THE History of the Sufferings of the Martyrs may be considered, by every candid Person, as a strong presumptive evidence for the truth of the Christian Religion: for, whatever a few enthusiasts might have done to establish a sect, it is highly improbable that so many thousands, of both sexes, of all ranks and professions, rich and poor, learned and simple, should, at such distant times and places, have conspired, as it were, against their own lives, to establish a faith of whose truth they were not fully convinced.

THE greatest enemies to Christianity cannot deny but that there have been hundreds, I might say thousands, among the sufferers for the truth of Christ’s doctrine, who were very competent judges of the degree of evidence offered in support of it, and sufficiently independent to be uninfluenced either by rewards or threats.  Many of them were also sufficiently learned to enquire into the stability of the scripture proofs brought to prove Jesus to be actually the expected Saviour of Mankind, which entirely sets aside the adversary’s plea against some few, that they were ignorant, weak people, who took their faith upon the credit of others.  We know, on the contrary, and shall see proved, in the following History, that men of the strongest sense, and brightest parts, were converts to Christianity; and having once believed from conviction, arising from a fair examination of its internal and external evidence were too honest and impartial to deny what they had openly professed to believe.

EVERY one who is acquainted with the history of St. Paul, must know from his writings that he was a very learned man, and from his whole conduct, both before and after his conversion, that he possessed a truly brave and independent spirit, far above any connivance at the establishment of a sect; so far from it that he confesses, in his speech before Felix, that, as he had always acted from principle as a Jew, so he should now, upon better information, act as impartially in regard to Christianity: and if we follow him through all his dangers and difficulties, we shall see none of the fool-hardiness of the enthusiast, but every mark of the most noble fortitude, invincible resolution, and settled love of truth.

THERE is a wide difference between an intemperate, misguided zeal, which rushes into perils without sufficient reason, and that calm and steady courage which meets danger with temperance, when unavoidable.  Our Saviour himself gave an example of this prudential conduct, by oftentimes retiring from imminent danger: and he gave it as a charge to his first followers, “When they persecute you in one city, flee to another.”  So that those brave men, who sealed the testimony of the Gospel with their blood, if they followed their Blessed Master’s advice, cannot be ranked with the hot-headed zealot who bled for the Mahometan faith.  Besides, it is the cause, in fact, which makes the holy martyr: and whoever will candidly consider the heavenly doctrines of Christianity, in respect to the present life, and the glorious rewards it promises in the future state, will acknowledge that the truth of such tenets, and the prospect of such rewards, are deserving of our attention and pursuit, even at the utmost hazard and peril of our lives.

THOSE who lived nearest the times when Christ established his Religion upon earth, must undoubtedly have had the advantage in point of external evidence, in regard to the miracles, and other remarkable circumstances, related concerning him; and as St. Polycarp actually conversed with St. John, it is no wonder if his conviction amounted almost to demonstration; and his disciples could scarcely be less strongly influenced; so that the courage of the earliest Martyrs may perhaps be accounted for from their seeing, as it were, “The heavens open, and Jesus (their Master) standing at the right hand of God,” to reward their constancy.  But when we read of the patient sufferings of those of latter times, attested by evidences which we cannot dispute, we must certainly believe that they were assisted, at the times of their martyrdom, with the inward presence and support of their Lord.  It was the express promise of Christ, that he would “be with his Disciples unto the end of the world;” and surely at no season could this Divine assistance be more necessary than at such trying moments.

IN the present happy establishment of Christianity, thanks be to God, we have none of those fiery trials to undergo for the cause of our Blessed Master, which afflicted the first Christians; yet still, the truly good and zealous followers of Christ suffer a kind of martyrdom through life, from the enticements of bad example, the scoffs and opposition of unbelievers, and the daily affronts offered to religion by the general conduct of the world.  Those are thorns and briars in that blessed way which was intended to be the path of pleasantness and peace: and never was there.  more occasion for Christians to rouse themselves in defence of their faith and hopes, than in the present age.  To this end, every publication which tends to promote virtue and decry vice, ought to meet with the warmest encouragement, as a proper balance to that load of trash and infidelity which the liberty of the press, and the indulgence of a free country, unfortunately suffers to escape correction.  The Gospel makes no distinction of persons; the meanest man on earth is concerned in the accomplishment of its blessed promises, and is therefore bound in honour and conscience, to receive it with candour, and defend it with a becoming spirit; especially when every half-learned witling is uttering his stale jokes against it, and pretending to discover fallacies in the Christian evidence, which escaped the penetrating eyes of Newton, Locke, Addison, Barrow, &c. and many other celebrated characters equally remarkable for discernment, learning, and piety.

IT is no wonder that the first Christians highly esteemed the memories of those distinguished brethren who nobly stood their ground, and bid defiance to racks and flames, in the defence and profession of the truth.  It was a confirmation of their own hopes, and the strongest encouragement to follow their example.  Upon this account they gave them the name of Martyrs, or Witnesses to the Gospel, and believed (for which, indeed, they have authority from scripture) that they should immediately enter into the presence of Christ, and partake of an instant passport to everlasting blessedness.  To keep up the remembrance of their virtues, they set apart those days, whereon they suffered, to religious exercises and godly meetings of the brethren; and though these innocent memorials were afterwards improperly raised to adoration by the errors of the Roman Catholic Church, yet certainly, in their first institution, they tended to promote an emulation in the breasts of Christians, and a gratitude to their Saviour, for the wonderful strength and assistance afforded to their departed brethren in their sufferings.  This is the use we may still make of the following Publication.  We see what good men can perform through faith and strength in the Lord; and we see their wisdom in preferring a glorious eternity, to a short, chequered, and uncertain life.  We see that it is not impossible even to tender women and children to glorify God by their deaths.  Surely we may in this, our day, glorify him by our good lives; especially as goodness will not now, as formerly, provoke danger, but ensure our happiness.

THE progress of Popery has so greatly encreased that there is an absolute necessity for using every effort to suppress such dangerous and contagious principles, and to exert ourselves, and carry into execution every means that can be concerted for promoting the cause of Protestantism; which endeavours form the design of the following sheets.

FROM the tenets of the Holy Martyrs we may acquire the principles of the Christian religion, from their morals we may learn how to live, from their fortitude, how to suffer, and from their deaths how to die.

READER!  Whosoever thou art, take example, in thy station of life, from the integrity and resolution of these thy departed brethren in Christ; and if thy heart and good sense approve their noble conduct, be ready in whatever sense your Lord requires a sacrifice, to go and do likewise.

I HAVE observed, in the former part of this Address, the necessity of such a Publication as this at the present time; to which may be added, that preceding works on the subject are incomplete for several reasons, but more especially because most of them relate only to particular countries, or particular periods.  Such as are of a general nature are confused in the method, and inelegant in the manner; and none bring down the Martyrology to the present time.

IN this Work I have treated the Persecutions of the glorious Martyrs from the first ages of the world to the present period: their sufferings I have described with accuracy; the narratives I have related with simplicity and candour; a tedious prolixity I have carefully avoided; and I have endeavoured to enforce the power of precept by the beauties of diction.

H. SOUTHWELL.

A.D. 1765

THE NEW BOOK OF MARTYRS.

AMONG PRIMITIVE PERSECUTIONS, of an individual nature, we may reckon that of ABEL, who was persecuted and slain by his brother CAIN; the persecution of the righteous NOAH, by the accursed HAM, his son; the persecution of LOT, at SODOM; and that of JOSEPH by his brethren.

In these early ages, the first general persecutions may be deemed that of the children of Israel by Pharaoh.  This tyrant not only afflicted both sexes, of all ages, by means of the most cruel task-masters, but even ordered the new-born male infants of the Hebrew women to be murdered.  He was, however, punished for his persecutions: first, by ten dreadful plagues; and afterwards by being swallowed up in the Red Sea, with all his host.

The children of Israel, after being freed from bondage, were successively persecuted by the Philistines, Ammonites, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Arabians, and Assyrians; and many of the prophets, and chosen of God, were persecuted by several of the kings of Judah and Israel.

The three righteous children were thrown into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar; Daniel was cast into the lions den by order of Darius; and Mordecai was persecuted by the malicious Haman: but these were all respectively saved by the Almighty, and their persecutors punished for their perfidy.

The Jews were persecuted by the neighbouring idolaters during the time of their building and fortifying Jerusalem, till that great work was finished by the care of Nehemiah: but, after its completion, they were frequently disturbed by the Persians, and the successors of Alexander the Great, though that monarch himself had granted the most unlimited favours.

But a little more than a century and a half before the birth of Christ, Antiochus seized upon and sacked, the city of Jerusalem; plundered the temple; and murdered many of the Jews who refused to conform to his idolatry, by scourging, strangling, crucifying, and stifling them, and by closing up the mouths of the caves to which they fled for shelter.

Antiochus and his idolatrous tormentors were, however, at length, bravely opposed by Matthias, a priest, and his valiant sons, the principal of whom was Judas Maccabeus.  This able commander, Judas, with his brave brothers, inspired the dispirited Jews with new courage, defeated the generals of Antiochus, freed their country from bondage, and afterwards turned their arms against the Edomites and Ammonites, over whom they were equally successful.

At length Antiochus died a terrible death, his flesh having been for some time before quite putrid, and producing maggots; so that he became loathsome to himself, and nauseous to all about him.  His successors, however, continued their enmity to the Jews; but they were opposed, with various success, by the Maccabees.

The Jews now entered into a treaty offensive and defensive with the Romans; but soon after lost their worthy champion Judas Maccabeus, who was slain in a bloody battle fought with the Greeks, under the command of their general Bacchides.

Antiochus Epiphanes now reigning in Syria, and having some success against the Jews, went to Jerusalem, where he ordered Eleazar, the priest, to be put to death in the most cruel manner, for refusing to eat swine’s flesh.  Then seizing on a family of Maccabees, consisting of a matron, named Salamona, and her seven sons, he carried them all to Antioch.  Here he would fain have persuaded them to embrace his idolatry, which they nobly and unanimously refused, he ordered them all to be put to death.

Maccabeus, the eldest, was accordingly stripped, stretched on the rack, and severely beaten.  He was next fastened to a wheel, and weights hung to his feet till his sinews cracked.  Afterwards his tormentors threw him into a fire till he was dreadfully scorched; then they drew him out, cut out his tongue, and put him into a frying-pan, with a slow fire under it, till he died.  As long as he had life, and power of expression, under these exquisite torments, he fervently called upon God, and exhorted his brothers to a similar perseverance.

After the second son had his hands fastened with chains, with which he was hung up, his skin was flayed off from the crown of his head to his knees.  He was then cast to a leopard, but the beast refusing to touch him, he was suffered to languish till he expired with the excruciating pain, and loss of blood.

Machir, the third son, was bound to a globe till his bones were all dislocated; his head and face were then flayed, his tongue cut out, and being cast into a pan he was fried to death.

Judas, the fourth son, after having his tongue cut out, was beaten with ropes, and then racked upon a wheel.

Achas, the fifth son, was pounded in a large brazen mortar.

Areth, the sixth son, was fastened to a pillar with his head downwards, slowly roasted by a fire kindled at some distance; his tongue was then cut out, and he was lastly fried in a pan.

Jacob, the seventh and youngest son, had his arms cut off, his tongue plucked out, and was then fried to death.

They all bore their fate with the same intrepidity as their elder brother, and called upon the Almighty to receive them into heaven.

Salamona, the mother, after having in a manner died seven deaths in beholding the martyrdom of her children, was, by the tyrant’s order, stripped naked, severely scourged, her breasts cut off, and her body fried till she expired.

The tyrant, who inflicted these cruelties, was afterwards struck with madness; and then his flesh became corrupted, and his bowels mortified, which put an end to his wicked life.

Thus the afflicted innocent expire,

Calm in their suff’rings, chearful in the fire;

Expecting, for a momentary pain,

Eternal joys, and everlasting gain:

While the tyrannic and the wicked find

A tortur’d body, and tormented mind;

and when their vile atrocious lives, they close,

A hell of horrors, and eternal woes.

HAVING briefly brought down accounts of the earliest persecutions, from the remotest periods to the time of Our Saviour’s birth, we shall now enter into the most important point of human and divine history.  But it is necessary, ere we engage in delineating the birth, actions, sufferings, and death of the REDEEMER OF THE WORLD, to mention some circumstances, which are either introductory to our subject, or should be preliminary to it, in order not to break in upon the uniformity of the narrative.

Herod the Great being informed that a King of the Jews should be born in Bethlehem, sent a number of troops to destroy all the children, under two years of age, in that place, and throughout the neighbouring area.  By this cruel order he hoped to destroy the child Jesus; but in this he was not only disappointed, but punished with such a spirit of lunacy that he slew his own wife, children, relations, friends, &c.  He was afterwards visited by the most grievous maladies, particularly an inward burning, slow but unremitting; an uncommon appetite, continually craving, but ever unsatisfied; a cramp that racked him with pain; a flux that reduced him to weakness; worms that bred in him and gnawed him; vermin that engendered about him and devoured him; a general putrefaction that consumed him; and in fine, all those complicated disorders which could possibly render him hateful to himself, and odious to others.  His torments at length became so intolerable, that not having either the comforts of religion, or the support of a good conscience, to sustain his sinking spirits, he attempted to lay violent hands upon himself.  Being prevented in this attempt by those about him, he at last sunk under the oppression of his afflictions, and expired in the most miserable manner.

I.  ST. STEPHEN, the proto, or first, martyr, was elected with six others as a deacon, out of the Lord’s seventy disciples.  Stephen was an able and successful preacher.  The principal persons belonging to five Jewish synagogues entered into many altercations with him; but he, by the soundness of his doctrine, and the strength of his arguments, overcame them all, which so much irritated them that they suborned false witnesses to accuse him of blaspheming God and Moses.  Being carried before the council, he made a noble defence; but that so much exasperated his judges that they resolved to condemn him.  At this instant Stephen saw a vision from Heaven of Jesus, in his glorified state, sitting at the right hand of God.  This vision so greatly rejoiced him, that he exclaimed in raptures, “Behold! I see the Heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” [Acts 7:56]  They then condemned him, and having dragged him out of the city, stoned him to death.  On the spot where he was martyred, Eudocia, the empress of the emperor Theodosius, erected a superb church; and the memory of him is annually celebrated on the 26th day of December.

The death of Stephen was succeeded by a severe persecution in Jerusalem, in which 2000 Christians, with Nicar, the deacon, were martyred; and many others obliged to leave the place.

II.  ST. JAMES THE GREAT, a Galilean, was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman, the elder brother of St. John, and a relation to Christ himself; for his mother, Salome, was cousin-german to the Virgin Mary.  Being one day with his father, fishing in the sea of Galilee, he and his brother John were called by Our Saviour to become his disciples.  They chearfully obeyed the mandate, and leaving their father, followed Jesus.  It is to be observed that Christ placed a greater confidence in them than any other of the apostles, Peter excepted.

Christ called these brothers Boanerges, or the Sons of Thunder, on account of their fiery spirits and impetuous tempers.

Herod Agrippa, being made governor of Judaea by the emperor Caligula, raised a persecution against the Christians, and particularly singled out James as an object of revenge.  James, being condemned to death, shewed such an intrepidity of spirit, and constancy of mind, that his very accuser was struck with admiration, and became a convert to Christianity.  This transition so enraged the people in power that they likewise condemned him to death; when James the apostle, and his penitent accuser, were both beheaded on the same day, and with the same sword.  These events took place in the year of Christ 44; and the 25th of July was fixed by the church, for the commemoration of this saint’s martyrdom.

Much about the same period, Timon and Parmenas, two of the seven deacons, suffered martyrdom; the former at Corinth, and the latter at Philippi, in Macedonia.

III.  ST. PHILIP.  This apostle and martyr was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee, and was the first called by the name of Disciple.  He was honoured with several important commissions by Christ, and being deputed to preach in Upper Asia, laboured very diligently in his apostleship.  He then travelled into Phrygia, and arriving at Heliopolis, was greatly grieved to find the inhabitants so sunk in idolatry as to worship a large serpent.  St. Philip, however, converted many of them to Christianity, and even procured the death of the serpent.  This so enraged the magistrates that they committed him to prison, had him severely scourged, and afterwards crucified.  His friend, St. Bartholomew, found an opportunity of taking down the body, and burying it; for which, however, he was very near suffering the same fate.  His martyrdom happened eight years after that of St. James the Great, A.D. 52; and his name, together with that of St. James the Less, is commemorated on the 1st of May.

IN the primitive ages of the church, the first persecution was begun by that cruel tyrant Nero, the sixth emperor of Rome.  This monarch reigned for the space of five years, with tolerable credit to himself, but then gave way to the greatest extravagancy of temper, and to the most atrocious barbarities.  Among other diabolical whims, he took it into his head to order that the city of Rome should be set on fire, which was done by his officers, guards and servants accordingly.  While the imperial city was in flames, he went up to the tower of Macenas, played upon his harp, sung the song of the burning of Troy, and openly declared, “that he wished the ruin of all things before his death.”  Among the noble buildings burnt was the Circus, or place appropriated to horse-races: it was half a mile in length; of an oval form, with rows of seats rising above each other, and capable of receiving with ease, upwards of 100,000 spectators.  Besides this noble pile, many other palaces and houses were consumed; and several thousand perished in the flames, were smothered with the smoak, or buried beneath the ruins.

This dreadful conflagration continued nine days; when Nero, finding that his conduct was greatly blamed, and a severe odium cast upon him, determined to lay the whole upon the Christians, at once to excuse himself, and have an opportunity of glutting his sight with new cruelties.  This was the occasion of the first persecution; and the barbarities exercised upon the Christians were such as even excited the commiseration of the Romans themselves.  Nero even refined upon cruelty, and contrived all manner of punishments for the Christians that his most infernal imagination could design.

 

The Burning of the City of Rome

By order of the Emperor Nero, who saw the Conflagration from the top of the Tower of Macœnas, & played on his harp while the city was in flames, after which he laid the blame upon the Christians, which caused the first General Persecution.

In particular, he had some sewed up in the skins of wild beasts, and then worried by dogs till they expired; and others dressed in shirts made stiff with wax, fixed to axle-trees, and set on fire in his gardens, in order to illuminate them.  This persecution was general throughout the whole of the Roman empire; but it rather encreased than diminished the spirit of Christianity.  In the course of it, St. Paul and St. Peter were martyred, (as we have already mentioned in our account of The Lives, Sufferings, and Martyrdom of the Apostles, Evangelists, &c. in the foregoing Chapter); and besides many others, whose names have not been transmitted to posterity, were some of their converts and followers, the circumstances concerning the principal of whom we shall here relate.

ERASTUS, the chamberlain of Corinth, was converted by St. Paul, and determined to follow the fortune of that apostle.  For this reason he resigned his office, and accompanied St. Paul in his voyages and travels, till the latter left him in Macedonia, where he was first made bishop of that province by the Christians; and afterwards suffered martyrdom, being tortured to death by the Pagans at Philippi.

ARISTARCHUS, the Macedonian, was born in Thessalonica, and being converted by St. Paul, became his constant companion.

He was with that apostle at Ephesus, during a commotion raised in that city by Demetrius, the silversmith.  They both received several insults upon the occasion from the populace, which they bore with a true Christian patience, giving good advice in return for ill usage, and not in the least resenting any indignity put upon them.

From Ephesus, Aristarchus accompanied St. Paul into Greece, where they were very successful in propagating the gospel, and bringing over many from ignorance to a saving knowledge, and from Pagan darkness to the glorious light of Christianity.

Leaving Greece, they traversed a great part of Asia, and made a considerable stay in Judaea, where they were so successful in making converts in those parts that idolatry seemed to fly before them, and truth to diffuse its rays wherever they came.  Aristarchus afterwards went with St. Paul to Rome, where he suffered the same fate as the apostle; for being seized as a Christian, he was beheaded by the command of Nero.

TROPHIMUS, an Ephesian by birth, and a Gentile by religion, was converted by St. Paul to the Christian faith.

After his conversion, he accompanied his master in his voyages and travels; and upon his account the Jews raised a great disturbance in’ the temple at Jerusalem, the last time St. Paul was in that city.  They proceeded so far in their malice against the apostle that they attempted to murder him for having introduced a Greek into the temple; for Trophimus, being a Greek, was looked upon by the Jews with detestation, Lysias, the captain of the guard, however, interposed his authority, and by force rescued St. Paul from the hands of the Jews.

On quitting Jerusalem, Trophimus followed his master to Rome, and did him every essential service in his power.  He then attended him to Spain, and passing through Gaul, the apostle made him bishop of that province, and left him behind in the city of Arles.

About a twelve-month after he paid a visit to St. Paul in Asia, and went with him, for the last time, to Rome, where he was witness to the martyrdom of his master, which was but the forerunner of his own; for being soon after seized on account of his faith, he was beheaded by the emperor Nero’s express orders.

JOSEPH, commonly called BARSABAS, was a primitive disciple, and is usually deemed one of the seventy.  He was, in some degree, related to our Blessed Redeemer, and became a candidate, together with Matthias, to fill the vacant place of Judas Iscariot, the traitor.

The gospel and ecclesiastical writers make very little other mention of him; but Papias informs us that he was once compelled to drink poison, which did not do him the least injury, agreeable to the promise of the Lord to those who believe in him.

During his life he was a zealous preacher of the gospel; and having received many insults from the Jews, at length received the crown of martyrdom, being murdered by the Pagans in Judaea.

ANANIUS, bishop of Damascus, is celebrated in the Sacred Writings for being the person used to cure St. Paul of the blindness with which he was struck by the amazing brightness which happened at his conversion.  He was one of the Seventy, and martyred in the city of Damascus.  After his death a Christian church was built over the place of his burial, which is now converted into a Turkish mosque.

THE emperor Domitian, being naturally inclined to cruelty, first slew his brother, and then raised the second persecution against the Christians.  His rage was such that he even put to death many of the Roman senators; some through malice, and others to confiscate their estates.  He then commanded all the lineage of David to be put to death.  Two Christians were brought before the emperor and accused of being of the tribe of Judah, and line of David; but from their answers, he despised them as idiots, and dismissed them accordingly.  He, however, for his lenity here, was determined to be more secure upon other occasions; for he took away the substance of many Christians, banished others, and put several to death.

NERVA succeeding Domitian, gave a respite to the Christians; but reigning only thirteen months, his successor, Trajan, in the 10th year of his reign, and in A.D. 108, began the third persecution against the Christians.  While the persecution raged, Plinius Secundus, a heathen philosopher, wrote to the emperor in favour of the Christians; to whose epistle Trajan returned this indecisive answer; “The Christians ought not to be sought after; but when brought before the magistracy, they should be punished.”

This absurd reply made Tertullian exclaim in the following words, “O, confused sentence!  he would not have them sought for as innocent, and yet would have them punished as guilty.”  The emperor’s incoherent answer, however, occasioned the persecution in some measure to abate, as his officers were uncertain, if they carried it on with severity, how he might chuse to wrest his own meaning.  Trajan, however, soon after wrote to Jerusalem, and gave orders to his officers to exterminate the flock of David; in consequence of which, all that could be found of that race were put to death.

SYMPHOROSA, a widow, and her seven sons, were commanded by the emperor to sacrifice to the heathen deities.  Unanimously refusing to comply with such an impious request, the emperor, in a rage, told her that, for her obstinacy, herself, and her sons, should be slain, to appease the wrath of his offended deities: to which she answered that if he murdered her and her children, theidols he adored would only be held in the greater detestation.

The emperor, being greatly exasperated at this, ordered her to be carried to the temple of Hercules, where she was scourged, and hung up, for some time, by the hair of her head; then being taken down, a large stone was fastened to her neck, and she was thrown into the river, where she expired.  With respect to the sons, they were fastened to seven poles, and being drawn up by pulleys, their limbs were dislocated.  These tortures not affecting their resolution, they were thus martyred; CRESCENTIUS, the eldest, was stabbed in the throat; JULIAN, the second, in the breast; NEMESIUS, the third, in the heart; PRIMITIUS, the fourth, in the navel; JUSTICE, the fifth, in the back; STACTEUS, the sixth, in the side; and EUGENIUS, the youngest, was sawed asunder.

PHOCAS, bishop of Pontus, refusing to sacrifice to Neptune, was, by the immediate order of Trajan, cast first into a hot lime-kiln, and being drawn from thence, was thrown into a scalding bath till he expired.

Trajan likewise commanded the martyrdom of IGNATIUS, bishop of Antioch.  This holy man was the person whom, when an infant, Christ took into his arms, and shewed to his disciples, as one that would be a pattern of humility and innocence.  He received the gospel afterwards from St. John the Evangelist, and was exceedingly zealous in his mission.  He boldly vindicated the faith of Christ before the emperor, for which, being cast into prison, he was tormented in a most cruel manner; for, after being dreadfully scourged, he was compelled to hold fire in his hands; and at the same time, papers dipped in oil were put to his sides, and set on light.  His flesh was then torn with red hot pincers; and at last he was dispatched by being torn to pieces by wild beasts.

Trajan being succeeded by Adrian, the latter continued this third persecution with as much severity as his predecessor.  About this time Alexander, bishop of Rome, with his two deacons, were martyred; as were Quirinus and Hermes, with their families; Zenon, a Roman nobleman, and about ten thousand other Christians.

 

Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch

Torn to Pieces by Wild Beasts

In Mount Ararat many were crucified, crowned with thorns, and spears run into their sides, in imitation of Christ’s passion.  Eustachius, a brave and successful Roman commander, was by the emperor ordered to join in an idolatrous sacrifice to celebrate some of his own victories; but his faith (being a Christian in his heart) was so much greater than his vanity that he nobly refused it.  Enraged at the denial, the ungrateful emperor forgot the services of this skilful commander, and ordered him and his whole family to be martyred.

At the martyrdom of Faustines and Jovita, brothers and citizens of Bressia, their torments were so many, and their patience so great, that Calocerius, a pagan, beholding them, was struck with admiration, and exclaimed, in a kind of ecstacy, “Great is the God of the Christians!”  for which he was apprehended, and suffered a similar fate.

Many other similar cruelties and rigours were exercised against the Christians, till Quadratus, bishop of Athens, made a learned apology in their favour before the emperor, who happened to be there; and Aristides, a philosopher of the same city, wrote an elegant epistle, which caused Adrian to relax in his severities, and relent in their favour.  He indeed went so far as to command that no Christian should be punished on the score of religion or opinion only: but this gave other handles against them to the Jews and Pagans; for then they began to employ and suborne false witnesses, to accuse them of crimes against the state, or civil authority.  

Adrian dying in the year A.D. 138, was succeeded by Antoninus Pius, one of the most amiable monarchs that ever reigned; for his people gave him a title which he justly deserved, viz. The Father of Virtues.  Immediately upon his ascension to the Imperial throne, he published an edict, forbidding any further persecutions against the Christians, and concluded it in these words: “If any hereafter shall vex or trouble the Christians, having no other cause but that they are such, let the accused be released, and the accusers be punished.”  This stopped the persecution; and the Christians enjoyed a respite from their sufferings during this emperor’s reign; though their enemies took every occasion to do them what injuries they could in an underhand manner.

ANTONINUS PIUS was succeeded by MARCUS-AURELIUS-ANTONINUS PIHILOSOPHUS, who, being a strong Pagan, began the fourth persecution, in which many Christians were martyred, particularly in several parts of Asia, and in France.

The cruelties used in this persecution were such that many of the spectators shuddered with horror at the sight, and were astonished at the intrepidity of the sufferers.  Some of the martyrs were obliged to pass with their already wounded feet over thorns, nails, sharp shells, &c. with their points; others were scourged till their sinews and veins lay bare; and after suffering the most excruciating tortures that could be devised, they were destroyed by the most terrible deaths.

GERMANICUS, a young man, but true Christian, being delivered to the wild beasts on account of his faith, behaved with such astonishing courage, that several Pagans became converts to a faith which inspired such fortitude.  This enraged others so much that they cried he merited death, as they did also of POLYCARP, the pious and venerable bishop of Smyrna.

POLYCARP, hearing that persons were after him to apprehend him, escaped, but was discovered by a child.  From this circumstance, and having dreamed that his bed suddenly became on fire, and was consumed in a moment, he concluded that it was God’s will that he should seal his faith with martyrdom.  He therefore would not attempt to make a second escape, when he had an opportunity of so doing.  Those who apprehended him were amazed at his serene countenance, and comely gravity.  After feasting them, he desired an hour in prayer, which being allowed, he prayed with such fervency that his guards repented they had been instrumental in taking him.  He was, however, carried before the pro-consul, condemned, and conducted to the market-place.  Wood being provided, the holy man earnestly prayed to heaven, after being bound to the stake; and as the flames grew vehement, the tormentors gave way on each side, the heat now becoming intolerable.  In the meantime the bishop sang praises to God in the midst of the flames, but remained unconsumed therein; and the burning of the wood spreading a fragrancy around, the guards were much surprized.  Determined, however, to put an end to his life, they struck spears into his body, when the quantity of blood that issued from the wounds extinguished the flames.  After considerable attempts, however, they put him to death; and burnt his body when dead, not being able to consume it while living.  Twelve other Christians, who had been intimate with Polycarp, were soon after martyred.

METRODORUS, a minister, who preached boldly, and PIONIUS, who made some excellent apologies for the Christian faith, were likewise burnt.  CARPUS and PAPILUS, two worthy Christians; and AGATHONICA, a pious woman, suffered martyrdom at Pargamopolis, in Asia.

FELICTATIS, an illustrious Roman lady, of a considerable family, and the most shining virtues, was a devout Christian.  She had seven sons, whom she had educated with the most exemplary piety.  The empire having been, about this time, grievously troubled with earthquakes, famine, inundations, &c. the Christians were accused as the cause, and Felicitatis was included in the accusation.  The lady and her family being seized, the emperor gave orders to Publius, the governor of Rome, to proceed against her.

Publius began with the mother, thinking that if he could prevail with her to change her religion, that the example would have great influence with her sons.  Finding her inflexible, he turned his entreaties to menaces, and threatened her with destruction to herself and family.  She despised his threats as she had done his promises; on which he changed his battery, and began with the sons, whom he examined separately.  They all, however, remained stedfast in their faith, and unanimous in their opinions, on which the whole family were ordered for execution.

Januarius, the eldest, was scourged, and pressed to death with weights; Felix and Philip, the two next, had their brains dashed out with clubs; Silvanus, the fourth, was murdered by being thrown from a precipice; and the three younger sons, viz. Alexander, Vitalis, and Martial, were all beheaded.  With respect to the mother, she suffered the same fate, and was beheaded with the same sword as the three latter.

JUSTIN, the celebrated philosopher, fell a martyr in this persecution.  He was a native of Neapolis, in Samaria, and was born A.D. 103.  He had the best education those times could afford, and travelled into Egypt, the country where the polite tour of that age was made for improvement.  At Alexandria he was informed of everything relative to the seventy interpreters of the sacred writings; and shewn the rooms, or rather cells, in which their work was performed.  Justin was a great lover of truth, and an universal scholar.  He investigated the Stoic and Peripatetic philosophy, and attempted the Pythagorean; but the behaviour of one of its professors disgusting him, he applied himself to the Platonic, in which he took great delight.  About the year 133, when he was thirty years of age, he became a convert to Christianity, and then, for the first time, perceived the real nature of truth.

He wrote an elegant epistle to the Gentiles, to convert them to the faith he had newly acquired; and lived in so pure and innocent a manner, that it was evident he merited the title of a Christian philosopher.

He employed his talents in convincing the Jews of the truth of the Christian rites; and spent a great deal of time in travelling, till he took up his abode in Rome, and fixed his habitation upon the Viminal mount.

He kept a public school, taught many who afterwards became great men, and wrote a treatise to confute heresies of all kinds.  As the Pagans began about this time to treat the Christians with great severity, Justin wrote his first apology in their favour, and addressed it to the emperor, to two princes whom he had adopted as his sons, and to the senate and people of Rome in general.  This piece displays great learning and genius, is written with a manly elegance, and occasioned the emperor to publish an edict in favour of the Christians.

Soon after he entered into frequent contests with Crescens, a person of a vicious life and conversation, but a celebrated Cynic philosopher; and his arguments appeared so powerful, yet disgusting, to the Cynic, that he resolved on, and in the sequel accomplished, his destruction.

Justin’s second apology was occasioned by the following circumstances: a man and his wife, who were both bad livers, resided at Rome.  The woman, however, becoming a convert to Christianity, attempted to reclaim her husband; but not succeeding, she sued for a divorce, which so exasperated him that he accused her of being a Christian.  Upon her petition, however, he dropped the persecution, and levelled his malice at Ptolemeus, who had converted her.  Ptolemeus was condemned to die; and one Lucius, with another person, met with the same fate, for expressing themselves too freely upon the occasion.

The apology of Justin upon these severities gave Crescens, the Cynic, an opportunity of prejudicing the emperor against the writer of it; upon which Justin and six of his companions were apprehended.  Being commanded, as usual, to deny their faith, and sacrifice to the Pagan idols, they absolutely refused to do either.  On their refusal, they were condemned to be first scourged, and then beheaded; which sentence was executed with all imaginable severity.

Of the writings of this celebrated martyr, and great philosopher, only seven pieces are now extant, viz.

The two Apologies.

An Exhortation to the Gentiles.

An Oration to the Greeks.

A Treatise on Divine Monarchy.

A Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, and

An Epistle to Diagnetus.

Several were beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to the image of Jupiter: in particular CONCORDUS, a deacon of the city of Spoleto, being carried before the image, and ordered to worship it, not only refused, but spit in its face; for which he was severely tormented, and afterwards had his head cut off with a sword.

Some of the northern nations being in arms against Rome, the emperor marched to encounter them.  He was, however, drawn into an ambuscade, and dreaded the loss of his whole army.  Enveloped with mountains, surrounded by enemies, and perishing with thirst, the troops were driven to the last extremities.  All the Pagan deities were invoked in vain; when the men belonging to the militine, or thundering legion, who were all Christians, were commanded to call upon their God for succour.  They immediately withdrew from the rest, prostrated themselves upon the earth, and prayed fervently.  A miraculous deliverance immediately ensued: a prodigious quantity of rain fell, which being caught by the men, and filling the dykes, afforded a sudden and astonishing relief.  The emperor, in his epistle to the Roman senate, wherein the expedition is described, after mentioning the difficulties to which he had been driven, thus speaks of the Christians:

“When I saw myself not able to encounter with the enemies, I craved aid of our country gods; but at their hands finding no relief, and being cooped up by the enemy, I caused those men, whom we call Christians, to be sent for; who being mustered, I found a considerable number of them, against whom I was more incensed than I had just cause, as I found afterwards: for, by a marvellous power, they forthwith used their endeavours, not with ammunition, drums, and trumpets, abhorring such preparations and furniture, but only praying unto, and trusting in their God, whom they carry about with them in their consciences.  It is therefore to be believed, although we call them wicked men, that they worship God in their hearts; for they, falling prostrate on the ground, prayed, not only for me, but for the army also which was with me, beseeching God to help me in our extreme want of victuals and fresh water, (for we had been five days without water, and in our enemies land, even in the midst of Germany); I say falling upon their faces, they prayed to a God unknown to me, and immediately thereupon fell from heaven a most pleasant and cool shower; but amongst our enemies great store of hail, mixed with thunder and lightning; so that we soon perceived the invincible aid of the most mighty God to be with us: therefore we give these men leave to profess Christianity, lest, by their prayers we be punished by the like; and I thereby make myself the author of all the evil that shall accrue by the persecution of the Christian religion.”

It appears that the storm, which so miraculously flashed in the faces of the enemy, so intimidated them that part deserted to the Roman army; the rest were with ease defeated; and the revolted provinces were entirely recovered.

This affair occasioned the persecution to subside for some time, at least in those parts immediately under the inspection of the emperor; for we find that it soon after raged in France, particularly at Lyons, where the tortures to which many of the Christians were put almost exceed the powers of description.  The aspersions, false accusations, taunts, threats, revilings, menacings, which were but forerunners to all manner of punishments, torments, and painful deaths; such as being banished, plundered, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, assassinated, hanged, burnt, &c. and even the servants and slaves of opulent Christians were racked and tortured, to make them accuse their masters and employers.  The principal of these martyrs were the following:

VETIUS AGATHUS, a young man, who having boldly pleaded the Christian cause, was asked if he was a Christian.  To which, answering in the affirmative, he was condemned to death, and suffered the crown of martyrdom accordingly.  Many, animated by this young man’s intrepidity, boldly owned their faith, and suffered as he had done.

BLANDINIA, a Christian, but of a weak constitution, being seized and tortured upon the account of her religion, received so much strength from heaven that her torturers became tired frequently, and were surprised at her being able to bear her torments with such resolution, and for so great a length of time.

SANCTUS, a deacon of Vienna, was put to the torture, which he bore with great fortitude, and only cried, “I am a Christian.”  Red-hot plates of brass were placed upon those parts of the body that were tenderest, which contracted the sinews; but he remaining inflexible, was re-conducted to prison.  Being brought out from his place of confinement a few days afterwards, his tormentors were astonished to find his wounds healed, and his person as perfect as before they tormented him.  They, however, again proceeded to torture him; but not being able, at that time, to take away a life which was miraculously preserved, they only remanded him to prison, where he remained for some time after; and having had this respite, received the crown of martyrdom by being beheaded.

BIBLIAS, a weak woman, had been an apostate, but having returned to the faith, was martyred, and bore her sufferings with great patience.  ATTALUS, of Pergamus, was another sufferer: and POTHINUS, the venerable bishop of Lyons, who was ninety years of age, was so unmercifully treated by the enraged Pagan mob that he expired two days after in prison.

When the Christians, upon these occasions, received martyrdom, they were ornamented, and crowned with garlands of flowers; for which they in heaven received eternal crowns of glory.

The torments were various; and exclusive of those already mentioned, the martyrs of Lyons were compelled to sit in red-hot iron chairs till their flesh broiled.  This was inflicted with peculiar severity on Santus, already mentioned, and some others.  Some were sewed up in nets, and thrown on the horns of wild bulls; and the carcases of those who died in prison, previous to the appointed time of execution, were thrown to dogs.  Indeed, so far did the malice of the Pagans proceed, that they set guards over the bodies while the beasts were devouring them, lest the friends of the deceased should get them away by stealth; and the offals left by the dogs were ordered to be burnt.

The martyrs of Lyons, according to the best accounts we could obtain, who suffered for the gospel, were forty-eight in number, and their executions happened in the year of Christ 177.  They all died with great fortitude and serenity of mind, evidently evincing that they preferred the everlasting pleasures of an immortal and happy life to the transitory scenes of one that was precarious, dashed with afflictions, and at best but short and fleeting.

Like to the falling of a star,

Or as the flights of eagles are;

Or like the fresh spring’s gaudy hue,

Or silver drops of morning dew;

Or like the wind that chases the flood;

Or bubbles which on water stood;

Ev’n such is man, whole borrow’d light

Is straight call’d in, and paid to night.

The wind blows out; the bubble dies;

The spring entomb’d in autumn lies;

The dew dries up; the star is shot;

The flight is past, and man forgot.

         Bishop of Chichester’s Poems.

Besides the above martyrs of Lyons, who are usually enumerated together, some others suffered in that city, and in the different parts of the empire, soon after.  Of these the principal were,

EPIPODIUS and ALEXANDER, celebrated for their great friendship, and their Christian union with each other.  The first was born at Lyons, the latter in Greece.  They were of mutual assistance to each other, and prepared themselves for receiving a crown of martyrdom in this world, and a crown of glory in the next, by the continual practice of all manner of Christian virtues.

When the persecution began first to rage at Lyons, they were in the prime of life, and to avoid the effects of its severities, they thought proper to withdraw to a neighbouring village.  Here they were, for some time, concealed by a Christian widow, whose piety protected, while her obscurity gave a sanction to their retreat.

As they were eminent persons, the malice of their persecutors sought after them with indefatigable industry, and pursued them to their place of concealment with unremitting assiduity.  Dragged from their retirement, they were committed to prison without examination: but their misfortunes did not oppress their spirits; for, shielded by the gospel, they were secure against the woes incident to this life.

“The gospel ‘tis which streaks the morning bright;

“Tis this which gilds the horrors of the night.

“When wealth forsakes us, or when friends are few;

“When friends are faithless, or when foes pursue;

“Tis this which wards the blow, or stills the smart,

“Disarms affliction, or repels its dart;

“Within the breast bids purest raptures rise,

“Bids awful conscience spread her cloudless skies.

“When the storm thickens, and the thunders roll,

“When the earth trembles to th’ affrighted pole,

“The virtuous mind, nor doubts, nor fears assail;

“For storms are zephyrs, or a gentler gale;

“But when disease obstructs the lab’ring breath,

“When the pulse thickens, and each gasp is death,

“Ev’n then religion shall sustain the just,

“Grace their last moments, nor desert their dust.”

Being, at the expiration of three days, brought before the governor, they were examined in the presence of a crowd of Pagans.  They confessed the divinity of Christ; when the governor, being enraged at what he termed their insolence, absurdly said, “what signifies all the former executions, if some yet remain who dare acknowledge Christ?”

Having separated them, that they should not console with, or fortify each other, he began to tamper with Epipodius, the youngest of the two.  With a dissembled kindness, he pretended to pity his condition, and entreated him not to ruin himself by obstinacy.  “Our deities (continued he) are worshipped by the greater part of the people in the universe, and their rulers; we adore them with feasting and mirth, while you adore a crucified man; we, to honour them, launch into pleasures; you, by your faith, are debarred from all that indulges the senses.  Our religion enjoins feasting, your’s fasting; our’s the joys of licentious blandishments, your’s the barren virtue of chastity.  Can you expect protection from one who could not secure himself from the persecutions of a contemptible people?  Then quit a profession of such austerity, and enjoy those gratifications which the world affords, and which your youthful years demand.”

THE emperor COMMODUS dying in the year 191, was succeeded by the short-reigned PERTINAX; and he was again succeeded by the still shorter-reigned JULIANUS.  On the death of the last, in the year 192, SEVERUS became emperor.

SEVERUS having been recovered from a severe fit of sickness by a Christian, became a great favourer of Christians in general; and even permitted his son Caracalla to be nursed by a female Christian.  Hence, during the reigns of the two emperors already mentioned, who successively succeeded Commodus, and some years of the latter’s reign, the Christians were not persecuted; for we find that they had a respite of several years.

At length, however, the prejudice and fury of the ignorant multitude prevailed, and obsolete laws were revived, and put in execution against the Christians.

The progress of Christianity alarmed the Pagans, and they revived the stale calumny of placing accidental misfortunes to the account of its professors.  Fire, sword, scourges, wild beasts, and cruel imprisonments were now used; and even the dead bodies of Christians were torn from their graves with Pagan prejudice, to be mangled by popular fury.

But though persecuting malice raged, yet the gospel shone with resplendent brightness; and firm as an impregnable rock, withstood the attack of its boisterous enemies with success.  TERTULLIAN, who lived in this age, informs us that if the Christians had collectively withdrawn themselves from the Roman territories, the empire would have been greatly depopulated.

VICTOR, bishop of Rome, suffered martyrdom in the first year of the third century, viz. A.D. 201, though the circumstances are not particularized.

LEONIDAS, the father of the celebrated ORIGEN, was beheaded for being a Christian.  Previous to the execution, the son, in order to encourage him, wrote to him in these remarkable words: “Beware, Sir, that your care for us does not make you change your resolution.”  Many of ORIGEN’s hearers likewise suffered martyrdom; particularly two brothers, named PLUTARCHUS and SERENUS: another Serenus, Heron, and Heraclides, were beheaded: RHAIS had boiling pitch poured upon her head, and was then burnt, as was Marcella her mother.

POTAMIENA, the sister of Rhais, was executed in the same manner as Rhais had been; but Basilides, an officer belonging to the army, and one ordered to attend her execution, became her convert.

BASILIDES being, as an officer, required to take a certain oath, refused, saying, that he could not swear by the Roman idols, as he was a Christian.  Struck with surprize, the people could not, at first, believe what they heard; but he had no sooner confirmed the same, than he was dragged before the judge, committed to prison, and speedily afterwards beheaded.

IRENÆUS, bishop of Lyons, was born in Greece, and received both a polite and a Christian education.  It is generally supposed that the account of the persecutions at Lyons was written by himself.  He succeeded the martyr Pothinus as bishop of Lyons, and ruled his diocese with great propriety: he was a zealous opposer of heresies in general, and about A.D. 187, wrote a celebrated tract against heresy.

IN A.D. 235, Maximinus being emperor, raised a persecution against the Christians.  In Cappadocia, the president, Seremianus, did all he could to exterminate the Christians from that province.

A ROMAN SOLDIER, refusing to wear a laurel crown bestowed on him by the emperor, and confessing himself a Christian, was scourged, imprisoned, and afterwards put to death.

PONTIANUS, bishop of Rome, for preaching against idolatry, was banished to Sardinia, and there slain.

ANTEROS, a Grecian, who succeeded the last mentioned bishop in the see of Rome, gave so much offence to the government, by collecting the acts of the martyrs, that he suffered martyrdom himself, after having held his dignity only forty days.

PAMMACHIUS, a Roman senator, with his family, and other Christians, to the number of forty-two, were, on account of their religion, all beheaded in one day, and their heads set up on the city gates.

SIMILICIUS, another senator, met with exactly the same fate.

CALEPODIUS, a Christian minister, after being inhumanly treated, and barbarously dragged about the streets, had a millstone fastened about his neck, and was thrown into the river Tyber.

 

Calepodius, a Christian Minister,

Thrown in the River Tyber, with a Millstone fastened to his Neck.

QUIRITUS, a Roman nobleman, with his family and domestics, were, on account of being all Christians, put to the most excruciating tortures, and then to the most painful deaths.  Thus this nobleman suffered the confiscation of his effects, poverty, revilings, imprisonments, scourgings, tortures, and the loss of his life for the sake of his blessed Redeemer; well knowing that

Our Saviour came not with a gaudy shew,

Nor was his kingdom of the world below:

Patience in want and poverty of mind,

These marks of church and churchmen he design’d,

And living taught, and dying left behind.

The crown he wore was of the pointed thorn;

In purple he was crucify’d, not born:

They who contend for place and high degree,

Are not his sons, but those of Zebedee.

MARTINA, a noble and beautiful virgin, likewise suffered martyrdom for the sake of Christ, being variously tortured, and afterwards beheaded.

HIPPOLITUS, a Christian prelate, was tied to a wild horse and dragged through fields, stony places, bushes, &c. till he expired.

During this persecution raised by Maximinus, numberless Christians were slain without trial, and buried indiscriminately in heaps; sometimes fifty or sixty being cast into a pit together, without the least decency.

The tyrant Maximinus dying, A.D. 238, was succeeded by Gordian, during whose reign, and that of his successor Philip, the church was free from persecution for the space of more than ten years; but in A.D. 249, a violent persecution broke out in Alexandria.  It is to be observed, however, that this was done at the instigation of a Pagan priest, without the knowledge of the emperor.

The popular fury being let loose against the Christians, the mob broke open their houses, stole away the best of their property, destroyed the rest, and murdered the owners: the universal cry being, “Burn ‘em, burn ‘em; Kill ‘em, kill ‘em.”  The names of the martyrs (three excepted) and the particulars of this affair, however, have not been transmitted to posterity.  The three martyrs alluded to were the following:

METRUS, an aged and venerable Christian, refusing to blaspheme his Saviour, was beaten with clubs, pricked with sharp reeds, and at length stoned to death.

QUINTA, a Christian woman, being carried to the temple, and refusing to worship the idols there, was dragged by her feet over sharp flint stones, scourged with whips, and at last dispatched in the same manner as Metrus.

APOLLONIA, an ancient maiden lady, confessing herself a Christian, the mob dashed out her teeth with their fists, and threatened to burn her alive.  A fire was accordingly prepared for the purpose, and she fastened to a stake; but requesting to be unloosed, it was granted on a supposition that she meant to recant, when, to their great surprize, she immediately threw herself into the flames, and was there consumed; which plainly evinced that she contemned the fears of death, and trusted to a lasting future reward, for a temporary punishment in this life.

Submit thy fate to heav’n’s indulgent care;

Tho’ all seem lost, ‘tis impious to despair;

The tracks of Providence, like rivers wind,

Here run before us, there retreat behind:

And tho’ immerg’d in earth from human eyes,

Again break forth, and more conspicuous rise.

DECIUS being now emperor of Rome, began a dreadful persecution against the Christians, A.D. 249.  This was occasioned partly by the hatred he bore to his predecessor Philip, who was deemed a Christian, and partly to his jealousy concerning the amazing encrease of Christianity; for the heathen temples began to be forsaken, and the Christian churches thronged.

These reasons stimulated Decius to attempt the very extirpation of the name of Christian; and it was unfortunate for the cause of the gospel that many errors had, about this time, crept into the church: the Christians were at variance with each other; self-interest divided those whom social love ought to have united; and the virulence of pride occasioned a variety of factions.

The heathens, in general, were ambitious to enforce the Imperial decrees upon this occasion, and looked upon the murder of a Christian as a merit in themselves.  The martyrs, upon this occasion, were innumerable; but the principal ones we shall give some account of in order.

FABIAN, the bishop of Rome, was the first person of eminence who felt the severity of this persecution.  The deceased emperor Philip had, on account of his integrity, committed his treasures to the care of this good ran.  But Decius, not finding as much as his avarice made him expect, determined to wreak his vengeance on the good prelate.  He was accordingly seized; and on the 20th of January, A,D, 350, suffered martyrdom by being beheaded.

ABDON and SEMEN, two Persians, were seized on as strangers; but being found Christians, were put to death on account of their faith; and MOYSES, a priest, was beheaded for the same reason.

JULIAN, a native of Celicia, as we are informed by St. Chrysostom, was seized upon for being a Christian.  He was frequently tortured, but still remained inflexible; and though often brought from prison for execution, was again remanded, to be the object of greater cruelties.  He, at length, was obliged to travel for twelve months together, from town to town, in order to be exposed to the insults of the ignorant populace.

Finding the endeavours to make him recant his religion ineffectual, he was brought before his judge, stripped, and whipped in a most dreadful manner.  He was then put into a leathern bag, together with a number of serpents and scorpions, and in that condition thrown into the sea.

PETER, a young man, amiable for the superior qualities of his body and mind, was apprehended for being a Christian at Lampsachus, or the Hellespont, and carried before Optimus, pro-consul of Asia.  Being commanded to sacrifice to Venus, he said, “I am astonished that you should wish me to sacrifice to an infamous woman, whose debaucheries even your own historians record, and whose life consisted of such actions as your laws would punish.—No!  I shall offer to the true God the acceptable sacrifice of praises and prayers.”

Optimus, on hearing this, ordered the prisoner to be stretched upon a wheel, by which all his bones were broken.

His torments, however, inspired him with fresh courage: he smiled on his persecutors; and seemed, by the serenity of his countenance, not to upbraid, but to applaud his tormentors.

The pro-consul, at length, tired out with tormenting him, ordered him to be beheaded; which command was executed immediately.

NICHOMACHUS, being brought before the proconsul as a Christian, was ordered to sacrifice to the Pagan idols, Nichomachus replied, “I cannot pay that respect to devils which is only due to the Almighty.”  This speech so much enraged the pro-consul, that Nichomachus was put to the rack.  He bore the torments for some time, with patience and great resolution; but, at length, when ready to expire with pain, he forfeited all the advantages he had gained in his former sufferings, by abjuring his faith, and becoming an apostate.  He had no sooner given this proof of his frailty, than he fell into the greatest agonies, dropped down on the ground, and expired immediately.

DENISA, a young woman of only sixteen years of age, who beheld this terrible judgment, suddenly exclaimed, “O, unhappy wretch, why would you buy a moment’s ease, at the expense of a miserable eternity?”  Optimus hearing this, called to her, and asked if she was a Christian.  She replied in the affirmative; and being commanded to sacrifice to the idols, absolutely refused.

Provoked at her resolution, Optimus gave her up to two libertines, to become the object of their lust.  These took her to their own home, and made many attempts upon her chastity, but without effect.  At midnight they were deterred from further attempts by a frightful vision, which so amazed them that they fell at the feet of Denisa, and implored her prayers, that they might not feel the effects of divine vengeance for their brutality.  This deliverance, however, did not soften the heart of Optimus, for the damsel was beheaded, by his order, soon after.

ANDREW and PAUL, two companions of NICHOMACHUS the martyr, on confessing themselves Christians, were condemned to die, and delivered to the multitude to be stoned.  Accordingly, in A.D. 251, they suffered martyrdom by stoning, and expired calling on their Blessed Redeemer.

ALEXANDER and EPIMACHUS, of Alexandria, were apprehended for being Christians; and confessing the accusation, were beat with staves, torn with hooks, and at length burnt in the fire; and we are informed, in a fragment preserved by Eusebius, that four female martyrs suffered on the same day, and at the same place, but not in the same manner; for they were beheaded.

LUCIAN and MARCIAN, two wicked Pagans, though skilful magicians, becoming converts to Christianity to make amends for their former errors, lived the lives of hermits, and subsisted upon bread and water only.

After some time spent in this manner, they reflected that their lives were inefficacious, and determined to leave their solitude in order to bring others to Christianity.  Pursuant to this resolution, they became zealous preachers and made many converts.

The persecution, however, raging at this time, they were seized upon and carried before Sabinus, the governor of Bithynia.  On being asked by what authority they took upon themselves to preach, Lucian answered, “That the laws of charity and humanity obliged all men to endeavour the conversion of their neighbours, and to do every thing in their power to rescue them from the snares of the devil.”

Lucian having answered in this manner; Marcian said that “their conversion was by the same grace which was given to St. Paul, who, from a zealous persecutor of the church, became a preacher of the gospel.”

The pro-consul, finding that he could not prevail with them to renounce their faith, condemned them to be burnt alive, which sentence was soon after executed.

TRYPHO and RESPICIUS, two eminent men, were seized as Christians, and imprisoned at Nice.  They were soon after put to the rack, which they bore with admirable patience for three hours, and uttered the praises of the Almighty during the whole time.  They were then exposed naked to the severity of the open air, which benumbed all their limbs, as it was the very depth of the winter.

Being remanded to prison, they remained there for a considerable time; and then the cruelties of their persecutors were again evinced.  Their feet were pierced with nails; they were dragged through the streets, scourged, torn with iron hooks, scorched with lighted torches, and at length beheaded on the first day of February, A.D. 251.

AGATHA, at Sicilian lady, was not more remarkable for her personal and acquired endowments, than her piety: her beauty was such that Quintain, governor of Sicily, became enamoured of her, and made many attempts upon her chastity.

As the governor was reputed to be a great libertine, and a bigoted Pagan, the lady very discreetly thought it proper to withdraw from two such dangerous enemies as lust and superstition.  She accordingly retired from the town, but being discovered in her retreat, she was seized, and brought to Catana.

Finding herself thus in the power of an enemy, both to her soul and body, she recommended herself to the protection of the Almighty, and prayed for death as a relief from heir miseries.

The governor, in order to gratify his passions with the greatest conveniency, put the virtuous lady into the hands of Aphrodica, a very infamous and licentious woman.   This wretch tried every artifice to win her to the desired prostitution; but found all her efforts were vain; for her chastity was impregnable, and she well knew that virtue alone could procure true happiness.

Know then this truth (enough for man to know)

Virtue alone is happiness below!

That only point where human bliss stands still,

And tastes the good, without the fall to ill;

Where only merit constant pay receives,

Is bles’d in what it takes, and what it gives;

The joy unequall’d, if its end it gains,

And if it lose, attended with no pain;

Without satiety; though e’er so bless’d,

And but more relish’d, as the more distress’d:

The broadest mirth unfeeling folly wears;

Less pleasing far than virtue’s very tears:

Good from each object, from each place acquir’d,

Forever exercis’d, yet never tired,

Never elated, while one man’s oppress’d;

Never dejected while another’s bless’d;

And where no wants, no wishes can remain,

Since but to wish more virtue, is to gain.

Aphrodica acquainted Quintain with the inefficacy of her endeavours, who, enraged to be foiled in his designs, changed his lust into resentment.  On her confessing that she was a Christian, he determined to gratify his revenge; as he could not his passion.

Pursuant to his orders she was scourged, burnt with red hot irons, and torn with sharp hooks.  Having borne these torments with admirable fortitude, she was next laid naked upon live coals, intermingled with glass, and then being carried back to prison, she there expired on the 5th of February, 251.

CYRIL, bishop of Gortyna, was seized by order of Lucius, the governor of that place, who, nevertheless, exhorted him to obey the Imperial mandate, perform the sacrifices, and save his venerable person from destruction, for he was now eighty-four years of age.  The good prelate replied that he could not agree to any such requisition, for as he had long taught others to save their souls, should he now only think of his own salvation?

The governor, finding all his persuasions in vain, pronounced sentence against the venerable Christian, in these remarkable words:

“I order and appoint, that Cyril, who has lost his senses, and is a declared enemy of our gods, shall be burnt alive.”

The worthy prelate heard this sentence without emotion, walked chearfully to the place of execution, and underwent his martyrdom with great fortitude.

The persecution raged in no place more than the island of Crete; for the governor, being exceedingly active in executing the Imperial decrees, that place streamed with pious blood.

The principal Cretan martyrs whose names have been transmitted to us are the following:

THEODULUS, SATURNIUS and EUROPUS, were inhabitants of Gortyna, who had been grounded in their faith by Cyril, bishop of that city; and EUNICIANUS, ZETICUS, CLEOMENES, AGATHOPAS, BASTIDES, and EUARISTUS were brought from different parts of the island on accusations relative to their professing Christianity.

Being brought into court, they were commanded to sacrifice to Jupiter, which declining, the judge threatened them with the severest tortures imaginable.  To these menaces they unanimously answered, “That to suffer for the sake of the Supreme Being, would to them be the sublimest of pleasures.”

His threats failing, the judge attempted to gain their veneration for the heathen deities by descanting on their merits, and recounting some of their mythological histories.  This gave the prisoners an opportunity of remarking to the absurdity of such fictions, and of pointing out the folly of paying adoration to idol deities and images.

Irritated to hear his favourite idols ridiculed, the governor ordered them all to be put to the rack; the tortures of which they sustained with surprising fortitude.  They at length suffered the period of their martyrdom, A.D. 251: being all beheaded on the same day.

BABYLAS, a Christian of a liberal education, became bishop of Antioch, A.D. 237, on the demise of Zebinus.  He acted with inimitable zeal, and governed the church with admirable prudence during the most tempestuous times.

The first misfortune that happened to Antioch during his mission was the siege of it by Sapor, king of Persia; who having over-run all Syria, took and plundered this city among others, and used the Christian inhabitants with greater severity than the rest.

His cruelties, however, were not lasting; for Gordian, the emperor, appearing at the head of a powerful army, Antioch was retaken, the Persians driven entirely out of Syria, pursued into their own country, and several places in the Persian territories fell into the emperor’s hands.

After Gordian’s death, in the reign of Decius, that emperor came to Antioch, where having a desire to visit an assembly of Christians, Babylas opposed him, and absolutely refused to let him come in.  The emperor dissembled his anger at that time; but soon sending for the bishop, he sharply reproved him for his insolence, and then ordered him to sacrifice to the Pagan deities as an expiation for his offence.

This being refused; he was committed to prison, loaded with chains; treated with great severities, and then beheaded, together with three young men who had been his pupils.

As they went to the place of execution, the bishop exclaimed, “Behold me and the children that the Lord has given me.”  They were martyred, A.D. 251; and the chains worn by the bishop in prison were buried with him.

ALEXANDER, bishop of Jerusalem; about this time was cast into prison on account of his religion, where he died by the severity of his confinement.

SERAPIAN, being apprehended at Alexandria, had all his bones broken, and was then thrown from a high lost, when he was killed by the fall.

JULIANUS, an old man lame with the gout; and CRONION, another Christian, were bound on the backs of camels, severely scourged, and then thrown into a fire and consumed.  A person who stood by, and seemed to commiserate them, was ordered to be beheaded as a punishment for entertaining sentiments of too tender a nature.

MACAR, a Libyan Christian, was burnt; HERON-ATER and ISIDORUS, Egyptians, with DIOSCHORUS, a boy of fifteen, after suffering many other torments, met with a similar fate; and NEMESION, another Egyptian, was first tried as a thief; but being acquitted, was accused of Christianity, which confessing, he was scourged, tortured, and burnt.

ISEHYRIAN, the Christian servant of an Egyptian nobleman and magistrate, was run through with a pike by his own master, for refuting to sacrifice to idols; VENANTIUS, a youth of fifteen was martyred in Italy; and FORTY VIRGINS at Antioch, after being imprisoned and scourged, were burnt.

In the year of our Lord 251, the emperor Decius, having erected a Pagan temple at Ephesus, commanded all who were in that city to sacrifice to the idols.  This order was nobly refused by seven of his own soldiers, viz.

 MAXIMIANUS, MARTIANUS, JOANNES, MALCHUS, DIONYSIUS, SERAION and CONSTANTINUS.

The emperor, wishing to convince these soldiers to renounce their faith by his entreaties and lenity, gave them a considerable respite till he returned from an expedition.

During the emperor’s absence, they escaped and hid themselves in a cavern; which the emperor being informed of at his return, the mouth of the cavern was closed up, and they all perished with hunger.

THEODORA, a beautiful young lady of Antioch, on refusing to sacrifice to the Roman idols, was condemned to the stews, that her virtue might be sacrificed to the brutality of lust.  Didymus, a Christian, disguised himself in the habit of a Roman soldier, went to the house, informed Theodora who he was, and advised her to make her escape in his cloaths.

This being effected, and a man found in the brothel instead of a beautiful lady, Didymus was taken before the president, to whom confessing the truth, and owning that he was a Christian, the sentence of death was immediately pronounced against him.

Theodora, hearing that her deliverer was likely to suffer, came to the judge, threw herself at his feet, and begged that the sentence might fall only on her as the guilty person; but deaf to the cries of the innocent, and insensible to the calls of justice, the inflexible judge condemned both.  They were executed accordingly, being first beheaded, and their bodies afterwards burnt.

SECUNDIANUS having been accused as a Christian, was conveyed to prison by some soldiers.  On the way, VERIANUS and MARCELLINUS said, “where are you carrying the innocent?”  This interrogatory occasioned them to be seized, and all three, after having been tortured, were hanged; and when dead, their heads were cut off.

ORIGEN, the celebrated presbyter and catechist of Alexandria, at the age of sixty-four, was seized, thrown into a loathsome prison, laden with heavy fetters, his feet placed in the stocks, and his legs extended to the utmost for several successive days.  He was threatened with fire, and tormented by every means that the most infernal imaginations could suggest.  But unappalled with dangers, and unshaken by sufferings, his Christian fortitude bore him through all.  Indeed, such was the rigour of his judge that his tortures were ordered to be lingering, that death might not too soon put a period to his miseries.  During this cruel temporising, the emperor Decius died, and Gallus, who succeeded him, engaging in a war with the Goths, the Christians met with a respite.  In this interim Origen obtained his enlargement, and retiring to Tyre, he there remained till his death, which happened when he was in the sixty-ninth year of his age.

Gallus, the emperor, having concluded his wars, a plague broke out in the empire.  Sacrifices to the Pagan deities were ordered by the emperor, and superstition immediately bowed the knee to idols.

The Christians refusing to comply with these rites were charged with being the authors of the calamity.  Hence the storm of persecution spread, from the interior to the extreme parts of the empire, and many fell martyrs to the impetuosity of the rabble, as well as the prejudice of the magistrates.

CORNELIUS, the Christian bishop of Rome, was, among others, seized upon this occasion; He was first banished to Centum-Cellæ or Civita Vecchia, as it is now called; and after having been cruelly scourged, was, on the 14th of September 252, beheaded, after having been bishop fifteen months and ten days.

LUCIUS, who succeeded Cornelius as bishop of Rome, was the son of Porphyrius, and a Roman by birth.  His vigilance as a pastor rendered him obnoxious to the foes of Christianity, which occasioned him to be banished; but in a short time he was permitted to return from exile.

Not long after, however, he was apprehended, after having been bishop about six months, and beheaded March 4, A.D. 253.  This bishop was succeeded by Stephanus, a man of a fiery temper, who held the dignity a few years, and might probably have fallen a martyr, had not the emperor been murdered by his general Æmilian, when a profound peace succeeded throughout the whole empire, and the persecution of course ceased.

Most of the errors which crept into the church at this time arose from placing human reason in competition with revelation; but the fallacy of such arguments being proved by the most able divines, the opinions they had created vanished away like stars before the sun.

Dim as the borrow’d beams of moon and stars,

To lonely, weary, wand’ring travellers,

Is reason to the soul; and as on high,

Those rolling fires discover but the sky,

Nor light us here; so reason’s glim’ring ray

Was lent, not to assure our doubtful way,

But guide us upward to a better day.

And as those nightly tapers disappear,

When day’s bright lord ascends our hemisphere,

So pale grows reason at religion’s sight;

So dies, and so dissolves in supernatural light.

ÆMILIAN, the general, not being properly supported by the army, was slain, and Valerian elected to the empire.

For the space of four years this emperor governed with moderation, and treated the Christians with peculiar lenity and respect.  But in A.D. 257, an Egyptian magician named Macrianus gained a great ascendency over him, and persuaded him to persecute the Christians.

A.D. 274, the emperor Aurelian commenced a persecution against the Christians; the principal sufferers being

FELIX, bishop of Rome.  This prelate was advanced to the Roman see in 274.  He was the first martyr to Aurelian’s petulancy, being beheaded on the 22d of December, in the same year.

AGAPETUS, a young gentleman who sold his estate and gave the money to the poor, was seized as a Christian, tortured, and then beheaded at Præneste, a city within a day’s journey of Rome.

These are the only martyrs left on record during this reign, as it was soon put a slop to by the emperor’s being murdered by his own domestics at Byzantium.

Aurelian was succeeded by Tacitus, who was followed by Probus, as the latter was [followed] by Carus: this emperor being killed by a thunder-storm, his sons, Carnius and Numerian, succeeded him; and during all these reigns the church had peace.

Diocletian mounting the imperial throne, A.D. 284, at first shewed great favour to the Christians.  In the year 286, he associated Maximian with him in the empire: and some Christians were put to death before any general persecution broke out.  Among these were

FELICIAN and PRIMUS, two brothers.  These Christians were seized by an order from the Imperial court: they owned themselves Christians, and were accordingly scourged, tortured, and at length beheaded.

MARCUS and MARCELLIANUS were twins, natives of Rome, and of a noble descent.  Their parents were heathens, but the tutors to whom the education of the children were entrusted brought them up as Christians.  Being apprehended on account of their faith, they were severely tortured, and then condemned to lose their heads.

Their friends obtained for them the respite of a month, when their father, mother, and all their relations attempted to bring them back to Paganism, but in vain.  The calls of nature were overcome by piety, and religion got the better of worldly feelings.

Their constancy at length subdued their persuaders, and their parents and whole family became converts to a faith they had just before reprobated.

The father of the two young men, named Tranquillinus, was sent for by the præfect to give him an account of the success of his endeavours.  Appearing before the magistrate he confessed that so far from having persuaded his sons to forsake the faith they had embraced, he was himself become a Christian.

Here he stopped till the magistrate had overcome his surprize, and then resuming his discourse, he used such powerful arguments that he made a convert of the præfect, who soon after sold his estate, resigned his command and spent the remainder of his days in a pious retirement.

The præfect who succeeded the above mentioned convert, had nothing of the disposition of his predecessor: he was morose and severe, and soon seized upon the whole of this Christian family.  They were martyred by being tied to posts, and having their feet pierced with nails.  After remaining in this situation for a day and night, their sufferings were put an end to by thrusting lances through their bodies.

ZOE, the wife of the gaoler who had the care of the before mentioned martyrs, being greatly edified by their discourses, had a desire to become a Christian: this, as she was dumb with a palsy, she could only express by gestures.  Pitying her condition, they gave her full instructions in the faith, and told her to pray in her heart to God to relieve her from her disorder.  She complied with their request, and was at length relieved, for her paralytic disorder by degrees left her, and her speech was restored.

This enforced her belief, and confirmed her a Christian; and her husband finding her cured, soon became a convert to Christianity.  These conversions made a great noise, and the converts were soon apprehended.  Zoe was commanded to sacrifice to mass, which refusing, she was hanged upon a tree, and a fire of straw lighted under her.  When her body was taken down it was thrown into a river with a large stone tied to it, in order to sink it.

TIBERTIUS, a native of Rome, was descended from a considerable family; not that any merit was due to him on that account, for

“Those who on glorious ancestry enlarge,

“Produce their debt instead of their discharge.”

Being accused as a Christian, he was commanded either to sacrifice to idols, or to walk upon burning coals.  He chose the latter, and passed over them without damage.  Then Fabian passed sentence upon him that he should be beheaded; which sentence was performed in the month of August, A.D. 286, and his body was afterwards buried by some Christians.

In the year of Christ 286, a most remarkable affair occurred: a legion of soldiers, consisting of 6,666 men, contained none but Christians.  This legion was called the Theban legion, because the men had been raised in Thebaus: they were quartered in the east till the emperor Maximian ordered them to march to Gaul, to assist him against the rebels of Burgundy.

They passed the Alps into Gaul, under the command of MAURITIUS, CANDIDUS, and EXUPERNIS, their worthy commanders, and at length joined the emperor.

Maximian, about this time, ordered a general sacrifice, at which the whole army were to assist; and likewise he commanded that they should take oaths of allegiance, and swear, at the same time, to assist him in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul.

Alarmed at these orders, each individual of the Theban legion absolutely refused either to sacrifice or take the oaths prescribed.  This so greatly enraged Maximian, that he ordered the legion to be decimated, that is, every tenth man to be selected from the rest, and put to the sword.

This bloody order having been put into execution, those who remained alive were still inflexible, when a second decimation took place, and every tenth man of those living were again put to death.

This second severity made no more impression than the first had done; the soldiers preserved their fortitude and their principles; but by the advise of their officers, drew up a remonstrance to the emperor, in which they told him,

“that they were his subjects and his soldiers, but could not at the same time forget the Almighty; that they received their pay from him, and their existence from God.  While your commands (said they) are not contradictory to those of our common master, we shall always be ready to obey, as we have been hitherto; but when the orders of our prince and those of the Almighty differ, we must always obey the latter.  Our arms are devoted to the emperor’s use, and shall be directed against his enemies; but we cannot submit to stain our hands with effusion of Christian blood: and how, indeed, could you, O emperor, be secure of our allegiance and fidelity, should we violate our obligation to our God, in whose service we were solemnly engaged before we entered in the army?  You command us to search out and to destroy the Christians: it is not necessary to look any farther for persons of that denomination, we ourselves are such, and we glory in the name.  We saw our companions fall without the least opposition or murmuring, and thought them happy in dying for the sake of Christ.  Nothing shall make us lift up our hands against our sovereign; we had rather die wrongfully, and by that means preserve our innocence, than live under a load of guilt; whatever you command we are ready to suffer; we confess ourselves to be Christians, and therefore cannot persecute Christians, nor sacrifice to idols.”

A declaration like this, it might be presumed, would have softened the emperor, but it had the contrary effect: for, enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords.

This affair happened on the 22d of September, A.D. 286; and such was the inveterate malice of Maximian that he sent to destroy every man of a few detachments that had been drafted from the Theban legion, and dispatched to Italy.

VICTOR, an old veteran soldier of another legion, met the executioners of this bloody business.  As they appeared rather merry, he enquired into the cause of their jocularity, and being informed of the whole affair, he sharply reproved them for their barbarity.  This excited their curiosity to ask him if he was of the same faith of those who had suffered.  On answering in the affirmative, several of the soldiers fell upon him, and immediately dispatched him.

ALBAN, from whom St. Alban’s, in Hertfordshire, received its name, was the first British martyr.  This island had received the gospel of Christ from Lucius, the first Christian king, but did not suffer by the rage of persecution for many years after.

Alban was originally a Pagan, but being naturally of a very humane and tender disposition, he sheltered a Christian ecclesiastic named Amphibalus when some officers were in pursuit of him on account of his religion.  The pious example, and edifying discourses of the refugee, made a great impression on the mind of Alban; he longed to become a member of a religion which charmed him, and to imitate what he admired, the fugitive minister, happy in the opportunity, took great pains to instruct him; and before his discovery, perfected Alban’s conversion.

Alban now took a firm resolution to preserve the sentiments of a Christian, or die the death of a martyr.  The enemies of Amphibalus having intelligence of the place where he was secreted, came to the house of Alban in order to apprehend him.

Alban, desirous of protecting his guest and convert, changed cloaths with him, in order to facilitate his escape; and when the soldiers came, offered himself up as the person they were seeking.

Being carried before the governor, the deceit was immediately discovered; and Amphibalus being absent, that officer determined to wreak all his vengeance upon Alban.

The prisoner was accordingly commanded to advance to the altar and to sacrifice to the Pagan deities; or threatened, in case of refusal, with the vengeance intended to be exercised against the person who had escaped by his contrivance.

Unterrified by these menaces, he declared that he would not comply with such idolatrous injunctions, but freely professed himself to be a Christian; and breathed out such sentiments as these:

The Christian beam

Illuminates my faith, and bids me trust

All that may happen to the will of heaven.

New force inspires me, and my strengthen’d soul

Feels energy divine: the fair example

Of stedfast martyrs, and of dying saints,

Has warm’d me to better thoughts: I now

Can with a smile behold misfortune’s face,

And think the weight of miseries a trial.

The heavenly precepts brighten to my mind:

No useful part of duty left behind:

Here the consenting principles unite,

A beam divine directs our steps aright,

And shows the moral in the Christian light.

The governor ordered him to be scourged, which he bore with great fortitude, and seemed to acquire new resolution from his sufferings; he then was sentenced to be beheaded.

The venerable Bede assures us that, upon this occasion, the executioner suddenly became a convert to Christianity, and entreated permission either to die for Alban or with him.  Obtaining the latter request, they were beheaded by a soldier who voluntarily undertook the task of executioner.  This happened on the 22d of June, A.D. 287, at Verulam, now St. Alban’s, in Hertfordshire, where a magnificent church was erected to his memory, about the time of Constantine the Great.  This edifice being destroyed in the Saxon wars, was rebuilt by Offa, king of Mercia, and a monastery erected adjoining to it, some remains of which are still visible, and the church is a noble Gothic structure.

FAITH was a Christian female of Acquitain, in France.  Dacian, the Roman governor of Gaul in the time of Maximian, resided at Agen, in Acquitain, and was very active in persecuting the Christians.

Faith being informed that there was a design to seize her, forestalled the intention by surrendering herself up as a prisoner; and being inflexible in her faith, was ordered to be broiled upon a gridiron, and then beheaded; which sentence was executed in the year 287.

CAPACIUS was one who had concealed himself from the persecutors of Christianity, but being informed of the fortitude of Faith, he openly avowed his religion, and delivered himself up to the governor, who had him first tortured, and then beheaded.

QUINTIN was a Christian, and a native of Rome, but determined to attempt the propagation of the gospel in Gaul.  He accordingly went to Picardy, attended by one Lucian: they preached together at Amiens; after which Lucian went to Beawaris, where he was martyred.

Quintin remained in Picardy, and was very zealous in his ministry.  His continual prayers to the Almighty were to encrease his faith, and strengthen his faculties to propagate the gospel.  The breathings of his soul might be well expressed in the following lines:

Awful heaven:

Great ruler of the various hearts of man!

Since thou hast rais’d me to conduct thy church

Without the base cabal too often practis’d,

Beyond my wish, my thought, give me the lights,

The virtues, which that sacred trust requires;

A loving, lov’d, unterrifying power,

Such as becomes a father; humble wisdom;

Plain, primitive sincerity; kind zeal

For truth and virtue rather than opinions;

And above all, the charitable soul

Of healing peace and Christian moderation.

Being seized upon as a Christian, he was stretched with pullies till his joints were dislocated: his body was then torn with wire scourges, and boiling oil and pitch poured on his naked flesh: lighted torches were applied to his sides and arm-pits; and after he had been thus tortured, he was remanded back to prison.

Varus, the governor, being obliged to repair to Vermandois, ordered Quintin to be conducted thither under a strong guard, where he died of the barbarities he had suffered, on the 31st of October, A.D. 287; and his body was sunk in the Somme.

MANY reasons have been assigned for the occasion of this persecution, particularly the great encrease of the Christians, whose numbers rendered them formidable; many of them having lost their humility, and given themselves up to vanity by dressing gayly, living sumptuously, building stately edifices for churches, &c. which created envy; and the hatred of Galerius, the adopted son of Diocletian, who being stimulated by his mother, a bigoted Pagan, never ceased persuading the emperor to enter upon the persecution, till he had accomplished his purpose.

The fatal day fixed upon to commence the bloody work was the 23d of February, A.D. 303, that being the day in which the Terminalia were celebrated, and on which, as the Pagans boasted, they hoped to put a termination to Christianity.

On the day appointed, the persecution began in Nicomedia, in the morning of which the præfect of that city repaired, with a great number of officers and assistants, to the church of the Christians, where having forced open the doors, they seized upon all the sacred books, and committed them to the flames.

The whole of this transaction was in the presence of Diocletian and Galerius, who not contented with burning the books, had the church levelled with the ground.  This was followed by a severe edict commanding the destruction of all other Christian churches and books; and an order soon succeeded to render Christians of all denominations outlaws, and consequently to make them incapable of holding any place of trust, profit, or dignity, or receiving any protection from the legal institutions of the realm.

The publication of this edict occasioned an immediate martyrdom; for a bold Christian not only tore it down from the place to which it was affixed, but execrated the name of the emperor for his injustice.

A provocation like this was sufficient to call down Pagan vengeance upon his head; he was accordingly seized, severely tortured, and then burnt alive.

All the Christian prelates were then apprehended and imprisoned; and Galerius privately ordered the Imperial palace to be set on fire, that the Christians might be charged as the incendiaries, and a plausible pretence gives for carrying on the persecution with the greatest severities.

A general sacrifice was commanded, which occasioned various martyrdoms.  Among others, a Christian named PETER was tortured, broiled, and then burnt; several DEACONS and PRESBYTERS were seized upon and executed by various means; and the bishop of Nicomedia, named ANTHIMUS, was beheaded.

No distinction was made of age, or sex; the name of Christian was so obnoxious to the Pagans that all fell indiscriminately as sacrifices to their opinions.  Many houses were set on fire and whole Christian families perished in the flames; and others had stones fastened about their necks, and being tied together were driven into the sea.  The persecution became general in all the Roman provinces, but more particularly in the east; and as it lasted ten years it is impossible to ascertain the numbers martyred, or to enumerate the various modes of martyrdom: some were beheaded in Arabia; many devoured by wild beasts in Phœnicia; great numbers were broiled on gridirons in Syria; others had their bones broken, and in that manner were left to expire in Cappadocia; and several in Mesopotamia were hung with their heads downwards over slow fires, and suffocated.

In Pontus, a variety of tortures were used, in particular, pins were thrust under the nails of the prisoners, melted lead was poured upon them; and various modes were adopted in tormenting the Christians, the indecency of which could be only equalled by the savage barbarities practised in their execution.

In Egypt the Christians were martyred by means of the four elements: some were buried alive in the earth, others were drowned in the waters of the Nile, many were hung up in the air till they perished, and great numbers received their death by being thrown into large fires.

Racks, scourges, swords, daggers, crosses, poison, and starvation were made use of in various parts to dispatch the Christians; and invention was exhausted to devise tortures against such as had no crime, but thinking differently from the votaries of superstition.

A city of Phrygia, consisting entirely of Christians, was surrounded by a number of Pagan soldiers to prevent any from escaping; and setting it on fire, all the inhabitants perished in the flames.  But though the sufferings of the Christians were many, their souls were serene: a perfect resignation to the chastisements of heaven being one of the greatest Christian duties; for, as a learned divine says:

Naked as from the earth we came,

And crept to life at first,

We to the earth return again,

And mingle with our dust.

The dear delights we here enjoy,

And fondly call our own,

Are but short favours borrow’d now,

To be repaid anon.

‘Tis God that lifts our comforts high,

Or sinks them in the grave;

He gives, and blessed be his name,

He takes but what he gave.

Tired with slaughter, at length, several governors of provinces represented to the Imperial court, that “it was unfit to pollute the cities with the blood of the inhabitants, or to defame the government of the emperors with the death of of many subjects.”  Hence many were respited from execution, but though they did not put them to death, as much as possible was done to render their lives miserable.

Accordingly, as marks of infamy, many of the Christians had their ears cut off, their noses slit, their right eyes put out, their limbs rendered useless by dreadful dislocations, and their flesh seared in conspicuous places with red hot irons.

It is necessary now to particularize the most conspicuous persons who laid down their lives in martyrdom in this bloody persecution.

SEBASTIAN, a celebrated martyr, was born at Narbonne in Gaul, instructed in the principles of Christianity at Milan, and afterwards became an officer of the emperor’s guard at Rome.  He remained a true Christian in the midst of idolatry; unallured by the splendors of court, untainted by evil examples, and uncontaminated by the hopes of preferment.  Esteemed by the most eminent, beloved by his equals, and admired by his inferiors, he lived happily, and kept his faith and place, till the rigour of the persecution deprived him of the latter with his life, though not of the former.

He was informed against, and betrayed to Fabian the Roman praetor, by Torquatus a pretended Christian; but being of a rank too considerable to be put to death without the emperor’s express orders, Diocletian was acquainted with the whole affair.

The emperor, on hearing the accusation, sent for Sebastian, and charged him with ingratitude in betraying the confidence reposed in him, and being an enemy to the gods of the empire and to himself.  Sebastian replied that his religion was of a good, not a pernicious, tendency and that it did not stimulate him to anything against the welfare of the empire in general, or the emperor in particular, and that the greatest proof he could give of his fidelity was the praying to the only true God for the health and prosperity of his Imperial person.  Incensed at this reply, the emperor ordered him to be taken to a field near the city, termed the Campus Martius, and there to be shot to death with arrows; which sentence was executed accordingly.

Some pious Christians, coming to the place of execution in order to give his body burial, perceived signs of life in him, and immediately removing him to a place of security, they in a short time effected his recovery, and prepared him for a second martyrdom; for as soon as he was able to go out, he placed himself intentionally in the emperor’s way as he was going to the temple.

The appearance of a person supposed to be effectually dead, greatly astonished the emperor, nor did the words of the martyr less surprize him; for he began with great severity to reprehend him for his various cruelties, and for his unreasonable prejudices against Christianity.

As soon as Diocletian had overcome his surprize, he ordered Sebastian to be seized, carried to a place near the palace, and beat to death; and that the Christians could not either use means again to recover, or bury his body, he ordered that it should be thrown into the common sewer.  Nevertheless, a Christian lady, named Lucina, found means to recover it from the sewer, and bury it in the catatombs, or repositories of the dead.

The Christians, about this time, upon mature considerations, thought it unlawful to bear arms under a heathen emperor.  Their reasons were many and substantial; the principal being,

1.  That they thereby were frequently under the necessity of profaning the Christian sabbath.

2.  That they were obliged, with the rest of the army, frequently to be present at idolatrous sacrifices, before the temples of idols.

3.  That they were compelled to follow the Imperial standards, which were dedicated to heathen deities, and bore their representations.

These reasons induced many to refuse to enter into the Imperial army when called upon so to do; for the Roman constitution obliged all young men, of such a certain stature, to make several campaigns.

MAXIMILIAN, the son of Fabius Victor, being pointed out as a proper person to bear arms, was ordered by Dion, the pro-consul, to be measured, in order to be enlisted in the service.  Maximilian, however, absolutely refused to be enlisted, and boldly declared himself a Christian.

Being found of the standard height, Dion gave directions that he should be marked as a soldier, according to the usual custom.  He, however, strenuously opposed this, and told Dion that he could not possibly engage in the service.

Incensed at his conduct, the pro-consul plainly told him that he should either serve as a soldier or die for his disobedience.  “Do as you please with me (replied Maximilian); behead me if you think proper; I am already a soldier of Christ, and cannot serve any other power.”

Perceiving the inflexibility of the young man, Dion commanded his father to use his authority over him, in order to persuade him to comply; but Victor coolly replied, “my son knows best what he has to do.”

The pro-consul again demanded of Maximilian, with some acrimony, if he was yet disposed to receive the mark?  To which the young man replied he had already received the mark of Christ.  “Have you! (exclaimed the pro-consul in a rage) then I shall quickly send you to Christ.”  “As soon as you please, (answered Maximilian) that is all I wish or desire.”

Dion then seeming to soften, represented to him that it was a great pity he should be lost in the prime of his years.  Maximilian replied that he might die, but should not be lost; for though he left the world, his immortal soul would reside eternally with the Almighty.  On which the pro-consul pronounced this sentence upon him, “that for disobedience in refusing to bear arms, and for professing the Christian faith, he should lose his head.”  This sentence he heard with great intrepidity, and exclaimed, with apparent rapture, “God be praised!”

At the place of execution, he exhorted those who were Christians to remain so; and such as were not, to embrace a faith which led to eternal glory.  Turning to his father then with a chearful countenance, he desired that the military habit intended for his wearing might be given to the executioner; and after taking leave of him, said he hoped they would meet again in the other world, and be happy to all eternity.  He then received, at once, the fatal stroke, and the crown of martyrdom.

The father beheld the execution with amazing fortitude, and saw the head of his heroic son severed from the body, without any visible emotions, but such as seemed to proceed from a conscious pleasure in being the parent of one whose piety and courage rendered him so shining an example for Christians to imitate in future times.

VITUS, a Sicilian of a considerable family, was brought up a Christian; when his virtues encreased with his years, his constancy supported him under all afflictions and his faith was superior to the most dangerous perils.

His father Hylas, who was a Pagan, finding that he had been instructed in the principles of Christianity by the nurse who brought him up, did all his endeavours to bring him back to Paganism.

Failing in his design, he forgot all the feelings of a parent and informed against his son to Valerian, governor of Sicily, who was very active in persecuting the Christians.

Vitus, at the time of his being apprehended upon the information of his father was little more than twelve years of age.  Valerian, therefore, on account of his tender age, thought to frighten him out of his faith.  He was accordingly threatened with great anger, and he ordered him to be scourged severely.

Having received his punishment, the governor sent him back to his father, thinking that what he had suffered would certainly make him change his principles: but in this he was mistaken; and Hylas, finding his son inflexible, suffered nature to sink under superstition, and determined to sacrifice his son to the idols.

Vitus, on being apprized of his design,” escaped to Lucania, where being seized, he was, by order of Valerian, put to death, June 14, A.D. 303; but in what manner we are not informed.

CRESCENTIA, the nurse who brought him up as a Christian, and a person who escaped with him, called MODESTUS, were martyred at the same time.

VICTOR was a Christian of a good family at Marseilles in France; he spent a great part of the night in visiting the afflicted, and confirming the weak; which pious work he could not, consistent with his own safety, perform in the daytime; and his fortune he spent in relieving the distresses of poor Christians, thinking that riches were useless unless subservient to works of charity, and otherwise employed, were a bane to mankind.

Mark where yon’ mines their radiant stores unfold,

Peru’s rich dust, or Chile’s beds of gold:

Insidious bane, that makes destruction smooth;

Thou foe to virtue, liberty and truth:

Whose arts the fates of monarchies decide,

Who gild’st deceit the darling child of pride:

How oft allur’d by thy persuasive charms,

Have earth’s contending powers appear’d in arms?

What nations brib’d have own’d thy pow’rful reign,

For thee what millions plow’d the stormy main,

Travell’d from pole to pole, with ceaseless toil,

And felt their blood alternate freeze and boil?

     Ogilvie’s Day of Judgement.

He was at length, however, seized by the emperor’s orders, and being carried before two præfects, they advised him to embrace Paganism, and not forfeit the favour of his prince on account of a dead man, as he styled Christ.  In answer to which he replied,

“that he preferred the service of that dead man, who was in reality the Son of God, and was risen from the grave, to all the advantages he could receive from the emperor’s favour: that he was a soldier of Christ, and would therefore take care that the post he held under an earthly prince should never interfere with his duty to the King of heaven; and that as for the gods, whose worship they recommended to him, he could not think them any better than evil spirits.”

He was loaded with reproaches for this reply, but being a man of rank he was sent to the emperor to receive his final sentence.  The emperor, under the severest penalties, commanded him to sacrifice to the Roman idols.

On his absolute refusal to comply, Maximian ordered him to be bound, and dragged through the streets.  During the execution of this order, he was treated with all manner of cruelties and indignities by the enraged populace.

Remaining still inflexible, his courage was deemed obstinacy, and Christian confidence called ill-grounded and irrational: to which he replied, “that the ready disposition of the disciples of Christ to undergo any sufferings on that score, and the joy with which they met the most ignominious and painful deaths, were a sufficient proof of their assurance of the object of that hope.”  And added that he “was ready to give an example of what he had said in his own person.”

Being by order stretched upon the rack, he turned his eyes towards heaven, and prayed to God to endue him with patience; after which he underwent the tortures with most admirable fortitude.  After the executioners were tired with inflicting torments on him, he was taken from the rack, and conveyed to a close dark dungeon.

His confinement, however, became a fortunate circumstance, for he converted his gaolers, named ALEXANDER, FELICIAN and LONGINUS.  This affair coming to the ears of the emperor, he ordered them immediately to be put to death, and the gaolers were accordingly beheaded.

Victor was then again put to the rack, and unmercifully beaten with batons, and then again remanded to prison.  Being a third time examined concerning his religion, he persevered in his principles.  A small altar was then brought, and he was commanded to offer incense upon it immediately.  Fired with indignation at the request, he boldly stepped forward, and with his foot overthrew both altar and idol.

This so enraged the emperor Maximian, who was present, that he ordered the foot with which he had kicked the altar to be immediately cut off; and Victor was afterwards sentenced to be thrown into a mill, and crushed to pieces with the stones.  This cruel sentence was in some measure put into execution; Victor was thrown into the mill, but part of the apparatus breaking, he was drawn from it terribly bruised; and the emperor not having patience to stay till it was mended, ordered his head to be struck off, which was executed accordingly, in A.D. 303.

Maximus, governor of Silicia, being at Tarsus, three Christians were brought before him by Demetrius, a military officer.

TARACHUS being the eldest, and first in rank, was addressed first by Maximus, who asked him what he was?  The prisoner replied, “A Christian.”  This reply offended the governor, he again made the same demand and was answered in a similar manner.  The governor then told him that he ought to sacrifice to the gods, as that was the only way to promotion, riches, and honours; and that the emperors themselves did what he recommended to him.

To this Tarachus replied that avarice was a sin, and gold itself an idol as abominable as any other; for it promoted frauds, treacheries, robberies, and murders; it induced men to deceive each other, by which in time they deceived themselves, and bribed the weak to their own eternal destruction.  As for promotion, he desired it not, as he could not in conscience accept of any place, office, or post which would subject him to pay adoration to idols; and with regard to honours, he desired not greater than the honourable title of CHRISTIAN.

But with respect to the emperors themselves being Pagans, he plainly said that they were superstitiously deceived in adoring senseless idols, and evidently misled by the machinations of the devil himself.

For the boldness of this speech, his jaws were ordered to be broken, that the parts which uttered the words should suffer for their supposed impropriety.  He was then stripped, scourged, loaded with chains, and thrown into a dismal dungeon, to remain there till the trial of the other prisoners.

PROBUS was then brought before Maximus, who, as usual, asked him his name?  The prisoner boldly replied, the most valuable name he could boast of was that of a Christian; but that the usual appellation by which he was distinguished was Probus; that his father was a Thracian, and that himself was born at Sida, in Pamphylia.  Maximus replied to this in the following words: “Your name of Christian will be of little service to you, be therefore guided by me; sacrifice to the gods, engage my friendship, and the emperor’s favour.”

Probus nobly answered, “that as he had relinquished a considerable fortune to become a servant to Christ, it might appear evident that he neither cared for his friendship, or the emperor’s favour.”

He was, by the governor’s order, then scourged; and Demetrius, the officer, observing to him how his blood flowed, advised him to comply; but his only answer was that those severities were agreeable to him.  What!  cries Maximus, does he still persist in his madness?  To which Probus rejoined, “That character is badly bestowed on one who refuses to worship idols, or what is worse, devils.”

Having been only scourged on the back, he was now scourged on the belly, which he suffered with as much intrepidity as before, still repeating, “the more my body suffers, and loses blood, the more my soul will grow vigorous, and be a gainer.”  He was then committed to gaol, loaded with irons, and his hands and feet stretched upon the stocks.

ANDRONICUS was next brought up for examination.  When being asked the usual questions, he said, “I am a Christian, a native of Ephesus, and descended from one of the first families in that city.”  After a great deal of altercation, in which the governor was unsuccessful in endeavouring to dissuade him from his fate, he was ordered to undergo punishments similar to those of Tarachus and Probus, and then to be remanded to prison.

After being confined some days, the three prisoners were brought before Maximus again, who began first to reason with Tarachus, saying that as old age was honoured from the supposition of its being accompanied by wisdom, he was in hopes that what had already past must, upon deliberation, have caused a change in his sentiments.  Finding himself, however, mistaken, he ordered him to be tortured by various means; particularly fire was placed in the palms of his hands; he was hung up by his feet, and smoakd with wet straw; a mixture of salt and vinegar was poured into his nostrils; and he was then again remanded to prison.

Probus being then called for, and asked if he would sacrifice, replied, “I come better prepared than before; for what I have already suffered has only confirmed and strengthened me in my resolution.  Employ your whole power upon me, and you will find that neither you, nor your masters, the emperors, nor the gods whom you serve, nor the devil who is your father, shall oblige me to adore gods whom I know not.”

The governor then attempted to reason with him on religious subjects; for having a slender education, he was proud of showing his talents; for those who know little are fond of talking much, and by mistaking casuistry for reason, would fain deceive others as they do themselves.  He launched forth into the most extravagant praises of the Pagan deities, and as he enumerated them, described their respective powers and separate virtues; and inferred, from what he had said himself, that such deities, possessed of such admirable qualities, ought to be worshipped.  However, continues he, as your chief objection is against a plurality of Gods, I will not press you to sacrifice to all of them: sacrifice only to Jupiter, the chief, the most powerful, and most invincible of our deities.

Probus, however, easily confuted his arguments, turned his casuistry to ridicule, and in particular said, “Shall I pay divine honours to Jupiter, to one who married his own sister to an infamous debauchee, as is even acknowledged by your own poets and priests?”

Incensed at this speech, the governor ordered him to be struck upon the mouth for uttering what he called blasphemy: his body was then seared with hot irons; he was put to the rack, and afterwards scourged; his head was then shaved, and hot coals placed upon the crown; and after all these tortures, he was again sent to confinement.

Andronicus being again brought before Maximus, the latter attempted to deceive him by pretending that Terachus and Probus had repented of their obstinacy, and owned the gods of the empire.  To this the prisoner answered; “Lay not, O governor, such a weakness to the charge of those who have appeared here before me in this cause, nor imagine it to be in your power to shake my fixed resolution with artful speeches.  I cannot believe that they have disobeyed the laws of their fathers, renounced their hopes in our God, and obeyed your extravagant orders: nor will I ever fall short of them in faith and dependence upon our common Saviour: thus armed, I neither know your gods, nor fear your authority.  Fulfil your threats, execute your most sanguinary inventions, and employ every cruel art in your power on me; I am prepared to bear it for the sake of Christ.”

This answer occasioned him to be cruelly scourged, and his wounds were afterwards rubbed with salt.  Being perfectly well again in a short time, the governor reproached the gaoler for having suffered some physician to attend him.  The gaoler, in his own defence, declared that no person whatever had been near him, or the other prisoners, and that he would willingly forfeit his head if any allegation of the kind could be proved against him.  Andronicus corroborated the testimony of the gaoler, and added that the God whom he served was the most powerful of physicians, and the plant of grace the most salutary of vegetables.

“The sick and weak the healing plant shall aid,

“From storms a shelter, and from heat a shade;

“No sigh, no murmur, the glad world shall hear,

“From ev’ry eye he wipes off ev’ry tear.

“The dumb shall speak, the lame his crutch forego,

And leap exulting like the bounding roe;

“In adamantine chains shall death be bound,

“And hell’s grim tyrant feel th’ eternal wound.”

     Pope’s Messiah.

These three worthy Christians were brought to a third examination; when they retained their constancy, were again tortured, and at length ordered for execution.

Being brought to the amphitheatre, several beasts were let loose upon them; but none of the animals, though hungry, would touch them.  This so greatly irritated Maximus that he severely reprehended the keeper, and ordered him to produce a beast that would execute the business for which he was wanted.  The keeper then brought out a large bear that had that very day destroyed three men; but this creature, and a fierce lioness, both refused to touch the prisoners.

Finding the design of destroying them by the means of wild beasts ineffectual, Maximus ordered them to be slain by a sword, which was accordingly executed on the 11th of October, A.D. 303.  They all declared, previous to their martyrdom, that as death was the common lot of all men, they wished to meet that for the sake of Christ, which they must of course fall a victim to on account of nature and to resign that life to faith, which must otherwise be the prey of disease.  These sentiments are noble, Christian-like, and philosophical; for as death is certain, the time and mode is not of that importance commonly imagined.  Even the world itself will meet with death in its general dissolution.

Now in a broader range the deluge raves,

And rolls triumphant thro’ the boiling waves;

O’er all the hills the rising flames aspire,

The mountains blaze a mighty ridge of fire,

Where stood the snow crown’d Alps (an awful name!)

Now roll’d the doubling smoak, a spiry flame;

While o’er the Andes, in a whirlwind driven,

Burst the blue gleam, and darkness wrapt the heav’n.

Ev’n Ætna rocks with a reluctant groan,

Sunk in a flame more dreadful than its own:

A fiery stream the deep volcano pours,

And from its mouth incessant thunder roars.

Each humbler vale partakes the gen’ral doom,

The smiling means resign their lovely bloom;

Not Asia’s fields th’ impetuous flood retain;

It bounds with fury o’er the wide champain;

Whate’er to view revolving seasons bring,

Each opening flower, the painted child of spring,

Bleak winter’s snow, with summer’s rosy pride,

And autumn’s ripening stores, augment the tide;

On its broad wave it bears the shining spoil,

Hills burst, rocks melt, woods blaze, and oceans boil.

      Ogilvie’s Day of Judgement.

ROMANIUS, a native of Palestine, was deacon of the church of Cæsarea, at the time of the commencement of Diocletian’s persecution.  Being at Antioch when the Imperial order arrived for sacrificing to idols, he was greatly afflicted to see many Christians, through fear, submit to the idolatrous mandate, and deny their faith to preserve their lives.

Reprehending some of the recreant Christians for their conduct, he was informed against to the emperor, and soon after apprehended.  Being brought to the tribunal, he boldly confessed himself a Christian, and said he was ready and willing to suffer anything which he inflicted upon him on account of his faith.

Being condemned for his faith, he was scourged, put to the rack, his body torn with hooks, his flesh cut with knives, his face scarified, his teeth beat from their sockets, and his hair plucked up by the roots.  Thus cruelly mangled, he turned to the governor, and very calmly thanked him for what he had done, and for having opened so many mouths to preach the doctrines of Christianity; for, says he, every wound is a mouth, to sing the praises of the Almighty.

The following circumstances, which happened upon this occasion, are related by Prudentius, and other authors:

Romanus offered to stand to the decision of a young child, whose age must be free from malice, or any other vices; and to put the truth of the Christian religion upon that test.  Asclepiades (they add) accepted of the proposal, and agreed to put the merits of the cause to that issue; accordingly, a child of about seven years of age was called out of the crowd, and being asked whether he thought it to be true, that men ought to worship but one God in Christ, or to worship many gods?  He answered, that certainly, whatsoever men affirm to be God, must be but one, and as this one is Christ, he must of necessity be God; for that there are many gods, continued the boy, we children cannot believe.  The governor, amazed at this, was highly enraged with the child, and calling him a little villain, and young traitor, asked him who learned him that lesson?  To which the child replied, “My mother, with whose milk I sucked in this lesson, that I must believe in Christ.”  This so incensed the governor that he ordered the infant to be horsed and most severely whipt; insomuch that the beholders could not restrain from tears, the mother of the child only excepted, who chid him for asking for a draught of water to be given to him, charging him to thirst for that cup which the infants of Bethlehem had drank of and bidding him remember Isaac, who willingly offered his neck for the sacrifice to his father’s sword.  Whilst the woman was giving her son this lesson, the merciless executioner plucked the skin and hair from the crown of his head; his mother at the same time saying to him, “Though you suffer here, my child, you shall shortly be with him, who shall adorn thy naked head with a crown of eternal glory.”  Upon which the child smiled upon her and his executioners, and bore their stripes with man-like patience.

Soon after Romanus was ordered to be strangled, and the child to be beheaded; which sentences were executed on the 17th of November, A.D. 303.

MARCELLINUS was an ecclesiastic at Rome: being apprehended on account of his religion, he was ordered to be privately executed in the forest, and was beheaded there accordingly.

PETER, a Christian, apprehended for the same cause, was executed at the same time and place.

Much about this period SMARAGDUS, LARGUS, and CYRIACUS, a deacon of the Christian church, were martyred; but the mode of their deaths is not specified by martyrologists.

SUSANNA, the niece of Caius, bishop of Rome, was pressed by the emperor Diocletian to marry a noble Pagan, who was nearly related to him.   Susanna, however, refused the honour intended her on account of her religion, which was that of a Christian, which so greatly enraged the emperor that she was beheaded by his order.

DOROTHEUS, the high chamberlain of the household to Diocletian, was a Christian, and took great pains to make converts.  In his religious labours, he was joined by GORGONIUS, another Christian, and one belonging to the palace.  They were both high in the emperor’s favour, but soon had an opportunity of evincing that worldly honours and temporary pleasures were nothing when set in competition of the joys of immortality; for being informed against, they were first tortured and then strangled.

PETER, an eunuch belonging to the emperor, was a Christian of singular modesty and humility.  His humility caused him to undertake any menial office to serve the afflicted; and his benevolence occasioned him to give whatever he possessed, to those who needed assistance; convinced that riches did not constitute happiness, and that want could give instructions which wealth could never bestow.

Being informed against as a Christian, and confessing the charge, he was scourged till his flesh was torn in a most terrible manner; and then salt and vinegar were thrown upon the wounds.

Having endured these tortures with the utmost tranquillity, he was laid on a gridiron and broiled over a slow fire till he expired.

CYPRIAN, known by the title of the Magician, to distinguish him from Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, was a native of Antioch.  He received a liberal education in his youth, and particularly applied himself to astrology; after which he travelled for improvement, through Greece, Egypt, India, &c.

Having finished his studies, he settled near Babylon; and being skilled in the Chaldean mysteries, he employed his talents in endeavouring to draw women from chastity and conjugal faith, in persecuting the Christians and ridiculing Christianity.

In the course of time he became acquainted with JUSTINA, a young lady of Antioch, whose birth, beauty, and accomplishments rendered her the admiration of all who knew her.  This lady had been educated in idolatry; but being happily converted to Christianity, she induced her father and mother to embrace the same faith.  Her modesty was remarkable; and her prudence, in avoiding the carnal conversation of men, was extremely commendable.

A Pagan gentleman falling in love with her, and not being able to obtain a favourable return to his addresses, applied to Cyprian for assistance.  Cyprian undertook the design, but with a treacherous intent; for under the pretence of acting for his friend, he determined, if possible, to possess the lady himself.  To effect this, he employed all his skill, and essayed a variety of infernal contrivances; but his endeavours proving ineffectual, he was fully convinced that a superior power protected her from his machinations.

His reflections, on this account, awakened him to search into the truths of Christianity; and his research became so beneficial, that he renounced the errors of Paganism, and embraced a faith, of the excellency of which he could not fail to be convinced.

The repentance of Cyprian was sincere: he determined to reform his conduct, and to make every amends, in his power for the crimes he had committed.  Eusebius, a Christian, confirmed him in this resolution, and prevented him from falling into despair for his past follies.  Cyprian burnt his books of astrology and magic, received baptism and became animated with a powerful spirit of grace.

The conversion of Cyprian had a great effect on the Pagan gentleman who paid his addresses to Justina, and he, in a short time, embraced Christianity.

During the persecution of Diocletian, Cyprian and Justina were seized upon as Christians; then the former was torn with pincers, and the latter chastised; and after suffering other torments, both were beheaded.

SERGIUS was an officer in the Roman army, and attended the emperor Maximian into Syria.  Being accused as a Christian, he was ordered to sacrifice to Jupiter.  Refusing to perform any such idolatrous command, he was stripped of his military habit, and by way of derision, dressed in women’s cloaths.  He then was forced to walk a considerable way with nails in his sandals, and had a conclusion put to his sufferings by being beheaded.

BACCHUS, an officer of the same rank as Sergius, was apprehended at the same time, underwent similar sufferings, and was beheaded on the same day in A.D. 303.

EULALIA, a Spanish lady, of a Christian family, was remarkable in her youth, for a sweetness of temper, and solidity of understanding seldom found in the capriciousness of juvenile years.  Being apprehended as a Christian, the magistrate attempted, by the mildest means, to bring her over to Paganism; but she answered him in so ironical a manner, and ridiculed the Pagan deities with such asperity that the judge, incensed at her behaviour, ordered her to be tortured.

Her sides were accordingly torn by hooks, and her breasts burnt in the most shocking manner, till the fire catching her head and face, she expired by the violence of the flame, in December, A.D. 303.

In the year 304, the emperor Diocletian falling ill, the persecution was carried on by Galerius and the governors of the several provinces, where many fell victims to the infatuated zeal, or infernal malice, of the persecutors; among whom are enumerated the following persons:

VINCENT, a Spanish Christian, was brought up by Valerius, bishop of Saragossa, who, on account of his great merits, ordained him a deacon.  When the persecution reached Spain, Dacian, the governor of Tarragona, ordered Valerius, the bishop, and Vincent, the deacon, to be seized, loaded with irons, and imprisoned.

Soon after Dacian examined them with great asperity, and threatened them with death unless they renounced their principles.  Vincent, undertaking to speak for both, as Valerius had an impediment in his speech, delivered himself with great freedom, and avowed their full determination to persist in the faith.

Dacian, in a rage at his freedom of speech, declared that unless he immediately burnt incense to the gods he despised, he should fall as a sacrifice to the contempt he expressed.

The prisoners being firm in their resolutions, Valerius was banished, and the whole of Dacian’s rage directed against Vincent, who was racked, had his limbs dislocated, his flesh torn with iron hooks, and was laid on a gridiron, which had not only a fire placed under it, but spikes at the top, which ran into his flesh.  In this situation, while one side was broiling over the fire, the other was tormented with red-hot irons, or salamanders; and then salt was thrown over the wounds and scarified places.

These torments neither destroying him, or changing his resolutions, he was remanded to prison, and confined in a small loathsome dark dungeon, which, to make it the more disagreeable, was strewed with sharp flints, and pieces of broken glass.  Orders were given not to suffer him to have any provisions whatever, and that the news of his death should be carried to Dacian as soon as known.

The keepers, by the time they thought him famished, entered the dungeon, when, instead of seeing only a corpse, as they expected, they beheld, to their great astonishment, Vincent at prayers, his wounds healed, and his body in tolerable health.

This speedy recovery and preservation had such an effect upon the keepers that it became the happy means of their conversion.  Dacian, however, abandoned to the hardness of his heart, and impenetrable to conviction, instead of being softened by these uncommon circumstances, was enraged at the triumph of Vincent over his cruelties; and gave orders for new tortures to be prepared for him, of so severe a nature, as to make him sink under them.

Here, however, his malice was again disappointed; for before the instruments could be prepared, God took him to himself; and he died with all the serenity of a good conscience, and as much calmness as if he had only sunk into a gentle slumber.

The inveterate hatred conceived by Dacian against Vincent did not conclude with his death; for he ordered that his body should be exposed in the open fields to the birds of prey; but they not offering to touch it, he commanded that it should be thrown into the river, which was done accordingly, in A.D. 304; his death happening on the 22d of January in that year.

 *  *  *  *  *  *

The persecution of Diocletian began particularly to rage in Africa in A.D. 304, when many Christians were put to cruel tortures; and the most painful and ignominious deaths; the most eminent and particular of whom we shall enumerate.

SATURNINUS, a priest of Albitina, a town of Africa, used to officiate in his clerical capacity, preach, and administer the sacrament to a society of Christians who privately assembled at the house of Octavius Felix: for the severity of the times were such that they could not publicly perform their religious duties.

Being informed against, Saturninus, with four of his children and several other persons, were apprehended; and that their punishment might be the more exemplary and public, they were sent to Carthage, the capital of all Africa, where they were examined before Anulinus, the proconsul of that quarter of the globe.

On the examination, Saturninus gave such spirited answers, and vindicated the Christian religion with such force of eloquence, as shewed that he was worthy to preside over an assembly that professed a faith of purity and truth.  Anulinus, enraged at his superior arguments, which he could not confute, ordered him to be stopped from saying any more, by being put to a variety of tortures, such as scourging, tearing his flesh with hooks, burning with hot irons, &c.  All this he bore with the most manly patience, breathing such generous and pure sentiments as these:

O heav’n born patience, source of peace and rest,

Descend; infuse thy spirit thro’ my breast,

That I may calmly meet the hour of fate,

My foes forgive, and triumph o’er their hate.

This body let their engines tear and grind,

But let not all their racks subdue my mind.

After being tortured, he was remanded to prison, and there starved to death.

THE FOUR CHILDREN of Saturninus, after being variously tormented, remained steady in their faith, on which they were sent back to the dungeon in which their father was confined, and shared the very same fate as their parent.

EIGHT OTHER CHRISTIANS were tortured on the same day as Saturninus, and much in the same manner.  Two expired on the spot through the severity of their sufferings; and the other six being sent back to prison, were suffocated by means of the closeness of the dungeon.

DATIVUS, a noble Roman senator, THELICO, a pious Christian, VICTORIA, a young lady of considerable family and fortune, with some others of less consideration, had been all auditors of Saturninus, and were seized at the time he was, tortured in a similar manner, and perished by the same means; sealing their testimony with their lives, and receiving the glorious crown of martyrdom as a reward for their sufferings in this transitory life.

AGAPE, CHIONIA, and IRENE, three sisters, were seized upon at Thessalonica, when Diocletian’s persecution reached Greece.  They had been educated in the Christian faith, but had taken great precautions not to be seized on that account, being, from the softness of their natures, unwilling to meet the rage of the times.

Hence they retired to a solitary place, and spent their hours in performing religious duties.  Being, however, discovered and seized, they renounced their former timidity, blamed themselves for being so fearful, and begged of God to strengthen them against the great trial they had to undergo.

Agape, being examined before Duleatius, the governor, was asked whether she was disposed to comply with the laws of the land and obey the mandates of the emperor?  She answered, “that being a Christian, she could not comply with any laws which recommended the worship of idols and devils; that her resolution was fixed, and nothing should deter her from continuing in it to the last moment of her life.”

Chionia, being next examined, replied in the same manner as her sister had done; when the governor, not being able to draw them from their faith, pronounced sentence of condemnation on them; pursuant to which they were burnt, and received a crown of martyrdom in the flames, March 25, A.D. 304.

Irene was then brought before the governor, who fancied that the death of her sisters would have an effect upon her fears, and that the dread of similar sufferings would engage her to comply with his proposals.   He therefore exhorted her to acknowledge the heathen deities, to sacrifice to them, to partake of the victims, and to deliver up her books relative to Christianity.

She heard these propositions with indignation; and positively refused to comply with any of them.  The governor asked her “Who it was that persuaded her, and her sisters, to keep those books and writings?”  She answered, “It was that God who commanded them to love him to the last; for which reason she was resolved to submit to be burned alive, rather than give them up into the hands of his professed enemies.”

The governor, finding that he could make no impression on her, ordered her to be exposed naked in the streets, which shameful order having been executed, she was burnt April 1, A.D. 304, at the same place where her sisters suffered.

AGATHO, a man of a pious turn of mind, with CASSICE, PHILLIPPA, and ETUTYCHIA, were martyred about the same time; but the particulars have not been transmitted to us.

MARCELLINUS, bishop of Rome, who succeeded Caius in that see, was greatly perplexed during this persecution; and having strongly opposed paying divine honours to Diocletian, who wished to extract them from the people and to appear as a god, he was at length seized, and committed to prison.

In this situation his conduct was steady, his constancy immoveable, and his patience great.  He suffered martyrdom, by a variety of tortures, in the year 304; comforting his soul till he expired, with the prospect of those glorious rewards he would receive by the tortures suffered in the body.  This brings to our remembrance an excellent little poem, called the Dying Christian to his Soul, which we shall here insert:

I.

Vital spark of heav’nly flame,

Quit, on quit this mortal frame.

Trembling, hoping, ling’ring, flying;

Oh the pain, the bliss of dying:

Cease fond nature, cease thy strife;

Let me languish into life.

II.

Hark! they whisper, angels say,

Sister spirit come away.

What is this absorbs me quite,

Steals my senses, shuts my sight,

Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?

Tell me, my soul; can it be death?

III.

The world recedes, it disappears;

Heaven opens on my eyes, my ears,

With sounds seraphic ring;

Lend, lend your wings, I mount, I fly.

Oh grave! where is thy victory?

Oh death, where is thy sting?

THEODOTUS, a Dalmatian, kept an inn at Ancyra.  Being a Christian, and of a very humane disposition, he devoted a great part of his time to visit the afflicted, and a great part of his property to relieve the poor.  He assisted the sick in body, and converted the sick in soul; so that he was in every capacity a true servant of Christ.

Theotecnus, the governor of these parts, whose cruelty could be equalled by nothing but his bigotry, received the mandate for persecuting the Christians with great satisfaction, and wrote the emperor word that he would do his utmost endeavours to root out Christianity from every place where he had the least power.

The Pagans, being encouraged by the governor, began to inform against, abuse and persecute the Christians.  Great numbers were seized upon and imprisoned; their goods destroyed, and their estates confiscated.  Many fled into the woods, or retired to caves, where some supported themselves by feeding upon such roots as they could casually find, and others perished by famine.  Indeed, many were starved in the city, by means of the following singular stratagem.  The governor gave strict orders that no provisions whatever should be exposed to sale in the markets, without having been first consecrated to the idols; hence the Christians were compelled to eat what had been offered to the devil, or to restrain from food and perish.  The latter dreadful alternative was chosen by many, who heroically gave up their lives to preserve the purity of their faith.

During these critical times, Theodotus did all that he could to comfort the imprisoned, and buried the bodies of several who had been martyred; though it was forbidden on pain of death.  He likewise privately assisted many with such food as they might use with a safe conscience; for, having laid in a great stock of corn and wine, he sold it out at prime cost.

A Christian, named Polychronicus, being seized, forfeited his faith, in order to preserve his life, and compounded for a frail existence by informing against his friend Theodotus, who hearing of this treachery, voluntarily surrendered himself to the governor.

On his arrival in the court, he surveyed the diverse instruments of torture with a smile, and seemed totally regardless of their effect.

Being placed at the bar, the governor informed him that it was still in his power to save himself, and to escape the torments prepared for disobedience, by sacrificing to the gods of the empire; “and (continued he) if you renounce your faith in Christ, I promise you my friendship, and the emperor’s protection, and will constitute you one of the magistrates of the town.”

Theodotus, in his answer, discovered great courage and eloquence.  He absolutely refused to renounce his faith, declined the friendship of the governor, and protection of the emperor, upon the terms proposed, and treated the Pagan idols with the greatest ridicule.

On hearing this, the Pagans, in general, were extremely clamorous for the prisoner to be immediately punished; and the priests, in particular, rent their cloaths, and tore their chaplets, the badges of their offices, through rage.  The governor, without hesitation, complied with their desire; then Theodotus was scourged, torn with hooks, and then placed upon the rack.  After this vinegar was poured into his wounds, his flesh was seared with burning torches, and his teeth were knocked out of their sockets.  He was then remanded to prison, and by the way, pointing to his mangled body, he said to the people, “it was but just that Christians should suffer for him who suffered for us all.”

At the expiration of five days, he was brought from prison, tortured, and then beheaded, in A.D. 304.

VICTOR, a native of Ancyra, was accused by the priests of Diana of having abused their goddess.  For this imputed crime he was seized upon, committed to prison, his house plundered, his family turned out of doors and his estate confiscated.

Being put to the rack, his resolution failed him, and he began to waver in his faith, through the severity of his torments.  Being carried back to prison, in order to make a full recantation, God punished him for his intended apostasy; for his wounds mortified and put an end to his life in a few days.

SEVEN AGED WOMEN of Ancyra, being apprehended for their faith, were examined before the governor, who, on finding them stedfast in their religious principles; reviled their belief, ridiculed their age and ordered them to be delivered over to some young libertines, that their virtue might be insulted.

One of the debauchees, more bold and forward than the rest, seized upon the eldest of the women, whole name was TECUSA, who thus addressed him: “What designs, child, can you have on us, who are worn out with age and infirmities?  I am now more than threescore and ten years old; my companions are not much younger.  You may look on us as so many rotten carcases, as we shall soon be; for the governor after death refuses us burial.”  Then lifting up her veil, she shewed him her grey-hairs, and then went on: “You may, perhaps, have a mother of nearly the same age as myself; this should give you some respect to us.”  The young men, though entire libertines, were so effected with this speech that they desisted, and went their ways.

The governor, having failed in his design of having them prostituted, determined to compel them to assist in the idolatrous rites of washing the goddesses Minerva and Diana: for it is to be understood, that, in Ancyra, it was the custom annually to wash the images of those heathen goddesses, and that the washing was considered as a material part of the adoration of them.

These seven Christian women, whose names were TECUSA, PHAMME, CLAUDIA, ALEXANDRIA, JULITTA, EUPHRASIA and MATRONA, were forced to the temple; but absolutely refusing to wash the idols, the governor was so enraged that he ordered them all to have stones tied about their necks, and to be pushed into the water intended for the washing, in which they gloriously expired.

TIMOTHY, a worthy Christian, being carried before Urban, governor of Palestine, was sentenced to be burnt to death by a slow fire; which sentence was executed at Gaza, in the year 304, on the 19th day of August.

PHILIP, bishop of Heraclea, had, in every act of his life, appeared as a good Christian.  The chief of his disciples were SEVERUS, a priest, and HERMES, a deacon; and these three did all in their power to promote the cause of Christianity.

This worthy bishop was advised to secrete himself, in order to avoid the storm of the persecution; but he reproved those who counselled him so to do, telling them that their merit would be enhanced by their sufferings, and that death had no terror for the virtuous.

Him fortune cannot sink, nor much elate,

Whose views extend beyond this mortal state:

By age when summon’d to resign his breath,

Calm and serene he sees approaching death;

As the safe port, the peaceful silent shore,

Where he may rest, life’s tedious voyage o’er.

He, and he only, is of death afraid,

Whom his own conscience has a coward made;

Whilst he, who virtue’s radiant course has run,

Descends like a serenely setting sun;

His thoughts triumphant heav’n alone employs,

And hope anticipates his future joys.

          Soame Jennyns.

An officer named Aristomachus, being employed to shut up the Christian churches in Heraclea, Philip took great pains to convince him that the shutting up of buildings made by hands could not destroy Christianity, while the living temples of the Lord remained; for the true faith consisted not in the places where God is adored, but in the hearts of those who adore him.

Being, however, denied entrance into the church where he used to preach, Philip took up his station at the door, and there exhorted the people to patience and perseverance.

These things caused him to be seized and carried before the governor, who severely reprimanded him, and then continued to speak sternly in these words: “Bring all the vessels used in your worship, and the scriptures which you read and teach the people, and surrender them to me, before you are forced thereto by tortures.”

“If,” replied the bishop, “you take any pleasure in seeing us suffer, we are prepared for the worst you can do.  This infirm body is in your power; use it as you please.  The vessels you demand shall be delivered up; for God is not honoured by gold and silver, but by the fear of his power: the ornaments of the souls of his servants are more pleasing to him than the decorations of churches: but as to the sacred books, it is neither proper for me to part with them, or for you to receive them.”

This answer so much incensed the governor that he ordered one Mucassor, a person particularly distinguished for inhumanity, to torture the prelate.  Hermes, expressing himself freely against such barbarities, was likewise ordered to be scourged.

Proceeding to the place where the scriptures and the church plate were kept, both were seized by the Pagans.  The church was unroofed, the doors were walled up, the plate was embezzled, and the scriptures were burnt.

Philip, being taken to the market-place, was ordered to sacrifice to the Roman deities in general, and to a very handsome image of Hercules in particular; to which command “Alas!”  replied the prelate, “how unhappy are you, who are thus grossly mistaken in the nature of the deity, and so ignorant in the truth, as to worship your own workmanship.  What value is there in gold, silver, brass, iron, or lead, which are dug out of the earth?  You are unacquainted with the divinity of Christ, which is incomprehensible to human capacities: but what power can your idols boast, which are made by base mechanics, a drunken statuary, or a debauched carver, and tricked up by the arts of the taylor and the goldsmith?  And yet these are your gods.”  And after some other observations on the absurdities of the Pagan religion, he concluded that from what he had already said, it appeared that the heathens worshipped what might lawfully be trod on, and made gods of such things as Providence had designed for their use.

The governor then tried the constancy of Hermes, but finding him as inflexible as the bishop, he committed them both to prison.  Soon after this, the governor’s time of ruling these parts being expired, a new governor, named Justin, arrived; but he was to the full as cruel as his predecessor.

Philip was dragged by the feet through the streets, severely scourged, and then brought again to the governor, who charged him with obstinate rashness, in continuing disobedient to the Imperial decrees: but he boldly replied, “My present behaviour is not the effect of rashness, but proceeds from my love and fear of God, who made the world, and who will judge the living and the dead, whose commands I dare not transgress.  I have hitherto done my duty to the emperors, and am always ready to comply with their just orders, according to the doctrine of our Lord Christ, who bids us give both to Caesar and to God their due: but I am obliged to prefer heaven to earth, and to obey God rather than man.”

The governor, on hearing this speech, immediately passed sentence upon him to be burnt, which was executed accordingly; and the martyr expired singing praises to God in the midst of the flames.

HERMES, for behaving in a similar manner, and SEVERUS, who had surrendered himself up, in order to suffer with his friends, both met with the same fate.  Such were the effects of a diabolical zeal for the adoration of idols, and such the consequences of the blindness of Pagan superstitions.

AGRICOLA, as we are informed by St. Ambrose, was a Christian of so very amiable a disposition that he even gained the esteem and admiration of many Pagans.  Being apprehended as a Christian, he was crucified, in imitation of the death of our Saviour; and his body, together with the cross, was buried in one grave at Bologne, in Italy.

VITALIS, the servant and convert of the above martyr Agricola, was seized upon on the same account as his master, and being put to the torture, died under the hands of his tormentors, through the severity of his sufferings.

VICTORIUS, CARPOPHORUS, SEVERUS, and SEVERIANUS were brothers, and all four employed in places of great trust and honour in the city of Rome.  Having exclaimed against the worship of idols, they were apprehended, and scourged with the plumbetæ, or scourges, to the ends of which were fastened leaden balls.  This punishment was exercised with such excess of cruelty that the pious brothers fell martyrs to its severity.

CHRYSOGONUS, a worthy Christian of Aquileia, was beheaded by order of Diocletian for having instructed a young lady of that city in the Christian faith.

ANASTASIA, the young lady brought up by the foregoing martyr, was descended from an illustrious Roman family.  Her mother, named Flavia, was a Christian, and dying while her daughter was an infant, she bequeathed her to the care of Chrysogonus, with a strict injunction to instruct her in the principles of Christianity.  This Chrysogonus punctually performed: but the father of the young lady, who was a Pagan, gave her in marriage to a person of his own persuasion named Publius.

The husband was of a good family, but bad morals; and having spent his wife’s and his own patrimony, he had the baseness to inform against her as a Christian.

Publius, however, dying soon after, his wife was released; but continuing to perform many charitable actions to distressed Christians, she was again apprehended, and delivered up to Florus, governor of Illyricum.  Florus commanded that she should be put to the torture.  When finding her constant in the faith, he ordered her to be burnt, which sentence was put in execution on December 25, A.D. 304, the event taking place about a month after the martyrdom of Chrysogonus, her instructor.

MOURIS and THEA, two Christian women of Gaza, were martyred in that city some time in the year 304.  The former died under the hands of her tormentors; and the latter perished in prison of the wounds she had received in being tortured.

TIMOTHY, a deacon of Mauritania, and MAURA, his wife, had not been united together by the bands of wedlock above three weeks, when they were separated from each other by the persecution.

Timothy, being apprehended as a Christian, was carried before Arrianus, the governor of Thebais, who did all in his power to allure him from his faith, and induce him to embrace idolatry.  Finding his endeavours were vain, and knowing that Timothy had the keeping of the Holy Scriptures, the governor commanded him to deliver them up, that they might be burnt: to which Timothy answered, “Had I children, I would sooner deliver them up to be sacrificed than part from the word of God.”  The governor, being much incensed at this reply, ordered his eyes to be put out with red-hot irons, saying, “The books shall at least be useless to you; for you shall not see to read them.”

His patience under the operation was so great that the governor grew more exasperated.  He therefore, in order, if possible, to overcome his fortitude, ordered him to be hung up by the feet, with a weight tied about his neck, and a gag in his mouth.

The worthy Christian underwent this severity of treatment with the greatest courage, when some busy person acquainted the governor that he had been but newly married to a wife, of whom he was extremely fond.  Arrianus was glad to hear this, as he thought that love might effect what menaces could not; and that an affection for his wife might prevail over that intrepid spirit, which could sustain so many torments with such resolution.

Maura was accordingly sent for, and promised a handsome reward, with the life of her husband, if she could prevail upon him to sacrifice to the idols.  This was a severe attack upon the principles of Maura: weak by nature, wavering in her faith, tempted by a bribe, and impelled by an unbounded affection for her husband, she undertook the impious talk.

Being conducted to him, she assailed his constancy with all the persuasive language of real affection.  When the gag was taken out of his mouth, in order to give him an opportunity of replying, instead of consenting to his wife’s entreaties, as they expected, he greatly blamed her mistaken love, and declared his resolution of dying for the faith.  The consequence of which was, that Maura repeated her importunities, till the martyr, her husband, reproached her so strongly with her weakness, that she returned to his way of thinking, and resolved to imitate his courage and fidelity, and either to accompany or follow him to glory.  Timothy advised her to repair her fault by declaring that resolution to the governor, by whose order she had undertaken that shameful and sinful commission.  Maura made some difficulty, at the first, to comply with his advice, to undertake this dangerous and arduous talk!  However, being farther strengthened by his exhortations, and the grace of God, she went to Arrianus, and told him that she was united to her husband in opinion as well as love, and was ready to suffer anything to atone for her late crime, in wishing to make him an apostate.

The governor, after trying in vain to alter her resolution, ordered her to be tortured, which was executed with great severity.  After this Timothy and Maura were crucified near each other, in  A.D. 304, both receiving the crown of martyrdom with the greatest intrepidity.

SABINUS, bishop of Assisium, refusing to sacrifice to Jupiter, and pushing the idol from him, had his hands cut off by the order of the governor of Tuscany.  After patiently suffering this barbarity, he was committed to prison, where he remained a considerable time, without any assistance or relief but what he received from a Christian widow, whose blind grandson had been by him restored to sight.

The governor, who was himself afflicted with sore eyes, on hearing this intelligence, revolved its singularity in his mind, and began to consider the behaviour of the Christians, and the tenets of Christianity in a more candid light than he had hitherto done.  Sending for Sabinus, he informed him that he now entertained very different sentiments to what he had hitherto done, both with respect to him and his faith: then throwing himself at the feet of Sabinus, he entreated him to afford assistance both to his inward and outward ailments, and to undertake the cure of his soul and body.

The fervency with which he spoke convinced Sabinus of his sincerity.  Having received proper instructions concerning the principles of Christianity, he was baptized, and the disorder in his eyes soon disappeared.  The conversion of the governor was followed by that of his whole family, and some of his friends.

The tyrant Maximian, being informed of these circumstances, immediately sent one of his principal officers, named Lucius, to Assisium, who, according to his instructions, ordered the governor and all his family to be beheaded.  Soon after their execution, Sabinus himself was scourged to death, in the month of December, A.D. 304.

MARCELLUS and EXPERANTIUS, two ecclesiastics who officiated under Sabinus, were scourged in a most dreadful manner; but remaining constant in their faith, their flesh was torn with hooks till they expired.

Tired with the farce of state and public business, the emperors Diocletian and Maximian resigned the Imperial diadem, and were succeeded by Constantius and Galerius; the former a prince of the most mild and humane disposition, and the latter equally remarkable for his cruelty and tyranny.

These divided the empire into two equal governments; Galerius ruling in the east, and Constantius in the west; and the people in the two governments felt the effects of the different dispositions of the two emperors; for those in the west were governed in the mildest manner; but such as resided in the east, felt all the miseries of oppression.

With respect to the Christians, to whom Galerius bore a most prejudiced and implacable hatred, we are informed, that “he not only condemned them to tortures, but to be burnt in slow fires, after this horrible manner.  They were first chained to a post, then a gentle fire put to the soles of their feet, which contracted the callus till it fell off from the bone: then flambeaux, just extinguished, were put to all parts of their bodies, so that they might be tortured all over; and care was taken to keep them alive, by throwing of cold water in their faces, and giving them some thereof to wash their mouths, lest their throats should be dried up with thirst, and choke them.  Thus their miseries were lengthened out whole days, till, at last, their skins being consumed, and they just ready to expire, were thrown into a great fire, and had their bodies burnt to ashes; after which they were ground to powder, and thrown into some river.”

Among the many martyred by the order of Galerius, we shall enumerate the most eminent.

AMPHIANUS was a gentleman of eminence in Lucia, and a scholar to Eusebius.  Pressing through the crowd while the proclamation for sacrificing to idols was read, he caught the governor Urbianus by the hand and severely reproved him for his impiety.  The governor, being highly incensed at this freedom, ordered him to be put to the torture, and then thrown into the sea, in the waves of which he expired.

ÆDESIUS, brother to the above martyr, was, for nearly the same offence, much about the same time, martyred in a singular manner, at Alexandria.

JULITTA, a Lyconian of royal descent, but more celebrated for her virtues than noble blood, was a Christian lady of great humility.  When the edit for sacrificing to idols was published at Iconium, she withdrew from that city to avoid the bigoted rage of Domitian, the governor, taking with her only her young son, Cyricus, and two women servants.  She was, however, seized at Tarsus, and being carried before Alexander, the governor, she acknowledged that she was a Christian.  For this confession her son was taken from her, and she was put to the rack and tortured with great severity; but she bore all her sufferings with a true Christian fortitude.

 

MARTYRDOM OF JULITTA

A Lyconian who was Racked to Death, & her Child hurled on the ground before her Face, by which his Brains were dashed out.

Young Cyricus cried bitterly to get at his mother.  When the governor, observing the beauty, and being melted at the tears of the child, took him upon his knee, and endeavoured to pacify him.  Nothing, however, could quiet Cyricus; he still called upon the name of his mother, and at length, in imitation of her words, lisped out, “I am a Christian.”  This innocent expression converted the governor’s compassion into rage: he lost the man in the bigot, and throwing the child furiously against the pavement, dashed out his brains.

The mother, who, from the rack, beheld the whole transaction, thanked the Almighty that her child was gone before her; and she should be without any anxiety concerning his future welfare, and certain that now no advantage could be taken of his tender years, to pervert his principles and defraud him of his salvation.

To complete the execution, Julitta had boiling pitch poured on her feet, her sides torn with hooks, and received the conclusion of her martyrdom by being beheaded on April 16, A.D. 305.

PANTALEON, a native of Nicomedia, was taught most branches of human learning by his father, who was a Pagan; and the precepts of the gospel by his mother, who was a Christian.  Applying to the study of medicine, he became eminent in the knowledge of physic, and in process of time, was appointed physician to the emperor Galerius.

His name, in Greek, signifies humane; and the appellation well suited his nature, for he was one of the most benevolent men living.  He assisted the poor, to the utmost, with his fortune; and by the help of God, his skill in physic was attended with the most astonishing success.  His reputation roused the jealousy of the Pagan physicians, who accused him to the emperor.  Galerius, finding him a Christian, which he had not before known, ordered him to be tortured, and then beheaded, which was done on July 27, A.D. 305.

HERMOLAUS, a venerable and pious Christian of a great age, and an intimate acquaintance of Pantaleon’s, suffered martyrdom for his faith on the same day, and in the same manner, as Pantaleon.

JULITTA, of Cappadocia, was a lady of distinguished capacity, great virtue, and uncommon courage.  She was martyred on account of a lawsuit, of which Basil, bishop of Cæsarea, gives us the following particulars:

“She had a troublesome law-suit with one of the principal men in Cæsarea, who was unjustly possessed of a considerable part of her estate, and had seized both her servants and cattle.  This oppressive usurper had found means to bribe the judges in his favour, and hired persons to swear that the land and goods in dispute were his property.  Julitta, supported by the justness of her cause, thought that she had nothing more to do, but to give the magistrates a plain and an ingenuous account of her title.  When the cause came to be tried, the defendant, instead of supporting his claim, or giving any answer to the plaintiff’s plea, urged that the law would not suffer him to engage at that bar with one of a different religion; so that he could not proceed in his defence, unless the lady, who was the plaintiff, renounced Christianity.

“The judge was too well instructed not to second the motion, and gave it as his opinion that what he insisted on was according to the laws of the empire.  He then ordered an altar to be brought in and some fire to be put on it, and incense to be prepared, and then told the parties that if they expected, either of them, to enjoy any benefit of the laws, they must both of them offer incense to the gods.

“The usurper, who was an heathen, immediately complied; but Julitta made it appear that her faith was much dearer to her than her goods, or even than life itself.  “No, (said she) my affection to what is undoubtedly my own, shall never hinder me from sacrificing my all, and even my life, if required, rather than violate my fidelity to my God and Saviour.”  This declaration greatly incensed the judge; but Julitta went on with the same intrepidity, and thanked God for the assurance she had of an eternal inheritance, while what was her own upon earth was disputed, and unjustly taken from her.  The magistrate made several attempts to persuade her to renounce her faith, but was always answered that she was the servant of Christ, and as such she could not listen to his proposals without horror; upon this she was condemned to be burnt; which sentence was executed accordingly in A.D. 305.

EUSTRATIUS, secretary to the governor of Arminia, was thrown into a fiery furnace for exhorting some Christians who had been apprehended to persevere in their faith.  AUXEUTIUS and EUGENIUS, two of Eustratius’s adherents, were burnt at Nicopolis.  MARDARIUS, another friend of his, expired under the hands of his tormentors: and ORESTES, a military officer, was, for wearing a golden cross at his breast, broiled to death on a gridiron.

THEODORE, a Syrian by birth, a soldier by profession, and a Christian by faith, set fire to the temple of Cybele, in Amasia, through an honest indignation at the idolatrous worship practised therein; for which, being apprehended, he was severely scourged, and then burnt in February 18, A.D. 306.

DOROTHY, a Christian of Cappadocia, was, by the governor’s order, placed under the care of two women who had become apostates to the faith, with a view that she might be induced to follow their example.  Her discourses, however, had such an effect upon the two apostates that they became reconverted, and were put to death for not succeeding.  Soon after which Dorothy herself was tortured and then beheaded.

PANCRATIUS, or PANCRASS, was a native of Phrygia, but being made a Christian, and brought to Rome by his uncle, he there suffered martyrdom, being beheaded soon after the decease of his uncle, who died a natural death.

BASILIDES, NABOR, NAZARIUS, and CYRINUS, four worthy Christian officers at Rome, were thrown into prison for their faith, and being condemned, were scourged with rods of wire, and then beheaded.

NICANDER and MARCIAN, two Roman military officers, being Christians, were apprehended on account of their faith.  As they were both men of great abilities in their profession, the utmost endeavours were made to induce them to renounce Christianity; but these endeavours being found ineffectual, they were ordered to be beheaded.

Crowds of people attended the execution, among whom were the wives of the two sufferers.  The consort of Nicander was a Christian, and encouraged her husband to meet his fate with fortitude; but the wife of Marcian, being a Pagan, entreated her husband to save himself, for the sake of her and her child.  Marcian reproved her for her idolatry and folly, but embraced her and the infant before the stroke was given.  Nicander likewise took leave of his wife in the most affectionate manner, and then both, with great willingness, received the crown of martyrdom.

 *  *  *  *  *  *

In the kingdom of Naples several martyrdoms took place: in particular JANUARIUS, bishop of Beneventum; SOSIUS, deacon of Misene; PROCULUS, another deacon; EYTYCHES and ACUTIUS, two laymen; FESTUS, a deacon; and DESIDERIUS, a reader; were all, on account of being Christians, condemned by the governor of Campania, to be devoured by wild beasts.  The savage animals, however, not touching them, they were ordered to be beheaded, which sentence was put into execution immediately.

MARCELLUS, a centurion of the Trajan legion, was posted at Tangier, and being a Christian, suffered martyrdom, of which we have the following account: “It happened that while he was there, the emperor’s birth-day was kept with great solemnity, and the sacrifices to the Pagan idols made a considerable part of that solemnity.  All the subjects of the empire were expected, on that occasion, to conform to the blind religion of their prince; but Marcellus, who had been well instructed in the duties of his profession expressed his detestation of those profane practices by throwing away his belt, the badge of his military character, at the head of his company, declaring aloud that he was a soldier of Christ, the eternal king.  He then quitted his arms, and added that, from that moment, he ceased to serve the emperor; and that he thus expressed his contempt of the gods of the empire, which were no better than deaf and dumb idols: “If (continued he) their Imperial majesties impose the obligation of sacrificing to them and their gods, as a necessary condition of their service, I here throw up my commission, and quit the army.”

His behaviour and speeches occasioned an order for his being beheaded on a double score, viz. desertion from the army, and impiety against the gods of the empire.  He heard the sentence with intrepidity, and received the crown of martyrdom with pleasure.

CASSIAN, secretary to the court which tried Marcellus, expressing his disapprobation of such severe proceedings, was ordered into custody.  When avowing himself a Christian, he met with the same fate, and suffered martyrdom in a similar manner.

QUIRINUS, bishop of Siscia, being carried before Matenius, the governor, was ordered to sacrifice to the Pagan deities, agreeable to the edicts of various Roman emperors.  To which he replied, “The emperors insist upon our sacrificing to their deities, against the express prohibition of God; to deities which we can by no means own, because they are, in reality, nothing: whereas the power that I serve is everywhere, above all things: supports, governs, and disposes of all things, as he pleases; for he is the sovereign master, and sole author of the universe.”  For this speech he was ordered to be severely beaten.

While he was under the hand of the executioner, the governor was urgent with him to sacrifice, and offered to make him a priest of Jupiter.  To which Quirinus replied that he was already engaged in the priestly office, while he thus offered a sacrifice to the true God: “I (says he) scarce feel my torments, and am ready to suffer still greater, that my example may shew those whom God has committed to my care, the way to the glory we wish for.”

The governor, perceiving his constancy, sent him to gaol, and ordered him to be heavily ironed; flattering himself that the hardships of a gaol, and the weight of his chains, might overcome his resolutions.  Being deceived in his expectations, he was sent to Amantius, the principal governor of Parmonia, now Hungary, who loaded him with chains, and carried him through the principal towns of the Danube, exposing him to ridicule wherever he went.

Arriving at length at Sabaria, and finding that Quirinus would not renounce his faith, he ordered him to be cast into a river, with a stone fastened to his neck.  This sentence being put into execution, Quirinus floated about for some time, and exhorted the people in the most pious terms, concluding his admonitions with this prayer:

“It is no new thing, O All powerful Jesus, for you to stop the course of rivers, or to cause a man to walk upon the water, as thou didst thy servant Peter.  The people have already seen the proof of thy power in me: grant me now to lay down my life for thy sake, O my God.”

On pronouncing the last words, he immediately sank and died, June 4, A.D. 308; and his body was afterwards taken up and buried by some pious Christians.

FIVE EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS, who were upon a visit to their afflicted brethren in Cæsarea, were apprehended and carried before Firmilian, the governor of Palestine, who, on questioning them concerning whence they came, and what they were, was answered by one, in the name of the rest, that they were Christians, and belonged to the glorious city of Jerusalem, speaking allegorically of the heavenly Jerusalem.  The governor was surprised at the answer, as he knew Vespasian, and his son Titus, had destroyed the ancient Jerusalem; and that the inconsiderable town erected by Adrian upon the spot, was called ÆLIA CAPITOLINA.  He therefore enquired more particularly concerning it.  The Christian who had spoken before again replied, and pursuing the allegory, described, with great force of imagination, the great beauty, riches, and strength of the place.  Firmilian, still mistaking the Christian’s meaning, by understanding his words in a literal sense, was dreadfully alarmed; for not dreaming that a heavenly city was alluded to, he fancied that the Christians were strengthemng and fortifying some place in order to revolt from their allegiance to the emperor.  Full of this mistake, and enraged at the supposed disloyalty, he condemned the five prisoners to be cruelly tormented and then beheaded; which sentence was executed Feb. 16, A.D. 309.

PAMPHILUS, a native of Phoenicia, of a considerable family, was a man of such extensive learning that he was called A SECOND ORIGEN.  He was received into the body of the clergy at Cæsarea, where he established a public library, and spent his time in the practice of every Christian virtue.  He copied the greatest part of the works of Origen with his own hand; and assisted by Eusebius, gave a correct copy of the Old Testament, which had suffered greatly by the ignorance or negligence of former transcribers.  He likewise gave public lectures on religious and literary subjects, in an academy which he had erected for that purpose, till the year 307, when he was apprehended, and carried before Urban, the governor of Palestine.

Urban, thinking that a man of his abilities must be of great importance to any party, did all he could to induce him to embrace Paganism.  Finding his endeavours vain, he changed persuasions into menaces, and from entreating,  began to threaten.

Pamphilus maintaining his resolution, was ordered to be tortured severely, and then sent to prison, which was immediately put into execution.  Soon after Urban, having displeased the emperor, was displaced and beheaded; but another was appointed in his room who was equally prejudiced against the Christians.  Under the new governor Pamphilus suffered martyrdom, by being beheaded; together with VALENS, a deacon of the church of Jerusalem; and PAUL, a layman of Jamnia, in Palestine.

PORPHYRIUS, the servant of Pamphilus, was martyred by means of a straw fire, for only requesting leave to bury the bodies of his master and the other martyrs.

THEODULUS, a venerable and faithful servant to Firmilian, the governor, being accused as a professor of the Christian faith, confessed the charge, and was, by order of his cruel master, crucified on February 17, A.D. 309; and JULIAN, a Cappadocian, was burnt on the same day.

MARCELLUS, bishop of Rome, being banished on account of his faith, fell a martyr to the miseries he suffered in exile, on the 16th of January, A.D. 310.

THE gospel having spread itself into Persia, the Pagan priests were greatly alarmed, and dreaded the loss of that influence which they had hitherto maintained over the people’s minds and properties.  Hence they thought it expedient to complain to the emperor that the Christians were enemies to the state, and held a treasonable correspondence with the Romans, the great enemies of Persia.

The emperor, [Shapur II, aka Sapores] being naturally averse to Christianity, easily believed what was said against the Christians, and gave orders to persecute them in all parts of his empire.  On account of this mandate, many fell martyrs to the ignorance and ferocity of the Pagans, the sufferings of the most eminent of whom we shall enumerate.

SIMEON, archbishop of Seleucia, with many other ecclesiastics, to the number of an hundred and twenty-eight, were apprehended and accused of having betrayed the affairs of Persia to the Romans.  The emperor, being greatly exasperated against them, ordered Simeon to be brought before him.  The worthy archbishop coming into his presence, boldly acknowledged his faith, and nobly defended the cause of Christianity.  The emperor, being offended at his freedom, not only reproved him for it, but ordered him to kneel before him, as he had always done heretofore.

Simeon answered, “that before, having the free admittance to his presence, he did not scruple to conform to the customary salutation of the country; but being now brought before him a prisoner for the truth of his religion, and the sake of his God, it was not lawful for him to kneel, lest he should be thought to worship and to betray his faith, which he was fully resolved to defend with his last breath.”

The emperor then told him that if he did not kneel, he, and all the Christians in his dominions, should be put to death: but Simeon rejected, with disdain, the proposal to kneel, and told him that he would abide the consequences.  On this reply the emperor ordered him to be sent to prison, till he had considered in what manner to punish him.

A short time after, Simeon, with his fellow prisoners, was again examined, and commanded to worship the sun, agreeable to the Persian custom; but this they all unanimously refused.  The emperor then sentenced them to be beheaded, and they were executed accordingly.

USTHAZARES, an aged eunuch, who had been tutor to the emperor, and was in great estimation at court, on observing Simeon, the foregoing martyr, leading to prison, saluted him.  Simeon, however, (as Usthazares had formerly been a Christian and turned apostate from the faith to oblige the emperor) would not return his salute, but sharply reproved him for his apostacy.  This so affected the eunuch that he burst into ears, and exclaimed, “Ah, woe is me!  How shall I hereafter look upon my God, whom I have denied, when Simeon, my old companion and familiar acquaintance, disdains to give me a gentle word, or to return my salute?

The emperor, being told that his ancient tutor was greatly afflicted, sent for him, and asked whether he desired or wanted anything which could be conferred upon or procured for him.  To which the eunuch replied that there was nothing that he wanted which this earth could afford; but that his grief was of another kind, and for which he justly mourned, namely that to oblige him, he had denied his God, and had dissemblingly worshipped the sun, against his own conscience!  For which, continued he, I am deserving of a double death; first, for denying Christ; and secondly, for dissembling with my king; at the same time solemnly protesting that he would never more forsake the Creator of the world, to worship the creatures which he had made.

The emperor, being greatly offended at the explanation of the cause of his grief, ordered Usthazares to be beheaded.  While he was going to the place of execution, he desired that a messenger might be sent to the emperor, to request the favour that it might be proclaimed, “That Usthazares did not die a traitor for any crime against the king or the state, but only that, being a Christian, he would not deny his God.”  This petition, we are informed, was granted, and accordingly performed; which was a great satisfaction to Usthazares, whose chief reason for desiring it was because his falling off from Christ had caused many others to follow his example, who now hearing that he died for no crime but his religion, they might learn, like him, to return to Christ, and become fervent and constant in the faith.  Usthazares, being thus satisfied,  yielded his neck to the stroke of the executioner, and joyfully received his crown of martyrdom.

On the Good Friday after the above executions, an edict was published to put to death all who confessed themselves Christians, on which occasion great multitudes suffered.

 

Two Sisters of Simeon, Bishop of Salencia,

in Persia, sawed into quarters, which were hung up in Different Parts of the City.

About this time the empress of Persia falling sick, the sisters of Simeon, the archbishop, were accused by some of the magi of being the occasion.  This absurdity being believed, they were, by the emperor’s order, sawed in quarters, and their quarters fixed upon poles, between which the empress past as a charm to recover her.

ACEPSIMUS, and many other clergymen, were seized upon and ordered to adore the sun; which refusing, they were scourged, and then tormented to death, or suffered to remain in prison till they perished.

ATHALAS, a priest, though not put to death, was so miserably racked that his arms were rendered useless; and he was ever after obliged to be fed like a child.  In fine, by this edict, above 16,000 either suffered miserably by the torture, or were put to death.

Constantine the Great, being informed of the persecutions in Persia, was exceedingly concerned, and began to ruminate in what manner he should redress their grievances, when an ambassador arrived from the Persian emperor upon some political concerns.

Constantine received the ambassador civilly, granted his demands, and wrote a letter to the Persian monarch in favour of the Christians, in which he recounts the vengeance that had fallen on persecutors, and the great success which had attended those who restrained from persecuting the Christians; and then referring to the tyrants and persecuting emperors of his own time, he said, “I subdued those solely by faith in Christ; for which God was my helper, who gave me victory in battle, and made me triumph over my enemies; and has enlarged to me the bounds of the Roman empire; that it extends from the Western Ocean to almost the uttermost parts of the East: for which purpose I neither offered sacrifices to the ancient deities, or made use of charm or divination, but only prayers to Almighty God, and followed the cross of Christ; and how glad should I be to hear that the throne of Persia flourished by embracing the Christians!  That so you with them, and they with you, may enjoy all the felicity your souls could desire, as no doubt but you would, as God, the Almighty Creator of all things, would become your protector and defender.

“These men I commend to your kingly honour: I commit them unto you, desiring you to embrace them according to your humanity; for in so doing, you shall procure to yourself grace through faith, and shall bestow on me a benefit worthy of my thanks.”

The persecutions by this means ended during the life of Sapores; but it was again renewed under the lives of his successors; the following being the principal sufferers.

HORMISDAS, a Persian nobleman, on being convicted of professing Christianity, was ordered to attend on the emperor’s elephants naked.  This ignominious task he performed for some time, when the emperor, one day looking out of a window which commanded the yard where the elephants were kept, saw Hormisdas, and perceived that he was prodigiously shamed.  Determining to try him once more, he gave orders that a shirt should be put on him, and that he should be brought before him.

When he came to the imperial throne, the emperor asked him if he would now deny Christ.  On this question being put, Hormisdas tore off his shirt, and said, “If you think I’ll deny my faith for the sake of a shirt, take your gift again.”  The emperor, on hearing this expression, banished him from Persia; and he died in exile.

SUENES, a Christian nobleman, refusing to deny Christ, had his wife taken from him, and given to one of the meanest of the emperor’s slaves; and what added to his mortification was that he was ordered to wait upon his wife and the slave, which at length broke his heart.

THEODORET, a deacon, was imprisoned for the space of two years, and being released, was ordered not to preach the doctrine of Christ.  Disregarding, however, the order, he did his utmost to propagate the gospel of Christ; for which, being seized upon, he was miserably tormented by having sharp reeds thrust under his nails; and then a knotty branch of a tree was forced up his body, and he expired in the greatest agonies.

BADEMUS, a Christian of Mesopotamia, gave away his fortune to the poor, and determined to devote his life to religious retirement; being filled with the humble sentiments thus finely described by the poet:

Bless’d be his name, whose matchless goodness sends

A fund of blessings, and a choice of friends;

Unaw’d by custom, tyrant of mankind,

Faithful to reason, sov’reign of the mind,

Serene I steer through life’s tempestuous sea,

My pilot faith, my chart Christianity.

The wrecks of pride, the insolence of pow’r,

Earth’s transient glitt’ring bubbles of an hour;

Envenom’d tongue; law with its mazy snares,

The din of folly, and the broil of wars,

Proclaim to all, with one united voice,

That humble virtue is the wisest choice.

This inoffensive Christian, together with seven others, were seized upon and cruelly tortured for being Christians.  The seven Christians who were apprehended with Bademus received the crown of martyrdom, though the particular manner is not recorded, and Bademus himself, after having been four months in prison, was brought to the place of execution, and beheaded by Narses, an apostate Christian who was ordered to act as the executioner of this worthy man, in order to convince the emperor that he was sincere in the renunciation of his faith.

JULIAN, commonly called the Apostate, was the Son of Julius Constantius, and the nephew of Constantine the Great.  He studied the rudiments of grammar under the inspection of Mardonius, an eunuch, and an heathen of Constantinople.  His father sent him some time after to Nicomedia, to be instructed in the Christian religion by the bishop Eusebius, his Kinsman; but his principles were corrupted by the pernicious doctrines of Ecebolius the rhetorician, and Maximus the magician.

Constantius dying in the year 361, Julian succeeded him, and had no sooner attained the Imperial dignity than he renounced Christianity and embraced paganism, which had for some years fallen into great disrepute.  But he again restored idolatrous worship by opening the several temples that had been shut up, rebuilding such as were destroyed, and ordering the magistrates and people to follow his example.  He, however, made no public edicts against Christianity, but tried to do that privately which other emperors had done openly.  He recalled all banished pagans, allowed the free exercise of religion to every sect, but deprived all Christians of offices at court, in the magistracy, or in the army.  He was chaste, temperate, vigilant, laborious, and seemingly pious, so that by his hypocrisy and pretended virtues he for a time did more mischief to Christianity than the most profligate libertine of his predecessors.  Thus he attempted to undermine Christianity by artifice instead of expelling it by force; and to make his measures the more effectual, he prohibited any Christian from keeping a school or public seminary of learning, and deprived all the Christian clergy of the privileges granted them by Constantine the Great.

Hence was this persecution more dangerous than any of the former, as Julian aimed to sap the foundation of Christianity, instead of attacking the superstructure, and under the mask of clemency, practised the greatest cruelty in wishing to delude many thousands of their eternal salvation.

THE Vandals passing from Spain to Africa in the fifth century, under their leader Genseric, committed the most unheard of cruelties.  They persecuted the Christians wherever they came, and even laid waste the country as they passed, that the Christians left behind, who had escaped them, might not be able to subsist.  They plundered the churches, and murdered the bishops and ministers by a variety of tortures.  In particular, they poured stinking oil and vinegar down the throats of some till they expired; suffocated others by filling their mouths with mud, and martyred many by stretching their limbs with cords till the veins burst and sinews cracked.  They also wreaked their vengeance on several of the clergy and nobility, whom they loaded with heavy burdens, and obliged them to carry their baggage; and if they did not travel fast enough, they pricked them on with sharp goads, insomuch that several died under their burdens.  Reverend grey hairs found no instances of mercy, and guiltless infants felt the rage of their barbarity.

PROTERIUS was made a priest by Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, who was well acquainted with his virtues before he appointed him to preach.  On the death of Cyril, the see of Alexandria was filled by Dioscorus, an inveterate enemy both to the memory and family of his predecessor.  Dioscorus, however, knowing the reputation of Proterius, did the utmost in his power to gain his confidence and interest; as he thought he might be of singular service to him in carrying on his designs.  Proterius, however, was not to be corrupted, the welfare of the church sat next his heart, and no prospect of worldly preferment could bribe him to forego his duty.

Dioscorus being condemned by the council of Chalcedon for having embraced the errors of Eutyches, was deposed, and Proterius chosen to fill the vacant see, and approved of by the emperor.  This occasioned a dangerous insurrection, for the city of Alexandria was divided into two factions, the one to espouse the cause of the old and the other of the new prelate.  A great deal of mischief was done on both sides, and Proterius was in the most imminent personal danger from a set of schismatics, who would neither obey the decisions of a council or the emperor’s decree.

As these disorders became serious, the governor of Thebais marched at the head of a body of troops in order to quell the sedition.  The people, however, had worked up their imaginations to a kind of phrenzy; when they heard of the approach of the governor, they armed themselves, marched out of Alexandria, gave him battle, and defeated him.  The intelligence of this affair so exasperated the emperor that he sent a detachment of two thousand men against them; the appearance of whom, and the prudence of the governor of Alexandria, whose name was Florus, soon restored peace to the city.

The discontented party, however, still beheld Proterius with an eye of resentment; so that he was obliged to have a guard out of respect to his personal safety, and at length, though naturally of a sweet and mild temper, was compelled to excommunicate some of them, and obtain their banishment from Alexandria.  Ecclesiastical history, however, informs us that, “When the emperor Marcian’s death, which happened two years after, gave a new turn to affairs, the exiles returned to Alexandria, engaged in their usual cabals against Proterius, and seemed resolved to be revenged on him for what they had suffered in the last reign.  Timothy, a priest, who was at the head of all the designs that had been formed against Proterius, employed every art to ruin his credit, drawing the people from his communion, and raising himself to that see.  At last, taking the advantage of the absence of Dionysius, who commanded the forces of that province, and was then in the Upper Egypt, he seized on the great church, and was uncanonically and sacrilegiously consecrated by two bishops of his faction that had been deposed for heresy.  The usurper went on in the exercise of all the episcopal functions, and used the whole rigour of his pretended authority to oppress the orthodox, till the commander’s return, who, upon hearing the disorders that had been committed, and that Timothy was the chief author of them, drove that incendiary out of the town.

This affair so enraged the Eutychians, that they determined to wreak their vengeance on Proterius, who fled to the church for sanctuary: but on Good-Friday, A.D. 457, a large body of them rushed into the church and barbarously murdered the prelate; after which they dragged the body through the streets, insulted it, cut it to pieces, burnt it, and scattered the ashes in the air.

JULIA, a Carthaginian lady, was taken prisoner when the Vandals sacked that city.  After being sold and resold as a slave, she became the property of a Syrian Pagan, named Eusebius.  Her master could not but admire a religion which inspired such resignation and patience in vassallage, and the most painful employments: thus it is plain that the humility and purity prescribed by Christianity will attract even the admiration of heathens.

The master of Julia frequently took her with him upon his voyages: in one of these they touched upon the island of Corsica, where Eusebius joined in an idolatrous festival; but Julia kept at a distance.  The heathens complained of this conduct as disrespectful to their gods, and informed the governor Felix of it, who sent for Eusebius, and demanded what young woman it was that had refused to join in worship to the gods?

Eusebius replied that the young woman was a Christian, and that all his authority over her had proved too weak to prevail with her to renounce her religion; but that as she was a very diligent and faithful servant, he could not think of parting with her.

Felix then pressed him to exert himself on this occasion, and either to oblige her to assist at the Pagan worship, or to part with her; and offered to give him his own price, or four of his best female slaves in exchange for her, which Eusebius absolutely refused, saying that he would not part from her at any price.

Felix finding the master inflexible, determined to get her into his power by artifice.  To effect this, he invited Eusebius to an entertainment, and having intoxicated him, he sent for Julia in the name of her master.

The innocent slave not suspecting the trap laid for her, came immediately, when the governor told her that he would procure her liberty, if she would sacrifice to the heathen gods.  To which Julia replied that while she was permitted to enjoy her religion; she was as free as she desired to be.

Felix, not being able to prevail, ordered her to be severely beaten, which she bore with the utmost patience.  Finding her still resolute, he commanded that the hair of her head should be pulled up by the roots.  This barbarity having no greater effect than the former, he sentenced her to be hanged, which sentence was immediately put in execution.

Julia was scarce dead when Eusebius recovered from his intoxication.  As soon as he understood, what had passed, he was greatly afflicted, and in the first transports of his resentment had thoughts of complaining to the emperor, who being a Christian, would have punished the perfidy of the governor.  But reflecting again, that Felix had only acted with a zeal for the deities that he himself adored, he determined to put up with the loss, and retire from a place which was become so disagreeable to him.

BONIFACE, archbishop of Mentz; and father of the German church, was an Englishman, and is, in ecclesiastical history, looked upon as one of the brightest ornaments of the nation.  Originally his name was Winfrid or Winfrith, and he was born at Kirton, in Devonshire, then part of the West-Saxon kingdom.  When he was only about five years of age, he began to discover a propensity to reflection, and seemed solicitous to gain information on religious subjects.  Soon after, some evangelical missionaries came by chance to Kirton, and happened to fix their abode at his father’s house.  From these he understood that the principle step to salvation was to deny himself and follow Christ.  He considered seriously of what he heard, and in process of time, determined to devote himself to a religious life.  When he informed his father of his resolution, the latter would willingly have dissuaded him from it; but finding him fully resolved, he permitted him to go and reside at a monastery in the city of Exeter.  Wolfrad, the abbot, finding that he possessed a bright genius, as well as a strong inclination to study, had him removed to Nutscelle, a seminary of learning in the diocese of Winchester, where he would have a much greater opportunity of attaining improvement than in Exeter.  The abbot of Nutscelle, who was as much celebrated for his great learning as his Christian virtues, took uncommon pains with the young pupil, who, in time, became a prodigy in profound literature, and divine knowledge; and was, at length, employed at Nutscelle as a principle teacher.

The ancient Saxon historians, who speak highly in his praise tell us, that, “those who studied under him had no need to remove to any other place to finish what they had begun, for he gave them lessons in grammar, poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy; and explained the Holy Scriptures in the literal, moral, and mystical senses.  But his example was as instructive as his lectures, and while he formed his scholars to learning by his dictates, he encouraged them to the practice of virtue, by the prudent conduct of his life.

“The abbot of Nutscelle, seeing him thus qualified for the priesthood, obliged him to receive that holy order, when he was about thirty years old.  From that time he began to preach and labour for the salvation of his fellow-creatures; in the progress of which he gave the first proofs of that apostolical zeal that afterwards made such glorious conquests in a barbarous part of the world.”

There being an important occasion to assemble a synod of bishops in the kingdom of the West Saxons, it was judged expedient to depute one of their body to the archbishop of Canterbury, to inform him of the exigency of affairs.  Upon considering who was proper to be charged with such a commission, Boniface was proposed, and unanimously chosen by the synod; and the choice was approved of and confirmed by the then reigning king of the West-Saxons.

Boniface discharged this trust with great prudence, and obtained the applause of every member of the synod; but far from being vain of the reputation he had acquired, he proposed to forsake his country, relations, and friends, in order to be of service to the faith, and extend Christianity on the Continent.  At first, the abbot and monks of Nutscelle would have dissuaded him from his purpose; but finding him resolute, two of their number were ordered to assist him.

He accordingly left Nutscelle, and arrived in Friezland about the year 716; but found that country in the utmost disorder and confusion.  It had belonged to the crown of France, but was at that time in the possession of prince Radbord, who had established Paganism in it, persecuted the Christians, and was at war with Charles Martel, mayor of the palace of Austrastia.

He, however, went to Utrecht, where he found the Infidel prince, and made him a tender of the gospel; but he being obdurate, Boniface perceived that the happy time of converting that nation was not yet come, and therefore returned to his monastery in England.

He had not been many months there when the abbot died, and left the monks inconsolable, because they thought it would be impossible to repair their loss.  Boniface too had his share in this affliction, but arising above his passions, he undertook to comfort his brethren under that calamity, and made them several forcible exhortations to perseverance, and a conformity to the rule of their order, and the canons of the church.

He discovered so much zeal and charity on this occasion that they desired he would supply the place of their deceased father and friend; but he either never accepted of that post, or quitted it very soon; for he obtained letters from Daniel, bishop of Winchester, his diocesan; which recommended him to the pope, and all the bishops, abbots and princes he should find in his way to Rome, where he arrived in the beginning of the year 719.

Gregory II. who then sat in “Peter’s chair”, received him with great friendship, and after several conferences with him, finding him full of zeal, piety, wisdom, and all the virtues that compose the character of an apostolical missionary, he dismissed him with a commission at large to preach the gospel to the Pagans, where ever he found them.

Passing through Lombardy and Bavaria, he came to Thuringia, which country had before received the light of the gospel: but at the time that Boniface arrived there, that light burnt very dim.  The first exertions of Boniface, therefore, were to bring the corrupted Christians back to a profession of the gospel in its purity; which gave him no small trouble, as the people in those parts were irregular and vicious, and the clergy illiterate and [dis]interested.

Having, with great assiduity, completed this pious work, and hearing that Radbord, whom he had formerly, in vain, attempted to convert, was dead, he repaired to Utrecht, to assist Willebrod, the first bishop of that city, in his evangelical labours.

These worthy pastors laboured in conjunction, for the space of three years, in extirpating idolatry; and propagating the faith; and so far succeeded that most of the people, received baptism, and many of the Pagan temples were converted into Christian churches.

Willebrod, being now very old and infirm, thought he could not do better than to appoint Boniface to succeed him, and to resign his charge into such pious hands; but this the English missionary absolutely refused, saying he could not sojourn so long in any place, as he had many evangelical labours to perform.  Willebrod, on hearing this, consented to his departure; and Boniface repaired to Hesse, where he brought to a knowledge of the real truth two brothers, who, though they called themselves Christians, were sunk into most of the errors of Paganism.  They became such sincere converts that they gave their estate to Boniface, who did not apply its revenues to his own use, but built and endowed a religious community; after which he proceed to Saxony, where he converted some thousands to Christianity.

After having laboured in this new field with prodigious success about a year, he dispatched one of his companions to Rome, with an account of what he had done, upon which Gregory II. who was still in possession of that see, sent him a letter desiring him to repair to that city; in consequence of which he set out for Rome with all possible expedition.  On his arrival, the bishop treated him as his character deserved, gave him all marks of esteem and affection, and was resolved not to let him return to his labours without the episcopal character, that he might pursue them with more authority, and to greater advantage: He was accordingly consecrated on the last day of November, 723; from which time he took upon himself the name of Boniface.

Thus qualified for forming his new church, he left Rome, well provided with such books as would be necessary for his flock, or those to whom he should think fit to commit their in instruction.

He had with him six letters from the pope; one to Charles Martel; a second to all bishops, priests, dukes, counts, &c., a third to the clergy and people under his more immediate direction; a fourth to the five princes of Thuringia and their Christian subjects, a fifth to the Pagans in their dominions; and a sixth to the whole body of Saxons.  The purport of all which was, to recommend him to the protection of the Christian powers, and exhort the Pagans to hear him, and quit their errors.

After making many converts in different parts, he returned to his mission in Germany, and was very successful, though he met with many that would willingly have been Christians only by halves; they were ready enough to acknowledge Christ, but did not care to adhere strictly to his precepts: in fine, they liked the name, but had not resolution enough to conform to the practices [of Romanism]; and some were so far deluded as to fall back into their former superstition and idolatries.  These were exceedingly fond of worshipping a large oak tree, which had, time immemorial, been dedicated to Jupiter.  This tree Boniface ordered to be cut down.  When the Pagans, finding that Jupiter did not take any notice of those who had cut it down, began to own the weakness of such pretended deities, and desired to be baptized.

Boniface, being naturally diffident of his own abilities, had frequent recourse to such persons as he thought might be of any service to him in his present difficult station.  Pope Gregory and Daniel, his old diocesans; were his most considerable counsellors.  But indeed he had more need of assistance than advice, and therefore by the care of the bishop of Winchester, received large supplies of Missionaries from this island.

Pope Gregory III. succeeded to the chair in 731, upon whose accession Boniface sent proper persons to Rome to acquaint him with the success of his labours, testifying his obedience, and desiring assistance in some difficulties which occurred in his mission.  The pope not only answered the message by assuring him of the communion and friendship of the see of Rome, but of his respect for our missionary, sent him the Pallium, granted him the title of archbishop or metropolitan of all Germany, and empowered him to erect new bishoprics.

Boniface went to the utmost extent of every religious duty, and not only erected new bishoprics, but built several monasteries.  He then made a third journey to Rome in 738, when pope Gregory III. who had as much affection for him as his predecessor, felt an extraordinary pleasure at his appearing in that city, and detained him there the greatest part of the year.

ALPHAGE, archbishop of Canterbury, was descended from a considerable family in Glocestershire, and received an education suitable to his illustrious birth.  His parents were worthy Christians, and Alphage seemed to inherit all their virtues.  He was prudent and humble, pious and chaste: he made a rapid progress both in polite literature and scripture learning, and was at once the admired scholar and devout Christian.  He strove to make the arts useful to the purposes of life, and to render philosophy subservient to the cause of religion.  In order to be more at leisure to contemplate the divine perfections, he determined to renounce his fortune, quit home, and become a recluse.  He accordingly retired to a monastery of Benedictines at Deerhurst, in Glocestershire, and soon after took the habit.

Considering that the principal business of a Christian was to subdue his passions, and mortify his appetites, he lived with the utmost temperance, and spent the greatest part of his time in prayer.  But not thinking the austerities he underwent in this monastery sufficiently severe, he retired to a lonely cell near Bath, and lived in a manner still more rigid and mortifying.  Here he thought to remain unknown, but some devout persons finding out his retreat, his austere life soon became the subject of conversation in the neighbouring villages, where many flocked to him, and begged to be taken under his pastoral care.  He yielded to their importunities, raised a monastery near his cell by the contributions of several well-disposed persons; formed his new pupils into a community, and placed a prior over them.  Having prescribed rules for their regulation, he again retired to his beloved cell, fervently wishing to pass the remainder of his days in religious security; when the following affair once more drew him from his retreat:

The see of Winchester being vacant by the death of Ethelwold, it was no easy matter to agree upon the choice of a successor to that bishopric.  The clergy had been driven out of the cathedral for their scandalous lives, but were admitted again by King Ethelred, upon certain terms of reformation.  The monks, who had been introduced upon their expulsion, looked upon themselves as the chapter of that church; and hence arose a violent contest between them and the clergy who had been re-admitted, about the election of a bishop; while both parties were hot, and vigorously set upon promoting each their own man.  This dispute at last ran so high that Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury, as primate of all England was obliged to interpose in the affair, who consecrated Alphage to the vacant bishopric, to the general satisfaction of all concerned in the election, or interested in the affair.

Alphage’s behaviour was a sufficient proof of his being equal to the dignity of his vocation.  Piety flourished in his diocese; unity was established among his clergy and people; and the church of Winchester recovered its lustre in such a manner as made the bishop the admiration of the whole kingdom.  Dunstan had an extraordinary veneration for Alphage, and when at the point of death, made it his ardent request to God that he might succeed him in the see of Canterbury; which accordingly happened, though not till about eighteen years after Dunstan’s death.  In the course of that period the metropolitan church was governed by three successive prelates; the last of whom was Alfrick; upon whose decease, in 1006, Alphage was raised to the see of Canterbury.

The people belonging to the diocese of Winchester were the only persons who did not sincerely rejoice at his promotion; for they were too sensible of the loss they sustained by his translation, not to regret his removal to Canterbury.

Soon after his being made archbishop he went to Rome and received the pall from pope John XVIII. and after his return to England, laboured assiduously to introduce the best regulations into the church.

BEFORE we describe the sufferings and martyrdom of the Waldenses, it is necessary to shew their tenets, which will explain how, and for what reason, they differed from the church of Rome:

1.  That holy oil is not to be mingled in baptism [CHCoG: And only persons who understand and believe are to be baptised, and by immersion.]

2.  That prayers used over things inanimate, [including communion wafers,] are superstitious.

3.  [Rome’s holy days are unbiblical, therefore] Flesh may be eaten in Lent.

4.  The clergy may marry.

5.  Auricular confession is unnecessary.

6.  Confirmation is not a sacrament.

7.  We are not bound to pay obedience to the pope.

8.  Ministers should live upon tythes.

9.  No dignity sets one clergyman above another, for their superiority can only be drawn from real worth.

10.  Images in churches are absurd, as image worship is idolatry.

11.  The pope’s indulgences are ridiculous.

12.  The miracles pretended to be done by the church of Rome are false.

13.  Fornication and public slews [brothels] ought not to be allowed.

14.  Purgatory is a fiction.

15.  Deceased persons, called saints, ought not to be prayed to [including Mary].

16.  Extreme unction is not a sacrament.

17.  Masses, indulgences and prayers are of no service to the dead.

18.  The Lord’s prayer ought to be the rule of all other prayers.

THE Albigenses were people of the reformed religion, who inhabited the country of Albi.  They were condemned on the score of religion in the council of Lateran, by order of pope Alexander the third.  Nevertheless they encreased so prodigiously that many cities were inhabited by persons only of their persuasion, and several eminent noblemen embraced their doctrines.  Among the latter were Raymond, earl of Thoulouse, Raymond, earl of Foix, the earl of Beziers, &c.  The pope, at length, pretended that he wished to draw them to the Romish faith by sound argument and clear reasoning, and for this end he ordered a general disputation, in which however, the popish doctors were entirely overcome by the arguments of Arnold, a reformed clergyman, whose reasons were so strong that they were compelled to confess their force.

A friar named Peter, having been murdered in the dominions of the earl of Thoulouse, the pope made the murder a pretence to persecute that nobleman and his subjects.  To effect this, he sent persons throughout all Europe, in order to raise forces to act coercively against the Albigenses, and promised Paradise to all that would come to this war, which he termed a Holy War, and bear arms for forty days.  The same indulgencies were likewise held out to all who entered themselves for this purpose, as to such as engaged in crusades to the Holy Land.

The pope then sent orders to all archbishops, bishops, &c, to excommunicate the earl of Thoulouse every sabbath and festival; at the same time absolving all his subjects from their oaths of allegiance to him, and commanding them to pursue his person, possess his lands, destroy his property, murder such of his subjects as continued faithful to him, &c. &c.

The earl of Thoulouse, hearing of these mighty preparations against him, wrote to the pope in a very candid manner, desiring not to be condemned unheard, and assuring him that he had not the least hand in Peter’s death; for that friar was killed by a gentleman who immediately after the murder fled out of his territories, or otherwise he would have punished him as the crime deserved.

But arguments were in vain; for the pope, being determined on his destruction, was resolved not to hear reason.  A formidable army, with several noblemen and prelates at the head of it, began their march against the Albigenses.  The earl had only the alternatives to oppose force by force, or submit.  As he despaired of success in attempting the former, he determined on the latter.  The pope’s legate being at Valence, the earl repaired thither, and said he “was surprized that such a number of armed men should be sent against him, before the least proof of his guile had been deduced.  He therefore came voluntarily to surrender himself, armed only with the testimony of a good conscience, and hoped that the troops would be prevented from plundering his innocent subjects, as he thought himself a sufficient pledge for any vengeance they chose to take on account of the death of the friar.”

To this reasonable proposal the legate replied that he was very glad the earl had voluntarily surrendered; but with respect to the proposal, he could not pretend to countermand the orders to the troops, unless he would consent to deliver up seven of his best fortified castles as securities for his future behaviour.

This demand made the earl perceive his error in submitting, but it was too late; he knew himself to be a prisoner, and therefore sent an order for the delivery of the castles.  The pope’s legate had no sooner garrisoned these places than he ordered the respective governors to appear before him.  When they came, he said, “That the earl of Thoulouse having delivered up his castles to the pope, they must consider that they were now the pope’s subjects, and not the earl’s; and that they must therefore act conformable to their new allegiance.

The governors were greatly astonished to see their lord thus in chains, and themselves compelled into a new allegiance, so much against their inclinations and consciences.  But what afflicted them still more, was the affronts afterwards put upon the earl; for he was stripped naked, except his drawers, led nine times round the grave of friar Peter, and severely scourged before all orders of people.  Not contented with this, they obliged him to swear that he would be obedient to the pope during the remainder of his life, conform to the church of Rome, and make irreconcilable war against the Albigenses.  The legate even went further than this, and ordered him, by the oaths he had newly taken, to join the troops, and inspect the siege of Beziers.  But thinking this too hard an injunction, he took an opportunity privately to quit the army, and determined to go to the pope, and relate all the ill usage he had received.  The army, however, proceeded to besiege Beziers; and the earl of Beziers, who was likewise governor of that city, thinking it impossible to defend the place, came out, and presenting himself before the pope’s legate, implored mercy for the inhabitants; intimating at the same time that there were as many Roman Catholics as Albigenses in the city.  The legate replied that all excuses availed nothing; that the place must be delivered up at discretion, or the most dreadful consequences should ensue.

The earl of Beziers returning into the city, told the inhabitants he could obtain no mercy, unless the Albigenses would abjure their religion, and conform to the worship of the church of Rome.  The Roman Catholics pressed the Albigenses to comply with this request; but the Albigenses nobly answered that they would not forsake their religion for the base price of their frail life: that God was able, if he pleased, to defend them; but if he would be glorified by the confession of their faith, it would be a great honour to them to die for his sake.  That they had rather displease the pope, who could but kill their bodies, than God, who could cast both body and soul into hell.

The Popish party finding their importunities ineffectual, sent their bishop to the pope’s legate, beseeching him not to include them in the chastisement of the Albigenses; and representing that the best means to win the latter over to the Roman Catholic persuasion was by gentle means; and not by rigour.  The legate, upon hearing this, flew into a violent passion with the bishop, and declared that “If all the city did not acknowledge their fault, they should taste of one curse without distinction of religion, sex, or age.”

The inhabitants refusing to yield upon such terms, a general assault was given, and the place taken by storm; when it is impossible for the imagination to paint a more horrid scene than now ensued.  Every cruelty that barbarous superstition could devise was practised; nothing was to be heard but the groans of men who lay weltering in their blood; the lamentations of mothers who were doubly wounded, wounded in the body by the spears of the soldiers, and to the soul by having their children taken from them, and dashed to pieces before their faces.  The plaints of violated maidens and ravished matrons, the cries of helpless infants, and the execrations of the barbarians who committed these cruelties, added to the sounds of horror.  The city being fired in various parts, new scenes of confusion arose; in several places the streets were streaming with blood; here losty buildings appeared in clouds of smoak; and there large ranges of houses were seen in flames.  Those who had hid themselves in the recesses of their dwellings had only the dreadful alternative to remain and perish in the flames, or rush out and fall by the swords of the soldiers.  The bloody legate, during these infernal proceedings seemed to injoy the carnage, and even cried out to the troops, “Kill them, kill them all, kill man, woman, and child; kill Roman Catholics as well as Albigenses; for when they are dead, the Lord knows how to pick out his own.”  Thus the beautiful city of Beziers was reduced to a heap of ruins; and 60,000 persons of different ages, and both sexes, were murdered upon the occasion.

The earl of Beziers and a few others made their escape, and went to Carcasson, which they put into the best posture of defence they could.  The legate, not to lose an opportunity of spilling blood during the forty days which the troops were to serve, led them immediately against Carcasson.  As soon as the place was invested, a furious assault was given, but the besiegers were repulsed with great slaughter; and upon this occasion the earl of Beziers gave the most distinguished proofs of his courage, saying, to encourage the besieged, “We had better die fighting than fall into the hands of such bigotted and bloody enemies.”

It is to be observed that two miles from the city of Carcasson there was a small town of the same name, which the Albigenses had likewise fortified.  The legate, being enraged at the repulse he had received from the city of Carcasson, determined to wreak his vengeance upon the town.  The next morning he made a general assault; and though the place was bravely defended, the legate took it by storm, put all within it to the sword, and then burnt the town.

During these transactions the king of Arragon arrived at the camp, and after paying his obedience to the legate, told him he understood the earl of Beziers; his kinsman, was in the city of Carcasson, and that, if he would grant him permission, he would go thither, and endeavour to make him sensible of the duty he owed both to the pope and church.  The legate readily acquiescing, the king immediately repaired to the earl, and among other questions, asked him from what motives he shut himself up in that city, and against so great an army?  The earl answered, it was to defend his life, goods, and subjects; that he knew the pope, under pretence of religion, resolved to destroy his uncle, the earl of Thoulouse, and himself; that he saw the cruelty which they had used at Beziers, even against the priests: adding also what they had done to the town of Carcasson, and that they must look for no mercy from the legate or his army, He, therefore, rather chuse to die; defending himself with his subjects, than fall into the hands of so inexorable an enemy as the legate; that though he had in his city some that were of another religion, yet they were such as had not wronged any, and were come to his succour in his greatest extremity, and for their good service he was resolved not to abandon them; that his trust was in God, the defender of the oppressed, and that he would assist them against those ill-advised men who forsook their own houses to burn, sack, and kill other men without reason, judgment, or mercy.

The king reported to the legate what the earl had said.  The legate, after considering for some time, replied, “For your sake, Sir, I will receive the earl of Beziers to mercy, and with him twelve others shall be safe, and be permitted to retire with their property; but as for the rest, I am determined to have them at my discretion.”

This answer displeased the king; and when the earl heard it, he absolutely refused to comply with such terms.  The legate then commanded another assault, but his troops were again repulsed with great slaughter, and the dead bodies occasioned a stench that was exceedingly offensive both to the besieged and besiegers.

The legate, being chagrined at this second disappointment, determined to act by stratagem.  He therefore sent a gentleman who was well skilled in dissimulation and artifice to the earl of Beziers, with a seeming friendly message.  The design was, by any means, to induce the earl to leave the city in order to have an interview with the legate; and to this end the gentleman was to promise, or swear, whatever he thought proper; for, says the legate, “swear to what falsehoods you will in such a cause, as I will give you absolution.”

Unfortunately, this infamous plot succeeded: for the earl, believing the promises made him of personal security, and crediting the solemn oaths that the perjured agent swore upon the occasion, left the city and went with him.  The legate no sooner saw him, than he told him “he was a prisoner, and must remain so till Carcasson was surrendered, and the inhabitants taught their duty to the pope.”

The earl, on hearing this, cried out that he was betrayed, and exclaimed against the treachery of the legate; and the perjury of the person he had employed.  His complaints, however, availed him nothing, for he was ordered into close confinement, and the place summoned to surrender immediately.

The people, on receiving the summons, and hearing of the captivity of the earl, were thrown into the utmost consternation, when one of the citizens, begging to be heard, informed the rest, “that he had been formerly told by some old men, they there was a very capcious subterraneous passage, which led from thence to the castle of Cameret, at three leagues distance.  If (continued he) we can find this passage, we may all escape before the legate can, in the least, be apprized of our flight.”

This inforimation was joyfully received; all were employed to search for the passage, and at length it was happily found.  In the beginning of the evening the inhabitants began their flight, taking with them their wives, children, a few days provisions, and such moveables as were most valuable and portable.  They reached the castle by the morning, and escaped to Arragon, Catalonia, and such other places as they thought would secure them from the power of the bloody legate.

In the morning the troops were strangely astonished, not hearing any noise, or seeing any man stirring in the city; yet they approached the walls with much fear, lest it should be but a stratagem to endanger them; but finding no opposition they mounted the walls, crying out that the Albigenses were fled; and thus was the city, with all the spoils taken, and the earl of Beziers committed to prison in one of the strongest towers of Carcasson, where he soon after died.

The legate being now in possession of the city, called all the prelates and great lords of his army together, telling them that though it was requisite there should be always a legate in the army, yet it was likewise necessary that there should be a secular general, wise and valiant, to command in all their affairs, &c.  This charge was first offered to the duke of Burgongue, then to the earl of Ennevers, and thirdly, to the earl of St. Paul: but they all refused it.  At length, it was offered to Simon, earl of Montfort, who, after some excuses, accepted of it.

Four’ thousand men were left to garrison Carcasson, and the deceased earl of Beziers was succeeded in title and dignity by earl Simon, a bigotted Roman Catholic who threatened vengeance on the Albigenses, unless they conformed to the practices of the church of Rome.

The king of Arragon, however, who was in his heart of the reformed persuasion, secretly encouraged the Albigenses, and gave them hopes that if they acted with prudence, they might cast off the yoke of the tyrannical earl Simon.  They took his advice, and while Simon was gone to Montpellier, they surprized some of his fortresses, and were successful in several expeditions against his officers.

These proceedings so enraged earl Simon, that returning from Montpellier, he collected together some forces, marched against the Albigenses, and ordered every prisoner he took to be immediately burnt.  Failing, however, in some of his enterprizes, he grew disheartened, and wrote to every Roman Catholic power in Europe, to send him some assistance, other wise he should not be able to hold out against the Albigenses.

Having received some succours, he attacked the castle of Beron, and making himself master of it, ordered the eyes to be put out, and the noses to be cut off of all the garrison, one person alone excepted, and he was deprived of one eye only, that he might conduct the rest to Cabaret.

Being joined by some additional forces, earl Simon undertook the siege of Menerbe, which on account of the want of water, was obliged to yield to him.  The lord of Termes, the governor, was put in prison, where he died; his wife, sister, and daughter were burnt; and one hundred and eighty others were committed to the flames.  Many other castles surrendered to the forces of earl Simon, and the inhabitants were butchered in a manner equally inhuman.

It is now necessary to take some notice of the earl of Thoulouse, who by means, of letters of recommendation from the king of France, after many difficulties, was reconciled to the pope; at least the pope pretended to give him remission for the death of friar Peter, and to absolve him from all other crimes he had committed.

The legate, however, by the connivance of the pope, did all he could to ruin the earl of Thoulouse.  Some altercations having passed between them, the legate excommunicated the earl; and the Roman Catholic bishop of Thoulouse, upon this encouragement, thought proper to send this imprudent message to the earl, “That as he was an excommunicated person, he commanded him to depart the city, for an ecclesiastic could not say mass with propriety, while a person of such a description was so near him.”

The earl was greatly exasperated, at the bishop’s insolence, and sent him an order immediately to depart from the place on pain of death.  This order was all the prelate wanted, and was what he wished for, as it would give him some shadow of a reason to complain of that nobleman.

The bishop, with the canons of the cathedral church, marched out of the city in solemn procession, barefooted and bareheaded, taking with them the cross, banner, host, &c. and proceeded in that manner to the legate’s army.  Here they were received with great respect as persecuted martyrs; and the legate thought this a sufficient excuse to proceed against the earl of Thoulouse for having, as he termed it, relapsed from the truth.  The legate attempted to get him into his power by stratagem, but the earl being apprised of the design, escaped the snare.

Enraged at his disappointment, the legate laid siege to the castle of Montserrand which belonged to the earl, and was governed by Baldwin his brother.  On the first summons, Baldwin not only surrendered, but abjured his religion, and turned papist.  This stroke, which severely afflicted the earl of Thoulouse, was followed by another that gave him still greater mortification; for his old friend the king of Arragon forsook his interest; and it was stipulated that the king of Arragon’s daughter should be married to earl Simon’s eldest son.  The legate’s troops were then joined by the forces of Arragon and those belonging to earl Simon, when they jointly laid siege to Thoulouse.

The earl of Thoulouse determined to interrupt the besiegers by frequent sallies.  In the first of these he met with a severe repulse; but in the second he took earl Simon’s son prisoner, and in the third he unhorsed earl Simon himself.  After several furious assaults given by the popish army, and some other successful sallies of the Albigenses, the earl of Thoulouse compelled his enemies to raise the siege.   In their retreat they did much mischief in the countries through which they passed, and put many defenceless Albigenses to death.

The earl of Thoulouse now did all he could to recover the friendship of the king of Arragon, and as the marriage ceremony between that monarch’s daughter and earl Simon’s son had not been performed, he entreated him to break off the preposterous match; and proposed another more proper, viz. that his own eldest son and heir to the earldom of Thoulouse should wed the princess of Arragon, and that by this match their friendship should be again united and more firmly cemented.

The king of Arragon was easily persuaded not only to come into this proposal, but to form a league with the principal Albigenses, and to put himself as captain-general at the head of their united forces, consisting of his own people, and of the troops of the earls of Thoulouse, Foix and Comminges.  The papists were greatly alarmed at these proceedings; earl Simon sent all over Christendom to engage the assistance of the Roman Catholic powers, and the pope’s legate began hostilities by entering the dominions of the earl of Foix and committing the most cruel depredations.

The army of the Albigenses being ready to take the field, the king of Arragon.  began his operations by laying siege to Murat, a town near Thoulouse belonging to the Roman Catholics, strongly fortified, and pleasantly situated upon the river Garonne.  Earl Simon, by forced marches, came to the assistance of the place; and unfortunately the king of Arragon, who kept up very little discipline in his army, was feasting and revelling at a time when all his attention was requisite.  Earl Simon suddenly attacked the Albigenses while they were in confusion, the united forces of the reformed were defeated, and the king of Arragon himself was slain.  The loss of this battle was imputed to the negligence of the king of Arragon, who kept up no manner of order in his army, and was as fond of entertainment in a camp as if he had been securely at peace in a palace.

Flushed with this victory, the popish commanders declared they would entirely root out and extirpate the whole race of the Albigenses; and earl Simon sent an insolent message to the earls of Thoulouse, Foix, and Comminges, to deliver to him all the castles and fortresses of which they were possessed.  Those noblemen did not think proper to return an answer to the demand but retired to their respective territories, in order to put them into the best state of defence.

Earl Simon marched towards the city of Thoulouse, when the earl of Thoulouse, who had retired to Montalban, sent word to the citizens of the former place, to make the best terms they could with the Roman Catholics, as he was confident they could not hold out a siege; but at the same time recommended them to preserve their hearts for him, though they surrendered their persons to another.  The citizens of Thoulouse, upon receiving this intimation sent deputies to earl Simon, with offers of immediate surrender, provided the city itself, and the persons and properties of its inhabitants, should be perfectly safe, and protected from devastations or injury.

These conditions were agreed to immediately, and earl Simon, in order to ingratiate himself at court, wrote a letter to prince Lewis, the son of Philip, king of France, informing him that the city of Thoulouse had offered to surrender to him; but being willing that the prince should have the honour of receiving the keys, and taking the homage of the people, he begged that he would repair to the camp for that purpose.

Prince Lewis, pleased with the invitation, went directly to the army, and had the city of Thoulouse surrendered to him in form.  The pope’s legate, however, was greatly displeased at the mild conditions granted to the people of Thoulouse, and insisted that though the prince might take upon him the sovereignty of the place, and receive the homage of the people, yet the plunder belonged to his holy pilgrims (for so the popish soldiers employed in these expeditions were called); and that the place, as a receptacle of heretics, ought to be dismantled.

In vain did the prince, and earl Simon, remonstrate against such harsh proceedings, so contrary to the conditions granted at the surrender of the place: the legate was peremptory; so earl Simon and the prince, unwilling to come to an open rupture with him, gave up the point, and suffered him to do as he pleased.  The legate immediately sent his holy pilgrims, as he termed them, to work, when they presently dismantled the city, and plundered the inhabitants: thus the poor people were stripped of all their property at a time they thought themselves perfectly secured by the articles of the treaty of surrender.

The pope’s legate finding that among the Albigenses were many lucrative places, which would of course fall to the disposal of the prince, he determined, by an artifice, to deprive him of any advantage which might accrue from thence; for he thought the Romish church ought to engross and monopolize everything that was valuable.  To this end he gave absolution to the Albigenses, which, though they had not in the least changed their religious opinions, he cunningly called reconciling them to the church.  The prince, not apprized of this stratagem, was going to put such of his officers as he thought merited encouragement into the possession of some places of profit; when, to his great astonishment, the legate informed him that he had no power to dispose of those places.  The prince demanded an explanation of his meaning.  “My meaning (replied the legate) is that the people have received absolution, and being reconciled, are consequently under the protection of the church; therefore, all places among, or connected with them, are in the disposal of the church only.”

The prince, though offended at this curious mode of reasoning, and highly displeased at the meanness of the subterfuge, thought proper, at that time, to dissemble his resentment.  Determined, however, to quit the legate, he put the troops that were under his command in motion and marched to attack some other fortresses; but he found, wherever he came, that the legate had played the same trick, and plainly perceived, if he continued his military operations, that when unsuccessful, he should bear all the blame, and when successful, the legate would run away with all the profit.  These considerations convinced him of the folly of remaining longer in the army; he therefore left it in disgust, and returned to court.

Earl Simon now, with his own forces, those the prince had just quitted, and some other auxiliaries, undertook the siege of Foix, being provoked to it by two reasons, viz: the death of his brother, who was slain by the earl of Foix; and the religion of the earl of Foix, who was of the reformed persuasion.  He lay before the castle of Foix for the space of ten days, during which time he frequently assaulted it, but was as often repulsed.  Hearing that an army of Arragonians were in full march towards him, in order to revenge the death of their king, he raised the siege of Foix, and went to meet them.  The earl of Foix immediately sallied out and harassed his rear, and the Arragonians attacking his front; gave him a total defeat, which compelled him to shut himself up in Carcasson.

The pope’s legate called a council at Montpellier, for renewing the military operations against the Albigenses, and for doing proper honour to earl Simon, who was present; for the Arragonians, not taking advantage of their victory, had neglected to block up Carcasson, by which omission earl Simon had the liberty to repair to Montpellier.

At the council the legate, in the pope’s name; paid many compliments to earl Simon, and declared that he should be prince of all the countries that might in future be taken from the Albigenses; at the same time, by order of the pontiff, he stiled him, The active and dextrous soldier of Jesus Christ, and the invincible defender of the Catholic faith.  But just as the earl was going to return thanks for these great honours and fine encomiums, a messenger brought word that the people, having heard earl Simon was in the council, had taken up arms, and were coming thither to destroy him as a common disturber.  This threw the whole council into great confusion; and earl Simon, though a minute before styled an invincible defender of the faith, was glad to jump out of a window, and steal away from the city by the most private passages.

The affair becoming serious, according to the opinions of the papists, the pope himself soon after called a council, to be held at Lateran, in which great powers were granted to Roman Catholic inquisitors, and many Albigenses immediately put to death.  This council of Lateran likewise confirmed to earl Simon all the honours intended him by the council of Montpellier, and empowered him to raise another army against the Albigenses.

Earl Simon immediately repaired to court, received his investiture from the French king, and began to levy forces.  Having raised a considerable number of troops, he determined, if possible, to exterminate the Albigenses, when he received advice that his countess was besieged in Narbonne by the earl of Thoulouse.  Earl Simon proceeded to the relief of his wife, when the Albigenses met him, gave him battle, and defeated him.  He, however, found means to escape from the fight, and get into the castle of Narbonne.

During earl Simon’s misfortunes, Thoulouse was recovered by the Albigenses; but the pope still espousing earl Simon’s cause, raised forces on his account, and enabled him, once more, to undertake the siege of that city.  The earl assaulted the place furiously, but being repulsed with great loss, he seemed sunk in affliction, when the pope’s legate said, to comfort him, “Fear nothing, my lord, make another vigorous attack; let us by any means recover the city, and destroy the inhabitants; and those of our men who are slain in the fight, I will assure you shall immediately pass into paradise.”  One of earl Simon’s principal officers, on hearing this, said with a sneer, “Monsieur Cardinal, you talk with great assurance; but if the earl believes you, he will, as heretofore, pay dearly for his confidence.”

Earl Simon, however, took the legate’s advice, made another assault, and was again repulsed.  To complete his misfortune, before the troops could recover from their confusion, the earl of Foix made his appearance at the head of a formidable body of forces, and attacking the already dispirited army of earl Simon, easily put them to the rout; and the earl himself narrowly escaped being drowned in the Garonne, into which he had hastily plunged in order to avoid being taken.

This miscarriage almost broke earl Simon’s heart; but the pope’s legate bade him yet be of good chear, for he would raise him another army; which promise, with some difficulty, and three years delay, he at length performed, and that bigoted nobleman was, once more, enabled to take the field.  He bent his whole force against Thoulouse, which he besieged for the space of nine months, when in one of the sallies made by the besieged, his horse was wounded.  The animal being in great anguish, ran away with him, and bore him directly under the ramparts of the city, when an archer taking aim, shot him in the thigh with an arrow; and a woman immediately after throwing a large stone from the wall, it struck him upon the head, and killed him instantly.

Upon the death of the earl, the siege was raised; but the legate, greatly enraged to be disappointed of his wished for vengeance on the inhabitants of that devoted city, engaged the king of France in the cause, who sent his son to besiege it.  The French prince, with some chosen troops, furiously assaulted Thoulouse, but meeting with a severe repulse, he grew sick of the enterprize, and abandoned Thoulouse to besiege Miromand.  This place he soon took by storm, and put all the inhabitants, consisting of five thousand men, women, and children, to the sword.

The legate, whose name was Bertrand, being very old, grew weary of following the army; but his passion for blood-spilling still remained, as appears by his epistle to the pope, in which he begs to be recalled, on account of his age and infirmities; but entreats the pontiff to appoint a successor, who might continue the wars with as much spirit and perseverance as he had done.

The pope recalled Bertrand according to his desire, and appointed Conrade, bishop of Portua, to be legate in his room.  The new legate determined to tread in the steps of his predecessor, and to persecute the Albigenses with the greatest severity.  Guido, earl of Monfort, the son and heir of earl Simon, undertook the command of the troops, and immediately laid siege to Thoulouse, before the walls of which he was slain.  His brother Almerick succeeded to the command; but the spirited conduct of the besieged, obliged him to raise the siege.

The legate now prevailed upon the king of France to undertake the siege of Thoulouse in person, and reduce to the obedience of the church those obstinate heretics, as he thought proper to call the brave Albigenses.  Hearing of the great preparations made by the king of France, the earl of Thoulouse sent the women, children, cattle, &c. into secret and secure places in the mountains, ploughed up the land that the king’s forces should not obtain any forage, and did all that a skilful general could perform to save his country, and distress the enemy.

By these wise regulations the French army, soon after, entering the earldom of Thoulouse, suffered all the extremities of famine, which obliged the troops to feed on the carcases of horses, on dead dogs, cats, &c. which unwholesome food produced the plague.  This complicated distress broke the king’s heart; nevertheless, his son, who succeeded him, determined to carry on the war, but was defeated by the earl of Thoulouse in three different engagements.

The king, the queen-mother, and three archbishops, however, raised another formidable army, and had the art to persuade the earl of Thoulouse to come to a conference, when he was treacherously seized upon, made a prisoner, forced to appear bare-footed and bare-headed before his enemies, and compelled to subscribe to the following unreasonable and ignominous conditions:

1.  That he should abjure the faith he had hitherto defended.

2.  That he should be subject to the church of Rome.

3.  That he should give his daughter Joan in marriage to one of the brothers of the king of France.

4.  That he should maintain in Thouloue six popish professors of the liberal arts, and two grammarians.

5.  That he should take upon him the cross, and serve five years against the Saracens in the Holy Land

6.  That he should level the walls of Thoulouse with the ground.

7.  That he should destroy the walls and fortifications of thirty of his other cities and castles, as the legate should direct.

9.  That he should remain prisoner in the Louvre at Paris, till his daughter was delivered to the king’s commissioners.

These hard conditions were followed by a severe persecution against the Albigenses (many of whom suffered for the faith;) and express orders that the laity should not be permitted to read the Sacred Scriptures.

In the year 1620 the persecution against the Albigenses was very great.  At a town called Tell, while the minister was preaching to a congregation of the reformed, the papists attacked and murdered many of the people.  A lady of considerable eminence, being exhorted to change her religion, if not for her own sake, at least for the sake of the infant she held in her arms, the lady, with an undaunted courage, said, “I did not quit Italy, my native country, nor forsake the estate I had there, for the sake of Jesus Christ, to renounce him here.  With respect to my infant, why should I not deliver him up to death, since God delivered up his Son to die for us?”  As soon as she had done speaking, they took the child from her, delivered it to a popish nurse to bring up, and then cut the lady to pieces.

An Albigenses young lady, of a noble family, was seized by the papists, and carried through the streets with a paper mitre upon her head.  After mocking, beating, and smearing her face with dirt, they bade her call upon the saints: to which she replied, “My trust and salvation is in Christ only; for even the Virgin Mary, without the merits of her Son, could not be saved.”  On hearing this; the multitude fell upon and murdered her.

Reason to bigotry can ne’er give law,

True piety the papists think a flaw;

For superstition endless wars wou’d wage,

And gives to cruelty a double rage.

IN the third century a learned man, named ALMERICUS, and six of his disciples, were ordered to be burnt at Paris for holding these tenets:

1.  That God was no otherwise present in the sacramental bread, than in any other bread.

2.  That it was idolatry to build altars, or shrines, to saints.

3.  That it was ridiculous to offer incense to saints.

4.  That it was absurd to kiss the relics of saints.

The martyrdom of Almericus and his pupils, did not, however, prevent many from acknowledging the justness of his notions, and seeing the purity of the reformed religion, so that the faith of Christ continually encreased, and in time not only spread itself over many parts of France, but diffused the light of the gospel over various other countries.

In the year 1524, at a town in France called Melden, one John Clark set up a bill on the church door, wherein he called the pope Antichrist.  For this offence he was repeatedly whipped, and then branded in the forehead: his mother, who stood by at the time, cried, with a loud voice, “Blessed be Christ, and welcome these marks for his sake.”  Going afterwards to Mentz, in Lorraine, he demolished some images, for which he had his right hand and nose cut off, and his arms and breasts torn by sharp pincers.  He sustained these cruelties with amazing fortitude, and was even sufficiently cool to sing the CXVth Psalm, which expressly forbids idolatry, and of which we have been favoured with a new translation, by a reverend gentleman, who is at present in an eminent ecclesiastical station, and very justly deemed one of the greatest ornaments of the church of England now living.

I.

Revere th’ Almighty’s sacred name,

For he alone our prayers should claim:

Eternally, his glory glows;

Perpetually, his mercy flows.

II.

Since unbelievers vaunting cry,

Where is Jehovah, thy God on high?

On their vain heads thy thunders shew’r,

Convince them of thy mighty power.

III.

Respect to images are paid

By mortal hands, of metal made;

With stupid rev’rence they behold

Their gods of silver, and of gold.

IV.

These artificial gods we find,

Whose mouths are dumb, whose eyes are blind;

Their ears are deaf to what you tell,

Their nostrils have no pow’r to smell.

V.

Mere lifeless stocks these idols prove,

With hands and feet they cannot move.

Is any thing more senseless?-Say;

Yes, those who to such idols pray.

VI.

The living God alone confess,

He only can your woes redress;

All images are weak and vain,

And cannot hear if you complain.

VII.

Then let’s implicitly rely

On the Great Ruler of the sky;

He oft has fav’d us when enthrall’d,

He oft has aided when we call’d.

VIII.

To us his blessings he’ll extend,

The weak assist, the poor befriend;

Ev’n our posterity shall share

His kind and providential care.

IX.

His seat of empire’s vast and bright,

Adorn’d with everlasting light;

He gave the earth to bless mankind,

Then praise a God so great and kind.

After having sung this Psalm with admirable patience, he was thrown into the fire, and burnt into ashes.  Many persons of the reformed persuasion were, about this time, beaten, racked, scourged, and burnt to death in several parts of France; but more particularly at Paris, Malda, and Limnosin.

A native of Malda was burnt in a slow fire for saying that mass was a plain denial of the death and passion of Christ.  At Limnosin, John de Cadurco, a clergyman of the reformed religion, was apprehended, degraded, and ordered to be burnt.  At his degradation a friar undertook to preach a sermon upon the occasion; when opening the New Testament he pitched upon this text, in the first epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, Chap. iv. ver. 1.  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.  The friar began to expound this verse in favour of the Roman Catholic persuasion, and in condemnation of the reformed religion, when John de Cadurco called to him, and begged that before he proceeded in his sermon, he would read the two verses which followed that he had chosen for his text.  The friar again opened the testament, but on casting his eye on the passage, he stood mute and confounded.  John de Cadurco then desired that the book might be handed to him; this request being complied with, he read thus, Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.  The Roman Catholics plainly saw, but had not the candour sufficient to own their error; but instead of thanking the person who pointed out their being wrong, they condemned him to the flames, and he was burnt accordingly.

At Paris, Alexander Kanus, a reformed clergyman, was burnt in a slow fire; four men were committed to the flames for scattering about papers that ridiculed the saying of mass.  One had his tongue bored through for speaking ill of the Romish superstitions.  Peter Gaudet, a Genoese, was burnt by the desire of his own uncle, a bigotted Roman Catholic; and John Pointer, a surgeon, had his tongue cut out and was then committed to the flames.

At Arras, Foutanis, and Rutiers, many were martyred for being of the reformed religion; in particular, at the latter place, one Stephen Brune was condemned to be burnt for refusing to attend mass.  When the fire was kindled the flames were driven from him by a brisk gale of wind; this occasioned the executioner to heap more faggots round him, and pour oil on them.  Still, however, the wind blew the flames into a contrary direction, when the executioner absurdly grew angry with Stephen Brune, and in his passion struck him on the head.  Brune very calmly said in return, “As I am condemned only to be burnt, why do you strike me with a staff like a dog?”  This expression so greatly enraged the executioner that he ran him through with a pike, and then burnt the body when dead.

Aymond de Lavoy, a minister of Bourdeaux, had a complaint lodged against him by the Romish clergy of that city.  On hearing this, his friends advised him to abscond; but he absolutely refused so to do, and told them that should he be absent himself the people might well imagine what he had preached consisted only of dreams and fables, and was not extracted from the pure word of God; but to prevent them from entertaining such a notion, he determined to seal the testimony of his truth with his blood.  When he was seized upon, the people would have rescued him, but he desired them to forbear saying, “Since it is the will of God that I should suffer for him, I will not resist his will.”  He remained nine months in prison on the information only, and patiently suffered all the inclemencies of a gaol.  Being brought to trial, he was ordered to be racked; when in the extremity of the torture he comforted himself with this expression; “this body must once die, but the soul shall live; for the kingdom of God endures for ever.”  At length he swooned away; but on recovering, prayed for his persecutors.  The question was then put to him, whether he would embrace the Roman catholic persuasion; which positively refusing, he was condemned to be burnt.  At the place of execution he said, “O Lord, make haste to help me; tarry not; despise not the work of thy hands.”  And perceiving some who used to attend his sermons, he addressed them thus, “My friends, I exhort you to study and learn the gospel; for the word of God abideth for ever.  Labour to know the will of God, and fear not them that kill the body, but have no power over the soul.”  The executioner then strangled him, and afterwards burnt his body.

William Husson, an apothecary of Blois, went from that city to Rouen, and there privately distributed and scattered about several small pamphlets explaining the tenets of the reformed church, and exposing the Romish superstitions.  These books gave a general alarm, and a council being called, an order was issued for diligent search to be made after the author and distributer.  With some difficulty it was at length discovered that Husson had brought them to Rouen, and that he was gone towards Dieppe.  Orders for a pursuit were given, and Husson being apprehended, was brought back to Rouen, where he confessed that he was both author and distributer of the books in question.  This confession occasioned his condemnation, when he was executed in the following manner: His tongue being cut out, his hands and feet were tied behind him, and he was drawn up by a pulley to a gibbet, and then let down into a fire kindled beneath; in which situation he called upon the Lord, and soon expired.

Francis Bribard, secretary to cardinal de Bellay, for speaking in favour of the reformed, had his tongue cut out, and was then burnt, A.D. 1544.  James Cobard, a school-master in the city of St. Michael, was burnt, A.D. 1545, for saying that “mass was useless and absurd;” and about the same time, fourteen men were burnt at Maldo, their wives being compelled to stand by and behold the execution.  A.D. 1546, Peter Chapot brought a number of Bibles in the French tongue to France, and publicly sold them there; for which being apprehended, he was condemned to be burnt; which sentence was executed a few days after it passed.  Soon after a cripple of Meaux, a school-master of Sera named Stephen Polliot, and a man named John English, were burned for the faith.

The choice being offered to Michael Michelot, either to recant and be beheaded, or to persevere and be burned, he chose the latter, making use, at the same time, of these words: “God, who has given me grace not to deny the truth, will give me strength to endure the fire.”  Many, about the same time, were burnt at Paris; Bar, &c. and at Langres, five men and two women were, by the Roman catholics, committed to the flames for being of the reformed religion: when the youngest woman encouraged the other, saying, “this day shall we be married to Jesus Christ, and be with him for ever.”

Monsieur Blondel, a rich jeweller, was, A.D. 1548, apprehended at Lyons, and sent to Paris; where he was burnt for the faith, by order of the high court, A.D. 1549.  Hubert, a youth of nineteen years of age, was committed to the flames at Dijon; as was Florent Venote, in the same year.

A lady named Ann Audebert, designing, on account of her faith, to retire to Geneva, was seized and sent to Paris.  Being condemned, she was led to execution by a rope placed round her waist.  This rope she called her wedding girdle; and as it was on a Saturday, she said, “I was once married to a man on a Saturday, and now I shall be married to God on the same day of the week.”  She was at length fastened to the stake and burnt, meeting her fate with the most exemplary fortitude.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Some singular circumstances happened immediately after the coronation of Henry the Second, king of France, which we shall relate.  A taylor was apprehended for working on a saint’s day; being asked why he gave such offence to religion, his reply was, “I am a poor man, and have nothing but my labour to depend upon; necessity requires that I should be industrious, and my conscience tells me there is no day but the sabbath which I ought to keep sacred from labour.”  Having expressed himself thus, he was committed to prison, and the affair being soon after rumoured at court, some of the nobles persuaded the king to be present at his trial.  On the day appointed, the monarch appeared in a superb chair of state, and the bishop of Mascon was ordered to interrogate the prisoner.  The taylor, on perceiving the king, paid his obedience to him in a most respectful manner, saying, “I thank God for honouring me thus, and for permitting me to vindicate the light of the gospel before so great a prince.”  The prelate then questioned him concerning the tenets of his faith, and the clearness and spirit of his answers amazed all that heard him.  The king was much affected and seemed to muse, when the bishop exclaimed, “He is an obstinate and impudent heretic; let him be taken back again to prison, from thence conveyed to the place of execution, and there burnt to death.”  As the king did not oppose what the bishop said, the officers proceeded to do as they were ordered; and in the mean time, lest what the taylor had uttered might alarm the conscience of the king, the bishop artfully insinuated that, “the heretics (as he called the reformed) had many specious arguments in their mouths, which, at the first hearing appeared conclusive, but on serious examination, they were found to be false and deceitful.”  He then used his utmost endeavours in persuading the king to be present at the execution, who at length consented, and repaired to a balcony which overlooked the place where persons under condemnation were usually put to death.  When the taylor saw the king, he fixed his eyes stedfastly upon him, and even while the flames were consuming him, he kept gazing in such a manner, as threw the monarch into visible confusion; and obliged him to retire before the martyr gave up the ghost.  The king was so shocked upon this occasion that he could not recover his spirits for some time; and what added to his disquiet was his continually dreaming, for many successive nights, that he saw the taylor with his eyes fixed upon him, in the same manner as during the execution.

A pious man named Claudius was burnt at Orleans; a Genoese youth called Thomas, having rebuked a Roman catholic for profanely swearing, was informed against as an heretic, and committed to the flames at Paris: and three men at Lyons, being condemned for their religion, were conducted to the place of execution; two of them with ropes about their necks; but the third, having been an officer in the king’s service, was exempted from that disgrace.  He, however, begged the officer that he be treated in the same manner as his companions, and desired they would indulge him with one of those precious collars about his neck, in honour of the Lord.  His request was complied with; and after having sung a Psalm with great fervency, they were all three burnt.

Matthew Dimonet, a converted libertine; Simon Laloe, a citizen of Geneva; and Nicholas Naile, a bookseller of Paris, were martyred by fire for professing the reformed religion.

Their bodies scorching flames endure,

Their soul’s salvation to secure;

Martyrs, like gold, are try’d in fire,

And purify as they expire.

Peter Serre was originally a priest, but reflecting on the errors of popery, he, at length, embraced the reformed religion, and learned the trade of a shoe-maker, that by honest industry he might obtain a subsistence.  Having a brother at Thoulouse who was a bigotted Roman catholic, Serre, out of paternal love, made a journey to that city, in order to dissuade him from his superstitions.  The brother’s wife not approving of his design, lodged a complaint against him.  He was soon apprehended, and very candidly made a full declaration of his faith.  The judge then asked him concerning his occupation, to which he replied, “I have of late, practised the trade of a shoe-maker.”  Of late, said the judge, and what did you practise formerly?  That I am almost ashamed to tell you, exclaimed Serre, because it was the vilest and most wicked occupation imaginable.  The judge and all who were present, from these words supposed he had been a murderer or thief, and that what he spoke was through contrition for his past crimes.  The judge, however, to put the matter beyond doubt, ordered him to explain precisely what he meant.  Serre, with tears in his eyes, cried, “O!  I was formerly that abominable thing—A POPISH PRIEST.”  This reply surprized all who heard it, and so much exasperated the judge that he condemned Serre to be first degraded, then to have his tongue cut, and afterwards to be publicly burnt; which sentence was punctually executed in all its parts.

In the year 1554, two men of the reformed religion, with the son and daughter of one of them, were apprehended and committed to the castle of Niverne.  On examination, they confessed their faith, and were ordered for execution: being smeared with grease, brimstone, and gunpowder, they cried “Salt on, salt on this sinful and rotten flesh.”  Their tongues were then cut out, and they were afterwards committed to the flames, which soon consumed them, by means of the combustible matter with which they were besmeared.

Philip Hamlin, a priest, was apprehended for having renounced the errors of popery and embraced the reformed religion.  Being condemned to the stake, the faggots were piled about him, when he began earnestly to exhort the people to quit the errors of the church of Rome.  The officer who presided at the execution, on hearing this, ordered the faggots to be immediately lighted, and that one should blow a trumpet while Hamlin was burning, that the people should not hear his voice, or be induced to change their opinions from what he might utter.

A.D. 1558, a congregation consisting of near four hundred, met together with as much privacy as possible, at a house belonging to one of the reformed in Paris.  Their purpose was to take the sacrament, and their precaution to conceal their assembling.  Some priests, however, gained intelligence, and having armed the Roman catholics, the house was soon beset by a considerable multitude.  Many of the persons within, being alarmed at their danger, determined to arm themselves with what weapons they could readily find, and attempt to escape by sallying out.  In this, those who were armed succeeded, with the loss of one person, who was killed in the scuffle; but such as could not get weapons remained in the house with the women and children.  The magistrates, being apprized of the affair, repaired to the place, seized upon all the reformed, and carried them to prison.  A complaint was then laid before the king, in which three articles were exhibited against them, viz.

1.  Heresy in religion.

2 Sedition against the civil government.

3.  Immodest practices among themselves.

Those who had escaped by sallying out were much grieved at the sufferings of their friends in confinement, and came to the laudable resolution of writing an apology to the king, an apology to the people, and consolatory letters to their friends in prison.  The king, on first reading the apology to himself, began to commiserate the condition of the prisoners; but the priests took care to efface these good impressions, by pretending that the whole apology was founded on falsehood, and consisted of fallacious arguments to impose on his majesty.  The apology to the people was of great service, as it removed the prejudices which many had imbibed against the reformed; and the consolatory letters had their intended effect, by administering comfort to those to whom they were directed.  The king, at length, condemned them to be executed singly, and at separate times, that every execution might so terrify not only the rest of the prisoners, but also those who had escaped, as to make them change their opinions.  Some few fell martyrs to this dilatory mode of execution, but the rest were happily preserved by the following providential event: the protestant princes of Germany, and the protestant nobles of Geneva, being assembled at Worms on some important business; among other affairs they took into consideration the case of these poor innocent people at Paris, and sent a deputy to insist that all who remained alive should be immediately released, and suffered to retire wherever they thought proper, unmolested; or in case of refusal, they threatened an immediate attack on the French dominions.  The king of France, being already at war with Spain, had no inclination to provoke any of the German powers, and therefore politically complying with the request, he released the prisoners.

A.D. 1559, a nobleman of eminent virtues and distinguished abilities, named Du Bourg, was present in the parliament of Paris when some important religious matters were to be debated.  As Henry II. presided upon the occasion, he took the opportunity of addressing himself earnestly to that monarch, in favour of the reformed persuasion.  The king, enraged at the freedom with which he spoke, was highly incensed, ordered him to prison, and exclaimed with an oath, “these eyes of mine shall see thee burnt.”

In this, however, the king was mistaken; for the following intervening accident prevented him from enjoying that barbarous satisfaction: a tournament was held on account of the nuptials of the king’s sister!  The king delighting in such diversions, tilted with several, and gained the advantage.  Fired with the adulating applause of his nobles, he determined to engage the count Montgomery.  They ran their career, but both their spears were shivered to pieces, and the king’s helmet falling off at that critical juncture, a splinter of the count’s spear entered the king’s right eye, and pierced his brain in such a manner, that he died in a few days.  Du Bourg was kept in prison about six months after the death of the king, and then led to the place of execution, where he was strangled, and his body burnt.

JOAN D’ ALBERT, queen of Navarre, was daughter to Henry II. king of Navarre, and Margaret of Orleans, sister to Francis the First, king of France.  This princess was married to Anthony Bourbon, son of the duke of Vendosme, a prince of the blood-royal.  She bore her husband a son named Henry, who, in process of time became the famous Henry the Fourth, king of France, in right of his father; and the second of that name, king of Navarre, in right of his mother.  Thus was the Bourbon family firmly established on the French throne; and the kingdoms of France and Navarre united.

Anthony Bourbon, the husband of the queen of Navarre, bore the title of king of that country, and, for some time, lived extremely well with this pious princess.  But the pope and the king of Spain, making him many alluring promises; on condition that he would persuade his queen to embrace the Romish religion, he was won by their solicitations to undertake the task.

The queen, however, was too securely grounded in the protestant faith to forsake it; hence some altercations ensued, on her husband’s endeavouring to make a proselyte of her, and the dispute terminated in a breach between them.

The pope then insinuated to the king of Navarre;

1.  That heresy was a cause sufficient to dissolve any marriage.

2.  That the queen of Navarre being a heretic, the king ought to be divorced from her.

3.  That after the divorce their dominions would revert to him only; for she, by her heresy, would be deprived of them; and he, as a true son of the church, would be solely invested with them.

4.  That in order to strengthen his interest, a match should be promoted between the king of Navarre and Mary queen of Scots: that the pope would engage the Roman catholic powers to drive queen Elizabeth from England, which would fall to Mary, of course; and then king Anthony, by possessing England and Scotland in the right of his wife Mary, and Navarre in his own right, would become one of the most powerful princes in Europe, and a glorious support of the Roman catholic cause.

Thus did the haughty pontiff, under the mask of Religion, dictate to a sovereign, in which his own conscience could alone direct him; parcel out the persons and dominions of others in speculation, and break through every law, divine and human, to gratify his ambition and bigotry.

Inviting as these proposals might seem, and specious as the reasoning appeared, the king of Navarre had sufficient honesty left to reject them.  He, however, adhered to the Roman catholic party, and accompanied the popish army to besiege Orleans; but at one of the assaults on that city, he received a wound in the shoulder, which, in about three weeks time, terminated his life.

The pope and the king of Spain then laid a plot to seize the queen of Navarre and her son; which scheme was to be effected in this manner: the king of Spain had a considerable body of troops at Barcelona, which he designed to employ on an expedition to Africa.  These, it had been represented, (if the expedition was delayed a small space of time) might, by forced marches, surprize the queen of Navarre and her family, before she could possibly be apprized of their intentions.  The scheme being determined on, an officer named Dominic was to conduct it; but this man falling dangerously ill before it could be executed, confessed the whole to an honest man, named Arinas Hespius, who sent the queen such directions that she easily rendered the design abortive.

As the French court seemed determined to persecute the Protestants, and were preparing to act on the offensive, the queen of Navarre raised a considerable body of troops, and proceeded with them to the city of Rochelle.  While she remained here, the prince of Condé, who was of the reformed religion, put himself at the head of another protestant army, and marched to meet the Roman catholic force.  A bloody battle ensued at a place called Bassac, in which the protestants were totally defeated, and the prince himself slain.

When the news of this misfortune reached Rochelle, the protestants, both civil and military, were thrown into the utmost consternation, while the nobles and officers shewed great tokens of despondency.  The heroic queen of Navarre, however, supported by religious considerations, seemed superior to the strokes of fate and with a constancy of mind that would do honour to the most martial spirit, evinced that she was unacquainted with female fears.

She gave the first proof of her discretion in immediately convening a council; at which, when the nobles, officers, and principal protestants were present, she appeared with her own son Henry, and the son of the prince of Condé, who was slain in the battle.  All being attentive, she rose gracefully from a chair of state, and advancing forwards, with the young princes on either hand addressed the audience with a flow of eloquence that at once convinced their reason and excited their admiration.  She began her oration by pathetically lamenting the event of the late engagement, paying a tribute of tears to the memories of those who fell in the action, and passing the highest encomiums on the virtues of the late prince of Condé, considering him in the respective lights of a Christian, a sovereign, a warrior, and a gentleman.  Then making a sudden transition from the plaintive tone of lamentation to the animating sounds of comfort, she continued thus: “Let us not, however, my friends, suffer our spirits to fail us; let us convince the world that out souls are superior to accidents.  Emergencies should raise and not depress our courage; misfortunes ought to encrease fortitude, and dangerous exigencies render our endeavours more strenuous.  It is true, we have lately lost a battle, but may not a future victory make us ample amends?  We have lost several valuable friends, but, thank heaven, we have many more who still survive.  We have lost a brave prince; but here, in his son, we have a promising pledge of beholding his virtues again renewed.  To prevent the ill consequences that may accrue from the loss of one battle, let us fight another with greater precaution: to shew a real regard to our deceased friends, we should attack our living enemies by whom they fell: and to evince our respect to the brave prince who died fighting for us, let us revenge his death.  No doubt but God has rewarded him for his heroic courage, recompensated our friends for being martyrs to the truth, and will bless our endeavours, if we put a full confidence in his goodness.”

This speech revived the spirits of all present, and the heroic ardour with which the queen seemed inspired, diffused itself through the whole assembly.  The necessary preparations were made to act offensively, or to repel any designs upon Rochelle.  But instead of attacking Rochelle, the popish army were ordered to penetrate into Navarre itself.  Terride, the commander, executed his commission expeditiously, and reduced the whole country, except Navarrein, to which he laid close siege.  The queen of Navarre being apprized of these proceedings, detached the Earl of Montgomery at the head of a body of protestant troops to recover her kingdom and relieve Navarrein.

The Earl, who was a brave and experienced commander, soon entered Navarre, compelled Terride to raise the siege and retire to Ortherze, and pursuing him thither, he invested that place.  Terride defended the town for some time, but being driven from it, retired to the citadel.  The Earl of Montgomery taking advantage of the opportunity, brought the cannon of the town to bear upon the fortress; and thus by fighting Terride with those who were lately his own weapons, obliged him to surrender.   Having conquered this place, he soon subdued the whole country, and drove the enemy entirely from Navarre.

The popish troops being expelled from Navarre, the king of France affected much candour, and published an edit, wherein he permitted the queen of Navarre to profess what religion she thought proper; and her subjects to enjoy their own opinions.  Mighty condescending indeed!  To allow that which he had in vain endeavoured to prevent by specious stratagems and military exertions.  The king of France, finding force would be ineffectual in the subjection of the queen of Navarre, determined to have recourse to fraud, and by rendering policy subservient to power to accomplish his designs.  With this view, he dispatched an ambassador to that princess, to propose a marriage between her son Henry and his own sister Margaret, and at the same time gave her and her son an invitation to the French court, that the matter might be fully debated and finally concluded.

The queen of Navarre for answer, acknowledged the importance of the embassy, and confessed the honour intended her; but as the parties were of different religious persuasions, she begged, from the delicate nature of the affair; to be allowed sufficient time to weigh it seriously.

Some difficulties now arose concerning the place where, and the manner how, the nuptial ceremony should be performed.  The queen of Navarre objected to Paris as a spot inhabited by her most inveterate foes, and therefore unsafe for such a public occasion; and she was unwilling that the ritual should be said in the Roman catholic mode, as contrary to her religious tenets.

To these arguments the king of France answered that if the marriage was to cement a lasting peace, it certainly ought to be performed in the metropolis, as the grand theatre of the kingdom, and the place most likely to attract the attention of all parties, and with respect to the ceremonial, it ought to be consistent with the forms established by the constitution of France.

The queen not yet satisfied, asked the opinion of the Protestant clergy.  Many were of the opinion that contracts of marriage between persons of different religious persuasions were profane and illegal, as equally contradictory both to divine and human laws, and tending to promote mutual animosities and discords.  Others said that punctilios ought to be sacrificed to public good, and that the marriage in question would be the happy means of a reconciliation between the Roman Catholics and Protestants.  The queen unfortunately adhered to the last advice, and repaired to court to conclude the negotiation.

The king of France, happy in the success of his plot, said, exultingly, to the queen mother, “Now madam, have I not acquitted myself with dexterity?  Give me but a little time, and I’ll engage to bring all the Protestants into my net.”  As it was judged impossible to work upon the flexibility of young prince Henry till the queen of Navarre was dead, and as it was deemed dangerous to dispatch her openly, the king determined still to have recourse to artifice.  To complete his infernal purpose, an Italian physician named Rene was engaged, who with the best of heads possessed the worst of hearts, and had prostituted his medical abilities not to the cure but to the destruction of mankind.  Hence he was skilled more in poisons than remedies, and could murder by such secret methods as were scarce discoverable by others of the faculty.  This man contrived to poison the queen of Navarre by means of some perfumes, which she had ordered to be provided for her.  The poison with which they were impregnated soon took effect, and produced a slow fever that preyed upon the vitals, and brought on a dangerous decay of nature.

Sensible that her dissolution was near, the queen employed her time in exhorting her son Henry to continue in the Protestant religion, and to practice the virtues which it taught; in discoursing with several learned clergymen on subjects of piety, and in settling her domestic concerns.  At length, the disorder becoming violent, she sunk under it on the 9th of June, A.D. 1572, in the 44th year of her age, falling a martyr to her strong attachment for the protestant religion.

GASPER DE COLIGNI, or COLINIUS, was descended of a very ancient and honourable family.  His father was a general and his mother a maid of honour to the queen of France.  Gasper was born February 16, A.D. 1517; and being of a bright genius, in process of time, he made a great proficiency in every branch of literature, but applied himself more particularly to the study of military affairs.

When he was about twenty-four years of age, he entered into the army, and served under the dauphin of France at the siege of Bayonne, where he gave distinguished proofs of his courage, and received a wound in the throat.  Being soon after made a colonel, he introduced such admirable discipline into his regiment that the king ordered it to be imitated throughout the whole army, and commanded that Coligni’s regulations should be registered as standing military laws.

A contention arising between the king of France and the king of England concerning Bulloign, which had, some time before, been given as a pledge to the English, the French monarch ordered Coligni to besiege it.  He accordingly advanced towards it, with a body of choice troops, and soon compelled the governor to surrender.  The king of France was so pleased with his conduct upon this occasion, that he made him grand-admiral of France, governor of Picardy, governor of the Isle of France, and one of his privy-council.

Charles the Fifth, emperor of Germany, and king of Spain, having formed an alliance with England against France, threw the French into a dreadful panic, and Coligni was chosen as the most proper person to ward off the impending danger.  Sensible that France had neither men, money, or means to resist such potent alliances as were entered into against her, Coligni did his utmost to occasion a variance between Germany England; and at length, succeeded so far as to detach them from each others interests, and to make a separate peace with both powers.

The family of the Guises had long pretended an hereditary claim to the kingdom of Naples, and about this time, persuaded the king of France that if he would assist them with a body of troops, they would undertake the conquest of that kingdom.  The grand-admiral Coligni was greatly against this scheme, as he affirmed it would be a direct violation of the treaty he had lately made with the emperor of Germany, who, as king of Spain, being at that time possessed of Naples, must certainly be highly incensed at any attack upon that country.  This affair was the foundation of the animosities which afterwards subsisted between the family of the Guises, and the grand-admiral Coligni.  The king of France, however, rejected the advice of Coligni, and agreeing in the praticability of the scheme of the Guises, he began to raise forces for the Neapolitan expedition.

The emperor, Charles the Fifth, being informed of these proceedings, determined to make a diversion in favour of Naples by invading France with a considerable body of Spanish troops, Cologni was dispatched to defend St. Quinten, which it appeared was the place intended to be the Spaniards.  He accordingly repaired thither with some troops, gave new courage to the citizens, made several improvements in the fortifications, and procured a new supply of provisions.

A brother of Coligni’s named Andelot was sent to reinforce him; but by the way a body of Germans attacked and routed his army, when Andilot, and about five hundred others, made their escape, and found means to throw themselves into St. Quinten’s.

As this defeat occasioned a great consternation in the city of St. Quinten, and threw many into despair, Coligni thought proper to assemble all the soldiers, and such of the citizens as were capable of bearing arms, and after persuading them, in a pathetic oration, to perform their duty, and prefer the interest of their country to their lives, he proposed an oath for every one to take upon the present emergency and which should bind him equally with the rest: the oath was that every one should perform their utmost in the city’s defence, and that any one who but hinted at a surrender should lose his head.

The Spaniards, in the mean time, being joined by the German forces who had lately obtained the victory, pressed the siege with great alacrity, and battered the walls for the space of twenty days successively.  At the expiration of that time they made a general assault, carried the place by storm, and took Coligni prisoner, who was immediately sent to Antwerp.  While he was a prisoner here he fell dangerously ill of a fever, from which his recovery was but slow; but the sickness of his body gave health to his soul; for to amuse his vacant hours, he spent a great deal of time in reading controversial writings, and becoming sensible of the errors of the Romish church; he determined to embrace the reformed religion, Finding, however, the difficulties of conversion, he resolutely determined to surmount all obstacles by fasting; penitence, and prayer; for the way to sin is broad and easy of access, while that to the true faith, is narrow and hard to attain, without the most strenuous endeavours.

Strait is the way, the door is strait

That leads to joys on high;

Tis but a few that find the gate,

While crowds mistake and die.

Beloved self must be deny’d.

The mind and will renew’d,

Passion suppres’d and patience try’d,

And vain desires subdu’d.

Flesh is a dang’rous foe to grace,

Where it prevails and rules;

Flesh must be humbled, pride abas’d,

Lest they destroy our souls.

The love of gold be banish’d hence,

(That vain Idolatry)

And ev’ry member, ev’ry sense,

In sweet subjection lie.

The Tongue, that most unruly pow’r,

Requires a strong restraint:

We must be watchful ev’ry hour,

And pray, but never faint.

Lord, can a feeble helpless worm

Fulfil a task so hard?

Thy grace must all my work perform,

And give the free reward.

Coligni at length obtained his liberty, by paying fifty thousand crowns for a ransom; but thinking a court a very improper place to cultivate the moral virtues and adhere strictly to the offices of religion, he obtained the king’s permission to resign his regiment in favour of his brother Andelot, and his government of the isle of France in favour of his brother-in-law, the marshal de Montmorency.  Soon after, he desired a friend of his to give the king a hint that he wished likewise to lay down his government of Picardy: the king, however, would not, at that time, consent to it; but from Coligni’s great desire of laying down so many posts of honour and profit, the monarch began to entertain some suspicions of the change that had happened in his religious sentiments.

The cardinal Lorraine had always entertained a great dislike to the Coligni family, but more particularly to Andelot; and finding that the king suspected the religious principles of the grand-admiral Coligni, he determined, if possible, to render him suspicious of his brother Andelot.  With this view, he one day said to his sovereign that it was a great pity so many French noblemen and gentlemen were tainted with calvinism, mentioning, among others, the Coligni family, and more particularly Andelot, as an example of what he asserted.  On hearing this, the king sent for Andelot, who arrived at court just as his majesty was sitting down to dinner.  The king, however, was so eager to question him that he ordered his immediate attendance.  As soon as Andelot entered, the king asked him what his opinion was of the ceremony called mass?  Andelot being a man of great courage, and above dissembling, frankly replied that he did not believe it was in the least necessary to salvation, but rather that it was founded in absurdity.  Enraged at this answer, the king bade him recall his words and avoid the danger that threatened him, before it was too late.

Andelot, not in the least dismayed, replied, “Sire, I have hitherto always shewed myself obedient to your majesty, in every thing legal; but where religion is in the question, I cannot dissemble with God.  My titles, wealth, and person are in the king’s power, of which he may dispose as he pleases; but my soul is in the power only of God, who gave it.  In this cause, therefore, I cannot obey the king, where such obedience clashes with my duty to God, the king of kings.”

This speech so greatly enraged the monarch that he suddenly snatched a dish from the table, which he designed to throw at Andelot, but missing him, it hurt the dauphin of France.  The king then ordered Andelot to be seized, and committed to the castle of Meldun.

The imprisonment of Andelot, operating with some other motives, determined Coligni, at all events, to resign his government of Picardy, which he accordingly did in favour of the prince of Condé.  Being thus eased of public burthens, Coligni spent his time in retirement, instructing his family in the principles of the protestant religion, and giving a proper education to his children.

On the 24th of August, 1560, an assembly of the nobility was called at Fontainbleau to consider of religious matters, when Coligni presented a spirited petition in favour of the French protestants, and spoke a masterly harangue against the conduct of the Guises.  Nothing, however, decisive was done upon the occasion, the whole being referred to a general convention of the states, which was soon after called.  The application was made that the reformed religion should be tolerated throughout France, and that its professors should be allowed public places of worship.

To these requisitions a Parisian professor, and doctor of the civil law, named Quintain, undertook to answer in favour of the Romish clergy.  In his oration he boldly asserted, “that whoever moved for a toleration of the protestants, and for permitting them to have places of public worship, were authors of sedition, encouragers of heresy, guilty of treason, and perpetrators of treachery against the state.”  The admiral Coligni made a formal complaint of the insolence of these libellous expressions, and appealed to the king, and his council, for their opinions.  The words were generally condemned, when Quintain finding that he had given offence to the moderate nobility, among even the Roman catholics themselves, thought to excuse his behaviour, and soften the affair in his own favour by saying that he had not delivered his own sentiments, but merely repeated the words of an oration penned and put into his hands by the Romish clergy, and delivered to him to be uttered in his official capacity as a doctor of civil law.

The question was then put, and carried in favour of the protestants; and an edict was immediately issued in the king’s name, commanding the judges and magistrates throughout France to release from confinement all persons who had been imprisoned on account of their faith, to tolerate the protestant religion, and to permit its professors to have places of public worship.

It was in consequence of this edict so favourable to the protestants, that the persons of the king of France, and the queen-mother, were seized by the family of Guise and the Romish faction; for they could not broke the thoughts that the king and queen-mother, who were papists, should shew the least favour to the protestants.

The king and queen-mother, finding the consequences that were likely to ensue from the indulgence they had granted the protestants, wrote pressingly to Coligni, the admiral, to raise them in their favour, and sent messengers to beg the prince of Condé’s assistance.  The protestants immediately began to levy troops in order to release the royal prisoners; and a respectable army being soon formed, the prince of Condé was declared commander in chief, and Coligni was constituted lieutenant general.

The protestant forces being put in motion by these able commanders, many cities surrendered to them, and several others submitted without being attacked.  This success struck a panic into the minds of the Roman catholics in general, and the Guises in particular.  The queen-mother, Catharine de Medicis, being deceitful by nature, and a papist in her heart, was displeased at the great success of the protestants, though their operations were in favour of her family, and tended to the releasement of herself and her son.  She had always hated the protestants, though she had dissembled that hatred; but their late success, and her own sickle temper, made her rancour break out into one of the most perfidious actions imaginable.  She made a private agreement with the Guises, and the heads of the Romish faction, to entrap the prince of Condé; to effect which, she pretended to become a mediatrix between both parties, and invited the prince to a conference, that terms might be adjusted between them.  The unsuspecting prince, not dreaming of being deceived by the person for whom he was hazarding his life and fortune, attended the appointed meeting, and was made prisoner.

When Coligni was apprised of this treachery, he determined immediately to attempt the release of the prince of Condé, and for that purpose assaulted the fortress in which he was informed the prince had been sent to prison.  The assault happily succeeded; he took the place, released the prince, and gave great joy to the protestant party.

The Roman catholics, finding their cause decline, and their interests in danger, determined to call in the aid of auxiliaries, and accordingly they took into pay a considerable body of Swiss foot and German cavalry.  The protestants, in this respect, resolved to follow their example, and applying to the reformed princes in Ger many, they obtained a reinforcement of six thousand foot, and three thousand horse.

 Intelligence, about this time, being privately given to Coligni, that a convoy was going towards Bitourg, with some cannon designed for the siege of that place, he determined to attack them by the way.  Putting himself at the head of a body of horse, he, by forced marches, came up with the convoy, attacked the troops, routedthem, and having spiked the cannon, returned to his camp.

The prince of Condé now thought proper to proceed towards Paris; to prevent which, the Roman Catholics resolved to give him battle.  A desperate engagement ensued, which had a doubtful issue, for the prince of Condé was taken prisoner by the Roman Catholics, and the constable of France was taken prisoner by the protestants.  The Roman catholics, however, grew sick of the war, and proposing peace to the protestants, it was acceded to, and the edict in their favour, which we have already mentioned, was ratified and confirmed; and all prisoners, from the highest to the lowest, taken by either party, were set at liberty.

Soon after the ratification of the treaty, some letters, by accident, came into Coligni’s hands, which contained a promise to put him to death, by means of a sleepy potion.  By great assiduity in searching after the author, Coligni, at length, found that they were written by a person belonging to his own household.  Having ordered the man into his presence, he commanded him immediately to write some verses as he should dictate.  The lines were a paraphrase on the Sixth commandment, and may be thus translated:

THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER, God hath said,

Destroy the living or encrease the dead;

Whether base fraud, or brutal force attend

The wicked deed,—destruction is the end.

Here, the shrill cries of blood, will blood require;

Hereafter, murder meets with endless fire:

Think in both worlds what murd’rer’s undergo;

Death—infamy—and everlasting woe.

The man, being struck with the poignancy of the lines fell upon his knees, confessed his guilt, and entreated forgiveness.  Coligni forgave him and admonished him to repent, but discharged him from his family.

The Roman Catholics still continued their hatred to the protestants, and were indefatigable at Paris to stir up the populace against them.  The marshal de Montmorency, governor of Paris, however, kept them in awe, and Coligni arriving at the head of a body of horse, threw the Roman catholics into great terror.  Every thing remained peaceable for some time, till the meeting of parliament, when Coligni made two complaints to that august assembly.

The first was that he had intercepted several letters to the queen-mother, in which it was asserted that the kingdom could never be at peace till the protestants were all either murdered or exterminated.

The other charge was his having apprehended a robber, named Maius, who had been employed by the duke of Aumale (brother to the duke of Guise, who was killed by John Poltrot) to assassinate him; and that the duke had given him an hundred pieces of gold, and an excellent swift horse, to encourage him to perform that execrable deed, and enable him to escape afterwards.

The first of these charges they set aside, because it alluded to guilt in the queen-mother; but the second charge being fully established, Maius was executed, and the duke of Aumale severely reprimanded.  While the parliament of Paris continued to debate on other matters, advice was brought that the duke of Alva, by order of the king of Spain, was marching into the Low Countries, to suppress intirely the protestant religion in those parts.  On receiving this intelligence, Coligni moved, that whatever might be the king of Spain’s designs, it was necessary to guard the French frontiers; and that as the duke of Alva must of course pass near them, he thought it highly expedient to protect the protestants of Burgundy, and the other provinces adjacent to the Low Countries.  The Roman Catholic nobles thought proper to join in this advice, but with a very fallacious intent, as afterwards appeared; and one of the principal papist members moved that six thousand Swiss troops be immediately employed to join the French forces, and guard the frontiers of the kingdom towards the Low Countries, from any hostile attempts of the duke of Alva.  This motion was carried; but a few days after, the prince of Condé and Coligni both received private information that as soon as the Swiss troops had formed a junction with the French, a design was in agitation, totally to overthrow the protestant religion in France.

Coligni and the prince, being well apprized of the truth of the intelligence they had received, repaired to court, complained to the king and queen-mother of the baseness of such a plot, and represented the dreadful consequences of pursuing designs, at once so bloody and perfidious.  Coligni adding, “Your majesty may perhaps think to carry the design with ease, by the assistance of the Swiss troops, but you will find yourself grossly mistaken.  The protestants are neither so few nor fearful, as you ought to judge by the experience of their having so frequently frustrated former attempts of a similar nature.  Nor will they tamely submit to have their throats cut for no other crime than differing in opinion from others, whom they never interrupt.  I, therefore, entreat your majesty to reflect before you act; to protect, and not suffer the murder of your innocent subjects; to save your country, and prevent the effusion of human blood.”

These spirited remonstrances, however, instead of having the desired effect, were treated with derision; by which Coligni and the prince plainly perceived a persecution of the protestants was so fully fixed upon that its abettors hardly wished to conceal their intentions till it was ripe for execution.  In this emergency they both prudently withdrew from court, solicited the assistance of the protestant nobility and gentry, levied a considerable body of forces with the utmost expedition, and sent to Germany to hire some troops of the protestant princes of the empire.

Being at the head of four thousand foot and two thousand horse, they determined not to be idle, but to strike some important blow, even before the arrival of the German auxiliaries.  With this intent they formed a design of essentially distressing the Roman Catholic party by cutting off all supplies of provisions from entering Paris.  To put this plan in execution, the army was divided into two parts: the one under the prince of Condé was to stop the navigation of the Seine, below the city; and the other, commanded by Coligni, was to prevent supplies from entering on the land side.  This scheme was admirably well conceived; but the king, by some means, being apprized of it, ordered the constable of France to prevent its being executed, by hazarding a battle at all events.

The constable of France marched out of Paris, and meeting the protestant forces before they could seize the passes, gave them battle.  The engagement was obstinately fought on both sides; and the event, for a considerable time, remained doubtful.  At length, victory declared in favour of the protestants; the constable of France was slain, and the Romish troops compelled to retreat and seek shelter within the walls of Paris.  During the fight, Coligni exhibited many proofs of undaunted courage, and was, at one time, in the most imminent danger; for his horse, who was very spirited, being wounded, galloped furiously towards the front of the enemy’s army, rushed through the line, turned round, repassed the Romish troops, and bore his master safe to his own friends again; for Coligni was not wounded, though several cuts had been made, and many pistols fired at him.

This success did not prove of any essential service to the protestants, for they had purchased victory at a dear rate, by the loss of near half their army: this circumstance, with the intelligence that the Swiss troops were very near Paris, determined Coligni, and the prince of Condé, to retreat towards Lorraine, where they expected to be reinforced by their German auxiliaries.  A junction being made, the protestant forces laid siege to Caen, when some commissioners arrived from the king to propose terms of accommodation.   These were acceded to, and the protestants, on their part, were perfectly sincere; but it was not so with the king, who only wanted time to put his affairs into a better posture.  The king’s insincerity soon being apparent, Coligni and the prince of Condé repaired to Rochelle, where being furnished with some cannon, they proceeded to Niort, laid siege to and took it in a few days.

Encouraged by this success, they invested Angdulesme, which they likewise compelled to surrender; and leaving a garrison in it, they marched to meet the French forces that were coming, with all expedition, against them.  The armies met and engaged at a place called Jasenullius, where the Roman Catholics were defeated, and the protestants took many prisoners, and all the baggage of the enemy, including a military chest that cost fifty thousand crowns.

The scattered Roman Catholic troops being augmented by nine thousand auxiliary forces, were again enabled to take the field, and hazard another battle.  This concluded in their favour, for the protestants were routed; and to their inexpressible affliction, they numbered the brave prince of Condé among the slain.

Remorseless war, how fatal to the brave,

Wild as rough seas, voracious as the grave;

Blind when thou strik’st, deaf when distress complains,

What tears can whiten thy empurpled stains?

Waste waits thy steps, as southern breezes showers,

Like floods thou ragest, and like floods devours;

Fear flies before thee, thou relentless hears

The mother’s pray’r, and sees the virgin’s tears.

The prince of Condé’s death gave great affliction to the protestants in general, for he was universally beloved by every friend to the reformed religion; but Coligni severely felt his loss, as they had always lived together upon the strictest terms of friendship, and had long shared the same dangers, civil and military.  Coligni, however, had soon another severe trial to undergo; for a short time after the defeat of the protestants, and death of the prince of Condé, he received advice that his brother Andelot fell a martyr to the baneful effects of poison, administered to him by one of his own domestics, at the instigation of the chancellor of France; who, on hearing of the success of his villainy, with the greatest inhumanity, said, “The king, if he pleases, may employ soldiers to destroy protestants, but I’ll employ cooks; they shall neither blow their brains out, nor cut their throats, but give them death in a delicate dish.”

Upon this event, Coligni wrote to his nephews, the sons of Andelot, and to his own sons, who were all in the same seminary of learning at Rochelle, for the acquirement of the sciences and the principles of religion.  His excellent epistle being faithfully preserved, we shall here give a new translation of it; keeping at once to the literal sense, and stripping it of the antiquated mode of expression which prevails too much in similar performances:

Xaintonge, May I8, 1569.

Dear Children,

Though the death of my brother Andelot is without doubt a considerable affliction to you, yet moderate your grief, for it is a loss that must at some time have taken place, and think yourselves happy in having been related to one who had so few equals.  His virtues and valour were exemplary; then imitate rather than bewail them.  France admits of his merit; foreign countries subscribe to the same opinion; but he did not acquire such reputation by sloth, or gain fame by being remiss in his duty.  His reputation was founded on indefatigable industry; his fame on an active love for his country; copy his bright example, be equally assiduous and zealous: and like him, pay homage to God, and be just to man.

The praise I give him is not flattery, and I propose him not only as an example to you, but as a pattern that I shall myself imitate.  I would have his virtues revive in you; I would have your actions exhibit his graces.  Pray heaven we may all live as religiously, and be as well prepared for death.

Therefore study true religion; make piety your practice; search good books for useful knowledge, and pursue virtue through all its paths.  Yet, as your minds will sometimes want relaxation, innocent amusements are to be allowed: but in your pleasures take heed not to offend God or man; partake of such recreations as your masters permit, but partake of them in moderation.  In fine, consider your tutors as parents, and obey them accordingly.  Be submissive to your superiors, affable to your equals, courteous to your inferiors, and shew the greatest proof of your regard to me, by loving yourselves.  That God may bless and preserve you is the sincere wish of

Your careful parent,

And tender uncle,

GASPER DE COLIGNI.

An army of German protestants now entered France, and joining Coligni, enabled him once more to face the Romish forces, commanded by the duke of Anjou, brother to the king of France.  A battle ensued, in which the duke of Anjou lost the victory; but Coligni, so far from taking advantage of his success, sent word to the king that he was still willing to come to an accommodation in order to prevent the effusion of human blood, and to save the state of France from ruin.  For, said he, “By civil wars men’s minds are alienated; Frenchmen forget they are countrymen; relations forego the ties of blood; and the great number of foreign troops invited as auxiliaries by each party to oppose the other, may soon become sufficiently formidable to be the ruin of both.”  These reasonable proposals being rejected, Coligni seized upon the fortress of Lusigniac; attacked Castleheraut and took it, and then proceeded to besiege Poitiers.  During the siege, it was discovered that one of Coligni’s servants, named Dominicusc Albio, had been suborned by the duke of Anjou to poison him.  The fact being proved, the traitor was hanged for his perfidy.  A just reward for all hired assassins.

With all his efforts, Coligni could not take Poitiers, and the popish forces appearing, he was obliged to raise the siege, in order to meet them; a battle ensued, and the protestants were vanquished.  Coligni, however, who was very much wounded in the action, did not fall into despair, but made a masterly retreat with the shattered remains of his army.  He afterwards wrote to the governors of the protestant cities, to hold out as long as possible, and to the protestant princes and nobles to succour him with all convenient speed.  While Coligni acted with such consummate discretion and courage, the following four articles of disagreeable intelligence were brought to him:

1.  That the parliament of Paris had declared him guilty of high treason.

2.  That the king had, by proclamation, offered a reward of fifty thousand crowns to any one who would apprehend him.

3.  That a troop of horse had plundered his palace of Castellion, and taken away or destroyed all his rich furniture.

4 That another body of troops had burnt a town belonging to him, which formed a very considerable part of his estate.

This afflicting news did not in the least depress the spirits of Coligni; for when his friends began to condole with him on the occasion, he said, “By the grace of God, my spirit is of such a frame that those things which are usually called goods, I possessed but never suffered them to possess me; by which means my property was my subject, and not my soul the subject of my property.”

The earl of Montgomery having joined Coligni with the forces under his command the protestant army became strong enough to lay siege to Thoulouse.  This city they took, and having invested several other places, compelled them to surrender.  These occurrences convinced the king that it was impossible to overcome the undaunted spirit of the protestants, or the assiduous intrepidity of Coligni; on which account he thought proper to send commissioners in order to bring about a reconciliation.  A peace was at length concluded upon these conditions: that the protestants should not have a general toleration, yet they were to be allowed the free exercise of their religion in certain districts of France; and in order that the treaty should be punctually observed by the Roman Catholic party, the protestants were permitted to garrison four principal places, under the title of Cautionary Towns.  These places were Rochelle, Montalban, Cognac, and Charité.  This peace was founded on policy only, for neither the king, or the duke of Anjou his brother, were sincerely reconciled to the protestants, but wished for a proper opportunity of again doing them any injury.  The king, indeed, forgetting that nobleness of nature which ought always to accompany a monarch, gave up his mind to meanness, treachery, and dissimulation.  In particular, he wrote a kind letter to Coligni, inviting him to court, to be present at the nuptials of Henry, prince of Navarre, and lady Margaret, the king’s sister; and at the same time, affected to look very cool upon all belonging to the family of the Guises.  This specious behaviour deceived Coligni, who repaired to court, and was, to all appearance, well received by the king, queen-mother, duke of Anjou, and duke of Alanson.  The king went so far as to order one hundred thousand crowns to be paid him out of the royal treasury, and suffered him to keep a guard of armed men.

A letter written from cardinal Peleus to the cardinal of Lorraine, was, about this time, intercepted by a protestant, who finding in it a full account of the king’s dissimulation, and intended treachery, sent it to Coligni, inclosed in another which was filled with excellent advice upon the occasion.  But unhappily, Coligni, by placing too great a confidence in the king, neither believed the imputations contained in the one, nor profited by the hints mentioned in the other.  Soon after the former, an anonymous letter was sent him, in which were these words: “Remember the implacable spirit of the papists; remember the grand Popish maxim, that no faith is to be kept with heretics; remember that as a protestant, you are deemed an heretic.  The queen-mother, in the first place, is your enemy, and therefore dangerous; in the second place an Italian, and therefore treacherous; and in the third place she is allied by blood to the pope, and therefore her bloody purposes ought to be cautiously guarded against.  Remember the king can swear and forswear; look kind to be cruel, and sacrifice humanity to policy.  Recollect the death of that excellent princess Joan, queen of Navarre; recollect the king’s expression, that he would have all the protestants in his net; escape from the net as soon as possible, and shun similar treachery.”  Coligni received several other cautionary letters, but he disregarded them all, and placed a firm reliance on the king’s integrity.

On August 17, A.D. 1572, Henry, formerly prince, and now king of Navarre, was married to lady Margaret, sister to the king of France; and the admiral Coligni, who was present at the wedding, was so far deluded as to call it not a marriage of individuals, but a marriage between the churches of the Roman catholics and protestants.  Immediately after the marriage, the king of France took Coligni aside, and said, “Sir, I am sensible that you will carry yourself honourably towards the family of Guise; but I am not sensible that the individuals of that family will act with equal candour towards you: therefore, as they have brought a great number of armed men into Paris, under pretence of gracing the nuptials, although I did not require their attendance; I hope you will think it owing to my affection for you, if I introduce some troops for your protection.”

Coligni, through the honesty of his own heart, not suspecting the fraud in another’s, believed the royal disembler, and thanked him for introducing an armed force; which was designed to cut the throats of the protestants, and to perform one of the bloodiest tragedies ever recorded in history.

The day after this conference, Coligni was wounded as he was coming from the Louvre, by three musket balls discharged from a window: one ball broke the fore finger of his right hand; the other two entered his left arm.  He bore this affliction with admirable patience, and instead of repining, said, “If God had dealt with me according to my deserts, I should have been more severely.  treated; but blessed be his holy name, who has dealt with me so lovingly and so kindly.”  The king of France and queen-mother visited Coligni on the occasion, and sitting by his bed side, condoled with him, and acted with their usual dissimulation.  The protestant nobility likewise assembled, when one of them told him that the best thing he could do was to leave Paris immediately; “for (said he) this is only the prologue to a bloody tragedy, which I expect will shortly ensue.  Many circumstances give me reason for the surmise: in particular many papists, on the wedding-day of the king of Navarre, had been heard to say that more blood should be spilt soon after than wine had been drank at the nuptial feast.  The president of the senate advised a protestant nobleman, for whom he had a friendship, to retire, for a few days into the country with his family!  And the bishop of Valentia, previous to his setting off on his embassy to Poland said to the earl of Rochefaucault, a protestant nobleman, ‘Be not blinded with the smoak of a court, but withdraw yourself, and friends, in time that you may be out of danger.’ These particulars give me just reason to apprehend some impending mischief.”  After, however, canvassing the matter fully, the motion for removing from Paris was unhappily over-ruled, and the chief persons of the reformed religion determined to remain in the city.

The next day a gentleman went to the king, and informed him of several suspicious circumstances, but more particularly of the great quantity of warlike weapons, which were carrying to the houses of certain Roman catholic gentlemen; and therefore he humbly begged that Coligni might be provided with a guard to secure him from any insult.  The king morosely replied “Let Coffen, with fifty men, guard him.”  The gentleman objected to this for two reasons; because Coffen was a bigotted Roman catholic, and because he was an enemy to the admiral.  The king, however, in a peremptory tone said it should be so, and the gentleman, not daring to contradict him, departed.

Coffen, accordingly, at the head of fifty men, took possession of the two houses adjoining that in which Coligni resided; and most of the other houses in the street were, soon after, filled with Roman catholic troops, who occupied them under various pretences.  A council was then held at the palace, in which were present the king of France, queen-mother, the duke of Anjou, the duke of Nevers, the bastard of Angoulesme, and several others; and the general massacre of all the protestants of Paris was now fully determined on, exempting only two by name, viz. the king of Navarre, and the young prince of Condé.

A few hours previous to the massacre, the young duke of Guise, who was to be principally entrusted in the affair, called together the French and Swiss officers, and told them that “the time was come in which the king was to be revenged of the protestants; the beast is caught, (said he) let him not therefore escape; your triumph will be glorious, your victory easy, and the spoils great.”  The duke of Guise then sent to the provost of the city, and commanded him to assemble the aldermen of the respective wards, that they might be ready to receive the king’s commands: when they met together, the same orders were given to them as to the officers; and they were told that the signal for beginning the bloody business was to be the ringing of a bell in the Louvre; and the tokens by which to know each other, were to be white crosses in their hats.

The dreadful hour arrived, and the fatal bell was rung about twelve o’clock at night, on the eve of St. Bartholomew, August 24, A.D. 1572, which that year happened to be on a sabbath.  The signal being thus given, the duke of Guise hastened to Coligni’s house, at the head of a body of troops, and joined Coffen, who with his guard, it was pretended, were to defend the admiral.  They knocked violently at Coligni’s door, when Labonnius, one of his servants, immediately opened it, and was instantly stabbed by Coffen.  A number of troops, with Coffen at the head of them, then entered the house; but the duke of Guise remained in the court-yard.  These assassins ranged through the several apartments, murdered all they met, and at length came to Coligni’s chamber.  That brave devoted martyr, when he saw them, said, “I have long prepared myself for death, and now that I shall find it, commend my soul to the Almighty God.”  A German soldier named Besme, first wounded him; after which Coffen and several others completed the murder.  The duke of Guise called out from below, Is the business done?  The murderers replied it was; and to convince him, threw the body out of the window.  The corpse was then treated with great indignity; and a person belonging to the duke of Navers cut off his head, and carried it to the king.  The cruel monarch appeared pleased with the sight, and the bloody-minded queen-mother ordered it to be embalmed, and sent as a present to the pope.  The headless corpse was dragged about the streets with great indignity for several days, indecently mangled, and then hung upon a gibbet with the shoulders downwards.  This was the end of one of the greatest men France ever produced; who, by a glorious martyrdom, concluded a life spent in the service of the Almighty.

Life is the time to serve the Lord,

The time t’insure the great reward;

And while the lamp holds out to burn,

The vilest sinner may return.

Life is the hour that God has giv’n

To ‘scape from hell, and fly to heav’n.

The day of grace, and mortals may

Secure the blessings of the day.

The living know that they must die,

But all the dead forgotten lie;

Their mem’ry and their sense is gone,

Alike unknowing and unknown.

Their hatred and their love is lost,

Their envy buried in the dust;

They have no share in all that’s done

Beneath the circuit of the sun.

WE have already mentioned in the last chapter, the principal circumstances which preceded the Parisian massacre; the manner in which it was designed, the orders for its execution, and the commencement of that bloody business: we shall therefore proceed to particularize the principal barbarities that were exercised on that dreadful occasion.

The attendants and domestics of the king of Navarre, and the young prince of Condé, were basely butchered, and the streets of Paris streamed with protestant blood.  In some measure to palliate their cruelties, the Roman catholics, while they were murdering the innocent people, cried out, “Vile wretches, this is for wanting to overturn the constitution of your country; this is for conspiring to murder the king.”  Rank, sex, or age, were no protections; nobles sunk beneath the daggers of ruffians; the tears of beauty made no impression on the hearts of bigotry; the silver hairs of venerable age, and the piteous cries of helpless infancy, were alike disregarded.  Superstition steeled the hearts of the papists against the ties of humanity; and infatuation directed the sword of false zeal, to pierce the bosoms of piety and innocence.  The lamentations of distress, the shrieks of terror, and the groans of the dying were music to the ears of the furious murderers: they enjoyed the horrors of slaughter, and triumphed over the mangled carcases of those whom they had butchered.

Upon this dreadful occasion, sword, pistols, muskets, cutlasses, daggers, and other instruments of death had been put into the hands of above sixty thousand furious and bigotted papists, who now, in a frantic manner, ran up and down the streets of Paris, uttering the most horrid blasphemies, and committing the most inhuman barbarities.

 

MASSACRE of the HUGONOTS in PARIS

on St. Bartholomew’s Day, 1572

It is almost beyond the power of imagination to paint, or of language to describe, the cruelties that were acted on that fatal night and the two succeeding days.  The infirm were murdered in the bed of sickness; the aged stabbed while tottering on their crutches; children snatched from their mothers, and tossed to the points of spears; infants strangled in their cradles; pregnant women ripped open, and men indiscriminately murdered by various means.  The confusion and horrors of the scene were dreadful indeed; oaths, shoutings, shrieks, and the discharge of fire-arms were heard in all quarters; houses were defiled with the blood of their owners; the streets strewed with carcases: and the waters of the Seine appeared of a crimson colour from the number of mangled bodies which had been thrown into that river.

Several ruffians entered the house of Monsieur De la Place, president of the court of requests, and having plundered it of above a thousand crowns, they took that gentleman into the street, stabbed him with their daggers, laid his body in a stable, covered his face with dung, and the next day threw him into the Seine.

Peter Ramus, the royal professor of logic, was seized in the college over which he presided, for professing protestant tenets; and after being murdered, his body was thrown out of the window, and trailed about the streets in derision by several boys, who were ordered so to do by their popish tutors.

A pious young gentleman was killed with battle-axes in his study; two ministers were stabbed and thrown into the river; and several of the assassins, breaking into the house of a jeweller, they found the midwife with his wife, who was in labour.  Having murdered the jeweller, they were proceeding to kill the wife, when the midwife kneeled before them, and entreated permission to deliver the woman; “for (says she) this will be the twentieth child she has borne.”  The inhuman brutes, however, turning a deaf ear to her entreaties, spurned the midwife from them, stabbed the woman, and threw her out of the window.  The fall forced the child from the womb, who lay crying for some time, and then perished in the street for want of proper care.

Some soldiers entering the house of a doctor of civil law, demanded a sight of his library.  With this he complied, and when finding some protestant books, they took him into the street and beat out his brains with a club.  A cook who had hid himself on the first alarm, being pressed by thirst, came from his lurking-place to procure food, but was immediately murdered; and an apothecary, who was carrying some medicines to a patient, met with the same fate.

Three hundred and fifty protestants were confined in a place called the Archbishop’s Prison.  To this place a number of soldiers repaired, picked their pockets of what money they had, took from them such garments as they thought proper to appropriate to their own uses, and then drawing their swords cut them to pieces without the least remorse.

A protestant merchant named Francis Bassu, expecting to share the fate of other protestants, thus addressed his two sons: “Children, be not terrified at what may happen: it is the portion of true believers to be hated and persecuted by unbelievers, as sheep are devoured by wolves.  But remember, that if we suffer for Christ, we shall reign with him: therefore let not drawn swords terrify you, they will be but a bridge over which to pass to eternal life.”  He had scarce uttered these words when the murderers broke in and cut to pieces the father and both his sons.  After the massacre had subsided, the inhuman assassins paraded the streets, boasting that they had dyed their white cockades red with the blood of Hugonots.  On seeing a multitude of dead bodies lay about, a papist apothecary suggested that money might be made of the fat contained in them; the plumpest bodies were accordingly selected, and the grease being extracted from them was sold for three shillings per pound; a shocking instance of the most depraved cruelty!  The inhabitants of the villages which lay below Paris, on the borders of the Seine, were astonished to see the number of dead bodies that floated down the stream; and even some of the Roman catholics were so much touched with compassion as to exclaim, “It surely could not be men, but devils in their appearance, who have transacted these cruelties.”  The pope’s legate, soon after, gave all who were concerned in these murders a general absolution; which plainly evinces that the Roman catholics themselves thought these transactions criminal.

The king of France gave a formal account to the king of Navarre and the prince of Condé of the whole affair; and told them at the same time, he expected they should renounce their religion as he had saved their lives with that expectation only.  The king of Navarre only answered, I beg you will recollect our late alliance, and not think of forcing my conscience; but the prince of Condé, with more spirit, replied, You may seize my estates, property, and life, but my religion is out of your power.  This answer so much enraged the king that he fell into a vehement passion, and threatened him violently: but becoming cool again, he thought proper to let his anger subside, and suffered his resentment to give way to policy.

Occurrences Supplementary to the Massacre of Paris.

IT was represented to the king by his council that the massacre would be ineffectual if it did not extend to every part of the kingdom; for though all the protestants of Paris were murdered, yet if any were suffered to live in other parts of France, they would again encrease in numbers, and spread to the metropolis.  This occasioned the massacre to become more general, for the king sent orders to all parts of the nation to put the protestants to death.

At Meaux, the king’s attorney, Cosset, having received the bloody mandate, ordered a number of ruffians to attend him at seven o’clock in the evening.  At the appointed time, he commanded the city gates to be shut, and all the protestants seized.  This was immediately executed; many were murdered that night, and about two hundred of the principal persons were confined till the next day.  On the ensuing morning, Cosset and his murderers went to the prison, and having a list of the protestants names, called them one by one, and murdered them as they answered to the call.  They then plundered the houses of those they had murdered, divided the spoils, gave an entertainment upon the occasion, and concluded the evening with illuminations.

At Troyes the protestants were all seized and put into dungeons.  The provost then commanded the common executioner to go and murder them all.  Shocked, however, at the inhumanity of the thing, the executioner had spirit enough to refuse, with this remarkable expression: My office obliges me to execute none but such as are legally condemned.  But this did not save the protestants, for the provost engaged the gaoler to perform what the executioner had refused.  They were all accordingly murdered, and their bodies buried in pits, dug on purpose, within the prison.  While the bloody tragedy was performing, one of the ruffians struck at a protestant two or three times without killing him.  The protestant, then taking hold of the point of the halbert with which he had been wounded, placed it close to the left side of his breast, and then boldly cried, Push it to my heart, fellow, push it to my heart.

At Orleans, the massacre continued for a week, and a prodigious number of men, women, and children were murdered; the general cry being, Kill the Hugonots, and take the spoil.  Some who were weak enough to apostatise from their faith to save their lives, had weapons put into their hands, and were compelled to kill those of the religion they had forsaken, or to be murdered themselves; the Roman catholics crying, in derision all the time, Smite’em, smite’ em, were they not your holy brothers and sisters?

At Lyons, all the protestants houses were plundered, and the slaughter almost incredible; at Rouen, six thousand were massacred; at Thoulouse, about three hundred were martyred upon the occasion; many were drowned at Angiers, and several were butchered at Bourdeaux; though happily, at the latter place, several got expeditiously on board a ship, and escaped to England.

A Curious Corroboration of the Foregoing Account of the Parisian Massacre, and the Murders which Immediately Ensued in Several Parts of France.

As the following narrative is extremely interesting in itself, and as it was written by a learned and sensible Roman catholic, we presume it will appear at the conclusion of this chapter with peculiar propriety.  The nuptials (says he) of the young king of Narvarre with the French king’s sister, were solemnized with pomp; and all the endearments, all the assurances of friendship, all the oaths sacred among men, were profusely lavished by Catharine the queen-mother, and by the king; during which the rest of the court thought of nothing but festivities, plays, and masquerades.  At last, at twelve o’clock at night, on the eve of St. Bartholomew, the signal was given.  Immediately all the houses of the protestants were forced open at once.  Admiral Coligni, alarmed by the uproar, jumped out of bed; when a company of assassins rushed into his chamber.  They were headed by one Besme, who had been bred up as a domestic in the family of the Guises.  This wretch thrust his sword into the admiral’s breast, and also cut him in the face.  Besme was a German, and being afterwards taken by the protestants, the Rochellers would have bought him in order to hang and quarter him; but he was killed by one Bretanville.  Henry, the young duke of Guise, who afterwards framed the catholic league, and was murdered at Blois, standing at the door till the horrid butchery should be completed, called aloud, “Besme!  is it done?”  Immediately after which the ruffians threw the body out of the window and Coligni expired at Guise’s feet.

Count de Teligni also fell a sacrifice.  He had married, about ten months before, Coligni’s daughter.  His countenance was so engaging that the ruffians, when they advanced in order to kill him, were struck with compassion; but others more barbarous, rushing forward, murdered him.

In the mean time, all the friends of Coligni were assassinated throughout Paris: men, women, and children, were promiscuously slaughtered, every street was strewed with expiring bodies.  Some priests, holding up a crucifix in one hand and a dagger in the other, ran to the chiefs of the murtherers, and strongly exhorted them to spare neither relations nor friends.

Tavannes, marshal of France, an ignorant, superstitious soldier who joined the fury of religion to the rage of party, rode on horseback through the streets of Paris crying to his men, “Let blood!  Let blood!  Bleeding is as wholesome in August as in May.”  In the memoirs of the life of this enthusiastic, written by his son, we are told that the father being on his death-bed, and making a general confession of his actions, the priest said to him, with surprize, “What!  no mention of St. Bartholomew’s massacre?”  To which Tavannes replied, “I consider it as a meritorious action, that will wash away all my sins.”  Such horrid sentiments can a false spirit of religion inspire!

The king’s palace was one of the chief scenes of the butchery; the king of Navarre had his lodgings in the Louvre, and all his domestics were protestants.  Many of these were killed in bed with their wives; others, running away naked, were pursued by the soldiers through the several rooms of the palace, even to the king’s anti-chamber.  The young wife of Henry of Navarre, awaked by the dreadful uproar, being afraid for her consort, and for her own life, seized with horror, and half dead, flew from her bed, in order to throw herself at the feet of the king her brother.  But scarce had she opened her chamber door when some of her protestant domestics rushed in for refuge.  The soldiers immediately followed, pursued them in sight of the princess, and killed one who had crept under her bed.  Two others, being wounded with halberts, fell at the queen’s feet, so that she was covered with blood.

Count de la Rochefaucault, a young nobleman greatly in the king’s favour for his comely air, his politeness, and a certain peculiar happiness in the turn of his conversation, had spent the evening till eleven o’clock with the monarch in pleasant familiarity; and had given a loose, with the utmost mirth, to the sallies of his imagination.  The monarch felt some remorse; and being touched with a kind of compassion, bid him, two or three times, not go home, but lie in the Louvre.  The count said he must go to his wife; upon which the king pressed him no farther, but said, “Let him go.  I see God has decreed his death.”  And in two hours after he was murdered.

Very few of the protestants escaped the fury of their enthusiastic persecutors.  Among these was young la Forcé (afterwards the famous marshal de la Forcé) a child about ten years of age, whose deliverance was exceedingly remarkable.  His father, his elder brother, and himself, were seized together by the duke of Anjou’s soldiers.  These murtherers flew at all three, and struck them at random, when they all fell, and lay one upon another.  The youngest did not receive a single blow, but appearing as if he was dead, escaped the next day; and his life thus wonderfully preserved, lasted fourscore and five years.

Many of the wretched victims fled to the water side, and swam over the Seine to the suburbs of St. Germains.  The king saw them from his window, which looked upon the river, and fired upon them with a carbine that had been loaded for that purpose by one of his pages, while the queen-mother, undisturbed and serene in the midst of slaughter, looking down from a balcony, encouraged the murderers, and laughed at the dying groans of the slaughtered.  This barbarous queen was fired with a restless ambition, and she perpetually shifted her party in order to satiate it.  She was accused of a loose commerce with a certain gentleman; and was weak enough to believe in magic, as appeared from the talismans found after her death.

Some days after this horrid transaction, the French court endeavoured to palliate it by forms of law.  They pretended to justify the massacre by a calumny; and accused the admiral of a conspiracy, which no one believed.  The parliament was commanded to proceed against the memory of Coligni; and his dead body was hung in chains on Montfaucon gallows.  The king himself went to view this shocking spectacle; when one of his courtiers, advising him to retire and complaining of the stench of the corpse, he replied, “A dead enemy smells well.”

The massacres on St. Bartholomew’s day are painted in the royal saloon of the Vatican at Rome, with the following inscription: Pontifex Colignii necem probat, i.e, “The pope approves of Coligni’s death.”

The young king of Navarre was spared through policy, rather than from the piety of the queen-mother, she keeping him a prisoner till the king’s death, in order that he might be as a security and pledge for the submission of such protestants as might effect their escape.

This horrid butchery was not confined merely to the city of Paris.  The like orders were issued from court to the governors of all the provinces in France; so that, in a week’s time, above one hundred thousand protestants were cut to pieces in different parts of the kingdom.  Two or three governors only refused to obey the king’s orders: One of these named Montmorrin, governor of Auvergne, wrote the king the following letter, which deserves to be transmitted to latest posterity.

SIR,

I have received an order under your majesty’s seal to put to death all the protestants in my province.  I have too much respect for your majesty, not to believe the letter a forgery: but if (which God forbid) the order should be genuine, I have too much respect for your majesty to obey it.”

These barbarities inflamed such protestants as escaped rather with rage than terror: their irreconcilable hatred to the court supplied them with fresh vigour, and the spirit of revenge encreased their strength.  The king, under whose influence this dreadful havock had been committed, never enjoyed his health after, but died in about two years.  His blood gushed daily through the pores of his skin; so that he expired, as it were, weltering in his own gore.

Fear haunts the guilty mind with horrid views,

And Providence the murderer pursues:

Those by whose means the innocent are slain,

Shall live detested, and expire in pain.

A.D. 1573, Sancerre, a city chiefly inhabited by protestants, was besieged by the lord of Chartres, with a considerable army.  He planted his cannon judiciously, and played incessantly on the place; so that more were wounded by the fragments of stones and splinters of timber, broken by means of the artillery, than by the balls themselves.

Besides cannonading the place almost continually, the lord of Chartres frequently gave furious assaults in order to take it by storm: but was often repulsed, with loss, by the besieged.  The conflict was dreadful, and each side appeared resolved in their several purposes; the one to succeed in compelling the city to surrender; the other in defending it to the last extremity; which brings to our recollection the following admirable lines, descriptive of the horrors of a siege:

See round the walls a steely circle stands

In deep array, and spreads in radant bands.

Hark!  the shrill trumpet sends a mortal sound,

And prancing horses shake the solid ground;

The surly drums beat terrible from afar,

With all the dreadful music of the war:

From the drawn swords effulgent flames arise,

Flash o’er the plains and lighten to the skies.

The heav’ns above, the fields and floods beneath,

Glare formidably bright, and shine with death:

In fiery storms descends a murd’rous shower,

Thick flash the lightnings, fierce the thunders roar;

Swift rush the balls with many a fiery round,

Tear the huge stones, or rend the stedfast mound;

Death shakes aloft her dart, and o’er her prey

Gigantic stalking, marks in blood her way.

The want of provisions seemed to threaten what the arms of the besiegers could not perform: the long continuance of the siege had caused a great scarcity of the necessaries of life, and the bravest of the besieged began to fear they must either give up the place or fall victims to famine.  So great, indeed, were the distresses of the people that the flesh of horses, mules, and asses were purchased at a great price, and many were compelled to live only upon the flesh of dogs, cats, mice, moles, &c.  Even these disagreeable resources at length failed, and the severity of hunger forced them to put up with leather, parchment, beasts hoofs and horns stewed down to a jelly, or boiled sufficiently soft to be swallowed.  The wild roots in the few gardens of the city, the grass and house leek which grew on the tops of houses, walls, and sheds, were sought for with avidity, and devoured as delicacies.  The substitutes for bread were dried herbs and bran, straw-meal, powdered nutshells, and even pounded states made into cakes with grease.

During this extremity, a poor man and his wife were apprehended for having eaten a part of their own daughter, a child of three years old who died of hunger: they had already devoured the head and entrails, and when taken were dressing some of the limbs.  In their excuse they pleaded the horrid severity of the hunger with which they were tormented, and that they had not murdered the child.  It was, however proved against them that on the very day when they began to eat their offspring, some humane person had charitably sent to their house a mess of pottage, made with herbs, and some wine, which might have enabled them to restrain, at least another day, from the unnatural meal.  The governor, therefore, to make an example which might deter others from practising anything so atrocious, ordered them to be hanged.  Their fate, however, drew compassion from many who, from what themselves felt, and considering the desperate circumstances of the persons, could not help sympathising with the criminals, though they abhorred their crimes.

A labouring man and his wife who had a little vineyard within the city walls, and who had fed themselves for some time with the leaves and branches of the vines, were found dead, and two young children crying by them.  The children, however, were taken by a charitable widow, and sustained with as much care as the present circumstances would permit.  Several others were found dead in their houses; many dropped down in the streets; the sorrowful lamentations of the living for the dead were equally mingled with the cries of hunger, and in conjunction, formed the most doleful sounds of horror.

A boy drooping down through weakness at the feet of his father and mother, they bitterly lamented over him, when he heroically said, “Don’t weep to see me die with hunger; I do not ask you for food.  I know you have none to give me: It is the will of God I should die, and therefore I chearfully submit.”  He expired the moment he had uttered these words, leaving his parents astonished at his fortitude, and happy in his religious resignation.

Several soldiers and Citizens, rather than stay and be starved, chose to escape from the place, and run all hazards: some were immediately killed in the attempt and the rest put into prison, tried as traitors, and afterwards executed.

The king of France was so much exasperated at the long and valiant defence of the besieged, that he sent word to his general, the lord of Chartres, If he took the place, to massacre all within it; and if he could not, to block them up, till they devoured each other.  But the full completion of this cruel order was providentially defeated by the following circumstance: there being an election for a king of Poland, the duke of Anjou, brother to the king of France was elected, upon condition that the king of France should cease the persecution against his protestant subjects.  These conditions were, for political reasons, complied with; and Sancerre, among other places, had immediate relief.  Eighty-four persons were killed during the siege; near six hundred perished by famine; and several were so emaciated from the same cause that they died soon after the siege was raised.  Thus when we deem ourselves at the very last extremity, are we sometimes suddenly relieved by the most unexpected means: so inscrutable are the ways of that Providence, on which, in all emergencies, we ought to depend.

Heav’n is our guard, and innocence its care,

Nor need the good the worst of dangers fear;

It pities the defenceless, poor man’s grief,

And sends him, when he calls, help and relief;

It arms the surest succour, and the best

Delivers, and revenges the distress’d.”

IN the same year that Sancerre was besieged, Rochelle was invested by the Roman catholic troops.  The papists gave many furious assaults to the place, and the protestants made many spirited sallies on the besiegers; consequently, several severe skirmishes happened, and a great number were slain on each side.  In one of the conflicts, a papist officer called out to the protestants, “I am one who assisted in killing the admiral Coligni: this is the sword with which I performed the glorious deed, and with this I will make the Rochellers feel my vengeance.”  When attacked, however, he and his company fled; but a protestant soldier overtaking him, he was slain, stripped naked, and left in the field.

In the space of a month only, the papists discharged from their cannon thirteen thousand shots against Rochelle; but in vain, for the besieged would not submit.  The siege continued so long that a famine ensued, till the people were relieved by a prodigious glut of fish taken in the haven.  At length, the election of the duke of Anjou to the kingdom of Poland occasioned the siege of Rochelle, as it had done that of Sancerre, to be raised.  In this siege many of the inhabitants died by the arms of their enemies and by famine; but the besiegers suffered more severely, for among the slain were the duke of Autnale, field-marshal Coffen, three aids-de-camp; many other lords and gentlemen, sixty captains, between sixty and seventy lieutenants and ensigns, and above twenty thousand privates.

———————

In 1593, the jesuits having obtained considerable looting in various parts of France, had likewise gained some power in Rochelle and its environs.  Near that city a lady was, about this time, accused by her maid-servant to the jesuits of not going to mass, and of keeping a Bible in her house.  Being apprehended on these accusations, she was first imprisoned, and then brought to trial; which was short and summary, as the principal questions asked were only the following:

Court.  Are you willing to return home to your husband and children?

Lady.  Yes, if my return is suffered to be consistent with my duty to God.

Court.  Will you consent to perform a trifling matter for your enlargement?

Lady.  Yes, if God’s glory and my own salvation are not thereby endangered.

Court.  The thing we require is trivial, and only a matter of form: it is this; a scaffold being erected, you shall go upon it, publicly beg pardon for offending the laws, and put your Bible into a fire which shall be kindled for that purpose.

Lady.  Gentlemen, pray permit me to ask one question: is my Bible a good book, or is it not?

Court.  It is, without doubt, a good book.

Lady.  Then why would you have me burn it?

Court.  Merely as a matter of form only, to satisfy the minds of the common people: consider it only as paper, and then you may burn it with a safe conscience; save your life, and buy another Bible at your leisure.  Therefore perform the less evil, that the greater good may come.

Lady.  By the grace of God, I will never do it: the subterfuge is mean and irreligious.  Why would you wish to persuade me that the book is waste paper, which I know contains the promise of my salvation?  It is the gospel; I respect it as such, and will sooner burn my body than my Bible.

She was then taken from the bar, confined closely in prison, and kept only upon a scanty allowance of bread and water for a considerable time.  At length, being brought to the place of execution, her Bible was burnt, she was strangled, her body dragged through the streets, shamefully exposed, and at last buried in a dunghill.

———————

In the year 1628, Rochelle was again besieged by the papists, commanded by Lewis XIII. in person.  When being assisted at the beginning of the siege by Charles I. king of England they made a most vigorous defence, and slew many of the besiegers, but in different sallies.  The king falling sick, the siege was carried on by the famous cardinal Richlieu.  Provisions growing scarce, they, at length, felt a severe famine, and experienced all the miseries which we have described in the siege of Sancerre; many being reduced to the disagreeable necessity of feeding upon horses, asses, mules, dogs, cats, mice, leather, &c, and many poisoned themselves, by ravenously eating, without any consideration, herbs of a pernicious nature.

Famine so fierce, that what’s deny’d man’s use,

Ev’n deadly plants, and herbs of pois’nous juice,

Wild hunger ate; and to prolong their breath,

Most greedily devour’d a certain death.

The soldier in th’ assault of famine falls,

And ghost-like men stood watching on the walls.

We have a list transmitted to us of the price of several necessaries of life in Rochelle, long before the besieged were driven to the last extremities; from the exorbitancy of which we may judge of their ensuing distress.  We present this list to our readers as an article of curiosity; for considering the difference between the value of money then and now; and that it was, at the period we are speaking of more scarce in France than England; the astonishing price of provisions is a strong evidence of their dreadful necessities:

Not receiving the succours they expected from England towards the latter end of the siege, absolute necessity compelled them to surrender.  Exclusive of those they lost by the weapons of their enemies, fifteen thousand fell martyrs to the dreadful famine, and the remainder appeared like skeletons.  After the surrender, the place was dismantled, and the walls and fortifications were demolished.

It is confessed by all writers that the capture of Rochelle was the severest stroke ever felt by the protestants in France; and the civil liberties of the French fell at the same time, for cardinal Richelieu was as much against pure liberty as pure religion; and his favourite maxim was to crush both together.  To this end he, with the greatest inhumanity, persuaded his sovereign to become a tyrant; trampled on the people, and broke through every law, human and divine, to attain his infernal purposes.  Yet such is the blindness of superstition, that the bigoted called him Great and Pious; passed many eulogiums on him, and even erected a stately monument to his memory in the Sorbonne, at Paris; in which the figure of Richelieu is seen in a reclining posture, supported by the emblems of catholic religion; and a figure, representing Science, appears in deep affliction at his feet.  Behind are two geniuses weeping, and supporting his family arms; and on a long brass plate is the following hyperbolical inscription:

He made kings tremble;

And had not justice

Directed all his designs,

He might have raised his sovereign

To most thrones.

As he was always Just,

He was Invincible.

The greatness of the events

Justified the integrity of his intentions.

He confounded heresy and religion,

By the taking of Rochelle,

That proud city,

Which was considered as impregnable;

And by the reduction

Of more than two hundred towns,

Which had long

Divided the legal authority.

The glory of his pious treatises,

For the instruction and

Perfection of Christians,

And the conversion of Heretics,

Surpasses that of his conquests,

The strength of his genius

Having united in him two things,

Which were judged incompatible,

viz. Religion,

And the Art of government.

He died as he lived,

Great, invincible, glorious;

And as the noblest of all honours,

WAS WEPT BY HIS KING.

After perusing these praises, which are at once false and fulsome, what credit ought to be given to panegyrics of any kind; for cardinal Richelieu, whom the Roman catholics deemed to very pious and glorious, was a subverter of the liberties of his own country, a fomenter of wars, and rebellions in other states; an oppressor of the people with heavy taxes, an assassin of the nobility, a bigot in religion, a monster in morality, a knave in politics, and a snake in friendship.  Glorious indeed he was, if we allow glory to consist in the magnitude of infamy.  But:

Glory by few is rightly understood;

What’s truly glorious must be greatly good.

After the taking of Rochelle the protestant power was so much broken that military severities were for some years deemed unnecessary; but the Roman Catholics not willing to let their rancour entirely subside, persecuted them by means of the civil laws and popular prejudices.  Their usual modes of oppressing the protestants, may be reduced to six heads:

1.  Litigious prosecutions in the courts of justice.

2.  Exclusion from posts, preferments, and public occupations.

3.  Infringements of all laws ever made in their favour, under the colour of explications.

4.  Vexations, new laws, and regulations.

5.  Private frauds and treacheries.

6.  Exciting the hatred of the common people against the protestants.

By these methods they proceeded for several years; till at length, in the year 1684, during the reign of Lewis XIV. the persecutions again broke out, and soldiers were spread all over France to enforce the arbitrary maxims of popery.  The dragoons were particularly employed in this service, as the most resolute and most bloody of the troops; for none were admitted into the dragoon service but such as were known to be rigid Roman Catholics.  As the king publicly declared he would exterminate the protestants from France, a general panic seized the devoted victims.  Orders were sent to the various governors or intendants of provinces, to summon together the protestant inhabitants of their respective districts, and inform them that they had only these alternatives; to turn papists voluntarily, or be forced to it.

To which many resolutely replied: Our lives and fortunes are due to the king, and our consciences to God; therefore we cannot dispose of them in any such manner.  The consequence of such replies was a general persecution, or, as it was called, dragooning the protestants.  Upon which occasion the dragoons seized all the gates and avenues of the cities and towns: guards were posted on the public roads, and the general cry was, “Turn papists or die!

The dragoons, who were quartered upon protestants; had orders to live at discretion; but the word discretion was left to their own interpretation, and they, by way of exposition, deemed it acting discreetly to eat up the provisions, steal the property, and debauch the wives and daughters of those upon whom they were quartered.

All protestants were prohibited from leaving home, and commanded neither to hide or remove their effects; and all Roman Catholics received strict orders, neither to countenance, conceal, or assist them.  The barbarities then began, and the dragoons took pleasure in the most wanton cruelties.  Some were hung by the hair of their heads, and others by their feet to the ceilings of their respective apartments.  Many were made insensible with intoxicating liquors and persuaded in that state to renounce their religion; but on the return of their reason, if they recanted what they had done, a funnel was placed in their mouths, and brandy poured into their throats till they were choaked.

Several had their brains beat out with clubs, or were otherwise ill treated and mangled till they died.  Many examples are recorded of fathers, husbands, and brothers being fastened to bed-posts, while their daughters, wives or sister were ravished before their faces.

In order to make some change their religion, they were told they should not sleep till they consented; and to prevent them from sleeping, the following mode was pursued: a number of dragoons watched the victim night and day, relieving each other alternately; and did not suffer those they guarded to fall asleep by pinching them, throwing water in their faces, burning them, or making a noise, by beating upon brass kettles over their heads; till their spirits being exhausted, they either changed their religion, grew delirious, or sunk under the oppression and died.

Protestants who were ill they tormented by ordering a number of drummers successively to beat their drums as loud as possible in the chambers of the sick, and indeed, practised such cruelties as none but the most infernal imaginations could suggest.  Those who were not put to death suffered imprisonment, had their houses pulled down, their lands laid waste, their property stolen, and their wives and daughters, after being ravished, sent into convents.

If any fled from these cruelties they were pursued through the woods, hunted and shot at like wild beasts; thus, fly or stay, their sufferings were equal.  Some presented petitions to the king, and for that reason were sent to the Bastile, others were transported to Canada, as it was falsely pretended, but in reality the officers of the ships had orders to throw them overboard in the passage.

At the head of the dragoons, in all the provinces of France, marched the bishops, priests, friars, &c. the clergy being ordered to keep up the cruel spirit of the military.  An order was published for demolishing all protestant churches, the execution of which was begun by pulling down the noble protestant church of Charenton.  The oldest protestant minister in Paris was ordered to leave that city in twenty-four hours, and the kingdom in a few days: this was the celebrated Monsieur Claude, author of Plaintes des Protestans, or Protestant Lamentations, by whom most of these facts are recorded.  Many others were proscribed, and received the sentence of banishment; and concerning these, Monsieur Claude, the above-mentioned gentleman, says, “In the frontier places many were stopt and imprisoned on ridiculous pretences; such as the obliging them to prove themselves the identical persons specified in the certificates; the enquiring whether they were not subject to some criminal information, or prosecution; and obliging them to prove that they did not carry off their effects.  Sometimes, after thus detaining and amusing them, they were told that the time allowed by the edit was expired, and that they were no longer at liberty, but must go to the gallies.—In a word, every chicane, every iniquity was employed in order to plague them.”

Exclusive of those who were murdered and kept in long imprisonment, it is computed that about five hundred thousand persons were banished or escaped from the kingdom.  These retired to England, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and America; and to these we owe the introduction of many useful arts into these kingdoms, but more particularly the silk manufactury.

THIS is one of the most singular affairs that ever happened, and by being transacted in a polished age, shews that neither experience or improvement can root out the inveterate prejudices of the Roman catholics; or render them less cruel or inexorable to the protestants.

John Calas was a merchant of the city of Thoulouse, where he had been settled, and lived in good repute, and had married an English woman of French extraction.

Calas and his wife were protestants, and had five sons, whom they educated in the same religion; but Lewis, one of the sons, became a Roman catholic, having been converted by a maid-servant who had lived in the family above thirty years.  The father, however, did not express any resentment or ill-will upon the occasion, but kept the maid in the family, and settled an annuity upon the son.  In October 1761, the family consisted of John Calas and his wife, one woman servant, Mark Anthony Calas; the eldest son, and Peter Calas, the second son.  Mark Anthony was bred to the law, but could not be admitted to practice, on account of his being a protestant: hence he grew melancholy, read all the books which he could procure relative to suicide, and seemed determined to destroy himself.  To this may be added, that he led a dissipated life, was greatly addicted to gaming, and did all which could constitute the character of a libertine, on which account his father frequently reprehended him, and sometimes in terms of severity, which considerably added to the gloom that seemed to oppress him.

On the 13th of October, 1761, Mr. Gober la Vaisse, a young gentleman about nineteen years of age, the son of La Vaisse, a celebrated advocate of Thoulouse, having been some time at Bourdeaux, came back to Thoulouse to see his father; but finding that he was gone to his country-house, at some distance from the city, he went to several places, endeavouring to hire a horse to carry him thither.  No horse, however, was to be hired; and about five o’clock in the evening, he was met by John Calas the father, and the eldest son Mark Anthony, who was his friend.  Calas, the father, invited him to supper, as he could not set out for his father’s that night, and La Vaisse consented.  All three, therefore, proceeded to Calas’s house together, and when they came thither, finding that Mrs. Calas was still in her own room, which she had not quitted that day, La Vaisse went up to see her.  After the first compliments, he told her, he was to sup with her by her husband’s invitation, at which she expressed her satisfaction, and a few minutes after left him, to give some orders to her maid.  When that was done, she went to look for her son Anthony, whom she found sitting alone in the shop, very pensive: she gave him some money, and desired him to go and buy some Roquefort cheese, he being always the market-man for cheese, as he knew how to buy it good better than any other person in the family.  She then returned to her guest, La Vaisse, who very soon after went again to the livery stable, to see if any horse was come in that he might secure it for the next morning.

In a short time Anthony returned, having bought the cheese, and La Vaisse also coming back about the same time, the family and their guest sat down to supper, in a room up one pair of stairs; the whole company, consisting of Calas the father and his wife, Anthony and Peter Calas the sons, and La Vaisse the guest, no other person being in the house except the maid-servant, who has been already mentioned.

It was now about seven o’clock: the supper was not long; but before it was over, or, according to the French expression, when they came to the desert, Anthony left the table, and went into the kitchen, which was on the same floor, as he was accustomed to do.  The maid asked him if he was cold?  He answered, “Quite the contrary, I burn.”  and then left her.  In the mean time his friend and family left the room they had supped in and went into a bed-chamber; the father and La Vaisse sat down together on a sofa; the younger son Peter in an elbow chair; and the mother in another chair; and without making any enquiry after Anthony, continued in conversation together till between nine and ten o’clock, when La Vaisse took his leave, and Peter, who had fallen asleep, was awakened to attend him with a light.

On the ground floor of Calas’s house was a shop and a warehouse; the latter of which was divided from the shop by a pair of folding doors.  When Peter Calas and La Vaisse came down stairs into the shop, they were extremely shocked to see Anthony hanging in his shirt from a bar which he had laid across the top of the two folding doors, having half opened them for that purpose.  On discovery of this horrid spectacle, they shrieked out, which brought down Calas the father, the mother being seized with such a terror as kept her trembling in the passage above.  The unhappy old 0man rushed forward, and taking the body in his arms, the bar to which the rope that suspended him was fastened, slipped off from the folding-door of the warehouse and fell down.  Having placed the body on the ground, he loosed and took off the cord in an agony of grief and anguish not to be expressed, weeping, trembling, and deploring himself and his child.  The two young men, his second son and La Vaisse, who had not had presence of mind enough to attempt taking down the body, were standing by, stupid with amazement and horror.  In the mean time the mother, hearing the confused cries and complaints of her husband and finding no one come to her, found means to get down stairs.  At the bottom she saw La Vaisse, and hastily demanded what was the matter.  This question rouzed Calas in a moment, and instead of answering her, he urged her to go again up stairs, to which, with much reluctance, she consented; but the conflict of her mind being such as could not be long borne, she sent down the maid to know what was the matter.  When the maid discovered what had happened, she continued below, either because she feared to carry an account of it to her mistress, or because she busied herself in doing some good office to her master, who was still embracing the body of his son, and bathing it in his tears.  The mother, therefore, being thus left alone, went down and mixed in the scene that has been already described, with such emotions as it must naturally produce.  In the mean time Peter had been sent for La Moire, a surgeon in the neighbourhood.  La Moire was not at home, but his apprentice, Mr. Grosse, came instantly.  Upon examination, he found the body quite dead; and upon taking off the neckcloth, which was of black taffata, he saw the mark of the cord, and immediately pronounced that the deceased had been strangled, This particular had not been told, for the poor old man, when Peter was going for La Moire, cried out, “Save at least the honour of my family; do not go and spread a report that your brother has made away with himself.”

By this time a crowd of people were gathered about the house, and one Casing, with another friend or two of the family, were come in.  Some of those who were in the street had heard the cries and exclamations of the father, the mother, the brother, and his friend, before they knew what was the matter; and having by some means heard that Anthony Calas was suddenly dead, and that the surgeon who had examined the body, declared he had been strangled, they took it into their heads he had been murdered; and as his family were protestants, they presently supposed that the young man was about to change his religion, and had been put to death for that reason.  The cries they had heard they fancied were those of the deceased, while he was resisting the violence that was offered him.  The tumult in the street encreased every moment: some said that Anthony Calas was to have abjured the next day; others that protestants are bound by their religion to strangle or cut the throats of their children when they are inclined to become catholics.  Others, who had found out that La Vaisse was in the house when the accident happened, very confidently affirmed that the protestants, at their last assembly, appointed a person to be their common executioner upon these occasions, and that La Vaisse was the man, who, in consequence of the office to which he had been appointed, had come to Calas’s house to hang his son.

The poor father, therefore, who was overwhelmed with grief for the loss of his child was advised by his friends to send for the officers of justice to prevent his being torn to pieces by the multitude, who supposed that he had murdered his son.  This was accordingly done: a messenger was dispatched to the capitoul, one to David, the first magistrate of the police, or principal civil magistrate of the place; and another to an inferior officer, called an assessor.  The capitoul was already set out, having been alarmed by the rumour of a murder before the messenger sent from Calas’s got to his house.  He entered Calas’s house with forty soldiers, took the father, Peter the son, the mother, La Vaisse, and the maid, all into custody, and set a guard over them.  He sent for M. de la Tour, a physician, and M. la Marque and Perronet, surgeons, who examined the body for marks of violence, but found none except the mark of the ligature on the neck: they found also the hair of the deceased done up in the usual manner, perfectly smooth, and without the least disorder: his cloaths were also regularly folded up and laid upon the counter, nor was his shirt either torn or unbuttoned.

Notwithstanding these appearances, the capitoul thought proper to agree with the opinion of the mob, and took it into his head that old Calas had sent for La Vaisse, telling him he had a son to be hanged, that La Vaisse had come to perform the office of executioner; and that he had received assistance from the father and brother.

In consequence of these notions the capitoul ordered the body of the deceased to be carried to the town house with the cloaths.  The father and son were thrown into a dark dungeon; and the mother, La Vaisse, the maid, and Casing, were imprisoned in one that admitted the light.  The next day what is called the verbal process was taken at the town house, instead of the spot where the body was found, as the law directs, and was dated at Calas’s house to conceal the irregularity.  This verbal process is somewhat like the coroner’s inquest in England: witnesses are examined, and the magistrate makes his report, which is the same there as the verdict of the coroner’s jury in England.  The witnesses examined by the capitoul were the physician and surgeon, who proved Anthony Calas to have been strangled.  The surgeon, having been ordered to examine the stomach of the deceased, deposed also that the food which was found there had been taken four hours before his death.

As no proof of the supposed fact could be procured, the capitoul had recourse to a monitory, or general information, in which the crime was taken for granted, and all persons were required to give such testimony against it as they were able, particularizing the points to which they were to speak.  This recites that La Vaisse was commissioned by the protestants to be their executioner in ordinary, when any of their children were to be hanged for changing their religion.  It recites also that when protestants thus hang their children, they compel them to kneel, and one of the interrogatories was whether any person had seen Anthony Calas kneel before his father when he strangled him: it recites likewise that Anthony died a Roman catholic, and requires evidence of his catholicism.

These ridiculous opinions being thus adopted and published by the principal magistrate of a considerable city, the church of Geneva thought itself obliged to send an attestation of its abhorrence of opinions so abominable and absurd, and of its astonishment that they should be suspected of such opinions by persons whose rank and office required them to have more knowledge and better judgment.

But before this monitory was published, the mob had got a notion that Anthony Calas was the next day to have entered into the fraternity of the White Penitents.  The capitoul immediately adopted this opinion also, without the least examination, and ordered Anthony’s body to be buried in the middle of St. Stephen’s church, which was accordingly done; forty priests, and all the White Penitents assisting in the funeral procession.

A few days after the interment of the deceased, the White Penitents performed a solemn service for him in their chapel: the church was hung with white, and a tomb was raised in the middle of it, on the top of which was placed a human skeleton, holding in one hand a paper on which was written abjuration of heresy, and in the other a palm; the emblem of martyrdom.

The next day the Franciscans performed a service of the same kind for him; and it is easy to imagine how much the minds of the people were inflamed by this strange folly of their magistrates and priests.

The capitoul continued the prosecution with unrelenting severity; and though the grief and distraction of the family, when he first came to the house were alone sufficient to have convinced any reasonable being that they were not the authors of the event which they deplored, yet having publicly attested that they were guilty in his monitory without proof, and no proof coming in, he thought fit to condemn the unhappy father, mother, brother, friend, and servant to the torture, and put them all into irons on the 18th of November.  Casing was enlarged upon proof that he was not in Calas’s house till after Anthony was dead.

From these dreadful proceedings the sufferers appealed to the parliament, which immediately took cognizance of the affair, and annulled the sentence of the capitoul as irregular; but they continued the prosecution.  When the trial came on, the hangman, who had been taken to Calas’s house, and shewn the folding doors and the bar, deposed that it was impossible Anthony should hang himself as was pretended.  Another witness swore that he looked through the key-hole of Calas’s door into a room where he saw men running hastily to and fro.  A third swore that his wife had told him a woman named Maundrill had told her that a certain woman unknown, had declared she heard the cries of Anthony Calas at the farther end of the city.

Upon this evidence the majority of the parliament were of opinion that the prisoners were guilty, and therefore ordered them to be tried by the criminal court of Thoulouse.

Among those who presided at the trial was one La Borde, who had zealously espoused the popular prejudices; and though it was manifest to demonstration that the prisoners were either all innocent or all guilty, he voted that the father should first suffer the torture, ordinary and extraordinary, to discover his accomplices, and be then broken alive upon the wheel; to receive the last stroke when he had laid two hours; and then to be burnt to ashes.  In this opinion he had the concurrence of six others; three were for the torture alone; two were of opinion that they should endeavour to ascertain upon the spot whether Anthony could hang himself or not; and one voted to acquit the prisoner.  After long debates the majority was for the torture and wheel, and probably condemned the father by way of experiment, whether he was guilty or not, hoping he would, in the agony, confess the crime, and accuse the other prisoners, whose fate, therefore, they suspended.  It is however, certain that if they had evidence against the father that would have justified the sentence they pronounced against him, that very evidence would have justified the same sentence against the rest, and that they could not justly condemn him, for they were all in the house together when Anthony died.  All concurred in declaring he hanged himself, that the persons accused could have had no motive to do such an act, nor could they have hanged him by violence without the knowledge of the rest.

Poor Calas, however, an old man of sixty-eight, was condemned to this dreadful punishment alone.  He suffered the torture with great constancy, and was led to execution in a frame of mind which excited the admiration of all that saw him.

 

Mr. JOHN CALAS, a French Protestant Merchant

BROKE on the WHEEL by Order of the Parliament of Thoulouse.

Two Dominicans (father Bourges and father Coldagues) who attended him in his last moments, wished “their latter end might be like his;” and declared that they thought him not only wholly innocent of the crime laid to his charge, but an exemplary instance of true Christian patience, fortitude, and charity.

One single shriek, and that not very violent, escaped him when he received the first stroke; after that he uttered no complaint.  Being at length placed on the wheel, to wait for the moment which was to end his life and his misery together, he expressed himself with an humble hope of an happy immortality, and a compassionate regard for the judges who had condemned him.  When he saw the executioner prepared to give him the last stroke he made a fresh declaration of his innocence to father Bourges; but while the words were yet in his mouth, the capitoul, the author of this catastrophe, and who came upon the scaffold merely to gratify his desire of being a witness of his punishment and death, ran up to him, and bawled out, “Wretch, there are the faggots which are to reduce your body to ashes; speak the truth.”  Mr. Calas made no reply, but turned his head a little aside, and that moment the executioner did his office.

Donat Calas, a boy of fifteen years of age, and the youngest son of the unfortunate victim, was apprentice to a merchant at Nifsen, when he heard of the dreadful punishment by which seven unfortunately prejudiced judges of Thoulouse had put his worthy father to death.