . in the mean time , a certain woman offer'd to suffer 1000 stripes , and to give them much money , so they would but keep him in prison till he had pleaded his cause ; but they were the more enraged , and threw down and trod upon the woman . and seeing the fire would not burn sutphen , they smote him with their hands , and prick'd and struck him with divers weapons , and then bound him to a ladder by the neck to strangle him , so strait and hard that the blood gushed out of his nose and mouth ; the doer of it treading upon his breast the while , not permitting him to prate or pray ; and being tyed to a ladder , one iohn holmes ran to him , and struck him with a mace till he was dead . vol. 1. pag. 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106. mr. peter spengler of schalt , in the countrey of brisgois 1525. a vigilant preacher and a peaceable good man , often reconciling differences with great prudence , and much lamenting the corruptness of principles and practises of the popish monks , and especially their vow of single life and its consequents , which moved him to marry ; for which crime chiefly he was afterwards apprehended , and condemned to die : and being led to execution , he answer'd all persons gently , but desir'd the monks to let him alone , who troubled him with their babling about confession , when he was striving in his spirit against the horror of death , and making his prayer to god , to whom he said also that he had confessed his sins to god , not doubting but he had received absolution and forgiveness of them . and i , said he , shall be an acceptable sacrifice to my saviour jesus christ ; for i have done no such things whereof i am condemned , which might displease my god , who in this behalf hath given me a good and quiet conscience : saying also , he being very lean , it is all one , for i must shortly have forsaken my skin , which scarce cleaves to my bones : i know i am a mortal and corruptible worm ; i have oft desired my last day , and have made my request that i might be delivered out of this mortal body to be joyned with my saviour jesus christ. i have deserved through my sins my cross , and my saviour hath born the cross ; and for my part i will not glory in any other thing but in the cross of christ. presently he was cast into the river ; he strugling a while in it , the water was red with blood , which the people looked to be a miraculous sign to shew that innocent blood was that day shed . this was done at enshesheim 1525. vol. 2. p. 111 , 112. wolfgangus schuch , a german , at st. hyppolite 1525. a town in lotharing ; a reverend and godly pastor , there preached he justification through christ by faith. he was apprehended willingly , offering himself to tryal by scripture , rather than to see the town of st. hyppolite be exposed to the danger threatn'd to it by anthony duke of lorrain for his sake ; and being apprehended , he was imprisoned in sad misery a year , where disputing with divers friars he confounded them all by scripture . at last he was condemned to be burnt ; at which sentence he sang , and being at the place of execution , he sang the 51. psalm till smoke and fire choak'd him . vol. 2. pag. 112. george scherler , a german preacher near saltzburg , was taken and imprisoned and condemned to be burnt alive ; but at last it was granted he should be first beheaded . he going to his death , said , that ye may know that i die a true christian , i will give you a manifest sign : which he did by god's power ; for after his head was off his body , falling on his belly , and so lying a good while , it easily turn'd it self on the back , and crossed the right foot over the left , and the right hand over the left ; at which sight the spectators marvelled , and the magigistrates burned not but buried the body amongst the christians ; and many were hereby brought to believe the gospel . vol. 2. p. 117. peter serre , was burned 1553. in france ; who having his tongue cut out stood so quiet looking up to heaven at the time of his burning , as though he had felt no pain , bringing such admiration to the people , that one of the parliament of france that condemned him , said , that way was not best to bring lutherans to the fire , for that would do more hurt than good . vol. 2. p. 143. mrs. smith near coventry , condemned and burnt for having the lord's prayer in english , april 4. 1519. vol. 2. p. 225. hellen stirk , a scottish woman , seeing her husband go to the stake 1543. for christ's cause , and being her self condemned , did desire to suffer with her husband ; but when it was not permitted , she went to him and exhorted him to perseverance , and with a kiss parted , saying ; husband , rejoyce , for we have lived many a joyful day together ; but this day in which we must die together ought to be most joyful unto us both , because we must have joy for ever ; therefore i will not bid you good night , for we shall suddenly meet with joy in the kingdom of heaven . and after that , she parting with her sucking child from her breast , recommended her self to god and the child to nurse , and so was drowned . vol. 2. pag. 615 , 616. laurence saunders , brought up at eaton , and then at king's colledge in cambridge three years ; then by his mother , having a great estate , was bound apprentice in london to a merchant , sir william chester ; but he not liking his apprentiship , his master gave him his indentures , perceiving his inclinations to study ; and being himself a good man , he wrote letters to his mother and friends ( who were great persons ) about it : whereby he went again to king's colledge , and after several years was a minister in leicestershire , and then in london till queen mary's dayes , when he had two livings , not being permitted to lay down either of them by reason of the troubles ; and as well as he could he preached at both , though at length at london he going to preach was disswaded for fear of danger , but he would not cease : and preaching , he did ( as he often had ) speak against popish tenets , for which he was examined by bishop bonner , and gardiner ; and at last imprisoned , he prayed much ; and in all spiritual assaults , he prayed and found present relief ; and he said , while bishop gardiner examined him , he found a great consolation in spirit , and also in body he received a certain taste of the communion of saints , whilst a pleasant refreshing issued from all parts of his body to his heart , and thence did ebb and flow to and fro . he in a letter to bishop gardiner , proved popery a whoreish and ravening religion , robbing god of his honour and worship in truth ; and also our consciences of peace and true comfort . he disswaded his wife and friends from sueing for his liberty : he , in his letters , spoke much of his own experience through god's grace , of christ's sweetness ; and how loath his flesh was to go forward in god's path , and also his hopes with the godly to be shortly singing halelujah in heaven ; and as he saluted those to whom he wrote with grace and mercy and peace , and assured them of his prayers for them , so also he generally begg'd their prayers , ending his letters with pray , pray , pray ; and after 15 months imprisonment he was condemned , who said , my dear lord iesus christ hath begun to me a more bitter cup than mine can be , and shall not i pledge my most sweet saviour ? yes i hope . as he went to stake he oft fell down and prayed ; and at the stake he took it in his arms and kissed it , saying , welcome the cross of christ , welcome everlasting life ; and so being fastned , was burned with green wood to make his torments greater ; yet he stood quietly , and slept sweetly in the fire . vol. 3. p. 132. to 136. robert smith burnt , 1555. at uxbridge , august ; who being at the stake , comforted the people , willing them to think well of his cause , and not doubt but that his body dying in that quarrel should rise again to life : and i doubt not , said he , but god will shew some token thereof : at length , being near half burnt , and cluster'd together on a lump like a black coal ; all men thinking him to be dead , he suddenly rose upright , lifting up his stumps of his arms , claping them together as a token of rejoicing ; and then bending down again he dyed . in a letter to his wife , he writes thus , if ye will meet with me again , forsake not christ for any pain . vol. 3. p. 410 , 411. he wrote this exhortation to his children . give ear my children to my words , whom god hath dearly bought ; lay up my law within your heart , and print it in your thought : for i , your father , have foreseen the frail and filthy way , which flesh and blood would follow fain , even to their own decay ; for all and every living beast their crib do know full well ; but adam's heirs above the rest are ready to rebell : and all the creatures on the earth full well can keep their way , but man , above all other beasts , is apt to go astray ; for earth and ashes is his strength , his glory , and his reign ; and unto ashes , at the length , he shall return again : for flesh doth flourish like the flower , and grow up like a grass ; and is consumed in an hour , as it is brought to pass , in me the image of your years , your treasure , and your trust ; whom ye do see , before your face , dissolved into dust : for as you see your father's flesh converted into clay , even so shall ye , my children dear , consume and wear away . the sun and moon , and eke the stars , that serve the day and night ; the earth , and every earthly thing , shall be consumed quite ; and all the worship that is wrought , that have been heard or seen , shall clean consume and come to nought , as it had never been : therefore that ye may follow me , your father and your friend ; and enter into that same life which never shall have end . i leave you here a little book for you to look upon , that ye may see your father's face when i am dead and gone ; who for the hope of heavenly things , while he did here remain , gave over all his golden years in prison and in pain ; where i , among mine iron bonds enclosed in the dark , not many dayes before my death , did dedicate this work to you , mine heirs of earthly things which i have left behind , that ye may read and understand , and keep it in your mind ; that as you have been heirs of that which once shall wear away , even so ye may possess the part which never shall decay ; in following of your father's foot , in truth , and eke in love ; that ye may also be his heirs for evermore above : and in example to your youth , to whom i wish all good ; i preach you here a perfect faith , and seal it with my blood : have god alwayes before your eyes in all your whole intents , commit not sin in any wise , keep his commandements ; abhor that arrant whore of rome , and all her blasphemies ; and drink not of her decretals , nor yet of her decrees : give honour to your mother dear , remember well her pain ; and recompense her in her age in like with love again : be alwayes aiding at her hand , and let her not decay ; remember well your father's fall , that should have been her stay . give of your portion to the poor , as riches do arise ; and from the needy naked soul turn not away your eyes : for he that will not hear the cry of such as stand in need , shall cry himself , and not be heard , when he would hope to speed . if god hath given great increase , and blessed well your store ; remember ye are put in trust to minister the more . beware of foul and filthy lust , let whoredom have no place ; keep clean your vessels in the lord , that he may you embrace : ye are the temples of the lord , for ye are dearly bought ; and they who do defile the same shall surely come to nought . possess not pride in any case , build not your nests too high ; but have alwayes before your face that you were born to dye . defraud not him that hired is your labour to sustain , but give him alwayes , out of hand , his penny for his pain : and as ye would that other men against you should proceed , do ye the same again to them when they do stand in need : and part your portion with the poor , in money , and in meat ; and feed the fainted feeble soul with that which ye should eat ; that when your members shall lack meat , and cloathing to your back , ye may the better think on them that now do live and lack : ask counsel also at the wise , give ear unto the end ; refuse not ye the sweet rebuke of him that is your friend . be thankful alwayes to the lord with prayer and with praise ; desire you him in all your deeds , ever to direct your wayes , and sin not like the swinish sort , whose bellies being fed , consume their years upon the earth from belly unto bed . seek first , i say , the living god , set him alwayes before , and then be sure he will bless your basket and your store : and thus if you direct your dayes according to this book , then shall they say that see your wayes how like me you do look : and when you have so perfectly upon your fingers ends , possessed all within this book , then give it to your friends ; and i beseech the living god replenish you with grace , that i may have you in the heavens , and see you face to face : and though the sword hath cut me off , contrary to my kind , that i could not enjoy your love according to my mind ; yet i do hope that when the heavens shall vanish like a scrowl , i shall receive your perfect shape in body and in soul. and that i may enjoy your love , and ye enjoy the land ; i do beseech the living god to hold you in his hand . farewel , my children , from the world where ye must yet remain . the lord of hosts be your defence till we do meet again . farewel my love and loving wife , my children , and my friends , i hope to god to have you all when all things have their ends : and if you do abide in god as ye have now begun , your course , i warrant , shall be short ye have not far to run . god grant you so to end your years as he shall think it best , that ye may enter into heaven where i do hope to rest . vol. 3. p. 405 , 406. robert samuel , a suffolk minister , was imprisoned by dr. hopton bishop of norwich , and kept sadly , being chained bolt upright , so that he stood on tip-toes day and night , and was kept without meat and drink , save only three mouthfuls of bread and three spoonfuls of water a day : and at last being to be burned he said to his friends , that when he was imprisoned and almost pin'd away 2 or 3 dayes together , he fell into a slumber , and one clad in white seem'd to stand by him , and comforting him , said ; samuel , samuel , be of good chear , and take a good heart to thee , for after this day thou shalt never hunger nor thirst more . which thing was effected , for from that time to his sufferings , he felt neither hunger nor thirst ; and it is said that his body when it was in the fire , shone as bright and white as new try'd silver . vol. 3. p. 414 , 415. iohn spicer , burnt at salisbury , march 24. 1556. with 2 others : at the stake said , this is the joyfullest day that ever i saw . vol. 3. p. 680. agnes stanley , burned at smithfield with four more april 12. 1557. she being by bishop bonner threatned with death if she would not recant , said ; i had rather every hair of my head were burned , if it were never so much worth , than that i should forsake my faith and opinion , which is the true faith. vol. 3. p. 788. thomas spurdance , one of queen mary's servants , being apprehended for the gospel , and examined at norwich by the bishop , who bad him submit to the queen's laws , he said ; you must know , my lord , that i have a soul as well as a body ; my soul is none of the queen's , but my body and goods are the queen's : and i must give god my soul , and all that belongs to it . that is , i must do the laws and commandments of god , and may not do commandments contrary to them for losing of my soul , but muct rather obey god than man ; if i save my life i shall lose it , and if for christ 's sake i lose it , i shall find it in everlasting life : and was burned at bury in november 1557. vol. 3. pag. 855. william sparrow of london , burnt in november 18. 1557. who being examined said , that that which the papists called heresie was true and godly , and if every hair of his head was a man ( he said ) he would burn them , rather than go from the truth . vol. 3. p. 857. cuthbert simpson , a minister in london , was wrakt often in one day to discover his confederates , but he would not ; and at last was burnt . he writing to his wife , perswades her to constancy , pleading god's promises to help us ; and that nothing shall befal us but what is profitable to us , either a correction of our sins , tryal of our faith , to set forth his glory , or for all together . vol. 3. p. 866 , 867. archambant scraphom , martyred 1557. in flanders , for speaking that the pope was the antichrist st. paul described : and being willed to subscribe his saying , reply'd , yea , yea , i am ready to sign it with my blood , rather than with ink. when he looked on his hands , he used to say , o flesh ! you must suffer and be burned to ashes , till the last day . additions to vol. 3. concerning the massacre of france , p. 6. t t theban souldiers a legion , having mauritius their captain , being sent for by maximinus the emperour , under the tenth persecution , to go against and persecute the christians , would not ; for which every tenth man was kill'd : and being still urged , they made a notable oration to the emperour , declaring , though they were his souldiers , yet were they god's servants ; and would not persecute the christians , nor sacrifice to the emperour 's devillish idols : whereupon again every tenth man was slain ; and afterwards their whole army totally destroy'd , who made no resistance , but laid down their armour and gave their naked bodies to their enemies fury . vol. 3. p. 104 , 105. nicholas and francis thressen , being brought up in christianity by their father andreas thressen , who flying into england ( out of germany from their mother and two other children ) died there : and then these two sons returned into germany to their mother and the two children with her , and instructed them in christianity : with whom the papists laboured to make them recant ; and the two youngest being not well grounded , did so : the mother would not , and was condemned to perpetual prison . these two sons inveighed against popery , and despising torments were condemned to the fire ; and desiring to speak , had gaggs put into their mouths and balls of wood to hinder it ; but they with vehemency of speaking drave them out : and desiring for the lord's sake that they might have liberty to speak , they sang the creed with a loud voice , and went and were fastened to the stake , praying for their persecutors and exhorting each other , they did abide the fire patiently . the one feeling the flame to burn his beard , said ; ah! what a small pain is this to be compared to the glory to come : and so committing their spirits to the hands of god , they died . vol. 2. p. 121. giles tilleman , a cutler , born at brussels , burned 1544. he received the gospel at 30 years of age , and was very charitable to the poor , and so zealous in prayer that he seem'd to forget himself , and neither to hear nor see those that stood by him , till he was lift up by the arms . so patient was he of private injuries , that he would not speak again to revilers , insomuch that they said he had a dumb devil , though in the cause of religion he had words and scripture enough . when tidings came to him of the sentence against him , he gave hearty thanks to god that the hour was come that he might glorifie the lord ; and at the place of burning , when the hangman would have strangled him first , he would not let him , saying , there was no need that his pain should be mitigated , for , said he , i fear not the fire . and lifting up his eyes in the middle of the flames , he died . vol. 2. pag. 119. william tracy of todington in glocestershire esq 1532. in his will and testament ordained his executors not to make any funeral pomp at his burial , neither passed he for any mass , saying , he trusted only in god , and hoped by him to be saved , and not by any saint . he said there was but one mediator between god and man , christ iesus ; and therefore he gave nothing that any should say or do any thing to help his soul after his death ; for which will he was near two years after his death taken up and burnt as an heretick , by the archbishop of canterbury's order to dr. parker chancellor in worcester diocese , whom king henry viii . made it cost 300 pound . vol. 2. p. 317 , 318. william tyndal of magdalen colledge in oxford removed thence to cambridge , and thence to glocestershire , where in the house of one welch a knight he resided sometime , disputing with the clergy , priests and abbots , and refuted them by scripture evidences , so that they hated him , and brought him to trouble : at last he intending to translate the bible into english for the good of his native people , and to deliver them from the blind idolatry and superstition of popery ; and finding england would not bear it , nor afford a place to do it in , he fled to saxony , and there translated the new testament 1527. and after he translating 5 books of moses , intending to print at antwerp , to which place he sailing did suffer shipwrack , and lost all his labour ; but he lodged at antwerp , and with the help of one coverdale performed the five books , and printed them ; and residing there he was basely betray'd by one henry philips an english-man , whom he had received lately as an intimate acquaintance : and being so persecuted that though many letters were for his delivering , he was executed ; who in prison converted the keeper , his daughter , and others . by the testimony of his condemner , he was a learned pious good man , who died with this earnest prayer , lord , open the king of england's eyes . he was martyred at filford castle in flanders 1536. vol. 2. p. 361 , to 367. robert testwood about windsor , in king henry eight's reign 1544. for opposing idolatry and image-worship , was apprehended and persecuted by the bishop of london ; vol. 2. p. 543 , 544. at last being condemned , he suffered with one filmire and persons , who kissed each other at parting from the prison , and at the stake drank to each other ; and then this testwood lifting up his eyes and hands , desired the lord to receive his spirit . see persons and filmire . their persecutors , symons and dr. london , soon after convicted of conspiracy against some nobles , and being perjured , did ride with papers on their heads , and their faces towards the horse tails , round about windsor market-place . vol. 2. p. 555 , 556. rowland taylor , dr. of both canon and civil laws , and a perfect divine ; parson of hadley in suffolk , where he resided , calling his people together and preaching to them every sunday and holiday , when he might . he was humble and meek , and his life an example of piety . he was ready to do good to all , forgiving all enemies readily ; and never sought to do evil to any one . to the poor , blind , lame , and sick , he was a very father , a careful patron , and diligent provider . when mass was contrived to be set up in his church , he opposed it , and said it was against god's word , the queen's honour ; and tended to the utter subversion of the realm of england . whereupon he was sent for up to london , by the bishop of winchester , stephen gardiner : and his friends perswaded him not to go , saying he could not be heard for himself , but must expect imprisonment , and death ; and that christ advised to fly from one city to another : and the people of god would in time want such godly preachers . to whom he said , dear friends , i thank you for your care ; yet i know my cause so good , and the truth so strong on my side , that i will , by god's grace , go and appear before them ; and to their beards will resist their false doings . god will not forsake his church , but will raise up more fruitful teachers than i , who shall never have again so glorious a call as i now have ; wherefore i be seech you to pray for me , and i doubt not but god will give me strength and his spirit , that all my adversaries shall have shame of their doings . and so taking care of his people , he and his man , iohn hull , went towards london ; but his man advised him to fly , proffering his faithful service to him in all affairs : to whom the doctor replyed , oh john , shall i give place to this thy counsel , and leave my flock in this danger ? remember christ , the good shepherd , who not only fed his flock , but dyed for them also . him must i follow , and by god's grace will ; therefore , john , pray for me ; and if thou seest me at any time weak , comfort me ; and discourage me not in this godly enterprize , and purpose . when he came to bishop gardiner , who reviled him much , and asked him how he durst look him in the face , and if he knew who he was ? dr. taylor said , yes , i know who you are , dr. stephen gardiner , bishop of winchester , lord chancellor ; and yet but a mortal man i trow : but if i should be afraid of your lordly looks , why fear you not god the lord of us all ? how dare ye look any christian man in the face , seeing you have forsaken the truth , denyed christ , and done contrary to your oath and writing ? with what face will ye appear before christ's iudgment seat , and answer to your oath against popery in king henry the 8th 's time , and in king edward the 6th 's dayes , when you both spoke , and wrote against it . vol. 3. p. 167 , 168 , 169. when he was condemned with mr. bradford , and others ; they joyfully gave thanks , and stoutly said to the bishops , that god would require their blood at their hands , and that one day they should repent this their tyranny against the flock of christ. p. 174. when bonner , bishop of london , came to degrade him ; and brought with him the vestments , according to their popish manner ; he bad him put them on , but dr. taylor would not , so bonner caused another to put them on ; and then dr. taylor set his hands by his side , and walked up and down , saying , how do you like me now ? how say you my lord , am not i a goodly fool ? how say you my masters , if i were in cheapside now , should not i have boys enough to laugh at me , and at these apish toys , and toying trumpery ? so the bishop performed his ceremonies of degradation , and cursed him : to whom dr. taylor said , though you curse , god will bless : you have done me wrong , and violence ; yet i pray god , if it be his will , forgive you . the next day his wife and son and man , supped with him ; and he exhorted his son to obey god and his mother ; and exhorted her to be stedfast in the faith , and to shun popery ; and then wrote his last farewel to his people of hadley , perswading their stedfastness in the doctrine he had preached amongst them against popery . vol. 3. p. 175. the next day after he was carried out towards hadley to suffer , and his wife and children suspecting as much , lay all night in botolph's church-yard ; and as he went early in the morning , she cryed to him , rowland , rowland , and came to him ; who took his daughter mary in his arms , and then all of them kneeled and said the lords prayer ; then kissed he his wife , saying , farewel my dear wife , be of good comfort ; for i am quiet in my conscience , and god shall stir up a father for my children ; and kissing his two daughters , mary , and elizabeth , he said , god bless you : and so praying them all to keep close to god's word , and to flye idolatry , he went on : to whom his wife said , god be with thee my dear rowland , i will meet thee at hadley : and after this speech to his wife , he did see his son thomas , and his man iohn hull , whom he commanded to lift up his son , whom he blessed and prayed for ; and then gave him again to his servant . at burntwood as they went , they made a hood for the dr. with holes only to see and breathe through , that none might know him , nor he speak to any . the dr. was very pleasant all the way , as if he was going to a banquet . and when he came to chelmsford , the sheriff of suffolk met him ; and as they were at supper , the sheriff of essex perswaded him to turn to popery ; pleading his strength of body might live long , and he would be in great esteem , because all loved him for his sweetness and learning , and a pardon might still be had , and so drank to him , and so did all the yeomen of the guard , his attendants . and when the cup came to the dr. he considered a while before he spake , and at last thanked them for their counsel ; and said , to be plain with you , i perceive i have been deceived my self , and am like to deceive a great many of hadley of their expectation : at which words they rejoyced , saying , gods blessing on your heart , hold you there still , why should you cast away your life ? but he said , my meaning is this ; i am deceived , and , as i think , i shall deceive a great many : i am , ye see , a man of a great carcass , which i thought should have been buried in hadly church-yard , but herein i see i am deceived : and there are a great many worms in hadly church-yard which would have had a jolly feeding upon this carrion , but now i know they will be deceived , for this carcass must be burned to ashes : which sayings astonished the sheriff , that he should but jest at death now at hand . within 2 miles of hadly , he desired to alight to make water , and fetched a frisk or two as men do in dancing , saying he was very well , never better ; for now i know i am almost at my father's home . and after that he did understand he should go through hadly , he blessed god that he should once more see his people before he died , whom he prayed god to bless and keep stedfast in word and truth ▪ and at hadly a poor man and 5 children meeting him , begg'd an alms , and pray'd to god to comfort him , as he had done often him and his children . and the people of hadly stood in the streets weeping and praying for him , saying ; there goes our good shepherd ; oh god! what will become of us poor lambs : to whom the dr. all along said , i have preached among you god's truth , and am now come to seal it with my blood . and at the almes-house he gave them all the money he had : his care was once a fortnight to visit with the gentry the poor inhabitants , and whom he found to blame he reboked , whom he found to want he supply'd . at last coming to aldam common , ( the place of his suffering ) he would have spoke , but was not permitted ; onely he said to the people , he had preached and was now to seal the truth of the gospel with his blood , for which saying he was struck . and being ty'd fast to the stake in a pitch-barrel , he held up his hands , saying , merciful father of heaven , for jesus christ 's sake my saviour , receive my soul into thy hands : and so he stood with his hands joyned until one with a halberd knocked his brains out , and the dead corps fell down into the fire . vol , 3. p. 176 , 177 , 178. thomas tomkins , burnt march 16. 1555. a london waver , to whom bishop bonner used cruelty ; and at his own palace hall at fulham , to terrifie the poor man , burnt his hand with a taper till the veins and sinews broke , and the water spirted in the faces of the standers by , who being moved with pity , requested the bishop to stay , saying he had try'd him enough : but the bishop stay'd not till he had effected his burning in smithfield . this tomkins never shrank at the burning his hand , but said he was wrapt in spirit , so that he felt no pain . vol. 3. p. 187 , 188 , 190. iohn taylor , otherwise called iohn cardmaker , prebendary of wells and a franciscan fryar , burnt with one warn may 30. 1555. in smithfield , where the sheriff talking much with taylor , and the papists having noised abroad his recantation , the people began to suspect it ; but at last taylor suddenly went and pray'd , then stript himself to his shirt , went to the stake and kissed it , and shaking his fellow-sufferer iohn warn by the hand , comforted him ; and then heartily gave himself to be burned : whereat all the people cry'd out for joy , god be praised , the lord strengthen thee , cardmaker , the lord jesus receive thy spirit ; till such time as by fire he was consum'd . vol. 3. p. 246 , 248. george tankerfield , a zealous papist in king edward vi. dayes , a cook in london ; but in queen mary's dayes seeing their popish persecution and cruelty , hated their doctrine , prayed to god for direction , and studied the word of god , and became a zealous protestant , who for the gospel was condemned and was burnt at st. albans , august 26. 1555. in the inn before he suffered , he called for some malmsey and a loaf to eat and drink , in remembrance of christ's death and passion , which he said he did not in contempt of the ministry , or to detract from the ordinance , but because he could not have it administred to him according to god's word . and after he had with prayer and thanksgiving received , he caused a good fire to be made in his chamber , and he sitting by it , pull'd off his hose and shoes , and stretched out his feet towards it , and when the flame had touched his foot he quickly drew back his leg , shewing how the flesh did perswade him one way , and the spirit another . the flesh said , oh! thou foot , wilt thou burn and need not ? the spirit , be not afraid , for this is nothing in respect of fire eternal . the flesh said , do not leave the company of thy friends which love thee : the spirit said , the company of iesus christ and his glorious presence doth exceed all fleshly friends . the flesh saith , do not shorten thy time , for thou mayest live if thou wilt much longer : but the spirit said , this life is nothing to the life in heaven which lasteth for ever . and after he coming to the stake , pray'd , and with a joyful faith said , that although he had a sharp dinner , yet he hoped to have a joyful supper : and in the fire he calling on the name of the lord , was quickly out of pain . v. 3. p. 397. william tyms minister , burnt with several others april 14. 1556. wrote to his sister thus , i take my leave of you till we meet in heaven , you shall find me merrily singing , holy , holy , holy , lord god of sabboth at my journey's end . and at the end of his letter , he wrote his name in blood , in token that he would seal the doctrine of christ with the rest , and also he wrote in blood these words , continue in prayer , ask in faith , and obtain your desire . in another letter to his parishioners at hockley in essex , exhorts them to constancy to his doctrine which he now was about sealing with his blood , praising god that ever he lived to see that day , and blessing god that ever he gave him a body to glorifie his name by . vol. 3. p. 685. iohn tuscaen , a young man of 22 years of age , of audenard in flanders , hearing of the popish idolatry in worshiping the host , determined to demonstrate to them that the worshiping of that breaden-god was abominable and execrable sacriledge : to effect which , on may , 30. 1566. called corpus christi day he went to a church in pamelle , which stood near to audenard , and seeing the priest at elevating the host , and the people ready to prostrate themselves before a breaden-cake , he stept to the priest , and snatched the cake out of his hands , broke it in pieces , and cast it unto the ground , saying unto the people , see here , my masters , your goodly breaden-god , who you see is not able to help himself , but is here broken all to pieces : how long , how long , o ye senseless priests , will ye thus defile the holy supper of the lord ? shall we never see an end of your filthy idolatries ? if the authority of the holy scriptures can nothing move you , yet at length be admonished by the present example , that there is not one jot of divinity within that bread , seeing it is subject to be thus handled ; will ye worship a dead idol , your selves being living men ? for which actions , and expressions he was imprisoned , and had first his hand cut off , which he took patiently , saying , o lord god , it is for the glory of thy name that i endure these things , enable me now with strength from above that i may finish this sacrifice . then was he burnt , and his ashes cast into the river escaut . additions to vol. 3. of the massacre of france and flanders , p. 356. du tour , deacon of the church at bourdeaux 1572. in the massacre there . he had been a priest of the romish church , but now was a protestant , aged and sick in bed ; who was haled into open street , and asked if he would go to mass and save his life : but he said , no , especially now drawing so near its end , both in regard of my sickness and years : i hope i shall not so far forget the eternal salvation of my soul , as for fear of death to prolong this life for a few dayes , for so should i buy a short term of life at too dear a rate . and so they massacred him . additions to vol. 3. concerning massacre in france . p. 72. v v victor , a theban souldier , under the 10 th persecution ; being dismissed for his age , and coming suddenly to the emperours souldiers , who had even then destroyed a legion of theban christian souldiers , and were very merry , inviting him also to sit down as a guest ; but he inquiring into the cause of their mirth , and feasting , detested it and them , and would not eat : and being demanded whether he was a christian , he said he was , and ever would be a christian ; whereupon they rushed on him and killed him . vol. 1. p. 105. usthazares , under the 10 th persecution , having been tutor to sapores king of persia , and a professor of christianity , which afterwards he denyed again , yet was again reduced to it by occasion of simeon the arch-bishop of seleucia ; who being led to prison for christ , and saluted by usthazares as he passed by him ; the arch-bishop cryed out against him in great anger for his cowardice in revolting from christ ; whereupon usthazares wept bitterly , saying , with what face shall i look for my god who have denyed him ; when as this simeon , my old acquaintance , so much disdaineth me for it . and he went and acquainted the king he was a christian , nor would again be so foolish as to deny christ ; and being sentenced to be beheaded , he requested it might be proclaimed that he dyed not for treason , but for the name of christ ; that so those who had fallen away by his example , might also by him learn constancy . vol. 1. p. 125 , 126. henry voes , and iohn esch , two augustin fryars , being converted to lutheranisme , adhereing to the word of god , and obeying and believing decrees of councils , or fathers , no farther than they agreed with scripture , were condemned by the papists to be burned . then they began to bless god which had delivered them from that false and abominable priesthood , and made them priests of his own holy order ; receiving them unto him as a sacrifice of sweet odour . their greatest errour , as by their bill of accusation appeared , was , that they said men ought to trust in god alone , forasmuch as men are lyars , and deceitful in their words and deeds . as they were led to execution , iuly 1. 1553. at bruxels , they went joyfully and merrily , making continual protestation that they dyed for the glory of god , and the doctrine of the gospel , as true christians believing and following the holy church of the lamb of god , saying , this was the day they had long desired : and at the place of execution they joyfully embraced the stake , patiently and joyfully enduring whatsoever was done to them , and singing , te deum laudamus , that is , we praise thee , o god ; and rehearsing the creed in testimony of their faith. and a doctor bidding henry voes take heed he gloried not so foolishly in himself : he answered , god forbid that i should glory , save in the cross of christ. one of them seeing the fire kindled at his feet , said , methinks they strew roses under my feet : finally , the smoke and flame choaked them . vol. 2. p. 102. ursula and mary , two sisters of a noble family in delden in lower germany , were burnt 1545. who being instructed in the book of god , defended the benefit of our salvation to come only by faith in christ , and all the other merchandise of the pope was needless . and mary being first ( though the younger ) put to the fire , she prayed ardently for her enemies , commending her self to god ; at whose constancy the judges greatly marvelled , and exhorted ursula the other sister to turn , or to desire she might be beheaded ; to whom she said she was guilty of and defended no errour , but defended what was consonant to scripture , in which she trusted to persevere to the end ; and as for the kind of death or punishment , she said she feared not the fire , but rather would follow the example of her dear sister . the bodies of these two could not be consumed by fire , but they were left by the executioners whole , lying on the ground white : but certain good christians privily in the night took them up and buried . vol. 2. p. 120. two virgins in the diocess of bamberg , 1551. being led to slaughter , did sustain it with chearful countenances and patient hearts ; they had garlands of straw set on their heads , whereupon one said to the other , going to their martyrdom , seeing christ bare a crown of thorns for us , why should we stick to wear a crown of straw for him ? no doubt but the lord will render to us again better than crowns of gold. vol. 2. p. 125. w w wendelmuta , a widow in holland , was martyred 1527. of christ , who being extremely beloved , had many importuning her to recant , but she would not ; and amongst the rest , a certain noble matron communing with her , perswaded her to keep silence , and to think silently in her heart what she believed , that she might prolong her days : to whom she said , ah you know not what you say ; it is written rom. 10. with the heart we believe to righteousness , and with the tongue we confess to salvation . and thus she remained stedfast and firm in her confession , and was november 20. condemned to be burnt to ashes ; which sentence she took mildly and quietly : and being at the place of execution , a monk brought her a blind cross , willing her to kiss it , and worship her god ; to whom she said , i worship no wooden god , but only that god which is in heaven : and so with a merry and joyful countenance , she embraced the stake , and by an ardent prayer commended her self to the hands of god. vol. 2. p. 115. waldenses began 1200 years after christ , and were so called from waldo who first instructed them ; and they delivered their doctrine from father to son successively . they had indeed divers names according to the places where they lived : in the northern parts they were called lollards ; about lyons in france they were called pauperes de lugduno ; in flanders , terraelupins , of a desart where wolves did haunt ; in dolphine , chugnards , by way of despite , because they lived harbourless . they taught at first in caves of the earth , and in the night for fear of persecution , and were a people fearing god , living uprightly and justly , yet they suffered much persecution , especially in merindol and calabria , whither they came from piedmont vallies , and though those places were desarts , yet were they by them so cultivated that they proved very fruitful . vol. 2. p. 185 , 186. they were charitable to the poor , hospitable to strangers , and were known by these marks , they would not swear , nor name the devil ; were true to their promise , and would not take an oath , unless in judgment , or in making some solemn covenant ; nor would they in any company talk of dishonest matters , but whenever they heard wanton or swearing talk , they presently departed out of that company ; and also they always prayed before they went to any business , and opposed generally images , crossing , and other popish fooleries , as was testified by their very enemies , and their neighbouring inhabitants , to the french king. vol. 2. p. 193. they were also called albigenses , from the place where they frequented in tolouse ; and merindolians , from merindol a place of provence in france , which with cabriles were laid waste , burned and rased , their inhabitants cut asunder , and their women and maids ravished , those with child cut open , by one iohn minerius lord of opede , at the command of francis the french king , april 12. 1545. vol. 2. p. 196 , to page 200. their principles were these : 1. one god the creator of all things . 2. the son the onely mediator and advocate of all mankind . 3. the holy ghost the comforter and instructer of all truth . 4. they acknowledged the church to be the fellowship of the elect of god whereof iesus christ is the head. 5. they allow'd the ministers of the church , wishing such as did not their duty were removed . 6. magistrates they granted to be ordained of god to defend the good , and to punish the transgressors , and that they ought to the magistrate love and tribute , and that none herein was exempted . they acknowledged baptism to be an outward and visible sign representing to us the renewing of the spirit , and mortifying of the members . 8. they confessed the lord's supper to be a thanksgiving , and a memorial of the benefits received through christ. 9. matrimony they esteemed holy , instituted of god , and inhibited to no man. 10. good works they observed , and thought them to be practised of all men , as scripture teaches . 11. false doctrine leading from the true worship of god ought to be eschew'd . 12. the order and rule of their faith was the old and new testament , protesting they believed all contained in the apostolique creed . vol. 2. p. 200. they at they burying of their dead used to accompany the dead to the grave reverently , with a sufficient company , and made exhortation out of the word of god to the living , and to comfort the parents and friends of the party deceased , and to admonish all men diligently to prepare for death . vol. 2. p. 203. they were much persecuted by henry the ninth french king , and often delivered miraculously in angrogne , lusern and other places , valleys of piedmont ; till 1559. when a peace being made between france and spain , those valleys were ( as due ) given to the duke of savoy , who entreated these waldenses gently , till by the pope and his legates he was instigated to persecute them , which was very severely and cruelly done , vol. 2. p. 204 , 205. they were persecuted in all their places ; and one called the lord of trinity , and one trunchet were their great enemies . the waldenses used to go and pray before battel , and after battel gave thanks ; and though they were but few in number and without armour , only by slings and stones , and a few harquebusses , they so amazed and put to flight their enemies often , that they flying said , god fought for them . and at last ( though after much misery and cruelty ) they had a peace brought them by the lord of raconis from the duke of savoy , which was obtained by the mediation of his dutchess . vol. 2. p. 218 , 219 , 220 , 222. so much of the waldenses rise and actions , vol. 1. p. 299. george wisehart , a scotchman , burnt march 1. 1546. being condemned by david beton archbishop of st. andrews , although he answered all the articles he was accused of . who going to the stake sat down on his knees , and rose again , saying three times , o thou saviour of the world , have mercy on me , father of heaven i commend my spirit into thy holy hands : and then turning to the people , he said : i desire you not to be offended with the word of god , for which i suffer ; and exhorted them to embrace it , and to continue stedfast . for which , saith he , i suffer this day , not sorrowfully , but with a glad heart and mind : consider and behold my visage , ye shall not see me change my colour ; this grim fire i fear not , and so i pray you to do if any persecution befal you ; i know that my soul shall sup with christ , for whom i suffer this , within these six hours in heaven : then pray'd he for his enemies , saying , father , i beseech thee to forgive them that have ignorantly or of evil mind forged any lies upon me ; i freely forgive them with all my heart , and i beseech christ to forgive them , who this day condemned me to death . and being to be hang'd on a gibbet , and so burn'd , the executioner begg'd his pardon ; whom he kissed , saying , there is a token that i forgive thee , do thine office : and so he was burnt . vol. 2. p. 618 , 620 , 621. adam wallace , a scotchman , burnt 1549. as an heretick . he passed over the night of his condemnation in singing and lauding god , having learned david's psalter by heart to his great consolation ; and being tempted by several to recant , he ( though a poor mean learnned man ) said , he would adhere to whatsoever could be proved by scripture , but he would consent to nothing that had not scripture evidence , though an angel from heaven came to perswade him . and on the day of his sufferings he asked , whether the fire was fit , saying , as it pleaseth god i am ready soon or late ; and so desired the faithful to remember him to all the brethren , being sure to meet together with them in heaven . as he went to the fire , the people said , god have mercy on you ; and on you too , said he . at the fire he lifting up his eyes two or three times , said to the people , let it not offend you that i suffer for the truth's sake ; for the disciple is not greater than his master . but he was not permitted to speak , and so was burned . vol. 2. p. 623. rawlins white , a welchman , a fisherman of cardiff , was very superstitious in time of popery , till afterwards through god's grace , he , upon the reformation , began to give ear to good men , and searched out the truth ; but being a very poor ignorant person , he knew not how to be informed ; and so resolved to put his child to learn to read , whom he caused , when he could read , to read every night summer and winter after supper , a piece of scripture or some good book , which profited him so much through god's grace , and the blessing of a good memory , that he soon became very perfect in scriptures , did see his former errours , and was enabled to admonish others ; by which means he was instrumental for the conversion of many others , whom he instructed ; for which he expected to be apprehended ; and his friends desired him to fly , but he said , no : he had learned , that if he should presume to deny his master christ , christ in the last day would deny and condemn him . i will therefore by his favourable grace bear witness of him before men , that i may find him in everlasting life . and at last was taken and imprisoned for a year ; where as oft as his friends visited him , he would spend the time in prayer and exhortation : and after many means of threats and flatteries used by bishop of landaffe to bring him to a conformity , but in vain : he resolved to condemn him , yet exhorted he his fellow-assistants to pray to god for grace for rawlins to convert him : whereat rawlins rejoyced , and commending them , said , go and pray , and i also will pray . after prayer , the bishop asked him , if he would recant , and he said , no. rawlins ye left me , and rawlins ye find me , and by god's grace rawlins i will continue . certainly if your petitions were just and lawful , god would have heard you ; but ye honour a false god , and pray not as ye ought to pray , and therefore hath not god granted your desire ; but god hath heard my complaint , and i trust will strengthen me in his own cause . then the bishop would have a mass , at which rawlins went , and begg'd the brethren or but one brother to bear witness that he did not worship that idol the host over the priest's head : and so , soon after he was condemned : who then sent to his wife for a shirt to be burnt in , which he called a wedding-garment . and going to the stake , seeing his wife and children there , who made great lamentation , his heart was pierced and he wept , but soon after , being angry with himself for that infirmity , he struck his breast , saying , ah flesh ! wouldest thou fain prevail ? well , i let thee do what thou canst , thou shalt not through god's grace have the victory . and being in the fire , he cry'd whilst he could open his mouth , o lord , receive my soul ; o lord receive my spirit . vol. 3. p. 219 , 220 , 221. thomas watts , an essex man , a linen-draper , expecting every day to be sent for and imprisoned for the gospel , did dispose of his things ; and sold , and gave to the poor , his cloath , and at length was imprisoned ; and not recanting by the flatteries and threats of bishop bonner , he was condemned ; and going to take leave of his wife and six children , he said to them thus : i must now depart from you , therefore henceforth i know you no more ; but as the lord hath given you to me , i give you again to him , whom i charge ye see to obey , and beware ye turn not to popery ; against which , by god's grace , i shall anon give my blood : let not the murdering of god's saints cause you to relent , but take occasion thereby to be strong in the lord's quarrel ; and i doubt not but he will be a merciful father to you : and so he went to the stake , kissed it , and was burned , iune 9. 1555. vol. 3. p. 268. christopher ward burned at dartford , 1555. who coming to the stake , being in a pitch barrel fastned to it , he held up his hands and eyes to heaven , saying , with a chearful and loud voice , the last verse of the 86. psalm , shew some good token upon me for good , that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed ; because thou lord hast helped me and comforted me : and the fire being kindled , he cryed with a loud voice , but without any impatience , lord iesus receive my soul ; and when his voice could not be heard , his hands were held up , and continued clasped together and held up towards heaven , even when he was dead and altogether roasted , as though they had been stayed up by some prop ; which token god granted as it were an answer to his prayer . vol. 3. p. 382. thomas whittle , a priest , burnt with six others , ian. 28. 1556. was , by the perswasions of the papists , brought to recant ; but after that , he felt such an horrour of conscience , that he did earnestly beg to see again the bill he had subscribed ; and seeing it , he rent out his name , and then was right glad : and in a letter , after his condemnation , he said , now i am condemned to dye , my conscience and mind is , i praise god , quiet in christ , and i am willing and content to give this body to death for a testimony of his truth against antichrist ▪ in another letter he thus writes ; the world i do forsake , to christ i me take ; and for his gospel's sake , patiently i death take ; my body to the dust , now to return it must ; my soul i know full well , with my god shall dwell . vol. 3. p. 615.621 . ioan waste of derby , born blind , yet by hearing the word of god did become knowing ; and purchased a new testament , which she gat sometimes one prisoner to read , and sometimes another , by giving them often some money to read a chapter or two in it to her : by which means she grew understanding in the scriptures , could say much of them by heart ; and at last was burned for the gospel , august 1. 1556. who told the great doctors that opposed her , that if they would take it upon their consciences to answer for her at the day of judgment , that their doctrines were true , she would embrace it ; but they would not ; and burnt her because she would not recant : who in the flames , while life lasted , did continue praying the prayers she had learned by heart , and calling on christ for mercy . vol. 3. p. 756 , 757 , 758. richard woodman of warbleton in sussex , imprisoned for reproving their priest who preached in queen mary's days contrary to his doctrine in king edward the vi. time , which he then averred to be true , and charged his people to believe no other . woodman was imprisoned one year and a half , and then dismissed , and afterwards sent for again , whom the commissioners found in his fields at plough , and its news made him tremble and fear ; but he said he would not go with them , they not having their commission about them : and he much reproved himself for his carnal fear , thus , they can lay no evil thing to my charge , and if they kill me for well-doing , i may think my self happy . and assoon as i was perswaded in my mind to dye , i was as merry and as joyful as ever i was . but having now escaped them , he fled home , and for six or seven weeks in a wood near his house , he lived under a tree , where he had his bible pen and ink and his provision brought dayly by his wife to him ; and then the country being sought for him , he went into flanders , and soon returned again , and was betray'd into his enemies hands by his father and brother . being taken , he was bound , which much rejoyced him , he said , that he should be bound for christ's sake : and he took leave of his wife and children , thinking never to see them again ; because it was said , he should not live six dayes ; yet he said , he knew it was not as they would , but as god pleased . i know , said he , what god can do , but what he will do i know not ; but i am sure he will work all things for the best for them that love and fear him . and so they went away with him . vol. 3. p. 800 , 801 , 802 , 803. x x xystus bishop of rome , was martyred under the eighth persecution with his six deacons : and one deacon of them named lawrence , following him , desired to dye with him ; to whom xystus said , i am a weak old man , and therefore run the race of a lighter and easier death ; but you are young and lusty , and after three days you shall follow me . and so he did . vol. 1. p. 92. see lawrence , pag. 104 of this book . y y forty young men souldiers under the tenth persecution , being charged by the emperour's officers to disown christ. they freely and boldly all with one accord confessed themselves to be christians , and told him their names ; and being endeavour'd with to win them by fair words as well as by threats of torments , they said , they desired not life , liberty , honours or dignities , or mony , but the celestial kingdom of christ : for the love of whom and faith in god they were ready to endure the cross , wheel , fire ; and were sentenced to be all that night in a pond of water in cold weather , and next day to be burnt ; who when they were putting off their cloaths , said , we give thanks , o lord , that with these our cloaths we may also by thy grace put off the sinful man ; for by means of the serpent we once put him on , and by the means of jesus christ we put him off . vol. 1. p. 118. elizabeth young , apprehended for selling some good books , and was examined many times and punished severely , and should have been burnt , had not queen mary lain irrecoverably sick . she being committed to prison , and charge being by dr. martin that she should have one day bread , and another day water onely for her provision , she said chearfully , if ye take away my meat , i trust god will take away my hunger . vol. 3. pag. 911. an alphabetical list of god's ivgments remarkably shown on many noted and cruel persecvtors . 2 thes. 1.6 . it is a righteous thing with god to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you . london , printed for richard butler , next door to the lamb and three bowls in barbican . 1677. an alphabetical list of gods iudgements . a a antiochus , a persecutor of agapetus a martyr , suddenly fell down from his judicial seat , and cry'd that all his inward bowels burned ; and so he gave up his breath . vol. 1. p. 76. alexander , the keeper of newgate-prison , a cruel enemy to god's people , who often hastened their death , dyed himself so miserably swell'd and so stinking , that none could endure the stench of him . and his son within 3 years spent all his estate ; and it being wondred how he could have wasted it so soon , he said , evil gotten , evil spent : and in newgate-market he fell down suddenly , and dyed miserably . and his son-in-law iohn peterson after dyed rotting above ground . vol. 3. p. 257. arundel archbishop , giving sentence against the lord cobham , dyed before him , and his tongue was so smitten that he could neither swallow nor speak . vol. 3. p. 960. b b berry , commissary to the bishop of norwich , a great persecutor , as he came from church on a sunday after even-song , fell down on the ground , and never breathed more . vol. 3. p. 870. blanchenden , who would have had a poor man's legs cut off , who fled from him and others , following him to apprehend him for the gospel's sake , was soon after slain by his own servants . vol. 3. p. 931 , 932. burton , the bailiff of crowland in lincolnshire , a pretended gospeller in king edward vi. time ; but in queen mary's dayes a zealous papist : a prophane swearer , and one that threatned the curate there to sheath his sword in him if he would not say mass : but soon after , he riding with a neighour on the fenne-bank , a crow flew over him , and shit on his nose , so that the excrements ran from the top of his nose to his beard ; which poyson'd scent so annoy'd his stomach , that he never ceased vomiting till he came at home , and there for extreme sickness went to bed , not being able for the stench in his stomach and his painful vomiting , to eat any meat , and cry'd out of the stink , cursing the crow ; and soon after dyed desperately . vol. 3. p. 956. robert baldwin , a persecutor , at the taking of one seaman , was struck with lightning , and so pined away . vol. 3. pag. 957. beaton , archbishop in scotland , a great persecutor of george wisehart , was soon after slain in his bed , and lay seven months unburied ; and at last was buried like a carrion on a dunghil . vol. 2. pag. 621. bishop bonner , bishop of london , and the greatest persecutor in queen mary's dayes ; being imprisoned by queen elizabeth , died in his bed unrepentant , and was deny'd christian burial , being at midnight tumbled into a hole amongst thieves and murderers . vol. 3. p. 974. c c caiaphas , who wickedly set upon christ , was deposed from the high-priest's room by caligula . vol. 1. p. 40. clarke , a great persecutor , hanged himself . vol. 3 p. 957. coxe , a great promoter in king edw. vi. and in queen mary's dayes , going well to bed at night , was found dead next morning . vol. 3. p. 957. d d dr . dunnings , chancellor in norwich , a great persecutor in the midst of queen mary's reign and his rage , died suddenly in a chair in lincolnshire . vol. 3. p. 954. dale , a great papistical promoter , was eaten into his body with lice , and so died , vol. 3. p. 967. e e emperours , who were authors of persecution against christians , all of them came to sad ends : either staying themselves , or being slain by others , or dying by unheard of deaths . vol. 1. p. 41. sir ralph ellerken , a knight at calice , who at the martyrdom of adam damlip said , he would not stir till he see his heart out , had his own heart soon after cut out of his body by the french. see damlip pag. 51 of this book , and see vol. 2. p. 564 , 565. robert edgar , executing the office of a parish clerk against his conscience , was bereft of his wits , and kept in chains many years . vol. 3. p. 960. f f dr . foxford chancellor to bishop stoksely in king henry the 8 th's dayes and a great persecutor , dyed suddenly . vol. 3. p. 957. bishop fisher , bishop of rochester , who with bishop warham caused one iohn brown to have his feet heated and burnt to the bones by coals to make him recant his religion , was soon after beheaded for opposing kings supremacy . vol. 3. p. 957. with sir thomas pure another great papist . see iohn brown , pag. 19. of this book . the wife of iohn petty of clerkenwel parish in london , being the occasion of her own husband 's taking , was immediately struck mad . vol. 3. p. 960. a dominick fryar , inveighing in the pulpit against the gospel , was suddenly struck with lightning , and so ended his life . vol. 3. p. 964. g g grimwood , a false witness against one iohn cooper , a suffolkman ( whereby the poor man was proved guilty of treason falsly , and was hang'd , drawn , and quartered , and his wife and nine children turned out of their estate , ) was afterwards sadly , and suddenly , afflicted ; for in harvest time , as he was stacking corn , and was very well , fearing no evil , his bowels suddenly fell out of his body , and he dyed most miserably . vol. 3. p. 955. bishop gardiner , a cruel persecutor , dyed despairing ; and having a bishop with him , who put him in mind of peter's denying his master , he said , i have denyed with peter , but never repented with peter . vol. 3. p. 957. he rejoycing at the news of bishop ridley's , and latimer's burning , at a dinner that day , was that instant struck sick , denyed the use of nature , either by urine , or otherwise , for fifteen days ; and then dyed with a sad inflamed body . vol. 3. p. 527. h h herod , the murtherer of iohn baptist , and condemner of christ ; was , by caligula caesar , condemned to perpetual banishment ; where he dyed miserably . vol. 1. p. 40. hoeimester , an arch-papist , going to ratisbon to dispute against the defenders of the gospel , dyed suddenly , and miserably in his journey , with roaring and crying . vol. 3. p. 963. i i jews , who refused christ , and also were persecutors of him , were forty years after christ's passion destroyed by titus , and vespasian his father , to the number of 1100000 , besides them which vespasian slew in subduing galilee , and them which were sold and sent into egypt , and other provinces to vile slavery , to the number of 17000 , and 2000 were brought with titus in tryumph ; of which , part were devoured by wild beasts , and part of them were otherwise cruelly slain . vol. 1. p. 40 , 41.17 . l l thomas leland , a justice of peace in lancashire , sitting in his chair , talking with his friends , fell down dead suddenly , not moving a joint : he was so great an enemy to christians , that he was called persecuting tho. leland . vol. 3. p. 925. leyson , sheriff , at the burning of bishop farrar , fetched the bishop's cattel into his own ground ; but many of them would not eat , but continued bellowing till they dyed . vol. 3. p. 954. iacobus latomus having , at brussels , made an oration against luther ; and being in his publick lecture at lovane , he fell into an open fury , uttering words of blasphemy and despair , that the divines there did carry him away and shut him up ; who , to his last breath , said nothing , but that he was damned and rejected of god , and that there was no hopes of salvation for him ; because he wittingly , and willingly , withstood the manifest truth of god's word . vol. 3. p. 964. dr. leyson , a civilian , a justice of peace , who would not let bishop farrar speak a word at the stake , about half a year after died ; and in his sickness , when he would have spoken his mind , could not . vol. 3. p. 1002. dr. london , persecutor , punished . see the former part of this book . queen mary , while she promised her protection of the gospel she prospered , and by the help of the gospellers she gat the crown ; but after , she breaking her promise and bringing in of popery , and burning of god's people for the gospel's sake , she and her nation was much punished . she was , especially , punisht these several wayes ; 1. her best ship , yea , the best ship in all europe , called the great harry , was burned . 2. she was opposed in her endeavours to restore the abby-lands . 3. her subjects suffered almost a famine , so that the poor , for famine , were forced to eat acorns instead of bread. 4. she lost calice in france , which had been the english king 's right through the reign of eleven kings . 5. she was deprived of children which she greatly desired , and the whole nation were cheated in the rumors of her bringing forth a son. 6. she having married philip , king of spain , and so subjugated her subjects to a stranger , with whom she promised her self much felicity , was very unhappy by his withdrawing from her . vol. 3. p. 953. m m malicia accusing eugenia , ( who for fear of the 8 th persecution had put on mans apparel to preserve her life and chastity , and called her self eugenius , ) to philippus , the judge , and father of the unknown eugenius , that he would have deflowered her , the said malicia ; the falsity was made apparent by eugenia's discovering her self to be a woman in mans habit ; and malicia , the accuser , was doubly ashamed , and was smitten with lightning . vol. 1. p. 95. iohn martin of briqueray , boasting he would cut off the nose of a minister of angrogn , one of the waldenses , 1555. had his own nose bitten off by a woolf , so that he dyed thereof mad . vol. 2. p. 202. maximus , the great persecutor of the christians in the 10 th persecution , was smitten with a dreadful ulcer in his privities and entrails , so that the physicians durst not come near him , nor could they cure him ; for which he caused them to be slain : and being put in mind of god's judgment herein for persecuting the christians , he ordered their peace ; yet after he again commanded their torments , ascribing plenty and peace to iupiter , and war and pestilence and famine , as caused by the christians ; but it did happen contrary : for , famine , war , and pestilence , destroyed most of his heathenish subjects ; while the christians , amongst them , relieved one another , and them also ; and were preserved to the enjoyment of peace : for maximus was afterwards forced to acknowledge the true god ; and being oppressed by his disease , he repented and glorified the christians god ; and made an absolute law for the christian's safety and welfare . vol. 1. p. 106. to 113. bishop morgan , bishop of s. david's , who usurped bishop farrar's place , after he had condemned him , was so afflicted that his meat would not go down , but rise up and come out of mouth and nose ; and so he continued to death . vol. 3. p. 954. morgan , the justice , that condemned the lady iane grey , fell mad not long after , and so dyed ; having ever in his mouth , lady iane , lady iane. vol. 3. p. 954. domitius nero began to reign the 56. year of christ : reigned 14 years with great tyranny ; he slew most part of the senators ; set rome on fire , and laid it to the christians ; and caused them to be persecuted : at last he was , by the senate , declared a publick enemy to mankind ; and commanded to be drawn from the city and whipt to death : for fear whereof he fled into the country to a mannor of his servants , and slew himself vol. 1. p. 40. p p a person being hired , by pope hildebrand , to murther henricus , the 4 th emperour of germany , as he was at prayers ; by throwing a great stone upon him from a place directly over him . as the person moved the stone to do this horrid act , he broke the plank he stood on , and fell down , the stone falling on him ; and so was killed by that stone he designed to slay the emperour by , the emperour being safe . vol. 1. p. 229. pilate , under whom christ suffered , was apprehended under tiberius nero , and accused at rome ; deposed , and banished to lyons ; and at length slew himself . vol. 1. p. 40. a persecutor seeking three dayes for dionisius , that he might be persecuted , was struck with blindness . vol. 1. p. 81. portugal king , and his son , who persecuted william gardiner , dyed soon after . see p. 73. of this book . a persecutor of one iames abbyes , a martyr , in berry , told the people that abbyes was a mad-man not to be believed . after that abbyes was burnt , this reviling persecutor , being one of the sheriff's men , pulled off his cloaths , and was struck with a frenzy , running about and crying , abbyes was a good man , and is saved ; but i am damned : and though the sheriff did endeavour what he could to bring him to his right senses , yet could it not be done ; but he alwayes cryed out to his dying day , abbyes was a good man , and saved ; but i am damned . vol. 3. p. 956. iohn peters , ( son-in-law to one alexander , the keeper of newgate prison , who dyed miserably , ) did also dye sadly ; for his use in all his affirmations was to say , if it be not , true , i wish i rot e're i dye : and so he did rot away , and dyed miserably . vol. 3. p. 957. ponchet , an arch-bishop of towres , made sure to erect a chamber to be called chamber ardent , therein to condemn the protestants to the fire : and he was soon after stricken with such a disease , called the fire of god , which began at his feet and burned upwards , that he caused one member after another to be cut off ; and so he dyed miserably without any remedy . vol. 3. p. 967. s s scribes , and pharisees , who refused christ , and chose rather to be subject to caesar ; were at length destroy'd by their own caesar , when as christ's subjects were preserved . vol. 1. pag. 39. smith , a great papist and persecutor , fell down suddenly in the street , and dyed . vol. 3. p. 957. william swallow , a cruel tormentor of one george egles , shortly was so plagued that all his hair came off , his nails of fingers and toes came off , his eyes were near closed that he could not see , and his wife was stricken with the falling-sickness , which she never had before , vol. 3. p. 960. symons , a persecutor of robert testwood , soon after was convicted of conspiracy , and rode round about windsor market-place with his face towards the horses tail . see 174 page of this book . t t tartarians army of 5000000 waring against polonia 1241. and having killed old and young of both sexes , were discomfited by thunder and lightning , at the instance , and prayers , of god's people . vol. 1. p. 442. twiford , in london , an executioner of several martyrs , and a suborner of false witnesses against one merial , at last died rotting above ground , so that none could abide him . vol. 2. p. 603. bishop thornton suffragan of dover , a cruel persecutor , coming to canterbury on a saturday ; on sunday , seeing his men playing at bowls , was taken with a palsey , and had to bed ; and being bid to remember the lord , he said , yes so i do , and my lord cardinal too ; and so soon died . vol. 3. p. 954. v v valerian , the butcher of the christians in the eighth persecution , was taken in wars against persia ; and sapores , king of persia , made him his foot-stool for him to mount on horseback by , to his life's end . vol. 1. p. 96. w w woodriffe , a sheriff in london , a cruel persecutor , was not above a week out of his office before he was smitten with a lameness all on one side , that he lay bed-rid 7 or 8 years untill his dying day . vol. 3. p. 955. an appendix of things pertinent to the understanding the preceding martyrology . containing the times , and authors , of the ten persecutions ; and other remarkable occurrences necessarily to be explained . london , printed for r. butler , next door to the lamb and three bowls in barbican . an appendix , &c. the first persecution was raised by nero domitius , the 6 th emperour of rome ; who thought , by raising a persecution in all his provinces , to abolish the name of christians . it was done in the year of christ , 67. vol. 1. p. 44. the second persecution began in the 69. year of christ by domitian , who began mildly , yet did after so rage in pride , that he commanded himself to be worship'd as god : he slew most of the nobles , and all of the seed of david : he intending to destroy all of the seed of david , lest christ should come and cast him out of his empire : and sending for two nephews of iude , the brother of christ , who were then alive ; and demanding of them concerning christ's kingdom , upon their information that it was not an earthly kingdom , but an heavenly kingdom , to be manifested in the consummation of the world , when he should come again to judge the quick and dead . domitian stayed the persecution , and dismissed them . vol. 1. p. 48. the third persecution began by trajan , 100 years after the other . he was a very just man in matters of the commom-wealth , but in religious things he was very cruel . vol. 1. p. 57. the fourth persecution began by marcus antoninus verus , who began to reign in the 162. year of christ , and was very sharp and severe against christians : which christians , when the armies of this emperour were warring against the vandals , and had like to have perished for want of water five dayes , did , to the number of a legion , withdraw themselves suddenly from the camp , and prostrated themselves before god ; and by ardent prayer obtained of god , by and by , a double relief ; rain for themselves , and lightning , discomfiting their enemies , who were many of them put to flight : which miracle so pleased the emperour , that he abated his fury against the christians ; grew milder , and ordered his rulers to give thanks to the christians , no less for his victory , than for the preservation of himself ; and also ordered that their accusers should be burned alive . vol. 1. p. 54. to 66. the fifth persecution was raised by severus , the emperour ; who , in the year of christ , 215. proclaimed , and commanded , no christian should be suffered . vol. 1. p. 70. the sixth persecution began by maximinus , about 237 years of christ , against the teachers of the christians ; thinking thereby to destroy the rest the sooner . vol. 1. p. 76. the seventh persecution was raised by decius , in the 250. year of christ. vol. 1. p. 77. the eighth persecution was raised by emilianus , president of egypt , 259 years after christ. vol. 1. p. 88. the ninth persecution was raised by aurelian , in the 276. year of christ. vol. 1. p. 98. the tenth persecution was raised by dioclesian , in the 308. year of christ , and lasted 10 years . this dioclesian and maximinian , deposed the emperial office willingly , 309. and lived retiredly . vol. 1. p. 100.105 . king henry 8. king of england , by the instigation of stephen gardiner , and other popish prelates , was forced to make , and decree , these 6 articles , to be observed by his subjects , 1540. which were cause of great persecution . 1. that in the sacrament of the altar upon the efficacy of the words of christ exprest by the priest , christ's natural body is really present , water , bread , and wine ; and that after consecration there remains no bread , nor wine , nor any other substance ; but the substance of christ , god and man. 2. that the communion in both kinds is not necessary absolutely , by the law of god , to all persons ; and that in the flesh , under the form of bread is the very blood ; and with the blood , under the form of wine , is the very flesh ; as well apart , as they were both together . 3. that the priests , after the order of priesthood , may not marry by the law of god. 4. vows of chastity and widowhood , advisedly made by the law of god , ought to be kept ; and exempteth from other liberties of christian people , which else they might enjoy . 5. that it is meet and necessary , that private masses be continued in the english church and congregation . 6. that auricular confession is necessary , and expedient to be retained , used , and frequented in the church of god. the opposers of those articles were to be esteemed fellons , and to lose both life and goods ; which occasioned great and cruel persecutions . vol. 2. p. 441. these articles , and all other popish articles , were repealed by king edward the 6 th . vol. 2. p. 654. finis . books printed for , and sold by , r. butler , next door to the lamb and three bowls in barbican . 1. a skirmish made upon quakerism , being a brief confutation of a most gross principle , or point of doctrine , published and maintained by one william penne , a quaker , in two sheets . 2. the shibboleth of quakerism , or that which they call the pure language , proved as used amongst us , to be only a matter of indifferency , and not of absolute necessity , as you-ing and thou-ing , and the naming the days and the months , &c. in two sheets . 3. one sheet against the quakers , detecting their error and mis-practice , in refusing to reverence men outwardly by word and behaviour after the manner in use among us , which is proved to be good and lawful . 4. quakerism proved to be gross blasphemy , and antichristian heresie , in four sheets ; all stitch'd together , price , nine-pence . an historical dissertation upon the thebean legion plainly proving it to be fabulous / by john dubourdieu ... dissertation historique et critique sur le martyre de la légion thébéenne. english dubourdieu, jean, 1652-1720. 1696 approx. 363 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 105 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a36721 wing d2409 estc r17246 12011183 ocm 12011183 52416 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a36721) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 52416) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 64:13) an historical dissertation upon the thebean legion plainly proving it to be fabulous / by john dubourdieu ... dissertation historique et critique sur le martyre de la légion thébéenne. english dubourdieu, jean, 1652-1720. [8], 205, [3] p. printed for r. bentley ..., london : 1696. translation of: dissertation historique et critique sur le martyre de la légion thébéenne. advertisements: [3] p. at end. reproduction of original in yale university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng martyrs -legends. martyrs -cult -controversial literature. 2006-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-10 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2007-05 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an historical dissertation upon the thebean legion , plainly proving it to be fabulous . by john dvbovrdiev , m. a. chaplain to his grace the duke of schomberg and leinster , and one of the ministers of the french church in the savoy . london , printed for r. bentley , in russel-street in covent-garden , 1696. to the right honourable my lord mouthermer , eldest son to the right honourable the earl of mountague , master of the wardrobe , and one of his majesties most honourable privy council . my lord , i could not deny my self the pleasure of dedicating this little book to your lordship , having the honour of seeing you twice or three times a week , but never without being charm'd with you behaviour , and your many ▪ excellent qualities . the ill practices of this age , have so far infected the noblemen , and made them so solicitous of their private interests , that it is to be feared , we may live to see those times return again upon us , when mens worth was measured by their riches , and persons of quality were proud of their ignorance . ingenium quondam fuerat pretiosius auro , at nunc barbaria est grandis , habere nihil . one cannot without grief see so many young noblemen , the hopes of the church ; and flower of the state , spend the best of their years in pleasures and idleness . and tho' they have no noble qualities which can entitle them to the worlds respect , yet they still hope to recommend themselves to their esteem by their noble birth , their splendid living , and the flattery of sycophants . but you , my lord , are far from thinking that the advantages of nature and fortune can make amends for all other defects , or ought to incline you to despise the study of curious arts and polite learning . the constant application , by which you improve those rare talents you brought into the world with you , the great attention you give to the instructions of your masters , the pleasure you take in having your judgment informed , and the impression which right notions make upon you , do clearly discover the just opinion you have of what things are truly worthy of honour . — tu sola animos mentemque peruris gloria , te viridem videt , immunemque senectae thamisis in ripa stantem , juvenesque vocantem . as the roman noblemen used to return from athens and marseilles , laden with the spoils of greece , and perfected in the choicest studies , that they might be qualified for sitting and speaking in the senate ; doubtless , my lord , you are moved by the same spring , when you consider , that the parliament ( to which your birth will one day call you ) is the most august assembly in the world , whose greatness was never perhaps so well understood as since this present war , when we see all europe waiting upon their consultations , and that their winter resolutions govern the actions of the summer . how happy are you , my lord , in a wise and a kind father , who has added to so solid a judgment , so great experience of the world , who not thinking it sufficient to give you the ablest masters in all sciences , reserves the inspection of your studies and education to to his own fondness and care . and how happy is your father in such a son , who makes so good use of his admonitions and example ; and by the blossoms of your spring , promise him so fruitful an autumn . but that which strikes me most in you , my lord , is , the observing , as often as i have the honour of waiting on you , that the pleasure you take in sound literature and gentile studies , which would otherwise be your chief delight , do yield to your stronger love of virtue and honesty . what may we not expect from that regard you have for your preceptors , that complaisance to your equals , and courtesie to your inferiours , the acknowledgments you pay unawares to those whose duty is to serve you , your generous inclinations , your sweet nature , your modesty and affability , which charm every body that comes near you , the perfect obedience and profound respect , which you pay to your father on all occasions , and above all your religion and piety , which added to all your other rare qualities , shew you to be the care of heaven , which seldom or never bestows so many excellencies on the same person . — sparguntur in omnes . in te mixta fluunt , & quae divisa beatos efficiunt , collecta tenes ; i think , my lord , i may very well be allowed to quote latin authors to you , since you already understand their language ; and its needless to speak of the progress you have made in the french , after having seen an answer which mr. de st. euremont wrote to a letter you sent him , whereby it appears how full of admiration he was at your wit , the correctness of your style , and justness of your thoughts , and when mr. de st euremont has decided so much in your favour , it 's better than if your lordship had the approbation of the whole french academy . i beseech god , to confirm you more and more in his love and fear , and fill you with the blessings of his holy spirit . i am , my lord , your most humble and most obliged servant , john dubourdieu . an historical dissertation upon the martyrdom of the thebean legion . chap. i. the occasion of this essay . the duke of schomberg , whom i had the honour to serve as chaplain , arrived at turin the 18 th of july , 1691. he found the state of affairs there in a bad posture , and the people in a great consternation . the french had lately fortified carmagnole . coni was besieg'd and given over for lost . monsieur la hoguette had forced the passages of the valley of aoste , which gave him entrance into the country of verceil and the frontiers of the milanese . our army instead of making some motion to disturb the enemy , incamped upon the descent of mountcallier , being spectators of the waste and burning of the plains below . turin dreaded every hour being invested . there was an universal fear ; and the retreat of the princesses to verceil added yet more to the terrour of the inhabitants . the favourers of france gave out publickly that his royal highness would unavoidably be stripp'd , this campaigne , of all his territories , and that he had no way left , but to submit to the king's mercy . certain it is , that without that firmness and greatness of soul which his royal highness shewed on this occasion , all had then been lost ; and though the beginning of his reign seems to prognosticate a series of heroick actions , yet this part of his history will be none of the less illustrious . emmanuel philibert , oppressed during the wars between charles the v. and francis the i. sunk at last under the weight of his misfortunes . he had the weakness to take upon him the name of st. mark 's son ; and that he might be assisted by the venetians , he sacrificed to that republick the prcedency he had in all the courts of europe . the affairs of his now royal highness were almost as desperate : nevertheless a manly and undaunted air did always appear on the face , and in the meen of this young hero. neither the proposals of france , joined with italian craft , the bad condition of his troops , the exhausting of his treasury , nor the enemies army incamping in the plain of millefleurs , a league distant from turin , could ever raise in him the least degenerate thought . and it may be said that his constancy and steddiness bore up against his ill fortune , and that himself put a stop to the desperate condition of his affairs . the duke of schomberg came to him in this dangerous juncture ; and did by his example and counsels confirm his royal highnesses's resolutions . two or three days after his arrival , waiting on the prince on horse back to observe the french army , which had then pass'd the river pô , and was incamped between carmagnolle and mountcallier ; duke schomberg speaking high-german to one of the guards of that nation , his royal highness declared his desire to learn that language , adding that he had attempted it two or three times , but was always discouraged by the difficulty he found in it ; which gave occasion to duke schomberg to offer his assistance , and to be his master . the prince reply'd that others might instruct him in the german tongue , but that it was the art of war that he desired to learn of him . a visible change was soon perceived in the state of affairs . our infantry which was posted on the rising ground of mountcallier , came down to the foot of the hill. our horse stretched on the plain where the enemies were incamped , and caused the siege of coni to be raised , and forced catinat to retire , which freed the city of turin from their allarm . the wisdom and valour of his royal highness were justly praised . and publick prayers were made to bless god for having averted the storm , and removed in a great measure the sad apprehensions they had lain under . and thus far all things went right . but to speak freely , i could not see without grief , a part of that incense , the smoak whereof ought wholly to have ascended to the glory of the lord of hosts , burnt to the honour of the thebean souldiers . i was present at my return from the compaign , at a sermon preached by a jesuite in the church of the old colledge , on the holy-day kept in honour of the thebean souldiers , solutor , adventor and octavius , to whose memory this church is dedicated ; and to whom the city of turin pays veneration as to their patrons : o people of turin ( said the preacher above a hundred times ) o people of turin , bless your deliverers ! bless these sacred martyrs who watch for your safety , and whose merits and prayers have preserved your city , your families , and estates . i saw afterwards all the religious orders , and the confraternities or brotherhoods come to the feet of the altars , where the reliques of these souldiers are deposited , to receive , what the romish-church calls , the blessing . this occasioned the first desire i had to examine the martyrdom of the thebean legion , as soon as i could have both time and books necessary for that purpose . and that which further moved me to do it , was my being afterwards an eye-witness of the church-service which the magistrates of the town ordered to be performed on the 20 th of jan. 1693. for the discharge of a vow they had made in honour of the thebean souldiers , which , by reason of some difficulties , they had not been able sooner to perform . the reliques of the thebean souldiers were set in the church of the jesuits , upon a throne covered with a golden brocado , illuminated with an infinite number of white-wax-tapers . the archbishop accompany'd with the whole chapter , came and officiated in his pontifical habit. the court was present at this solemn service , and adored the urn in which these sacred corpses were ( for so they are styl'd by the jesuit , who printed a relation of the ceremony ) indi sopravenne la corte , e s'espose alla publica adorazione l' urna de' sacri corpi all the orders , the monks and fryers , all the confraternities , the white , blue , black , red , and gray penitents , came in procession to adore the sacred shrine , which contains the fate and hopes of their city . towards the evening it was carried about from the church on mens shoulders under a rich canopy of state , supported by four persons of the first quality . the canopy was attended by twelve knights of st. mauritius and of st. lazarus , appointed by their order for that performance . the most part of the nobility and gentry of the town followed with lighted wax-torches , and almost all the people , of what rank and condition soever , flocked thither to worship the pretended reliques of their protectors . i withdrew my self , not a little concern'd to see the devotion of all sorts of people , applied to the honour of the saints , when it should have been wholly directed to the glory of god , the only author of their deliverance , and present safety . and my grief was heightned , by a sense of gratitude to a people that had shewed so much good nature to me a stranger , and a protestant minister ; which character , though odious to all the rest of italy , yet was in nothing prejudicial to me during two years that i preached there . though i confess the kindnesses i received were owing most to the great esteem they had for the duke of schomberg , and especially to the great regard they have there for the english nation , whose valour and power are as rightly understood there at this time , as in the rest of europe . but i cannot , without , ingratitude forbear here giving to the inhabitants of turin their due , which is , that they are extreamly courteous and civil to strangers , and partake of the politeness of the court of savoy , which hath been for a long time lookt upon as one of the most polished and civilized , and where conversation is justly tempered , between the liberties of paris , and the restraint of florencc . since then it is neither out of unthankfulness , nor for want of respect for the city of turin , but out of meer love to truth , and as a duty incumbent on my function , that i do attack their patrons in this work of mine , no body i hope will take any offence at my design . morever , as this whole business depends on proofs ; if they are frivolous , the thebean souldiers will still peaceably enjoy the glory of their martyrdom ; but if they prove good , it will be some service to have undeceived the world in this matter . now i desire this justice may be done me , that my thoughts may not be misinterpreted , nor a construction put upon them , which i do not design . for i know some protestants do make use of the martyrdom of the thebean legion to back some other questions , which are not at all to my present design , nor proper for one in my circumstances to meddle with . those who are acquainted with my temper will believe me in this point . and i have always applyed to my self this wise saying , exul tace . chap. ii. that both the court and city of turin have been ancient worshippers of the thebean souldiers . great honour and reverence have been paid for a long time at turin to the thebean souldiers . and the general opinion is , that they have signaliz'd themselves there by a great number of miracles . hyacinto ferrero , a jesuit , relates , that by their means , constantine the great got that memorable victory which opened him the way both to rome and to the empire . he saith , that when he considers that the battel was fought in the neighbourhood of turin , he cannot but believe that the flying squadron which was then seen in the air , and cry'd to constantine , n'andiamo a soccorso di costantino , were those thebean souldiers slain by maximian , who were arm'd by heav'n on this occasion ; to cause the true christian religion to triumph , which that tyrant had endeavoured to destroy . if after the rise of constantine to the empire , paganism began to fall , and if the progress of the gospel in turin went so successfully on , and with so much rapidity , that in a short time several churches , and a bishop with a numerous clergy , were seen there : all this , adds the same author , was owing to the blood , miracles , and prayers of the thebean souldiers . he relates afterwards two or three adventures , in which the thebean souldiers have visibly shewed their watchful care over turin , and how intent they were to procure blessings from heaven upon this city . he saith , that the romish religion was in extream danger at turin at the time when the famous claudius bishop of that see endeavoured to abolish the adoration of the cross , and of the sacred images , and the worshipping of martyrs : and likewise several years after , when l'ediguieres entred into piedmont with an army of calvinists , but that the thebean souldiers , by the merits of their martyrdom , and the efficacy of their prayers , removed the danger , and preserved that religion there . but here is something yet more wonderful . the same jesuite relates , that a general of the emperour charles the v. besieged turin in the year 1537. and had taken it infallibly by the secret intelligences he had there , had he caused his souldiers to scale it at any other place than that which is call'd now the bastion of st. george . but that , unluckily for him , the reliques of the thebean souldiers rested then near the same bastion ; and that when his men went to get up , they were frighted by the sparkling arms and threatning looks of these holy martyrs , who miraculously appeared for the defence of the city . and perhaps cardinal de la rovere spoke of this miracle in a sermon which he preached before emmanuel philibert , in a certain solemnity in honour of the thebean souldiers . these are the saints , great prince , said he , who have preserved to you your loyal city of turin , and have averted from it the desolations of war. these are the saints , o city of turin ! who are the towers and bulwarks which have been and shall be thy defence , to the end that thou mayst remain still a peaceable and a triumphant place to thy prince . grant us , o ye glorious saints , that we may always cry out with joy and devotion , jacta est pax in virtute vestra & abundantia in turribus vestris . charles emmanuel the first , could not possibly have given a greater testimony of his devotion to those saints , than by freely giving up to the valesians the town of st. mauricius , and other places which they had usurped from him during the wars between his grandfather and francis the first ; upon condition , that the valesians should give him leave to convey to turin the corps of st. mauricius , chief of the thebean legion , one of whose arms he had already gotten out of bohemia , whither it was transported in the year of 1250. by king ottocarus the fifth . and 't was perhaps about that time that st. mauricius his lance , spoken of by chromer , was brought to cracovia , where it lyes yet exposed to publick veneration . i question very much , whether france would now give up pignerol to the house of savoy , though that house should proffer in exchange il santo sudario , or the holy shroud , notwithstanding the great zeal it ptetends to have for the romish religion , and though this holy shroud is look't upon as the most precious relique of that religion . but charles emmanuel , in the devotion he had for the thebean souldiers , did nothing but tread in the steps of emmanuel philibert his father . when the reliques of these saints were conveyed from the church of the blessed virgin into that of the jesuites , where they do rest to this day , emmanuel philibert honoured the ceremony with his presence , and was at a great expence towards the magnificence of it . and this wise prince , knowing well that saints without power are ordinarily neglected , and that the giving of indulgences is a means for them to gain a good reputation , obtained a considerable share of them from gregory the thirteenth , for all those who by offerings and prayers should shew their devotion to the thebean souldiers . his bull was obtained in the year 1574. and the pope expresses in it , that he grants these indulgences upon consideration of the singular devotion , which both the duke of savoy and the people of turin do pay to the thebean souldiers . charles emmanuel had so great a zeal for the glory of the thebean souldiers , that he imparted to spain some of their reliques , to the intent they might partake of their merits and intercession . he charged charles broglia , archbishop of turin , with his orders concerning it , as appears by the copy of the certificate , which , according to the custom of the roman church , was put up with the reliques , and was signed in the month of september 1603. this archbishop saith in the same certificate , that he himself hath taken a rib of st. mauricius's body , one of st. secundus's great toes , three bones of the fingers of solutor , adventor , and octavius , and a leg-bone of one of st. gerion's companions . charles emmanuel caused these reliques to be put in a silver-gilt shrine , all set with precious stones , and dispatch'd leonardo roncassio his first secretary of state , to present it to margaret of austria queen of spain . all these things plainly shew the great respect and devotion , that both the court and city of turin have long paid to the martyrs of the thebean legion . chap. iii. that it is worth ones labour to examine the passion of the thebean souldiers , though it passes for current amongst all sorts of christian societies . we shall now endeavour to prove , that there were never any such persons as these thebean souldiers , and that the relation of their martyrdom , said to have been writ by eucherius , bishop of lions , is altogether false and counterfeit . avia pieridum peragro loca , nullius ante trita solo. this matter is quite new , and was never handled , for ought i know , by any author before . though after so many books written , there is , one would think , hardly any thing in ecclesiastical antiquity that hath escaped the strict examination of judicious criticks ; some learned men indeed have suspected the passion of the thebean legion to have been a fiction , but none of them had the courage to oppose an opinion which they saw so universally established . if general approbation might be admitted as a proof , there would be scarce any opinion more probable than that of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , if we consider the great number of grave and learned authors who have all asserted it as an undoubted matter of fact. rome , geneva , the lutherans , the church of england , and generally all christian societies have given credit to the history of this legion ; and that , no doubt , upon account of the honour which they imagined the martyrdom of it did to the christian religion , by the wonderfulness of the action , the greatness of soul , and the glorious characters of the persons that suffered . john lewis fabritius relates the example of the thebean legion , in his learned dissertation concerning the just limits of humane obedience , in order to establish this so important a maxim in morality ; that we ought always to side with god , whenever there is more certainty and evidence in the prohibitions of god , than in the ordinances of princes . archbishop usher , a man of so vast a knowledge in ecclesiastical antiquity , fell into the same common opinion : and the martyrdom of the thebean souldiers , making for him in his book of regal power , he lays as great a stress upon it , as if it were a thing of unquestionable certainty . the famous grotius speaks twice of it in his learned book , de jure pacis & belli , and makes use of it , as that which of all things he least doubted the truth of . and though since the death of these two great men , the exactness of criticism upon the works of the fathers hath been much improved , yet the martyrdom of the thebean legion is still cryed up amongst those other popular errours the world is fallen in love with . edward fuller , bishop of glocester , hath made it one of the ornaments of a very fine treatise , composed by him upon the great design of christianity , which is the sanctification of men. and doctor cave , one of the prebends of windsor , brings in , with great great pomp , the history of this legion in that work of his , in which he gives us a very fine representation both of the religion and manners of the primitive christians . there is scarcely , i confess , any divine who hath out-done him in the study of church history , as may appear by the great volume he hath given us upon the writings of the fathers . now how great a respect soever we have for the extraordinary merit of these learned authors , we ought to reject their errours , be they never so ancient . there is no prescription against truth ; and a long prepossession gives no right at all to errour . i have seen , saith one of our old writers , the birth of many miracles in my time , and though they no sooner saw the light , but they were stifled , we do however foresee the course they would have taken , had they happened to have lived to their full age. for the main business is to find out out the end of the thread , then you may wind as much as you please ; and there is a greater distance from nothing to the least thing that may be , than there is from that least to the greatest that can be imagined . a private errour first causeth a publick one ; and then that publick errour occasions other private ones . thus the whole work goes on , patch'd up and fashioned by a succession of several hands ; so that the remotest witness knows more of the matter than the nearest , and the last inform'd is better perswaded of it than the first . this was exactly the way the passion of the thebean souldiers first crept into the world , and then insensibly got credit in the church . and they have been for these eight or nine hundred years in a quiet possession of the glory of their martyrdom , and do enjoy it peacably to this day , under the shadow and authority of the greatest names , and the most renowned doctors of all christian communions . now that we may distinguish the romance from the history , we must remove all the mists which the legendaries and martyrology-makers have spread over it . for the support of so much of it as is purely romantick ; there are alledged manuscripts and old writings ; and we must shew that those who do pretend the greatest skill in antiquities , are lyable to mistakes . chap. iv. that the most skilful men are sometimes mistaken in the judgments they make upon the works of the ancients . it will evidently appear from what shall be said hereafter , that baronius , peter francis chifflet , archbishop usher , and grotius , have been mistaken in their judgments concerning the martyrdom of the thebean legion , and the relation fathered upon eucherius . for criticks are not always in the right . though they have contributed much to the reviving of learning , yet it does not thence follow , that even the most skilful men in that science are infallible . it hath very often happened that they have taken false copies for originals , and set upon modern writings the worth and value due to those of antiquity . those who have any skill in medals , know that the most understanding men themselves are apt sometimes to be mistaken . if one examines the first edition of the praestantiora imperatorum numismata of mr. vaillant , printed at paris in the year 1682 , there one will find the medals of germanicus , of nero drusus his father , of the emperour claudius , of julia wife to severus , and of gordianus affricanus the son , the price and rarity whereof this medalist does mightily extol . but if you cast your eye upon the second edition of 1692. there you will find the same medals very much debased . mr. vaillant , acknowleging the three first to be suspicious , and the two last absolutely false . he praiseth likewise in the same work , one of trajan's medals with a pillar and an owl on the top of it . and in his remarks upon scelecta numismata seguini , published at paris in the year 1684. he confesseth ingenuously that the same was counterfeit . 't is no less usual to be deceived in matter of statues and basso-relievos , then in medals . we have a great many examples of this kind ; but it will suffice to give here only one single instance : vazari tells us , that michael angelo , to convince some vertuosos and antiquaries , who valued nothing but what was ancient , of the rashness of their judgment in such cases , made a cupid and buried it under the ruines of an old building , having first broken off one of its arms which he kept at home . all the lovers of the art came immediately to look upon it , and no body did so much as question the antiquity of the piece , till michael angelo shewed them the arm which he had kept by him , to convince them of their errour , and to shew them how easily they might be imposed upon , in a matter wherein they pretended to so much skill . but mistakes of this kind , have been yet more frequently made by those who have imployed their-criticks upon those heathen authors , which have been left to us either by the grecian or latin antiquity . every body knows the witty trick muret put upon scaliger ; how he composed some verses , and told him he had found them in an old manuscript : and how scaliger , who boasted that he was very well ●cqu●inted with the genius and style of every age both in prose and verse , found immediately an ancient author for those verses of muret's making : and being afterwards informed they were of his composing , he revenged himself of him by a distich upon his cheat. these feigned and counterfeit works were not unknown to ancient greece , since the learned of those times made it their study to find them out . dionysius longinus made a treatise upon the same subject ; and we should be informed now of a great many fabulous relations inserted into histories , had not the ill fate of learning deprived us of the works of that excellent critick . but seeing that men have naturally a respect for things which belong to religion , one would think that they should not suffer themselves to be mis-led by those who have made it their business to impose upon the world ; by inventing fables , and publishing supposititious ecclesiastical writings and transactions . nevertheless , by what misfortune i know not ; these frauds have been more frequent in the church , than any where else , and it is impossible to summ up the mistakes , they have occasioned amongst the learned in all christian societies . so many spurious writings , and supposititious facts were made and published even in the three first ages of christianity , that amphilochius , bishop of iconium , so much esteemed by st. basil , one of the most worthy fathers of the church , composed a whole book of them , which is cited in the acts of the seventh council . there was scarcely any thing to be seen , ( to make use of fontanel's words in his history of oracles , ) but false gospels , false epistles of the apostles , false histories of their lives , &c. the chief men of the church have been sometimes deceived , &c. they did not always narrowly examine what seemed to favour religion . the heat and fervour they felt , when they fought for so good a cause , did not always suffer them to chuse the best weapons . and the distemper was so far from lessening in the following ages , that it still more increased and t●e boldness in inventing fables , and forging false lives of martyrs and saints , went so far , and became so common , that the church thought it necessary to put a stop to it , by the authority of its canons . for in the council of constantinople , held in the year 692 , under justinian the younger , the church condemned , in the 63 d ▪ canon , the false passions , and fabulous lives of saints and martyrs . a great number of learned men have endeavoured in these latter times , to find out these supposititious writings , and to ascribe to every author the works belonging properly to him . and they would undoubtedly have been more succesful in it , had they not been mis led , as well as the people , by interest or partiality . for oftentimes both their minds and pens are sway'd by prejudice and passion : as if a work were good or bad , ancient or modern , as it chanced to be look'd upon by protestant or popish eyes ; false and supposititious , if contrary to their opinions , but ancient , and of the true stamp , if it proved fovourable to them . but though they should be allowed to have been free from prejudice and passion , yet it is no strange thing to see men differ in their judgments . this follows necessarily the different applications , and natural inclinations of their minds . some view things only on one side , and some on another . the greatest part fix themselves , before they have well examined all the reasons that are , and may be produced on both sides . and sometimes it happens that men concern themselves for some works , as they do for some persons , without knowing why they are more for those than for the others . hence it is that the writers of the same church do not always agree in their opinions . cardinal baronius speaks of the recognitions attributed to st. clement , as of a sink full of filthiness and lies : whereas bellarmine maintains that they are st. clement's own , or of some other author as ancient and as learned as he . the same difference in opinions is observed amongst the protestants concerning st. ignatius's letters , though these letters are generally , and with good reason look'd upon as one of the fairest monuments of the apostolick age. and mr. dupin , in his bibliotheca nova , sets aside in a hundred places the judgment and authority of his friends possevinus , sixtus of siena , rainaldus , bellarmine , labbe , and other writers of his religion , who have criticis'd upon the works of the fathers . this shews that the most learned may sometimes be mistaken in their judgments upon the works of the ancients . nor is this much to be wondered at , since the intricacy and confusedness wherewith some transactions are related , and the distance of the time wherein they happened , make it a very hard matter for us now to discern truth from falshood . criticks borrow most part of their light from the quality of the manuscripts ; and sometimes these manuscripts , the antiquity whereof sounds so high with some men , are but modern writings . and particularly we shall consider in another place , wh a judgment one ought to pass upon a relation of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , which peter francis chifflet took out of an ancient manuscript of st. claudius's monastery . but 't is now time to come to our proofs . chap. v. that st. eucherius , bishop of lions , ●s not the author who wrote that passion of the thebean souldiers , which both surius , and baronius have followed . the first proof we bring against the relation of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , is , that it is clear and plain that st. eucherius , bishop of lions , is not the author of it , and that his name hath been set to it by some cheat , to gain more credit thereto , from the esteem which the church always had for the extraordinary virtues and merits of this great prelate . to be convinced of this , 't will suffice to mention only one passage , wherein 't is said of sigismond king of burgundy , that they never cease night nor day to sing psalms and hymns in the monastery of agaunum : and that this holy praclice , first appointed there by the blessed king and martyr st. sigismond , is observed there to this very day . it visibly appears from this place , that when this relation was made , king sigismond was dead . it follows moreover from thence , that it must have been compos'd several years after the death of this prince ; since that author , after he hath spoken of the rule which king sigismond caused to be established there , adds , that this rule was strictly observed there , usque ●odie , to this very day . so that were it true , that st. eucherius was the author of this work , he must of necessity , not only have been contemporary to king sigismond , but more than that he must have out-lived him many years . but now it happens to be quit● contrary , for st. eucherius was dead , when sigismond was yet on the throne . most historians do reckon the death of this king of burgundy , to have happen'd about the year 520 , and place that of st. eucherius in the year 441. 't is true , that mr. dupin refers it to the year 454. upon the authority of prosper's chronicle . some on the contrary carry it as far back as the year 421. amongst whom are gennadius and ado. but there is much reason to suspect in both these authors , the disingenuity of some transcriber , since it could not be unknown to gennadius and ado , that st. eucherius was present at the council of orange , where his name is found amongst the subscribers ; and that it is agreed on by every body , that this council was held about the year of our lord 441. some indeed , to save this anachronism , pretend that there have been two eucherius's , like the jews , who to mend their desperate cause , have invented two messia's , to reconcile in both the fulfilling of the oracles , which they cannot apply to one alone . but , in short 't is not possible that st. eucherius , bishop of lions , should be the author of the passion of the thebean legion ▪ unless we allow him to have had the gift of prophecy , and make him speak prophetically of those rules which were to be settled in the monastery of agaunum , several ages after his death . should some person now put out any writings , under the name of monsieur de marca , or of cardinal duperron , and mention therein the establishment and foundation of st. cyr. to shew that these writings ought not to be ascribed to these two great men , it would suffice to make it appear , that they were dead several years before lewis the 14 th made this foundation . nevertheless , this so plain a demonstration of forgery , hath not hindered surius , in his relation of the martyrdom of the thebean legion on the 22. of september , from confidently asserting , that st. eucherius was the author of the acts of their passion . 't is very strange that baronius should make the same blunder , both in his annals and in his notes on the roman martyrology . and indeed this would seem yet more strange , were it not plain , that this learned cardinal undertook in his annals ▪ not so much to give us the history of the church , as to defend the prejudices and ambitious pretensions of the church of rome therefore when it s an advantage to him , to overlook some supposititious and counterfeit writing , he pretends he sees neither contradiction nor anchronism in it ; he is no longer that able critick , whose pierceing knowledge nothing can escape , and who clears and extricates the most obscure and knotty things of antiquity : in a word , he is no more baronius . cardinal bellarmine , whose zeal for the glory of the roman church did not yield to that of baronius , hath taken another way to save the ●ruth of the passion of the thebean legion , that it might not be objected to his church , that it worshipped some for saints , who never had so much as a being in the world. for since men would at the very first sight be startled , to see so long an interval of time between st. eucherius and st. sigismond , he hath endeavoured to cut it much shorter , and to render it so little , as that it might pass wholly unobserved , or however be but very little minded . he tells us , that this bishop of lions lived till the year 499. and he grounds his conjecture upon a place in the life of st. cesarius , bishop of arles , compos'd by cyprian the priest ; where it is said , that these two bishops , being in company together , restored a woman to her former health , who was afflicted with a very sore distemper . if there were any certainty in this conjecture of cardinal bellarmine , eucherius would have been almost contemporary with king sigismond . for messanius a priest , and stephen a deacon , two other disciples of st. cesarius , in the book they have added to the life of this holy prelate , say that he dyed forty years after he had been made a bishop , and since every body knows that he succeeded ennoius , about the year 504. his death should be placed in the year 544 or 545. for it is certain that he was present at the council of arles in 524 and at the second council of orange in 529 ▪ and to prove that he was alive in 528. we have a letter that pope vigil wrote to him under the consulship of john and volusian . but though we should grant cardinal bellarmine's conjecture not to be groundless , yet he would be but little the better for it . 't is not enough to prolong st. eucherius's life to the year 499. 't is to no purpose , likewise to prove that st. eucherius might have seen st. cesarius bishop of arles . king sigismond dyed about the year 520. and they must make it appear that st. eucherius out-lived him a great many years , to make good the usque hodie of the place we have before quoted . now it is so far from being true , that st. eucherius did out-live st. sigismond , that on the contrary , there is no likely-hood that he liv'd till the year 499. according to cardinal bellarmine's conjecture . it appears by the subscriptions of the first council of orange , that he was bishop of lions in 4●1 ; and consequently he must have been then at least thirty , or forty years old ; for at that time it was not usual to raise any person under that age to the dignity of a bishop ; bishopricks being not yet bestowed as rewards upon families , and the holiness of canons holding yet out against the vanity of the clergy , and the usurpations of kings . now since we are certain of this , can we think it probable that st. eucherius should live to see st. cesarius bishop of arles , who was not raised to that dignity , till after the death of ennoius , about the year 504 indeed , i think a man must needs be very bold in his conjectures , who can allow st eucherius to have lived above a hundred years , if he have no other warrant for it , but that place of the life of st. cesarius : those who shall carefully examine this life of st. cesarius , will agree , that it ought not to be rely'd upon too much . 't is true , it is polite and judicious enough for that age , and seems not unworthy of him who had been one of the disciples of st. cesarius , and who for his great piety and merits was raised to the dignity of a bishop , as appears by his name found in the subscriptions of the second council of orange ▪ but what if some impostour here disguised himself under the name of a famous disciple of st. cesarius ? at least this pretended disciple seems not to be much inform'd of his masters affairs . he saith in one place , that st. cesarius sent some grave and learned men to a council assembled at valence to condemn the opinions of pelagius . which having given me occasion to examine the acts of the councils held at valence , i ●ind nothing in them concerning the heresie of pelagius , wherein st. cesarius could have any hand . so that being mistaken in a matter of fact of this importance , he might as well have been over-seen in joyning eucherius and cesarius in the cure of that diseased woman . it appears that the learned doctor cave relyed a little too much upon this life of st. cesarius . he saith in his history of ecclesiastical writers , that this holy bishop , understanding that he was suspected of pelagianism , caused a council to be assembled at valence , to clear himself of this accusation ; and being hindred by reason of the illness of his health from going to it , he maintained there publickly by his legates , that man in the state of sin , cannot work out his salvation without a preventing grace . but if , instead of following this cyprian , disciple of st. cesarius , and who was afterwards bishop of thoulon , doctor cave had given himself the trouble to look over the councils of valence , he would have observed that in the first , which was held in the year 734. their whole business was about bigamy ; that in the second , which met in 599. ( some place it in the year 684 , and some in 589. ) they were wholly taken up with the great donatives which guntran king of burgundy had bestowed upon the church : and that the third , in which pelagius , hinmark , and john scot were condemned , and the acts whereof are cited by forbesius in his instructions , was not called till the year 855. as appears by the acts of it being presented to the emperour lothary , and to charles the bald. now st. cesarius was unborn at the time of the first council , since doctor cave brings him into the world , only in the year 469. and he was dead when the second met , according to the same doctor , who places his death in the year 542. and 't is , i think needless to add that he was not concern'd in the third , which was held in 855. and in which the pelagian opinions were condemned . this short digression , which we have thought necessary , to remove st. cesarius from st. eucherius's times , will not seem , i hope , unseasonable . it appears then that bellarmine , for all his conjecture , cannot bring st. eucherius near enough to st sigismond king of burgundy . the distance is too great to admit of any means of reconciling the dispute . we shall observe by the way , that usuard and aimonius have commited the like mistake : but because it is but a matter of three or four years difference , they may perhaps find friends to help them out . these two writers say , that clovis was delivered from a dangerous sickness , by the vows and prayers of st. severine , abbot of agaunum . and it is certain that clovis was dead three or four years before sigismond had founded that monastery . gregory of tours saith , that he caused the same to be built , and richly endowed it , after the death of his father gombaldus . but marius bishop of avanches marks precisely the year in his chronicle , and saith that sigismond founded the agaunian monastery , under the consulship of florentius and anthemius , viz. four years after the death of clovis . this remark is owing to monsieur de valois , in his notice of the gauls ; where he saith , that he cannot understand how severine could have been abbot of that monastery in clovis's time . nevertheless the miraculous recovery of a great king , being of great credit to the prayers and suffrages of monasteries , usuard and aimonius , who were both monks , caused prayers to be made for clovis in agaunum , even before king sigismond had it in his thoughts to build a monastery there . 't is true , that bollandus would fain perswade us , that this prince did only repair and beautifie it . but this he asserts without any ground , since both the ancient and modern writers who speak of the first foundation of the agaunian monastery , do all generally agree that 't was st. sigismond king of burgundy , who caused it to be built to the honour of the thebean legion , which suffered martyrdom in that place . chap. vi. that the acts of the council of agaunum , concerning the thebean legion , are as false as the acts of their passion ▪ but whether king sigismond only beautified the monastery of agaunum , or whether he laid the first foundations thereof , 't is all one to us . 't is enough that we can prove that the passion , which we assert to be false , is posteriour to all this . and that it is so cannot be deny'd , since mention is made there of the basilick , which was dedicated at agaunum to the memory of the thebean souldiers . if you are not pleased to rely upon the history of their passion as it is related in surius and baronius , and wherein notice is taken of the rules made by st. sigismond in the agaunian monastery ; we shall willingly pitch upon , and refer our selves to the latter acts that are mended , since in these as well as in the others , mention is made of a miracle that happen'd when the church of agaunum was a building to the honour of the thebean legion . for if king sigismond did only repair and adorn that church , the time of these works must necessarily be plac'd in the year 500. and consequently st eucherius could not have made mention of them , seeing all do agree that he dyed about the year 440. we may strengthen this argument with another taken from the acts of a council , supposed to have been assembled by order of king sigismond at agaunum , and in which sixty bishops put it into his head to gather the bones of the thebean souldiers , and to dedicate a basilick , or stately church to them . though this council is visibly false and supposititious , yet it will be of good help to discover the falsity of the passion of the souldiers of agaunum , fathered upon st. eucherius . the acts of this pretended council are set down in the fourth tome of the councils by labbe and cossart . these two learned jesuites were very sensible of the forgery of these acts , but it would have been too much against the grain to have confessed it ▪ they were therefore content to say , they wondered they did not see amongst the subscriptions the name of avitus archbishop of vienna , who both by reason of his eminent qualities , and for the dignity of his see , ought of course to have been present at that council . the oratory-priests being fairer dealers than the jesuites , le cointe , one of them , freely declares in his annals , that the acts of this council were altogether false . however , as false as they are , they have brought great incomes to the monastery of agaunum . they make st. sigismond to give to it a great number of villages , and very considerable lands in the dioceses of vienna , lions , grenoble , and of the cities of a●●te , avanches , lausanne , and besanson , &c. the cheat indeed was worth the making . but we must confess that the makers thereof were not very skilful in their contrivance of it . the truth is , that in those times people were so credulous , that they gave credit to the grossest tales . they were contriv'd and conceiv'd under the shadow of monkish holiness , and were brought forth into the world without contradiction , or any body to oppose them . the monk who forged this council , makes both king sigismond and the bishops to say very ridiculous things . the country peasants of valesia would now speak better sense . le cointe observeth , that the acts of this council are dated in the beginning of the last of april , and towards the end of the ides of may : that it is said at first , that the council was held at agaunum , and again , that it was assembled near that place . which shews the poor monk hardly knew what he did . he adds that sixty bishops met together at agaunum , and in sigismond's time there were not above seven and twenty bishops in all , throughout the whole kingdom of burgundy . he saith , that theodorus , bishop of sion in valesia , asked what should be done with the bodies of the thebean souldiers that laid yet unburied upon the ground . and in st. sigismond's time , there was no bishops-see at sion . the bishops-see was transferred thither , not till many years after , it having always been before at a place which is called martignac , or martigni , which is the ancient octodurum . so that this theodorus being contemporary with king sigismond , ought to have been call'd octodurensis episcopus , and not sedunensis , as the council-forger hath done . but the thing we ought chiefly to observe , is , that both labbe and cossart , place this council in the year 516. the acts do expresly mention , that when it was held , the buildings which king sigismond ordered to be made at agaunum , were finished , and wanted only to be dedicated , and appointed to their use . this prince saith , in the beginning of his deed of gift , that he makes hinnemond ▪ abbot of the monastery of agaunum , which , by the help of god , he hath built in his kingdom of burgundy . and a little before he says , that all the bishops do represent to him , that the reliques of mauricius ; exuperius , candidus , and victor , ought to be deposited in the new church , which he hath caused to be built . the bishops of this pretended council , are there chiefly taken up with regulating the singing of psalms , the offices , observances , and whatever was to be practised in that monastery . now the business is to know , whether the passion of the thebean legion , which we assert to be false , is anteriour to that council , or happen'd after its sitting . if they say it is anteriour , we ask , how could the author of it speak of a monastery which was not yet built , and of rules not yet establish'd ? if it be answered , that this passion was written after the sitting of the council , which according to labbe and cossart met in the year 516. it follows , that st. eucherius is not the author of this passion , since he died in the year 440. if the acts of this council be compared with the passion , one cannot but suspect that the impostour , who composed it , had before his eyes the acts of this council . 't is said in these acts , that the bishops consulted with king sigismond , what discipline was to be set up in the monastery of agaunum , and that the rules which should be prescrib'd to the monks , might be so framed as to last for ever . and the author of the martyrdom of the thebean souldiers , as it is related both by baronius and surius , saith , that they never cease , day nor night , to sing psalms and hymns in the agaunian monastery ; this practice having been established by the blessed king and martyr st. sigismond , and being still in force there to this very day . but that the acts of this council , are forged , father le cointe hath given infallible proofs . and whereas labbe and cossart place this council in the year 516. we should not fear being much mistaken , if we charged the forgery upon some impostor of the seventh or eighth century . for these and the like writings are the titles and foundations both of the worship , vast power , and immense revenues of the church of rome . 't is true , we are told that the manuscripts of these things are kept in the vatican library , or in that of florence ; and that they have all the characters of an uncontroulable antiquity . but marsham , a man very well skilled in distinguishing between old and modern manuscripts adviseth us to trust to them so much the less , by how much the older they are said to be ▪ and he is favoured in his opinion by papebrook a jesuite , who observes , that you 'l scarcely find any acts or manuscripts true and sincere from the reign of dagobert the first , upwards ; that is beyond the year of our lord 640. which is much about the time , in which the fables which we are now examining were invented 't is strange indeed , that father mabillon , one of the most eminent men in europe in that kind of learning , should condemn the opinion both of marsham and papebrook . he thinks that these two learned men were mistaken , and to prove it ▪ he reports some acts of the 6 th or 7 th age ; but this is nothing to the purpose ; for marsham and papebrook did never deny but there were true acts ancienter than ▪ the reign of dagobert the first ; but they only affirmed , that these writings are very scarce , and can hardly be found ; so that father mabillon , to have an occasion to contradict these two great men , makes them say absolutely , what they only meant with a restriction . and besides ▪ 't is one thing to go about to prove from the words of some authors , that there have been kings before dagobert the first , who made gifts in writing to several churches , and another to prove that these writings do yet continue , and have been handed down to us , and that they have not been worn out by time , lost or destroyed by the accidents and revolutions which have happened in the course of so many ages , nor falsify'd and corrupted by the covetousness , ignorance , and infidelity of men. the first of these two things , which is not in question , father mabillon takes upon him to prove , but saith not one word of the second which he ought to have proved . but here is the business . papebrook is plain and downright , because he , being a jesuite , is of an order of a very new date , and which therefore needs not go up and search very high for titles : whereas father mabillon is a benedictine monk , of the congregation of st. maur. and st. benet's order hath a great concern to maintain the antiquity of their rich foundations . papebrook confesses ingenuously , that most of the acts in the tenth and eleventh centuries have been falsify'd by monks , because this reproach could not fall on the jesuites , who were not then in the world. but by reason there were at that time almost no other monks in the west but the benedictines , 't is worth the while to see , with what zeal father mabillon stickles in their defence . but while he endeavours to make their cause too good , he betrays his own . he proves that the falsification of acts , ought not to be laid only at the church ▪ mens doors ; that every body had then a hand in the corrupting of them ; that cheats and impostours were as common at that time amongst the laity , as in the church ; and that both the watchfulness and authority of the emperours were taken up in preventing and chastising these knavish tricks . this is just what marsham and papebrook do both mean and say . we have thought fit to make this observation . for having a very great veneration for true antiquity , we should be unwilling to have any body allarm'd at our impugning the martyrdom of the thebean legion , which hath obtained the belief of so many ages in the church . chap. vii . that the passion of the agaunian martyrs , published by francis chifflet in his edition of paulinus , is as false as that which surius and baronius have followed . the relation of the passion of the thebean souldiers , which both surius and baronius have followed , is a piece so notoriously supposititious , that it is now quite laid aside even in the roman church . this does evidently appear , in the judgment which anthony pagi makes of it in his criticks upon baronius . the acts of the martyrs of agaunum , saith he , which baronius hath taken out of surius , and which he thought were written by st. eucherius , bishop of lions , are false and supposititious . there 't is said , that this martyrdom happened under the pontificate of marcelline , when maximian went into gaul , to put a stop to the bagaudian rebellion ; and it is certain that it was in the beginning of diocle●ian s reign , that maximian made this expedition during the pontificate of ●ajus therefore the doctors who had the direction of the impression of bibliotheca patrum , which was printed by the anissons at lions in the year 1677 were wiser than to give out amongst the works of st. eucherius the passion of the thebean souldiers , as it was reported both by surius and baronius . we give ( say they ) the acts of the martyrs of agaunum written by st. eucherius bishop of lions and extracted out of a very ancient manuscript ; those that are put out by surius having been spoiled and corrupted by some anonymous writer of the last ages . peter francis chifflet is the man who printed these new acts of the agaunian martyrs in his paulinus illustratus , and which , he saith , he copied out of a very ancient manuscript of st. claude's monastery . as for theodorus ruinart , he hath followed chifflet s copy , in that ●ollection of the acts of martyrs which he caused to be printed at paris in the year 1689. there he confesses , that the former acts published by surius were counterfeit , and those likewise that were printed by mombritius , then he adds , that in the very time it was given over by the learned , to find out the true acts of the agaunian martyrs , chifflet had happily discovered them in an ancient manuscript . ●t seems then that the thebean souldiers case is not yet quite desperate , there being another door for the true acts of their martyrdom to come in at . the jesuites are very crafty men , i must confess . they find immediately a way to remove every difficulty . the world was ready to forsake the thebean souldiers and their passion , when just in the nick of time , father chifflet , hath found a manuscript in the monastery of mount jura , which gives a faithful account of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , and is free from those falsities which are so palpable both in surius and baronius . not a word there of marcelline's pontificate , of king sigismond , nor of the revolt of aelius and amandus , authors of the bagaudian insurrection in gaul . you have all in it but this . both the passions are in every thing alike . only two or three events are wanting in that of chifflet , which might serve as a sure epoche , whereby to discover exactly the time wherein it hapned . a person more mistrustful than i , might easily believe , that it is not without some good reason , that these places are not to be found in chifflet's manuscript . there would be less cause to suspect it , had other circumstances been left out of smaller consequence , and such as do not serve to mark out exactly the time and age of the piece . but 't is in vain for father chifflet to boast the antiquity of his manuscript . we have not forgot the advice which marsham and papebrook have given us , not to trust too much to manuscripts , which have on them the most ancient dress . were we admitted to compare chifflet's manuscript with that of surius , we should soon see whether of them has got the best looks of truth and antiquity . the acts of the martyrdom of the thebean souldiers were printed at ingolstadt , under the jesuites inspection , in the year 1617. by the care of stewartius , who was sure he had examined the best manuscripts he could find peter natalis and william baldesan , who in italy , writ the history they have left us of the thebean legion , were not wanting to consult the manuscripts , extant in the best libraries of that country . though father le cointe does disown the acts of surius , nevertheless he acknowledgeth 'em to be conform to the greatest number of the manuscripts that are kept in the archives of the church . notwithstanding , father chifflet will needs have his manuscript to be the only one that is true and sincere , and those of all the other writers to be spurious and corrupted . i would fain know who told him , that his own was not mended by some monk , who understood history so well , as to perceive the anachronisms and contradictions in the acts of the martyrdom of the thebean legion . this is not without example , and we might mention several ; for the monks formerly did what they pleased with the writings of their predecessors . faustus composed the life of st. severine , abbot of agaunum , of whom mention hath been already made . an anonymous author , some ages after , added to it some things , cut off others , and dressed it up after his own fancy ; as father le cointe complains in his annals . he tells us further , that another faustus having written the life of st. maurus , it was not lik'd by odo , an abbot in the diocese of anger 's , in the year 863. and that he changed it in such manner , that it were to be wished he had never meddled with it at all . and now can father chifflet warrant that no such hand hath ever made bold with his manuscript ? the acts of the agaunian souldiers , having no such thing in them as gifts to monks and monasteries ; 't was no hard matter to find them corrected in some old manuscripts but i question much whether any such manuscript can be produced , as will serve to rectifie the acts of the council of agaunum , wherein so many considerable revenues are bestowed on the monks of that place . let any body read mr. dodwel's dissertation upon the small number of martyrs , and he will see there what stress one ought to lay upon the acts and the manuscripts from whence they were taken . 't is true , that * theodore ruinart , in the edition he hath lately put out at paris , of the acts of some martyrs , prefixes a long preface , wherein he opposes mr. dodwels opinion concerning the small number of martyrs ; but at the same time , he confesses , that they who gathered their acts have often added to , or cut off from them what they listed . one may see in the same preface , that the acts of most of the martyrs having perished , either by the ravage and burnings made by the barbarians , or by the orders of heathen magistrates ; others were substituted in their place , but such as have not the authority of the former , and much less can they pretend to the same sincerity and exactness . these acts have been , by the monks of the last ages , so disfigur'd and stuffed with so many fables , that the honester and more ingenuous of the church of rome have been ashamed of it , and have publickly expressed their sorrow for it . lewis vives , and melchior canus , have grievously complained that diogenes laertius has written the lives of the pagan philosophers with more integrity and wisdom , than the christians have done those of their martyrs ▪ confessors , and virgins . when it was first given out that lippomanus , bishop of verona , was upon correcting the acts and old legends of saints , all good men of the romish church were very glad at the news , hoping that he would have purged them from all the gross lies which metaphrastes , comestor , and jacobus de voragine had left behind them . but lippomanus , and surius made all things worse , instead of mending them . for before this , the acts and lives of saints were look'd upon as pious romances , and a production of the ill-regulated zeal of the legend-writers . but then they were esteemed quite another thing , after they had been revised by surius , lippomanus , and junius mombritius , who contented themselves with taking away only the most palpable and obvious falsities , retaining those which they thought were not so offensive , and then protesting that they had gone up to the head , and had consulted the best manuscripts rosweidus , bollandus , godfrey henschenius , and papebrochius , who are come after , thinking to do some service to the learned , by gathering all whether good or bad ▪ have not given us a truer account of the acts of martyrs and saints , but only have incumbred mens studies with their huge and bulky volumes . 't is not that we believe , that the doctors of the romish communion are willing to countenance lyes and forgeries . we do them more justice than so they would undoubtedly have all this silly stuff taken out of their church service , breviaries , and martyrologies , but they know not how it can be done . they fear to give some advantage to the protestants , and to furnish them with weapons against the infallibility of their church . and the learned amongst them are afraid to bring upon themselves the hatred and persecution of monks and fryers , who make a trade of these impostures amongst silly women , and the more ignorant sort of people . 't is known all over france , what troubles they brought upon the bishop of st. pons , one of the most worthy prelates of that kingdom , for taking out of the calendar of his diocese several saints , whose saintship might be called in question , and whose suffrages he did not so much esteem . this is the reason why most of those who are sufficiently convinced of these abuses , are contented to bewail them in secret , not having the courage to undertake the redressing of them . there are some others , who , thinking it unsufferable that their religious worship should seem to have no other ground than the false legends of saints and martyrs , have indeed taken away from the story what was most fictitious , but yet have kept still the essential part of it . father chifflet was perhaps one of these , and therefore he found just in time a manuscript of the passion of the agaunian martyrs , more accurate , and truer than the manuscripts of surius and baronius . finally , we might add ; that manuscripts , as well as other books , are subject to the rigour of the index expurgatorius . and how should they stick at maiming them when they fear they will give any advantage to the protestants , since they make no scruple sometimes of suppressing them wholly . we are not willing to set down here the story of the edition of anastase , published by the jesuits of mayence in 1602. in which they cut off what we read in the manuscript of heydelberg about pope john , and of the trick they put us upon marquardus freherus , who had discovered it to them . fabrotus , in his new edition of that author , printed at paris in the year 1649. hath been so sincere as to own the expunging that passage ; but at the same time , was not so ingenuous as to restore it . every body knows the story of st. chrysostom's letter to cesarius the monk , and of theodoret's commentary upon the difference that arose between st. paul and st. peter , the which as not favouring transubstantiation , and the authority and infallibility of the pope , they have endeavoured to stifle and to suppress . mr. alix having discovered this mystery of iniquity , acquainted the publick with it , in his excellent letter to mr. hambden . but after all , peter francis chifflet is not the first writer , who to extricate himself out of a difficulty , or to purchase the glory of some curious discovery , hath taken an occasion to find a manuscript . 't is not of late years that there have been annius's of viterbo and varilla's , especially amongst the pretenders to antiquity , and compilers of anecdota , or secret histories . but though these remarks may not perhaps seem unseasonable , yet we have no need of them for clearing the matter of fact now in question . father chifflet's manuscript hath not brought us to such straits , as to reduce us to meer guesses and conjectures . for admitting his manuscript to be both as ancient and correct as he pleases ; the thebean souldiers would not be a jot the better for it . we shall , in the conclusion , examine their cause without any regard to the manuscripts and acts of their passion , and shall deduce , from the very circumstances of their martyrdom , such arguments as will demonstrate the falsity of it . and we must own our obligation to father chifflet , that we shall now fight no longer in the dark , without either seeing or knowing our adversary . we know now whom we are to deal with , and who 't is we are to encounter . before this , while we attack'd the acts which surius and baronius have left us , and were proving that st. eucherius , bishop of lions , could not be the author of them , it might have been answered we took pains to no purpose ; that we ought to have known that there have been two st. eucherius's , and that the acts of the agaunian passion were of the latters composing , who was present at the council of orange in the year 529. this very thing theophilus raynaldus hath endeavoured to prove in his catalogue of the saints of lions . so that after all our endeavours , we might chance to be in the same plunge with the sofia's in plautus , concerning the two amphytrions , and with the parliament of toulouse in the case of the two martins guerra . but now we must return our thanks to father chifflet , for having help'd us out of these doubts and uncertainties . he agrees with baronius , that there was but one st. eucherius ; and his reasons are so weighty and strong , that it seems strange , that the learned dr. cave , who must needs have seen them in the paulinus illustratus of that author , should yet be of the opinion of theophilus raynaldus , about the two sts. eucherius's , and should attribute to the junior the acts of the martyrdom of the thebean souldiers . we shall now go on with our proofs against the agaunian martyrs , and shall draw them from that ancient and accurate manuscript , upon the credit of which father chifflet hath reformed those acts , which both surius and baronius have followed . chap. viii . that the style of the true st. eucherius is different from that of the passion of the agaunian souldiers , published by chifflet . if we compare chifflet's copy with that of surius , we shall observe in it the same style , the same expressions , thoughts , and opinions ; so that one would conclude it to be the very same piece ; that place only excepted , where mention is made of king sigismond , who in that copy is not contemporary with the true st. eucherius by many years . but one cannot find in these acts of chifflet , the style , genius , and air of st. eucherius . erasmus , who had not the reputation of being too liberal of his praises , thinks he can never extol too much the true st. eucherius's letter to valerian , de contemptu mundi . he saith , that the christian religion never had any writers , no not amongst the greatest professors of eloquence , who could match him in his style and way of writing . andreas schottus calls his letter , in his preface to st. eucherius ▪ s works , a golden letter . but these so high praises , and given too by men of so refined a knowledge , are in no wise suitable to the author of the passion of our martyrs . and it is certain , that if eucherius , bishop of lions , composed that letter to valerian , he never could be the author of the history of the agaunian souldiers . 't is true , an author cannot always be the same in all his works . the most happy genius , does not like a fertil soil always bear alike , nor yield so plentifully at one time at it does another . the treasures of invention and eloqence do not lye open at all hours even to the greatest wits . there are some lucky moments for composition that are not at our command ; besides , the difference of age causeth some difference in the productions of the brain , as may be observed in the iliads , and odysses , of homer ; some subjects being delightful , we are fond of them , and fall greedily to work ; whereas others , because dry and insipid , do naturally cause in us some neglect . nay sometimes a subject does even require a man to descend from his usual greatness , and to lay aside all the pomps and loftiness of style . in a word , there are few writers , how able soever , that can bear up with a constant and continued evenness . therefore the learned vossius was in the right to condemn massius , for denying xenophon to be the author of the expedition of cyrus , because the critick , forsooth , did not observe in it all the strokes of that unimitable eloquence , which is the character of that excellent writer . for although , for the reasons we have hinted at , an author may sometimes deviate from his character , yet notwithstanding there will still be discovered in his style a tincture , as it were of himself , and a particular air that is proper to no other but him . fannius pronounced publickly in rome an oration , and there being some who envied the applause he had got , they gave out , that he was obliged for it to his friends , who had help'd him in the making it . but * tully , on the contrary , maintained that it could not be so , because in the discourse of fannius , both the style , the turn , and harmony all over the same . according to this supposition , we ought not to father upon the true st. eucherius , the passion of the agaunian martyrs . for instance , let us but compare it with that excellent epistle of his , upon the contempt of the world , and worldly philosophy . wherein his way both of thought and expression ; and indeed every thing is quite different from the former . one would take this letter to be the product of augustus's age , when the latin tongue was in its greatest purity , whereas the style of the passion of the martyrs of agaunum , tastes like that of the empire in its declension , and of the age of cassiodorus . mr. du pin , a doctor of paris , so much to be commended both for his diligence and sincerity , hath without doubt , perus'd the acts which father chifflet hath taken out of his old manuscript . and see how he speaks of 'em in his bibliotheca nova . the history , saith he , of the passion of st. mauritius , and of the other thebean souldiers , is not the style of our st. eucherius . but perhaps we have been too favourable to this relation of the martyrs of agaunum , in attributing it to the age of cassiodorus . for in the old editions of st. eucherius , printed at rome , and at basil , they have inserted amongst the works of this father , some commentaries on genesis , and upon the book of kings , which seem to have been made not in cassiodorus's time , but even since gregory the great , that is above an hundred years after , as appears by the books of morals of this pope , being cited in these commentaries . this remark hath been made long ago , by possevinus , and sixtus senensis . and there is much more resemblance between the style and character ▪ of these commentaries , and the style and character of the passion of the agaunian martyrs , than there is between the letter of the contempt of the world , and the relation of the martyrdom of the thebean legion . this conjecture is strengthened by the epistle dedicatory , prefixed to these commentaries on genesis . it will be of some use to set it here . eucherius , to the holy and most blessed bishop salvlus . i have sent to your beatitude , the history which i have written of the passion of our martyrs . i feared least the memorable events of their glorious martyrdom , should have been buried in oblivion , both by long tract of time , and the negligence of men. i have endeavoured to know the truth from those who are able to inform me of it , who have assured me , that they had the thing from isaac , bishop of geneva , much after the same manner as i have related it . and i believe these things came to the knowledge of isaac , by the means of the most blessed bishop theodorus ▪ who lived in the former ages . viro anterioris temporis . and now whereas others from divers places , and even from the remotest provinces , offer gold , silver , and several other things to the honour of our saints , we present them with our writings , if so be you vouchsafe to approve of them ; and i beg for their sakes the remission of all my sins , and for the future , the continual assistance of my perpetual patrons . remember us likewise in your prayers , when you come before god , and do attend the services of the saints . there are several things very observable in this letter . first , that he who wrote it saith , that he is the author of the passion of the agaunian souldiers . secondly , that the monastery of agaunum was built a long time before , and was in great repute in the world , since offerings were sent thither from all parts . thirdly , that this theodorus , who is called there a man of the former ages , is in all probability the same theodorus bishop of sion , whereof we have spoken on the occasion of the council of agaunum ; which shews this letter was written at least in the seventh century , since that otherwise , this theodorus could not be called vir anterioris temporis . fourthly , that it mentions one isaac , bishop of geneva , who is not to be found in the catalogue , which leti , and mr. spon , have made of the bishops of that place ▪ and which they have taken out of an ancient bible of that city . fifthly , that whereas in the bibliotheca patrum , printed at lions , this letter is placed immediately after the passion of the martyrs of agaunum , the editors who have taken care to advertise the readers , that the passion written by surius , was not altogether authentick , do not give the least caution about this letter , which is visibly later by some ages than st. eucherius . sixthly , that this letter is inserted at full length by baronius in his annals , as an irrefragable proof that st. eucherius is the author of the acts of the agaunian martyrs , seeing it is brought there to serve as a preface to it . seventhly , that after you have read this letter , when you come to the acts of the thebean martyrs , you cannot perceive any difference . you find there much the same matters , style , and way of expression in both of them . eighthly , that this letter , in all the editions of the st. eucherius's works , is prefixed as a dedication to the commentaries on genesis , which have been composed by the monks two hundred years after st. eucherius , as appears by some places of the morals of gregory the great being inserted in them . ninthly , that the author of the commentaries upon genesis , and the book of kings , is very probably the author of this letter . and that he who wrote the letter , composed likewise the passion of the agaunian martyrs . which leads us to this observation , that perhaps we seek abroad for what we may find at home . i mean , that perhaps , the acts of the thebean legion may be the growth of this land , and the work of some english writer . see how the pretended st. eucherius speaks in his commentary upon the book of kings . the blessed pope gregory , armed with an evangelical eloquence ▪ governed then in our days the romish church , when the most reverend fathers , austin and paulinus , and their companions , came into england , and preached the word of god to a people , who had been infidels for so many ages . these words have given occasion to the learned jesuite , andreas schottus to think that the author of these commentaries , i mean the pretended st. eucherius , was not a french but an englishman . i do not know but one might strengthen yet this conjecture , by an expression which we have observed in the acts of the agaunian martyrs , 't is said there , that mauricius , who commanded the thebean legion , exhorted the senators of the souldiers to suffer martyrdom , senatores militum . for though this office is not altogether unknown , and strange in the roman militia , and that st. jerom speaks of it in his letter to pammachius , nevertheless you will hardly find it in those authors , who write about military employments . whereas this expression was common then amongst the english , who used to give it to those persons who held the first rank , not so much in consideration of their age , as for their wisdom and merit . one may see in mr. du cange , the examples he alledges of it , taken from the laws both of king edward the confessor , and of kenulphus king of the mercians . chap. ix . that in father chifflet's copy , as well as in that of surius , the commander of a legion , is called by a name not then in use , and that there is a fault in the number of the legionary souldiers . but it matters not much , to know whether the author of the passion of the thebean souldiers , was english of french. these two warlike nations will scarcely fall out with one another , for the honour of having given him to the world. we must pass now to other remarks . 't is not only the difference in the style , which shews that the acts of the martyrdom of the thebean legion are not of the true st. eucherius , but there are yet other manifest proofs of it . it appears from the instructions which st. eucherius gave to his son salonius , that this father knew the use and propriety of hebrew ; but if he was the author of the aforesaid passion , he must needs have been very ignorant even of latin terms , though his letter upon the contempt of the world , shews that he was a great master of it . in the edition of surius , and of chifflet , st. mauricius , who commanded the thebean legion , is called primicerius legionis . can one imagine , that the true st. eucherius did not know that the commander of a legion , was called praefectus legionis ? let any body examine carefully all the old tombs and monuments , which can give us any light into the names and titles of military offices , from augustus's time , to that of justinian ; let any body read the notitia imperii , with pancirole's notes ; let any body turn over the codes of theodosius , and of justinian , in which there are so many laws concerning the civil , as well as the military offices of the empire ; let any body look over all the inscriptions of those times which are commonly so full of titles , and you will no where find that the commander of a legion was ever called primicerius legionis . the reason of the name is , that whereas formerly they made use of a paper prepared with wax , therefore they called primicerii those of their respective orders who were set down first in the publick registers . hence it is that so many of that name are to be found amongst the divers orders of dignities and magistrates of the empire . there was the primicerius of the imperial chamber , of the wardrobe , of the liberalities , of notaries , of the court of accounts , of the golden mace , of the singing-school , of the servants , of the judges , of the readers , and of many others , whose names are seen in the notitia , or state of the empire . this term was also received into the church in the following ages . the dignity of primicerius is very considerable in the clergy of venice . and in the collection of the councils by mr. baluze , this name is given to one peter a priest of alexandria . the church writers have sometimes made use of it metaphorically , * calling st. stephen primicer of martyrs , and st. peter † the primicer of the apostles , and at last this term hath been appropriated to these priests who carry wax tapers before princes and prelates . but as for the military officers , i confess i cannot well understand what rank and command the primicerii had there . lipsius , and salmasius , don't give us much light thereupon in their books of the roman-militia . 't is true , that goltzius , in his catalogue of military dignities , makes mention of primicerius castrensis . but all the learned do agree , that what goltzius does relate , ought not always to be rely'd upon , for he writ this , as well as the rest of his books , upon other peoples word , and without having seen himself the medals and inscriptions which he goes upon . if goltzius hath been mistaken , we have found out methinks the cause of his errour . in the notice or state of the empire , in the chapter of the civil and military dignities in the west , we see one primicerius sacri cubiculi , primicerius notariorum , castrensis , sacri palatii , &c. and perhaps he thought that before castrensis ought to be understood primicerius ▪ which might give occasion to the dignity of primicerius castrensis , set down in his catalogue . but had he minded another chapter , wherein an account is given of the offices which were sub dispositione viri spectabilis castrensis , he would have observed that this dignity , castrensis , related chiefly to the sacred-house which was the emperour's palace . 't is true indeed , that vegetius speaks of one primicerius , who after he had been a prefect , and in the praetorship , was raised to an honourable and gainful military dignity . his commentators are silent upon this place , which yet seems difficult enough . but mr. de valois does not leave us quite in the dark about this matter , in his notes upon ammian marcelline . for this historian having spoken of one valentinus , who was made a tribune after he had been primicerius of that body which was called protectores , mr. de valois observeth that from primicer of protectors it was usual to be made a tribune . and 't is true , that ammianus marcellinus speaks in his thirteenth book of one gratian , who after he had been made primicer of the protectors , and tribune , was made superintendant to the military affairs in africa . which place does explain that other in a collection of the acts of constantine , where 't is said , that constantius , nephew to claudius the emperour , after he had been first a protector , then a tribune , was at least created president of dalmatia . but we don't find in all this , that in st. eucherius time the commander of a legion , was called primicerius legionis . for it is only in the last ages , that it was given to all those who had any command . mathew paris in the year 1240. speaks of an army where it was demanded , who was the primicerius of it , that is , who commanded it . so that as the term commander in english is very general , and may be applyed to those , who either do command a company , or a regiment , or are governours of towns and provinces ; so likewise in the last ages , in the which 't is likely the passion of the thebean souldiers hath been forged , the quality of a primicer had a very large signification ; i am tempted to say , specially amongst the english , and from thence to make another conjecture , viz. that the author of the acts of agaunum was an englishman . we did just now cite mathew paris , who was a great ornament to this nation in the twelfth century . there is an act in the history of the english monasteries , in the which the kings , edmond , and edgar , qualifie themselves kings and primicers of all england , primicerii totius albionis . therefore this primicerian quality being so general at that time , 't is no wonder that william of tyre , who lived about fifty years before matthew paris , does mention some legionary primicers . honourable men , saith he , bearing ensigns , went before the army , as if they had been the primicers of legions . if it can be inferred from these words , that the legionary primicers were the signiferi , or ensign-bearers of those times , one ought to confess that in william of tyre his time , things were very much altered , and that nothing can be concluded from this expression that may authorize that in the relation of the agaunian martyrs , unless one would confess that they suffered martyrdom about the time of william of tyre , to wit , many ages after the true st. eucherius . but let us examine what surius copy , and that of father chifflet tells us of the number of the thebean souldiers . that of surius saith , that in the emperour maximian's army , there was a legion of souldiers called thebeans , and that a legion was made up of six thousand , six hundred , and sixty six souldiers , according to the custom of the ancient romans . in father chifflet's manuscript , the number of sixty and six , and what is said of the custom of the ancient romans is cut off , being said only there , that a legion was then made up of six thousand and six hundred men. if by the custom of the ancient romans , spoken of both in surius and baronius's copy , was meant the military discipline anciently established by romulus , 't is certain that in his time the legions were composed only of three thousand foot , and some horse . and let one look over all the times in which that common-wealth flourished , from the expulsion of kings to julius caesar , one shall observe many changes in the number of the souldiers which composed the legions , and that it was sometimes lesser , and sometimes greater , according to the exigencies ▪ and revolutions of the empire : but it will be a hard matter to prove , that there hath been a time , in which the legions had precisely the number of souldiers specify'd in those two copies . livy , saith indeed , that it was a priviledge of the legions , which were in macedonia , to be composed of six thousand foot , and three hundred horse , the others ex veteri instituto , according to the ancient custom , being formed only of five thousand foot , and two hundred horse . this great author in all probability was better informed in the roman customs , than the author of the passion of the thebean souldiers . for the legions having been raised to five thousand men in the roman wars against carthage . polybius observes that to his time , they still retained the same number of five thousand foot , and three hundred horse . it cannot be deny'd , but the number of the legionary souldiers increased under the emperours , since at the time of the emperour tacitus , the legions were of six thousand , one hundred , and twenty foot , and of seven hundred , and sixteen horse , which is a remark of modestus , in the treatise he addresses to him of the terms used in the military art. vegetius , who dedicated his book to the emperour valentinian , tells us likewise , that in his time the legions were of the same number . so that it would be an obligation to the publick , to prove , by good authors , that at the time of dioclesian , and maximian , in which it is supposed that the thebean legion suffered martyrdom , the legions were of 6666 , or 6600 men , as 't is said in the copies both of surius , and chifflet . chap. x. that in the editions both of surius and chifflet , a miracle is related which hath all the appearance of a feigned story . in the acts of the agaunian martyrs , there is a miracle set down that deserves our consideration . this miracle hapned on the occasion of a man , who in surius's original was a gold-smith by trade , and in that of chifflet a black-smith or a carpenter . 't is said in these acts that all the christians of agaunum being assembled at church upon a sunday , this man , who was a pagan , stayed alone in the new church which was then a building to the honour of the thebean souldiers . whereupon the saints appearing to him in a bright and glorious apparel , dragg'd him from the place where he was , stretched him as it were upon a rack , and having banged him soundly , reproached him with his absenting himself from the church on the lords-day , and that he being a pagan , had been so bold as to work upon a church which was erecting to them . it is incredible that a grave author , as st. eucherius was , should have made the blessed martyrs to speak such nonsense . for it is an easie thing to infer from their discourse , that the pagans themselves were obliged , even as pagans , to observe the keeping of the lords-day , and this is a tenet which one can't by any means admit . for if the fourth commandment had obliged the heathens , as well as the jews , as the other commandments of the decalogue did , 't would be a certain proof that the duty enjoyned by the fourth precept concerning the sabbath-day , is a duty essentially moral , of a natural and inviolable rectitude ; and it would be a very intricate difficulty to justifie the apostolick church about the translation of the sabbath to the day of the resurrection of our lord jesus christ . when we dispute against the sabbatarians , one of the strong reasons we bring against them , is , that the distinctive character of the laws essentially moral , is their extension and universality , that is , that they bind all sorts of persons at all times , in all places , and under both covenants . so that we conclude , that the observance of the seventh day is not a moral duty , since the fourth commandment did not oblige the gentiles ; and i do not know , if the same thing may not be said of our sunday , which hath suceeded to the rights of the sabbath ▪ 't is true , that after nature hath taught men the existence of a god , it may teach them further the reasonableness of consecrating a setled time to his service : but it can lead them no further , and will leave the choice of that time to their liberty . let it be the fourth , the sixth , or the seventh day , 't is all one in the main . and to render the pagans guilty in not keeping the sabbath , either according to the jewish , or christian institution , the sabbath ought to be one of those duties that are as well known to us , as the first principles inbred in our very nature , at our coming into the world , and ingraved by the hand of god in the hearts of all men. the agaunian saints were much in the wrong to use a pagan so scurvily , under pretence of his not observing the sunday . they ought first to have instructed him , to have set before him the excellency and holiness of the christian religion , and shewed him how just and reasonable it is to consecrate the sunday , to the glory of jesus christ , the mediator and high-priest of this new law : and after this , had he been stubborn and rebellious to their charitable instructions and admonitions , then in gods name let him fall under the censure . but to knock him down out of hand , this is a way of conversion only known and practised in our days in france , and which cannot be attributed to saints , without a great offence to their charity . it was an ordinary thing indeed , at that time , to see the pagans drag the christians by force to their profane sacrifices , but not one example of those times can be produced of any christians , in places where they had the power to do to it , tormenting the pagans , and compelling them to come and joyn with them in their worship . nay , it seems that in those former times , they made some scruple of admitting infidels into the places where their holy mysteries were celebrated . for otherwise , to what purpose should the fourth council of carthage have ordered the bishops to suffer the pagans , the jews , and other hereticks to enter their churches , and hear the word of god ? 't is true , that it is added in that canon , that they shall not be suffered to stay but to the mass for the catechumens , so that after the sermon and prayer for the catechumens , the infidels were obliged to withdraw , before the celebration of the holy sacraments . another circumstance against the credibility of it , is , that , the agaunian saints do reproach this pagan , for his boldness in working upon the church which was a building for them . is it possible than an author , so wise and knowing , as sr. eucherius was , should have put in the mouth of his saints such unbecoming reproaches ! saints are not certainly so nice as this comes to , i am sure god himself is not . for when solomon was building him a temple , it does not appear that he found fault with him for sending for wood and stones from heathenish countries . and according to st. austin , he would not have taken it ill , though all the timber of his temple had been cut down in the groves consecrated to idols , ex lucis alienorum deorum . when we reflect on the the prodigious number of workmen , who were employed in the building of the temple , we cannot but conclude , that many of the infidel neighbour nations were also employed in it , and so much the rather , because the jews apply'd themselves more to husbandry , than to other mechanick arts. it was by god's order , that the gold and silver of the idolatrous jericho were put into the sacred treasury . those tables and precious vessels , and the other rich presents which ptolomy philadelphus , and queen helena , sent to the temple at jerusalem , were no doubt of the gentiles making , nevertheless , they were accepted of by the high-priests , and consecrated to the service of the god of israel . in what school then did the thebean souldiers learn that piece of morality , that it was not allowable in a pagan to help in the building of christian churches ? certainly the romish church must think that saints have now-a-days much abated of the severity of their morals , and are grown much more humane and tractable , since in the cathedral in rome , a brazen st. peter is seen which , formerly was a statue of jupiter , and in whose hands the keys were put , instead of the thunder-bolt and fiery arrows that they held before ; and since the pantheon , which was the temple dedicated to all the heathen gods , is now a church consecrated to the blessed mother of our lord. chap. xi . in which the thoughts and dispositions for martyrdom , which are attributed to those saints in the acts of agaunum , are examined . vve must not forget , that the historian of the thebean souldiers represents them all possessed with a burning zeal for martyrdom . he saith , that they were all inflamed with a noble desire to die for jesus christ , and that the ministers of the emperour being arrived to put his barbarous orders in execution , the thebean souldiers made not the least resistance or endeavour to escape , but ●endered their necks of their own accord to the executioners . this was not set down without some design ; the author had a mind to answer before ▪ hand , a difficulty which might be objected by the readers . he fore ▪ saw that it would not well go down with some considering men , that a whole legion well armed , had suffered their throats to be cut without making the least opposition , and that these brave souldiers who fought like lions in so many battels , should have permitted themselves to be led as lambs to the slaughter . but now he thinks he hath removed the difficulty , by saying that they were possessed with a fiery heat , and a kind of fury for the glory of martyrdom ; as appears especially , in that victor , whose death is related towards the end of the acts of the martyrs of agaunum , who sought for death , and brought it upon himself by his own indiscretion . for being invited by some pagan souldiers to come and make merry with them , with the spoils of the thebean souldiers , he returned their kindness with a thousand imprecations and curses , and declared , without necessity , that he himself was a christian . but these things are not perhaps so certain , as to leave no manner of suspicion behind them . 't is true , that we find in eusebius , sulpitius severus , and lactantius , many fine things said upon the noble ardour of christians ( in the primitive ages ) for martyrdom . it cannot be denyed neither , but in the church history there are particular examples of some who had more zeal than knowledge , and who in the time of persecution , when they might have made their escape , or hidden themselves , chose rather to run into the hands of their unmerciful judges and tormenters . but here the case is otherwise , for we are not speaking of some simple ignorant people , whom a blind zeal might carry too far in the first heats of christianity , but of a whole legion , which they suppose had been well instructed by a bishop of jerusalem , and confirmed in the faith by pope marcelline . amongst these were a great number of officers , who no doubt had a competent share of learning , and were sufficiently instructed in christian morality , as not being christians by their birth and education , but by choice . in the archives of the metropolitan church of turin is kept a manuscript-life of st. second , one of the thebean souldiers , wherein it is said that he was of one of the best families of the province of thebaide , brought up in all the best accomplishments , and by his extraordinary merit , raised to a considerable office in the imperial palace . now if notwithstanding all these fine qualifications , this st. secundus was left out in the acts of agaunum , we may well think that mauricius , candidus , exuper , ursus , and victor , who are mentioned there , ought to have been men of transcendent parts and ability . nevertheless , the acts of their passion do attribute to them , such thoughts as are quite contrary to the principles and morals of christianity . if the author of these acts was of opinion , that they should have offended god by endeavouring to flye from the orders and cruelty of the emperour , we need no other premises to conclude , that the true st. eucherius is not the author of this relation . this holy bishop well knew that christ did suffer his disciples , when they were persecuted in one place to flee to another . he knew undoubtedly very well , that true religion strengthned the saints against dangers , but that it forbad 'em to stay for them , or to go meet them . a man that is throughly convinced of the truth of gods promises , and hath experienced the comforts of 'em , will certainly without any change , or being in the least daunted , look upon a fiery furnace ▪ but yet he will not run himself head-long into it . as we ought not to be afraid of death , so neither are we to grow weary and prodigal of life . ignatius and albina may serve as patterns to christians of both sexes , but not cato and lucretia . the crown of martyrdom comes from the hand of god ; we ought to wait for it without anticipating the time , ( said st. cyprian the great panegyrist of martyrdom ) the thebean souldiers had an excellent model in st. paul to frame themselves upon ; who being chosen by god to ●reach the gospel to the gentiles , feared neither tribulation , nor anguish , nor persecution , nor hunger , nor nakedness , nor peril , nor sword ; he challenged life and death , angels , principalities , powers , things present , and things to come , the heighth , the depth , and all the creatures together , to shake his unmoveable steadiness and fidelity . but withal he never faced the dangers , whenever it was in his power to decline them , and made no scruple to turn aside when he foresaw some great mischief in the way . an instance of which was his going out of damascus , as you see in the 9. ch. of the acts. this was also a known practice in the time in which 't is supposed that the thebean legion suffered martyrdom . let one but look over the collection of penitential canons by peter of alexandria , who was in great esteem about the time of the persecutions of dioclesian . this bishop does there censure those obstinate martyrs , who having opportunity to make their escape , sought notwithstanding for death . christ , saith , he , withdrew himself to shun the malice of the jews who laid in wait for him ; and though he knew that the time appointed in the counsel of his father was not far off , he went not in search after his cross , but waited for it from the fury of the jews in a solitary place , whither he did retire . and when he foretold his apostles of all the persecutions they were to suffer for his names sake , he told them that they should be delivered to the councils and synagogues . whereupon this bishop observes that christ said , they shall deliver you , and not , ye shall deliver your selves . for this reason mr. de tillemont , in his history of the emperours , makes this wise observation , speaking of the acts of st. maximus , that these acts do appear very well deserving the esteem which baronius had for them , though they do express that this saint delivered himself to death , which is more usually seen in spurious , than in true acts. in short , one may see what were the morals of the ancient church about this thing , from a canon of the council of eliberis , and from a special place in st. austin ; and the same morals may be seen practised in the lives of st. cyprian and athanasius , who fled from persecution whenever god gave them opportunity to do it . all the business is then to examine whether the thebean souldiers , being informed of the emperour's resolution , might have prevented it by their flight ; and for the clearing of this point , we need only read the acts of their martyrdom . the army of maximian having passed the defiles of valesia , the thebean legion which was in the rear , understood at agaunum , that this army was designed to cut off the christians in gaul . they stopped at this news , and refused to march any further . first every body will agree that they might have disbanded and betook themselves to flight ; for in such cases as this , military laws ought to yield to that of self-preservation , and then desertion is not , it seems , a greater infraction of military discipline , than to refuse to march at the orders of the general . 't is further said in the acts , that maximian being informed of the refusal of the thebean souldiers , commanded them to be decimated , hoping by the death of some to terrifie the others into their duty . the legion with an undaunted courage suffered the decimation , and the ministers who executed the emperours orders , made their report to him , that the rebellious legion was nothing frighted by this exemplary punishment , but persisted in their obstinate resolution not to march. during all this while , the army is not seen to come back in order to observe the motions of this legion ; neither was it observed , that the emperour did command any troops to watch them , for preventing the ill effects of their mutinous disposition . 't is very natural to think that if the whole legion was not able to save all their lives , part of them at least might have got away , and yet 't is said in the acts , that not so much as one of them did escape the emperours cruelty . whatever care is now taken to hinder the desertions in an army , all the diligence and watchfulness of the officers cannot hinder a great many souldiers to run away from their colours every campaign ; and what is yet worth our observation is , that the situation of agaunum afforded great facility to the thebean souldiers to flee away for their safety . i have passed my self that way , when i went with the corps of duke schomberg from turin to lauzane , where he had ordered me to bury him . and having then some thoughts of this dissertation , i staid a good while to consider the ●venues and situation of agaunum . it is seated at the bottom , and further end of a very narrow valley , and there is no access to it but by continual defiles , having on both sides woods and high mountains . so that , had the thebean souldiers taken advantage from the place , the whole army of the emperour had not been able to have hindred the greatest part of them from making their escape . from this we may conclude , that the author of their acts hath not much observed the rules of probability in the romance he hath left us , since he saith , that all the thebean souldiers were massacred , not one of them caring to make his escape , but all with one accord chearfully holding up their necks , and wishing for nothing so much as the glory of martyrdom . chap. xii . that there is no likelyhood that a legion should be sent for from the east to suppress a tumult of the gauls . we have hitherto considered the martyrdom of the thebean legion , with relation both to the acts wherein it is contain'd , and to the author to whom these acts are attributed . 't is time now to come to the fact it self , and to treat it without any regard either to the acts or their author . father le cointe thought in his annals to salve both the martyrdom of the thebean legion , and the relation of their passion , by betaking himself to the acts and to the copy of father chifflet . we do not deny , saith he , that the acts of the martyrs of agaunum , were written by st. eucherius , bishop of lions ; but we say that those published by surius , and which are found in the manuscripts of most churches , are spurious , and falsly attributed to st. eucherius . we acknowledge none to be true besides those published by francis chifflet in his paulinus illustratus , and the which he hath extracted out of a very ancient manuscript of st. claud's monastery . and we believe st. eucherius to be the true father of that work. but whether st. eucherius be the author of that work , or whether he be not ▪ whether the acts be falsified in the copy of surius , and whether they be true in father chifflet's manuscript , this is now no more the matter in question . we have hitherto in a manner attack'd only the out-works , but we come now close to the fact , and will shew in it palpable characters of falsity . the first of which is this supposition , namely , that the emperour maximian , caused a legion to be put death , which he had sent for from the east to go with him into gaul . we don't deny but there were in the east some legions call'd thebeans . in the book we have already cited of the dignities of the empire , mention is made of four thebean legions . sub dispositione viri illustris magistri militum per orientem legiones comitatenses 9. secunda flavia constantia thebaeorum , secunda felix valentis thebaeorum . and in another chapter . sub dispositione viri illustris magistri militum per thracias legiones comitatenses . prima maximiana thebaeorum tertia diocletiana thebaeorum . we will not deny neither , but that the exigencies of the empire , calling maximian into gaul , the emperour might have been attended by some of those legions . they are all four numbred amogst those legions which the romans called comitatenses . but our business is to examine which was that thebean legion , whereof it is spoken in the acts of the agaunians martyrs the copies both of surius and chifflet , do agree that maximian caused this legion to come from the east . so that according to the pretended st. eucherius , it cannot be either prima maximiana thebaeorum , or tertia dioclesiana thebaeorum , these two legions remaining in thracia , appointed to guard those frontiers of the empire . this legion , then must have been one of those which were under the command of the general of the foot in the east . but it is not very likely , that the emperour should have sent for a legion , so far to persecute the christians in gaul , or to quell a sedition raised there . the legions on the rhine , on the danube , in moesia , and in illyria , were much nearer at hand . no example can be shewed in history , that to make war against the gauls , garrisons were drawn out of the frontier places of egypt , or mesopotamia . should it be replyed , that the romans were at peace with the persians and that all things were quiet upon the confines of africa and asia , that the danger was pressing in gaul , that rome did tremble at the first news of a mutiny in those parts , and at the bare naming of tumultus gallicus , and therefore , that it ought not to appear so strange that legions were called from the utmost parts of the east . and should it be added in confirmation of this conjecture , that the danger ought to have been very great , since the historians do observe that this was one of the reasons which induced dioclesian to divide the empire with maximian , to the end that being invested in the imperial dignity , and having a greater authority , he might sooner make an end of this business : all these replies make for us , by lessening the probability of the martyrdom of the thebean legion . for the war which maximian was to undertake being of so great importance , it is not likely he would wilfully have deprived himself of a legion , which he had sent for from the extremities of the empire . but suppose maximian had been as zealous as ever emperour was , for the service of his gods , and as implacable an enemy and persecutor of jesus christ and his disciples , yet after all , we ought not , without good reasons , to make a mad man of him , and so bad a politician , as to imagine he would have commanded one of his best legions to be massacred in the very face ▪ as i may say , of the enemy , and at the beginning of a war , the success whereof ought to have commended to the world the choice which dioclesian had made of him : and by so much the rather , for what * aurelius victor saith of him , viz. that though he was but half a courtier , yet he was a brave and skilful warriour . besides this , if with father labbe , we refer the martyrdom of the thebean legion to the year 286. 't is like that at that time the state of affairs did not permit that the frontiers of egypt , and of the eastern provinces , should be unguarded ; since it was not long after , that achilleus took the purple upon him , and that the quingentians , or inhabitants of the five towns , joyned their forces against the empire . and if this martyrdom be placed in the year 297. with cardinal baronius , i question very much whether the war was not then raging upon the frontiers of persia , and whether the emperour galerius had by that time repaired the loss of that unfortunate day , in which all his army was defeated , and he himself had much ado to escape . but now i come to something more positive . the very names which in the book of the dignities of the empire , are given to those thebean legions which were in the east , may suffice to shew that the martyrdom here mentioned , cannot be applied to any of them . for one of these legions is called secunda flavia constantia thebaeorum . where we are to take notice , that the romans gave different names to their legions for distinction sake , as princes do now to their regiments . these names are sometimes taken from the order or time of their creation , as the first , second , third , and fourth legion . and sometimes they were given upon the account of some remarkable action , whereby they had signalized themselves , accordingly one was called the victorious , another the conquering , the iron legion , &c. now and then they took their names from the countries and frontiers that were committed to their charge , as the germanick , and the pannonick legions , appointed to guard the empire in hungary and germany . some of them had also their names from the countries where they had been raised , as the nervian , and isaurian legions . mezeray , in his history of france , before clovis's time , gives this very same reason for the name of the thebean legion maximian , saith he , having also taken upon himself the defence of gaul , departed from nicomedia , and took with him some legions , and amongst them that of the thebeans , so called from its having been raised in thebais of egypt . but most commonly the legions bore the names of the emperours who had raised them ; such were the ulpian , trajan , claudian , dioclesian , and maximian legions . and it is most likely the two thebean legions , which were in the east , were of this last order . for one of them was called flavia constantia thebaeorum , from the name of the emperour , constantius . pancirollus observes judiciously , that this ought to be understood of canstantius , son to the emperour constantine , and not of constantius his father : only the reason he gives for it is false . he supposes then , that constantine the great was the first emperour who added to his titles , that of flavius ; and that most of his successors after him took the same likewise , as a mark of the esteem they had for his virtues , and of their desire to bear some resemblance with him . mr. du cange , in his byzantine families , speaks of some medals of constantius , father to constantine , with the name flavius , upon them . and mr. baluze , in his notes on lactantius's book of the deaths of the persecutors , produces an inscription which he had from mr. vaillant , where this emperour is inscribed flavius valerius constantinus , so that we should rather think that at the time when maximian was raised to the empire ▪ and when he undertook his expedition into gaul , constantius , father to constantine , had not sufficient authority to raise legions in the east , and to give them his own name . and since the other legion was called secunda felix valentis thebaeorum , from the emperour valens his name , it follows that neither the one nor the other could possibly suffer martyrdom by the order of maximian , who was taken into a partner-ship of the government several years before constantius and valens came to the throne . pancirollus seems to have been sensible of this difficulty , but finding no way to evade it , he falls with all his knowledge into pitiful contradictions . instead of one thebean legion , which is suppos'd to have suffered martyrdom , he relates the passions of two thebean legions . he saith that the legio secunda flavia constantia thebaeorum was raised by constantius , and put in the room of the second thebean , who were christians , and had been massacred at treves , by rictiovarus , a prefect of the emperour maximian ; and as for the legio secunda felix valentis thebaeorum , pancirollus will have it , that the emperour valens raised it to make up the loss of the legion which perished at agaunum , on this side of the alpes , for refusing to take the military oaths with the pagan ceremonies . that which led him into this errour , was his having read in other legends , that maximian having passed the alpes , made a detachement of some cohorts of the thebean legion , with some other troops , to reinforce the army wherewith he designed to oppose carausius . thus this famous antiquary of these few cohorts , hath made an entire legion . which is so far from being true , that in the following chapters the same thebean souldiers , who are now supposed to have been sent against carausius , will furnish us with new proofs against the martyrdom of the whole thebean legion . chap. xiii . that if the history of this legion were true , there would not be so much uncertainty of the time wherein it happened . another character of falshood , in the history of the thebean legion , which deserves our observation , is the uncertainty and contrariety of the writers of the church of rome , concerning the time in which they suppose the thebean legion suffered . the martyrdom of a whole legion is so memorable an event , that if it were true , it would certainly have been written and described in all its circumstances in the annals of the church . and though the ecclesastical writers had been so negligent as to be silent therein , yet , aurelius victor , eutropius , jordanes , or some other author , would undoubtedly have made amends for this omission titus livius , failed not to relate the tragical end of that legion , whereof all the souldiers were condemned to death for mutining and possessing themselves of rhegium , during the war of the romans with pyrrhus . and yet some would have it , that six thousand , six hundred , sixty and six officers and souldiers , were massacred by the emperour's order , upon their refusal to swear by his false gods , and to joyn with the other troops that were heathens , in shedding of christians blood ; though not one word is to be found either in profane or ecclesiastical writers , whereby to discover the exact time of an event , which so many circumstances render so extraordinary and wonderful . neither do the ablest writers of the romish church agree upon the year , the pope , or the consul , under whom it happened . cardinal baronius puts their martyrdom under the pontificate of marcelline , in which errour he was followed by two learned fathers of the oratory , namely * le cointe , and morin . anthonius pagi refers this martyrdom to the first years of emperour . the jesuite * labbe forsakes here the opinion of his baronius , and 't is he perhaps , whom anthonius pagi followed . his words are these . 't is said that about the year 286 sebastianus tiburtinus , tranquillus , marcellinus , zeus , mauricius , and several others with the thebean legion suffered death for the faith of jesus christ at agaunum , at the entrance of the pennine alpes this agrees very well with the pontificate of cajus , and the beginning of the empire of dioclesian . and whereas cardinal baronius refers the martyrdom of the thebean souldiers to the year 297. it happened according to father labbe's computation in the year 286 , viz. immediately after that carinus was killed , and that dioclesian had taken maximian into the government ▪ which if true , what will become of mr. duchesne's argument in his history of popes , who to prove that pope marcelline did not sacrifice to idols in the time of persecution , as is most commonly believed , saith , that this pope adminstred the sacrament of confirmation to the thebean legion , when they passed by rome , and earnestly exhorted them to piety and to perseverance in religion ? here labbe and pagi , put the martyrdom of this legion several years before the pontificate of marcelline in the mean while we may take notice of the extraordinary fair dealing of this jesuite , who does not give us the martyrdom of the thebean legion , as a thing whereof he himself is very well assured , and of which he hath found any authentick records and proofs , but only with an , it is said , or given out ; and this no doubt he does , as being unwilling to vouch for a relation which he found to be somewhat fabulous . now if it be reply'd , that it is not fairly done to deny a matter of fact , meerly because its epoche is uncertain ; it may be answered , that there is a great deal of difference between one transaction and another ; that there are in ecclesiastical history , several relations of matters of fact , concerning which this argument would prove of no great force . but the martyrdom of a whole legion is a thing so extraordinary , so singular , and so remarkable in it self , that the uncertainty of the time in which they say it happen'd , makes it very suspitious . and for the same reason several person doubt of the dispute of st. peter with simon magus , and of the surprizing death of this wicked man , whom the devils let fall to the ground , after they had born him up for some considerable time in the air. 't is true that eusebius , sulpitius severus , and st. austin , take notice of this memorable event . but those who believe it to be false , do reply that one ought not always to trust to the relations of the ancient ecclesiastical authors , because the zeal they had for religion , made 'em not always very nice in the choice of proofs and examples ; and sometimes they had a mind to oppose one miracle to another , seeing that the whole pagan religion was built upon the belief of miracles , and the apparitions of their false gods. they add farther , that had this event happened , as it is reported , it would have occasioned so much noise in rome , and through the whole empire , that some footsteps thereof would have been preserved in the writings of pagan authors . and that after all , though it was believed by eusebius , sulpitius severus , and st. austin , this does not make it less dubious , since those three writers do not agree about the time wherein it happn'd . eusebius puts it under the empire of claudius , st. austin , and several others , under that of nero , about the year of our lord 67. and sulpitius severus refers it to the time when st. paul came to rome , towards the year 57. and this is the very argument we urge against the martyrdom of the thebean legion . chap. xiv . that the martyrdom of the thebean legion cannot be referred either to a general , or to a local and particular persecution . another character of falshood , yet more palpable , and in the very fact , is this , that if the thebean legion suffered death for being christians , this must have happened in the time of the general persecution , or of a local and particular one . now if we examine exactly all the afflictions and calamities that befel the church uuder the reign of dioclesian , we find neither time nor room where to place the martyrdom of the thebean legion . for place it if you please with cardinal baronius in the year 297. or put it in the year 286. with labbe and pagi , what side soever you take , you shall never make it fall in with the general persecution , which happened in the year 303. according to the opinions of the learned * * henry noris , mr. de valois , and mr. baluze . riccioli a jesuite , in his reformed chronology finds , fault with baronius and petau , for placing the beginning of it in the year 302. and remarks that onuphrius hath been more exact in his computation , who makes the general persecution to begin in the month of march , and in the year 303. samuel petit hath thought fit to put it off to the year 304. in his summary collections of chronology , where he saith , that the difference about the celebration of easter , caused this persecution to begin sooner in one country than in another ; and that the emperour ▪ dioclesian ( the better to surprize the christians , and to make the effects of his rage both the more certain and dreadful ) commanded they should be massacred on easter-day . but though the martyrdom of the thebean legion , could be made to agree in point of time with the general persecution , yet this would not remove all difficulties , since 't is possible this persecution might not reach so far as the country where it is supposed that the thebean souldiers suffered . however , notwithstanding the diversity of opinions about the circumstances of their martyrdom , all the writers who have handled this matter , do agree , that the country of valesia , and the neighbourhood of agaunum had their soil honoured with the effusion of their blood. now the business is , to know whether that canton was not of gaul , and in the division of constantius . aurelius victor does clearly decide the question , saying , that in the partition of the empire , constantius had for his share all the gallick provinces beyond the alpes ; and one need only cast his eye upon the map , and he will find that agaunum is beyond the alpes in respect to rome . in the book which we have already cited of dignities of the empire , notice is taken of the seventeen provinces of gaul , and amongst them the alpes called grajae and penninae are comprehended . now it is certain , that the ancient agaunum was situated in these alpes , which were inhabited by a people called veragri . and therefore , briet the jesuite , a man so very well seen in ancient and modern geography , puts in the fifth viennese octodurum , which is now the chief city of valesia . this fifth viennese included most part of the alpes called grecian , and pennine , and belonged to gaul , by the division which the romans made of the provinces of the empire . morever , father pagi proves that these grecian alpes were none of the five provinces , which composed the ancient province of narbonne , and that they were in gaul at the time when the province of narbonne was separated and joined to italy . seeing then that the country of valesia , where agaunum stood belonged to the gauls at that time , and was then under the government of constantius , this will suffice to shew that the martyrdom of the thebean legion , cannot be placed in the time of the general persecution mr. bosquet , bishop of montpellier , and mr dodwel in his dissertations upon st cyprian , have made it out , that constantius chlorus was the only prince of all those that had then a share in the empire , who never persecuted the christians . and of this great moderation of his , the donatists were not wanting to take notice , in their humble address to constantine , hoping thereby to incline him to mildness , and a toleration of their sect. likewise eusebius , in the life of the emperour constantine , relates one of his edicts , in which he gives this commendation to his father , that of all his colleagues in the empire , he only left the christians in peace and unmolested . 't is true indeed , that yielding to the necessity of the times , he comply d so far with the two other emperours , as to permit the christian * temples in his division to be demolished ; but lactantius observes , that he took care that no harm should be done to their persons . for this reason , the defenders of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , will be forced to have recourse to some local and particular persecution , which must have been raised against the church some years before the time of the general one. but then they ought to mark out to us , out of some good authors both the places and times of these local and particular persecutions . for we are a little too hard of belief for the legend-writers ; nor can we swallow the relations of things said to have been done in the second and third centurys when there is nothing produced in confirmation thereof but lives and passions composed by monks , who lived some eight or nine hundred years after . and yet it would be no easie matter to find any one of that order , who refers the martyrdom of the thebean legion to a particular persecution , which only raged in some single countrey . they have all-spoken of it , after the same manner as matthew of westminster hath done , who places this martyrdom in the year 303. and saith , that it was at that time that the thebean legion , made up of six thousand , six hundred , sixty and six s uld●ers , suffered death couragiously for the faith of christ . according to the ●hronology of this benectine monk , the thebean legion suffered in the time of the general persecution ; and he joins this event with the martyrdom of st. alban and other english saints ; though it is not true neither , that constantius permitted these violences to be done in england ; and besides , gildas , and polydor vergil , place their martyrdom in the year 305. in the mean while it is worth our observation , that the manuscript so much commended by father chifflet , is different from that which matthew of westminster made use of , for it is said in that as well as in the copies which surius and baronius followed , that the legion was composed of six thousand , six hundred , sixty six souldiers . we don't pretend however , to deny that there have been some local persecutions before that fatal interview of dioclesian and valerius , at nicomedia , where these two emperours resolved the general persecution . for we do agree with the learned theodorus ruinart , that sometimes the governours , the judges , and the pagan priests in their turns , raised some persecutions , here and there , in some or place or other of the empire . but we say , that it cannot be referred to any of the local persecutions , which are found in church history . if it could be applied to any particular one , it must be to that which was raised at rome ( and in which baronius relates that st sebastian suffered martyrdom ) rather than to any other . but of this the cardinal observes , that it extended not much further than rome , and consequently not so far as the alpes , and to agaunum . in short , before the time of the general persecution , we find some christians condemned to death in some parts of the empire ; but before the unhappy congress at nicomedia , 'ts not possible to shew any-where , during the whole reign of dioclesian , any such massacre as that of a whole legion . chap. xv. that the martyrdom of the thebean legion cannot be reconciled with the history , and years of the emperour maximian . the character of forgery which we have dispatched in the precedent chapter , will appear yet more evident , by considering further , that 't is supposed that the thebean legion suffered death by order of maximian ; whereas there is no room for this martyrdom , either in the life or years of this emperour . the copies of surius and chifflet , and all the legend-writers who have followed them , agree in this , that this emperour caused the thebean souldiers to be put to death in an expedition which he made into gaul . accordingly then a place must be found for their martyrdom in some of maximian's voyages , on the other side of the alpes . lactantius , in his history of the deaths of the persecutors , makes mention of three of them . the first , was occasioned by the marriage of his daughter fausta with constantine , to whom he gave the title of augustus , he having had only that of caesar before . he was forc'd to undertake the second to shun the fury of his souldiers , who were extreamly incensed against him , for designing to deprive his son maxentius of the empire , by whom he had been restored to the purple , which he had freely abdicated before . and he came the third time into gaul , at his return from his journey into hungary , whither he went , but unsuccessfully , to sollicite dioclesian to resume the government ; and it was then that constantine , perceiving the ill design he had formed to destory him , thought it necessary to prevent him , and caused him to be strangled . but the martyrdom of the thebean legion , does not answer to any of these expeditions , since they are all posterior to the year 306. and all historians agree , that the general persecution at that time began to abate in the west . besides , it is certain that maximian in none of these progresses passed the alpes with an army , and that his fortune and the posture of his affairs at that time , did not put him into a condition to deprive himself of a whole legion . where shall we then find a fourth expedition of maximian into gaul , in which this emperour might be supposed to have murthered the whole thebean legion ? there is none left but that which is mentioned by eutropius , and aurelius victor . these two historians agree that some troops of banditi or rapperees , who were called bagauds , having raised a tumult in gaul , and put themselves under the conduct of amandus and aelianus , dioclesian made maximian his partner in the government , and sent him in all haste with an army to punish those rebels . but the time of this expedition is not agreed upon . father petau relates at large the different opinions of the learned concerning it , in his book of the doctrine of times . he thinks that maximian's reign began in the year of our lord 285. dioclesian being then emperour , and vested the second time with the tribunitian power ; and he confutes baronius who was led into a mistake by a passage of mamertine . mr. baluze affirms , that dioclesian having been raised to the empire on the 20 of november in the year 284. took maximian into the government on the first of april , in the year 285. and sets it down as a point universally agreed in history , that the i wentieth year of maximian ought to answer his eighth consulship . from whence he concludes , that dioclesian reigned twenty years , five months , and twelve days ; and maximian , twenty years , and a full month. so that if this calculation be just , the beginning of maximian's reign ought to be reckoned from the first of april , in the year 285. father * pagi followeth the author of the alexandrian chronicle , and having placed the beginning of dioclesian's reign on the 17 th of september in the year 284 he adds that maximian was created ▪ caesar on the 20 of novemb. the same year . eutropius , and aurelius victor , are different in their expression concerning the character which dioclesian gave to maximian , when he sent him into gaul against the bagands . eutropius saith , herculeum caesarem misit , and aurelius victor saith , imperatore● jubet . which difference occasioneth another dispute amongst the criticks , viz. whether maximian was made first caesar , and then augustus , according to the usual custom ; or whether both the dignities were conferred on him at one and the same time . anthony pagi , and henry noris , differ onely in the time , in which they suppose maximian was raised to the dignity of augustus ; and they are of opinion that before this he was made caesar . but though both of them are great masters , and seem able to pronounce upon this matter , yet mr. baluze , in his notes on lactantius , is for the contrary , and alledges several laws from whence he gathers , that maximian was first created augustus . against which opinion of his , a medal of francis angeloin's inscribed nobilis caesar , and on the reverse principi ivventvtis , was thought to make very much . but this difficulty the famous mr. cuper , in his notes on lactantius hath removed . where he observes , that this medal ought to be referred to galerius maximianus , by reason that several of his are found with the same inscriptions , which are not upon any of the medals of herculeus maximianus , collected by counte mezabarba . but the subject we have before us does not require that we should trouble our selves about these chronological questions . we are in search of the time when maximian took another journey into gaul , not mentioned by lactantius . now the difficulty is not to find out that time , seeing it is circumstanced both in eutropius , and aurelius victor , by two memorable events ; one of which is his exaltation to the empire , and the other the bagaudian revolt under their leaders amandus and aelianus . both which do shew , that he undertook the gallican expedition in the year of our lord ▪ 285. to wit , at the beginning of his reign , and above eighteen years before he took his other journies spoken of by loctantius . but our business is to examine , whether we can fix the martyrdom of the thebean legion to that time . and the dispute is at an end , if we give credit to those acts of the agaunian martyrs , which both surius and baronius have followed . for there mention is made of the bagauds , of amandus and aelianus , of maximian s assumption to the empire , and of his expedition into gaul with the thebean legion . all which does agree well enough with the time we have assigned for the same expedition . and it is strange , that cardinal baronius , who hath followed the acts of surius , and ought consequently to have joined the time of the bagaudian revolt , with that of the death of the thebean souldiers , hath , notwithstanding this , placed their martyrdom in the year 297 , viz. twelve years after dioclesian had taken maximian into the government , and sent him into gaul to suppress the rebellion of amandus and aelianus . and since these two events fell out so well to the purpose , one would wonder father chifflet should be so transported , upon his finding a manuscript in which there is not a word spoken of the begauds , no● of amandus nor aelianus , if it were not that king sigismond unluckily appeared there also amongst the rest . for as these two concuring events very much favoured the martyrdom of the thebean legion , so what is there related of st. sigismond made it evident , that st. eucherius could not be the author of the acts of that martyrdom , since he dyed several years before this prince came into the world. bollandus thought he might save the credit of this piece , prove it to be the work of this holy bishop of lions , and remove the anachronism , by saying , that there was formerly a monastery at agaunum , and that king sigismond only repaired and beautified it . but because it is but a poor shift , destroyed both by the acts of surius , and the accounts which all the historjans give of that martyrdom , father chifflet was overjoyed upon his finding a manuscript , wherein not the least mention is made of king sigismond , or of the bagaudian insurrection . we have already declared how good an opinion we have of father chifflet's integrity , which we don't pretend to retract . nevertheless , if he be not the man who hath helped this place out of the acts of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , no body ought to find fault with us , if we suspect that some others might have conjured it away . whatsoever may be the antiquity of father chifflet's manuscrpit , sure it is that impopostors are yet much ancienter than it . now i hope father ruinart will not except against us , for making some advantage of the advice he himself gives in his answer to mr. dodwel , viz. that the collectors of the acts of murtyrs have frequently added too , and lop't off such things as they did not like . but let us come now to the matter it self , and examine whether the martyrdom of the thebean legion , can be made to fall in with maximian's fourth expedition into gaul , mentioned by eutropius , and aurelius victor . the emperour dioclesian , fearing lest the gallican revolt should be of dangerour consequence , assumes him into the government , to the end , that by his assistance he might with more ease to himself undergo the weight of it ; he raises an army with all speed to suppress this threatning insurrection in its birth ; then it is supposed that he sent for the thebean legion from the east , to serve in the expedition . and yet they needs will have it , that having passed the mountains with them , and in a manner facing the enemy , such a frenzy of superstition on a sudden seized him , as made him weaken his army by the martyrdom of this whole legion . we took notice before , that the author of this romance was not very cautious in observing the rules of probability , but because some things may be true , though they do not seem very probable , we shall therefore add something of more weight than meer conjeures , for the proof of our assertion . first then , let a man be never so little versed in roman history , he will find no ground there to believe , that maximian , being but lately admitted to a share in the empire , should by his own single authority cut off a whole legion . for though dioclesian had made him augustus , yet were they masters in common , and joint sharers of the provinces , arms , and legions of the empire . galesius and constantius were the first that shared the empire . this the city of rome took very ill , looking upon it as a diminution of its power and glory . but this sharing of the empire ending in the victories which constantine got over all his competitors , rome became again the mistress of the universe . whereupon the poet porphyrius , in a poem which he composed in the 15 th year of this prince , has these words . — lacera cruentis imperii pars fessa poli , diversa gemehat s●eptra , & ausoniae moerebat perdita jura . during the division of the empire , each emperour acted as he pleased in his own district , and was under no obligation to communicate his affairs and conduct to the other emperours ; whereas when the empire was possessed jointly by two or three emperours , they consulted one another in all affairs of importance , because each had an equal right to the whole , aequo jure , as eutropius saith , speaking of marcus aurelius , and of lucius verus . whence we may judge , if it be possible in reason to suppose , that maximian would of his own head have commanded a whole legion to be put to death , and without so much as consulting dioclesian , have allarm'd all the christians throughout the empire by so violent a persecution . 't is true indeed , if the loss of a whole legion , cut off by the command of a cholerick and enraged prince , were to be look'd upon as a trifling matter , and of no consquence to the state , there would have been no great need for maximian upon this occasion , to have ask'd the advice of his colleague ; but i question much , whether any considering person will think it so . secondly , let us reflect upon what the historians tell us of the reign of dioclesian and maximian till the time they begun to persecute the christians , and we shall find that they represent those times to us , as times of ease and plenty , and they speak of their government as managed with clemency and moderation . matermin tells maximian , that no sooner had the light of his government shined upon the empire , but it overspread all places with peace and security . eusebius , in the 12 th and 13 th chapter of the 8 th book of his church-history , cannot forbear making frequent mention of the happiness , which both the church and empire enjoyed before dioclesian and maximian had resolved to exterminate the christians . who can express ( saith he ) the prosperity and plenty which the empire enjoyed , so long as those who governed were well and kindly affected towards us . he had said before , we want words to express the great value and esteem which the doctrine of our blessed saviour met with amongst the greeks and barbarians , and the perfect liberty and tranquility which the professours of it enjoyed before the persecution which was raised against the church in our days . the particular affection the emperours shewed towards those of our religion , and the honour they did them , in conferring upon them the government of provinces , without obliging them to sacrifice to their idols . and a little after he adds . who can recount the great numbers of those who came over every day to make profession of our faith ; how many churches were erected in every city , and in what crowds came people to pay their homage to god ; insomuch , that the ancient buildings proving too narrow to receive them , it was necessary to have others built more large and capacious . neither could the envy of devils , or malice of men , put a stop to this progress of christianity , so long as the people of god were not unworthy of his almighty protection and favour . but when the excessive liberty we enjoyed , had slackned the strictness of our discipline ; so that we begun to make war amongst our selves with abusive and bitter words ; and bishops incensed against bishops , raised dissentions and disorders ; in a word , when malice and couzenage were come to their height , then divine justice lift up his hand to punish us , first gently , as it useth to do , and permitted those amongst the faithful , who made profession of arms , to be persecuted first . now , who can believe that the thebean legion was massacred at the time here described by mamertine and eusebius ? can any one style that a reign of peace , meekness , and felicity , in which above six thousand six hundred persons were at one time inhumanly murthered ? 't is supposed that maximian commanded them to be put to death , upon their refusal to sacrifice to idols , and yet eusebius told us just now , that both dioclesian and maximian conferred the government of provinces on christians , without any obligation to offer sacrifice . it was then the custom amongst the romans , that the proconsuls , the govenours , and other magistrates should sacrifice to the gods , to the safety and genius of the emperours , and should be present at all the publick sacrifices offered to them ; which is the reason , that the first christians shunned those employments as very dangerous baits , and occasions of sin. but their exemplary integrity being without doubt a motive to the emperours , to desire they might be employed in places of publick trust , eusebius observes , that they acquitted them from the obligation of doing sacrifice , ( as mr. de valois reads that passage out of the manuscripts of the medicean , and the mazarine libraries ) 't is true , that eusebius saith , that the faithful who made profession of arms were persecuted first . but this cannot be apply'd to the martyrdom of the thebean legion . for it is supposed that this legion was barbarously massacred ; and eusebius speaks of a persecution , whereby god did only gently and modarately chastise the church . but certainly the martyrdom of a whole legion cannot be called a light and gentle chastisement . but thirdly , these last words of eusebius shew clearly , that it is not possible to make the martyrdom of the thebean legion , f●ll in with maximian's expedition into gaul against the begauds . eusebius having said expresly , that the faithful who made profession of arms were persecuted first , we need only find out the time when that persecution against the souldiers begun . for if it was in the year 285. we may suppose , indeed , that the thebean legion was then condemned to death , since it was about that time that maximian was taken into the government , and caused the legions to march into gaul , to suppress the rebelion of amandus and aelianus , as eutropius , and aurelius victor relate . but what will they say , if the persecution of the souldiers did not begin till above twelve years after that time . father pagi places it in the year 298. and mr. dodwel in 301. whose reasons may be seen in his dissertations upon st. cyprian . but without entring upon these disputes of chronology it will be sufficient to prove that the persecution of the souldiers happened several years after maximian's expedition into gaul . now the account which lactantius hath given , both of the time and occasion of the persecution of the thebean souldiers , leaves no place to doubt of it . he saith , that dioclesian being anxious about the success of the war against the persians , which he had left to the conduct of galerius , consulted the aruspices concerning the event thereof , and adds , that the inspector having told him , that the presence of the christians hindred him from making any discovery in the entrals of the victims ▪ the emperour thereupon commanded that the souldiers should sacrifice to the idols , and upon refusal should be drawn out of their respective ranks , and disbanded . mr. baluze , on this place of lactantius , saith , that eusebius hath very well observed , that the persecution begun with the souldiers ; and that really none but those who served in the army were at first persecuted . we ought especially to observe that lactantius saith expresly , that the emperours anger and fury against the souldiers proceeded no further at that time than to cashier them . which act of his , eusebius calls a punishment ; for amongst the romans to be cashiered and turned out of the army , was accounted a great shame and disgrace , as hirtius tells us , speaking of the african wars . however , eusebius is in the right , to call this ignominy a light and gentle punishment , in comparison of the other evils which the christians suffered some years after . therefore * sulpitius severus , after having said that licinius contending for the empire with constantine , commanded the christian souldiers either to sacrifice to the idols , or to lay down their arms , adds , but we don t reckon this amongst the persecutions , as being too inconsiderable a thing to deserve a place amongst the wounds which the church received . had the thebean legion suffered martyrdom at that time , they would certainly have been reckoned among the souldiers who suffered persecution ; and because so great and remarkable an event as this could not have escaped the knowledge both of eusebius and laciantius , 't is not likely the latter would have said , that the emperours did only at first cashier the souldiers , and the former would not have called this persecution a light and gentle punishment . and since 't is agreed on all hands , that those who made profession of arms were persecuted first , 't is manifest that the martyrdom of the thebean legion cannot be referred to the expedition which maximian made into gaul , to suppress the revolt of amandus and aelianus . for maximian undertook this expedition some months after his admission to the government , about the year 285. and the persecution of the souldiers , according to lactantius , did not begin till a long time after . the same author saith , that the persian wars did then take up all the thoughts of the court ; whence it follows , that this expedition did not happen till after he had settled his affairs in egypt , and severely punished those who had followed the party of achillaeus , and at the time when he was putting himself into a condition to be revenged upon narses king of persia , who taking advantage of the revolt of egypt ▪ made irruptions into armenia and mesopotamia . which hapned several years after maximian's advancement to the empire , and his bagaudian expedition . chap. xvi . that it is not true , that the bagauds were christians , and that the thebean legion suffered death for refusing to persecute them . it will not be amiss to take notice here of an objection , which may perhaps be made a gainst us , viz. that it is true that the persecution mentioned in the precedent chapter did not begin till near the year 298 , or 301 ; but that maximian was oblig'd to cut off the theb. legion upon another account , which was , that those people who had revolted , and went under the nick-name of bagauds , being christians , the emperour was afraid least the theb. souldiers who were of the same religion , should joyn with the rebels , and therefore he thought it the best course he could take to get himself thus rid of them , and that this was the chief , and indeed , the true cause of their martyrdom . here we are to consider what mezeray saith in his second book of the origin of the french concerning this matter . these are his words . after carinus at his departure from gaule had drawn thence all his legions to go and encounter dioclesian ; the provinces , being freed from the troops that kept them in awe attempted likewise to shake off the heavy yoke of settled taxes , and the arbitrary extorsions of their governours : which lying heaviest upon the countrey people , they took up arms first & aelianus and amandus , two officers in the roman army , were so unwise as to put themselves at the head of them . such slaves as were hardly used by their masters , joyned with them ; some came into this party of their own accord , and others were surprised into it , several were sollioited , but most of them scorned the invitation . this rising was call'd bagaud , and the followers of it bagauds or bagaudians . which word ( as some say ) signifies revolt , and perhaps a revolt of such as lived in the woods , according to the etymology of the word from the ancient celtick language . for it is likely that those people having no other fortresses and places to retire to but woods , they there intrenched themselves after the manner of the germans and ancient gauls . there were many woods without doubt in several places of that countrey , but the chiefest and biggest of them was two leagues from paris on the river marne , in a place where now stands the abbey of st. maur , called des fossez , or of the ditches , because they had digged up a very spacious trench to incamp there . most of them were christians . and who knows , but that after so many horrid persecutions which they had suffered , their patience did turn at last into a just fury in arming them both against the torments , and their tormentors . maximian taking a review of his troops near the town of aoste on this side of the alpês , the theb. legion refused to take the oaths with the ceremonies used amongst the pagans , and being encouraged by the speeches of their tribune mauritius , chose rather to undergo two or three decimations , and at last to be all cut to pieces , then to desite themselves by those abominable rites . the whole legion was not there , some cohorts having been detached , who , as we shall see hereafter in another place , signaliz'd themselves by a like victory . so many brave men who despised death would have sold their lives to the romans at a very dear rate , if it had not been more glorious to die for the faith , which they professed , than to fight for it . i say further that they would have strengthened very much the bagaudian party , had their religion permitted them to dissemble till they had joined them . however maximian having defeated some of these bagauds and received others into his favour , and by this means having divided them , he besieged their great intrenchment both by land and by water , with so great vigour and resolution , that at last he took it . all those who were found in it were put to the sword without exception ; and their strong works were so entirely ruin'd and demolish'd , that nothing of them but some few ditches remained we are to believe , saith the author of the life of st. baboulene , that these men being christians , and despising their lives for the sake of their religion , pass'd through martyrdom to the kingdom of heaven ; and though we have not their acts in writing , nevertheless their memory and names shall never be blotted out of the book of life . these are the new weapons wherewith m. de mezeray furnishes the asserters of the martyrdom of the theb. legion . now all these difficulties we are very desirous to remove , the better to clear this piece of ecclesiastical history . first then it is suppos'd in the objection , that most part of the bagauds army were christians , and that the emperour maximian caused the theb. legion to be cut off , for fear so many brave men should joyn with and strengthen the rebels . then it is said , that this objection is taken out of an ancient anonymous writer , who hath given us the life of st. baboulene , and who ought therefore to be credited , by reason that these transactions happened in an age nearer to his , than to our times . our answer to this will not a little contribute , i hope , to discover the falshood of the martyrdom of the theb. legion . and first in this account of mezeray , supported by the authority of that anonymous writer , we find the christians divided in their practice upon a very considerable point of morality . for some of them leaving the plow take up arms against their sovereign , and others on the contrary being up in arms lay them down , and patiently submit to the execution of the barbarous orders of their prince . now to what shall we ascribe this difference in their judgment and practices ? was it that the morality on the other side of the alps differ'd from that of the gauls ? or must we attribute the cause of this difference to the diversity of their climates , educations , tempers and manners ? but we should spend too much time should we go about to untye this knot , therefore the shortest way is to 〈◊〉 it , and to 〈◊〉 positively , that both 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 that is christianity would rather loose than get by it . the martyrdom of the theb. legion is asserted , because it is thought very honourable to christianity ; but then to support the assertion , and insurrection of the first christians in gaule is brought in , and a rebellious conspiracy to shake off the yoak of their masters . so that if those who set up for the defence of an obedience so intirely passive , have , in the example of the theb. souldiers a legion of martyrs to boast of : those , who on the contrary believe , that there are some cases and times , in which patience ought to give place to other vertues , shall find in the bagauds a whole army of christians , in rebellion against the empire , to oppose to that legion : and shall the example of one single legion , be of more weight and consideration , then that of a whole army ? secondly , sulpitius severus , speaking of the persecution which * marcus aurelius rais'd , against the christians , saith , that that was the first time that martyrs were known to have suffered in gaule , christianity having been received somewhat late beyond the alpes . from which words we may very reasonably infer , that it is not likely that when dioclesian admitted maximian to a partnership in the government , the christians were so numerous as to form an army . but if to destroy this consequence , and the authority of sulpitius severus , it be reply'd , that there is no likelyhood that the gospel was preached so late in france , a country so near adjoining to italy , since in the time of marcus aurelius , the apostles and their disciples had published it in the most distant parts of the world ; we will oppose nothing to this answer , that may any way detract from the antiquity of the french churches . for besides , that this would carry us too far beyond our purpose , the persecution , which their unworthy posterity have raised against us , shall never lessen that high and just respect and veneration , we have always had for the first churches of the gauls . but suppose it were true , that st. luke , st. philip , st. paul , crescent , and some other disciples of christ did preach the gospel in gaule , and let it be suppos'd likewise , that it is not without ground that vienna , lions , aix , narbonne , sens , paris , reims , limoges , and toulouse , do boast of having received the christian religion from the apostles , and apostolical men , yet all this would not suffice , unless we should also further suppose , that these first preachers left there both successors and very great numbers of converts . nay , indeed it ought to be made out , that their preaching proved very effectual , and made considerable progress every where . but if none but well approved acts must be trusted , this matter will prove of greater difficulty than may at first be imagined . the assembly of the french clergy having ordered all the bishops to send memoirs to the messicurs of st. marthe , concerning the foundations and antiquity of the churches of their dioceses ; these learned men made to these memoirs several additions and discoveries of their own , and at last caused those large volumes of theirs , of christian france , to be printed : 't is true we find in them , that the christian religion was preached in gaule very early by the apostles and their disciples ; and we believe , that in that respect , the titles of the gallican churches are as good as those of many other churches that flatter themselves with the like belief of their having been honoured with the presence , and the preaching of some or other of the apostles , who came there in person . but if you strictly and impartially consider the works of messicurs de st. marthe , after the apostolick age , you fall into a kind of wilderness , a large waste of almost 250 years , fill'd up with nothing but fabulous legends and uncertain traditions , except the relations of some few martyrs , as those of lions , who shine as stars , in so profound and long a darkness , all the rest being made up of nothing but groundless suppositions , or acts that may easily be proved to be spurious . i have by me the original copy of the memoirs , which artus de lion bishop of gap sent to mrs. de st. marthe , written by himself , and signed with his own hand . where he proves , that st. demetrius , disciple of the apostles , was bishop of gap ; and gives two reasons for it ; the first is , that before the protestants had pull'd down the episcopal palace in the year 1577 , there were seen upon the walls of the great hall , the images of the bishops of gap , and that st. demetrius was at the head of them with these words , saint demetrius the first bishop of the church of gap , and disciple of the apostles : and that by the grace of god they had yet an eye witness of it in their chapter , namely mr. paul of bauvais , who when he wrote these things , was in the hundredth year of his age. the other authority he produces is taken out of a berviary , which bertrand of champeaux bishop of gap , caused to be printed in the year 1499 , where st. demetrius is placed in the calender on the 26th of october , with the character of bishop and martyr , and the word totum duplex , which according to the use of the church of gap signifies the same as ( according to the use of the council of trent ) duplex primae classis , which is proper to the festivals of patrons and titulars of churches . after these so special and convincing proofs , who would venture now to deny that st. demetrius , disciple of the apostles , did plant the faith in the diocess of gap ? that breviary of gap , printed in the year 1499. is a curious piece indeed . we read there in the. 8th lesson of st. demetrius's office , speaking of the etymology of that saint's name , that demetrius ex eo dictus , quia de medio , id est , de mundo triumphavit : and in the fourth lesson , that the city of gap , having been taken by the sarazens , count william beat them out of it , and gave the half thereof for the redemption of his soul , to god and to the blessed virgin mary , in the year of our lord 86 , on the kalends of january , in the fifth indiction . though it is well known to every body that the use of the indictions did not begin till three hundred years after christ , and that the sarazens did not make inruptions into gaule till several years after . should we come to examine narrowly the traditional origins of most gallican churches , we should not , i think , find much more solidity in any of them . and especially we may observe that after the first age , there happened to that kind of traditions such an eclipse , or discontinuation , that they do'nt appear again till after the time of the general persecution . and yet notwithstanding , if we believe mezeray and take his anonimous writer's bare word for it , the christians made a figure great enough at that time in gaule , to raise whole armies against the emperours . however , there is no need of straining very much for to preserve to the churches of france their antiquity , and to sulpitius serverus the authority he deserves in a matter of this nature . for though the apostles and their disciples had preached the christian religion in gaule very early , yet this blessed seed , as well as that in the parable , was soon after choak'd by thorns , and sprung not up again till a long time after , so that it was very late before it came to any considerable maturity there . gregory of tours gives us this way of saving both the authority of sulpitius severus , and the antiquity of the gallick church , who saith , that about the year 250 , under the reign of decius , the city of toulouse had saturnine for its bishop , and that he came from rome with six others to preach the gospel in gaule , viz. gatian at tours , trophimus at arles , paul at narbonne , dionysius at paris , astremonicus at lermont , and martial at limoges these are then the new evangelists sent in the time of decius , to re-kindle the light of the gospel in gaule , which had been so long extinguished there . from whence it may be gathered that the christian religion had not then made any great progress amongst the gauls , since in the year of our lord two hundred and fifty there was need to preach it a fresh there , and even at narbonne and arles , citys rather belonging to italy then to gaule , and which sulpitius meant not to speak of , if we may believe father pagi . how is it possible then to imagin that four years after the reign of decius , the christians should be so multiply'd in gaule , as to be in a condition to make up vast armys , and those so formidable as to strike a terrour into rome it self , and to perplex its emperours . this they would fain perswade us , by asserting peremptorily , that the bagauds were christians , and that maximian destroy'd the theb. legion for no other reason , but because he was afraid they should joyn with them . but thirdly , they are at a very great loss for arguments to prove the martyrdom of their theb. legion , when they are forced to this shift of supposing those bagauds to have been christians . for they cast no small blemish upon the ancient gallican church , who fix such a character upon her sons ▪ & besides they are very much unacquainted with the morals of the christians of those primitive ages , who think they were capable of such injustice and violences , as the bagauds stand charg'd with in history . therefore mezeray receiving the bagauds into the church , thought fit to clear them from these odious aspersions and to justify their proceedings . who knows , saith he , but that having suffer'd so many horrible persecutions , their patience turn'd at last into a just fury , in arming themselves both against the torments and the tormentors . bucherius endeavours likewise to excuse them saying , that the bagauds were moved to a rebellion which was in a manner just , by reason of the crueltys and tyranical impositions of their governours . salvianus did the same before them , whom perhaps they have both followed . he saith , that the bagauds oppressed by their unjust judges , lost all respect for the majesty of the empire , because they had been stript of the rights and priviledges of roman liberty . in short , the emperor augustus , the better to procure himself the good affection of the gauls , had granted to some of them the roman , to others the latine , and to others again the italic laws and liberties . whence salvian took occasion to say : we call the bagauds rebels and profligate villains , when 't is we that have hurried them into these outrages . for how came they to be bagauds , but by our own injustice , by our proscriptions of their persons , and violent vsurpations of their estates ; and this is the effect of their being condemned to death and hang'd for the robberies of their judges , that they are now become like barbarians , because they were not suffered before to live like romans . that priest of marseilles , who wrote about the year of our lord 495 , adds several other things , whereby the crimes and violences which were imputed to the bagauds are laid to the charge of the governours of the gauls , of their judges and of the collectors of the taxes . but he never speaks the least word , from whence we may conclude , that the bagauds were christians , but on the contrary , his way of speaking on their behalf shews plaingly enough , that they did not profess the christian religion , we need only compare his apology with those of athenagoras , of ▪ st. austin , of tertullian , and especially of arnobius , who lived at the time of the bagaudian revolt . these fathers speak of nothing so much as of the piety , meekness , charity and innocence of those happy ages of the church . whereas salvian apologizes for the bagauds by excusing their crimes of injustice , violence and rebellion . were that true which mezeray saith of them , perhaps eutropius and aurelius victor , would have told us something concerning their religion . prosper might also have taken some notice of it , since he makes mention of them in his chronology ; so likewise eumenius in his panegyrick , wherein he informs us , that the bagauds having besieged autun , that city implored the emperour's assistance . but it is most incredible that marmertine would have been silent in this matter in the panegyrick , which he made at treves in praise of the emperour maximian . mr. cuper saith , that he made it in the year 288. the learned henry norris puts it a year later , in his curious dissertations upon the medal of dioclesian and maximian . howsoever it be , mamertine made this publick speech but few years after the defeat of the bagauds ; wherein he endeavours to quicken his discourse by drolling upon their army ; and makes a meer jest of it : that a crew of ignorant rusticks should pretend to the exercise of arms , and military discipline ; that the plowman should change his goad for a pike ; the shepherd leave his flock to turn trouper ; and that the husband man should plunder and waste his own estate , and destroy the fruits of his own labour with as little concern as the most barbarous enemy would have done . from which sharp and pungent expressions , one may give a shrewd guess at what he would have added , had the bagauds professed the christian religion . president fauchet is one of the french writers , who hath made the greatest discoveries in the gallick antiquities . but it does not appear , that he was of opinion , that the bagauds were christians ; for he saith of them . the gauls being overburdened with publick subsidies and taxes rose up in arms in the year of our lord 290 or thereabouts , under the conduct of amandus and aelianus , and took the name of bagauds , which some say , signifies in the old gallick language , forced rebels or traitors , and some are of opinion , that they were all peasants , and will have it , that the vvord bagaud signifies tribute ; the heavy taxes being in some parts of france not many years ago , called bagoges . these troubles were appeased by maximian , dioclesians partner in the empire . joseph scaliger , saith , that bagaud is not a french vvord , but the name of a faction or people , and that ever since the time of dioclesian , the highway-men and robbers were call'd bagauds . which agrees with what aurelius victor saith , that amandus and aelianus gathered together great numbers of peasants and robbers . and that which shews it to be the name of a faction or party according to joseph scaliger's observation , is , that idacius in his chronology speaks of the bagauds , who mutined in spain in the province of tarragonia , under the kings rechila and theodoricus . 't is also very likely , that they wandred from one countrey to another as the hordes of the tartars do . this conjecture is seconded by what prosper tells us of a physician nam'd eudoxius , who took shelter in the bagaud , which then had changed station . and because perhaps they lived in tents , their name might well be derived from thence ; since amerbachius remarks that formerly the tents were call'd baugas . menage in his origines of the french tongue saith , that ciron fetched the term bagaud from the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies in suidas to live a vagabond , or rambling life , and that mr. bochart derived it from the hebrew bagad , which signifies , saith he , to revolt , though it is properly used for perfidious . he relates besides one of the memoirs , which mr. dupuy communicated to him upon the names which divers nations and people have given to the gangs of robbers , or highway-men , where the bagauds seem to answer to the vscoks of dalmatia , the cosaks of poland , the heydukes of hungary , the arabs of africa , and the pyrenean mikelets . so that it makes doubtless very much to the honour of the ancient gallican church to maintain , that those bagauds professed the christian religion . thus we see what poor shifts they are forc'd to make use of in defending the martyrdom of the theb. legion , when they find themselves oblig'd to assert that the best and most ancient christians were banditi , rebels , and rapperies . and besides let the say what they will , they shall never perswade us that in the church of the third century , there were sufficient numbers of these goodly christians to make up an army . so that upon the whole it seems much better to reject as we do , the martyrdom of the theb. legion as a groundless romance , then to cast such a scandal upon the primitive and golden ages of the church ? but had mazeray and the other writers read with attention the fifth book of salvian , in which he deplores the sad misfortune and miseries of gaule , they would never have imagin'd , that the bagauds had been christians . the christians being there very numerous in his time and involved in publick calamities , salvian represents them as persons of a spirit and principles quite different from those which mezeray attributes to the bagauds . vvhat place is there ( saith he ) where the magistrates and governours of towns do not devour the entrails of the widows and orphans , nay and even of the saints too , with whom they deal in like manner , because either the love they have for their religion hinders them from making any resistance , or their innocence and humility does not leave them the power to do it . this was the true spirit of the ancient galican church , and we ought rather to follow salvian , who lived nearer to those first times of christianity , then mazeray and the legend-writers , who say that the christians in gaule rose up in arms , and that maximian caused the theb. legion to be put to the sword , for fear they should joyn with and strengthen that party . nevertheless it is universally believed as a certain truth , not only at turin , but throughout all italy . all the modern writers speak of it after the same manner ; and all the preachers on the festival of the theb. soulders do from their pulpits deliver it so to the people . after the very same manner emmanuel tesauro , famous for several of his other works , and especially his history of the kings of lombardy , relates the matter in the account he gives of the martyrdom of the theb. legion in his history of the city of turin printed in ●olio ; where he saith that at the place where st. mauritius's town now stands , there was an altar upon which the emperour maximian commanded all the souldiers of his army to sacrifice to jupiter , and swear hostilety against the christians . but mezeray , tesauro , and all the others have been led into this mistake by the acts of the martyrs of agaunum . for those acts in surius's copy and in that of chisslet do attribute the cause of their death to their refusal to go and persecute the christians in gaule . * there it is said , that they , together with the rest of the army , were commanded to persecute the christians , and that they alone refused to execute that bloody order . and a little after it follows , that the emperour having commanded the whole theb. legion to be decimated , sent new orders , to force all those who were left to promise that they would persecute the christians . but this chiefly appears in the speech the theb. souldiers are made to speak to maximian , wherein the author of these acts hath displayed all his wit and rhetorick . we offer you , say they , the best service our hands can perform , against all your enemies whatsoever ; but we look upon it as the blackest of crimes , to imbrue them in innocent blood . these hands know how to fight against vvicked men and rebels to the empire , but they have never yet learned to destroy good men and loyal subjects &c. — you command us to go and seck for the christians , that they may be brought to punishment , but there is no need for you to make these enquiries any further , for here we our selves are christians , and do confess god the father the author of a● things , jesus christ his son , and the holy ghost . this one particular related in all the acts of the agaunian martyrs , to wit , that maximian's army was ordered to persecute the christians , and to punish their rebellion , shews evidently the martyrdom of the theb. legion to be but a counterfeit story . such a studied and pathetick speech as this , which they are made to deliver to the emperour , is another proof of the forgery of their acts. these little school declamations would have been very unbecoming the mouths of dying christians and martyrs , whose minds were wholely taken up with the thoughts of another life . whensoever such speeches as these are found in the acts of martyrs we may well conclude , that either those acts are counterfeit , or that those speeches were added to them by some christians of the following ages . the true acts of martyrs , are those that have been taken out of the publick registers , church-offices , and proconsular acts. now after the stentence of death pronounced against the christians , it was not usual amongst the romans to insert or add to them any thing more in the publick registers . the opinion of mezeray upon this matter is so just and so rational , that it is well worth reciting . in all the authentick acts of martyrs ( saith he ) you will find an ardent charity for god and their brethren , a modesty and humility so much the greater by how much they were more constant and worthy of glory , an entire confidence in the grace of god , an extream diffidence of their own weakness , much meekness and compassion for those who were fallen , great wisdom and strength , and above all , continual prayers to god : all which godly dispositions render those other acts , which make martyrs utter long speeches and elaborate discourses , invectives and threatnings , justly suspected . fourthly , since mezeray was induced to believe , that the greatest part of maximian's army were christians , only upon the authority of the authors of st. baboulene's life , it will not be amiss to examine what can be built upon this writer's authority ; and i● we cast but half an eye upon this work of his , we shall plainly discern that the whole from the beginning to the end of it is made up of nothing but fabulous legends and fictions . the manucript is kept at paris in the library of st. germain des-prez , and james dubrcuil , a monk of that abbey , made an abrigdment of it , and published it in the year 1614. mr. du chesne inserted it some years after in his history of france ; father le-cointe takes notice of it also in his annals , and rejecteth it as altogether unworthy of credit ; for he observeth , that this writer exactly follows in every thing that anonymous impostor , who wrote the acts of the kings of france ; of which he gives these following particulars . first , that he makes erchenald major of the palace in the first year of clovis , whereas fredegair calls him , who was then in that office aeganes . secondly , that he confounds aubert , bishop of paris under king clovis , with agilbert , who was bishop of that ●●e under clotary . son to clovis . thirdly , that of two baboulenes , one of whom was abbas bob●ensis , and the other abbas fosatensis , he makes but one . fourthly , that he reckons but 85. years from the death of clovis the first to the death of clovis the second ; fifthly , that he makes clovis the second to succeed his father dagobert in the year of our lord 643 , in the first indiction . and several other faults he finds in the same author all contrary to the known truth of history . but a most notable one is his saying , that the abbey of st. maur des fossez is situate in the place where formerly the camp of the bagauds was , and that they incamped there because there was then standing an old castle , built by julius caesar , inclosed with walls , and secured on all sides with large ditches . the truth is , that that abbey of st. maur is call'd by several writers of the later ages castrum bagaudarum . mr. menage in his origines upon the word bagauds saith , that in a charter of the abbey of st. maur , granted in the year 868. st. maur des fossez is call'd castrum bagaudarum , and adds because anciently it was a fort of the bagauds . but who told that anonymus author , that julius caesar had built there a noble castle , nobiliter constructum . he is the only writer who speaks of that castle , there is not the least mention of it in the commentaries of julius caesar , though all his actions in gaule are therein writen with the greatest exactness . moreover , this impostor makes orosius to say things , which he never thought of . for orosius saith , that amandus and aelianus having got a considerable number of peasants together , raised great disturbances in gaule , which oblig'd dioclesian to create maximianus herculeus , caesar , and to send him thither , who being a man of considerable experience in war , easily dispersed that army of peasants which was altogether without order and discipline . but this anonymous scribler makes orosius to say , that amandus and aelianus were christians , and that they revolted only , because they thought that their religion did not allow them to obey pagan princes . it is a strange impudence this , first to invent fables , and then for the confirmation of them , to quote a famous historian . if we take this authors quotation out of him for truth , orosius attributes very noble and evangelical morals to the christians of the third century , in making them shake off the authority of their lawful superiours , only because they were not of their own religion . monsieur de tirlemont makes a remark very su●iable to the purpose . it is upon the acts of st. maximus , related by baronius in the year 254. there arises , saith he , yet greater difficulties from what optimus saith , that the edict of decius , commanded all christians to forsake their superstition , and to acknowledge their lawful prince , on whom all things depended , and to worship his gods. against which mr. tirlemont with great reason does except thus . what does all this mean ? should then the christians have made any difficulty to acknowledg decius for their emperour ? by no means . but the truth is , that though they were the most submissive and truest subjects to their princes , nevertheless , because they did not prefer them to god himself , they were deemed to fall from the duty of their allegiance . in fine , this anonymous writer of mezeray's relates the martyrdom of the theb. legion very differently , both from the counterseit st. eucherius , surius , and father chifflet . for he saith , that maximian having ordered , that all the souldiers of his army should swear upon the altars of his gods , sacrifice to them , and oblige themselves by an oath , that they would persecute the christians where-ever they should meet with any of them : mauritius answered for the whole theb. legion under his command . we know , o emperour , how to fight against rebels and wicked persons ; but we know not how to make war upon good men , and our own fellow subjects : though we are all well arm'd , yet we do'nt make any resistance , as being more willing to have our own blood shed , than to shed that of others . so without any more ado they stretched out their necks to the executioners , and were raised by their torments to the glory of paradise . and thus this anonymous author leads us immediatly to the end of his romance , whereas the supposed st. eucherius , after maximian hath given his barbarous orders , makes the theb. legion to withdraw ; supposes , that it refuses to march ; saith , that it was only decimated at first ; makes the emperour to reiterate his orders , relates their speech to this prince ; and so entertaining his reader with a great number of intervening particulars , he at last brings him to the catastrophe of his tragedy . whence it follows , that the martyrdom of the theb. legion is not originally found but in false and supposititious writings , and was only related at first by impostours . one invented and publish'd the story of this martyrdom , another vouch'd for the truth of that narrative , by another of his own : and upon the credit of these two relators , hundreds of others believed it , and at last it became a common opinion in the world. for a tale never misses to be credited , when it begins to grow ancient ; and we see every day , that when any relation hath passed for current for fifty or threescore years , it is then almost too late to contradict , or call it in question . chap. xvii . that it is not true , that some cohorts of the theb. legion were detached out of maximian's army to march against carausius . towards the end of the counterfeit agaunian acts there is a passage which affords us another proof , that this story of the theb. legion is a forgery . it was , saith the author , a common report , that vrsus and victor , two souldiers of that legion , suffered death for christ at soleurre . if we ask the legend writers , how it came to pass , that these two theb. souldiers left their legion , and were martyred so far off in suisserland , they answer , that maximian upon his march into gaule , to compose the bagaudian troubles , was inform'd that carausius had revolted , and seized on both the port of bologne and the navy which the romans kept there . which news oblig'd him to make a great detachment of his army , and to send it in haste down the rhine against this rebel . they add , that there were amongst this detachment some cohorts of the theb legion , all the souldiers whereof were massacred upon the roads , upon the news of what had happened at agaunum to the body of the legion ; so that vrsus and victor were put to death at soleurre : three hundred and eighteen were thrown into a well at colen , and the rest in several places suffered martyrdom . if you ask them further , who told them all these transactions and particulars , they cite you one helinaud a monk of the cistertian order , and author of the acts of florentius , cassius , victor , gerion and several other souldiers of the theb. legion . these acts are found in surius on the 10th of october , where he puts the death of these pretended saints ; and it is strange , that cardinal baronius should not scruple to follow these acts , and to make use of them , when they are full of such visible and palpable untruths ; unless he did it for the reason we have formerly given , viz. that in examining the martyrdom of the theb. legion so many apocryphal authors and supposititious writings do occur by the way , that it is very troublesom to get rid of them . which thing however , far from being favourable to that martyrdom , ought the rather to render it more su●picious , seeing that nothing can be produced in its defence but spurious and counterfeited acts. but let us hear what helinaud himself saith , he tells us ; that the emperour maximian marching against the bagauds had notice given him , that carausius was forming some enterprise against the empire ; that this carausius was a man of quality , and made by the romans governour of a province near the ocean and upon those confines of gaule and saxony , which the franks , driven a second time out of their own countrey , were come to inhabit . that the emperour upon this news gave orders that part of his army should go down the rhine ; amongst which were some cohorts of christian souldiers commanded by gerion , victor , cassius and florentius . then he relates the martyrdom of the theb. legion , upon their refusing to adore an idol , that maximian set up at a place called afterwards st. maurice , and to which he order'd all his army to do sacrifice . then he saith , that the emperours life-guards followed the detachment sent against carausius , and that having understood , that cassius and florentius with seven others were of the theb. legion , they cut off their heads near verona on the rhine ; that gerion marching before with three hundred and eighteen theb. souldiers , the imperial ministers came up to them before they had heard any thing of this massacre of their fellow soldiers ; that all of them received with constancy the crown of martyrdom in a field near colen , and that the executioners having cut their bodies to pieces threw them into a deep well . then headds , that the other cohort com mnded by victor was marching in great haste to their rendevouz , and was come to the town of the gauls , call'd by the inhabitants troy , or xanthus , in rememberance of the old troja , from whence their ancestors came . but that while they were encamping in the pleasant meadows , near that place , the commissioners of the emperor arrived , who having massacred victor , that illustrious soldier of jesus christ , with three hundred and thirty other theb. souldiers , sunk their dead bodies into marshy grounds and ditches . mezeray has also suffer'd himself to be imposed upon by this account of helinaud , as well as by that other of the anonymous author of st. baboulene 's life . since therefore he has collected the materials of his history of france , before the times of clovis , out of such uncertain and adulterate writings , this may serve as a caution to his readers not to believe every thing he saith . this helinaud , saith he , wrote about the year 1212 , but he must have taken this narrative from other authors more ancient than himself . but for those which he makes use of , we know nothing of them , i wish they had told us where that new troy was , which was then inhabited by the gauls . some are of opinion that he meant by it , the trajan colony , and that through ignorance and affectation they imagined it to have been a trojan colony . but if there ever really was a city in that countrey call'd troy , we must believe , that it was built by the gauls , and that they were ever afterwards persuaded of their trojan original ; being either flattered into that opinion by the romans , the better to tame them by a pretended affinity ; or else attributing to themselves that honor , as not willing to yeild in point of antiquity to those to whom they were not inferior in valour . but the following remarks will suffice to shew what little certainty there is both in the text of helinaud and in mezeray 's commentary . first , this cistercian monk makes carausius to have been a man of quality , whereas eutropius , who in all likelyhood was better informed than helinaud , about the birth of carausius , saith expresly , that he was a man sprung from the very dregs of the people . which account of him is confirmed by orosius , who calls him also a man of the meanest extraction . secondly , helinaud saith , that cassius and florentius , with seven other theb. souldiers suffered at verona on the river rhine . this surius also relates upon the credit of those acts ; and baronius hath inserted them in his annals . 't is true , that this cardinal being afterwards sensible of this gross blunder , hath corrected it in his notes on the roman martyrology , where he saith , that instead of verona , we ought to read bon , which is a town of germany situate on the rhine near colen . but does he establish this his correction by the authority of any more authentick manuscript ? does he say , that he hath taken it out of a more exact copy ? not at all . he only saith , that it is his conjecture , because he hath been told that it is at bon , where the reliques of these two theb. souldiers are kept . so that if he had been told , that their reliques were at basil , worms , or spire , he would in all likelyhood have made no difficulty in setting down any of these instead of verona . and for the same reason another may conjecture , that it was at verona in italy , because in that town of the milanese , they think they have the reliques of cassius , as garnier a canon relates it in his history of st. alexander . thirdly , eutropius saith , that carausius was by the romans commissionated at bologne , to free those seas from the piracies of the franks and saxons . and helinaud makes carausius procurator for the romans , in a province bordering upon the franks , contrary to the geography of those times , which places the franks in germany and very far from the belgick frontiers . besides , if eutropius represents the belgicks , infested by the franks , he observes at the same time , that they were pirates who kept the seas , and consequently whose places of abode might have been at a great distance . ut if any body will undertake to defend helinaud's relation , he will do us a kindness to mark us out the province , where , he saith , that the franks , when driven a second time out of their own country , came to settle near the confines of the gauls and saxons , and whereby it is supposed , that the gauls and saxons were neighbours . this particular we shall examine no further , but leave it to the consideration of those that are better versed in ancient geography . but fourthly , what does helinaud mean by that town of the franks , to which the inhabitants gave the name of troy , or xanthus , in remembrance of the ancient troy , from whence their ancestors came ? unless one should imagin it to have been the same with troy in champaine , as some ignorant writers have done ; who were led into that mistake by that french name : for anciently that town was not call'd troja , but trecae , as appears by ammianus marcellinus . but mezeray is not to be excused , when he pretends to find any tolerable sense in this discourse of helinaud ; especially , when he himself discover'd so great a blunder in it ; and which made him in his translation of this place of helinaud , at large , to leave out the word xanthus , which is the name of the river , that ran near the walls of troy , and which the franks , as helinaud saith , gave to their town in remembrance of the ancient troy. mezeray , who in his history of france before glovis , does affect to appear well versed in the old gallick geography , would have been hard put to it to have produced any good geographer or exact historian , that makes any mention of that troy , built by the franks , after they were driven the second time out of their own country . this is exactly the fable , that was revived by the abbot trithemius , and is by all the learned rejected as a dream , though he would fain have perswaded the world , that he collected it out of the two famous authors vastaldus and hunibaldus , whom he makes to say , that after the destruction of troy , some trojans , under the conduct of francion , fixed their abode near the palus moeotis , from whence being expelled by the neighbouring nations , they retired into hungary , where they built the town , sicambria , which they forsook afterwards to make an irruption into germany , where they conquered the country of the old sicambrians , which they possessed till the year 420 , when following the example of the vandals , visigoths and burgundians they spread first into gaule , and came to settle into gueldria ; but that after having got several victories and driven the burgundians and visigoths from their conquests , they made themselves masters of the greatest part of gaule . all which agrees with the romance which the cistercian monk hath given us , and wherewith he hath also set off another romance , to wit , the martyrdom of gerion and some other theb soldiers . now shall we after all this depend upon cardinal baronius , who cites helinaud with such high commendations , calling him a famous writer , who took every thing he wrote out of very ancient monuments , and drew them up into a compendious history ? fifthly , we have formerly observed , that it is very ordinary for impostours to thwart and contradict one another ; and we must here again make the same remark , because in the agaunian tragedy , we see none but liars and cheats appear upon the stage . the counterfeit st. eucherius saith not one word there of those cohorts of the theb. legion , detached from maximians army , and sent down the rhine to joyn the body which was assembling against carausius . but according to his acts , the whole theb. legion was at agaunum , and suffered there . for he saith , that maximian by one sentence condemned all the theb. souldiers , and the more effectually to put his sentence in execution , he caused them to be surrounded by several bodies of his other * souldiers , and thus , saith he , that truly angelical legion was slain . but if we believe helinaud , the whole legion was not at agaunum ; for a great detachment had been made out of it against carausius , and gerion was martyr'd near colen with three hundred and eighteen souldiers , while victor had in another place the same destiny , with the three hundred & thirty , who accompany'd him . add to these , the nine who suffered martyrdom near bonne , and you shall find , that after helinaud's , own reckoning six hundred fifty nine suffered in other places then at agaunum , where the supposititious st. eucherius affrms the whole legion to have been barbarously slain . but sixthly , because these two cities , colen , and bonne , desirous to maintain the reputation of their martyrs , and the worship which is paid to them , may replay , that st. eucherius in his relation hath followed the ordinary use of giving the name of the whole to the most considerable part of it , and therefore that what he saith does not destroy the account given by helinaud , viz. that maximian , upon his march into gaule to suppress the bagaudian insurection , understood , that carausius had revolted and threatned the confines of the empire ; which was the reason why he divided his army and sent part of it with all speed against this rebel : we object , that this answer , and the account of helinaud suppose , that the revolts of the bagauds and of carausius happened both at one and the same time , which suppositions cannot be proved . for eutropius and orosius , who without doubt were better informed than helinaud concerning these two events , do exactly distinguish them ; both of them saying , that carausius did not begin to move till after the bagaudian insurrection was over and eutropius having spoken of amandus and aelianus , and of the disorders caused by the bagauds , adds , that after that time , carausius a man of a very low and vile extraction , &c. took the purple and possessed himself of britain . orosius places these two events in the same order as eutropius , saying , that maximian defeated the bagauds , and easily dispersed their ill disciplined army , and that after this expedition carausius begun to stir . therefore father pagi having put the bagaudian insurrection in the year of our lord 285 , refers the revolt of carausius to the following year ; which the famous henry noris places yet a whole year later , viz. in 287 , and though these two learned men do not agree about the time that maximianus herculeus was made augustus , nevertheless they both say that the troubles in gaule were ended , before carausius formed any enterprise against the empire . this aurelius victor is peremptory in ; and no man that reads him can doubt of it . for after he hath spoken of the war , he adds , that in the same war carausius a citizen of menapia , distinguish'd himself with so much gallantry and valour , that the esteem and great reputation he acquired , and the opinion they had conceived of his being a good officer , as having bore arms from his youth , were motives to the romans to make choice of him to fit out their navy , and to clear the seat of the german pyrats then swarming in those parts . from which words of aurelius victor , it will appear , that carausius made war with maximian against the bagauds , and so signaliz'd himself by his illustrious actions , as moved the romans to entrust him with their naval forces ; and that it was not till afterward , that being informed they suspected him , and had resolved his ruin , he declar'd openly against the empire , put on the purple , and invaded britain . so that it is certain , that the bagaudian revolt was not at the same time with that of carausius . now since this carausius was personally in conjunction with the imperial troops , employed in the war against the bagauds , it makes it evident , that the monk helinaud was grossly mistaken , in going about to perswade us , that maximian in his march against the bagauds , detached some cohorts of the thebean legion against carausius , who at that time threatned to invade the fron●iers of the empire . chap. xviii . that no writer for two hundred years after maximian hath made any mention of the martyrdom of the theb. legion . cardinal baronius in his notes on the roman martyrology , observes that the greek church hath amongst its martyrs , one mauritius and his companions , who at the time of dioclesian and maximian's persecution , suffered death at apamea , a city of syria . he further saith , that he was the same mauritius who was chief of the thebean legion ; that the martyrs of apamea were the agaunian martyrs , and that formerly he himself was of that opinion , condemning metaphrastes for having confounded the eastern with the western martyrs . and adds , that he was perswaded to the contrary by reading a place of theodoretus , bishop of cyr , where he speaks of the most eminent martyrs that were come to his knowledge . it would here be superfluous either to examine this passage of theodoret , or the reasons which induced baronius to change his opinion . it is enough that by this learned cardinal 's own confession , we know that there was a time when he thought that mauritius and his companions were martyred at apamea ; which is as much as to say , that he look'd upon eucherius's relation to be fabulous ; and that the latin writers designing to do service to the western churches , had remov'd the scene of this tragedy from syria into the alps. we cannot pretend to know certainly the motives which baronius had then to call in question the martyrdom of the thebean legion . nevertheless , there is some reason to believe , that one of those which made the strongest impression upon him , was the universal silence of the ecclesiastical writers for above two hundred years after the time in which it is suppos'd that this legion was cut to pieces at agaunum . for indeed the martyrdom of a whole legion is so considerable an event , that had such a thing ever been , it must needs have been taken notice of , in above a hundred places of church history . and can any pertinent reason of this general silence be assigned ? those who believe that a woman possessed the roman see , between the time of leo the iv , and bennet the iii , have something to answer to those , who , as an argument against it , press the churches silence for above two hundred years , viz. to the time of marianus scotus , who was one of the first who spoke of pope joan. to which they reply , that those were very ignorant and barbarous ages , wherein writers were very scarce ; and that though some few of them may be found , yet the matters they handled had no relation to the succession of popes : that perhaps those who treated of it were by the care and industry of the church of rome wholly suppressed , or else have perished by the same misfortune , that hath ravished from us so many other works ; that hincmarus , photius and the defenders of the cause of the emperours , against the usurpations of the popes hildebrand and nicholas , have always spared the chair of st. peter and the successours of the apostles . what other reasons they give for this silence , may be seen in that excellent treatise concerning pope joan , lately publish'd by mr. spanheim . but now there is no substantial reason , can be given for the silence of the ecclesiastical writers concerning the martyrdom of the theb. legion , till about the time of gregory of tours , viz. almost three hundred years after maximian's expedition into gaule . for had there been any ground for the belief of the martyrdom of the theb. legion , two sort of writers would have undoubtedly spoken of it . viz. either those preachers who have made homilies , or sermons upon the martyrs , or else the compilers of chronologies , and ecclesiastical historys . we have still a great number remaining of the sermons of those fathers , who lived two hundred years after maximian's empire , and which are either upon all martyrs in general , or some martyrs in particular . 't is true indeed we have lost methodius's discourse upon the martyrs , except only a fragment of it transmitted to us by theodoret , the panegyrick of martyrs , by phileas an egyptian bishop , mentioned by st. jerom , in his book of church-writers , the treatise of the persecution of christians , by james surnamed the wise , whereof gennadius speaks with great commendation , a letter of st. jerom upon the sufferings of martyrs addressed to chromatius and heliodorus , as we are told by cassiodorus , a treatise of vigilius in praise of martyrs , and a letter of the acts of martyrs amongst the barbarians cited by gennadius . and though these and several like writings are now lost , yet if the authors of them had spoke of the martyrdom of the theb. legion , doubtless some footsteps of it would be seen in the remaining writers of those times , who had occasion to make use of their works . methodius wrote about the year 290 , phileas bishop of thinus in egypt was beheaded in the year 311 , under the persecution of maximian , and had they spoken of the martyrdom of the theb. legion , lactantius who flourish'd at the beginning of the fourth century , must in all probability have known something of it . but besides lactantius , being an italian born , and call'd into gaule by constantine for the education of his son crispu● , it is very unlikely that he should have been wholly unacquainted with so remarkable an event , as that of the agaunian martyrdom , which might have happened but thirty years before : and had he known any thing thereof , it would have fall'n in so pat to his treatise of the death of the persecutors , that it cannot be imagin'd he would have left it out , specially when he was describing the cruelties of the emperor maximian , and the dreadful punishments which god inflicted upon him . whosoever therefore shall weigh with an unprejudiced mind this silence of lactantius , will doubtless be perswaded , that the martydom of the thebean legion is nothing but a fiction . though the sufferings of confessors in general do afford a rich field of eloquence to preachers , yet it must be granted , that there is no martyrdom more capable of receiving ornament from the pulpit , and of elevating the genius and thoughts of a christian orator , than the martyrdom of this legion . how comes it then to pass , that of so many fathers , who have writ homilies in the praise of martyrs , none of them have ever made use of so pathetick and powerful an example as this would have been . ephrem , a monk of syria , wrote encomiums on all the martyrs of christ , about the year 360. gregory of nazianzen hath handled the same subject much about the same time . we have the sermons of st. chrysostom , upon martyrs in general . asterius bishop of amasia in pontus , who lived at the beginning of the fifth age , hath made likewise a panegyrick on all martyrs , but none of these fathers , nor any other who treated of the same matter , have made the least mention of the martyrdom of the thebean legion . if any had mentioned it , it must have been maximus , bishop of turin , who died under the reign of honorius , and theodosius , junior : for he wrote in the country , where it is supposed that this martyrdom happened , and the memory of it would therefore have been fresh in his days ; but in all his works there is not one word relating to it . we read , amongst his writings that are yet extant , a sermon , de sanctis martyribus , which gennadius hath taken notice of , and call'd , generalem omnium sanctorum homiliam . but in this sermon , there is not the least stroak in reference to the thebean legion . 't is true , that amongst his works , there is another sermon with this title , in natali sanctorum taurinorum octavii , aventitii & solutoris . these are the same saints , whose names are seen in capital letters , on the frontispiece of the jesuites church at turin . in which church ; there is a chappel where the reliques of these saints are kept in an urn , which madam chrestiene of france caused to be made on purpose , with this inscription ingraved on it , augustae taurinorum patronis christiana à francia . these saints have done many miracles , if we may believe the vows and offerings hung up in their chappel ; but we may observe , that this sermon which we speak of , is to be found amongst those of st. ambrose , of the impression of basil , in the year 1555 , with this note in the margent , a sermon of st. maximus . the benedictines of paris in their new edition of st. ambrose , do likewise restore it to that bishop of turin , and say , that st. maximus had been so conversant in the works of st. ambrose , that he sometimes uttered long passages out of them in his own sermons ; the doing whereof , occasioned great confusion in the homilies of these two fathers ; and they likewise judge st. maximus to have been the author of the book of sacraments attributed to st. ambrose . however , gennadius does not mention that sermon in his catalogue of maximus's works . and father mabillon publishing some new pieces of this father , in his musaeum italicum , says , that we ought to consult gennadius , to distinguish the genuine works of this father , from those which are spurious . i should be very sorry , that this sermon should be disowned to belong to maximus , for it is so principal a support to the cause we defend , that if there was any ground for what we are told of the thebean legion , this is the very work where we should find it . but if we look for it in the body of that sermon , we shall loose our labour . i have read it several times over , but never could find one word in it relating in the least to the martyrdom in question . should any pretend to make his best of the inscription , in natali sanctorum taurinorum octavii , aventitii & solutoris ; this title does not import these three saints to have been thebean souldiers : for those people whom the ancient geographers called taurini , were extended far into the cottian alps , and into liguria ; so that we ought not therefore to conclude that octavius , aventitius and solutor , were three saints particular to the city of turin , because they are called sancti taurinorum . in st. ambrose's works , printed at basil in the year 1555 , there is sanctorum tauricorum . in the geographical manuscript of selden , there is likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and who can tell but st. maximus might mean some saints whose zeal and constancy had been remarkable amongst those people called taurisci , who are placed by some geographers in the fifth rhetia . if we had that manuscript of st. maximus , mentioned by the benedictine monks , in their new edition of st. ambrose , we might perhaps make some other remarks on the title of that sermon : but without examining whether the titles of st. maximus's sermons be ancient , and writ by himself , here is a proof , that octavius , aventitius , and solutor , were not thebean souldiers , and such a proof that nothing can be replied against it . the counterfeit st. eucherius , does not mention any of those in his relation ; but saith , that in his time none of them were known by name , except them following , viz. mauritius , exuperius , candidus , victor , and another victor who suffered death at soleur , with vrsus ; adding that the names of the others were unknown to him , but were written in the book of life . as we believe the author of the acts of the thebean souldiers more modern than st. maximus , this sufficeth to convince us , that the three saints whose piety this bishop of turin did formerly celebrate , were not thebean souldiers . but to prevent all cavilling about the time in which st. eucherius might have written , we shall produce other writers , who lived some ages after st. maximus . ado , died about the year of our lord , 875. this ado who was arch-bishop of vienna , hath collected all the names of the thebean souldiers that were heard of in his time , thirteen whereof he reckons in his martyrology , to wit , mauritius , exuperius , candidus , molossus , victor , innocentius , vetalis gerion , victor , orsus , alexander , secundus and antoninus . amongst which we find not either octavius , aventitius , or solutor . now vienna being but fifty leagues distant from turin , had these saints , whose memory was celebrated in piedmont , been generally thought to have been theb. souldiers , there is no likelihood , that ado would have left them out of his catalogue . this reason is yet more confirmed by vsuard's silence upon it , who was a monk of st. germains , and contemporary with ado he formed the design of making a martyrology both more exact and copious than any that had appear'd before : for he thought , that st. jerom and beda had handled this matter too carelesly ; and it is even reported , that the emperor charles the bald , to whom he dedicated his book , had set him at work . and therefore it is more likely , that he did every thing answerable to the zeal of his age for martyrs and reliques . which notwithstanding , his diligence and all the care he took , could effect no more than the discovery which he made of two other theb. souldiers , namely cassius and florentius , who are also recorded by helinand , but further , had it passed for current , at that time , that the three saints in st. maximus's sermon were theb. souldiers , 't is very improbable , that they could have escaped the diligent search of vsuard . if after this , any one should alledge to us the lives of saints , as the legends of octavius , aventitius and soluter , we have no other answer for them , but that there are none so blind , as they that will not see . but since it hath so fallen out , that maximus his sermon hath given us an occasion to speak of st. ambrose , we ought not to pass by , without some reflection , the silence of this father in this particular , viz. concerning the theb. legion and their martyrdom , though in an hundred places of his works , he speaks of saints and famous martyrs in general . the time he lived was not long after that , wherein it is supposed , that the theb. legion was cut off . he was bishop at milan , not very far distant from agaunum , where this martyrdom is said to have happened , and he had conversed sometimes with theodorus bishop of octodurum or martigni , where agaunum is situated both these bishops were present at the council of aquileia , assembled to give a decision in the cause of palladius and secundianus , arrian bishops in illyria . they met again at milan , where theodorus signed the letter , which st. ambrose and the other bishops wrote to pope siricius , concerning the condemnation of jovinian , who had uttered blasphemous expressions against the virginity of the blessed mother of god. and though the false st. eucherius , in the letter already related , does write to the bishop salvius , that theodorus , whom he calls vir anterioris temporis had informed isaac bishop of geneva of all the circumstances of the martyrdom of the thebean legion , it does not appear , that he ever spoke of it to st. ambrose , seeing there is not the least notice tak'n of it in all the works of this father . but let us come now to another sort of writers , and ask the fathers , who have composed chronologies or church-histories . these perhaps will tell us something of the martyrdom of the theb. legion ; for this is not so inconsiderable a transaction as can be suppos'd to have been overlook'd , or lost amongst the croud of those great events , which they had to relate . it is a memorable matter of fact , worthy of their pens , and to be recommended to posterity ; for it is the martyrdom of a whole legion , and the most famous historians of the church , either liv'd at the time of this suppos'd martyrdom , or wrote about a hundred years after ; i mean eusebius , socrates , sozomen , theodoret , evagrius , jerom , orosius , sulpitius severus : if this martyrdom were true , it is impossible , that they should have been ignorant of it , and had they known it , 't is not to be imagin'd , they would all have conspired together to leave us in the dark about it . to begin with eusebius , of whom those who favour him least , as joseph scaliger , do yet agree , that with great care he hath search'd into the original pieces concerning the foundation of the first sees , the succession of their bishops , the persecutions moved by enraged pagans against the primitive christian religion , the many conflicts of the blessed martyrs , for its defense and the victories which their faith and constancy have obtained over infidelity and errour . st. jerom , or whosoever is the author of the letter to chromatius and heliodorus , agrees with the remarks of president cousin upon the care and diligence of eusebius in collecting the acts of the martyrs . it is said in that letter , that the emperour constantine at his arrival at cesarea permitted eusebius to ask him whatever he had most a mind to , and that eusebius desired him to command , that they should send him from all the courts and tribunals of judicature throughout the empire , all the processes , tryals and sentences concerning martyrs , that so he might be particularly inform'd of their right names , qualities and numbers , and also of the different kinds of their torments and death , and of the provinces , towns , and days of their excecutions , and lastly with what patience and courage they had suffered their torments . therefore antipater bishop of bostra in arabia , thinking to obscure the glory and reputation of eusebius , said in his confutation of origen's apology . i allow eusebius to be excellently vers'd in history , and that there is nothing in the monuments of antiquity which he is unacquainted with ; but the emperours authority favouring his design , it was an easy thing for him to gather up whatever writings were scattered all over the world. so that eusebius having so many ways of being imformed of the truth , of the agaunian martyrdom , no body can deny but he is a well qualify'd witness , to be call'd and heard upon this matter of fact. and so much the rather , because he not only was alive at the time of this martyrdom , but of age to know what was then transacted . in the first book of constantine's life he saith , that in his youth he first saw this prince in palestina , in the retinue of the emperour dioclesian ; and in the third book of his church history , speaking of dionysius of alexandria , he saith , that it was in his time that he was raised to the honour of the episcopal chair ; seeing therefore that it is agreed on all hands , that dionysius of alexandria dyed in the twelfth year of the empire of gallienus's reign ; eusebius his birth must necessarily precede the death of this prince . the learned doctor cave conjectures , that he was born about the year 270. as to the time of gallienus's death we are under great uncertainties . cardinal baronius placeing it in the year 269 , upon the testimony of eusebius , who will have him to have reigned but fifteen years , but antonio pagi is of a different opinion and thinks he lived some few years longer and this upon the authority of a medal of gallienus ; spoken of by mezabarba , with this inscription p. m. tr. po. xvi . con. vii . so that it appears to be a difficult thing to assign precisely the time of eusebius his birth . but it is not our business here to cast the horoscope of this father , or to make an exact calculation of the time of his nativity , it is sufficient to our purpose that the circumstances here specify'd will make it appear that eusebius was at least fifteen or sixteen years old , when maximian went into gaule , in the year 285 , the very time wherein the theb. legion was suppos'd to have been massacred . we are then much in the right to produce eusebius , in this cause as a witness very fit to inform us about the truth of falsehood of the martyrdom of the theb. legion . but in all his works there is not one word spok'n either of this legion , or of this martyrdom . however he had often a fair opportunity to speak of it , seeing that his whole ecclesiastical history is chiefly filled up with long accounts of the persecutions and conflicts of martyrs . his eighth book is nothing but an ample narrative , both of dioclesian and maximians cruelties , and of all the great examples of zeal and constancy , which the christians of all orders and conditions soever gave in those times . if any ancient writer had occasion to speak of the theb. legion , without doubt it was eusebius , but since he hath said nothing of it , his silence is an historical demonstration , that it is only a meer fable . to this we might add , that the same silence is observed by socrates , sozomen , theodoret and evagrius , who have now and then pick'd up some facts that are wanting in eusebius ; that st. jerom who hath followed eusebius in his chronology , and carefully collected those things that have escaped his knowledge , saith nothing of the theb. legion ; that sulpitius severus , whose ecclesiastical history goes beyond the aera of martyrs , and who is so much noted for his great credulity , and fondness of opinion about saints and miracles , had not heard of it at the beginning of the fifth age ; that we find it not in paulus orosius , who speaks of the bagauds , of amandus and aelianus , of maximian's expedition into gaule , and greedily swallows any thing that does but serve his turn , whether well grounded or no ( as monsieur dupin observes ) and sometimes even debaseth the dignity of history so much as to insert into it meer popular reports ( according to vossius's judgment . ) however the fable of the theb. legion , being not yet brought into the world in the reign of the emperours arcadius and honorius , wherein he lived , we do not see , he hath adorned the seven books of his history with the recital of it . it remains then only for us to examin , whether according to the principles of the doctors of the romish church , we may not infer a good conclusion from this negative argument . john launoy a doctor of paris in his dissertation upon the authority of negative arguments , lays down this rule , that we may reasonably conclude the untruth of a fact from it 's not being attested either by contemporary writers , or by any author within two hundred years after . he confesses , that this space of two hundred years is indeed too long ; but that he feared , if he had chalked out a shorter , he should thereby have drawn upon himself the reproaches and calumnies of most people , who are not willing , that too strict a search should be made after truth . but what if mr. de launoy had been so very complaisant to the monks , and the admirers of fables and legends , as to throw 'em in t'other fifty years , yet this would not in the least have weakened the strength of our argument , since that 't is almost three hundred years after maximian's expedition into gaule , that not one writer hath spoken of the martyrdom of the theb. legion . 't is true , that upon the superstitious party of the popish church's being alarm'd by mr. de launoy's book , because they saw , that the method in it was like to pull down a great number of their saints , and would bring into contempt their miracles and reliques , john baptist thiers , a divine of paris , endeavour'd to re assure them by a dissertation in answer to that of mr de launoy , which indeed he did not think worth his while to answer , or to shew the vanity of his arguments and evasions . now this is the tenet of john baptist of thiers : we grant that a negative argument ought to be of some force in historical accounts , when in matter of very ancient facts , the argument is taken from the general silence of grave , learned and diligent writers , who were not lightly wrought upon , but prudent in their judgment and choice , and who have succeeded one another during many ages . where notwithstanding that all his words be exactly measured and fitted to his design , viz. to render negative arguments of no use , by putting them under impossible conditions , &c. yet nevertheless we desire no other concessions , than what he himself grants : for the fact here in question is very ancient , and no body can deny but the writers here spoken of , are some of the most grave , learned and diligent that ever appeared in the church ; and that for a continued succession of two or three ages , and yet not one of them but is wholly silent upon the martyrdom of the theb. legion . now after this long silence , on the one side , let us see who those were who first open'd their mouths on the other , and who should these be but two authors who lived towards the end of the sixth century ; namely gregory of tours and venantius honorius fortunatus ; the latter of which was a poet , and consequently more likely to make use of their old privilege in the verse , pictoribus atque poetis , he hath translated into verse an abridgment of st. george's legend , which baronius confesses to have been originally writ by the arrians . seeing then that this poet was so grosly mistaken in attributing the character of a saint to one who was an arrian and a wicked man , may we not think but his credulity might have been likewise imposed upon concerning another matter of fact , of an older date than this was ? and as for gregory of tours , mr. dupin observes , that he was very credulous and easy in the matter of miracles , and made no scruple of recounting uncertain and fabulous histories . which agrees with what abbot hilduinus wrote concerning him to the emperor lewis : we ought to pardon the simplicity of this pious man , for having written several things contrary to the truth of history , not indeed out of any crafty design of imposing upon the world , but meerly through his credulity . and seeing , that fortunatus took a journey to tours , where he hoped to have been cured of his sore eyes , by the intercession of st. martin , and that he had a great esteem and affection for gregory , it is very likely , that he received all that he knew concerning the theb. legion from this good bishop . now to let you see the very foundation on which gregories own belief of this matter was establish'd , i shall only transcribe the place where he speaks of it in the tenth book of his history of france . i found , saith he , a little chest in st. martin's treasury in which our fathers had deposited the reliques of the agaunian martyrs , as i was informed by some very aged priests . the very seal which their piety had put to it , was by old age and rottenness quite worn away ; and it happened , that during the solemn office that was celebrated to their honour in the eve of their festival , it came into my thoughts to take a torch , and view them more carefully . now while i was a searching with great attention , one of the porters told me , here is a stone with a cover upon it , what may be in it , i cannot tell , neither did my predecessors , to whose custody these things were committed , know any more of it than my self ; if you please , i will bring it hither , that we may see what it contains ; and when he had brought it , i opened it , and found a little silver trunk , wherein were not only some reliques of the martyrs of the blessed legion , but also of several holy martyrs and confessors . we found likewise in the same trunk , several other hallowed stones , with some reliques of the apostles and other martyrs . from which words , we may judge not only of the character of this gregory of tours , but also of the genius of his age. however , both he and venantius were without doubt great men , considering the time they lived in ; nor do we suspect either of them of fraud or imposture , but only say , that they were too credulous , and the christians were then strangely affected and hankering after reliques and miracles . do but read the 30th epistle of the third book of gregory , the 28th chapter of st. austin , de opere monachorum , the 62d canon of the council of lions , and the 7th act of the second council of nicea , and you may see what a scandalous trade was then droven with the limbs and bones of martyrs , which were broke in peices , and transported from town to town , and from one province into another , under pretence of devotion . st. austin even then lamenting , said , that the bodies of several persons were had in veneration upon the earth , whose souls were tormented in hell-fire . and it was not without reason that he thus complain'd , for do but read st. martin's life , in sulpitius severus , who saith there , that the people of tours ran in great grouds to a place where they thought some martyrs had been buried . that the common tradition was , that the altar there had been erected by the ancient bishops of tours . but that st. martin having not been able to learn any thing for certain from the eldest priests of his clergy , concerning the names of those martyrs , and the time of their death , was in great perplexity and doubt about this matter , fearing on the one side to cause some prejudice to religion , if he should forbear his usual coming to that place , and on the other to increase superstition , if he had authorized it by his presence . but one day being gone thither with some of his brethren , and having pray'd to god to discover to him who it was who was there buried ; he saw on his left-hand a frightful and deformed spectre , which he commanded to tell what it was . whereunto the shade answered , i am a robber condemned formerly for crimes to an ignominious death . the error of the people makes me here to be honoured , but i have no part with the martyrs , they being in glory , and i in torments . after which , st. martin caused the altar to be thrown down , and freed the people of tours from that gross superstition . this example alone may suffice to shew , that in matter of reliques , impostures are no new device . moreover , it serves to discover the false zeal of the christians , of the sixth age , and the ignorance and base connivance of the bishops and priests , in not repressing the indiscretion of it . sulpitius severus hath told us just now , that it was the common opinion that the altar upon the grave of that robber had been erected by the ancient bishops of tours . now after this , is it so much to be wondred at , for the good-man gregory , who a hundred years after was made bishop of tours , to be deceived himself by some uncertain tradition , or that he should give so much credit to an inscription upon the little truck , in which were supposed to be shut up the reliques of the agaunian martyrs ? now from st. martin's time , the evil was so far from diminishing , that it increased more and more . religion and piety did then it seems chiefly consist in searching the graves , looking for the bodies of saints , erecting altars , and contriving all sorts of ways to honour them . the sixth age having brought into the church , st. bennet and his rule , his children departed very soon from the institution of their holy founder , applying themselves wholly to get plentiful possessions , and large revenues . the martyrs , their reliques and miracles , were the properest means in the world for that purpose , and god knows how they improv'd the knack they had already got of making use of them ; for it is certain , that they owe most of their vast incomes and estates to meer dreams and chimaeras like that of the agaunian martyrs . then the old saints grew out of date , and new ones came in fashion , being reputed to exceed the others in multiplicity of miracles . therefore they found the way to dig every day a new one out of the ground , as if the priests of those times had made use of a divining rod , to find out bodies of saints . no wonder therefore if some martyrs of the second and third age , unknown to eusebius , orosius , and sulpitius severus , were discovered since by some monks of the eighth and ninth century . it is very probable , if i may give my opinion , that the acts of the agaunian martyrs were forged towards the end of the sixth age , or at the beginning of the seventh , the author of them saith , that the names of the thebean souldiers are written in heaven , and that only these following were come to his knowledge , viz. mauritius , exuper , candidus , orsus , and the two victors . but it seems not long after , some others began to peep out ; ado , archbishop of vienna , who wrote towards the middle of the ninth century , adds to these malosius , victor , innocent , vitalis , gerion , alexander , secundus and antoninus . vsuard a benedictine monk of st. germans , had the good luck to find out two more , namely cassius and florentius . in the archives of treves is kept the history of st. thirsus , wherein is mentioned another thebean souldier , call'd bonifacius . in burgundy some churches are consecrated to viator , and st. amour , who , by the authors who have written their lives , are said to have been agaunian martyrs . so that we see already fourteen or fifteen of them , who were not come to the knowledge of the pretended st. eucherius . but further discoveries have been made yet , for one day telleth another . st. paul exhorted the christians , to seek the things that are above , but the monks of the tenth century , pressed them to nothing so much , as to look into the things that are below , and to search into the graves . and though christ had said , speaking of himself , that where the body was , there the eagles should gather also ; yet the christians did now , no longer with joseph of arimathea , frequent the sepulchre of our lord. the death of christ was to them an old story , and grown out of date , and new objects were then required to excite the zeal and devotions of christians . hence it was , that from time to time , some thebean souldier or other , was digged out of the ground , and proposed to their veneration . the citizens of pignerol make their boast of having there in the abbey of our lady , the corps of st. tiberius . in the diocess of saluces , are shewed the tombs of constantius and theophredus or jafredus , and a new inscription clapt thereon , causeth them to be worshipped as souldiers of the thebean legion . some years ago passing by fossano , i had the curiosity to go and view the place , where according to the tradition of that town , alverius and sebastianus , thebean souldiers , are said to be buried . garnier in his history of st. alexander , saith , that the bodies of cassius , severinus , licinius and secundus , lye deposited at como in the milanese . crantzius tells us , that at brunswick , they believe , that they have some martyrs of agaunum . the city of colen vaunteth to have a great number of them . but above all , the town of turin brags of having been enrich'd with their spoils . in the abbey of st. solutor are kept some reliques with this title , reliquiae sancti benigni thebensis . they shew in the same abbey , a manuscript , wherein are recorded the lives of solutor , adventor and octavius , set off with all those incidents and flourishes , which generally adorn the common legends . the jesuites of turin have made a sudden discovery all at once , of ciro , john , cacusat , chrysogon , cyriacus , felix , fortunatus and achilles , as they inform us in the history which they have published of the holy martyrs , abondius and abondantius . when you have passed the bridge of turin , and taken your way towards the mountain that leads to chiers , you find on the side of the river pô , a little chappel , where there is an inscription which i had amongst my papers , but by mischance it hath been almost blotted out ; however here is the remainder of it . d. o. m. beatae virgini mariae thebaeorum martyrum .... ex vetustate labentem aediculam , ampliorem .... divinoque ministerio eptiorem comes gregorius johaninus ..... a solo excitavit .... an 1654. i remember that the names of two theb. souldiers are to be seen there . and it is certain , that if in travelling through italy , one would be at the trouble to take information of the saints of every particular place , and to read both the printed and manuscript lives of saints that are kept in the archives of the cathedral churches , there would great numbers of theb. souldiers start up from behind the bushes , who had no other being but what they received from the monks of the last ages , in order to serve their turns and promote the trade they made of the poor people's superstition . however it be , as the case stands , i have in this dissertation struck of from the romish church 6666 saints , as the learned father sirmond with one dash of his pen had taken lately from them eleven thousand . for having met with these words in an old martyrology , s s vrsula & vnde ci milla v. m. i. e. vndecimilla , virgin and martyr , he shew'd the shameful blunder of those who imagin'd that vnde ci milla with the v and m had been an abbreviation to express eleven thousand virgins . mr. de launoy had both the honesty and courage to publish what he thought of st. bruno , and several other saints ; and might he have enjoy'd the protection , either of the court or clergy , he would have been a great instrument of reformation in the roman worship . i was told , that this mr. de launoy , being once at dinner with the curate of a country parish , in the diocess of mans , on the festival of the chief saint of that village , desired the curate to tell him the name of that saint . you must excuse me for that , answered the curate , for should you once go about to pull down my saint , as you have done so many others , i should be undone , and my boors would find themselves without a patron . mr. de valois saith , that the life of st. catharine , virgin and martyr is but a fabulous legend , from the beginning to the end ; and likewise , that of st. eustachius patron of the biggest parish in paris ; and as for what is related of st. lazarus , of st. martha , of mary magdalen , and of the st. baume he added , credant qui volent , as for me i shall never believe a word of it , and i hold their arrival into france to be one of the most fabulous things in the world. mr. menage , in his book of learned women , having enumerated amongst them st. catharine , takes notice , that baronius suspected it to be but a fable . and it is material to observe by the by , that baronius's suspition was grounded upon the silence of eusebius which we have also alledged against the agaunian martyrs . moreover , mr. menage tells us , that francis de harlay , arch-bishop of paris , having chosen some of the most understanding men of his clergy in 1680 , to revise and reform the breviary for the use of the church of paris , these doctors thought fit to expunge the life of st. catharine , looking upon the acts of her martyrdom , as a meer fiction . the bishops of st. pons , in the year 1684 , took from the calendar of his diocess about sixty holy-days , amongst which were st. amarante , the immaculate conception of the blessed virgin mary , the chair of st. peter , st. ignatius loyola , &c. he is a prelate , who has very much distinguished himself both by his learning and piety , but who had the misfortune to incur the hatred of the jesuits as being a disciple of the famous bishop of alet ; and also to displease the court for refusing to persecute the protestants of his diocess , and not following cardinal bonzi , and the bishops of his cabal , in voting in the states of lauguedoc the subsidies that were demanded by the french king. therefore the jesuites looking for an occasion to bring him into trouble , the abbot of aulergues , his archdeacon , devoted himself to serve their revenge . so that if an archdeacon is call'd in the canons of the church oculus episcopi , it may be well said , that here the light of the body became darkness . this abbot appealed from his bishop against the reformation of his calendar to the parliament of toulouse . the jesuites who cared but little for the other saints , but resented very much the disgrace put upon their st. ignatius , procured an order from the court to that parliament , that they should favour the abbot's cause without further delay . i was then at toulouse , where i was oblig'd to stay during the months of july , august and september , at which time the cause was pleaded . i was present at the hearing , and the kings attorney broke into a furious passion against the bishop of st. pons , and taking occasion from the feast of the immaculate conception , to speak of the honours due to the blessed virgin , he carry'd them as far as bonaventure , bernardine and crasse● . but at last the archdeacon's appeal was declared frivolous and faulty . the bishop of st. pons , was maintained in the power which the councils of the gallican church gave to their bishops of making a calendar , and regulating the church service of their diocess . and this sentence was the effect of the virtue and honesty of the first president , who without contradiction was a great magistrate and worthy of a better age. i have related these facts upon this account only , that they of the romish religion , who may read this work of mine , may see , that i had reason to question the truth of the acts of some of their saints , since some of the greatest men of their communion have done the same , and do agree that many false ones are found amongst them . and if some preachers should not like our endeavours in exposing the falshood of the martyrdom of the theb. legion ; because hereby they find themselves at a loss for want of so many fine passages , elevated thoughts , and an example so moving , and ready at hand , whenever they had a mind to exhort their hearers to patience and perseverance in the faith , we need only to recommend them the reading their eusebius , wherein they shall find great numbers of true martyrs , whose examples are much more instructive , and fit to move the affections , then the martyrdom of the theb. legion , is pretended to be . it is neither arthur of britain , nor the roland of ariosto , nor the renaldo of tasso , which those who are intrusted with the first education and instruction of young princes do propose to them for a pattern of imitation , but those heroes , who had a real being in the world , such as scipio , hanibal and augustus . in like manner church history being full of the glorious conflicts and great examples of the piety of true martyrs , christian princes would betray the holiness of their ministry , did they propose to their people false martyrs and counterband saints as mr. de valois us'd to call them . chap. xix . that the fabulous relations of the pretended agaunian martyrs , and other fictitious saints , are sufficient to destroy all the reasons brought by the roman church to justify the vvorship they pay to saints . the first shift of the romish church in this matter , is , to distinguish worship into absolute and relative , mediate and immediate . they say , that god alone ought to be the object of absolute and immediate worship , but that the relative and mediate worship , may be paid to saints and angels , since it passeth only through them , and terminates in god. that this is but a mere evasion , our writers have shewed a thousand times . and more than that , they have proved , that upon examination of the matter of fact , it is not true neither , that the romish church renders to the deceased saints , only mediate and relative honours . for this distinction hath place only in their schools , being no way discernible in their practice . they make no distinction as to place , since they worship both god and the saints in the same churches ; nor in respect of time , for as god hath his , so the saints have likewise their holy-days ; nor yet in the church-service , since the saints are mentioned four or five times in the service of the mass , which they offer most immediately to god ; nay , not so much as in the bodily postures of the worshippers , since they fall down on their knees , and make the same bodily prostrations before god and his saints . neither can it be distinguish'd in the quality of their petitions , since they who pray to saints , ask pardon of them for their sins , and the grace of the holy ghost ; no more is it in the multitude of their prayers ; for they will say ten ave maria's to one pater noster . so that the saints do , if i may so say , reap all the worship of the roman religion , and god , who should gather the whole , hath only the tithe of it . this distinction therefore hath place no where but in disputes , no real difference being perceivable between the honours paid to god , and the saints . our writers have likewise discussed the question , de jure , viz. whether it be lawful to bestow upon the creatures a worship which terminates in god. their writings are full of good reasons shewing that religious worship is the glory of god's excellency , and that not so much as the least portion of this glory can be bestow'd upon the saints , without provoking the anger of that jealous god. 't is true , that in coming near to god to know him , we may make use of the creatures as steps to the knowledge of him : but when we approach god in the duty of worship , all our thoughts , attention and affections ought wholly to be fix'd upon him alone . we ought then to banish the thoughts of all created beings out of our minds , and so to bless , pray to and worship him , as if there were none but he and we in the world. but when all is done , what use soever they may make in their disputes of the distinction of worship into absolute and relative , 't is certain the doctors of the roman church can make none of it , when we charge them with calling upon such saints , as never had any being in the world , such for instance , as st. longinus , st. christopher , st. catharine , the eleven thousand virgins , and the souldiers of the thebean legion . they cannot ▪ surely have the face to say , that the worship paid to these pretended saints , hath any relation to god , or terminates in him . and therefore they ought to confess , that their church hath erred , and is yet in errour . secondly , the romish doctors , to justifie the worship they pay to the saints , say , that all their prayers to them do amount to no more , according to the intention of their church , than barely to desire them that they would please to pray to god for them . to which it hath been replyed and abundantly proved , that the use and form of the terms , do determine the quality of prayers , and not the intention of the church ; that if the matter , or the form of prayers be faulty , it is not the intention of the church that can rectify them ; and that the common people mind only the literal signification of prayers , and never think while they are pronouncing them , of giving a catholick sense to idolatrous expressions . why then do they put so many ignorant people in danger of making unlawful prayers ? why do they give protestants so great an occasion of scandal ? why do they not take out of their prayer-books and breviaries all those forms of prayer in which they ask the saints to have mercy on them , to cleanse them from their sins by their merits , to illuminate their hearts , and to excite in them a true repentance ? if this principle of the roman church had any good foundation , i don't see why she might not as well have put an arrian creed into her liturgy , with a warning to her children to follow her intentions , and give an orthodox sense to that heretical-creed . it would prove a hard matter to reduce to an orate pro nobis that prayer used at the consecration of their altars ; sanctify o lord this stone to thine honour , to the honour of the virgin mary , and to the honour of all saints . you see here the saints and the blessed virgin joyn'd equally with god. mons . de le habespine bishop of orleans hath laboured in vain to justify this prayer . and from hence we must necessarily conclude , that the romish church pays to the saints a religious . worship of the same nature with that which she gives to god ; for otherwise bellarmine does not argue well when he proves from the form of baptism , that the holy ghost , being joined therein with the father and the son , ought therefore to be esteemed , god , as well as the father and the son. go and baptise all nations in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost . but what can the romish church reply , when it is objected that she prays to saints who never had any being , as st. christopher , st. catharine , the eleven thousand virgins , and the souldiers of the theb. legion ? let these prayers be reduced as much as they please to the general spirit of the church , yet she cannot justify them , and therefore she must confess that she hath erred , and is yet in error . thirdly , they of the church of rome , to excuse the worship they pay to the saints , say , that they pray to them in the same manner as we pray our living brethren to intercede for us . but had they not thus explain'd their meaning by the bishop of meaux's pen , we would hardly believe that they were in good earnest . what! is there then no difference between the prayers which the sick protestants desire to be made for them in their churches , that god would comfort and relieve them in their several necessities , and those which the papists direct to their saints ? when the protestants desire these offices of charity of their brethren , do they ask them after the same manner , and in the same order as the romish church implores the intercession and assistance of her saints ? do they consecrate holy-days and altars to them ? build them churches ? make vows and pilgrimages to their honour ? do they light wax-candles before their images ? approach them with censers ? present them with offering ? and make processions and confraternities in honour of their memories ? quite contrary . our brethren are there present with us , where they see our necessities with their own eyes , and we desire them to joyn with us in prayer . we don't look upon them as if they were of a superior order to us , but as fellow labourers , subject to the same weaknesses and infirmities as we are , and thereby ingaged to compassionate our sufferings . our practice is authorized by the example of the faithful of all ages , and by the express command of the apostle st. james , who exhorteth us to pray one for another . but the romish practice is very far from having a title to any of these advantages . under the old testament no prayers were ever made to the deceased saints , though the faithful prayed one for another , as we do . notwithstanding they had at that time saints whose holiness could not be call'd in question , since god himself had , if i may so speak , canonized elias and enoch . all these answers are solid and good . but how can they apply this ? or what other answer can they make , when we charge them with praying to such saints as never were in the world , such as st. christopher , st. catharine , the eleven thousand virgins , and the souldiers of the theb. legion , seeing these saints were only meer fictions and the invention of legend-writers ? they cannot sure answer that they pray to these after the same manner , as we do to our living brethren ; and therefore they ought to confess that they have erred , and do remain still in error . the fourth evasion of the romish church is to have recourse to the equivocal sense of the terms worship and adoration . they say , that there is a supream worship and adoration of latria , and that god alone deserves this worship and adoration ; but that there is an inferiour worship and a service of dulia , which we ought to pay to angels and saints . but this distinction is not in , nor is it grounded upon , scripture . for st. paul makes use of the term dulia , when he speaks of the supream worship , telling the thessalonians , that they turn'd to god from idols to serve the living and true god. and the septuagint have used it in the same sense , 1. sam. c. 7. v. 3. and ps . 11. v. 11. and on the contrary , they have expressed by that of latria , the services which men do one to another in that threatning , which god makes to his people , that they should servetheir enemies , which god would send against them in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness . but besides , this distinction is very insignificant ; for let the terms be never so equivocal , yet the things expressed by them are not so . for churches , festivals , altars , vows , offerings , lights , and processions are not equivocal things , but determined to the highest sort of religious worship . to prove this , let an indian or a chinese go into a popish church , tell him , that this temple is consecrated to francis of assise ; that this is his holy-day , and that they are going to make a procession to his honour ; that the image which he seeth adorned with so many flowers , and illuminated with so many torches is his representation . and let him see afterwards all the people prostrating themselves before it , in order to the addressing their prayers to it : and then ask him , what this people is a doing ? he will answer , that they adore st. francis , or his image , the simple notions of nature leading him to that answer , because all the actions of this people are determined to religion , which being taken altogether are the formal and distinct signs of the supreme worship . and therefore it is in vain for them to endeavour to palliate the matter by a pretended equivocal use of words . had the romish doctors been pleased to express themselves more clearly , there would have been no wrangling about the terms . we acknowledg , that the acts of religion are not all of the same weight and importance . the first are those that are call'd elicite and immediate , which are referred only to god. the second are grounded upon the reference or relation which certain things and persons have to religion . in this rank we place the reverence due to pastors , to churches , holy vessels , to the elements of the sacraments , to saints , to angels , to the blessed mother of god ; that is , that there are some degrees of respect due to each of these , in proportion to the rank which they hold in religion , and to the account which god makes of them . the last sorts of religious acts are those that are commanded by religion it self , as for example , the submission and honour we owe to parents and magistrates . but if these controversies were fairly manag'd , all the dispute would be about the first sort of these acts of religion , which are call'd in the language of the schools , elicite and immediate , and such as god reserves peculiarly to himself , with exclusion of the noblest and most exalted rank of created beings , such , for instance , as invocation , psal . 50. v. 15 trust and affiance jer. 17. v. 17. vows , isa . 19. v. 21. worship , sacrifice and adoration , exod. 20. v. 50. act. 10. v. 26. apocal. 19. vers . 10. these are the acts of religion which we accuse the roman church of giving to the saints . those amongst them who pretended to devotion , make vows to the saints upon every occasion , though st. thomas hath said , that a vow is an act of latria . but however this be , the equivocal sense of the term adoration , can do them no service , where they are accused of paying a religious worship to supposititious saints , such as st. christopher , st. longine , st. catharine , the eleven thousand virgins , and the souldiers of the theb. legion . they cannot pretend that they pay these saints only a worship of dulia , & honours much inferior to the supream . they ought therefore to confess that they have erred , and do still persist in their error . fifthly , the roman church speaking by the mouth of the bishop of meaux , saith , that she instructeth her children to make a great deal of difference between the affections that accompany the prayers they make to saints , and the zeal , piety , and profound humility they ought to be possessed with , when they direct their devotions immediately to god himself . but to this have not we just reason to reply , that god alone knows the affections of the heart , and that we cannot judge of them but by mens words and actions ? we don't pretend to usurp the prerogative of god , and should be very unwilling to pass a rash judgment upon men. moses hath taught us , that secret things belong to the lord our god ; and christ hath told us , that we shall know men by their fruits ; that is , by their words and actions . this way of passing judgment upon mens hearts , is so common a notion , and so universal a principle , that all men in the world do follow it in the judgments they make of others . so that it is very unjustly done by those of the french clergy , who accuse us of calumny in finding fault with their church for its paying to saints a prohibited worship , since our accusation is founded upon their words and actions . for let them say what they please , that they do not form the same idea of the saints , as they do of an infinite and supream being , and that their prayers to god are accompanied with affections far more lively , ardent and humble , than those they address to the saints : this is known to none but god , and discernable only by his all-seeing eye . and all that we see and hear of their performance towards the saints , as prayers , temples , festivals , illuminations , burning of incense , processions , prostrations ; all these things , i say , are the proper and formal characters of the supream worship , which god hath in a peculiar manner reserved to himself . are we then in the wrong , to conclude that they carry the honours they render to the saints too far ? the jansenists in that book of theirs , intituled the imaginary heresie , charged the jesuites with making the pope a god by their tenet , that the pope is infallible , because infallibility is a property belonging only to god. but we have yet more reason to reproach the roman church for dealing with saints as if they were gods , not only upon account of the external worship she pays to them , but also because of the good things she asks of them , which suppose that they know the hearts of men , are present every where , and have an unlimited power ; all which , are properties belonging only to the supream being . but after all , suppose it should be true , that the romish church puts a great difference between the thoughts that accompany the prayers to god , and those addressed to the saints , we leave every wise man to consider , whether this distinction in the thoughts , does not raise in the mind troublesome scruples , and hinder its due application and adherence to god. these theological principles leave one always unquiet and uneasie , for fear of going beyond , or stopping short of the mark. thus far in their opinion the worship is lawful and right , but to go ever so little further , is idolatry . when those who repeat after the priest the confession of sins at the beginning of the mass , hear him say , i confess to god almighty , they must mind to do an act of latria , but when he adds , and to the blessed virgin , they must take care to descend lower to hyperdulia , and when he goes on saying , to the angels , and to the saints , to the holy apostles , peter and paul , &c. it would be a crime , should they offer to them any of the two former kinds of worship ; and therefore they must pass to that of dulia . if an image be presented to them , they are to offer but a relative honour to it ; but let it be a little piece of the true cross , they may go as far as the indirect latria . and because these different worships are often mix'd in the same service and litanies , we leave it again to wise men to consider , whether all those who are present at these church-services , have in that instant of time all these distinctions present in their minds ; whether they be all capable of these nice and refined subtilties of the schools ; and whether all this be proper to raise the heart , and to inflame true piety . at least , our religion hath this advantage above theirs , that god alone being proposed to us as the object of our worship and prayers , we need not busie our minds about any of these distinctions ; no scruple arises to disturb our zeal , we embrace the divine object with all our heart , and with all our soul , free from fears and danger of running beyond the mark. but after all , this difference of thoughts in their prayers , will do them no service , as to the worship which they render to saints that never existed , such as st. christopher , st. catharine , the eleven thousand virgins , and the souldiers of the thebean legion . these being mere chimeras and groundless fancies , which deserve not any the least respect ; they who pay any sort of religious worship to them , ought to confess , that they have been , and are , yet in error . the sixth subterfuge of the roman church is , that they make great difference between christ's mediation , and that of the saints . for , say they , christ is a mediator of redemption , and the saints are only mediators of intercession . but in answer to this , all the functions of the mediator of redemption , may be reduced to these three principal ones . first , christ hath taught men the true and only way that leadeth to heaven , having brought life and immortality to light , through the gospel . secondly , christ by his death , hath reconciled god to men , and the merits of his cross , are the source of their peace and righteousness , god having made him to be sin for us , who knew no sin , that we should be the righteousness of god in him . in the third place , christ is the dispenser of all those good things which are the effects and consequences of that eternal and new covenant which he hath brought into the world , and sealed with his own blood upon the cross , all power being give● him , both in heaven and earth , that he might save to the uttermost all that come to god by him . now we think we have great reason to accuse the roman church , of attributing to the saints these functions of the high priest of the new covenant . for as if the gospel were not a sufficient rule to direct us the way to heaven , the romish church teaches , that her dominicks , francis's , loyola's , &c. have received from heaven , rules more certain and powerful to raise those who follow them to a higher perfection , than those of the gospel it self . and for the proof hereof , they produce the heavenly visions , divine apparitions , and other miracles wherewith they pretend god hath honoured the calling of these founders of orders . moreover , the romish church holds , that by christ's death , only our mortal sins , and the eternal punishment due to them were expiated ; so that men must have recourse to other ways of expiation , both for their venial sins , and the temporal punishments due to their mortal ones . therefore was purgatory invented ; and to that purpose are likewise applied the fasts , the disciplining whips , the obits or offices for the dead , the pious foundations , the masses , and the canonical penances injoyned by the confessors at the tribunal of penitence ( as they call it . ) but the most powerful machine , is the treasury of indulgences , that treasury which hath drawn so much money into the pope's exchequer , and which , they say , is silled up with the overplus of the satisfactions and merits of saints ; which superabundance is by indulgences applied either for the expiation of venial sins , or for a compensation for the temporal penalties due to mortal sins . this is the ground of that prayer which the priest saith in the mass , when he asks of god the forgiveness of sins , by the merits of those saints whose reliques are at rest under the altar . finally , the roman church makes her addresses to the saints , as to the dispensers of heavenly graces ; and we might observe a hundred places in their prayer-books , rituals , breviaries , and other books of their religion , where it plainly appears , that they ask of them the forgiveness of sins , the grace of perseverance , and good dispositions for dying well . but here perhaps it may be objected , that the church of rome makes a great difference in its practice , between christ's mediation , and that of the saints ; which is so far from being true , that one of her most famous writers , sadly complains , that it is evident , that most of the people put more trust in the intercession of the saints , than in christ's intercession ; and that they have recourse with more zeal to their protection , than to the patronage of that great redeemer . and after all , this distinction of mediator of redemption , and mediator of intercession , is very injurious to christ , and to the fulness of his priesthood . the apostle willing to condemn the partialities of the corinthians , some saying they were of paul , and others of cephas , asked them with indignation , have paul , apollos or cephas , been crucified for you ? and may not we then with more reason , ask the doctors of the romish church , have francis , dominick , or ignatius loyola , been crucified for you ? for christ's priesthood comprehends two parts , namely sacrifice and intercession , one upon the earth , and the other in heaven , one on the cross , and the other beyond the vail in the true and incorruptible sanctuary , that 's to say , that his intercession is nothing but a continuation of his priesthood ; and that the reason why he is our advocate , is , because he was crucifi'd for us . but in what order of mediators can the romish church put st. christopher , st. longine , st. catharine , the eleven thousand virgins , and the thebean souldiers , since it is plain , that at the best they are nothing but meer figments ? they will not sure offer to own them mediators of intercession , and therefore they must confess that they have err●d , and are still in error . the seventh device of the church of rome to excuse the worship they render to saints , i● , that they would fain perswade us , that the council of trent hath not determined this worship to be necessary , but only simply declared , that it was a good and profitable practice . to which it will suffice to oppose this argument . that practice must needs be held necessary to salvation for the not observing of which people are declared to be damned : now it is evident , that the church of rome damns all those who believe that saints ought not to be prayed to , from whence it ought to be inferr'd , that the worship of saints , is , according to the principles of the roman church a practice necessary to salvation . the proof for the minor of this argument is found in the 25th session of the council of trent , where is a canon that anathematizeth all those who deny the lawfulness of calling upon saints conformably to the use and practice of the roman church : unless they would say , that the council of trent did pronounce these anathemas , notwithstanding , they were of opinion that the worshiping of saints is not a practice necessary to salvation . but while they go about to set off the wisdom of the fathers assembled in that council , they are not aware , that they accuse them both of levity , and want of charity in damning men , for things that may be either done or let alone without prejudice to salvation . the doctors of the church are hardly put to it to know what things the council of trent hath judged ceremonial , and what dogmatical and essential to religion . that which gives occasion to these disputes is , that in some states that submitted to the pope's authority , the decisions of the council of trent , have been recieved as to the dogmatical part of religion , though they will not acknowledge them as to rites and ecclesiastical discipline . i shall observe by the by , that the illustrious peter de ma●ca , frequently lays i● down as a certain truth , that france approved of and received the council of trent in the year 79 of the last age. however , we find in the history of the cardinal duke of joyeuse , compos'd by haberi , a barester at the parliament of paris , a brief of pope paul the v. sent to the cardinal of joyeuse bishop of ostia , above five and fourty years after the time when m●uns . de marca saith , that france received the council of trent , wherein this pope complains very bitterly of the refusal , which they still made in france to approve this council , and to submit to its decisions . whatsoever it is , most of the doctors of the romish church do agree , that to know the difference which the council of trent hath put between things dogmatical , pertaining to religion , and things meerly ritual and belonging to discipline , the most certain rule to judge by , is the anathemas that are fasten'd on them . and therefore , since that council hath anathematiz'd all those who do not approve the worship of saints , it follows , that the fathers of that council did look upon this worship as a thing of great moment and necessity in religion , and not as one of those practices and ceremonies , which though they be allowed to be very good and profitable , yet may be left out or changed at the will and pleasure of the pope and church . but let them say what they please , certain it is that the romish church does not only believe , that it is necessary to salvation to call upon saints , but is moreover bound to believe so . and their doctors pretend , that this piece of service to saints is commanded in the scripture , wresting i know not how many texts to make them apparently comply with their fancy , and utter what they would be at . now if we believe , that god hath commanded a worship , there is no doubt but we ought also to believe that we cannot omit the peformance thereof , without puting our salvation to stake . but what can they say for those services that are established in so many places to the honour of such saints , as owe all their being to the forgeries of a parcel of monks , and the credulity of a deluded people ? whereas instead of declaring these practices to be necessary , the church of rome ought to acknowlege that they fall short of being even good and profitable . and therefore that church must confess that it hath erred , and is yet involved in error . the eight shift is that of some doctors of the romish church , who do deplore the excess that the worshiping of saints is grown to , and protest altogether , that if in some places some saints that never were are worshiped , they are but local practices tolerated , though not approved by the church . this is the rock on which do split every day the learning , piety , knowledge and conscience of many ecclesiasticks in the church of rome , who being desirous of salvation and having made a considerable study in religion , yet comparing the mischief of that false worship , with the consequences of a separation , think it much safer for their souls to live in a corrupted church , and to groan under its errors , than to make a breach of charity by separating from its communion . in which they are like those cowardly and unworthy citizens , who while a generous deliverer hazards his fortune and his life , to preserve to them both their laws and country , are content with folded arms to wish him good success and prosperity ; and if he chances to fail in the attempt , will also bewail and pity him . of which sort of people a great man used to say , that they were the most useless of all friends , for that having the vertue of wishing us well , and shedding some tears for us , they had not yet courage enough to afford us their assistance . for indeed all these good wishes and lamentations are no remedy to the misfortunes of a church or country . works they are and honest endeavours which god requires at our hands , and not timorous wishes and unprofitable vows . if some of the romish party do sigh at the sight of a worship , which they think dishonourable to their church , why do they not likewise joyn with those who apply themselves to reform it ? i believe there are but few very amongst them who have not heard of the wholsom advices of the blessed virgin mary to her indiscreet votaries , and of the pastoral letter which a bishop of france adjoyn'd thereto , recommending them to the perusal and practice of all the good christians of his diocess . this was just the time , and a fair occasion for those doctors , who bewail so much in private the abuses of their church , to appear and to speak , had not some unworthy considerations stop'd them in the way , and made them speechless . the prelates , the universities , rome it self condemned those wholesom advices , no body having piety and courage enough to defend them , while error and falshood found a world of zealous protectors . crasset a jesuite stood in the defence of all the excesses of the bonaventures and bernardines : and the sorbonne by giving their approbation to his works , condemned likewise both the wholesom advices , and the pastoral letter of the bishop of tournay . how can they say then , that most of those things , which we find fault with in the church of rome , are but local practices , or excesses only tolerated , and not approved by the church ? those very things which we disallow , are of such a nature , that a bare toleration of them , hath the force of an approbation . for they are not dogmatical errours , nor empty speculations , but errours in the practice , and false ▪ worship , in the publick service of religion : which , whenever a christian society does tolerate , it gives thereby a sufficient ground to believe , that it approves them likewise . yet had not all our just complaints upon this matter , power enough to induce the commissioners of the index expurgatorius , to expunge the scandalous excesses of their bonaventure , bernardine of siena , and gabriel biel. the congregation of the holy office , and that de ritibus , are very well informed of the honours paid in divers places to the souldiers of the thebean legion . but let the protestants prove as clear as the day , the forgery of their martyrdom , these imaginary beings , consecrated by a blind superstition , are permitted notwithstanding still to retain all the deferences of honour and worship formerly paid to them . a ninth evasion of the romish party is , that we cannot , they say , condemn their worshipping of saints , without involving both the fathers , the church of the first ages , and the most ancient christians in the same condemnation . but this accusation which they enter against us with so much confidence , is wholly groundless the truth is , that in the times of st. basil , st. chrysostom and gregory nazianzen in the east , of st. ambrose , st. jerom , st. austin and st. paulinus in the west , some practices may be observed which have been in the after-ages the origine of the false worship paid to the saints . the people beginning then to esteem a little too much of their reliques , they flock'd from all parts to their sepulchers , and with an extraordinary zeal , they celebrated the memorial of them ; the preachers in the mean time , by rhetorical figures , directing their speech to them in such manner , as if they had been actually alive . but however the veneration they had then for them , came nothing near to the worship which the romish church pays to them now adays . gregory the first , who died in the seventh century , began in his time to innovate in the publick worship of the church , by inserting in the litanies , the name of the blessed virgin mary , those of the saints having not been introduced till a long time after . and we defy the doctors of the church of rome to shew us , that the worship which they render to saints , is mentioned in any of the ecclesiastical writers , who lived before the year of our lord 350. martin perez hiala , bishop of cadiz , confesses , that they cannot justify by ancient authority , the invocation and intercession of saints , before the time of cornelius , who lived towards the end of the third century . and this good prelate would have descended yet a hundred years lower , had he seen the reasons which blondel alledges , to prove that that which is cited of cornelius is meerly spurious . had the invocation of saints been in use in the times of st. athanasius , and st. hilary , we must confess that the arrians had but very little wit , when it being objected , as it was by these fathers to them , that they were down-right idolaters , in praying as they did to christ , whom they thought to be but a creature ; they did not reply that this accusation ought to rebound on their adversaries also , since notwithstanding they did not believe their saints to be gods , yet they made prayers and supplications to them but how is it possible to believe , that in those first ages of christianity , the christians made their addresses to the deceased saints , seeing they were of opinion , that the souls of the faithful did not enjoy the beatifick vision before the general resurrection of the dead . if we ask cardinal bellarmine why the saints were not invoked under the old testament , he answers , because the souls of the just were then in limbo , and did not yet behold the face of god. for which very reason , we may likewise conclude , that the christians of the first ages did not pray to saints , since they believed that their souls were not to be admitted into the presence of god till the general resurrection . which opinion of theirs , hath forced cardinal richlieu to make this confession , that several fathers in the first ages , held for certain , that the souls of the faithful deceased in the grace of god ( those of martyrs only excepted ) should not enjoy the beatifick vision , till after the resurrection of the dead ; and therefore ' its no wonder , that they spoke in those times , of the veneration and invocation of saints , with more caution and wariness , than it hath been done since it hath been commonly believed , that the souls of the faithful who have departed this life in the fear of god , did not wait till the resurrection for the enjoyment of the beatifick vision . in the church of the first ages , they observed another practice inconsistent with that worship , which the present church of rome renders to the saints . for now a days , the living pray to the dead , whereas , formerly the living pray'd for them . cardinal richelieu ( as you have seen in the place above quoted ) hath excepted the martyrs from the general rule ; but in this case there was no exception made of any ; for according to the liturgy ascrib'd to st. mark , the christians us'd to say . remember o lord our ancestors the patriarcks , the prophets , the martyrs , and all the spirits who are perfect in the faith of jesus christ , and grant that their souls may rest in the sanctuary of thy saints . this practice of praying for all the saints , was yet in use in hinkmar's time . and in the rubrick upon the decretals at the title of the celebration of masses , ch . 6. sect . oratio quae dicitur , &c. we find this curious remark in the gloss on the margent . it was formerly said , grant o lord that this prayer may be profitable to the soul of thy servant leo : but now it is said , grant that this prayer may be profitable to us by the intercession of thy servant leo. so little distinction was made in those times between the martyrs and the saints of the first order , that they used to pray even for the blessed mother of god. for in the liturgy attributed to st. chrysostom , we find these words : let us pray to the lord , for all those who have heretofore administred and fulfilled the duties of priesthood , for the eternal remission of their sins , and for the memory of all those who are deceased , in hope of the resurrection . forgive them o merciful lord. and we offer also this reasonable service unto thee for our ancestors who rest in the faith , the fathers , the patriar●s , the prophets , the apostles , the martyrs , and especially for the most blessed and immaculate mary . after this do ye think it well done of the romanists to accuse us of condemning the primitive church , and all the ancient fathers , because we condemn the worship which they pay in our days to the saints ? certain it is that in this we don 't condemn origen , who wrote thus against celsus we ought not to pray to creatures , who have as much need to make prayers and supplications for themselves , and do therefore rather by their calling upon him , admonish us to make our addresses to god only , and not to debase our selves before them by dividing between god and them the honour of prayer , god forbid that we should follow celsus's advice , who would have us to pray to angels . we ought to pray to none but god , who is the paramount lord of a●l things . we do not condemn st. austin , who saith , that were st. paul and the other apostles our mediators , we should have many of them , but then this apostle had not been in the right who saith , that there is but one god and one mediator between god and man who is jesus christ. and he declares in another place : that in offering the sacrifice , mention was made of the martyrs , as of men of god , who by the confession of his name , had triumphed over the world , but that they were not invocated . we don't condemn ignatius , a disciple of the apostles , who recommended this to the christians , to have none before their eyes when they pray but christ jesus and his father . we do not condemn st. irenaeus , that holy bishop of lions , who had framed himself both upon the lessons and examples of polycarp , and who saith , that the church does not mix in her service either the invocation of angels , or any other criminal curiosity , but does direct her prayers meerly , purely and openly to god , the maker of all things , by calling upon the name of our lord jesus christ . we do not condemn tertullian , who giving an account of the faith and hope of the christians , before the roman emperors , saith . that they do invocate none but the true god and do pray for the prosperity of the emperor , but that they ask it of him whom they know alone to be able to grant it . nor do we condemn lactantius who declares , that those who pray to deceased saints , do sin both against reason and piety , revolt against god , break all sorts of laws , and in worshiping dead men , do commit an unpardonable fault . but if the romish church , does side with those ancient hereticks , who , as theodore● informs us , held , that whosoever will have a free access to god , ought first to endeavour to secure to himself the favour of angels ; and if we find fault with that church for doing the same , we leave it to our readers to examin , whether we do condemn also that ancient doctor , who answered these hereticks , that it is but a pitiful subterfuge to say , that we make our addresses to the creatures , only upon the account of making by their means our approaches to god , as they are us'd to do , who desire to be introduced to the king , by making first their application to his officers . true it is , that to be admitted to the audience of a king , and to be promoted by him , it is necessary first to speak to and court those who do attend him , because a king being but a man cannot of himself know whom to trust with the administration of his affairs , but as he receives information from those that are about him . but that we may approach god , who is omniscient , there is no need of imploring the patronage of men. it is enough , if we have a sincere and upright heart , and a religious mind ; for god will answer in any place of the vniverse whosoever speaks to him in that holy disposition . how unjustly then are we condemned by the romanists , for holding opinions contrary to those of the ancient church concerning the saints , since in conformity to that church of the first ages , we do not address our prayers to any but god through jesus christ . we do , as she did , honour the saints , and reverence their memory , we propose their examples to our imitation , we applaud their triumph , and do crown them with praise . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitation , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praise , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commemoration , were all the duties which the piety of the primitive christians pay'd to the saints . and if we do restrain our selves within the same bounds , we have for us the most authentick acts of antiquity as the 34. and 57. epistles of st. cyprian , wherein this blessed martyr speaks of the commemoration which the church made of martyrs ; and the 3. ch . of the book corona militis by tertullian , in which are mentioned the oblations which in those times were offered for the dead , especially for relations and friends : but chiefly we have on our side the declaration of the ancient church of smyrna concerning st. polycarp's body , related by eusebius , and in the acts of this blessed martyr printed byvsserius , and which are quoted by mr. de valois in his notes . it is a very memorable fact , and which happened about the year of our lord 167 , and is as follows : the jews being unwilling that the christians should have the comfort of burying their polycarp , represented to the pagan magistrates , that if the christians were permitted to keep the body of that holy martyr , they would soon forsake their master to serve his disciple , not knowing , said the whole church of smyrna , that it is impossible we should leave christ who hath suffered for the redemption of all those who are saved through the whole world , and that we should pay a religious worship , or address our prayers to any other but him . for as to christ , we adore him as being the son of god , whereas we love the martyrs as the disciples and imitators of the lord. and certainly this is nothing but what is very just , considering the zeal and fervent love they had for their own king and master . god grant that we may so imitate their piety , that we may be partakers of their glory . which discourse of the church of smyrna , as it is our apology , so it is a condemnation of the worship which the romish church renders now a days to saints . and if the ancient church speaks thus of true martyrs , we may easily judge how it would have behaved it self towards false and supposititious ones , such as are the souldiers of the theb. legion . tenthly , father malbranche is without contradiction , one of the greatest wits of our age , did he not too much affect to be an original . his system concerning the worship of saints , and the way he takes to defend the practice of his church is as follows . first , he lays down for a foundation , that all our good things come from god , and that he is the only cause and dispenser of them . secondly , he saith , that when we receive from him any thing that is good , christ is the occasional cause thereof , god by an eternal law having decreed not to communicate any good to mankind , but at christ's desire and request . which tenet of his is set forth more largely both in his christian meditations , and his treatise of nature and grace . thirdly , he declares , that it is not in the power of the saints to impart any of these goods unto us , and that we ought not so much as to say , that they are the occasional causes of them , it being a privilege , that belongs to none but christ , as he is the mediator of the new covenant , and the high priest of things eternal . it is at the desire of christ , and not at those of the saints , that god by an eternal law hath bound himself to communicate his graces . fourthly , nevertheless he adds , that the saints do excite and incline the desires of christ toward us , in which chiefly he makes the force of their intercession to consist . fifthly , and lastly , he believes , that they have the power to heal sicknesses , and to bless with fertility our fields , because the order of the universe seems to require , that inferior things be made subject to the power of the superior beings . i know not how father malbranche , with all the sagacity and sharpness of his wit , can reconcile these principles of his both with the doctrine and practice of his church . for having established in the first , that god is the only dispenser of all good things , hence it follows , that the asking the saints for graces , which come only from the hand of god , is down-right idolatry . and when he saith , secondly , that god does not dispense his graces but at the desire of christ , who is established by him the mediatour of the new covenant , and the high-priest of things eternal , and that he alone can make intercession for us to his father in determining and contracting by his desires the general laws of god's mercy to some particular sinners , whom he hath more kindness for , we may easily conclude , that the imploring the mediation of saints , and asking them to pray directly and immediately to god for us , is a high injury offered to the priesthood of jesus christ . now as to his third tenet , viz. that the saints have not the power to convey to us those graces which we want , and that we ought not so much asto look upon them as the occasional causes of them , if this opinion of his be true , what will become of so many litanies and prayers set down in the popish breviaries , and in their prayer and mass-books , in which they ask the saints to cleanse them from all their sins , to preserve them from the sicknesses of the spirit , to inflame their hearts with the fire of charity , to deliver them from hell-fire , to open the gates of heaven to them , and to make them sit on thorns with the glorious company of the blessed above , &c. lastly , if according to malbranche's fourth and fifth principles all the good services , which the saints are able to do , are only to move and excite christ's desires towards us , and to give us ease in our afflictions , or afford us a good crop , he asserts these last tenets in so dubious a manner and so faintly ( though upon any other matter , he uses to be very vigorous and positive ) that it is an easy thing to discern that he himself is not very well convinced of it . 't is , saith he , the opinion of the church that the saints do know all our wants . we may pray to the saints , that they be pleased to stir up the desires and the charity of jesus christ . one saint perhaps is more in favour , and hath more access to christ upon his own holy-day than at another time , or than another saint . it may be also that they have the power of healing our sicknesses , or of procuring us a plentiful year . we see by these shy and uncertain expressions , how hard he is put to it to reconcile his opinions with the doctrine and practice of his church . for indeed there is a palpable incompatibility of his principles , with that religious worship which the romish church pays to the saints . and we need only to examin the principles , which he had already laid before , viz. that the church by praying to the father through the son , does acknowledge the son to be equal and of one substance with the father : for if he were not so , saith he , we could not call upon him . and likewise he had already said , that the father hath tyed his blessings and treasures to christ's desires , and that this is the reason why we ought to adore the father , and to call upon christ . but what he after adds deserves especially our consideration , namely , that these desires of christ are the desires of his human will , that his flesh is the principle of these desires , which make all the riches of the church and the sanctification of the elect : and that this is the reason why religion teaches us to address sometimes our prayers to the father , because if we never did invocate any but christ , by reason of those priviledges which god hath by an eternal decree adapted to his desire , to those human desires , he saith , which do proceed from the child of the blessed mary , we should be in danger of adhering to christ as he is a man , and of trusting in his flesh with the same kind of love and trust , which we owe only to the infinite and soveraign being . we may easily perceive that this way of reasoning is quite contrary to the doctrine of the roman church , and to that worship it renders to saints . the esteem indeed , which i have for great men is such , that i cannot forbear having also a kind of respect even for their odd fancies , and by-ways of writing , which made me take notice by the by of father malbranch● his system concerning the worshipping of saints , though i know in the bottom of it there is no more reality than in a shadow or dream . but after all , should we suppose his opinion to be not altogether groundless , who would venture to say , that supposititious saints , such as we have proved those of the theb. legion to be , can move and excite christs desires ? therefore the roman church ought to confess , that she hath erred in permitting and approving the worship which is paid to them . finis . some books printed for r. bently . books in folio . 1. beaumont's and fletcher's plays in one volume , containing 51. plays . 2. mr. william shakespear's plays in one volume . 3. towerson's works compleat in one volume . 4. dr. allestry's sermons in one volume . 5. dr. comber's works , the four parts in one volume . 6. the council of trent ; by father paolo . 7. toriano's italian dictionary . 8. mr. milton's paradice lost , with 13 copper cuts finely engraven , to express the whole poem . 9. milton's paradice regain'd ; in the same volume , paper and print , to bind with it . 10. fodina regalis ; or , the history of the laws of mines . by sir john pettus . 11. bishop brownrig's sermons . books in quarto . 1. the burnt child dreads the fire . 2. a treatise of our sanguinary laws against papists . 3. dr. whitby's answer to s. cressy . 4. mr. nathanael lee's plays in one volume . 5. mr. thomas otway's plays in one volume . books in octavo . 1. dr. whitby , of idolatry . 2. dr. whitby , of host-worship . 3. the life of the marsh●l turenns . 4. the secret history of the house of medicis . 5. cronelius agrippa , of the vanity of arts and sciences . 6. mauger's french grammar . edit . 13. 7. lipsius , of constancy . 8. agiates , queen of sparta . 9. nicorotis . 10. plurality of worlds , translated by mr. glanvil . 11. boyle's art of poetry ; traslated by mr. soames . 12. poems and songs , by mr. cuts . 13. sir. james chamberlain's poems . 14. mr. coppinger's poems . 15. madam colonna's memoirs . 16. hudibras compleat , in three parts . 17. seneca's morals ; by sir roger l' estrange . 18. comber's companion to the altar . 19. godfrey of boloign ; a poem . 20. plato's apology of socrates . 21. natural history of the passions . books in duodecimo . 1. present state of england . 2. enter into thy closet . 3. moral essays , in four volumes . 4. a perfect school of instructions for the officers of the mouth . 5. a prospect of human misery . 6. vanity of honour , wealth and pleasure . 7. bishop andrew's devotions . 8. covent-garden drollery . 9. zelinda ; a romance . 10. happy slave . 11. hatige , or the king of tameran . 12. homais queen of tunis . 13. triumphs of love , 14. obliging mistress . 15. uufortunate hero. 16. countess of salisbury . 17. count teckely . 18. essex and elizabeth . 19. the pilgrim . 20. the empire betray'd , by whom , and how . 21. the character of love. 22. don henrick . 23. princess of fez. 24. marce christianissimus . 25. gallant ladies ; in two parts . 26. victorious lovers . 27. love in a nunnery . 28. duke of lorain . 29. minority of st. lewis . 30. queen of majorca . 31. count de soysons . 32. clytie . 33. dialogues of the dead ; in two parts . 34. neapolitan ; or , the defender of his mistress . 35. instructions for a young nobleman . 36. five love-letters from a nun to a cavalier . 37. five love-letters from the cavalier in answer to the nun's . 38. religio laici , in a letter to mr. dryden . 39. count gabalis . 40. the chast seraglion . 41. rules of civility . 42. the extravagant poet. 43. new disorders of love. 44. ottoman gallantry ; or , the life of the bassa of buda . the end. notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a36721-e140 val. flac ▪ arg. l. 1. phasidos . cla●dian . notes for div a36721-e590 ferrero . p. 205. notes for div a36721-e1390 carolo hyacinto ferrero vita de' primi protettori , &c. pag. 72. ferrero pag. 76. tuttosi deve al sangue a' miracoli , alle preghie re de' nostri benignissimi protettori . ferrero pag 76. ferrero . pag. 131. difesero in un pericol● estremo il principe e la città dall ' arme et dall ' eresia de' calvinisti . il card. de rovere questi sono quei santi liquali , serenssimo principe vi hanno restituita intie●a questa fidelissima citta vestra , &c. cromerus de reb. pol. l. 3. bull greg. 13. ob eximiam devotionem quam erga eosdem sanctos dilectus filius emmanuel phil. dux sabaudiae , & universus civitatis taurinensis populus gerunt , &c. notes for div a36721-e2400 crot. lib 1. c. 2. & cap. 11. 11 , 12. edward fuller , the des . of christian . sect. 3. c. 16. pag. 187. dr. cave , primitive christ . part 3. c. 4. pag. 331. notes for div a36721-e2870 vaillant praest . imp. numism . pag. 12. 14 , 16. 13. vaill . pag. 49. pag. 71. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . council . 7. act . 5. tom. 3. pag. 552. ann. baron . tom. 1. an. 51. bellarm. de lib. arb . lib. 5. c. 25. notes for div a36721-e3710 d●u noctuque hymn●rum , psalmorumque decantatio non desini● , quod jubente praeclaro sanctoque martyre beato sigismu●do rege institutum , usqu● bo●ie co●servatum est . dupin nov. bibl. tom. 4. pag ▪ 175. surius tom. 5 ▪ 22. s●p ▪ martyr . rom 10. kal●n● . oct. pag. 3●5 . bellarm. in catal. script . eccl. in euch. cave hist . li● . script . eccles . p. 333. in c●sario . hadr. vale●i●s notit . gall in heaunum . notes for div a36721-e5510 tom. 4. council labbe and cossart . pag. 1557. le cointe ann. eccles . an . ch . 536. num . 224. pag. 534. tom. 4. concil labbe . coss . pag. 1557. de jam dicto monasterio quod vocatur agaunum , quod nunc domino adjuvante infra reg●um nostrum burgu●dionum construximus . infra ambitum basilicae quam clementia regis ad hoc opus ornare jussit . marsh . in propyl . ad mon ▪ ●ug . cantè intuendae sunt hujus●nodi chartae , quae fidem ha●ent e● minorem quo majorem prae se ferunt antiquitatem . papebrookin propylnum . 125. cha●tas sinceras & genuinas vix reperi●i . notes for div a36721-e6840 〈…〉 5790. ch . 297. diocl. 14. maxini . 12. p. 124. bibl. patrum apud aniss . lug ▪ dunt , an . 1677. tom. 6. pag. 866. theod. ruin. act. prim . martyr . pag. 285. le cointe , an. 609. * theod. ruin. praef. in act. martyr . alii resecuerunt noilnulla , quae sibi in illis actis displicebant . ex iis etiam actis pleraque perierunt quibus alia postmodùm substituta fuere , sed quae ad istorum auctoritatem non pert ingunt nedùm ad priorum sinceritatem . lud. vives de trad. disc . lib. 5. melchior canus , loc. 11. c. 6. dolenter hoc dico multò severius a laertio vitas philosoph●rum scriptas , quam a christianis vitas sanctorum ; long●que incorruptius & integrius suetonius , &c. alix expostul ▪ de st. j. chrys . pag. 9. theoph. raynal . in ind. sanct. lugd. p. 227. cave ann. ch , 434. p. 335. quamplurimi eucherio juniori ascribunt , & rectè quidem . notes for div a36721-e8840 erasm . bibl. patr. tom. 6. p. 886. nihil video profectum a nostrae religionis hominibus , qui eloquentiae quoque gloria floruerunt , quod cum hujus phrasi sit conferendum . andreas schottus in epistola aurea ad valerianum . * cicero in bruto . unus enim sonus est totius orationis , & idem stylus . du pin nova bibl. 〈◊〉 tom . pag. 175. at basil in . 15●● . at rome in 1564. baron . an . ch . 297. pag. 734. in 30. comm. in lib. reg. c●p 22. bibl pat● . tom . 6. p. 823. non gallus ho●o sed britannus . hieron . epi●t . ad pammach . deinde senator , ducenarius , biarchus , cirmicitor , eques , deinde tyre . glossar . du cang . tom . 3. p. 796. notes for div a36721-e10370 lazius comin . rp r●m . lib. 3. c. 17. pag. ●58 . primicie●u primi erant & antesignani omnium . digni●atum quod in tabula cerata prime notarentur . suid●s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hera●lii . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . balusius nov . coll. concil . pag. 480. * st. august . serm. 2. † bodicus delonsis . arch. in hist . hieros . goltzius thes . rei antiquariae pag. 149. veget. lib. 2. cap. 21. sicut primicerius in officio praefectorum praetorioque ad honestum quaestuosumque militiae pervenit gradum . ammian . marcel . lib. 18. c. 3. inter quos valentinus ex primicerio protectorum tribunus . valesius pag. 190. caeterùm ex primicerio protectorum ad tribunatum prevenire mos erat . in excerptis de gestis constantini . constantius d. claudii opt . principis nepos ex fratre , protector primum , exin tribunus , postea praeses dalmatiarum fuit . matth. paris an . 1240. sciscitabantur in exercitu quis foret primicerius . monasticon angl. tom. 1. pag. 838. gulielm . tyrius lib. 4. cap. 8. pracedebant autem ejus exercitum quasi legion●m primicerii , vexilla bajulantes ●iri nobiles & inclyti . tit. livius lib. 13. polyb. lib. 6. notes for div a36721-e12300 aurifex . faber . see lock of hum. underst . con. carth. 4. can . 84. aug. ep. 154. ad publ. josue ch ▪ 6. 24 ▪ lightfoot . de●cript . temp. hier. sect . 4. pag. 649. notes for div a36721-e13140 cypr. de 〈◊〉 nam cum 〈◊〉 de 〈…〉 ●c . tillemont hist . des emp. 2. p. 3 . ●om . pag. 864. council elib . can . 60. august . in breviar . colla● . di. 3. c. 13. notes for div a36721-e14030 le cointe ann. franc. tom . 3. an. ch. 636. acta martyr . agaun . hi in auxiliu● maximiano ab orientis partibus acciti . * laziu● rcip . rom. lib. 3. comitabantur augustum in procinctum abcuntem . sex● . aurel . victor . eutr●p . lib. 9. * aurel. victor . quanquam semiagrestem , militiae tamen atque ingenio b●●um . mezeray hist . before clovis , &c. pag. 218. guido pa●cirol . notit . imper. cap. 48. fol. 34. notes for div a36721-e16090 * le cointe an● . ch. 638. ●o●i●us part . 2. cap. 3. de rebus a const . gestis . * labbe chr. hist . part 1. an . ch . 2●6 . pag. 216. duchesne hist . of the popes pag 45. notes for div a36721-e16870 * henr. noris epochae syron . diss . 3. p. 143. valesius in notis ad cap. 2. lib. 8. balusius in notis lactantii riccioli chr. ref. lib. 4. cap. 10. * petitus 3. eccl. chron. 5 ▪ aurel. victor quae irans alpes galliae sunt constantio sunt co●●m●ssae . brietus parall . veter ge●gr . & novae pag. 374. ant. pagi crit. hist . chr. p. 218. bosquet hist . eccl. lib. 4 c. 11. dodwel diss . cypr. 11. * ver●m autem dei templu●● quod est in h●miri●●● i●colume serv●v●● . lactant de mort. p●rsec . lib. 15. matth. westm . pag. 67. theod. ruinart , in praef. contra dodwelum . baronius an . ch. 286. notes for div a36721-e18290 petau de d●ctr . temp. lib. xi . cap. 31. balus . in notis ad lactant. * pagi an . 284. num ; 3. p. 112. pagi dissert . by● . cap. 2. num . 8. theod ▪ ruin. praf . in act. man. alii r●se●uerunt non nulla qua in illis act is displicebant . eutrop lib. 10. divisusque inter eos romanus orbis . oros. lib. primi imp. rom. in du●s partes determinaverant . eutrop. lib. 7. mamert . in gene●hli● su● finein . vt vero lucem ●en●ibus extu●istis , exi● de soluta res 〈◊〉 j●g●●er mar●nt . eus●b . lib. 8. cap. 12. and 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . an●h . pagi ad an . ch. 298. lactant. de mort. perse● . cap. 10. lactant. de morte persecut . cap. 10. e●●am milites cogi ad n●fanda sacrificia prae●ipit , ut qui non paruissent mili●ia solverentur . hactenus furor ejus & ir a processi● . hirtius lib. 5 . ●e bello africano . * sulpitius sever. lib. 2. pag. 387. sed id inter persecu●i●nes um computatu● . ade● res 〈◊〉 nego●●● f●it quam ut ad ecclesiarum v●lnera perveniret . notes for div a36721-e21490 mezeray hist . do france avant clovis liv . 2. pag. 219. gaud in the old gallick language , in low british goúer , & in high dutch wald signifie wood. sulpitius severus , lib. 2. pag. 283. * ac tum primum inter gallias martyria visa , seriùs trans alpés religione suscepta . pagl . 214. galliarum nomine antiquam narbonensem provinci●m minimè comprebendit . mez. hist . of france before clovis lib. 2. pag. 219. aegidius bucherius belg. rom. num . 6. pag. 220. bagaudas ad rebellionem tum ferè justam praepositorum suorum acerbitatibus & tyrannicis incitates . savl . lib. 5. de provinciâ inceperunt esse barbari quia non permittebantur esse romani . eumenius in paneg. de schol just . cuper notae in la. p. 145. h. noris diss . de num. dio. mammer . in paneg. pag. 91. cum militares habitus ignari agricolae app●tiverunt . cum arator peditem , cum pastor equitem , cum hostem barbarum suorum cultorum rusticus vastator institutus est . fauchet lib. 1. antiq . gall. scalig. in chro. pag. 222. aur. vict. excitamanu agrestium & latronum ▪ quos bagaudas incolae vocant . in bagauda id temporis mora delatur . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 em. tes . ●●isi . de torino lib. 2. pag. 112. ch●ogni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ●●●ove et giur●sse la guerra ●on●ro a' christiani . * passio mart. ag. c●●a hi ●●ut c●teri militum ad per●r thendam christianorum multitudinem destin trentur , &c. mezer. etat de la religion dans les gaules liv . 4. pag. 486. le-conte an fr. tom . 3. p. 73. anonymum fabulatorem qui gesta regum francorum scripsit . oros . lib. 9 cap. 25. tirlemont 2. p. ●om . 3. pag. 868. notes for div a36721-e26850 ex eadem legione fuisse dicuntur etiam illi martyres , ursus & victor quos soloduro passos fama confirma● , &c. sur. rom . 5. 10. octo. bar. rom . 2. an . ch . 297. num . 18. mezeray hist . of france before clovis lib. 2. pag. 228. helin . carausius quidam nobilis eu. carausius qui vilissims natus , oros . carausius quidem genere infimus . baron . martyr . rom. pag. 402. ad 10. oct. sed verona perperam legitur loco bonae . baron . ubi horum sanctorum corpora requiescere accepimus . eutro . cum apud bononiam pertractum belgicae & armoricae pacandum mare accepisset , quod franci & saxones infestabant . helin . procurator constitutus erat provinciae quae est juxta oceanum , ubi franci jam secundo a sedibus expulsi juxta gallorum & saxonum consinia consederunt . baron . tom . 2. an . 297. n. 18. celebris temporum suorum scriptor , qui eadem omnia ex antiquioribus monumentis accepta brevi sermone contexuit . vn â sententiâ interfici omnes decrevit , &c. * sic interfecta est illa plane angelica legio . eutrop. lib. 3. post haec tempora etiam carausius qui vilissimè natus , purpuram sumpsit & britannias occupavit . orosius , loco citato , qui facile agrestium hominum imperit●m & confusam manum militari virtu●e compescuit . deinde carausius quidam genere insimus , &c. an. pagi an . 286. pag. 116. henri noris . diss . 1. de num. smpp . dio. & max. bagaudian aurelius victor . quo bello carausius menapiae civis , fact is promptioribus enituit eoque eum simul quiae gubernandi ( quo officio adolescentiam m●rcede exercueraet ) gnarus habebatur parandae classi , & prpulsandis germanis maria infestantibus praefecere . notes for div a36721-e30480 martyr . rom. baron . dec . kal. oct. pag. 375. theodoret . de evang . vers . lib. 8. theodoret . dial. 1. p. 37. hieron . de script . ec. c. 33. genand . de script . eccles . cap. 1. cassiod . lect. div. cap. 32. gennad . cap. 37. mabillon mus . ital. tom. 1. p. 2. gennadio duce restitui possunt . ado martyr . 7. kal. 7. bris . mr. le prefident cousin dans son advertissementa . le histoire de eusebe . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . dupin . nov. bibl. ●om . 3. voss . de hist. lat. lib. 2. cap. 14. joannis launoij diss . de auth. arg. neg . p. 190. joann . bap. thiers exercit. 〈◊〉 53. part . 6. greg. turon . lib. 10. hist . franc. cap. 3. & glor. miracul . cap. 76. venant . fortun. lib. 2. carm . 15. dupin nov. bibl. tom. 5. p. 90. psal . 19. col. 3. crantzius sax. 7. 16. valesiana pag. 48 , menagij animad . in diog. la. pag. 493. baron . ann. ad an . 317. sect. 23. cumdoleamus ab eusebio praetermissa &c. saints de contrebande . it alludes to prohibited wares unlawfully and surreptitiously imported without paying custom , which are call'd in french marchandises de contrebande . notes for div a36721-e36300 albasp . p. 250. fol imppar . bellarm. lib. 1. de chr. cap. 13. st. james cb . 5. v. 16. 1. thess . 1. vers . 9. deut. 29. vers . 48. acts of the french clergy of 1685 , a●●i . 6. 2 tim. 1. 10. 2 cor. c. 5. v. 21. heb. 7. 25. alexand. al. quaest . 93. num . 1. artic. 4. 1 cor. 1. 13. the duke of rohan ▪ the bishop of tournay . perez de trad. part . 3. cons . 7. pag. 197. blondel in epist . pontif . pag. 308. athan. epist , ad adelph . 2. contr . arr. hilar. de trinit . lib. 8. & 12. bellarm. de bea● . sanct. lib. 1. c. 19. richlieu tract . conv●r . lib. 3. c. 4. bibl. patr gr. lat. 2. pag. 17. dicebatur olim annue nobis domine ut animae famuli tui leonis haec prosit oratio . ho●ie aurem dicitur ut interc●ssione beati leonis hac nobis prosit oratio . bibl. pp. ● . 9. rom . 2. p. 62. origen . contra cels . tir● ▪ 8. & 5. august . contra epis . 1. parm. lib. 2. cap. 8. aug. de civi● . dei. lib. 22. c. 19. iren. lib. 2. cap. 57. tertul. apol. cap. 17. & 30. theo ●o 〈◊〉 in cels . 2. 18. & ● . 7. euseb . lib. 4. cap. 25. malbranche moral . c. 9. pag. 156. missal p. 353. and 359. brev. p. 826. die 18. jan. die 15. octob. pag 1095 , &c.