Brachy-Martyrologia: …

Brachy-Martyrologia: OR, A BREVIARY Of all the greatest PERSECUTIONS Which have befallen the Saints and People of God From the Creation to our present Times: PARAPHRAS'D, By Nicholas Billingsly, Of Mert. Col. Oxon.

Psal. 44. 22. For thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughters.
Nil crus sentit in nervo, cum animus est in coelo. Tertul.
Naz. contra Ar. p. 113. [...].

LONDON, Printed by J. Cottrel, for Tho: Johnson, at the Key in Paul's Church-yard. 1657.

To the Right Worshipful, JEREMY MARTIN Doctor of Physick in Bristol, • All • Internal , • External , and • Eternal • Happiness.   

Honoured Sir,

I Am not ignorant that we now live in as censorious an age as even the Sun shin'd on; wherein there are not a few that will snap and snarle at the po­litest lines, and refined'st inventi­ons whatsoever; (when perhaps the matter is too deep, for the short line of their Judgements to sound [Page] the bottom of:) What hard mea­sure then I am like to have, for suf­fering this my naked and incult Muse to venture abroad on the o­pen stage, I am not a little sensible of. But yet, because private bene­fits, do often call for publick ac­knowledgements, I will not be a­shamed to let the world know, I am exceedingly engaged to you; nor could I be contented till I had made some part of amends for your received favours; Presuming that your Heroick minde, sweet nature, and generous disposition, will re­spect more ( Artaxerxes-like) the inward Affection, then the outward Action. Be pleas'd therefore, Noble Sir, to persist still in your wonted goodness, and favourably accept of that in the birth, which your encouragements furthered in the conception. The subject I confess is Divine (as treating of a [Page] Bush all in a flame, yet not consum­ed; enough to dazle our eyes with its astonishing glory) and therefore deferves to be better handled, by a more Graphical Paraphrast then my self: And if my jangling toll in bet­ter ringers, I shall be glad of it; In the mean, I will let my green fruits ripen under the Sun-shine of your judicious Eye: and though my lines (like old Pewter) seem dull for want of scowring; yet may they receive a gloss from your resplen­dent Name. Pythagoras was of opinion, Aelian. Var Hist. l. 12. p. 343. that two things (and they from above) made a man truly glo­rious; the one was, To conceive aright of things; the other was, To know how to be beneficial to others. Sweet Sir, I will not flat­ter you (for I am confident you do not desire it, chusing rather to be too modestly spoken of, then to be mounted on the wings of Popular [Page] applause) but I dare say, you are endowed with both: You have af­fected to be acquainted with the na­tures of most (may I say all?) disea­ses; and have effected (God making your undertakings succesful) as rare cures as ever any, I will except none. I cannot stand to specifie them; this one shall serve for all: Your emi­nent skill in recovering Epilepti­cal maladies, is sufficiently known to many. What shall I say of my self in particular? am not I bound to bless God, since first I had the happiness to be acquainted with you? Have not I great cause to admire (and, if I may so say, adore you for) your profound judgment, your excellent ability, and singular care, so oportunely exercised to­wards me your Patient, in the rai­sing up of my infirm body, even then, when I had passed the sentence of death upon my self, and was [Page] thought, in the eyes of all, irre­coverable? I were unworthy to live, if I did not.

Theodoricus, Aeneas Syl. Com: lib. de gestis Alphonsi. an Archbishop of Colen, being demanded by Sigismund the Emperor, of the directest course to Happiness; Perform (said he) when thou art well, what thou pro­misedst when thou wast sick. This puts me in minde of a double en­gagement which I made in the time of my calamity; First, to God Al­mighty, That I would endeavour, if he but pleased to spare me my life, to devote my self wholly to his fear, and walk more obediently be­fore him, then I had formerly done: Next to you, as the onely instru­ment in the hand of God, for the repairing of the ruinous walls of my fleshly Tenement, I promised to agnize it, so long as I liv'd. I be­seech God, that these promises may be the prodromes of seconding per­formances▪ [Page] I pray Sir, give me leave to tell you, you are the onely man living, whom I superlatively honour, not onely for your learning and knowledge (though that were enough to convince me) but for your inestimable Vertues; as Tem­perance, Humility, &c. which are as so many sparkling Orna­ments, and Orient Pearls, to enrich and illustrate the very place you come in. To speak nothing of your Piety, that onely will com­mend you in the eyes of God. I might say, and say truly, that you are such a common good to your Country, that good men love you, and all men admire you: but I will not gild Gold; neither may I think that bright Phaebus beams can be the more increased by the present­ing of a silly Taper: nay, I am somewhat conscious to my self of eclipsing the great Luminary [Page] of your serene worth, with the obumbration of a Timanthaean veil.

If I have herein offended, it is against my will; I am sorry for it; and I hope your ingenuity will pardon me, laying the fault on the defects of my Youth, as being not over-burthened with Ciceronian Eloquence. But what though I cannot cloathe my minde in such fine airy garments, nor adorn my Paper with such Rhetorical jewels as others can? yet may I as deeply engrave you on the Marble Tablet of my fidelious brest, as any, while I am,

Sir, The eLeVenth Day of March MDCLV.
Your Honours very humble, thankful, and much obli­ged servant, Nich: Billingsly.

To the Reader.

Courteous Reader,

THey that cannot have leisure to take a full survey of Countries themselves, may yet see somewhat to their content, in the Geographical Maps and descriptions of others. Thou hast here presented to thy view, the Book of Martyrs in a little room; which is already ex­tant, though in a larger extent. Now if the Tyrannie of thine affairs are so imperious, or the Weakness of thy purse so injurious, as to im­pede thy perusal of the History of the Church (which is absolutely the best (save one) in the Christian world,) either in the voluminous works of the Laborious (now with God) Mr. Fox; or in the conciser Collections of that Reverend Divine and Famous Martyrologist (still with us) Mr. Clark (out of whose Garden I have gathered this Posie of flowers:) Thou may'st (if it please thee) accept of this Breviary, which will not cost much mony in the buying, and but a little time in the reading. Herein thou may'st see (though briefly, yet not obscurely) the goodness of God, in maintaining and preserving to himself through­out all Ages, a peculiar People, zealous of good works, notwithstanding all their confronting ene­mies whatsoever: and though boystrous gusts of [Page] Temptation, have ever tossed the Saints up and down, on the raging billowes of Persecution; Yet have they alwayes held up their heads above water: The more these Grapes have been pressed, the more Wine have they yielded; Juniper burnt smells savouriest, so do they; Chamomile trod, growes fastest, so do they; pounded Spices smell sweetest, so do they. Affliction is Gods furnace; the Saints are Gold put into it, not to be consum­ed, but to return more glorious. That saying, Veritas premi potest, opprimi nunqam, Truth may be blam'd, but never sham'd, herein is verifi'd. Though Antiochus commanded the Book of Gods Law to be burnt in the fire, and cut in pieces, making it death for any man to keep it by him: Though Dioclesian caused them to be burned in the streets, and made the Churches and houses of God even with the ground (as Euseb. Lib. 8. Cap. 4. hath it) the more it hath been suppressed, the more it hath spread and encreased, to the spiritual edification of the house of God, whereof Jesus Christ is the Corner-Stone. Hierom in his Epistle to Cor­matius, reports, That in an whole years space, there passed not one day (the Calends of January excepted) wherein five thousand Christians were not made away with. And—But I will not detain thee (Gentle Reader) in my Porch like a stranger, lest I be thought churlish. Well then, in a few words (for I will not now stand to [Page] strain complements with thee) I have made no great preparation for thee: And if thou wilt be pleased to accept of such poor entertainment as my Muse is able to afford thee, she gives thee an invitation, Come in, fall to, eat freely with a good will, and thou art heartily welcome: But if thy dainty palate be so nice, as to make thee hanker after the most exquisit dishes and costli'st viands that can be got for love or mony; I tell thee truly (friend) I han't it for thee, thou had'st best go where such is to be had; and that is all the harm I wish thee; and so I bid thee

Farewel.

In Amici sui charissimi NICH O LAI BILLINGSLY Brachy-hagio-Martyrologiam Distichon Panegyricum.
Hîc magnum in parvo; veterū Monument a virorū, Et Mortem & Mores (candide Lector) habes.

IT skills no less large Tomest' Epitomize,
Then at the first the same for to devise.
'Twas Homers praise his Iliads to indite,
Anothers in a Nut-shell them to write.
Like worth belongs to thee, & to thy book;
Wherein (as in an Optick) if we look,
We may at once more briefly far behold,
What Fox, and others, have at large us told,
Touching such Martyrs as did live and die
I'th' faith of Christ; whose sacred memory
Thou do'st receive, that they on earth again
May live with us, we'n heaven with them may raign.
God grant us this; and so to make an end,
Thou them, I thee, cannot too much com­mend.
Aug. 11. 1656.
T. C. de Ospringe Cleri [...]

DEO Opt. Max.

GReat God, who grasp'st in thine eternal fists
The world, & boundest with appointed lists
The swag'ring billowes; thou who hast enroll'd
Thy Marble Gallery with studs of Gold,
Whose throne the face-veild Seraphims on high
Advance above the Porph'ry-Arched skie;
Who all things did'st, and do' st, and wilt fulfill,
According to the counsel of thy will:
O shew thy power in thy servant weak,
Rouze my dull Muse, enable her to speak
Divinely of thy Saints, that in this story
The World (as in a glass) may see thy glory.
Finish this work, this work in thee begun,
And make it live, when I am dead and gon.
Those looser Poets who begin betimes
To please vain fancies with lascivious Rhimes,
Thinking there by to eternize their name,
What do they leave but Monuments of shame?
Their works shall rot; while such as have a sure
Foundation, shall eternally endure.
Let no man deck with Apollinean Bayes
My browes; thine be the Glory, thine the Praise.

THE PERSECUTIONS Mentioned in the Old Testament.

SECT. I.
The Persecution of the Church in the first Ages of the World, and so forward till Christ's Incarnation.

ADam being left unto his own free-will,
Satan the Primo-genitor of ill,
Maligning his so prosperous estate,
Did exercise his Diabolick hate,
Under the hood of friendship, to o'rethrow
Both root, and branch at one pestiferous blow.
VVith large-pretending promises, his suit
He varnish'd thus; if the forbidden fruit
But kiss their lips,
Gen. 3. 5.
they should more clearly see,
And full as wise as their Creator be.
Thus Satan's Engines play'd, till in conclusion
He took the Fort, by his so smooth delusion.
[Page 2] Poor man made shipwrack of his Innocence,
Thwarting his God-requir'd Obedience:
Thus Adam fell, and by his hapless fall,
Hath lost his happiness, his God and all,
For ever; Ah! he cannot any more
Enjoy those blessings he enjoy'd before
In his first state; and all that he can win,
Is death, Death is the VVages due to sin.
But what of that? yet hath it pleas'd the High'st
To give eternal life through Jesus Christ
Our blessed Lord: whoever do believe
In him alone, are certain to receive
A glorious Crown: O see what God hath done,
To save poor sinners, he hath sent his Son,
His onely Son, who willingly came down,
To bear the cross, that we might wear the Crown.
Strange condescention! the great God above
Is pleas'd t'embrace us in the armes of love.
O groundless depths! O love beyond degree!
The guiltless dies, to set the guilty free!
Nor ceas'd the malice of the black-brow'd Prince
Of the Low-Countries, hell; for ever since
Mans forfeiture of his heav'n-granted lease,
He hath been active to molest the Peace
Of Christ-confiding Saints, and like a Lyon
Hath seiz'd on those who bear good will to Siont
Amongst the wheat, he sows seditious tares;
And setteth men together by the ears.
Nay more unnatural then that, one brother
He instigates to persecute another:
VVitness nefandous Cain,
Gen. 4. 8.
whose brothers bloud
To heaven for vengeance cry'd, and cry'd aloud:
Did not curs'd Ham his naked Father mock,
Gen. 9. 22.
(A graceless branch, sprung from a righteous stock.)
[Page 3] Did not the Sodomites deride Just Lot?
Gen. 19. 9.
And spurious Ishm'el I saac,
Gen. 21. 9.
did he not?
Jacob rough Esau hates;
Gen. 27. 41.
young Joseph's sold
To lshma' itish Merchants;
Gen. 37. 4.
and behold
Oppressed Isr'el,
Exo. 1. 11, &c.
how their shoulder grones
Beneath their massy loads,
Exo. 1. 15, 16.
hard hearted ones!
And must the new-born Males be stifled by
The Mid-wives? O unheard-of cruelty!
And if these fail, may they not live a while?
No;
Exo. 1. 22.
drown'd they must be in sepemfluous Nile.
Breast-hardned Phar'oh,
Exo. 2. 15.
what did Moses do
VVorthy thy wrath?
Exo. 2. 14.
and may not Isr'el go
From thy enslaving hands, but bear the print
Thy scourges leave?
Iudg. 3. 8.
O heart wall'd round with flint!
Years not a few the Isra'lites were drudges
Unto th' I dolatrous and self-law'd Judges;
Compel'd to leave their homes,
Judg. 6. 3, 4.
and hide themselves
In dens and caves, from persecuting Elves:
And when Gods bounty fertiliz'd their land,
1 sam. 13. 6, 7.
All was destroyed by the Midian band:
Judg. 6. 2.
The Philistins thirty four thousand slay
Of them,
Judg. 10. 8.
and carryed Gods Ark away;
A Smith in Israel could not be found
To fit their instruments to till the ground,
Judg. 13. 1.
The land was so enslav'd; they rather chose,
1 sam. 4. 2. 10, 11.
Then starve,
1 sam. 13.
to be behoiding to their foes.
VVith his keen javelin,
ves. 19. 20.
spirit-haunted Saul
Assay'd to stick up David' gainst the wall.
1 sam. 19 &c.
Prophetick David,
2 sam 16. 5, 6,
with a patient ear,
Did Shimei's railing accusations bear.
Egyptian Shishak prov'd Jerus'lems rod,
1 King. 14. 25, 26.
And took the treasures from the house of God.
And (which is strange) good Asa's spirit risen
Against Gods Prophet,
2 Chr. 16. 10.
casts him into prison.
[Page 4] Ahab hates Micah.
2 Chro. 18. 25, 26.
In Jehosaphat
His reign, the Church of God was stormed at.
Elijah,
2 Chron. 20. 23.
was despis'd by Jezabel,
By whom so many holy Prophets fell.
1 King. 19. 2.
Elisha suffers; in Jehor ams reign
Judak's oppress'd.
1 King. 18. 13.
Good Zechariah's slain
By Joash,
2 King. 6. 31.
for's reproof. Israel's, King
Thousands of Judah slew, did thousands bring
Into captivity.
2 Chro. 21. 16, 17.
Poor Judah pines
By th' Edomites, Assyrians, Philistines.
The Prophet Esay by Manasses Law,
2 Chro. 24. 21.
Was sawn in sunder with a wooden saw.
2 Chro. 28. 8.
And Jeremiah after slandrous mocks,
VVas beaten sore,
2 Chro. 28. 17, 18, 20.
and put into the stocks.
Then was he (liberty deny'd him) flung
Into the myry dungeon,
Josephus. Jer. 18. 18.
where he clung;
At last drag'd thence,
Jer. 20. 2.
into th' Egyptian land
He needs must go,
Jer. 37. 15.
the Captains him command:
And his Thren-odes those pious Elegies,
Jer. 38. 6.
Lament the falling Churches miseries.
Jer. 43. 6, 7.
Nebuchanezzar in a rage doth throw
Shadrach,
Dan. 3. 23.
and Meshech, and Abednego
Into the furnace hot: By wicked men
Daniel is cast into the Lyons Den.
Dan. 6. 26.
Proud Haman persecutes poor Mordecay,
Esther. 3. 13.
And a decree procures, that in one day
Gods people should be killed murth' rously.
The Jews returning from captivity,
Ezra 4. 4.
Judah's disturb'd and opposition's found
When they would raise Gods Temple from the ground:
Build it they do:
Neh. 6. 2.
though men and devils conjoyne
They'r Powers,
vers. 6, &c.
they cannot frustrate Gods designe.

SECT. II.
The Persecution of the Church from Nehemiah to Antiochus his time; and also under An­tiochus Epiphanes, before the nativity of Christ, about 168 years.

ELiashib the High-Priest being dead,
Judas his son succeeded in his stead;
And John the next, who in the Temple slew
Jesus which sought to wrong him of his due,
No sooner had Bagoses heard the News,
But with a potent force, he kept the Jews,
(The Jews inclos'd within Jerus' lems walls)
Till sev'n years ended, under slavish thralls;
Compelling them to lay down fifty Drachmes
For ev'ry Lamb that fed their dayly flames.
Jaddus (John dead) succeeded, who b'ing told,
Of Alexander's acts, and how he would
Come shortly, he in's Priestly robes aray'd,
For Gods direction and protection pray'd.
The King fell down, the Jews did in a ring
Encircle him, and said, God save the King.
He check'd, reply'd, I do not (that were odd)
Adore the High-Priest, but the High-Priests God.
Then leave to live after their Ancient orders
He grants the Hebrews, and deserts their borders.
Antiochus Epiphanes did go
Unto Jerusalem: nor friend nor foe
Escap'd his fury; he the Temple spoil'd
Of all her Ornaments, and it defil'd:
[Page 6] Yea, he inhibited the godly Jews
Those daily sacrifices they did use;
And having made their goodly structures void,
He led some captive, many he destroy'd,
Forc'd others to forsake God, and adore
Those Idols he himself fell down before:
But they that minded not his menacings,
VVere whip'd and maim'd, had cruel torturings;
Some crucifi'd; they hang'd the female sex,
And hung young Children at their parents necks.
VVhat books of Sacred VVrit they found, the same
VVere cast into the all-devouring flame.
Upon a Sabbath day these merc'less slaves
Did stifle thousands hid in unclos'd caves.
And now Mathias pious and devout,
Led forth the Christians 'gainst this impious rout,
Destroy'd their Altars; Providence did bless
All his endeavours with desir'd success.
His sons, Mathias, Judas, and the rest
Did scowre their country, and their foes supprest.

SECT. III.
The Martyrdom of the Maccabees, under the same Antiochus.

ONias acts with a religious care
His High-priests office, and may therefore fear
Degrading; nay, Antiochus is bent
To turn him out: the moving Argument
Drawn from the Justness of Onias cause,
Subjects Onias to th'Imperious Laws
[Page 7] Of wilfull Tyranny, by whose compunction,
This good man leaves his Sacerdotal function,
For one that least deserved it: no other
Might take it up, but his false-hearted brother:
VVho now but Jason! Jason is the man
Must drive on the design; Jason began
To force the people to renounce the true
And old Religion, to embrace a new;
T'abjure their Temples, to extruct them baths:
To quit their beaten and accustom'd pathes,
For prosecution of more choice delights,
And abrogate their ceremonial Rites;
To drink in Greekish customes, and betimes
Train up their striplings to unlawful cimes.
But mark th'event, a sin-provoked God
Doth flame in fury, making them a rod
(Whose Laws were studiously observ'd,) to scourge
Those Mimick emulators, who would urge
So good a God; their friends become their foes,
T'inflict on them innumerable woes.
For an edict is forthwith by the King
Set forth, and sealed with his Royal Ring;
The sence is this, Whoever of the Jews,
Or Hierosolymitanes, refuse
To offer up a Sacrifice unto
The gods, he without any more ado
(Besides those beatings he was like to feel)
Should have his members Racked on a wheel.
Antiochus perceiving this Edict
VVas little prevalent, although so strict,
So rigorous, but that a many chose
Rather to die, then their Religion lose;
He took th'advantage of an em'nent place,
And summoning the Jews, his graceless Grace
[Page 8] Caus'd sacrific'd swines flesh be given about
To ev'ry man. Amongst the mixed rout
Stood Eleazar honor'd for his age,
Reverend, Pious, Vertuous and sage,
In whom the graces all in one combin'd;
Indeed he had an heaven-enamel'd mind:
To whom Antiochus doth break the chains
Of silence thus: Old man, avoid those pains
VVait on the obstinate, for once b'advis'd
By me, and eat what here is sacrific'd:
Cherish thy rev'rend age, and do not scorne
The benefit of life: what though th'art born
A Jew? yet eat: no wise man will refuse
That meat which nature hath ordain'd for use:
VVhy should this beast be more abominable
Then other beasts? canst tell? sure th'art not able:
VVhy was it made, if not to be injoy'd?
And gifts unus'd, what are those gifts but voy'd?
Admit your Laws are just, yet may coaction
Excuse thee; 'tis no voluntary action.
To whom this Nestor (whose undaunted brest
VVas flam'd with zeal) an answer thus exprest:
We, O Antiochus, love not vain shows
But true Religion; nor Racks, nor blows, (chains,
Nor brest all gor'd with darts, hands worn with
Nor ease exchanged for a thousand pains;
Famine nor sword, nor all, should make us smother
Our lov'd Religion, to embrace another:
Know then Proud King, I nothing weigh thy threats,
As to profane my lips with profane meats:
Ple joy to suffer for a righteous cause,
Rather then violate those Heav'n-made Laws:
'Tis but a death at most, if I fulfil not
Thy will; and disobey my God I will not:
[Page 9] Urge me no more, for do it I will never;
This I resolve, and will herein persever.
Expose me to the ravenous Lyons paw,
Yet I'le not make a rupture in the Law;
Rip up my Entrails, do; and when that's done,
Fling, fling m'into an hate-light Dungeon:
Pluck out these eyes with Pinsers; let the flame
Burn me to cinders, I'll be still the same.
Think not that I'll recant because I'm old
And feeble no; torments shall make me bold:
I am content to suffer for my God,
And patiently sustain his chastning rod:
The zeal I bear is not a zeal that founds
It's happiness on such unstable grounds,
As once to move me or to make me totter;
No, Tyrant, were thy fury ten times hotter.
I'le laugh death in the face, when I lay down
This life, to take up an immortal Crown.
Blest I shall be, although by thee accurst;
Tyrant I challenge thee, do, do thy worst.
With that the soldiers hale him to the place
Of torment, strip him, whip him, and do lace
His back with stripes, till bloody streams out-gush,
And in the face of the tormentor blush:
While he was under the afflicter's hand,
One stood, and cry'd, Obey the Kings command:
But patiently this worthy man endur'd
A world of wounds, too dang'rous to be cur'd:
And darting up his venerable eyes,
He knew for whom he was a sacrifice;
In whom he did believe: then casts a look
On his afflicted self, and sees a brook,
A bubbling brook, with uncontrouled tides,
Crimson their passage from his mangled sides:
[Page 10] And when his sufferance over-flow'd the banks
Of torment, he admir'd, gave God the thanks.
They loathsome liquor int' his nostrils pouring,
Did then commit him to the flames devouring:
Yet when his nat'ral life began to fail
And his approaching death would take no bail;
Having his wasting eyes on Heaven laid,
His dying breath breath'd forth these words, & said,
Thou O my God art he who bringest down
To th'grave, giv'st life, and with that life a Crown;
Behold (dear Lord) I'm swallow'd by deaths jaws,
For the strict keeping of thine own-made Laws.
Sweet Father hear me; O be pleas'd to keep
Thy bosome Nation, suffer not thy Sheep,
To be devour'd by Wolves, that are too bold
To worry them, or scare them from their fold:
O let my death conclude all miserie,
And grant in dying I may live to thee.
Now I am found in thee, can I be lost?
He ceas'd, and ceasing yeilded up the Ghost.
The Kings displeasure waxing now more strong,
Sent for sev'n Hebrew children, who being young,
He thought them weak, unable pains to bear,
He therefore either by entreats, or fear,
Presum'd he should induce them to abjure
Their Law, and eat what by their Law's impure.
The crafty Tyrant ambushing his guile,
Beholdeth them with a dissembling smile,
And thus reveal'd himself: Admir'd young men,
I wish your good, O do not madly then
Shun my Behests; prevent the torments due
Unto the refractory, not to you;
As for my part, I desire nothing more
Then to advance you, and increase your store:
[Page 11] Contemn your superstitious vanities,
And come along our tracts, if you be wise:
Tis no such crime if you your Law fulfil not.
If you neglect ours (as I hope you will not)
With ling'ring deaths I'll study to torment you;
You may it may be then too late repent you.
Am I a King? and shall contempt accrue
To me a King, from such low worms as you? (Racks,
Bring forth those Wheels Rods, Cauldrons, Hooks &
Grid-irons, Cages; here's not all, here lacks;
Let's see the Engines to torment the hands,
Gauntlets, Auls, Bellowes, Brass-pots, Frying-pans.
Obey, young men; if I enforce a fact
Not good, 'tis not your voluntary act,
You do not sin; be prudent then, I say,
Not actively but passively obey.
The zeal-inflam'd young men do vilify
His threats, intreats, retorting this reply,
Speak Tyrant say, say, why art thou so bent
To persecute us that are innocent?
We will observe, for all afflictions rod,
What Moses taught us from the mouth of God;
Know, we detest your sense-deluding shows,
Nor will we be seduc'd by words or blows:
No Tyrant, no, do thou the best you can
To do thy worst, we will fear God, not man:
Our cause is God's, and death is our desire;
Heaven is our portion, yours eternal fire.
Th'enraged Tyrant after one another
Lop'd off these hopeful sprouts: the eldest brother,
Named Macchabons, first was stretched out
Upon a Rack, and beaten round about
His naked ribs, with a Bulle-pizle, till
His wearyed tormentors had their fill
[Page 12] Of long continued strokes, and did desire
Rather to leave, then he did them require:
Nor was this all; fresh tort'rers have extended
Him on a wheel, weights at his heels appended:
While yet his sinews and his entrails brake,
He call'd on God, then to the Tyrant spake:
Blood-guilty wretch, who labor'st to disthrone
Gods Majesty it self; know, I am one
Am for the cause of God a sufferer,
And no witch, nor inhuman murtherer.
When the afflicter with compassion sway'd,
Bid him submit unto the King, he said,
Accursed ministers of Tyranny,
Your wheels as yet, are not so sharp, that I
Should thereby be enforced to abjure
Heaven, wherein is my foundation sure.
See, tyrant, see how resolute I am;
Winde off my flesh with pinsers, do, and cram
Young Vultures with the bits before mine eyes:
Put, put me to the worst of cruelties:
Rost (if you please) by a soft fire my flesh,
And if that will not serve, invent a fresh:
Inflict, inflict, till there cannot be fonnd
A place, whereon t'inflict another wound.
So said, thus rack'd, into a fire he's thrown,
And now his wasting bowels stared on
The Tyrants face; yet with an unmov'd brest
He to his brethren thus himself exprest:
Beloved brethren, learn by my example
To scorn the worlds alluring baits, and trample
All torments under foot; obey God rather
Then this proud Tyrant: God's a gracious father;
And when him pleases, with a smile or frown,
Can raise the humble, strike the lofty down.
[Page 13] This torment's not enough to end his pain,
For he is snatch'd out of the fire and flame
Alive; his tongue was plucked out and then
His life he ended in a frying pan:
And now his soul enjoy'd what he desir'd,
His friends rejoyced, and his foes admir'd.
Then was the second brother, Aber call'd,
Who with the tort'ring Engines unappal'd,
Refus'd to eat, chains did his hands restrain:
His skin (the garment of his flesh) was flain
From head to knees; the tort'rer did devest
His intrails peeping from his unglaz'd brest,
Too grievous to behold; and him at last
Unto a famine-pined Leopard cast:
The beast (though truculent) did onely smell,
And went her way, forgetting to be fell,
Nor was sh' injurious to him in the least.
The Kings displeasure but the more increas'd,
And Aber grown more constant by his pain,
Thus, thus his dying voice did loudly strain:
How sweet! How pleasant is this death to me!
Yea 'tis most welcome, for I'm sure to be
Rewarded by my God; the cross I bear
On earth, in heav'n a glorious Crown to wear;
I thank my God, that I am more content
To suffer, Tyrant, then thou to torment.
And yet is not this misery of mine
In suff'ring, so exorbitant as thine
Is by inflicting; keeping of the Laws
Thus aggravates my pains, and thou the cause
Shalt by the justice of the Holy One
Be banished from thy usurped throne,
And be reserved for those horrid chains
Of utter darkness, and eternal pains.
[Page 14] He said no more; his soul forsook his brest,
To take possession of aye-lasting rest.
Machir the third son's brought, who was not quell'd,
But angrily their counsel thus repeli'd:
One Father us begat; one Mother bore us;
One
Eleazer.
Master taught us, who is gone before us:
Protract no time, for I am not so weak
To yield; I come to suffer, not to speak:
What care I though I drink the brim-fild boul
Of thy displeasure? twill not hurt my soul.
A Globe was brought, his woes must b'aggravated,
And bound thereon; his bones were dislocated;
They flaid his face, and while a crimson river
Flow'd from him, thus he did himself deliver:
O Tyrant, we, what we endure, endure
For the pure love of God: thou shalt be sure
To rove in Sulph'ry flames, and be tormented
Eternally, unpity'd, unlamented.
His tongue b'ing taken out, this good young man
Departed in a red-hot Frying-pan.
Judas is next, whom neither menacing
Nor flattries, could induce t'obey the King:
Your fire (said he) shall me attract more near
Gods holy Law, and to my brethren dear:
I tell thee Tyrant, thou shalt be acurs'd,
And true believers blest: thou that art nurs'd
By cruelty it self: I bid thee try me,
And see if God will not also stand by me.
Hereat the Tyrant in a hot displeasure
Hastily left his chair t'afflict by leasure;
He charg'd his tongue to be cut out, in brief;
T'whom Judas thus; Our God is not so deaf
As you imagine; his attentive ear
Hears the dumb language of his servants pray'r:
[Page 15] He hears the heart, not voice; our thoughts he sees
A distance off; distongue me if you please:
Divide me limb from limb, do Tyrant, do,
But know, thou shalt not long scape Scot-free so.
He's tongueless, and with ropes ends beaten sore,
Which he with much admired patience bore:
At last upon the Rack his life was spent,
And to his brethren (gone before) he went.
Then Achas the fifth brother unaffraid
To hug grim death, disclos'd his lips, and said,
Tyrant, behold, I come for to prevent
Thy sending for; and know that I am bent
To die couragiously, my mind is steady;
Thou art to hellish flames condem'd already,
By my dear bretherens effused gore,
And I the fifth shall make thy grief the more.
What is't that we have done? what other cause
Canst thou alleage, but this, We keep Gods Laws?
And therefore in the midst of torturing
We joy O'tis an honourable thing! (wrongs,
Though each part suffer, heaven will right our
And fill your mouths with howlings, ours with songs.
Then was he in a brazen morter pounded,
Nay th'less he said, Those favours are unbounded
With which thou crown'st us (though against thy wil)
We please our God, rage thou, and rage thy fill:
If thou shouldst pity me, I should be sorry;
Death's but the prologue to immortal glory.
So said, he made a stop and stopping dy'd.
Now the sixth brother Areth must be try'd,
Honour and dolour's put unto his choice;
But grieving at it, with a constant voice
He shot forth this reply: I weigh not either;
As we like brethren liv'd, wee'll die together
[Page 16] In Gods fear; and the time which in exhorting
Thou hast a mind to spend, spend in extorquing,
His down-ward head unto a pillar ty'd,
Antiochus rosts him by a soft fires side;
And that the heat might enter to the quick,
And multiply his paines, sharp Auls must prick
His tender flesh; about his face and head
Much blood like froth appear'd; yet thus he said,
O Noble fight! O honourable warre!
Glad grief! O pious! and O impious jarre!
My bretheren are gone, and I ally'd
To them in blood, would not that death divide
Our love united souls: invent, invent
More horrid pains indeavour to torment
This flesh with greater torments; study, study
New wayes t'afflict me, more severe, more bloody:
I thank my God, these are o'recome already;
Let thousands worser come, I will be steady.
We young men have bin conqu'rours of thy power;
Thy fire is cold, nor can thy rage devour
Our faith-fenc'd souls; we have a greater joying
In suffering, then thou hast in destroying:
As God is just, so will he right our wrongs.
These words scarce out, a pair of heated tongs
Eradicate his tongue; then being cast
Into the Frying-pan, he breath'd his last.
And now the youngest brother's onely left,
Jacob; who coming forth, compassion cleft
The Tyrants heart, who took aside the child
By th' [...]and and spake, and as he spake, he smil'd:
Thy bretheren may teach thee to expect
The worst of ills, if thou my will neglect:
Thou shalt, if thou wilt of thy self be free,
A Ruler, Gen'ral, and my Counc'ller be.
[Page 17] This not prevail'd, he thus the mother dons;
O worthy woman, where are now thy sons?
Yet thou hast one, turn him, lest thou be rest
Of him likewise, and so be childless left.
The mother bowing to the king, bespake
Her child in Hebrew; Pity, for Christ's sake,
And chear thy woful mother: O despise
These pains, and be a willing sacrifice,
As were thy bretheren; that in the day
Of grace, in heaven receive you all I may.
Unbound, he forthwith to the torments ran,
And with a serene countenance began;
Blood-wasting wretch, what dost thou but adde fuel, thee
To make hell botter, by persisting cruel?
Worm that thou art, who crown'd thee? who gave
Those Purple robes thou wearest? was't not he
Whom thou in us dost persecute? but die
Thou must at last, for all thou perk'st so high:
I crave no favour at thy hands, but will
Follow my breathren, and be constant still.
Torments ensue: through mouth and nose he bled;
His mothers kinde hand held his fainting head:
His arms cut off, Lord take my soul, he cry'd;
Distongu'd, he ran into the fire, and dy'd.
Now Salomona (all her children dead)
Enflam'd with zeal, came to be Martyred;
Herein excell'd them all, in that sh'endur'd
Sev'n painful deaths, before her own's procur'd,
She tearless could abide to see them spurn'd,
And rack'd, and torn, and beat, and flaid, and burn'd:
And knowing well, death cutteth off our dayes
By Fluxes, Agues, and a thousand wayes;
That pains were momentary, she exhorted
Them thus in Hebrew, ere they were extorted:
[Page 18] Most choyce fruits of my womb, let's hasten hence,
And fear not, heaven will be our recompence:
Shall's bear what Eleazar undergon?
You know good Abram sacrific'd his son:
Remember Daniel, in the Lyons den;
And cast your eyes on the three childeren.
The restless Tyrant caus'd her to be stripped,
Then hang'd up by the hands, and soundly whipp'd,
Her paps pull'd off: she while her body sryes,
Lifts up her hands and eyes, and prayes, and dyes.

SECT. IV.
The Persecution of the Church from Christs time to our present age; and first of those menti­oned in the New-Testament.

HEROD the Great having intellegence
That there was born unto the Jews a Prince
At Bethleem; a band of men he sent,
To do full execution as they went,
On smiling babes, throughout Judea's land:
(Supposing Jesus might not scape his hand;)
Snatch'd from the breast, the pretty little ones
Were tost on Pikes, and dash'd against the stones.
The Tyrant, after this, distracted grew,
And's wife, his children, and familiars slew.
With sickness struck, he knew not where to turn,
What course to take; for a slow fire did burn
His inward parts: his
Bulimia.
canine appetite
Was unsuffic'd; his lungs corrupted quite;
[Page 19] His bowels rot; his secrets putrify'd;
Consum'd with wormes, he miserably dy'd.
Herod the Less incestuously wedded;
John Baptist for his plain reproof beheaded.
Mat. 14. 10
Peter and John restor'd a man born lame,
Act. 4. 1, 17.
Preach'd Christ, and were imprison'd for the same.
The High-priests and the Sadduces up-risen
Act. 5. 18, 19.
Against th' Apostles, cast them into prison:
But in the night, an Angel of the Lord
Op'ning the doors, their liberties restor'd:
They on the morrow,
vers. 26, 27
for divulging Christ,
Re-apprehended were,
vers. 40.
beaten, dismist.
False witnesses suborned,
Act. 6. 11.
holy Steven
Did through a Stony-volley go to heaven.
Cha. 7. 58.
A gen'ral persecution breaking out
At Solyma, the Saints disperse about
The Judean and the Samarian borders:
A persecting Saul the Church disorders.
The Jewish fury, new-converted Saul
Scapes by a basket let down o'r the wall.
Act. 9. 23.
James is beheaded:
Act. 12. 2.
while Agrippa storms
Against the Church, he was devour'd by worms.
Peter enlarged by an Angel was:
Sosthenes, Silas Paul, and Barnabas
Were beaten, whipp'd, and forced several times
To leave their Country, and seek other climes.
Paul's ston'd at Lystra,
Act. 14. 19.
and for dead he lay;
But God reviv'd him; he took Derbe-way:
Much he endur'd abroad, and much at home,
And in the end was Martyred at Rome.
James, Jesus brother, from a Pin'cle cast,
Recov'ring on his knees, thus spake his last:
Father (thee on my bended knees I woo)
Forgive them: for, they know not what they do.
[Page 20] A Cameles knees were said to be more soft
Then his, by reason that he kneel'd so oft.)
Vespasian did to him the Jews subject;
Titus Jerus'lem and the Temple sack'd.
Andrew and Philip's crucifi'd: rough blows
Kill Barthol'mew; Thoumas as a dart o' rethrows.
Mathew's thrust through: Simon Zelotes dead
Upon the cross. Mathi as loft his head:
And Judas (brother unto James) not mist
A murth'rous stroke: Mark the Evangelist
Went up to heaven in a fi'ry Car:
One of the Deacons named Nicanor,
Did with two thousand Christians lay down
This life, to take up an immortal crown.

THE Persecution of the Church Under the Heathen ROMAN Emperours.

SECT. V.
The first Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi, 67.

DOmitius Nero, while in sheets of fire
The Roman City caper'd, sang t'his Lire
The incendiums of Troy, and from a Tow'r
Feasted his eyes, to see the flames devour
Those goodly structures, and high Tow'rs of state,
Which startled the beholders eyes of late:
The Circus fell, the pondrous beams and stones,
Crushing to pieces many thousand ones;
The fire burns others, and the flame and smoak
Nine dayes continu'd, a great number choak.
Thus Nero on himself an Odium brought;
And to excuse himself, transfer'd the fault
Upon the harmless Christians: it was they
Had done it out of malice; no delay
Detards his hasty feet from shedding bloud:
VVhere e're he comes, he makes a crimson floud
[Page 22] Flow down the streets: in wild-beasts skins he wraps
Christians, and throws them to dogs worr'ing chaps.
In paper stiffened with molten wax,
He packs up some; and puts on others backs
A searcloth-coat, and bolt upright them bound
To axle-trees, first pitched in the ground,
Then at the botom fir'd: these constant flames
Afforded light to Nero's nightly games
Kept in his garden: other some he takes,
And goars in length upon erected stakes.
This persecution through th'whole Empire spred;
So that the Cities were replenished
With slaught'red carkases; the old, the young,
And naked women, altogether flung.
Such was his rage, a Christians loathed name
He strove t'extirpate wheresoe're he came.
At four years end, this direful blast expires
In Paul and Peter, two bright-shining fires.
Peter (as he desir'd) was crucifi'd
With his head downward; so a Martyr dy'd.
And Paul, his faith's confession having spoke,
Yielded his neck unto the fatal stroke.

SECT. VI.
The second Primitive Persecution, which began Anno 96.

DOmitian his brother Titus slaies,
And doth the second persecution raise:
(For whilst Vespasian and his son remain'd,
The Church with golden links of Peace was chain'd)
He flew the Roman Nobles; and decreed
The extirpation of David's seed,
John, the belov'd Disciple, boyl'd in oyl,
Unhurt,
Anno 97
was banish'd into Patmos lfle.
One Simcon Bishop of Jerus'lem, dy'd
Upon the cross: a number more beside
Of Christians he impoverish'd, and sent
Them out, to lead their lives in banishment.
The Roman Senate passed this decree,
That Christians should not have their libertie
VVhen brought before the Judgment-seat, unless
They deviate from their Religiousness.
The Heathenish Idolaters devise
Against the Saints abomniabile lies,
And envious slanders; That they were seditious,
Incestuous, rebellious, and pernicious
Unto the Empire; none could them importune,
By any means, to swear by Casars fortune.
If famine, plague, or war amongst them came,
The Christians were the Authors of the same.
And look what accusations they related,
Domitian was the more exasperated;
[Page 24] And us'd what e're mans wicked wit invents;
Stripes, Rackings, Scourgings, and Imprisonments,
Deep dungtons, Stoning, Strangling, the Gridiron,
Cibbet, and Gallows, red-hot plates t'environ
The tendrest parts; the teeth of salvage bears;
The horns of Buls, and sticking up on spears, &c.
Thus kill'd, a lawful burial was deny'd them:
Pil'd up and tear-throat dogs were left beside them.
Though Christians sufferings were very sore,
Yet still the Church encreased more and more,
In the Apostles doctrine deeply grounded,
And with the blood of Martyr'd Saints surrounded.
Good Timothy, Religious from his youth,
Was stoned, as a witness to the truth,
By those that worshipped Diana bright:
One Dionysius th' Arcopagite
VVas slain at Paris by a treach'rous villan.
Protasius and Gervasius fell at Millain.

SECT. VII.
The third Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 108.

DOmitian being by his servants slain,
Nerva succeeded; in whose gracious reign
(VVhich was but thirteen months) the Saints enjoy'd
A peaceful season, and were not destroy'd.
Trajan, next him, the Roman crown put on;
He 'twas rais'd the third Persecution,
[Page 25] VVorse then the former were; which did incite
An
Plinius secundus.
heathenish Philosopher to write
I'th' Christians behalf, to Trajan shewing,
That whereas many thousands in his viewing
VVere killed; yet, contraite the Roman Laws
None did, which might such Persecution cause;
Saving that every morn by break of day,
They to a God call'd Christ did sing and pray:
In other things they were to be commended.
Trajan returns this answer: he intended
To search them out no more; but if they were
Brought and convicted, them he would not spare.
Sentence confus'd!
Tertullian.
he them as harmless tenders,
And yet would have them punish'd as offenders.
The rage was by this act a little curb'd:
Yet ill-disposed men the Peace disturb'd;
Especially, if new commotions flam'd
Amongst them, then the Christians must be blam'd.
Trajan commands the lineage of David,
Which could be found, should by no means be saved
He Phocas, Pontus Bishop, cast in's wrath,
First int'a lime-kiln, next a sealding bath.
Ignatius, and many thousands more
Exposed to the wild beasts to devour:
Nor did in Adrian's reign this fury slake,
Ten thousand sufferd for the Lord Christ's sake.
In Ararath thousands were crucifi'd,
Crowned with thorns, and thrust into the side
VVith needle-pointed darts, in imitation
Of Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviours passion.
Faustiu us, Zenon, and Eustachius,
Dy'd for the truth.
Vere Ma­gnus Deus Christans­rum.
VVhen Calocerius
Saw how the Saints did bear afflictions rod,
He cry'd out, Truly, great's the Christians God:
[Page 26] For which he apprehended, did become
Partaker likewise of their Martyrdom.
Symphorissa, a fair and vertuous dame,
Hang'd up by th'hair, was scourged for Christs name,
And then made fast unto a pondrous stone,
Into the bosom of a river thrown:
Seven sons she had, all stak'd, rack'd, and at last
Thrust thorough, were into a deep pit cast.
Adrian b'ing come to Athens, sacrific'd
After the Greekish manner; authoriz'd
Any that would, to persecute, abuse
VVhoever in contempt should it refuse.
Quadratus, an Athenian Bishop, hence
Did out of zeal i'th' Christians defence
Write learned Tractares: Serenus did do
The like; and famous Aristides too;
Declaring that'twas neither right nor reason
In harmless persons; and no other fault
Should bring their lives in danger, at th'assault
Of th'hair-brain'd rabble; th' Emperour hereat
Grew milde, and pity'd their afflicted state.
After him Antonius Pius swaid
And he this persecuting storm allaid.
Gods word's fulfill'd, the wicked's rod shall not
Alwayes remain upon the righteous lot.
Psa. 125. 3.

SECT. VIII.
The fourth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 162.

NOw Antoninus Verus, Pius son,
(Who dead) rais'd the third persecution.
Germanious, Pionius, Metrodore,
Polycarp, Carpus, and a number more
In Asia burn'd. Felicit as at Rome,
With her seven children suffered Martyrdome.
Scourg'd was her eldest Son; and after, prest
To death with leaden weights, attain'd true rest.
The two next had their brains knockt out with mauls:
The 4th thrown headlong down a prec'pice, sprawls
With his broke neck: The three that do remain,
Must lose their heads. In fine, the Mother's slain.
Concordus suffered; who in disgrace,
Did spirt out spittle in the Idols face.
In France the Christians under went all wrongs;
As Scourgings, stonings, and the spatt'ring tongues
Of railing Rabshakeh's: at home, abroad,
Their backs must tolerate afflictions load:
Yet well they knew, that griefs were transitory,
If but compared to eternal glory.
Sanchis the Bishop of Vienna, stood
Unmov'd, under such pains, as flesh and blood
Could not endure to bear:no torments could
Prevail to make him to let go his hold.
When he was ask'd, where he was born and bred;
He, I'm a Christian, onely answered:
[Page 28] And when another did demand his name,
Urging it much, his answer was the same:
A third enquir'd, whether he were a man,
Or bond, or free; I am a Christian,
He still reply'd: no torments could divorce
His constant lips from using that discourse.
When there were plates of candent Brass apply'd
I'his tendrest parts: O how did he abide
That scorching heat! nor was he seen to shrink,
As did his body: while his tort'rers think,
With new supplies to force his recantation,
He quite contrary to their expectation,
VVas so restor'd, that what he did endure
These latter times, did prove his Sov'raign cure.
At last plac'd in a red-hot iron chair,
His spir'e (with others) vanish'd into Air.
Thus were the holy Saints, from morn to night,
A spectacle unto the people's sight.
Biblides in the midst of pains spake thus,
Ah! how should we (as you report of us)
VVe Christians, think you, of our babes make food?
VVhen we not taint our lips with bestial blood.
Attalus frying, thus Your selves do eat
Mans flesh: and as for us, we loath such meat.
B'ing asked what he call'd their God by name;
He answer'd, Man's and his was not the same.
Then let your God, if that a God he be
So powerfull (said they) come set you free.
Pont'cus a youth of fourteen years of age,
Perpass'd the utmost of the fo-mens rage.
VVilde beasts are put to Blandina, but they;
More merciful then men, would go their way.
VVhipped she is, then broyl'd and thrown on ground
For Buls to tear: from every gaping wound
[Page 29] Blood gushes forth, and runneth out afresh
From th'u [...]stopp'd chinks of her bemangled flesh.
She felt no paine, by reason she was fill'd
VVith spir'tual joy: she at the last was kill'd.
The bodies of the Saints were made a mock,
A scorn, a by-word, and a laughing-stock
I'th' open streets, till thrice two Suns were down,
Then burn'd their ashes in the river thrown.
Th' Apostatized Christians, which came
Unto their tryals, did confess their shame
By down-cast looks, and sorrow-boding faces;
The Gentiles pulveriz'd them with disgraces,
As persons too degenerous, addicted
To vice, deserving what should be inflicted:
But they which constant to the last remain'd,
VVent with a cheerful brow, and entertain'd
An obvious death; and, as it were combin'd
Their glorious rayes, and like to Phoebus shin'd.
So have I seen a fair and comly Bride,
Richly attir'd, with what a decent pride
She quits her conclave, or interior room,
Who drawing neer, about her neck doth fall,
And seals his favours on her lips withall.
Faith as an ornament the soul endows;
Christ is the Bridegroom, and the Church the Spouse
Prepares to meet him, and direct her paces,
They he may hug her with entwin'd embraces.
They meet; Christ & his following Spouse do clamber
Up by steep staires; heaven is the Bridal Chamber:
Where, with Unknown delights, they are possest
Of sweet reposes, and eternal rest.
Marcus Aurelius, and Antonius go
To war against the Quades the Vandals too:
[Page 30] Their Army by innum'rous foes beset,
Were so put to't, the souldiers could not get
The least of water, their thirst to allay:
VVith that, a Christian Legion fell to pray,
(VVithdrawing from the rest) the heav'n disburst
Abundant show'rs; the Romans quench'd their thirst:
Against their enemies, such lightnings flash'd,
As made them fly discomfited and dash'd.
The Emp'rour pleas'd hereat, commands that none
Kill Christians more, whose God such things had done:
And his (which was not long in force) decree
Burn'd the accusers, set th'accused free.

SECT. IX.
The fifth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 205.

WHen Peace-maintaining Pertinax was dead,
Servere Severus reigned in his stead;
By envious rumors, and through false suggestion,
The Christians lives were dayly brought in question.
The King commands; his willing Subjects strive
To bring't about, that none be left a live.
In Sun-burnt Affrick, Cappadocia,
In Carthage and in Alexandria.
So that the aumber slain was numberless;
Origen's father, with whom Origen
His son had dy'd, had not his mother bin
An hinderance, in that she did convey,
The night before, his shirt and cloaths away;
[Page 31] Hereat, he not for fear of Martyrdome,
But shaming to be seen, remain'd at home.
Tertullian, Irenaus, Andoclus,
Urbanus, Satyrus, Secundulus,
Perpetua, Felicit as, and Rhais,
Did by untimely deaths conclude their dayes.
Caspodius, a Divine, drag'd up and down
The streets; at last was into Tyber thrown.
Cecilia Idolatry contemn'd,
And therefore by the Judge must be condemn'd;
The Sergeants minding how she did behave her,
How fair she was; sollicite her, to favour
Her self, and not to cast her self away;
She was but young, and many a merry day
Might live to see: but she discreetly sent
Such gracious words, as caus'd them to relent,
And unto that religion yield their hearts
'Gainst which they threw their persecuting darts.
Which, when perceiv'd, leav gain'd, she runs her home
and for Ʋrbanus sends: Ʋrbanus come,
He grounds them in the faith so highly priz'd.
Four hundred do believe and are baptiz'd.
This holy Martyr afterwards was shut
Twice twelve hours in a Bath; at last they cut
Her head off from her shoulders: thus she ended
Her dayes, and up into the clouds ascended.
Agapetus, of fifteen years of age,
VVas scourg'd, then hang'd up by the feet: in rage
He scalded was; unto the wild beasts rost;
But they not hurting him, his head he lost.
Pamachius, a Roman Senator,
VVith's wife, his children, and neer fourty more,
All in one day beheaded were; their pates
Fixed on high, over the City gates,
[Page 32] As Bug-bears to affright and scare the rest
From Christianity, which it profest.
Potamiena, (boyling Pitch being pour'd
Upon her naked flesh) the flames devour'd.
And Zepherinus; after him Ʋrbanus,
Both Roman Bishops; good Valerianus,
Tybartius too, two Noble men of Rome,
For their Religion suffer'd Martyrdome.
Gainst Narciss, three false witnesses suborn'd;
Th'one lost his eyes, the fire a second burn'd;
The third lay languishing: thus we may see
Th'accusers suffer, the accus'd go free.
Antiochus fell down, and having cry'd,
His bowels burn'd within him, sadly dy'd.

SECT. X.
The sixth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 237.

MAximinus (Severus dead and gon)
Stirr'd up the twice-third Persecution:
Disliv'd the Teachers, Leaders, and the best;
By this means thinking to seduce the rest.
Thousands were Martyred, whose names are lost
With Or'gen's
De Mar­tyrio.
book, in which they were engrost.
About this time Natalius, a Priest,
(Who much had suffer'd for the cause of Christ,)
Seduced was by Asclepiodot
And Theodore, who promis'd to allot
[Page 33] A hundered and fifty silver Crowns
To him each month, if he would but renownce
The Christian God, and give to theirs respect:
He did, and was a bishop of their sect:
But God (whose mercy would not have him lost,
Who had so much endur'd, so oft been cross'd)
Admonished him by a vision plain,
T'ad joyn himself to the true Church again:
Which the good man, b'ing for the present blinded
With gain and honour (as he ought) not minded.
He the night after b'ing by Angels scourg'd,
Did put on sackcloth in the morn, and purg'd
His soul with tears: with doleful lamentation,
He runs in hast to th'Christian congregation:
Of all loves, and for Jesus Christ his sake,
Humbly entreating them, once more to take
Him into their society, and quire,
Accordingly they granted his desire.
Horse-torn Hippol'tus dy'd: the Martyred
By sixties in a pit were buried.

SECT. XI.
The seventh Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 250.

DEcius, that cruel Emperour, begun
The seventh bloody persecution:
Of which Niceph'rus thus; Can any tell
The sands? they may the Martyr'd saints as well.
Fabian, that kept a Bishoprick at Rome,
And the Kings treasures, suffred Martyrdom.
[Page 34] Babilas dy'd in prison; and a train
Of forty Virgins were in Antioch slain.
The Alexandrian Christians are bereft
Of all their goods; yea, they have nothing left:
Yet they rejoyce, and are therewith content,
Knowing their substance is more permanent.
When Apollinea's teeth had dash'd out bin,
A fire was made; they threat to throw her in:
She paus'd a while, (refusing to be turn'd)
And gave a leap into the fire and burn'd.
Julian, Epimachus, and Alexander,
The flame consum'd: many (poor souls) did wander
In the deserted deserts; others lives
Lay open, to the raging cut-throat's knives.
A certain Minister with pains opprest,
And fearing death, desir'd to be releas'd:
A young man,
Quid faci­am vobis? pati timetis, exire nolitis
then, too glorious to behold
For mortal eyes, appearing, did unfold
His angry lips: What would you have me do?
You dare not bear, and out you will not go.
Because chast Theodora a did refuse
To sacrifice, they sent her to the stews;
Where lust-enflam'd young men for entrance press'd:
But Didymus slip'd in before the rest,
Having the habit of a souldier on,
He chang'd for hers; and she in his is gon.
Didymus stayes behind: b'ing found a man,
Confessing th'whole state of the matter; so
He was condemn'd, and must to torment go:
Which Theodora a having understood;
To save the shedding of innocuous blood,
Comes to the Judge, and said, I bear the guilt;
And lo I'm here, condemn me if thon wilt:
[Page 35] As for that man, I pray let him go free,
Let not your fury light on him, but me.
She was not heard; both for their lives were try'd,
Condemned both, Beheaded both, both dy'd.
No torments that the Praetor could devise,
Could force Nicetas t'offer sacrifice:
He therefore him into a garden brought,
With all variety of pleasures fraught:
There laid him down upon a bed of Down,
(A silken net softly upon him strown,)
Among the Lillies, and the fragrant Roses,
Neer murm'ring streams inviting sweet reposes;
To the sweet whistling of the leaves mov'd by
A gentle gale, he left him: presently
In comes a Strumpet garishly, attir'd,
And in a wanton dialect, desir'd
The non-denial of her earnest sute,
To use her body lowly prostitute.
Nicetas, (fearing he should be by folly
Conqu'red, and led to do what was unholy,)
Bites off his tongue, and with a certain grace,
He spits it out into her whorish face;
So by this smarting wound he did prevent
Sins sting, and consequently punishment.
Nichomacus most sensible of pain,
I am no Christian, cry'd; so was not slain:
He had no sooner put his hand to evil,
But was possessed with an unclean devil,
And thrown with violence upon the ground,
Bit off his tongue, and died of the wound.
Many A postates were possess'd, and some
Suddenly struck, (were ever after) dumb.
Though some thus fell away, others stood fast,
Remaining glorious Martyrs to the last.
[Page 36] But Decius not long securely slept:
For conquer'd by the Goths, with's horse he leapt
Into a whirlpool, and therein was drown'd;
Nor was his body ever after found.
Yea, God throughout the Roman Empire spred
A ten-years plague, t'avenge the blood was shed.
Brotherly love the Christians shew'd t'each other,
By visiting, relieving one another:
But the Idolaters fled from, neglected,
Cast out, not succour'd, those that were infected:
Shift onely for themselves, go where they will,
This spreading punisment pursu'd them still.
Gallus succeeding ( Decius being dead)
This persecution continued:
The weight of his displeasure fell most heavy
Upon the shoulders of the Tribe of Levi.
He banish'd Cyprian, and more Divines,
Condemned others to the Metal-Mines:
T'whom Cyprian wrote letters cons'latory
Shewing, affliction is the Saints true glory;
Deep wounds and scars are to a Christian brest
As Ornaments to bring them in request
With God himself; to multiply their fame,
And not as markes of stigmatized shame.
And though the naked Mines afford no beds,
Can they want ease that lay in Christ their heads?
What if their aking bones lie o'th' cold floor?
Is't pain to lie with Christ? say they are poor,
Yet are they rich in faith: suppose their hands
Be manacled, put ease coacted bands
Hold their worn seet: Can he be said to be
Fetter'd with chains, whom the Lord Christ doth free?
He lies ty'd in the stocks, thereby whose feet
To run a heav'nly race become more fleet.
[Page 37] Nor can a Christian be bound so fast,
But his life's crown, adds wings unto his hast.
They have no clothes, cold weather to resist:
Can he be naked who hath put on Christ?
Do they want bread? Christ is the bread of life,
That commeth down from heaven, in him is rise:
Man by the word which doth from God proceed,
Is said to live, and not alone by bread.
What matter is't though you deformed seem?
You shall be honour'd, and of great esteem:
Your God will turn your miserable dayes
To peace; your mournings into songs of praise:
You sail through troublous Seas, to be possest
Of heaven, the haven of eternal rest,
And do not grieve, because you are forbid
To serve the Lord, (as formerly you did)
In your Parochial places, God's enclin'd
T'accept th' endeavours of a willing minde:
The dayly sacrifices you impart,
God loves; a broken and a contrite heart
His soul takes pleasure in: he doth regard,
His servants tears, and will at last reward
Fidelious brests, which do confess his name:
Promis'd he hath, and will perform the same.

SECT. XII.
The eighth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 259.

VAlerian next adds fuel to the fire,
And blows the flames of persecution higher;
By an Egyptian Sorcerer beguil'd,
He now is cruel, who before was milde.
The Christians are banished his Court,
Where lately he allow'd them to resort;
Nor was this all; young men, maids, husbands, wives,
All sorts, and ranks, must lose (dear hearts!) their lives.
Three hundred souls, then by the President
Of Carthage were into a lime-kiln sent.
Three Virgins first had Vinegar and gall
Forc'd down their throats; then scourg'd, then rack'd and all
Besmeared were with lime: then broil'd, then cast
To wild beasts, and beheaded at the last.
When Cyprian long had born afflictions yoke,
His neck submitted to the fatal stroke.
Sixtus a Bishop of the City Rome,
And his six Deacons, suffer'd Martyrdome.
Laurence the seventh, as along he went
With Sixtus going to his punishment,
Complain'd he might not (seeing he had rather
Suffer then live) die with his Rev'rend father.
Sixtus reply'd, before three dayes were out
He should come after: go and give about
I'th' interim thy treasures to the poor:
Th' observing Judge supposing he had store
[Page 39] Of wealth crock'd up, commanded him to bring
All that he had: For to effect which thing,
Laurence crav'd three dayes respit; in which stock
Of time, he gath'red a poor Christian flock
Into a ring; the fourth day doth afford
New light, and he must now make good his word.
Being enforc'd by a severer charge,
Couragious Laurence doth his arms enlarge
Over the needy throng, and said, These be
The precious Jewels of the Church: see, see,
Here treasure is indeed; here Christ doth dwell.
But Oh! what tongue sufficiently can tell
The raving fury which the Tyrant acted;
How he did stamp, did stare like one distracted?
His eyes did sparkle, his gnash'd teeth struck fire,
And's mouth all in a foam, thus wreak'd his ire:
Kindle the fire; Faggots on Faggots fling:
What, doth the villain thus delude the King?
Away, away with him; whip beat him sore;
Jesteth the Traitor with the Emperour?
Pinch him with red-hot tongs; let candent plates
Engird the Raskals loyns; heat, heat the grates;
And when y'have bound the Rebell hand and foot;
On with him, rost him, broil him: look you do't,
On pain of our displeasure; toss him, turn him;
I charge you, do not leave him till you burn him,
And that to cindars too: each man fulfill
His office quick, and execute my will.
Revenge findes nimble hands; the tort'ters lay
Him on a soft Down-bed; I will not say,
A fi'ry iron one: God made it so,
That it afforded Lanrence ease, not woe.
Valerians heart burns, Laurence flesh doth roft;
'Tis doubtful whether was tormented most.
[Page 40] Then Laurence thus:
Tyrant, this side's enough: turn up the rest;
Or rost or raw, try which thou likest best.

SECT. XIII.
The ninth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 278.

CLaudius, and after him Quintilian, ( reign)
(Both which but one and thrice three years did
Maintain'd the Churches Peace: while they endur'd,
The Saints were happy, and their lives secur'd.
Aurelian, nat'rally severe and cruel,
Succeeds; his rage fomented by the fuel
Of mis-informing sinister suggestions,
Prov'd Tyrannous; his Nephew's life he questions;
And questioning, abrepts: then he begun
To stir up the ninth persecution.
But thus it happ'ned: while he went about
To seal the Edict that was issuing out,
There did a Thunder-bolt so neer him fall,
That he was kill'd, 'twas the consent of all.
The Emp'rour strake with such astonishment,
Gave over his Tyrannical intent.
He after six years reign was murthered:
And the Church forty four years flourished
Under a various Emp'rour. O what peace
Doth crown the Christians brows! what large in­crease
Of honour doth betide them! they resort
Unto the Court, who lately were a sport
[Page 41] T'insulting foes: and they that were a prey,
Are prais'd and priz'd: who now more great then they?
While thus the Christians bath'd themselves in quiet,
Their natures drew them to excessive riot,
T'indulge to idleness, to scold, and brawl
For very trifles, or nothing at all;
With railing words bespatt'ring one another,
Moving sedition against each other:
Bishops with Bishops; and the vulgar train
Do with the vulgar altricate for gain:
Thus, thus their sins encreased ev'ry day,
Till Gods wrath came, where sin chalk'd out the way:
And now the Christians enemies abound,
Laying their Churches level with the ground;
Burn sacred Writs. I'th'open market-places;
Pursue their Priests, and load them with disgraces:
Slanders and contumelious opprobries,
Abhor'd their Doctrine, and their words despise.

SECT. XIV.
The tenth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi 308.

TVVo Tyrants, Dioclesian in the VVest
And Maximinian in the East, distress'd
The Saints of God: the foe-men overcome,
They instituted solemn games at Rome,
As glad memorials of their b'ing victorious:
Nay Dioclesian was so vain-glorious,
He needs would be a god, and be ador'd
By ev'ry bended-knee, as supream Lord:
[Page 42] Nor did he stick to say, that he was brother
Unto the Sun and Moon, as was no other.
His shoes adorn'd with gold and Precious stones,
The people kneeling on their marrow-bones
He bid to kiss his seet, (O height of pride!)
He persecution rais'd; at Easter tide
Places of Divine worship he or'eturn'd;
And in contempt the Sacred Scripture burn'd,
Some Elders of the Church were torn in sunder;
The rest variety of deaths went under.
Sylvanus Bishop, with him thirty nine,
Ended their sorrowes in a Mettle-Mine.
The Tyrian Christians (none this fury spares)
VVere cast to Lyons, Leopards, and Bears
Kept hungry for that purpose: male-content,
The beasts not touched them; their claws were bent
At other preyes; they vehemently rage
'Gainst those which brought the Christians on the stage,
And seiz'd on them; who though they thought they stood
Out of harms way, became the wild beasts food.
And afterwards, these holy Martyrs slain,
VVere soon committed to the foaming main.
The Syrian Pastors lay in prison chain'd;
Zenobius a Physician, Brick-bats brain'd.
Yea good Serena Dioclesians wife,
Was for religions sake depriv'd of life.
The Martyrs blood ran like a flowing tide,
Such an innumerable number dy'd.
Upon a Christmas-day Maximinus fir'd
A Church whereto the Christians retir'd,
To celebrate that joyful day, wherein
Jesus was born to save them from their sin.
He also did a Phrygian City burn,
And all th' inhabitants which would not turn.
[Page 43] Forty young Gentlemen of good repute,
Confess'd their faith, and boldly did refute
False wayes: their names up to the Marshal gave,
Who seeing them so gallantly behave
Themselves, admit'd, and stood in a quandary,
What course to take; his anxious thoughts did vary:
Resolved, he try'd what fair words would do;
Proff'ring them money, and preferment too:
They answer'd thus; We nothing do desire,
But Christ alone; the wheel, the cross, the fire,
Are easie pains. His eyes the Marshal casts
Upon a pond expos'd to northern blasts;
Bids them be stripp'd unto their naked skin;
'Twas winter weather, yet they must go in,
There stay all night. We put not off our cloaths,
Say they, but our old man, which God so loaths.
The pond receiv'd them, and the nipping frost
Stiffened their members; breath not fully lost
When day appear'd unto the wakened world,
They were took out, and burn'd; their ashes hurl'd
Into the gliding streams.—
In France, in Colen Italy, and Spain,
Were many millions of Christians slain,
As witnessed unto the truth: in Trevers
The brookes of blood discolour'd ample Rivers.
This persecution run along, and came
Into our Britain, where the Christians flame.
Besides the kindes of deaths, the torments were
So great, that they unutterable are;
As whippings, scourgings, rackings, hackings, mang­lings,
Hangings, bangings, prickings, kickings, stranglings,
Smoakings, choakings, rostings, scorchings, spoylings,
Cuttings, guttings, flayings, fryings, broylings:
[Page 44] Some manded to the mines, others were quarter'd;
In brief, there were seventeen thousand Martyr'd
In one months space; yet still the Christians joy'd,
And still encreas'd, the more they were destroy d.
Galerius invading Antiech,
Romanus runs, and tells the Christian flock,
That wolves, which would devour them up, were neer:
But therewithal, exhorts them not to fear
The greatest perils, but that young and old
Would be couragious, resolute and bold,
To hazard life and limb, for to maintain
God's cause and theirs. With that, an armed train
Pour'd in upon them; but the Christian throng
Arm'd with the staffe of faith, were too too strong
For them to grapple with then: speedy word
Was sent their Captain, that no power of sword
Could e're prevail; it was in vain to strive
Against the stream Romanus yet alive.
The ireful Captain, in a sume, commands
Romanus be deliver'd to his hands.
Romanus comes; thus did the Captain say,
And art thou then the Author of this fray?
Art thou the cause why thus so many fall?
By Iove I swear that answer for them all
Thou shalt; and that e're thee and I do part,
I'll make thee undergo the self-same smart
Thou do'st encourage others to abide.
Galerius ceas'd: Romanus thus reply'd;
Tyrant, I hug, and willingly embrace
Thy sentence; know, I count it no disgrace
To be for my dear breth'ren sacrific'd,
By worst of torments that can be devis'd.
Galerius raging at this answer stout,
Commands his men to truss him and draw out
[Page 45] His bowels. Th' executioners defer
Such horrid deeds, and say, Not so good Sir,
He is of noble Parents, and his breath
May not be stop'd by an ignoble death.
Scourge him then soundly, let your yerking lashes,
Weighty with leaden knobs, cut wounds, and gashes.
To whom Romanus used this expression;
Not my descent, but Christian-like profession
Nobilitateth me; be not therefore
More favourable, but inflict the more:
Your Idol worship I detest, despise,
And all your superstitious fooleries.
With that his sides, his naked sides, were lanc'd
This bones; yet still this blessed Saint advanc'd
The living God, and Christ, whom he hath sent:
Then were his teeth struck out, for this intent
He might not speak so audibly: his face
Was buffeted, his cheeks were slic'd; nor was
This all; nails tear his eyelids: from his chin
They pluck'd his beard, and with his beard the skin:
Yet this meek Martyr said, I give to thee
O Captain, thanks, for opening wide to me
So many mouths, whereby to shew the power
Of God, and Jesus Christ my Saviour:
Look Tyrant look, upon my various wound;
So many mouths have I, Gods praise to sound
The Captain wond'ring at his constancy,
Ceased to exercise more cruelty:
Yet menaced to burn him, and did say
Thy cru'fi'd Christ is but of yesterday,
The Gentiles gods of longer standing are.
Romanus takes occasion to declare
Th' eternity of Christ: of seven year old
Give me a childe (said he) what he'll unfold
[Page 46] Listen unto: From out the gazing throng
A pretty boy is pick'd: Romanus tongue
Bespeaks him thus; My Lamb, ought we not rather
To worship Christ, and in this Christ one Father,
Then a plurality of Deities?
Speak, 'tis a good boy, speak: the Child replies,
There needs must be but one God we conceive;
That there are more, we children can't believe.
Th'amazed Captain said, Young villain, where,
And of whom learn'dst thou this? my mother dear,
He answer'd, taught it me; this from her breast
I suck'd in with my milk, that I must rest
My faith in Christ alone, and in no other.
In comes rejoycingly the sent-for mother;
The child's hors'd up and scourg'd, the standers by,
With wat'ry eyes behold this cruelty;
While the glad mother, a tear-less Spectator
Chides her sweet babe, for asking for cold water:
After that cup she chargeth him to thirst
The babes drank of, which were in Bethlem nurs'd:
Upon my blessing, I saac record,
Proff'ring his neck unto his father's sword.
Then did the barbarous tormentor pull
The hair, the skin, and all, from the childs scull.
The mother cryes, This pain will soon be gon;
Suffer, my child, my sweet-sac'd child, anon
Thou'lt pass to him, who will adorn thy head
With an eternal crown, a crown indeed!
Thus doth the mother chear the child: the child
Takes heart to grass, and in his pains he smil'd.
The Tyrant seeing how the Child stood fast,
Himself subdu'd, commands him to be cast
Into a stinking Dungeon, whilst that pain
Unto Romanus was renew'd again.
[Page 47] Romanus is drag'd forth, to have a fresh
Supply of stripes, on his bemangled flesh.
Discovering the bare bones, a second smart
Augmenteth each already-wounded part.
Nor was this yet enough; cut, prick'd, and pounc'd
He suddenly must be; then was denounc'd
A final sentence 'gainst him, and the child;
Both must be burn'd, their torments were too milde;
The tort'rers did too favourably deal.
Romanus boldly said, I do appeal
From this ungodly sentence of thine own,
To Christ his righteous Tribunal Throne,
Who is an upright Judge; not that I fear
Thy merc'less handling; no, I more can bear
Then thou canst lay upon me; but that I
May shew thy judgments to be cruelty,
The childe's demanded of his mother; she,
Embracing it, deliver'd it to be
Bereav'd of life; and when the fatal stroke
Was given, Farewel, sweet child, Farewel, she spoke:
All praise O Lord, with heart and word,
Ʋnto thy name we render:
The Saints that dye, are in thine eye
Most precious, dear, and tender.
The childs head's off, the mother tender-hearted
Enwrap'd it in her lap, and so departed.
Romanus then into the fire is flung:
A storm extinguish'd it; and now his tongue
Must take a farewel of his head; his neck
Becomes the subject of a halters check.
One Gordius having liv'd a certain time
In deserts, counted it at last a crime
[Page 48] Not to endure; he therefore when a game
Was celebrated unto Mars, forth came,
And up in a conspicuous place b'ing got,
He said, I'm found of those that sought me not:
Then apprehended, he his faith confesses;
And in the midst of torment this expresses:
God's my adjutor, Ah! why should I than
Fear in the least the Tyranny of man?
Nothing shall me dismay, that can fall out;
Thou Lord art with me, fencing me about
With Bullwarks of thy love; thy favour still
Surrounds me: Ah! how can I then fear ill?
These torments are but light, which I endure;
Let heavier come. Tormentors, pray procure
Substantialler then these; these are too small:
Gibbits? and racks? as good have none at all.
VVhen foul means could not shake his faith in Christ,
He was by specious promises entic'd:
But Gordius said, I do expect in heaven
Greater preferments, then on earth are given.
Now for this good man going to be burn'd,
How many tender-hearted persons mourn'd!
To whom he thus; Let not your brimfill'd-eyes
Weep showres for me, but for God's enemies;
VVho make a fire for us, But in conclusion,
Purchase a greater to their own confusion:
O weep for them, or none; good people curb
Those gliding streams, and do not thus disturb
My calmed minde: for truely I could bear
A thousand deaths for Christ, and never fear.
Some pity'd him, while others, standing by,
Perswade him to deny Christ verbally,
And to himself reserve his conscience.
My tongue, said he, will under no pretence
[Page 49] Deny its donor: unto righteousness
Our hearts believe, but 'tis our tongues confess
Unto salvation; O let me excite
You all to suffer for a cause so right:
Good folks, fulfill a dying mans desire.
So said, he ceas'd, and leap'd into the fire.
One Menas, an Egyptian born and bred,
Leaving his temporal subsistence, led
A solitary life, in desert places;
Where he might wholly exercise his graces,
In fasting, prayer, meditation, fit
And dil' gent reading of the sacred Writ.
At last return'd to Cot is, when the croud
Were at their pastimes, he proclaim'd aloud
Himself to be a Christian: then surpriz'd,
His faith in God more boldly he agniz'd.
Torments ensu'd; no torments could revoke
His minde, but thus he confidently spoke:
In my minde, nothing comparable is
To the enjoyment of eternal bliss:
Nay, all the world, if put into one scale,
Is lighter then one soul: VVho can prevail,
To disunite us from the love of Christ?
Can tribulation? anguish? he's the high'st;
To him will I look up; he bids me fear not
Those that can kill me bodily, but are not
Able to hurt the soul: but fear him who
Hath pow'r to slay the soul and body too,
And fling them into hell. Having receiv'd
The final sentence, up to heaven he heav'd
His eyes, hands, heart, and said: O Lord my maker,
Thanks be to thee, in that I am partaker
Of Christ his precious blood: thou hast not let
My foes devour me, but hast beset
[Page 50] My heav'n-fix'd soul with such true constancy,
That in the faith I liv'd, for that I die.
The lift up axe, upon his neck falls down,
And so he lost his head, but found a Crown.
In Portugal a Noble Virgin nam'd
Eulalia, of twelve years old, enflam'd
With holy zeal, most earnestly desir'd
To suffer death, and heartily requir'd
The blest assistance of Gods willing arm,
And faith all her corruptions to charm:
Her godly Parents, fearing she should come
T'antimely death, did keep her close at home;
But she (not brooking long delay) by night
Stole out of doors, by that time it was light
She came into the City, and appearing
Before the Judge, spake boldly in his hearing:
What, no Shame in you? will you still be bent
To shoot your arrowes at the innocent?
Never have done (because no power controuls)
To break their bodies, and afflict their souls?
Are you desirous what I am to know?
I am a Christian, and an open foe
Unto your diabolick sacrifices:
As for your Idols, them my soul despises:
I do aknowledge, with my voice and hert,
Th'all-powerfull God: Hangman, in ev'ry part
Come cut and mangle me, dishead me, burn me;
What ever thou canst do, shall never turn me.
Alas! alas! my flesh is too too weak,
And may be conquer'd; thou maist eas'ly break
This brittle Casket: but my inward minde
A jewel is which thou shalt never finde.
Then thus the angry Judge; Here Hangman, take her,
Drag her out by the hair, to torments; make her
[Page 51] Be sensible of what our Gods can do,
And we: But yet before thou undergo
A miserable end, O sturdy girle,
I'de fain have thee recant; life is a pearl
Too precious to lose: call but to minde
Thy Noble Birth, and be not so unkinde
To thine own self as to neglect thy fortune;
Methinks the glist'ring Bride-bed should importune
Thee to preserve thy life: bar not thine ears,
But be entreated by thy Parents tears,
Not to contemn th' Aurora of thy time;
The flower of thy youth is in its prime,
And wilt thou slight it now? well, if thou wilt,
Know, that to make thee answer for thy guilt,
Engines are ready; if thoul't not be turn'd,
Thou shalt beheaded be, or rack'd, or burn'd:
What a small matter is't, not worth this strife,
To strew incense? yet that shall save thy life.
Eulalia not reply'd, but spurn'd abroad
The incense heaps, and did with spittle load
The tyrants face: the Hangmaa having retch'd her;
With wilde-beasts talons to the hard bones scratch'd
But she ceas'd not to praise the Lord, and prize (her.
Th' attainment of these sublime dignities.
VVith th' iron grate her mangled body's gor'd;
Her brests, with flaming torches are devour'd;
Her long hair set on fire: she opened wide
Her mouth, and sucked in the flame, and di'd.
The Judge told Agues, if she did refuse
To sacrifice, there was a common stews,
And in she should: the chast religious maid
Unto the flock'd-lascivious youngsters said,
Christ will not suffer this (I tell you true)
This spotless soul to be defil'd by you
[Page 52] By you base slaves to lust: then was she plac'd
Naked i'ch'street, and publickly disgrac'd:
Amongst the rest, one scoffing at her shame,
A flame like to a flash of lightning came
And struck out both his eyes; he falling down,
Did wallow in the dirt, while she did crown
Her soul in praising God: the Judge sends word
To th'executioner to sheath his sword
In her warm bowels; Agnes maketh hast
To meet with him; she cannot run so fast.
O this (said she) this, this is he whom I
Am taken with: I long, I long to die:
My brest stands fair; thrust souldier, if thou wilt,
Thy glitt'ring rapier up unto the hilt.
Dear Father open wide the gates of heaven
To entertain my soul: her life's bereaven.

SECT. XV.
The Persecution of the Christians in Perfia, un­der Sapores, about the same time.

ANd now the Persian Magicians bring
In accusations, to Sapores King,
Against the Christians, for their adhering
To Constantine the Great, (a crime past cleering.)
The King incens'd herewith, with taxes, fines,
Oppress'd them sore, and killed their Divines:
Simeon their Priest was into prison sent,
For slighting Idol-gods; and as he went,
Ʋsthazares (a Christian of late,
Since sall'n away) who at the Court-gate sate,
[Page 53] Espying him led by, obeysance did him:
But Simeon for Apostatizing chid him.
The conscious Eunuch suddenly let fall
A briny showre; his costly garments all
Laid by, he mourn'd, and with dejected face,
Deplored thus his lamentable case:
Ah me! with what a brazen brow shall I
Look upon God, see'ng Simeon doth deny
His kinde salute? He to the King must go,
Who gently ask'd him why he mourned so?
If in my Palace thou want'st any thing
Speak man, and by the honour of a King
It shall be thine: that tolerable were;
But Ah! who can a wounded spirit bear?
'Tis this (said he) that acerbates my woe;
I live, who should have dyed long agoe;
This Sun I see, to which I seem'd to bow
Thereby denying Christ, to pleasure you;
I'll take a solemn vow, for to adore
The great Creator, not the Creature more.
The King adjudged him to lose his head;
And at his death at his request 'twas spread,
Here's one that suffers not for any treason,
But for religion, and no other reason.
The Christians which disheartened had bin
By his Apostacy he sought to win
By his profession and example too,
To take new courage, and to undergo
The like if need requir'd. Good Simeon
Rejoyc'd, and prais'd the Lord for what was don.
When the next Sun had rais'd them from their beds,
He and a hundred more all lost their heads.
The King decreed, no mercy should be us'd
To them which to adore the Sun refus'd.
[Page 54] The sword rang'd over all the Persian bounds;
Devour'd whole Cities, and unpeopled towns.
In brief, in all, during Sapore's reign
Were more then sixteen thousand Christians slain,

SECT. XVI.
The Churches Persecution under Julian the Apostata, Anno Christi 365.

NO sooner was Constantius deceas'd,
Julian his nephew, of the West and East
Is made sole Emperour: he from his youth
Was well instructed in religion's truth:
His good behaviour and ingenious parts,
Made him a Load-stone to attract all hearts.
In brief, he had (what's difficult to finde)
The rare endowments of a vertuous minde.
But he Apostatiz'd: Satan his tutor,
Learn'd him to be the Churches persecutor:
He op'd the Idol- Fanes, lock'd up before;
And when the Christian faith grew more and more
By torments, he was pityful and mild,
And by his gifts and flatteries beguil'd
The weaker sort, who avarous of gaia,
VVere drawn aside: he also did ordain,
That none professing Christianitie,
Master of any Art should dare to be,
Or any Officer: he did suborn
Jesters, to load them with contempt and scorn:
[Page 55] Himself put none to death; yet did the crew
Of Heathenish Idolaters imbrew
Their hands in Christian gore, brain'd them with stones,
And tore the flesh from off their naked bones;
Drench'd some in scalding water; some were stipp'd
Stark naked; others had their bellies rip'd
And stuff'd with barly, for the greedy swine
To champ upon; while some with famine pine,
Some smear'd with honey up against the Sun,
In baskets hung, for VVasps to feed upon.
The children neither spar'd father nor mother,
Nor parents chil'ren; no nor brother brother.
The flesh-deprived bones of some were mix'd
VVith asses bones: here hangs on crucifix'd,
And there's one drag'd about the streets; a third
Is taken captive like a twiglim'd bird.
VVhen Julian sacrific'd to Fortune, one
Maris, Bishop of blind-ey'd Chaleedon,
Sharply rebuk'd him, call'd him impious man,
Apostate, Atheist: to whom Julian
Retorts, Blind fool, thy God of Galiles
VVill not restore thy fight, and make thee see.
Maris reply'd, I am not so unkinde,
As not to thank my God which made me bliade,
Lest that mine eyes, (turn'd from a better fight,)
Upon thy so ungracious face should light.
Cyrillus, Deacon in Hier apolis,
Demolished the Gentiles Images;
He's took, his belly's rip'd, his liver drawn
Out of his body, with their teeth is gnawn.
A little tract of time b'ing wheel'd about,
Their tongues were rocted, and their teeth fell out
Of their loose sockecs; their blind eyes no more
Beheld the objects they beheld before.
[Page 56] While of Apollo's Delphick Oracle
Julian enquir'd, a flash of lightning fell
From the collided clouds, which overturn'd
The Temple, and Apollo's Image burn'd.
The fines were more then they were sessed at:
He scoff'd them thus; You ought to undergo
All wrongs: does not your God command you so?
Ath'nafius said, This persecution
Is but a little cloud,
Beati Pau­peres.
'twill soon be gon,

SECT. XVII.
The Churches Persecution under the Arrian Hereticks, which began An. Christi 339.

GReat Constantine, a while before he dy'd,
Amongst his sons did equally divide
His Empire; to the rule he did assigne
Constantius, Constans, and Constantine:
Constantius, that governed the East,
Was soon seduced by an Arrian priest;
Who him inform'd, that Athanasius
Return from exile was pernicious
Unto the publick good: incensed then,
The Emp'rour sent five thousand armed men
To cut him short: the Church was round beset,
Yet he from them mirac'loufly did get;
Though many Arrians cast their eyes about
For this intent,t'indigitate him out;
Not much unlike a sheep ordain'd for slaughter:
Nor could this good man live in quiet after,
[Page 57] In banishment till he was forc'd to hide
In a deep pit, where he no light espide
For twice three years; and at last by a maid
That us'd to bring him food, he was betraid:
But God's directing spirit did befriend him;
He scap'd, before they came to apprehend him.
Thirty Egyptian Bishops slain; twice seven
Were banished; some in their way took heaven.
In Alexandria (the Arrians urg'd)
Twice twenty Orthodox Divines were scourg'd.
The Emperour, at his approaching death,
Griev'd for his changing of the Nicene faith.
Valens held on these damnable designs
'Gainst Christians; fourscore eminent Divines
He ship'd, and fir'd; so they resign'd their breath,
By patient suffering of a double death.
Many he caused to be crush'd to shivers;
Some to be drown'd i'ch' Sea, others in rivers;
Some in the desarts wandred up and down,
Cloathed in sheeps-skins, pityed by none:
While other-some, (so put unto their shifts,)
Lurked in dens and hollow rocky clifts.
At last this Tyrant from the Goths did fly,
Who fir'd a village o're his head, whereby
He miserably dy'd: unto his name
Leaving behind a monument of shame.

SECT. XVIII.
The Persecution by the Donatists, Anno Christi 410.

THe Donatists, and Circumcellions,
In Sun-burnt Affrick, rais'd rebellions:
The Orthodox, innumerable wrongs
Lay under; Bishops lost their hands and tongues:
And others, that remain'd sincere and sound,
This barbrous outrage either hang'd or drown'd;
Their goods are plunder'd, and their houses turn'd
To heaps of eindars, and their Fanes are burn'd.
The sacred Scriptures are by flames devour'd;
Wives are defil'd, and Virgins are deflour'd.
Where ever these profane Schisma ticks came,
They holy things profan'd; nor was't a shame
Counted amongst them, but a grace, to feed
Their mungrell currs with Sacramental bread.
But God's just judgements did not long forbear:
The Dogs run mad, and their own Masters tear.
These furious persons, cast into the stocks
The godly Christians, and the Orthodox:
All Affrick o're, they empty out their gall,
Destroying many, and affrighting all.

SECT. XIX
The Persecution of the Church in Affrick, by the Arrian Vandales, Anno Christi 427.

THe Vandales, under Genserick's command
Remov'd their Quarters from th' Iberian land,
And march'd to Affrick: as along they went,
Cut down the shrubs, which yeilded aliment
To the dispersed Saints; what e're they found
Unruin'd, they laid level with the ground.
The Min'sters sinking underneath their loads,
Are pricked forward with sharp-pointed goads.
Some had (until they crack'd again) their legs
Wrested with bow-strings: grease and oily dregs,
Salt-water, stinking mire, and Vinegar,
Into the mouths of others forced are.
The Reverend gray hairs, from them obtain'd
No mercy: as for infants, they were brain'd,
Or torn in pieces from the fundament.
The Carthaginian Senators were sent
To wander in exile; without respect
To sex, or age, the Roman City's sack'd.
Upon A sceation-day, a Christian train
Meeting at Church, were by these her'ticks slain.
There was a Noble man, nam'd Saturus,
The Tyrant seeing him, bespake him thus:
Y' had best to execute my just commands,
Or you shall forfeit else, your house and lands;
Your wife shall marry one that drives the plow;
Your children shall be sold: nor did this bow
[Page 60] The good mans faith; his wife hearing her doom
Was to be marry'd to a scurvy groom,
Runs to her husband doth her fine clothes tear,
And rends from off her head her curious hair;
Her brood of children hanging at her heels,
A suckling in her arms, then down she kneels,
And said (my deatest) Oh some pity take
On thy poor wife: O for the Lord Chrift's sake
Let not thy bantlings under slav'ry tire,
Nor me be linked to a filthy Squire.
Be rul'd, sweet heart, if by constraint th'art brought
To act amiss, thine will not be the fault.
He thus; Thou speakest like a foolish wife,
Acting the Devils part; thy husbands life
If thou didst dearly tender, as thou shouldst,
Entice him so to fin, thou never wouldst;
Which will procure a second death to me,
Worse then the first; I am resolv'd to be
Obedient therefore to my Gods commands,
And quite forsake wife, children, house, and lands,
To b'his Disciple. Scarce these words were out,
He was despoil'd of all, and sent about
The Country begging. Genserick being dead:
Hunrick succeeded in his fathers stead.
Well night five thousand that did Christ profess,
He banished into the wilderness:
He made his Courtiers dig the earth for corn,
And brought the women into publick scorn.
Mothers their little children followed,
Right glad that Martyrs they had born and bred.
One leading by the hand her little Son,
Hasting t'oretake them, said, Run Sirrah, run;
Seest how the Saints do trudge along? how fast
They make unto their crown? hast, sirrah, haft.
[Page 61] She's thus rebuk'd: How now? why do you go
So speedy? woman, whither haste you so?
She thus reply'd; Good folks pray pray for me,
I go to exile with this child you see,
For fear the enemies corrupt his youth,
And so mislead him from the wayes of truth.
As the Saints went along to banishment,
Multitudes follow'd, and with one consent
Flinging their children down, did this express;
And must we then be wedded to distress?
While you haste to your crown, what will become
Of us (poor wretches as we are) at home?
VVhat Ministers have we (you gon) to feed
Our hungry souls with sacramental bread?
VVho shall baptize our infants? tell us who
Instruct us? w'have a greater minde to go
Then stay behinde: but Ah! our feeble strength
VVill not hold out so great a journeys length.
Now they that went, and could not mend their paces,
Were dragged by the Moors, through rugged places;
Their flesh all rent and torn; they that were stronger
Came to the wilderness, to kill their hunger,
And barely are allow'd; the Scorpions crawll
About them, but do them not hurt at all
VVith their lethif'rous sting: thus God did please
After affliction to send them ease.
Hunrick sends Mandates throughout Affrica,
That all the Bishops should by such a day
At Carthage meet, on purpose by dispute
To prop their faith; and if they could confute
The Arrian Bishops: now the time drew near,
And they according to command appear.
Dispute began; The Orthodox thought best
To cull out some, to answer for the rest.
[Page 62] The Arrians plac'd themselves on sublime thrones;
These stood o'th' ground, and said, Inequall ones
Are too unfit to hold an argument,
No, no, it is by general consent,
That Disputants the controversie rear
On equal termes, until the truth be clear.
An hundred strokes, on ev'ry one were laid
For this bold speech; whereat Eugeuius said,
The Lord in mercy look upon our woes,
And mark our sufferings under raging foes.
The Arrian Bishops moved to propound
What they intended, at the first, gave ground,
Declining the dispute: the Orth'dox then
A Declaration of their faith, did pen,
And did it with this protestation show:
What our belief is, if you long to know,
Here 'tis: the Arrians stormed at this thing,
Gave them foul words, accus'd them to the King;
He all of them out of the City turn'd;
Who them reliev'd, must by his Law be burn'd.
The Bishops which i'th' open fields did ly,
Bespake the Tyrant as he passed by:
What evil have we done? we fain would know
The reason why we are afflicted so;
If we be called to dispute, we crave
Why are we thus despoil'd of all we have?
Why must we live on dunghils, in distress,
Afflicted, housless, cold, and comfortless?
He bids, and over them his horsmen ride;
Many are bruised sore, then they deny'd,
B'ing urg'd, unto an oath to put their hands;
And said, Our God contrarily commands:
Nor are we mad-men, or such fools, as that
We should subscribe, before we know to what.
[Page 63] This was the tenour of the oath then read:
You all shall swear, that when the King is dead
Hildrick shall reign, and that no man shall send
Letters beyond the seas. The King your friend,
Upon your taking it, will you restore
Unto the Churches you were at before.
They that did not, and also they that did
Were all enslaved, and to preach forbid.
What doleful outeries! what heart-rending grones
Were throughout Affrick caus'd by bloody ones!
With cudgels, either sex and age was bang'd:
Here, some they burned; there they others hang'd.
Women, and naked gentlewomen were
Openly tortur'd, all their bodies bare.
Fair Dionysia bolder the rest,
Thus the conceptions of her mind exprest:
Afflict your fill, God's favour I have got;
Onely my woman-hood disclose you not.
These words scarce out, they more enraged strip'd her,
Expos'd her to all eyes, and soundly whip'd her,
Untill the blood flow'd down: that which you broach,
Satanick slaves (said she) for my reproach,
Is my best garland. Then she wisely chear'd
Her young and onely son, who persever'd
Patient in all his pains, till he disburst
His spirit unto him that gave it first.
Hunrick b'ing dead, succeeding Gundabund
Twice six years tyranniz'd: mild Thrasamund
And Ild'rick ruled well. But in conclusion,
Bell'zarius brought the Vandals to confusion,
After they ninety years had been a rod
To scourge the Saints and Israel of God.

THE Persecution of the Church Under the PAPACY.

SECT. XX.
The Persecution of the Waldenses, which began Anno Christi 1160.

WHen the black cloak of Popery was hurl'd
Upon the shoulders of the christian world,
The saints still labour'd to dispel away
Those shades Cimmerian, and reveal the day
With truth's bright lustre; and withall devest
The Roman glory. One among the rest,
A learn'd and godly man at Lions, whose name
Was Peter Valdo, much oppos'd the same;
Declaring plainly Transubstantiation
To be no better then an Innovation:
He mov'd the cred'lous people to embrace
The precious offers of the means of grace.
They which unto his Doctrine gave respect,
From him were called the Waldensian Sect:
[Page 65] Which like a Snow-ball rowling down a hill,
Decreased nothing, but increased still.
Though ev'ry day and hour the Martyrs bleed,
Yet is the Martyrs blood the Churches seed.
This her'sy in a thousand Citys swarms,
Maintaining seventy thousand men of arms:
Nor could the popish Canons, Constitutions,
Curses, Decrees, alter their resolutions:
To suffer wrong, in body, goods, or name,
For Christ his sake, was counted not a shame.
Valdo yet still proceeds (nor can he hope
Long life) to publish to the world, the Pope
Is Antichrist; the Mass abominable;
The Host an Idol; Purgator' a fable.
Pope Innocent the third,
Anno 1198
did authorize
Monkish Inquisitors for to surprize
These Her'ticks (as he call'd them) by process,
That so the sec'lar power might them suppress,
Is any rich, the inquis'cors had a trick
To make him poor, Oh he's an Heretick,
Let him have such a death; no power controul'd
Or curb'd them in; but what they would, they would.
If any, water, or a pad of straw,
Gave to the Saints, he was condemn'd by law.
If any advocate, assaid to plead
His kinsmans cause an Action indeed!
And if an Heir, his father that way leans,
And that's enough to rob him of his means.
Nay, for to keep the people in more aw,
They prisoners do in their processions draw
Triumphantly; injoyning them to vex
And scourge themselves; with ropes about their necks,
A torch in either hand, others along
Must pass, to terrify the gazing throng.
[Page 66] Besides all these, they have a thousand Querks;
They send cut some to fight against the Turks
And Infidels; (no need to seek for heires)
Their houses, goods, and chattels, all are theirs.
At their return, if any ask'd their wives
VVho lay with them? They 'ndangered their lives.
The foes confess'd, they had not wherewithall
To build up prisons for th' accused all:
And yet for all this persecution, there
Above eight hundred thousand Christians were.
Anno 1260.
The faith encreas'd, and with a prosp'rous gale
Clim'd o're the Alps came to Pragela's vale;
From thence the people bordered upon
St. Martin, Piedmont, La Perouse Angrogne.
Wander there did innumerable flocks
Upon the craggy cliffs, and algid rocks.
Above three thousand being hid in caves,
VVere stifled by these marble-hearted slaves.
The poor Waldenses by their pray'rs and tears
Oft mov'd the Lord to free them from their fears.
Two horsemen flying, cry'd, They come, they come;
Another while, the beating of a drum
Caused their foes retreat: which stones, and slings,
They thousands kill'd at several skirmishings.
Thus God for his despised Saints did fight.
A handful putting num'rous foes to flight.
But when the godless party overcame,
They did commit their captives to the flame,
Or hang'd them up, or cut them out in quarters;
All which discourag'd not the glorious Martyrs.
Through the industrious Waldenses toil,
Abundant store of Corn, and VVine, and Oil,
Enrich'd Calabria; And God did bless
Their pains in Provence, with the like success.
[Page 67] At last when freely they the Gospels worth
Began to publish, Pope Pins the fourth
Disturbing them, they left behinde their goods,
VVith wives and children flying into th' woods;
But were pursu'd; some slain and others wounded,
Some famine-pined souls in caves were found dead,
And they that were of St. Xist and la Garde,
VVere rack'd, strip'd whip'd nor old nor young was
Panza slays eighty, and stakes up their joynts (spar'd
For thirty miles together; he appoints
A quarter to each stake, Merindol Town
VVas razed by Opede, and batter'd down,
The Cabrierians brought into a field,
VVere hack'd to pieces cause they would not yield,
And in a barn replenished with straw
VVomen were fir'd. Opede himself did draw
Young Infants from their mothers [...]ip'd-up bellies;
His men kill'd them of Aix and Marseilles;
Some two and two, together bound, they slew
And boots of scalding oil (O cruell) drew
On others legs, But heav'n at last decreed
A woful end, to that accurs'd Opede.
The Waldenses, which into Albs came,
Of Albigenses thence receiv'd the name,
Pope Al'xander the third, his wrath did smoke
When they shook off his Antichristian yoke;
He them condemn'd as Het'ticks, yet they spred,
And many potent Towns inhabited:
Nay many Lords, and Earls, did with them side,
Against the Pope, and constantly deny'd
The Romish faith, and resolutely spake
Their willingness to suffer for Christs sake.
Beziers was stormed by the Pilgrim train,
And in it sixty thousand persons slain.
[Page 68] The Legat saies, Souldiers kill old and young,
For why? God knoweth those to him belong.
The Catholicks besieg'd and batter'd down
On the inhab'tants heads Carcasson Town.
When Baron Castle was surpriz'd, th' enclos'd
Of th' Albigenses were disey'd, disnos'd,
Then sent to Cab'ret with an one-ey'd guide.
Yet still like gold that's in a furnace tri'd,
The Saints, appear'd; their sparkling zeal like fire
Blown by afflictions bellows, blaz'd the higher.
Now Luther rose, the Antichristian terror,
And those that were seduc'd, reduc'd from error.

SECT. XXI.
The Persecution of the Church of God in Bo­hemia, which began Anno Christi 894.

BOrivojus, Duke of Bohemia,
Entring the confines of Moravia,
By a strange providence was Christianiz'd,
And with him thirty Pal'tines were baptiz'd.
At his return, he raised from the ground
Churches, and Schools; and all the Country round
Flock'd thither: many of the Noble race,
As well as Commons, did the Truth embrace.
Malicious Satan env'ing the progress
The Gospel made, gainst those that it profess
Rais'd persecution up: Borivojus
Is sent into exile. Sanguineous
Drahomira' the Christian temples locks,
Forbidding Ministers to tend their flocks;
[Page 69] And in the silent night, three hundred lives
Pay'd tribute to the bloody cut-throats knives.
But Gods just Judgement, Drahomira follow'd,
The opening earth, her and her Cart up swallow'd.
The Popish party having got the day,
Did all the obvious Bohemians slay.
At Cuttenburge four Thousand souls were thrown
Into the Metal-Mines; O hearts of stone!
The Priests cry out, Blow out, good people, blow
These sparks, before into a flame they grow:
Water is us'd; the more they did endeavour
To drown the Saints, they flamed more then ever:
Many are scourg'd, some sent into exile.
Two German Merchants brought unto the pile,
Exceedingly encourag'd one another:
One sayes, Since Christ hath suffered (dear brother)
For wretched us, let's do the same likewise
For him; and such a high-bred savour prize,
That we are counted worthy so to die
For his sweet sake: the other did reply,
The joy that in my Marriage-day I found,
Was small to this; O this doth more abound!
Both cry'd aloud, (the Faggots set on fire)
Blest Christ, thou in thy torments didst desire
Thine en'mies peace; the like we also crave:
Forgive the King; let not the Clergy have:
Thy scalding vengeance; O forbear to plague
The poor misled inhabitants of Prague:
O be thou pleas'd to let them Scot-free go:
For Ah! poor souls, they know not what they do;
Their hands are full of blood: they pray'd and wept;
And wept and pray'd, till in the Lord they slept.
On Noble-men intolerable Fines
Were laid; two hundred eminent Divines
[Page 70] Are exil'd; some are burned; others brain'd;
Some shot to death; with blood the earth's destain'd.
The Martyrs one by one, that were in hold,
Are called forth; who resolutely bold
Hast to their sufferings, with as great content,
As if they had unto a banquet went.
When one was called for, he thus exprest
Himself, in taking leave of all the rest:
Farewel, dear friends, Farewel; the Lord support
Your spirits, that you may maintain the fort
Against the common foe; and make you stout,
And resolute to keep all batt'ry out;
That what you lately with your mouths profest,
You may by your so glorious death attest.
Behold, I lead the way, that I may see
My Saviours glory; you will follow me
To the fruition of my fathers sight.
O how my soul is ravish'd with delight!
This very hour all sorrow bids, adieu
To my glad heart: O now my joyes renew:
Transcendent joyes! heaven and eternity
Is mine, is mine. Then did the rest reply,
God go along with you: O heaven we pray
Assist thy servant, in his thorn-pav'd way.
O may the willing Angells come to meet
Thy obvious body, and direct thy feet
Into thine, and our Fathers Mansion:
Go, go, dear brother go; and we anon
Shall follow after, and be all receiv'd
To bliss through Christ in whom we have believ'd.
Farewel, farewel; let equal joyes betide
To us that follow, and to you our guide.
First the Lord Schlick, a man as wise as grave,
Condemned to be quarter'd, did behave
[Page 71] Himself most gallantly, and said, My doom
Me pleaseth well, what care I for a Tombe?
A Sepulchre is but an easie loss;
Fear death? not I: welcom my crown, my cross:
Let, let these limbs be scatter'd here and there;
I have Gods favour, and I do not fear
The worst that foes can do: see how the Sun
Displaies his shining beams. Jesuites be gon,
And build not Castles in the empty air,
For I dare die for Christ; I that I dare.
Be pleas'd, blest Jesus, thorough deaths dark night,
To Manu-duct me to eternal light;
Eternal light! O what a happy sound
That word reports! my soul, at a rebound
Catch heaven, catch heaven: no sooner had he spoke,
But he submitted to the fatal stroke:
His right hand, and his head (lop'd off his shoulders)
Are hung on high, to terrify beholders.
The Lord Wenceslaus, seventy years old,
B'ing next, was asked, why he was so bold
In Fred'ricks cause: he said, My conscience run
Along with me; and what is done, is done.
My God, lo here I am, dispose of me,
Thine aged servant, as best pleaseth thee:
O send that grim-look'd messenger, that staies
For none, to end these miserable dayes;
May I not see the ruines that do wait
Upon our sinking, our declining State.
Behold this Book; my Paradise was never
So cordial as now: Judges, persever
In sucking Christian blood; but know, Gods ire
Shall smoak you for't. Up starts a cowled Fryer,
And said, Your Judgement errs. With this reply,
He answer'd him, I on the truth rely,
[Page 72] And not on bare opinion; Christ's the Way,
The Truth, the Life; in him I cannot stray.
Then stroaking his prolixed beard, he said,
My gray hairs honour serves you: having pray'd,
And giv'n his soul to Christ his Saviour,
His cut-off head was fixed on the Tower.
Lord Harant next was call'd, who bravely said,
I've travell'd far, and many journeys made
Through barb'rous countries and escaped dangers
By sea and land▪ yet was my life by strangers
Surrepted not; b'ing safe returned home,
My friends and Country-men my foes become:
For whom I, and my Grandsires have let fall
And wasted our estates, our lives and all.
Forgive them father; I O Lord have grounded
My faith in thee; let me not be confounded.
Then on the Scaffold thus: O Lord, I give
My spir't into thine hands; in hope to live
By Christ his death, according to thy word:
And so he yielded to the murth'rous sword.
Sir Caspar Kaplitz, eighty six years old,
Said to the Minister, Behold behold
Me a decrepit wretch, whose frequent pray'rs
Have beg'd deliverance from this vale of tears;
But all in vaine: for to be gaz'd upon
By the worlds eyes I'm kept; God's will be done,
Not mine; my death to mortal eyes may seem
Disgraceful, but 'tis rich in Gods esteem.
Oh Lord my God my trembling feet support,
For fear my sudden fall occasion sport
To my observing foes. The Minister
(Perceiving that the excutioner
Could not perform his office as he meant,
His crookedness b'ing an impediment)
[Page 73] Bespake him thus; My Noble Lord, as you
Commended have your soul to Christ, so now
Advance your hoary head to God: he try'd
What he could do: his head struck off, he dy'd.
Then the Lord Oito, a judicious man,
Having receiv'd the sentence, thus began:
And do you then, O Caesar still think good
For to stabilitate your throne with blood?
Can God be pleas'd with this? say Tyrant say:
How will you answer't at that dreadful day?
Kill this my body; do, let my blood fill
Your veins; disperse my members where you will;
Yet this is my belief, My loving father
Will be so pleas'd as them together gather,
And cloath them with their skin; these very eyes
Shall see my Lord, where e're my body lies:
These ears shall hear him; and this very tongue
Ring peals of joy; his praises shall be sung
By this same heart of mine. I must confess,
I was perplex'd at first; but now; I bless
My God, I finde a change: I was not troubled
So much, but now my joyes are more redoubled;
I fear not death; now death hath lost her sting:
To die with joy O 'tis a pious thing!
Am nor I sure, Christ and his Angels will
Guide me to heaven, where I shall drink my fill
Of those Celestial cups, those cups of pleasure,
And measure drinking, though not drink by measure?
Shall then this death have power to divide
My soul from him? the heavens open wide:
See where my finger points. The standers by
Beheld eye-dazeling cortuscancy.
After a silent prayer made, he spake,
Lord save thy servant; Oh some pity take:
[Page 74] I am thy creature; O let me inherit
Christ-purchas'd glory: Lord receive my spirit.
Next, Dionysius Zervius (that storm'd
Against the saints; but) when he was inform'd
Of Gospel-truths, how Christ procured rest
For those believ'd, he forthwith smote his brest,
And fetch'd a sigh, while tears ran down; did cry,
This is my faith, and in this faith I'll die:
Through Christ alone, I can acceptance finde,
Yet God will not despise my contrite minde;
Upon these knees, these bended knees, I call
For mercy; mercy, Lord: although I fall,
Help me to rise in thee: My foes controul
May hurt my body, but not hurt my soul.
An aged man b'ing brought, both these commended
Their souls unto the Lord; so their lives ended.
Next was the Lord of Rugenice arraign'd;
Who said, I have a greater priv'ledge gain'd,
Then if the King had spar'd me, and augmented
My restor'd substance; and am more contented.
God is our witness, that we onely sought
Religions Liberty; for that we fought:
Who, though w'are worsted, and must end our days,
The Lord is righteous in all his ways.
His Truth we must defend, (as he sees good)
Not by our naked Swords, but by our Blood.
What is the cause, my God? O tell me why,
So soon as others do, I may not die?
For ah! thou knowst, thou knowst that I resign
My self unto thee, and am wholly thine.
Put not thy servant off with long delay,
But take me hence: sweet Jesu come away.
The Sheriff came for him; he rejoycing said,
Blessed be God: then towards him he made.
[Page 75] Upon the Scaffold, he himself did chear
With that of Christ, Father, I will that where
I am, thy servants may there also be,
That they may my heaven-given glory see:
I haste to lose this life, so transitory,
That I may be with Christ and see his glory.
Climbe up my soul, climbe up to be embrac'd
In Christ his arms: and so he breath'd his last.
Valentine Cockan spake to this effect,
Upon the Scaffold: Gracious Lord, direct
My feeble steps; O let deaths valley be
A Pasport to the clearer view of thee;
For why? thy word hath bin my hidden treasure;
O what satiety of joy and pleasure
Take residence with thee! there's nothing can
Afford my soul more satisfaction than
Thy self's fruition: Lord, my spirit flies
Into thy Courts: so having said, he dies.
Next, Toby Steffick's brought, a man whose heart
Walk'd upright with his God; though like a cart
Press'd with afflictions sheaves, to heaven he heav'd
His wasted eyes, and said, I have receiv'd
From the beginning of my life till now,
Good things of God, and shall not I then bow
My will to his, but his chastisements shun?
I will not; no, God's holy will be done.
Can I, poor dust and ashes, have the face
To plead with God? I chearfully embrace
Thy pleasure, Lord; I come to bear the cross;
O be thou pleas'd to purge away my dross:
Calcine my soul; obliterate my sins;
And make me pure against that day begins.
He pray'd; and having drunke the lethal cup,
His spirit into heaven ascended up.
[Page 76] Doctor Jessenius after him was Martyr'd,
His tongue cut out, head off, his body quarter'd
(Citing the saying of Ignatius)
Chears his co-sufferers, We are Gods corn,
Sown in the Churches field, and must be torn
By beasts, to fit us for our Masters use:
But here's our comfort, one a bloody sluce
The Church is founded, and hath been augmented
By blood, nor shall the opened vein be stented.
The blow must now be fetch'd; his soul he gave
To heav'n, his body to the gaping grave.
Then being call'd to execution;
I come, said he; a pious resolution
Takes up my heart; I'm not asham'd, nor sory
To suffer these (nay worse things) for his glory;
I have, I have, by my heav'n-borrow'd force
Fought faith's good fight, and finished my course.
Then praying, Father, in thy hands I leave
My spir't; he did a Martyrs crown receive.
John Shunlt is, while he on the Scaffold stood,
Said thus, Leave off this melancholy mood,
Dejected soul: O be not so cast down:
Hope thou in God; though for a time he frown,
Yet will he smile again, and thou shalt yet
Praise him, though Nature do receive her debt.
The righteous are among the dead enrold
By fools, whenas they rest: Behold! behold!
I come sweet Jesus: O some pity take
Unon thy creature, for thy promise sake.
Cast me not off, my misery condole;
My sins O pardon, and receive my soul:
Make no long tarriance; come, Lord Jesus, come:
And so he underwent his Martyrdome.
[Page 77] Next Maximilian Hoslialeck,
(Whom Learning, Worth, and Piety did deck:)
After the sentence past, one asked him
The reason why he look'd so dull, so grim,
And sadder then the rest: To rell the truth,
The sins (said he) I acted in my youth
Come now afresh into my minde: for though
I know that no remainder can o'rethrow
Them which with Jesus Christ have made a close;
Yet know I, that the Lord his Justice flowes
As well as mercy, on those are his own.
Summon'd to death, he said, Lord, from thy throne
Look on me, O illuminate mine eyes,
Left death o'recome me, and mine enemies
Insulting say, We have prevail'd. O Lord,
(Be pleased to make good thy promis'd word)
Let me whose eyes have thy salvation seen
Depart in Peace: an Ax did pass between
His head and neck. Then four more Christian brothers
They hanged one by one, and begger'd others.
Nor might they have the ben'fit of the Laws:
When some did plead the Justness of their cause,
The Judges scoff'd them, thus; Although you ha'nt
Sins that are actual, yet you do not want
Th'orig'nal sin of Heresie, and store;
You can't exempted be from death therefore.
The Saints deprived of their livelyhoods
In towns and villages, retir'd to th'woods.
The Parent his encloystred child bemoans,
But cannot help it. Oh! the griefs and groanes
Of marriagable maids! what sad farewels
Take parting friends, when into Monkish cells
Fore'd are their neer'st relations! Great mens sons,
Fryets must tutour. and their daughters Nuns.
[Page 78] Wives from their husbands, husbands from their wives
Part with wet eyes: some thousands lost their lives;
Others were stripp'd in frosty snowy weather;
While some imprison'd lay, and starv'd together,
The Mass-priests are the men that must be heard,
And rude men, if Apostates, were prefer'd.
Bol'slavia the principallest seat
The brethren had (two hundred years compleat)
Was seized on; her Ministers turn'd out,
And crafty Friers to pervert the rout
Plac'd in their rooms: but when this would not do,
They must into a stinking dungeon go.
The Cities Bidsove, Tusta, Zaticum,
Litom'ric, Rokizan, Radecium,
Don Murtin, all were brought to desolation,
Under a fair pretence of reformation.
Some Citizens were into exile sent;
Some into voluntary exile went.
The maj'r and sixteen hundred persons more,
At Pracbatice, lay weltring in their gore.
They threw Religion down, where ere they come,
And set up superstition in the room.
As for the Bible, Christians were forc'd from it,
Wiblia (the Bohemian word) is vomit;
Nor was there (O most dámnable designe!)
A toleration giv'n to Books divine.
The mouths of some are gagg'd, the Host they do
Thrust down their throats, whether they will or no.
Others t'auricular confession forc'd;
And many were from all they had divorc'd
To tell how they the women-kinde did use,
Is not so proper for a modest Muse.

SECT. XXII.
The Churches Persecution in Spain, which be­gan Anno Christi 1540.

A Spanish Factor Francis Roman nam'd,
Hearing at Breme a Sermon, was s'enflam'd
And wrought upon, that in a little space
He grew in knowledge, and encreas'd in grace.
Upon a time when he return'd agen,
He labour'd to convince his country-men
Of blind-fold ign'rance; for the wayes they trod
Were dissonant unto the word of God.
But they reproachfully despis'd, contemn'd
His words, and him unto the fire condemn'd.
Then with a paper-Mitre on his head,
Painted with ugly Demons, was he led
To execution: and by the way
Being urg'd to bow unto a cross, said, Nay,
The Christians are not wont to worship wood:
So having said, he was the fire's food.
How many honest-hearted persons cast
Into infectious dungeons, breath'd their last!
The pris'ners cloath'd with red-cross'd Sambitoes,
Were at Validolid plac'd all in rowes.
Anno 1550.
The inquisition was first invented
By the Domin'can Friers; who attented
The extirpation of the Christian race,
By death, or ignominious disgrace.
One while they strive with flatt'ries to ensnare
The doubting Christian e're he be aware:
[Page 80] And if they see that fair means will not do,
They exercise compulsion. O who!
Who is there able to demonnstrate fully
The kinde of torments that were us'd? the pully
Hang'd on the Gibbit, holds the hands or thumbs
Of the poor wretch; then the Strappado comes,
And rends his weight-distended joynts a sunder.
Some in the Trough are tortur'd; some are under
Cruel imprisonments, where is not any
Light but what enters the Key-hole or crany.
Some are injoyn'd to run unto the racks,
With yellow Sambenitoes on their backs:
Their tongues in a cleft-stick have not the scope
To empty Out their mindes; and while a rope
Encompasseth their necks, coacting bands
Press hard behinde them their united hands.
Thus, thus poor Creatures, in a piteous plight,
Are led to suffer in the peoples sight.
Burton and Burgate,
Anno 1560.
Burgess, Hooker, Baker,
English-men born, were each of them partaker
Of Martyrdom at Cadiz; and ascended
To happiness, which never shall be ended.

SECT. XXIII.
The Churches Persecution in Italy, which began Anno Christi 1546.

ENeenas, by his Parents sent to Rome
For educations sake; at last become
An able Scholar through the grace of God,
In Christ his School, the wayes the Romans trod
Renouncing quite: for which he's apprehended,
And clapt up; yet he constantly defended
The Christian faith: he with his life might go,
If he would but put on the Sambito;
Which he refus'd; nor any badge would wear
Save that of Jesus Christ; which was, to spare
No blood to seal up what he had profest:
So being burn'd, he in the Lord did rest.
The Maj'r and Bishop of St. Angelo
Long arguing the case, which of the two
Should, at his proper cost, procure some wood,
For Galeacius burning; while they stood
Demurring, he bade them no more debate,
It should be fetch'd out of his own estate.
John Mollius, a Roman, did Christ own:
If he but named him, salt tears ran down
On his wet cheeks: he preach'd where e're he came
The word of truth, until he fed the flame,
One Francis Gamba, born in Lombardy,
Went to the slaughter with alacrity.
Algerius, a fine young man, acquaints,
By way of writing, the afflicted Saints,
[Page 82] How much his joy in prison did abound,
And how he Honey in a Lion found:
Exhorting them to patience; in the end
Writes, From a delectable Orchard pen'd;
He's burned. Pope Pius the fourth dislives
At Naples, many Nobles, with their wives.
The City Venice after twelve years peace,
Was by the Pope disturb'd, to the encrease
Of Martyr'd Saints; who unto stones were bound,
And in the bottom of the Ocean drown'd.
An Englishman Martyred in Portugal.
One William Gardiner, whom Bristol bore,
In Portugal the Martyrs Garland wore.

SECT. XXIV.
The Persecution of the Church in Germany, which began Anno Christi 1523.

WHen Luther, with his fellow-labourers,
Converted many Germans, unto wars
The Pope his Highness stir'd up Charles the fift
'Gainst Proestants: to further this his drift,
Two hundred thousand crowns, and at a boot
Five hundred horse, and twice six thousand foot,
He sent with speed; the Prot'stant Princes hence,
Rais'd also Armies for their own defence:
And now the Emp'rour for no other reason,
Proclaim'd them guilty of no less then treason.
[Page 83] Both parties are engag'd; but the success
Is left to God, who doth not alwayes bless
The better cause with Victory, nor shield
His Saints from wrong; the Christians lost the field.
The persecution rose in sev'ral places;
Author'ty arm'd with rig'rous Laws, outfaces
Candid simplicity: 'tis sad to tell
The barb'rous outrage to the Saints befel.
Some rack'd; from place to place some toss'd and turn'd;
Some driven into woods and caves; some burn'd.
Anaba­ptists first Rising.
About this time, the Boors in arms did the
And rob'd the Abbeys, and Monasteries;
They after they had entertained bin
By Mr. Spencer, strip'd him to the skin;
Who weeping, said, This violence will i'th'end
Bring mischiefe on your heads: you do pretend
The Gospel; but alas! how quite contraire
Unto the Gospel-rules, your walkings are!
They jeer'd him for his pains; at last he's bound
Both hands and feet, and in the river drown'd.
His gaping wounds let out a Crimson flood,
Which on the surface of the water stood.
When Wolfgang Scuch was asked if his woe
He would have be abridg'd, heanswer'd, No;
God, which hath hitherto upheld my head,
Will not forsake me in my greatest need;
No, no, he will not: 'tis a happy flame
Which lights to heaven, thrice blessed be his name.
George Carpenter b'ing cast into the fire,
Fulfill'd his Christian bretherens desire,
In giving them a signe of his true faith,
Cry'd, Jesus, Jesus [...]ill [...]e lost his breath.
Our Leonard Keyser also at the stake,
Said, I'm thine, save me Lord, for thy Truths sake:
[Page 84] His willing spir't impatient of the flame
Went up to heaven, whence at first it came.
A cruel Bishop in Hungaria, took
A godly minister, (who could not brook
Erroneous wayes) and Hares, Geese, Hens, he tide
His naked body with on ev'ry side:
Being by set-on dogs, and bloody hounds,
All rent and torn, he died of his wounds.
But God is Just: the Bishop that so acted
His cruel part, did forthwith fall distracted:
His hair by handfulls from his head did rend,
And raving, made a miserable end.

SECT. XXV.
The Persecution of the Church in the Low-Coun­tries.

THere was in Holland a religious Dame,
Called Wendelmuta, she for Christ's name
Was sent to prison, where she must be kept
Till the next Sessions; her kinde kindred wept
And said thus, Ah! why doft thou not conceal
What thou believ'st but madly thus reveal
Thy secret thoughts? be more reserv'd, thereby
Thou'lt life prolong. To whom she did reply,
You know not what you say; the heart alone
Believes to righteousness; confession
Unto salvation with the tongue is made:
She burn'd, her spirit did the heav'ns invade.
George Scherter, a Divine, passing along
Tow'rd execution, to the gazing throng
[Page 85] Delivered these words; That you may know
I die-a Christian, I a signe will show:
His head cut off, he turned on his back,
And cross'd his arms and legs; by which aspect
Many believe the Gospel; whom alive
They bury, drown, or into exile drive.
In Colen, Holland, Suevia, Lovain,
The godly well-disposed part was slain.
Some lost their heads in Flanders, some were sent
Into perpetual imprisonment.
Anno 1543.
Two hundred Saints in Art [...]ïs, Brabant,
Were made away, with not a few at Gaunt.
At Delden, two young Virgins well-descended,
For their frequenting Sermons apprehended,
Examin'd and condemn'd must both partake
Of Martyrdom, and suffer at the stake.
But after death the bodies of them both
Remained white, the fire to hurt them loth.
At Antwerp, one Christopher Fabri's brains
Are beat cut with a hammer. Sev'ral pains
Afflict the innocent; these bear great loads;
Those are companions to Frogs and Toads.
One Nicholas and Austine, with their wives,
At Dormick apprehended lost their lives,
When Nicholas did hear a Captain swear,
He said, Hath Christ done ought that thus you tear
His name in pices, rending life and limb?
Pray vent your malice upon me, not him:
B'ing silenc'd at the stake, Thwarting their will,
He cry'd, O Charles wilt thou be hardned still?
With that, a souldier gave him a great blow:
He thus! Ah miserable people know,
God's word's too good for you: the Fryars cry'd,
A Devil, a Devil: with David, he reply'd,
[Page 86] Depart ye workers of iniquity;
Depart, depart: my God hath heard the cry
My weeping voice hath made; his holy name
Be prais'd: so said, he vanish'd in the flame.
At Dormick
Anno 1555
Bert'rand trod the Cake about;
For which distongu'd, he yet on God call'd out:
A ball is thrust into the mouth of him;
He's burnt, and's ashes in the river swim.
At Lile, for three years space in woods and caves
God's word was preached: Satan and his slaves
Took the advantage of the silent night
So finde their meetings: finding none, they light
On Robert Oquir's house; his wife, his sons
And he, rejoyce in tribulations.
Bound at the stake, their spirits they commend
To God, and make a comfortable end

The Persecution of the Duke de Alva, in the Netherlands.

THe Gospel shining in the Netherlands;
Philip, that wore the Spanish crown, commands
The Duke de Alva, with a warlike train,
To slay Professors, and with might and main,
Promote the Romish Doctrin; to rebuke
Nobles, and Commons too: the desep'rate Duke
Scarce breath'd, but on them violently pour'd;
Matrons he ravished, and Maids deflour'd
Before their husbands and their parents eyes,
Or put them unto worser cruelties.
He on a time (at his own Table sate)
Boasted his diligence t'eradicate
Heret'cal weeds: for that besides the slain
During the war in six years space, a train
[Page 87] Of more then eighteen thousand persons were
By him deliv'red to the hangmans care.
Don Frederick his son kindely receiv'd
By Zutphen Bourgers, cruelly bereav'd
The poor inhabitants of all their lives,
Hang'd, drown'd, brain'd very infants, virgins, wives;
Then marched he to Naerden; and the town
(All the ind wellers kill'd) he bart'red down.
At Harlem, he three hundered Walloons
Beheads; five hundred Bourgers and Dragoons
He hangs, or drowns: all th'English, and the Scorts,
To lose their heads in gen'ral, he alots.
The wounded, and diseas'd, are killed all
Before the entrance to the Hospital
John Herwin said unto the gazing throng,
(As he to execution went along)
See what rewards the wicked world do give
Christ his poor servants: for whilst I did live
A drunkard's life, and play'd at Cards and Dice,
A foe to Vertue, and a friend to Vice;
O then I liv'd at ease, and was a stranger
To bonds, and fetters; nay was out of danger
Of suffering for the Truth; yonder they cry
A Boon Companion goes; who then but I?
No sooner did I seek my God, but lo
This fawning friend, became a frowning foe:
Yet this doth not, (and so I hope shall never,)
Discourage me one jot; I must persever
In what is good, and follow Christ the faster:
The servant is not better then his master.
His soul refreshed then with Gileads Balm,
To sing he did begin the thirtieth Psalm
With lift-up heart: but an impatient Frier
Thus interrupted him, Avoid the fire,
[Page 88] Oh John, and turn; yet you have time and space.
Then disregarding Martyr turn'd his face
Another way: then some that were in sight,
Retorted this; Turn thou, thou hypocrite.
Herwin sung on, until his Psalm was ended:
The Fryer then: Good people ben't offended
To hear the clamour of this Her'ticks song.
Her'tick? thou Bala'mite thou, hold thy tongue,
The crow'd reply'd; no living soul here bears
Offence: his Musick much delights our ears.
Four hundred folks encourag'd him to run
His race, and finish what he had begun:
To whom he thus; Breth'ren, I undertake
This spir'tual Combate, meerly for the sake
Of my great Lord, and Captain Jesus Christ:
I now am going to be sacrifie'd;
And when God shall of his abundant grace
Call you to suffer, follow me apace.
He's on the gallowes, and the ladder's turn'd,
And then his body's into ashes burn'd.
Some Ci'zens in a firy Chariot sent
From Antwerp, to the City Heaven went.
One Scoblant, as he to his Tryal past,
Said thus; Would God that I might be the last
That thus might suffer death; O that my blood
Might satisfy their thirst, if God see good;
That so the Church of Christ, forlorn, distreft,
Might ever after live, at ease, and rest.
I now put off this Mantle transitory,
In hope to wear a robe of lasting glory.
A Popish Priest, by a religious Dame
Converted to the faith, spake thus: I came
To comfort you; but I my self indeed,
Of you to comfort me have greater need.
[Page 89] Christopher Gaud'rin said, Mans life on earth
Consists but of two dayes; the first his birth;
The next, his dying day: and therefore I
Must needs die once: who would refuse to die
To live for ever? death and I must kiss:
'Tis death conducteth to eternal bliss.
The sentence past, he did apart repair,
And poured out his soul to God in pray'r:
Then from his hands and face he wash'd the dirt;
And puting on his back a fine white shirt,
He thus his fellow-prisoners bespake:
Breth'ren, this is my wedding-day: I make
To heav'n-ward: being come unto the place,
He found three other ready to embrace
The self same death: these four themselves did chear
With patient suff'ring, and rejoye'd to bear.
Then came a Fryar under a pretence
To win them: Christopher said thus; Hence, hence,
Thou soul-seduser; from our presence flee;
We have not any thing to do whith thee.
They must be gag'd: May not our tongues have pow­er
Said they, to praise God at our latest hour?
Sermons they used to frequent: hard ropes
Annex'd their necks, they finished their hopes.
In Flanders multitudes of true believers
Were sent to be eternal life's receivers.
In Breda, there a Goldsmith dwelt, his name
Was Petar Coulogue; whose renowned fame
Had spred all o're the town, and ev'ry mouth
Proclam'd him faithful, if they spake the truth.
This Pious Deacon quickly was beset
With popish catchpoles; neither would they let
Him once enjoy the company of any
Of his own Church; he over-pows'd by many
[Page 90] Was hurry'd to the Castle, while he staid
A pris'ner there: once every day his maid
Brought him his sustenance, till they perceiv'd
He had much comfort from her lips receiv'd.
She also was imprison'd, where she found
Such inward joys as made her heart rebound.
Now when a little tract of time was spent,
Peter was called forth; who underwent
Great pains with admirable patience:
These cruel villains for to recompence
His maids true zeal, fetch'd Betkin to the rack,
Cruelry undeserv'd! she nothing slack,
Went chearfully along; ere she did part
With life, her tongue thus empty'd out her heart:
Since needs I must sustain afflictions rod,
First suffer me to pray unto my God.
This they consented to; she scap'd a scouring
By this; for whilst she out her pray'rs was pouring,
One of the then. Commissioners fell down
Into an irrecoverable swown.
This miracle was hush'd, as though in vain
'Twas sent: now to their cruelty again;
Examples will not take; they'll not be turn'd,
They are condemned, and they must be burn'd.
The people wept; Peter and Betkin pray'd
To God for strength: the courage of the maid
Did work so kindly on the well-affected,
That breaking through (the danger unrespected)
The throng'd crowd they the pris'ners did embrace,
And praised God for his supporting grace;
Then spake to this effect: Fight on, fight on,
The crown prepared you shall wear anon.
These words spake Betkin (with a brow as clear
As day) My Bretheren and sisters dear,
[Page 91] See you to Gods word, be obedient still,
And fear not them who can the body kill,
Not hurt the soul; but rather fear him, who
Hath power to kill the soul and body too,
And fling them into hell. I go to meet
My glorious Spouse, wrap'd in a fi'ry sheet.
Then falling on their knees, they sent their prayers
As welcom ghests to Gods attentive ears.
Bound to the stake, they prais'd the Lord; the flame
Sent up their souls to heav'n, from whence they came.
William of Nassaw Prince of Orange, by
A bloody villain shot, did thus let fly
His latest words: O God, my God, condoul
My wounded state, take pity on my soul,
On my departing soul; O spare, O spare
The Spanish people, though they sinful are.
These words no sooner out, his soul forscok
This earthly, and an heavenly Mansion took.

SECT. XXVI.
The Modern Persecution of the Church in Ger­many, since the year 1630.

TH'Imperialists, when they by storm had gain'd
Paswalick town, the Swedish souldiers brain'd:
At the inhabitants their fury lavish'd,
And in the open street, they females ravish'd,
Nay, child-bed women too; they flew the men
And fired o're their heads their houses then.
They massacred Divines, and burned down
The Christian Churches, and at last the town.
[Page 29] Tilly and Pappenheim became a scourge
Unto the famous City Magdenburge:
An. Chr. 1631.
Her goodly structures and aspiring Towers
Were burn'd down in the space of twice six hours.
Without the least respect to old and young,
Were six and twenty thousand slain burnt, flung
Into the river Elve: by sev'ral wayes
The torturers abridg'd poor Chrstians dayes.
Ladies and Gentlewomen yok'd together,
Forc'd into woods, in frosty snowy weather,
Were ravish'd there, strip'd, whip'd, and with a scoff
Dismiss'd, while others had their ears crop'd off.
Hexter is taken,
An. Chr. 1634.
and the Popish rage
Hew'd all in pieces, either sex, and age,
All serv'd alike: what the fles-eating sword
Had left unspoil'd, the greedy flame devour'd.
At Griphenburge the Senators were starv'd;
The Heidleburg Divines and Bourgers serv'd
With onely bread and water. Like dogs not men
Were the Frankendales us'd. In Pomeren
The poor inhabitants were forc'd to eat
Up their own excrements: unpleasing meat!
Many suspected to have hidden Gold,
Or silver, suff'red torments manyfold:
With cords the heads of some they wound about,
And twisted them until the blood did sprout
Out of their eyes, ears, noses; nay, unto
Tongues, Cheeks, Breasts, Legs, and secret parts they do
Tie burning matches, yea, the parts of shame
Stuff'd with gun-powder, burst with horrid flame.
With knives and bodkins they do pink the skin
And flesh of some, draw stiff cords out and in.
Some rosted were with gentle fires, some smok'd
Like bacon-hogs; others hot Ovens chok'd;
[Page 93] The hands and feet of some so hard were girted,
That from their fingers ends and toes there spirted
Sanguineous drops. They ty'd the arms and legs
Of some together backwards, and with rags
Ram'd up their mouths, because they should not pray.
Some hung up by the privy members; they
Hearing their outcries, did with tear-throat tones,
Contend to drown their lamentable mones.
Had any ruptures? they ealarg'd their pain
By firing gunpowder: they faces plain
With chisels; and detesticle some men
I'th' presence of their wives and childeren.
Others, stark naked through the streets are drag'd,
VVounded with axes, hammers; some are gag'd
And stinking water, Urine, and the like,
Pour'd down their throats, till sudden sickness strike
Them well-night' dead: their bellies beyond measure
B'ing fill'd, did swell, and so they dy'd by leasure.
Down others throats they knotted clouts constrain,
Then with a packthread, pull them up again,
To the displacing of their bowels; some
VVere by'c made deaf. or blinde, or lame, or dum'b.
Some have their legs sawn off; and others have
Their members dislocated; those that crave
Gods blest assistance, are enforc'd to call
Unto the Dev'l for help, or none at all.
And if the husband pleaded for his wife,
Or the wife beg'd but for her husbands life,
They take the intercessor, and likewise
Excruciate him before the others eyes.
Of many by their hard frications
They bar'd the legs, unto the very bones.
Others bound backward by the arms, were hung
By those distorted parts; both old and young
[Page 94] Rather desired to be shot, or slain,
And so die in an instant, then remain
Alive, and be partakers of such woes
As they were like to feel; for Ah! their foes
Took away all their corn; in stead of bread,
On roots and water, they were glad to feed.
And other some, stripp'd to the very skin,
Had not one sory ragg, to wrap them in.
Hence fruitful soils, were utterly destroy'd,
Cities, and towns, and villages left voyd,
Or sack'd; all the woods fell'd; the ground untill'd;
And ev'ry Church with desolation fill'd.
A Reverend Divine, bound to a table,
Was rortur'd by a cat. VVhat pen is able
To paint their beastliness? maids wives, chast dames,
They forc'd to prostrate to their lech'rous flames,
Friends looking on; yea, women great with child,
In child-bed ton: the Churches they defil'd;
The Bedlam-houses, Hospitals also.
In Hessen land they let the women go,
After they ty'd about their ears their coats.
Dead corpses violated were. The Croats
Devour'd young infants, and the commons brain'd
On light occasions; scarce a man remain'd
Alive in many places, that might tell
The outrage of those furies born in hell.
God did this land his warning pieces show,
Before his murth'ring-pieces gave the blow.
A blood-red Comet with a flaming beard
For thirty daies together there appear'd;
Anno 1618.
God sent to those, which had so long abhor'd
His faithfull Pastors, and despis'd his word,
This ominous Torch, that while asleep they lie
On the soft pillow of security,
[Page 95] They might b' awoken and repent reform
Their lives, or otherwise expect a storme,
Foretold by's Ministers, (so ill-befriended,)
And which this formidable signe portended.
At Groningen a blazing Star hung forth,
Anno 1619.
One Army in the East, and in the North
Another were engag'd and did contest
Till that was worsted, this obtain'd the best.
An. Chr. 1619.
At Wien water turn'd to blood; three Suns
Appear'd at once; the thundring of great guns
Was heard; two Armyes then by clear day-light
Deeply engaging in a bloody fight.
An. Chr. 1621.
At Wittemburgh and Darmstad, blood it rain'd.
An. Chr. 1622.
So much, that houses and stone walls were stain'd
Therewith; trees wept red drops besmear'd were then
The hands and sickles of the Harvest-men.
An. Chr. 1624.
At Rat'sbone a strange tempest bart'red down
Above four hundred houses in the town;
Kill'd onely four; it trees by th'roots up tore,
And all within a quarter of an hour.
An. Chr. 1625.
Near Troppaw a great number of Jack Daws
Eagerly fought with their [...] claws,
The battle lasted long and [...] Jacks
Fall'n down the country men repieuish'd sacks.
In lower Saxon a loaf of bread
Bought by a woman in the cutting bled.
During Magdenburge siege, a capeain's wife
In child-bed dy'd,
An. Chr. 1631.
body with a knife
Was ripped open, and her womb did hold
A boy as big as one of three years old;
Having an Helmet, and a breastplate on,
Great boots also after the French fash'on,
And by his side there hang'd a builet-pouch.
At Altenburge,
Anno A 1633.
if any did but touch
[Page 96] A blood-turn'd stinking fish-pond, he not well
Could in three dayes wash off the stinking smell.
Two Armyes of strange birds in Henssen fought;
An. Chr. 1635.
A randevouz of dogs could not be brought
T'a peace; but seeing musqueteers, they joyn,
For all their guns beat them away, kill'd nine.

SECT. XXVII.
The Persecution of the Church in France, which began Anno 1524.

AT Melden, Paris, Fonutains, Lions, Rhone,
Many were put to death, some burn'd, some thrown
Into the liquid flood; into the fire
Others let down by pulleys, did expire;
Others with Oyl and brimstone were anointed,
Then burnt; many distong'd; disnos'd dis-joynted:
Some slander'd; some imprison'd were; some rack'd;
And they that would not bow, nor give respect
Unto the Images of molten-lead,
Passing along the streets, were massacred.
John Clark, through zeal, brake all the Idols down
That he could light on: in the Metzian town,
Condemn'd he was to die, and first to lose
His right hand, then his arms, and breasts, and nose;
VVhich quietly he bore, pronouncing then
Their gods are silver, and are made by men:
At last they burnt him. At the Castle Vik
Doctor John Castellane was burned quick.
James Pana [...]e one that educated youth,
At Paris dy'd for the professed truth.
[Page 97] John de Cadurco, a renown'd Divine,
Degraded was, and burnt at Limosine.
One John de Beck a Minister at Troyes,
Went through the fire unto eternal joyes,
At Rutiers, Stephen Brune for Christ his sake,
Adjudged was to suffer at the stake;
The fire was kindsed, but the wind so drave
The flame from him, that he stood up and gave
(A whole hours space) instructions to the rude
And easily-seduced multitude:
They brought Oyl-vessels, and more faggots too;
The wind continu'd, and all would not do.
With that, the hangman struck him on the head:
To whom he thus: And must I then indeed
Be beaten like a dog? as well as I,
You know by fire I am condemn'd to die.
He was thrust through, and in the fire thrown down,
And his left ashes in the Air were strown.
At Bour deaux, Aymond de Lavey accus'd,
His friends advis'd his flight, but he refus'd.
Not so, said he, I shall be thought absurd.
To feed men with vain dreams not Gods pure word.
Whereas I fear not, as a truths defender.
My soul and body too up to surrender.
In pains he said, This body once must die,
My spir't shall live, and that eternally.
He swowned, but recov'ring, said he,
Oh Lord, Lord, why hast thou sorsaken me?
Nay, said the president, thou art mistook
Curs'd Lutherane, thou hast thy God forsook:
Alas good masters, why, why do you so
Torment me? Lord, they know not what they do:
Forgive them I beseech thee. See, said thus
The Pres'dent, how this Caitiff prayes for us.
[Page 98] The Frier drew neer, and he (condemn'd) begins:
To God, not you, will I confess my sins.
O Lord, make hast to help; do not despise
Thine-handy work. My brethren, I advise
You that are Scholars, to improve your youth
In learning of the everlasting truth:
Labour to know what is Jehovahs will,
And fear not them that can the body kill,
Not hurt the soul: my flesh (too weak) withstands
My spir't; which Lord I give into thine hands.
With that he strangled was, his body burn'd,
His soul until the day of Doom adjourn'd,
One Bribard, to a Card'nal Secretary,
And William Hussou an Apothecary
Had, for their seattering good books about,
And cleaving to the truth, their tongues cut out;
Then with a pully pulled up and down
Into the fire,
Anno 1544.
they dy'd, but gain'd a crown.
James Cobard,
Anno 1545.
having prov'd the Mass a fable,
Unto the quick nor dead not profitable,
Was at St. Michael burnt.
Anno 1546.
Stephen Polliot
Suffred at Paris.
1547.
Michael Michelet
Was put unto his choice, either to turn
And lose his head, or persevere, and burn.
He answer'd, God who caus'd him not to tire,
Would give him patience to abide the fire.
Blondel a Merchant that profess'd Christs name,
Condemn'd at Paris,
Anno 1548.
yeilded to the flame.
One Hubert,
Anno 1549.
a young man, who did rely on
Christ Jesus merits, suffered at Dyion.
Anus Audeburt drag'd forth, said thus; This rope
My wedding-girdly is, wherewith I hope
To be conjon'd to Christ: I was first marri'd
Upon a Saturday, and now have tarri'd
[Page 99] Until another Saturday, wherein
I shall (glad day!) be married agin.
She in the dung-Cart sang and in the fire
Her constancy Spectators did admire.
One Florent Venote, that had four years lain
In Paris prison, where all kinds of pain
He felt and overcome; for seven weeks space
Was close confin'd to such a narrow place,
That he could neither stand (with ease) nor ly:
At last distongu'd,
Anno 1551.
he in the fire did die.
One Thomas, a young man, was rack'd so long,
The hangman grew a weary: one among
Th'Ir quis'tors wept. They bare him to be burn'd,
And asked him, if he would yet be turn'd.
To whom he said, Friends, I am in my way
To God, O do not hinder me I pray.
One Mathew Dimonel,
An. Chr. 1553.
Simon Laloe;
And Peter Serre, did torments undergo.
Two men at Nivern,
An. Chr. 1554.
had their tongues pull'd out;
Yet God was pleas'd to bring it so about,
That they spake plain, We bid the world, flesh, sin,
And devil farewel, never to meet agin;
Of brimstoue, and gunpowder bring a fresh
Supply; salt on, salt on this stinking flesh:
And so persisting constant till the last,
Their souls to heaven, their earth to ashes past.
One Philbert Hamlin fed the cruel flame,
Anno 1557.
One Nicholas of Jenvil did the same.
An. Chr. 1558.
At Paris did a Christian congregation
Run through much sorrow: by the Mediation
Of the Palat'nate Prince, and Switzers, some
Of them (hardly) escaped Martyrdome.
In Danphin, Provence, multitudes were kill'd;
In many other place blood was spill'd:
[Page 100] And yet the Church, the more it was supprest
Like to a Palm, still more and more encreast.

SECT. XXVIII.
The Persecution in the time of the Civil Warrs, which began Anno 1562.

THe Duke de Guise, as he upon a day
Tow'rds Paris past, took Vassy in his way:
His ears informing him there was a Bell
That rang to service in a Barn, he fell
Thereon with all his troops: his widened throat
Bawl'd out, Kill, death of God, each Huguenote.
Some then with bullets, some with swords, were slain;
Some hang'd; the heads of others cleft in twain:
Some lost their arms and hands; some shred for
To feed upon; above twelve hundred souls (fowles
Of all degrees, and ranks, were kill'd: so don
The Duke to Paris march'd, and seiz'd upon
The King himself, and filled with abuses
The places set apart for pious uses.
Roan taken by him, was for three dayes sack'd,
The Citizens thereof disliv'd, and rack'd.
Then menacing to ruinate Orleance,
A young man shot him, to deliver France
From his great violence. Peace was procur'd;
A happy peace, but it not long endur'd:
The Popish party banishing all pity.
Kill'd all, spar'd none in the Lutetian City.
At Amiens, the slain were thrown in brooks;
All Bibles burned and Divin'cy books.
[Page 101] At Meaux, Sens, Mans, they drag'd some on the stones,
And dash'd against the walls the little ones:
Some had their houses level'd with the ground,
Hundreds were massacred, starv'd, hang'd, or drown'd.
Many were hal'd to Mass; and some re-wedded,
Babes re-baptized; others were beheaded.
At Bar they rip'd up many brests, and draw'd
Mens hearts thereout, & with their teeth them gnaw'd.
VVhen Malicorn, Montargis town had got,
He slew the towns-men, and with Cannon-shot
Threatned the Lady Rhene to batter down
Her Castle, if she did the Christians own,
Not give them up to him: the Princess stout,
Bravely reply'd: Look what you go about,
I charge you, for there's no man in this Realm
(The King excepted) that can overwhelm
My pinace, with the waves of a command:
And if your battery go on, I'll stand
I'th' breach, to try, whether or no you dare
Thus kill the daughter of a King: I fear
Your threats? not I: I want nor means, nor power
T'avenge me on your boldness, and devour
Your murtherous heart, and utterly deface
The infants of your most rebellious race.
When Malicorn thus heard the Lady say,
He pulled in his horn, and sneak'd away.
At Angers into rivers some were thrown,
Some executed: a gilt Bible shown
Upon an halbard was, and this they sang,
Behold how well the Hug'nots truth doth hang;
Hark what the everlasting God, will tell;
Behold the truth of all the devils in hell:
They throw't i'th' river, and renew'd their sound,
Behold! the truth of all the devils drown'd.
[...]
[...]
[Page 102] At Ablevilly, Angers, Foix, Auxerre,
At Troys, Crant, Nevers, Chastillon, and Bar
In Bloys, Tholouse, as also Careasson,
Many outragious villainies were don.
At Sens, and Tours, hundreds were put to slaughter;
Some hang'd up by one foot, and in the water
Their heads and breasts: the bowels are pluck'd out
Their rip'd-up bellies, and are thrown about
The mi'ry streets: they torture ev'ry joynt,
And stick their hearts upon their daggers point.
A Counsellor was hang'd, at the request
Of his own father, (O unnat'ral brest!)
By the Parisian Senators decree,
Anno 1562.
The bells are sounded, and the Christians be
Destroy'd in ev'ry place, all their estates
Seiz'd on by Catholicks and runagates.
In Ligneul some they hang'd. The village Aze
They set one fire, and joy'd to see it blaze.
Augustine Marlorate was hang'd at Rhone,
Where streetswith slaughter'd carkasses were strown.
In Gaillac, from a steep precipice
Many were flung down headlong, in a trice
Caught break-neck falls. In Souraze some were cram'd
VVith lime, and down their throats had Urine ram'd.
One Peter Roch, they buried alive
VVithin his self-made grave. They did deprive
Many of all they had, others were crown'd
VVith thorns; and others in a well were drown'd.
One Captain Durre, a godly widdow told
Ualess she would produce her hid-up gold,
He'd rost her quick, and after throw her down
From the sublimest tower in the town.
VVell (said she) though I fall, yet shall I stand
Supported by the Lord Almightie's hand.
[Page 103] He made her drink his piss; then in her face
Flung the remainder, and withall the glass.
He claps her up, more torments to abide:
Her friends redeem'd her, but she shortly did.
The Prot'stants of Valougne. their dear lives lost,
And souldiers in their houses rul'd the rost.
In Mascon, Bonnet Bor, a rare Divine,
Scoff'd, beaten, drown'd, Lamp-like in heav'n doth shine.
Monsieur Valongues a Minister, they kill'd,
And spurn'd his naked corps: the Mass-Priests fill'd
His mouth and wounds with Bible-leaves, and said,
Preach thou Gods truth, now invocate his aid.
Monluc at Reim brain'd sucking infants, then
The mothers; hang'd above five hundred men.
They sprinkled salt, upon the bleeding wounds
Of one poor mangled man. Monluc confounds
The Protestants in fight, the prisoners
He hangs, especially the Ministers.
Captain Lamoths, he stabs; that will not do,
He thrusts him with a rapier, through, and thro:
And his blasphemous mouth these words lets fly.
Villain, thou in despite of God shalt die.
He prov'd a lyar, though the man endur'd
Such mortal wounds, yet was he strangely cur'd.
In Limoux, Grenoble, Beann, Cisteron,
Normay, and Aurange, many undergon
Hard usage, Ah! what hearts? what tongues? what Quills?
Can think, can speak, can write, those worst of ills?
Females were ravish'd: others drown'd: some kill'd,
Their houses with unruly souldiers fill'd.
Hundreds of women, nay, and children too
Like harmless sheep unto the slaughter go.
Those to blaspheme that would not be constrain'd.
Were with the butt-end of a musket brain'd,
[Page 104] Or hewn as small as herbs unto the pot;
Others rhrown out at windowes, others shot.
A fair young woman, after much disgrace,
Was ravished before her husbands sace;
Then forc'd to hold a rapier wherewith
One made her, her own husband kill. A Smith
Because he would not give the devil his soul,
B'ing on his anvil laid, they beat his poul
In pieces with great hammers; some were crush'd
To death with weights, others were har quebush'd.
They dash'd brest-sucking babes against the walls,
And slew the crazy in the hospitals.
No sex, nor age, nor quality they let
Go free: all, all was fish that came to net.

The Massacre at PARIS, Anno 1571.

WHen the third Civil War in France was ended,
A Massacre at Paris was intended,
And put in execution: first of all
They set upon and slew the Admiral;
The watch-word was, the tolling of a bell,
Which rang by break aday: the cut-throats fell
On the attendants of the King of Navar,
And Prince of Conde; not the least of favour
Was shew'd to any: they knock'd down and brain'd
Ten thousand persons: Sein'c swift streams were
With the effused blood; the streets were pav'd (stain'd
With mangled bodies, not a man was sav'd
[Page 105] These blood-hounds met with; Pistols, Poiniards, Knives,
Curtlaces, Pikes, did make away with lives.
The Muskets bouncings! Oh the horrid tones
Of howling murth'rers mix'd with dying grones!
The Lords and Gentlemen were murthered
Some on their houses roofs, and some in bed.
In France (this persecution so encreas'd)
Were thirty thousand Massacred at leaft.
But let's to some particulars descend;
One Monsieur de la Place was brought t'his end.
And Peter Ramus with his life did part,
(The Kings Professor in that subtile Art)
Thrown from the chamber window, trail'd about
The streets, and whip'd, his bowels falling out.
A villain snatched up a little child,
Who toy'd, and played with his beard, and smil'd,
But he (hard hearted wretch!) not mov'd at all,
Drew out his sword, and stabbed it withall,
And cast it all gore-blood into the river:
This gnaws an infant's heart, and he the liver.
Such protestants, as did through fear revolt,
Must in the fore-front, give the first assault,
Or else be kill'd themselves. Some had their grease
Try'd out and sold. They us'd such blasphemies:
Where's now your God? are Psalmes and Prayers come
To this? sure he is either deaf, or dumb.
Let him come save you, if he can: they cry'd,
Kill, kill them all, and let's the spoil divide.
What fearfull shrikes, and outeries were there then
Caus'd by these Devils in the shapes of men?
What breaking up of doors? what noise of guns
At Orleance was there heard? confusion runs
In ev'ry street; what trampling of War-Horses?
Rumbling of Carts, that bore away dead coarses!
[Page 106] The Papists, in this massacre confess'd,
That they slew eighteen thousand at the least.
Some of them boasted in the streets aloud,
Th'nad dy'd their doublets in the Hug'nots blood.
At Tholouse, they the call'd-out pris'ners slay,
Not suffring them to speake, much less to pray.
VVhen the Parisian massacre was known,
At Bourdeaux the like cruelty was shown.
How sad was it to see poor Protestants
VVander now here, now there, and none their wants
Supply! Alas unparalelled woes!
Rejected by their friends, destroy'd by foes!

SECT. XXIX.
The siege of Sancerte, Anno Christi, 1573.

THe Chastrian Lord besieging Sancerre town,
His thundring cannons play'd, and batter'd down
Her stony walls; the shiver'd timber flew
Continually about, yet none it slew.
Some had their hats, breeches, and coats through shot,
Themselves not hurt nor prejudic'd one jot.
The siege endured long; at last, through want,
Horse-flesh was turn'd to food; which growing scant,
The Twons-men fed on dogs, cats, rats, mice, moles,
Hides, parchments, halters, Lantera-horns, roots, coals,
Their bread was made of straw-meal; they did boyl
Them pottage of old Oyntments, grease and Oyl.
And when these fail'd, they pounded nutshels, slates,
Eat mens dung fry'd: ho! these were precious cates!
[Page 107] A lab'rer and his wife were put to th'slaughter,
For feeding on their famin-starved daughter.
Some little corn by stoldred brought to town,
Each pound was valued at half a crown.
The sword did but eighty four persons slay.
The famine half a thousand swept away.
Many chose rather to resign their breath
At the swords point, then famish'd be to death.
The parents look'd upon with grief of heart
Their children, but could no relief impart.
A boy of five years old, neer spent with hunger,
Did run about the streets; but when no longer
His feeble feet could bear him, down he fell
Before his parents sight: 'tis sad to tell
The horrour of their souls, and how their eyes
Ran down, when they did feel his with'red thighs.
Then said the child, Father and mother dear,
What mean you so to weep? for Gods sake spare
Those needless drops, and do'nt my cause bemone;
I ask no bread, as knowing you have none:
But since it is Gods will, that I should rest
By such a death as this; his name be blest:
Have not I (mother) in my Bible read,
Of Laz'rus wants? and that was all he said.
At last God flirr'd up the Polonians,
To free the poor distress'd Sancerrians.
They with their arms and goods might go away;
And such as would, might without trouble stay.

The siege of Rochel Anno 1573.

ROchel besieg'd, the towns-men salli'd out,
And often put the en'my to the rout.
In one months space the soe lay'd on so hot,
That more then thirteen thousand Cannon-shot
Discharg'd against the Rochellers, which held
Out siege fo long, till famine them compell'd
T'unlawful meats, all their provision spent:
But O admired Providence! God sent
Them fishes, and in such abundant store,
The like was never seen nor heard before:
As soon as the edict for Peace came out,
(Which Legates sent from Poland brought about)
They went away, and ne're return'd again.
Divers great Lords and Gentlemen were slain
During this siege: commanders full sixscore,
And twenty thousand souldiers or more,
That did from bloody Massacres retire,
Receiv'd at Rochel their deserved hire.
King Charles himself fall'n sick,
Anno 1574.
t'his mother cry'd,
Madam I pray revenge my foes, then dy'd.
Rochel expecting help in time of need
From England,
Anno 1628.
England prov'd a staff of reed
Which ran into their hands, whilst they depended
Too much thereon; the City (ill befriended)
B'ing close besieged by the King of France,
And his adherents, the inhabitants
Shrewdly put to't, for want of better meat,
Did horses, dogs, cats, rats, and leather eat.
The poorer sort of people wanting bread,
Upon the buttocks of the dead did feed.
[Page 109] Young maids did look with such a wrinkled brow,
As though they had a hundred years ran through.
And all the English, when the Freach had took
The City, like Anatomies did look.
How sad was it to see, their hollow eyes
And meagre cheeks, lank bellies, withr'ed thighs?
The prices of things.
A strike of wheat at twenty at pounds was rated;
A pound of bread, worth one pound estimated;
A quarter of a sheep did six pounds utter;
And thirty shillings bought a pound of butter;
For one poor egge, eight shillings was layd down;
An ounce of sugar, yielded half a crown.
A dry'd fish given for a piece in gold;
A pint of French-Wine, for as much was sold;
A pound of grapes, thrice twelve pence; milk but fil­ling
A pint-pot full, valu'd at thirty shilling, &c.

SECT. XXX
The Persecution of the Church of Christ in the Valtoline, Anno Christi 1620.

THe bloody Papists, in the Valtoline
Rising in arms, did furiously combine
To th'extirpation of the Christian train;
Drown'd some in Alba, others they did brain:
Shot some, and strangled others; some they bee
With knotty clubs; and many that they met
They inhumanely murth'red; some they drew
Out of their naked beds, and did imbrew
Their hands in their effused gore; they slit
The mouths of some up to their ears; and hit
[Page 110] Others with the Strappado; some were hack'd
To pieces; others slash'd; and others rack'd.
One was compell'd to ride upon an Asse,
Dominico [...]ert [...].
His face turn'd to the tail, and he to pass
The market-place, holding in's hand the tail
As'cwere a bridle; some when food did fail
Were famished; others were ston'd, or drown'd;
Some had their very bones, to powder ground.
Thus having made a quick dispatch at Tel,
These profane wretches, marched thence, and fell
Upon the Protestants at Church elsewhere,
Kill'd old and young, and shew'd no mercy there,
To Lords, nor Gentlemen: to death they shot
The Ministers: Ladies and Children, got
Into the Bell-free for security:
The place is fired; and by fire, they die.
The Popish party under a pretence
Of standing for the Protestants defence
At Sondres (yet for all they kept a pother)
They one destroyed now, and then another;
As if it had bin done by accident,
Concealing their malevolous intent:
Then did they fall to plunder, and imbrew,
Their hands in blood, all those they met they slew.
There was a Noble Lady which refus'd
The Romish faith: to whom such words they us'd;
Madam, out of the tender love you bear
To your young infant, in your arms, give ear
To us, or else you shall be kill'd together.
But she undauated, thus; I came not hither
To abnegate my faith, nor left I all
I had behind in Italy, to fall
From my first principles; yea, I will rather
Suffer a thousand death; my heavenly father
[Page 111] Spar'd not his son, but up to death him gave,
Me, and such sinners as I am to save;
How shall I then regard this babe of mine?
O foe, said she, into the hands of thine
I give my little child: God which takes care
For the wing'd Cit'zens of the liquid Air,
Is much more able to save this poor child,
Though you should leave it on these mountains wild.
Unlacing then her gown, she bar'd her brest,
And said, Here is the body; you may feast
Your swords therewith: to kill it you have power,
My sould is Gods, it can you not devour.
They slay the mother, and the infant spare,
Committing it t'a Popish nurses care.
Many that did refuse to go to Mass,
Were dragged to the mountaines tops (Alas!)
And thrown thence headlong down: for want of food
Others were famish'd; into Adda's flood
Some flung from bridges; and with corpses dead
The woods and mountains ev'rywhere were spread.
A Noble Virgin, through the streets was led
Disgracefully; they put upon her head
A paper-mitre, buffeted her cheeks,
And so besmear'd her face with dirt, (that leeks
Might grow thereon) then was she bid to call
Upon the Saints; she smiling said, All, all
My hope, my trust, and my salvation
Is in my Saviour Jesus Christ alone.
As for the Virgin Mary, 'tis confest
She is above all other women blest;
Yet is she not omniscient, and therefore
Knowes not what we request, what we implore:
Yea she her self her own son's merits needed,
And had bin damn'd, had he not interceeded.
[Page 112] Christ hath despis'd rhe cross, endur'd the shame,
And so will I, thrice blessed be his name,
His holy name; with that, these villains drew her
Into the fields, and barbarously slew her.
Then came a letter from a Governour,
That these blood-suckers should with all their power
Destroy both in the country and in City
All that were Lutherans, without all pity.
Whereat destroying all at Tyrane, Tell,
Bruse, Sondres, and Malenco, they more fell
Then Hyrcan Tygres, fell on Birbenno,
Caspano, Trahen, slaying high and low.
They kill'd a man, and's wife. A cradled child
Fair and well-favour'd, in their faces smil'd;
They took her by the heels (not mov'd at all)
And dashed out her brains against the wall.
At Bruse, a very aged Matron was
Sollicited by them, to go to Mass,
And have respect unto her age, not die;
To whom she answer'd; God forbid that I
Who have one foot already in the grave,
Should now forsake my Lord, my Christ, who gave
Me to be constant in his truth profest,
And upon sublunary creatures rest.
Shall mens traditions, or Gods holy word
Take place? so said, they slew her with the sword.

SECT. XXXI.
The Persecutions of the Church in Scotland, which began, Anno Christi 1527.

ONE Mr. Patrick Hamilton by name,
Sprung from an honourable stock, became
An able Minister; his holy zeal
Did the despised Mysteries reveal
To hood-wink'd souls, so long untill at last
Th'enraged Bishops him in prison cast:
And after condemnation, he was brought
To execution; his cap, gown, and coat,
He gave t'his servant, and exhorted him
To venture all for Christ; yea, life and lim.
Bound to the stake, he cry'd, For Christ his merit,
O Lord be pleased to receive my spirit:
How long shall clouds of darkness overwhelm?
Great God! how long shall foes oppress this realm?
A Fryar then; Ʋnto our Lady pray;
Salve Regina, say, &c. Away, away,
Satanick Imps; God hears me in the flame.
His soul went up to heav'n to praise Gods Name.
Straton converted, said, O Lord I have
Bin wicked, and deserv'd thy wrath, yet save;
O let not me, for fear of corp'ral pain,
Or death, deny thee, or thy truth again:
They his and Mr. Norman's person bring,
And burn them in the presence of the King.
Such words the Bishop of Dunkelden us'd
To one Dean Porret (whom the Fry'rs accus'd:)
[Page 114] My joy, Dean Thomas, I do love thee well,
And therefore take the liberty to tell
Thee of thy faults; I am inform'd you do
Preach the Epistle, nay the Gospel too,
Each Sunday to your people; and refuse
To take from them (as a reward) your dues:
Which prejudicial to the Church-men is.
My joy, Dean Thomas, I advise you this:
Take tythes, or else it is too much to preach
But once a week: for if thou gratis teach,
May not the people think that we likewise
Should do the same? Tom, be not so precise;
It is enough for you when you have sound
A good Epistle and Gospel, to expound
The liberty of holy Church express'd
Therein, and 'tis no matter for the rest.
Thomas reply'd: My Lord, if I abstain
From tythes, will my parishioners complain?
I know they will not: and whereas you say,
It is too much to preach each Sabbath-day,
I think it is too little, for my part;
And from the very bottom of my heart
Wish, that your Lordship would be pleas'd to take
Such pains as that. Nay, nay, Dean Thomas, spake
The Bishop then, no orders do us reach.
Whereas, said Thomas, you do bid me preach
When a good Chapter I do light upon;
I've read them over all, and finde not one
That's bad amongst them; shew me where they lie,
And at your shewing I will pass them by.
I bless God, said the Bishop, I ne're knew
What was the Testament nor old nor new:
And I will not know any thing at all,
Saving my Portvise, and Pontifical.
[Page 115] Go, go your wayes, and cease so much to prate,
Lest you repent you, when it is too late.
I trust, said Thomas, that my cause is clear
In Gods eyes; therefore, what need I to fear?
And so he went his way. But when time's glass
Had run a little more, he burned was.
Though bloody clouds were rais'd, Religion's raies
Shone forth in Scotland, in those worst of daies:
Partly by reading (comfort flowing thence)
And partly by fraternal conference;
Which so enrag'd the Papists, that they came
And burnt four noted persons in one flame;
One Jerom Russet, that profest the truth,
And Alexander Kennedy, a youth,
Were brought to Judgement: Kennedy's heart panted
For fear at first, and would have fain recanted.
But when no hopes was left, God's Spirit reviv'd
His drooping soul; yea inward comforts striv'd
To shew themselves, both in his face and tongue:
Then falling on his knees, these words out sprung:
Great God! What love hast thou to all express'd,
And unto me vile wretch, above the rest!
O who hath tasted of thy clemency
In such a high degree (O Lord) as I!
For just now when I would deny thy power,
And Jesus Christ, thy Son, my Saviour,
T'have plung'd my self all over head and ears
In everlasting flames, (unquench'd with tears)
Thy right hand hath not suffer'd me to dwell
With the black subjects of the Prince of hell:
And I, that was of late with fear opprest,
Enjoy by thee a joy-enamel'd brest.
I fear not death, do with me as you please;
I praise God I am ready, death's an ease.
[Page 132] Then railed they on him, and Jerom, who
Said also unto them, Miscal us, do;
This is your hour and power to command;
Yee sit as Judges, we as guilty stand:
But know, a day will come shall clear our blame,
And yee (curs'd yee) to your eternal shame
Shall see your blindness. Go on forward still,
Till you the Ephah of your sins up fill.
No sooner were they both condemn'd to die,
But Jerom comforted young Kennedy:
Brother (said he) fear not, he that indwels
Our souls, him that is in the world excels;
The pain we here indure is light and short,
But we shall have unfading glory for't.
O strive we then (though many rubs annoy)
To enter in unto our Masters joy:
And, with our Saviour, pass the narrow road
Which few shall finde; the way to hell is broad.
We die for Christ, and Christ hath death subdu'd,
Death cannot hurt us: hence me may conclude
We are the members; and if Christ our head
Be risen, can the members long lie dead?
Thus death, and Satan, under-foot they trod,
And in the flame, breath'd up their souls to God.
At Edenburgh the cruel Card'nal Beton
Hang'd some,
Anno 1543.
upon suspicion they had eaten
Goose on a Friday; and above the rest,
A woman with her suckling at her brest,
He drown'd for being scrupulous and wary
Of making prayers to the Virgin Mary.
He sent into exile some Christian brothers;
And at St. Johnstons he imprison'd others.
Mr. George Wischard, a Divine, whose worth
Wan him much admiration in the North,
[Page 133] Having drunk deeply of afflictions cup.
Cheerfully in the flames surrendred up
His soul unto its donour.
Anno 1546.
God fulfill'd
His prophesy, the Cardinal was kill'd.
One Henry Wallace,
Anno 1550.
as an Heretick
Condemned to be burnt, was burned quick.
One Henry Forr'st,
Anno 1553.
betrayed by a fryar,
Was burnt, and had the end of his desire.
Said Ol'phant to one Walter Mill, who pray'd,
Rise up Sir Walter. Prayers don, he said,
My name is Walter if you call me right,
I have bin too too long a Popish Knight.
Ben't there sev'n Sacraments? Give me but two
Said he, and all the rest I leave to you.
Wilt thou recant? he answer'd, I am corn,
Not chaff, and will not be i'th' truth out-born:
Then go to th'stake. Said he, I may not kill
My self, but put me in, and bear I will;
This is my resolution. Having made
His pray'r to God, he to the people said,
Although it be confess'd, that I have bin
A friend to Satan, and a slave to sin,
Yet 'tis not that, that doth my suff'rings cause,
I suffer for observing God's just Laws.
And now God out of his abundant grace
Doth honour me so farr, as (in this place)
To make me seal (what others not withstood,)
His truth's profession with my dearest blood.
Dear friends as you'd escape eternal doom,
And live still happy in the life to come,
Let not Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors,
Seduce you any more, for they are Lyars.
Trust God alone, O alwayes make his power
Your rock, your bulwark of defence, your tower.
[Page 118] So slep'd he in the Lord: and was the last
In Scotland that the fi'ry tryal past.

SECT. XXXII.
The Persecution of the Church in Ireland, Anno Christi 1642.

THe factious Archbishops, Abbots, Pryors,
False Jesuites, Romish Priests, and knavish Friars,
Stirr'd up rebellion by their instigation,
Against the English in the Irish Nation.
And when they thought their malice had invented
Such thriving plots, as could not be prevented,
They in their publick prayers recommended
The good success of their designes, which tended,
To the advancement of the Cath'lick cause,
And told the people 'twas no time to pause.
Their nation over-run with hereticks;
Call'd Protestants sworn foes to Catholicks;
Who were not to be suffered alive
Amongst them; and for any to deprive
Them of their breaths, the crime was not more great,
Then to destroy a dog: to give them meat.
Or yield to them relief at any time,
'Twas mortal, O unpardonable crime!
Romes Doctrine they pretended to suppress,
And root out those that did the same profess;
They Laws would make, they thought, should under-
All Pop'ry, after Englands good example. (trample
Observe we how their words and deeds did vary,
Said one thing, but did act the quite contrary.
[Page 119] And now they fall to murthr'ous blows; and glory,
'T will save them from the pains of Purgatory:
None that spake English the least mercy found;
The English language was a loathed sound:
All are resolv'd to scowre the Irish borders
From these supposed Authors of disorders.
Poor Protestants! some were to exile packt;
Some kill'd; 'twas thought a meritorious act
To slay those Devils in the shapes of men,
(For so they called them;) not one of ten
Escap'd their clutches: what a deal of good,
Said they, it does us, thus to bath in blood!
When these injurious wretches are destroy'd
In Ireland, and their habitation voyd,
We'll then for England; have at England then,
We will not leave alive one English man.
Put case we should be of our lives bereaven.
Immediately our souls would fly to heaven.
Why should such scoundrels breath? to work let's fall,
And take away their lives, estates, and all.
Strip, strip, man, woman, child, base rougues and whores,
Leave not a rag on, turn them out of doors.
So now they shelter them; but woods and caves
Sha'n't be their dwellings, but shall be their graves,
Whom wee'l—But many by the high-wayes side,
For want of sustenance fell down, and dy'd:
And many thousands that for succour fled
To towns, by that time they came there, were dead,
To tell their horrid Massacres, would make
The ear to tingle, and the heart to ake.
In Armag [...], and Tyrone, this barb'rous rage
Spar'd neither rich nor poor, nor sex, nor age:
And elsewhere many thousands did expire
By sword, by water, famine, or by fire.
[Page 136] Some had their guts rip'd out, some drag'd thro bogs;
Young children thrown to be devour'd by dogs.
If any chanc'd to beg but leave to pray,
And kneeled down, they lost their heads straight­way
Some in dark dungeons lie; others half slain,
Earnestly beg'd to be rid out of pain.
They cover'd some alive with dirt, and stones,
And laugh'd, to hear their lamentable grones.
Some were from bridges, into rivers flung;
Others, on tenter-hooks by the chin hung:
They hang'd up some by th'arms, with their swords trying
How long an English-man would be a dying.
Young infants rip'd out of their mothers womb,
Were given to the hogs, for to entomb.
Children were forc'd to kill fathers, and mothers;
Parents, their children; and brothers, brothers;
Wives their own husbands; husbands their own wives:
And they themselves in fine must lose their lives.
No mercy's shown, man, woman, no nor child;
The dead's dig'd up, th'alive in cauldrons boil'd.
Some had their hands cut off, and eyes pluck'd out;
Many were left alive, their guts about
Their very heels: and of some's grease and fat
Candles were made; while others rosted at
Slack fires: Nay, boys and women were employ'd
To perpetrate such deeds, and therein joy'd.
The Rebels, in the country Portendown,
Did many thousands in the river drown.
At Lisgool, Tullah, Lissenskeah, and Cumber,
(All Castles) a considerable number
Were brought unto untimely ends. Man, woman,
And child was kill'd at Killmore and Killoman.
An ancient dame, which towards Dublin went,
Was strip'd in one day seven times, and sent
[Page 137] To seek her God, and to her God complain,
And bid him if he could, cloath her again:
All mercy was exil'd; these murth'rous Cains:
Brain'd some; stab'd others with their swords, forks, skeins.
Thousands of Protestants in snowy weather
Turn'd out stark naked, perish'd all together,
Through cold and hunger; many that were sick,
Were drag'd out of their beds, and hang'd up quick.
One Gcodwife Lin, they hanged in the Air,
And then the daughter by the mothers hair.
Upon a day a Cittadel they fir'd
Over the Christians heads therein retir'd;
And thus express'd their joy: Behold, how high
The flames mount, O how sweetly do they fry!
A Divines mouth up to the ears they slit;
So don, they put a Bibles leaf to it,
And bid him preach, and teach some pretty stuff,
For now he had a mouth was wide enough.
A naked woman, her bare skin to hide,
A wisp of straw about her middle tide;
They fit'd it, boasting how it did enhance
Their spirits to see the English jade so dance:
They stab'd Jane Addis, and her young child stuck
T'her brest, and said, Suck English bastard, suck.
If any hid themselves in cellars, caves,
They all were murther'd by these hell-sent slaves;
Who made their boast, they pleas'd the devil well
In sending him so many souls to hell.
Against God, and his holy word, likewise,
They belch'd out execrable blasphemies.
Bibles they burnt, and said, They burnt hell-fire;
Cut some, and soaked others in the mire,
Then dash'd them on the owners faces; some
They stamp'd on, saying, Hence all mischiefs come;
[Page 122] A plague upon them all; in a short time,
We hope to see none in our Irish clime.
They told th' Apostates, that they thought it good
To kill them while they were in a good mood.
Anne Nicholson said boldly she'd not turne;
And rather then she would her Bible burn,
As they would have her, she the death would die;
And did, as it fell out: for by and by
She and her mate was stabb'd; but he that acted
The vill'ny, grew immediately distracted.
At Glascow fisty English men and Scots
They made recant, and then cut all their throats.
In Mayo, and in Tiperary too,
Both Counties, not a few did undergo
All sorts of cruel deaths; these bloody ones
Did slash, hew, hack, and pellet them with stones.
They forc'd some in the Sea (swoln big with waves)
To take possession of those watry graves.
In Sligo, forty Protestants were strip'd,
And lock'd up in a cellar; then there slip'd
A butcher in (appointed so to do)
And with an axe cleav'd all their heads in two.
Into the Jail belonging to this town,
Poor Protestants were sent, and there knock'd down.
About Dungannon, Tyrone, Charlemount,
Hundreds were slain upon the same account.
An Irish Quean kill'd forty five: Mac Crew
No less then thirty in one morning slew.
There were above twelve thousand knock'd at head
In the high-wayes, as towards Down they fled.
These rogues a Scotch-mans belly did divide,
And having one end of his smal guts tide
Unto a tree, they forc'd him round about
The same so long, till they were all drawn out:
[Page] Said they, We'll try which is the longest size,
A dogs guts, or a Scotchmans; O glad eyes!
In Antrum fell nine hundred fifty four
In one morn, afterwards twelve hundred more.
Sir Phileme O Neal boasted he had kill'd
Above six hundred at Gravagh; and fill'd
Whole houses with the slain; brain'd old and young
Within the Baronry of Monterlong.
In Ʋlster Province, by all sorts of deaths,
One hundred fifty thousand lost their breaths.
One man for saying he'd believe the Pope
No sooner then the devil, stretch'd a rope.
In Munster, many eminent Divines
They hanged up. Alas! what woful signs
Poor children made for bread; but they must fast
Or feed on grass, and then be brain'd at last.
Dear hearts! in what inextricable woes
Are they involv'd? inexorable foes
On ev'ry side to bring them to their ends;
'Tis sad to hear wives, children, servants, friends,
Send to the ayr their stormy sighs, and grones,
Their shrieks, their cries and lamentable mones!
Alas! what tongue, is able to relate
The fears, and cares, of their afflicted state?
O was it, was it not enough almost
To break a Christians heart, to hear them boast
Of knockings down? (said one) my arm's so sore
I cannot lift it up, to brain one more.
Another bragg'd, that he abroad had bin,
And of the English rogues had kill'd sixteen:
Others so many kill'd, that they believ'd,
That of the very grease and fat which cleav'd
Upon their swords, a man might undertake
An Irish candle (if he list) to make,
[Page 140] The English are (said they) fit meat for dogs,
Their children bastards, drown them in the dogs;
The daye's our own, we'll wound their beasts there­fore;
Oh 'tis a gallant thing to hear them rore!
Thus have we had a tast of what befel
The Protestants: now they that did rebel
Have ever since by the just hand of God
Bin soundly scourg'd with his severer rod;
He so emasculates their spirits in fight,
That handfuls put innum'rous foes to flight;
Thousands of them have perish'd by the sword;
Anno 1650.
As many, if not more, the plague devour'd:
The Lord still fights for his; and will, no doubt,
Utterly root up that rebellious rour.
A MARTYROLOGIE Conta …

A MARTYROLOGIE Containing A COLLECTION Of all the PERSECUTIONS Which have befallen The Church of England, Since the first Plantation of the Gospel, To the end of Queen MARIES Reigne.

By the same AUTHOR.

Victi sunt Gentiles Papistae & Idololatria corum non a repugnantibus, sed morientibus Christianis. August. Ep. 42.
Quo malis presentibus durius deprimor, co de fuluris gaudiis certius presumo. Gregor.
In nothing be terrified by your adversaries, which to them is an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God, Phil. 1. 28.

Printed by J. Cottrel. 1657.

To the Right Honourable, WROTH ROGERS ESQUIRE; High Sheriff, and Governour of the City and County of Hereford: AND TO THE REVEREND, Mr. • William Voyle , • William Low , • Samuel Smith , and • George Primrose  Ministers of Christs Gospel in Hereford.
Grace and Peace be multiplied, &c.

Honoured and Reverend Sirs,

AS it is the property of ge­nerous spirits, not to ex­act an answerable retaliation [Page] for their afforded favours from the party whom they have en­gag'd: So neither are they wont to slight the petty presents of a grateful heart, whose greatest ambition is to be thankful. This hath embold­ened me to offer you the small fruits of my weak labours, or rather recreations, gathered at spare hours, in hope they may so rellish with your palate, as to move you to honour them with a free acceptance: I doubt not then but they will pass the better, and be entertained with more Approbation. VVhhat though the wine of astonish­ment [Page] (I mean the blood of Martyrs) be not so pleasant, and consequently less desirable, yet my hanging out the signes of your hononrable names (at the Frontispice of my Book) will be very effectual to make it vendible. Humility in your selves, and charity towards me, will cover all faults. I know you are my Honourable and Reverend good Friends, and Amici omnia, amicè interpre­tantur, so will you this my good will. Now if it be your pleasure to make use of me, I am here prest for your small Service, till I am able to per­form [Page] greater. So praying God to fill you with as much happi­ness both here and hereafter, as your hearts can hold, I take my leave of you; but shall al­wayes, while I have a tongue and hand, acknowledge and subscribe my self,

Etrolog. The seconD of the MoVnth ApriL. MDCLVI.
Your Honours humblest Servant; and to you my Worthy Friends very much obliged, Nicholas Billingsley.

To the ingenious Reader.

Kinde Reader,

I Call thee as I would willingly finde thee; though, I confess, my weak performance of this Part also in Verse, which is so well done to thy hand in Prose already, might justly occa­sion thee to clothe thy brow in an angry frown, and look big upon me, with a What needs this? But I perswade my self, thou knowst a little better what belongs to humanity, then to judge too inhumanely of me; thy self remem­bring that thou art also born of a woman, and art naturally proclive to slip, if need be, as well as another. Mansuetude seems firstly to be at­tributed to beasts which were made tame, and ci­curated; but was afterwards us'd to express the minde pliable, and pulling in the reins of her passion: this vertue if thou hast, I need not advise thee (as Athenodorus did Augustus) from speaking anything rashly before thou hast orderly repeated the Criss-Cross-Row. Thus do I hope well of thee. What I have done, I leave [Page] to thy good-liking; which, if I may be so wor­thy, as to obtain from thee, give God the Glory, and I am abundantly rewarded for my pains.

Yours, N. B.

THE PERSECUTIONS Of the Church of England, From the first planting of the Gospel, to the end of Queen Maries Reign.

SECT. I.
The Persecution of the British Church, till the coming in of the Saxons.

TO tell exactly who the persons were
That first preach'd to the Britains, in what year
The Gospel first took root, is past my skill,
Since Authors cite them with a diff'ring Quill.
Some say
Simon Zelotes.
Zelotes preach'd here first of all;
Some Arimathean Joseph; others Paul:
Fagan, and Damian, did the Gospel bring
Into great Britain. Lucius the King,
[Page 150] With many of his subjects, did embrace
The proffer'd Gospel, as the means of grace:
Converted, and baptiz'd, they overturn'd
Th'Idol'trous Temples, and the Altars burn'd:
All superstitious rites they laid aside,
Advancing Christ: the Scripture was their guide,
And onely rule; they judged nothing fit
But what had warrant from the Sacred Writ.
Two hundred sixteen years this faith did flame
Amongst them till the Pagan Saxons came.
Religious Lucius without issue dy'd,
And now the Barons and the Nobles vy'd
For King; and while they for the crown contended,
In step'd the Romans, so the quarrel ended:
For they usurp'd the crown, and did o'rewhelm
With misery and ruine the whole Realm.
Sometimes th'Idol'trous Romans bore the sway;
Sometimes the Christian Britans won the day:
By turns they got the best, by turns they got
The worst, as Providence did them allot.
In Dioclesian's time, and in the Reign
Of Maximinian, the Christians slain
In Britany and elsewhere, did amount
To sev'nteen thousand. One of great account,
Alban his name, the Proto-Martyr was
Of Englands Isle; and many more did pass
That way he went. Religion decaid,
Bibles were burned, and the Churches laid,
Laid level with the ground; disord'red orders
Took place; and Piety forsook our borders.
But the fore-named Tyrants over-tir'd
With blondy butcheries, at last respir'd;
Experience telling them, the more they shed
The Christians blood, the more the faith still spread.
[Page 151] They both went down from the Imperial seat;
Constantius; next Constantine the Great
Succeeding in the British government,
The Church was quiet, and enjoy'd content:
Which peace continu'd till the Arrian Sect
The novelty-affectors did infect.
Hereat God raised up the Picts and Seots
(Two barb'rous nations) and to them alots
The Victors wreath: poor England was opprest,
And did for many years enjoy no rest.
Which made them send Embassadors to Rome
With sad complaints, entreating them to come
To aid them; so a Roman Legion came,
Slew some, making the rest retreat with shame,
And quit these coasts; advising us withal
To raise betwixt us and the Scots, a wall:
A wall being builded by the English men,
The Roman force returned home agen.
This news was brought unto the Picts and Scots
One this side of the wall; they landed boats,
O're-ran the country, laid the corn-sields waste,
And bare down all before them as they past.
The Britans send their Legates unto Rome
A second time; the sent-for souldiers come
And vaequish'd them; the rest put to disorders,
Enforcedly desert the British borders.
Which done, they told the Britans flat and plain,
They should expect no aid from them again;
Besides, it stood not with their ease, to take
So long and tedious journeys for their sake:
Now therefore arm your selves, and exercise
In Warlike feats (said they) if yee be wise:
Go, go and build you firmer walls, that so
You may be able to keep out your foe,
[Page 152] The Romans having took their last farewel
Of Britany, the Picts and Scots soon fell
On the re-builded walls, and put to flight
The trembling Britains, noitrain'd up to fight.
They that stood out were barb'rously destroy'd;
And all their goods the enemies enjoy'd.
Loan Aceldama of blood! what store
Of slaughtred Carkasses, ev'n swim in gore!
Rome b'ing again solicited to send
Relief, refus'd; the Britains in the end
Took heart to grass, when earthly comforts fail'd
Sought God, and 'gainst their enemies prevail'd;
Gave them the total rout; the Picts began
To keep their bound, save onely now and than
They inroads made into the Land; the Land
At last became under her own command.
The ground was now manur'd; the Lord did bless
Th'industrious Britains with a large encrease
Of full-ear'd corn, that such abundant store
Scarce ever in the Land was seen before.
But Oh! mans sinful heart! this Peace, this Quiet,
This Plenty, led them to excess, and rior,
To pride, contention, envy, and the like:
God sent the plague among them, which did strike
So many dead, that the alive were all
Unable to afford them burial.
Yet could the judgements that abroad were sent
Not melt their hearts, nor move them to repent;
The death of friends, the danger they were in
Themselves, but hardened them more in sin;
Not work'd their Reformation; oftentimes,
Judgements prove Shooing-horns to greater crimes.
They wax still worse and worse; the Laity chose,
And Clergy too, to live like ranc'rons foes.
[Page 153] Gods thundring vengeance which upon them fell,
My breathing Muse shall in the sequel tell.

SECT. II.
The Persecution of the British Church under the Heathen Saxons and English, Anno 429, &c.

THE Britains with ill-neighbours re-infested,
Instead of turning to the Lord, requested
The Pagan Saxons aid, for to oppose
The raging fury of these Northern foes;
They came, and coming, conquer'd them; at length,
The Saxons knowing their sufficient strength
To over-pow'r the weaker Britains, they
Fell foul on them, exacting greater pay,
And more provision, or else they would
Side with the Picts, and do the best they could
To spoil their country. This their resolution
No sooner said, was put in execution:
All goodly edifices they destroy'd:
The Ministers, the while they were employ'd
In Divine service, were of lives depriv'd,
And rev'rend Bishops with their flocks disliv'd.
Some left their country and beyond Seas fled;
Some on the mountaines tops were murthered.
Some pin'd with hunger, creeping from their caves,
Were soon dispatch'd, or made perpetual slaves.
The English Nobles summoned to treat
Concerning peace, did on a fix'd time meet
At Almshury; but by the faithless train
Of Saxons, were most treacherously slain
[Page 154] At Stomheng; and, that they were bury'd there,
The yet-remaining monuments declare.
Now when the Britans found no other way
Lay open to redress, they fell to pray.
A fast was call'd, and all, with one accord
Humbled their souls, before th'Almighty Lord.
Ambrosius Aurelian, being chose
To be their King, did profligate their foes;
And from that day Gods hand appearing glorious.
They went out prosp'rous, and return'd Victorious.
At last Aurelian with poyson dead,
Uter Pendragon reigned in his stead:
He bidding battail to the enemy,
Two of their Chieftains took; who scaping fly
To Belgia for more aid; and in the mean
The Saxons flock'd in; conflicts past between
Th'English and them: now these, and sometimes they,
(As Providence saw good) did win the day,
Octa, and Cosa, with a force renew'd
Came o're again; the Britans are subdu'd;
Their pastors slain, Churches demolished,
No mercy's shown; King Ʋter sick in bed,
Seeing his Subjects fall, would needs be brought
Into his camp: so resolutely fought
His souldiers then, they (under God) obtain
The Victors wreath: Octa and Cosa slain.
Soon ever this great Victory was won,
Uter of poyson dy'd; Arthur his son
Was crowned King, who twice six Victories
Obtain'd against the Saxon enemies.
His stranger acts, and unbeliev'd success,
As fabulous, I leave; but questionless
Much peace and safety to the British Isle
Was in his happy reiga enjoy'd; yet while
[Page 155] They were at Peace with others, they agin
Returning to their loathed wayes of sin,
Fell to intestine broils, embracing evil
In stead of good, and worshipped the Devil,
Under the notion of an Angel bright.
The Priests withheld the Gospels purer light
From deviating souls; which soon procur'd
The wrath of God (too great to be endur'd)
Driv'n out of house and home, no ease, no rest
They found; the Saxons had the Land possest,
And turn'd out all the Christian Divines.
So done, they did in the usurp'd confines,
The Heptarchy erect: These Kings did smother
All peace, fell out and warr'd with one another:
Till disempowr'd, they could not well defend
Themselves, much less with enemies contend.
Anno 180.
King Lncius was the first that did receive
The Gospel, and in Jesus Christ believe:
From which time (as't in Chronicles appears)
It staid in Britain full four hundred years:
One hundred fourty and three years Gods word
Grew cold;
Anno 598,
but Austins comming it restor'd.
Some English children being brought to Rome,
There to be sold, Gregory chanc'd to come
Into the market-place: when his fix'd sight
Saw in their lovely cheeks pure red and white
Contend for Mastership, he much admir'd
At their so sweet complexions, and enquir'd
What country they were of; then being told
That they were English heathens, to be sold
For slaves: here's choice enough, if any wats,
Said he, 'tis pity such inhabitants,
So fair, and so Angelical, should dwell
As subjects to the story Prince of hell.
[Page 156] Inform'd their Province Deira was; said he,
Could wish them Manu-miss'd De ira Dei.
And further, being given to understand,
That one nam'd Alle rul'd the British land;
There, there, saith he, ought Praises to be given
And Allelujab's to the King of heaven.
He also had a great desire to go
To England, and there preach: but Rome said, no.
Pelagius dy'd: he in his room assign'd
Romes Bishop, calling his intent to minde:
Austin,
Anno 590.
and forty more Divines, he sent
To undertake this work: they land in Kent,
At Thanets fertile Isle: King Ethelbert,
In Canterbury City, they convert,
And did baptize:
Anno 186.
by whose example, many
Dayly came in, the King enforc'd not any,
But much respected, and affected those
Who willingly with Christ would make a close.
Austin sends Greg'ry word, how God did bless,
And crown their labours with desir'd success.
The joyful Bishop sendeth more Divines
Over, for to effect those great designs
Were now on foot: a letter of advise
He writes to Austin, not to be too wise
In his own eyes, not be puft up at all
By those great miracles, which did befall
The English Church: For why? for this intent,
God onely us'd him, as an instrument.
Ascribe all, Austin, to God's pow'r Divine;
His be the glory, and the praise, not thine:
And when thy heart t'ebulluate begins,
O think upon thy God-offending sins,
And that will humble thee: all Gods elect
Have of themselves no power to effect
[Page 157] A miracle like this; and yet heav'ns book
Contains their names. O do not, do not look
So much on thine own works; be this thy strife,
To have thy name writ in the book of life.
What ever miracle the Lord hath brought
To pass by thee, know this, it was not wrought
For thy sake; no, 'twas wrought for the salvation
Of the seduc'd, misguided English nation.
If I might be so worthy to advise,
The Temples built for heath'nish sacrifice
I would not have demolish'd, but th'abuse
Remov'd, converted to another use.
God go along with you, and lest you stumble
Through pride, and glory, keep you alwayes hum­ble, &c.
He an Epistle also did direct
Unto the King, which was to this effect:
He first prais'd God, then did the King commend,
Wishing he might prove constant to the end
In his professed faith; and to his power,
Convert his Subjects to a Saviour,
Who holds forth life to those that will receive
It freely, and in's promises believe.
And lastly, he intreats his gifts may finde
Acceptance, coming from a willing minde.
Miletus, by his preaching did convert
Th'east Angles and the then-King Sigebert;
Who with his Unckle Ethelbert did found
St. Paul his Church, and built it from the ground.
Austin a Synod gath'red in this nation
Of Bishops, to consult of Reformation;
But nothing's done therein: King Ethelbert
Having a mighty force, went to evert
The Chestrian City, where the Monks of Bangor
Assembling, pray'd God to divert his anger,
[Page 158] From their friends heads, and turn it on their foes,
To shield the English from approaching woes.
When the King saw them so intent in pray'r,
Demand he did, what sort of men they were:
And being credibly inform'd, they pray'd
For those that were his enemies; he said,
Although unarm'd, they fight against us do,
And with their prayers persecute us too;
My hearts, fall bluntly on them; upon pain
Of our displeasure, let them all be slain.
Eleven hundred Monks had their blood spill'd;
Which God reveng'd: the bloody Tyrant's kill'd
In fight by Christian Edwin, who obtain'd
The crown, and the Christ-builded faith maintain'd.
The Idols, and the Altars he destroy'd,
Making all ancient ceremonies voyd.
He caused brazen dishes to be tide
By ev'ry fountain in the High-wayes side,
That so each passenger without controul,
Might be refreshed with a liberal boul:
He alwayes carried himself propitious
Unto the good, but rig'rous to the vitious:
So that a woman charg'd with gold might pass
From Sea to Sea, unquestion'd who she was.
At last, by Penda, and Cadwalla's might,
Subdu'd, Josiah- like, he dy'd in fight:
His Christian Subjects felt the worst of woes,
Nay, eruelst deaths, by those insulting foes.
The
Edelburg.
Queen, her
Eufled.
daughter, and Paulinus went,
To save their lives, by water into Kent;
Oswald was crowned next; whose pray'rs did gain
A glorious Victory, Cadwalla slain.
His love to piety, his fervent zeal
To spread the Gospel in his common-weal,
[Page 159] Was known to all. From Scotland he procur'd
Aidanus Bishop; and the King inur'd
To Scoth, himself interpreted the words
Aidanus preach'd, unto his noble Lords
And Subjects in their mother tongue, more known
To them then the exotique Scotish tone.
He to the poor was so compassionate,
That when on Easter-day at meat they sate
And serv'd in silver, he was told the poor
Stood flocking thick and threefold at the door
He caused them for to be serv'd in state
With his own food, taking a silver place,
And straight-way breaking it in pieces small,
Distribute it he did amongst them all.
Aidanus seeing this, admir'd, and got
Him by the hand, O may this never rot
That to the poor so beneficial was
(Said he:) as Authors say, it came to pass.
This Oswald also was a means to bring
Kinigilsus of the West-Saxons King.
And Quicelinus King of Dorsetshire,
With many of their Subjects, to the clear
Knowledge of Christ; under the Minist'ry
Of Berinus famous for piety.
Thus Oswald having reigned nine years space,
Mercian Penda did his life uncase.
Oswic succeeded him; Oswic as glorious
A Prince, as pious, and no less Victorious:
He rais'd an army, fought, and overthrew
A greater force, and impious Penda slew.
And now the Bishops and the Ministers,
Sequester'd from the World, and its affairs,
Preach'd freely to the people, until they
About the celebrating Easter-day
[Page 160] (Which bone amongst them Satan cast) contended,
A Synod's call'd, nor was the diff'rence ended,
Wolferus now a license having gain'd,
Converted the south-Saxons; then there rain'd
Abundant showrs which fertiliz'd the land
Laine barren for three years: thus Gods good hand
Appeared in a plenteous increase;
He sent his Gospel, with his Gospel-peace.
Thus the South-Saxons, with the Ifle of Wight,
Did last of all embrace the Gospels light.
About this time the Roman Church disown'd
Her pristine beauty; Antichrist enthron'd,
The Pope did Lord it over all; he sent
Italian Theodorus into Kent
With many Monks, there Masses must be sung,
And in the Latin, not the mother-tongue:
Bishops, and Ministers he did displace
At's pleasure, so that in a little space
Truth turn'd to errour, Piety to vainness,
Zeal to contempt, Religion to profaness.
Because their iterated crimes did urge
Gods wrath, the Pagan-Danes became their scourge.

SECT. III.
Of the Heptarchy united by Egbert; and of the invasion by the Danes, and of the Perse­cution of the English Church under them.

KIng Egbert after many battails fought,
United first the Heptarchy, and brought
In Monarchy, into the British land;
The whole Realm his, he gave a strict command
That Britain should be England nam'd, and all
The Saxons answer to the English call.
The Pagan-Danes invaded several times
(To plague her for her execrable crimes)
This British Isle, not striving to enjoy
And conquer it, but t'utterly destroy.
They whosoe're they met, man, woman, child,
Kill'd or enslaved, and the Churches spoil'd.
They sacked Canterbury, in which place
Above nine thousand souls they did uncase.
Throughout the Land their cruelty was such,
Of blood they thought theycould not shed too much.
This Isle was subject to a forreign power,
Above 255 years.
Till freed by William the Conquerour.
Who list to know the intercourse of things.
The Acts and the Successions of Kings,
May if he please, (for brevity's my mark)
Read them at large in famous Mr. Clarke.

SECT. IV.
The Persecution of the English Church under the Papacy.

ALthough Religion from the time this Isle
Embrac'd grace first, retain'd not all this while
Its Prim tive splendour, but grew more obscure,
More superstitious, and no less impure;
Yet in those Pristine dayes, the peoples crimes
Were not equivalent to after-times.
The Church now being in the desarts hid,
Affraid to shew her face, th' Almighty did
Raise Bernard up, and many more beside,
T'unmask and check the Antichristian pride;
And superstitious disordred orders
Too too luxuriant in the British borders.
At which the Pope and his adherents urg'd,
They were imprison'd, hang'd, and burnt, and scourg'd
About the streets, or branded in the sorehead,
With an Heret'cal character: O horrid­
Yet many did most readily embrace
Their Doctrine, as the onely meanes of grace:
That man of sin, that offspring of perdition
Renounc'd, and all the wayes of superstition.
God still preserv'd a Church unto his name,
From Christs time, till the time that Luther came.
John Patrick Engina,
Anno 1518.
When Alfred reign'd,
The first Reader in Oxford was ordein'd:
He wrote a book about the Sacrament,
Anno 884.
For which a Martyrs death he underwent.
[Page 163] They branded in the face,
Anno 960.
and banish'd some
Divines at Oxford, who declam'd 'gainst Rome.
One Arnold there they butcher'd, who decry'd
Against the Priests lewd lives,
Anno 1126.
and Prelates pride.
In Henry's reign the second of that name,
Thirty Waldenses into England came,
Anno 1160.
Gerard their Pastor; and without all pity,
Were whipped publickly through Oxford City;
They singing all the while, Blessed are yee,
When you shall hated, and misused be, &c.
With want and cold, they dy'd; none might afford
Them any comfort, nor at bed nor board.
Gualdo who 'gainst the priests invectives wrote,
And also Doctor Gilbert Foliot,
Anno 1170.
Who oft blam'd
Archbishop of Canter­bury.
Thomas Becket to his face,
Were persecuted much: to them a grace.
Sylvester Gyrald by his writings tears
Such Hornets up,
Anno 1200.
as fall about his ears.
One Alexander, for his bitter stile
Banish'd by
Anno 1207.
Langton, died in exile.
Ashton fellow of Merton colledge went
Into perpetual imprisonment.
Archbi­shop of Can­terbury.
One William Sawtre, Thorp, and Swinder by.
With sundry more Divines condemn'd, did die
Under the Christian Banner,
Anno 1382.
and their spirits
Pass'd into glory through Christ Jesus merits.
And now because my Muse finds nothing new
But onely Martyrs names, she dids adieu
At present, Reader, but intends to meet
Thy serious eye within another sheet.

SECT. V.
The Persecution of the English Church after the rising of Martin Luther.

THE Christian world appear'd not very clear
Until the fifteen hundred eighteenth year,
Wherein God pleased to unbosome night,
The Art of Printing being brought to light;
Anno 1518.
Which furnished the Church with useful books,
And made them to discerne Religions looks
From superstition, (as in a mirrour;)
Substantial Truth, from counterfeited errour.
God also rais'd up sundry men of parts;
Who by their learning and ingenious Arts,
Most strenuously opposed Barbarism,
Truths Sunshine breaking from the clouds of Schism.
Picus, and Franciscus Mirandula,
Laurentius Valla, Francis Petrarcha,
Erasmus, Doctor Collet, Wesalinus
Rhenanus Grocinus, and Revelinus, &c.
Were in Gods vineyard faithful labourers;
Then Martin Luther, and his followers,
By Gods appointment came into this nation,
To work his Church t'a fuller Reformation.
Six persons suff'red death at Coventry,
Anno 1519.
Onely for teaching of their family
The Lords pray'r, ten commandments, and the creed,
I'th' English tongue.
Anno 1523.
Severity indeed!
One Thomas Harding, on an Easter day,
When others worship'd Idols, went to pray
[Page 165] Within a silent grove; where apprehended,
Condemn'd, and burnt, his soul to heaven ascended.
At London one John Raimond was abjur'd;
Anno 1528.
Who fifteen hundred Testaments procur'd
Of Antwerp Print, and brought five hundred over
Into this Isle, the darkness to discover.
One Sigar Nicholson was hung up by
The ptivy members:
Anno 1529.
and the reason why,
Was this: in Cambridge he (a Stationer)
Kep'd in his house some works, that Luther's were.
One Thomas Hitten, a Divine in Kent,
After a tedious imprisonment,
Anno 1530.
Was over to the sec'lar power turn'd,
And by them in the Town of Maidstone burn'd.
Cardinal Woolsy persecuted sore
Bilny,
Anno 1531.
Lome, Garret, Barnes, and many more.
One Richard Bayfield,
Anno 1532.
was from Lollards tower
Deliver'd over to the sec'lar power,
And after bound at stake; when with the flame
His left arm burned was, he rubb'd the same
With his right hand so hard, that down it fell;
He pray'd until he went in heaven to dwell.
Edward Freese, Johnstone, Wylie, Father Bates,
All shut up with their wives in Fulham grates,
During their hard imprisonment, were fed,
O misery indeed! with saw-dust bread.
After a tedious lying in the stocks,
Thay let them go, but clog'd their legs with locks.
James Bainham, when half burned at the stake,
To this effect unto the Papists spake:
Behold, ye look for miracles; and here
A miracle indeed, doth now appear:
For I am as insensible of pain,
As if I on a bed of down were lain;
[Page 166] All's one to me, both equally do please:
O tis a Rosy bed, a bed of ease!
An Idol nam'd The Rood of Dover Court,
A. 1530.
Was burnt, and some in chains were hanged for't.
Now suffer'd Andrew Howet, and John Frith.
One Thomas Bennet, who was cursed with
Bell, Book, and Candle, fastned to the stake,
And fir'd a comfortable end did make.
The Papists to their power the truth supprest,
And Persecuted those that it profest:
But God was pleas'd deliverance to bring
To his afflicted Saints; for now the King
Divorc'd the Lady Katharine of Spain,
And took to wife Lady Anne Bullen. Vain
Were all the Popes projects; none in this nation
Might now ensorced be to abjuration.
Eliz'beth Barton, th'holy maid of Kent,
A Nun both subdolous and fraudulent,
By the strange alt' ring of her countenance
Gull'd silly people, lying in a trance
(As Quakers do) and then, as if sh' had been
Inspir'd by God, would in reproof of sin
Speak much, and raile against the Gospels light,
Calling it Heresy; her ranc'ous spight
She vented to the King and Queens dishonour.
By Satan back'd, she also took upon her
T'advance Rome's Doctrine, praising constitutions
Idol' try, Pilgrimages, Absolutions, &c.
But Doctor Cranmer,
Anno 1533.
with the Lord Cromwel,
And Mr. Latimer, did wisely smell
Out all the knavery;
Aano 1534.
so that the Nun
And her associates hang'd, their dayes were don.
Though England did the Popish pow'r disown,
Anno 1536.
Yet Popery still hover'd up and down:
[Page 167] And William Tindal was betraid, arrain'd,
Condemn'd and burned for the Truth maintain'd.
Anne Bullen also, that Religious Queen,
(Who now about three yeers had married been)
By false reports and sinister suggestions,
Had lost the Kings affection; he questions
Her dearest love; which he intends to smother,
By marrying himself unto another.
Queen Anne was to the Tower carried;
And, e're three weeks were over, lost her head.
The Vertuous Lady, standing up erect
Upon the Scaffold, spake to this effect:
Good Christian people, if you wonder why
I am come hither, know, it is to die;
Having already heard my sentence strict:
Nor lies it in my pow'r to contradict.
I come not hither for this end, to clear
My self, nor tell who my accusers are:
I pray God save the King his life maintain,
And make you flourish in his happy reign, &c.
And if among you, there be any shall
Presume to question my untimely fall;
Anne Bullen begs, Anne Bullen does implore,
That they would judge the right, and judge no more.
Thus, thus vain world, I take my leave of you:
Dear Christian friends, I bid you all adieu:
I pray be fellow-feelers of my case,
And put up prayers to the Throne of grace
In my behalf. Oh Lord in mercy shine
Upon me, take my soul, for it is thine:
Sweet Jesu, it is thine. This oft she sed
On her bent knees, until she lost her head.
The King, (no longer time then three dayes tarried,
But) to the Lady Jane Seymer was married.
[Page 168] About this time, (which God to pass did bring)
Lord Cromwel grew in favour with the King:
By whose advise, and sage deliberation,
The Church was brought unto a reformation.
The Kings injunctions all abroad made known,
Anno 1538.
Idol'trous Images were overthrown:
Our Ladies at Walsingham, Worcester,
Ipswich, and Thomas Becket's image, were
Cast down; with others, which had long deceiv'd
The silly people, who indeed believ'd
They liv'd; for they (by secret Engines found)
Could open, shut their eyes, and roll them round.
The same year (as Lord Cromwel, did advise)
Abbeys were ruin'd and Monasteries.
A little after, for opposing Rome,
Mr. John Lambert suff'red Martyrdome.
Packington Collins, Leiton, Puttedew,
Peck, Doctor Barnes, Garret, and Heirom too,
Two eminent Divines, the Lord Cromwel,
Great Essex Earl, all for the truths sake fell.
Yea all the prisons, within London walls
Were fill'd, and many were enclos'd in Halls,
By vertue of an Act for prohibition
Of truth, and countenancing superstition.
John Porter,
Anno 1541.
unto New-gate Dungeon sent
For reading in the Bible; underwent
Hard usage: bolts and Iron chains did check
The freedom of his legs, his hands, and neck:
At last, into the lowest dungeon cast,
Not many dayes expir'd, he breath'd his last.
At Lincoln Bishop Longland took away
James Morton, Thomas Bornard, in one day.
One Mr. Barber, who the truth deny'd,
With sorrow wore away until he dy'd.
[Page 169] One Testwood,
Anno 1544.
Person, Filmore, tost and turn'd
Under afflictions hand, at last were burn'd
Neer Windsore Castle: with a cheerful face,
Anthony Person did the stake embrace,
Kissing it, said, Welcom mine own sweet Bride,
For this blest day shalt thou and I be ty'd
As man and wife together, in the love
And Matrimonial peace of God above,
Of God above; I long for to be there, &c.
When all of them unto the stake bound were,
Said Filmer then, My bretheren rejoyce
In God, unto him make a joyful noise:
For after this sharp breakfast, we a boon
Dinner shall have with Christ in heaven at noon.
Testwood with hands and eyes to heaven up heav'd,
Desir'd God that his spir't might be receiv'd.
Person (said thus) tricking with straw his head,
This is Gods hat, now I am dress'd indeed,
Like a true souldier of Christ, by whom
This day into his joy I trust to come.
And so they suffer'd with such constancy,
That many with them could afford to die.
The Lord Lisle, Thomas Brooks, James Cock, Ralph Hare,
James Barber, Mr. Smith, John Butler, bare
The cross of Christ. Said Rockwood, Bad's my state
I can't repent, All too late, all too late.
The under-Marshal fell upon the floor,
I'th' Councel. room, and never spake word more.
One Richard Mekins, that had scarce out-worn
The fifteenth year,
Anno 1541.
they did in Smithfield burn.
Two labouring men, there was at Callice Martyr'd;
And Mr. Da [...]slip was hang'd, drawn and quarter'd.
Button, was persecuted; Mr. Dod
Resign'd up in the flame his soul to God.
[Page 170] One Mr. Saxie, to his end was brought,
By Gardiner's appointment,
Anno 1546.
as 'cwas thought.
Kerby at Ipswich, Roger Clarke at Bury
Fry'd Faggots, to appease their foemens fury.
Anne Askew being tost from post to pillar,
And cruelly misus'd, an evil-willer
Led her into a dungeon; where he rack'd
Her body till her very bowels crack'd:
Nay, when her bones and joynts were pluck'd asun­der,
She praised God and pray'd; (to all a wonder)
Then the Lord Chanc'ller sent her word that burn'd
She should be, if she chang'd not: she return'd
An answer back, that she would rather die,
Then once recant, and her true faith deny.
To New-gate being sent, she penned there
Her faith's confession, ending with this prayer:
O Lord, the hairs which on my head do grow,
Are not so num'rous as my foes, I know:
Yet Lord, take not thy grace and comfort from me;
So shall they not with flatt'ring words o'recome me:
Do thou fight for me; so my soul shall fear
No danger, for on thee I cast my care.
With all the mischief that they can invent
They fall upon me, and have even spent
Me thy poor creature. Sweet Lord let me slight
My foes, for thou alone art my delight.
And Lord, I pray thee, when thy wrath begins
To burn them, quench it: O forgive their sins:
Lord open thou their hearts, restore the blind,
That they may please thee; give them grace to minde
The things that do belong unto their peace
In this their day, left when they would, they cease.
Let not the fancies vain of sinful men
Destain thy truth: Amen, O Lord, Amen.
[Page 171] She brought to Smithfield in a chair, was bound
To th'stake, and with the flames besieged round.
So slep'd she in the Lord,
Anno 1546.
and in Gods eyes
Became an acceptable sacrifice.
At that time Nicholas Belerrian,
A Shropshire Min'ster; and a Gentleman,
John Lacels, servant to the King; with one
John Adams Tailour, burning undergon.
The same year, Bishop Gardiner did bring
Malicious accusations to the King
Against Queen Kathrin Parre (supposing all
The boughs would wither, if the stock did fall)
In that she gave her minde (which was unfit)
To read and meditate on Sacred Writ.
And Chaplains kept seditions to rear,
None b'ing deny'd the priviledge to hear:
As also, that her heart was fully bent
To spurn against the present government:
Her life was dangerous: nor could he rest,
That nourish'd such a Viper in his brest.
The Kings love turn'd to hate; and now the Queen
Must die the death: but Prov'dence stept between;
The plot's found out; she wisely did behave her:
The King receiv'd her to his wonted favour.
Now also Sir George Blake condemned was,
For casting out some words against the Mass.
A pardon's granted him; after which thing,
He being in the presence of the King;
The King said to him, Ah my Pig, (for so
He us'd to call him:) yea, said he, I know,
Had not your Majesty been more enclin'd
To save my life, (such was your Royal minde)
Then were your Bishops to reak out their teen;
Your Pig, I'm sure, e're this had rosted been.
[Page 172] Streight after, Winchester, and his complices
(Sworn foes to Vertues, and fast friends to Vices)
Set forth in the Kings name, a Proclamation
That all the English Bibles in the Nation,
And other Books which yielded any light
Unto the truth, should be abolish'd quite.
This done, said they, So, now the Gospels lain
So low that it shall never rise again;
And for the greater terrour, strict inquest
They made for those that verity profest:
Of many pricked down the names; of whom,
They some expelled, and imprison'd some:
So that these varlots did in no wise doubt
The bringing of their wicked ends about.
But God, who careth for his truth, and those
That countenanc'd the same, dispers'd their foes:
A midst their vain projects the King was dead,
And with him all their hopes were buried.

SECT. VI.
The Persecution of the Duke of Somerset in the Reign of King Edward the sixth

NOW when King Henery the eighth was dead,
His son Prince Edward reigned in his stead;
During whose happy reign Religion flourish'd,
Pop'ry decar'd, the Church of God was nourish'd
With the full breasts of Peace, the Gospel spred
And superstition was abolished:
Onely the Godly Duke of Somerset
With Persecutions, and great troubles met;
[Page 173] Some of the Nobles lab'ring most of all
To raise themselves upon his suddain fall.
Edward, and Thomas Seymer were ally'd
Unto King Edward, by his mothers side;
Edward the eldest (fit to guide the Helm)
Was made Protector of the King, and Realm:
Thomas the second, of this British Isle
Was chosen Lord high Admiral; the while
These brethren joyned in fraternal love,
Nothing fell out amiss; but when they strove,
(Spur'd on by make-bates) unto one another
They prov'd destructive; and the younger brother
Attainted, was condemn'd, and lost his head
On Tower-hill:
Anno 1549.
hence insurrections bred.
The Lords, at London privily conjur'd
Against the Lord Protector, and immur'd
Him once, nay twice, yea thrice, in a short season,
Then charged him with Felony, and Treason.
He's to the Tow'r- hill brought, where he commended
His soul to God; his prayers being ended,
He rose from off his knees, and like a man
Couragiously bold, he thus began:
Dearly beloved friends, Lo, I am here
To suffer death, though (God knows) I am clear
From thinking, speaking, or from acting ought
Against the King, in word, in deed, or thought;
But alwayes to this Realm have born a brest
As faithful, and as loyal as the best.
Yet in obedience to the Laws command,
I here as a condemned person stand;
And praise my God, for his abundant grace
In giving unto me both time and space,
Who might have justly took away my breath,
Had he so pleased, by a sudden death,
[Page 174] Now as for the Religion which I
During the time of my Authority
Maintain'd to my power, nor do I now
Repent of what I did, but both to you
And me agnize it as a favour great;
And do you all most heartily entreat
To joyfully receiv't, and set it forth
In your lives, as a thing of unknown worth;
Which studiously to do, if you neglect,
Great misery I fear you may expect.
These words no sooner out, a sudden sound
As terrible as thunder, did confound
The people so, that some fell down through fear,
Some this some that way run, but none knew where
Anthony Brown Knight came; that he did bring,
The crowd suppos'd, a pardon from the King;
With that a shout arose: but the good Duke
Did gravely with his beck'ning hand rebuke
The clam'rous throng. And silence being gain'd,
He said, Dear friends, Pardon is not obtain'd
As you conceive; God otherwise is bent;
His will be done, and we must be content.
Let's joyn in prayer, that safety may pursue
The King, t'whom loyal I have bin. 'Tis true,
The people cryed out. O heaven bless
His Highness with all health and happiness:
I wish his Counc'llours grace to rule, and then
You all obedient hearts: all said, Amen
I ask forgiveness if I wronged any;
O Lord remit my sins, for they are many.
As for my foes, I freely them forgive.
For Christ I die, in whom I hope to live, &c.
Farewel, farewel, he lay him down, and spoke
Christ save me,
A. 1552.
thrice: the hangman gave the stroke

SECT. VII.
The Persecution of the English Church under the Reign of Queen Mary.

EDWARD the sixth ( Englands Josiah) dead,
Lady Jane Grey was crowned in his stead;
The Lady Mary, having heard the news,
Sent to the Lordly Councel for to chuse
Her to be Queen: and if they did withstand
The execution of her just command,
By force of arms she threatned to regain
Her wronged right, and her defrauded reign.
The Lords return'd this answer, There was none
Had such just right and title to the Crown
As Lady Jane: the ancient Laws allow
It hers, and place it on her Princely brow;
'Twas hers by Letters patent from the King,
And made Authentick with his Royal Ring
Before his death; and since she was invested
As an apparent heiress, all protested
Adherence to her and no Queen beside.
The Lady Mary to rest satisfiy'd,
Request they did, entreating her to cease
By new pretences to molest the peace
The quiet Realm enjoy'd; promising her
They would be nothing wanting to prefer
Her next the Queen: if possibly they could
Serve her in any other thing, they would,
Provided that she did her self so carry,
As fits a duteous Subject, Lady Mary
[Page 168] Having receiv'd this answer, heavy hearted,
From out the City's circuit streight departed.
Hereat the Councel did set out a band
Of armed souldiers under the command
Of the Northumbrian Duke: Mary withdrew her
Self into Suffolk, many flocking to her:
And while she in Fermingham Castle staid,
All Suffolk freely proff'red her their aid
And best assistance to procure her Reign,
With this Provisoe, that she would maintain
Religion established of late
By her good brother, and not broach debate
Amongst her Subjects, nor foment the seed
Of war: to this she easily agreed,
And did to God so solemnly protest,
That no man could suspect her in the least:
Now with this power, of those Godly men,
She vanquished her foes; yet after when
The self-same party spplication made
Unto her Grace, to do, as she had said:
She answer'd, Forasmuch as you that are
But members arrogantly seek to bear
Rule o're your head, I fear me to your cost
You'l once know what it was to rule the rost;
By sad experience you shall find one day,
That Subjects may not rule, but must obey.
Then in the Pill'ry famous Mr. Dobbe,
Exposed was to many a bitter bobbe;
Some others for presenting that request
Were laid up fast to terrifie the rest.
The Marches of the Duke not over-long,
The Lady by his ling'ring grew more strong.
So that the London Councel having heard
How much the Commons for her aid appear'd,
[Page 161] And that some of the Nobles too, did lean
That way, they presently proclaim'd her Queen.
The Gen'ral by his souldiers forsook,
At Cambridge left almost alone, was took,
And brought to London-Tower; in a short season
On Tower-hill he lost his head for treason.
After his condemnation he was
Promis'd his life, if he would go to Mass,
Which he assented to, his words regrest
The truth he had so formerly profess'd.
He to the Cath'lick cause the people led
To th'papists great joy: yet did he lose his head.
Queen Mary thus possessed of the crown,
Began the pure Religion to disown;
As soon appear'd, by her displacing all
The godly Bishops; Ridly, Coverdale,
Poinet, Hooper and Scory, Gardiner
Set free, was made Bishop of Winchester,
Also Lord Chancellour of England. Bonner
Too undeservedly attain'd the honour
Of being London's Bishop. To the Fleet
Was Mr. Hooper manded (O unmeet!)
To see the Queen good Doct or Ridly went,
But on a lame Jade to the Tow'r was sent.
A Parliament was call'd, a Proclamation
Forthwith the Queen set forth throughout the nation;
Wherein she shew'd, She could by no means brook
To smother that Religion which she took
In with her Infant-milk, and to her power
Meant to observe until her latest hour,
Wishing that all her Subjects (which would sleep
Secure in their whole skin) the same might keep:
She also did declare, whereas there were
Evil-disposed persons, who did dare
[Page 162] To preach God's word misled by their own brain;
She therefore did by strict command ordain
Such should not henceforth preach (as held unfit)
Read or interpret any Sacred Writ,
Or other points Religion concern'd,
Or Print Books by the which it might be learn'd,
Without a special licence from the Queen
On pain of stirring up her Highness spleen;
Requiring all her Officers to see
Her will and pleasure executed be:
If herein any wilfully offend,
She authoriz'd them, them to apprehend
And send them forthwith to the neighb'ring gaol,
Without admitting Mani-prize, or bail;
Till for their punishment, and the example
Of others, Orders be procur'd more ample.
Also the London- Aldermen were will'd
To send for all the Ministers which fill'd
The streight'ned Wards, and silence them on pain
Of death, commanding them that none explain,
Or preach, or read the Scripture in their stead,
But such as by the Queen were licensed.
Anno 1553.
One William Rutler, Humphry Palden, too,
He must to prison, this to th'Counter go,
For speaking but against what was express'd
At Paul's- Cross by one Bourn, a Popish Priest.
Good Mr. Rogers was t'his house confin'd;
Bradford, Vernon, and Beacon, were assign'd
Close pris'ners in the Tower. Then did they send
For Coverdale, and Hooper to attend
The Councel; and for Newgate they allot
John Melvine a Divine, by birth a Scot.
Mr. Hugh Latimer was sent to th' Tower;
And so was Dr. Cranmer by this power.
[Page 163] Mr. Simonds, Sanders, Horn, Durhams Dean,
Were summon'd to appear before the Queen.
Soon after this, the Parliament began;
Where Mr. Harly, a judicious man,
Bishop of Hereford, degraded was,
For marrying a wife, and shunning Mass.
Sir James Hales Justice of the Common-Plea,
In charge against the Popes supremacie
Producing Statutes, &c. into prison cast
Was there so roughly dealt with, that at last
Recant he did; but (O dire consequence!)
He felt the terrours of his conscience,
And his own executioner had been,
Had not God's special goodness step'd between
The knife and him. From prison he releas'd,
(His self-made wounds recur'd) no inward rest
Enjoy'd at home: so having made his will,
He drown'd himself, and's end began his ill.
At the same time, for their dis-approbation
Of a presented Bill, the Convocation
By Bonner was dissolv'd: From Coventry,
(For their oppugning of Idolatry)
Baldwin, Clark, Careless, Willcocks, all in hast
Sent up to London by the Mayor, lay fast.
Bishops imprison'd were, Archdeacons, Deans,
All Beneficed men, put by their means,
Who closely to the truth reveal'd adher'd;
And Popish Parsons, in their roomes prefer'd,
(Too bad supplies.) within a little season,
Archbishop Cranmer, for no less then Treason
At Guild- Hall was araing'd; clear'd of that charge,
For's heresy he might not live at large.
One Mr. Thomas Wotton an Esquire,
Anno 1554.
And Doctor Crome did in the Fleet retire.
[Page 164] Now Hymen went to joyn with Nuptial bands,
Iberian Philip's, and Queen Maries hands:
Some of the Nobles, and the vulgar sort,
Not very well resented this report;
The Duke of Suffolk, labour'd to prevent
The match: Sir Thomas as Wyat rais'd in Kent
Some sorces to oppose it; for he fear'd
The Realm would be enslav'd, and Popery rear'd.
Wyat for London march'd: Queen Mary then
At Guild- Hall stirred up the City-men.
Wyat came into Southwark; having found
Entrance block'd up, he went by Kingstone round,
And faced Lud-gate, which to entertain
Such guests refusing, he return'd again;
And having got the worst at Temple-Bar,
Became Sir Clement Parson's prisoner,
Who sent him to the Tow'r: on Tower-Hill
He and the Lady Jane,
Anno 1554.
their dayes fulfill.
Bonner did in his Diocess disperse
Injunctions to all the Ministers,
Wherein they were required to give in
The names of all whoever were agin
Auricular confession, the next Lent
Encroaching on. Queen Mary also sent
To Bonner, Articles, commanding streight
The Church-Laws made by Henery the eight
Should be in force; that heresy abhor'd
Should fall, the Popes supremacy restor'd:
That Ministers which did lead marri'd lives
Should be divorced from (themselves) their wives;
And that processions should be said, or sung,
From that time forward, in the Latin tongue, &c.
John a Lasco, Peter Martyr, and more
Protestant forr'ners, were exil'd this shore:
[Page 165] And many godly-minded English fly
To Friez land, Cleav [...]land, Basil, Germany;
Where through God's mercy they were kept from dangers,
And all found favor, in the eyes of strangers.
The number of these Peregrines encreas'd
Unto eight hundred persons, at the least.
Then to the Tower Lady Elizabeth
Was sent, and bore afflictions worse then death.
Latimer, Cranmer, Ridly, Bishops, spent
Much time at Oxford in imprisonment.
One Mr. Sanders crying down the Mass,
Became close pris'ner. Doctor Tailour was
To London sent for up. Henry Lord Gray
Of Suffolk Duke, condemn'd, was brought to pay
His sought for life; where having open broke
His sealed lips, he to the people spoke;
I have displeas'd the Queen, contrair'd her Laws,
Take notice Christians, that's the onely cause
I suffer so: and seeing they are bent
T'a bridge my fleeting dayes, I am content,
And do beseech you all, bear me record,
I die in the true faith of Christ, my Lord;
And for salvation on his merits rely,
Not on inefficacious trumpery.
For me, and all true penitents beside,
Who in him stead fastly believe, Christ dy'd.
Repent I do, and do desire you all
To pray for me, that when my body shall
Resigne its breath, God will be pleas'd to take
My soul unto himself, for Christ his sake.
Forgive me yee, whom I offended have.
Saies Dr. Weston then, As he doth crave
The Queen hath done: him thus the throng rebuke,
God send thee such forgiveness. So the Duke
[Page 166] Kneel'd down and prai'd, concluding, I resigne
My soul (O Lord) into those hands of thine:
Then made he preparation to embrace
The bloody blow; and having veil'd his face
With his own handkerchief, he kneeling said
The Lords pray'r over, down his head he laid
Venting these latest words, Christ look upon me,
Have mercy, Jesus, O have mercy on me.
And now the stroke was fetch'd, he being cast
At the black bar of death, breath'd out his last.
Divers of all degrees, who bought or sold
Some good religious books, were kep'd in hold.
As Bonner past his Visitation,
He charg'd all Sacred sentences upon
The Church-walls painted should be washed out.
And Visitors he also sent about
The Universities, to bring therein
All Popish trash: to turn out they begin
The ablest men: some of themselves forsook
Their fellowships, while worth-less persons took
Their places up, to the great hinderance
Of learning, and religions advance.
By this 'twas bruited over all the land,
The Queen went quick with child: upon command,
Thanks were returned to Almighty God
In ev'ry Church, and after, all abroad
Prayers were made, that she might have e're long
A male child, fair, wise, valiant, and strong.
The Godly Min'sters before Winchester
In and about the City must appear;
Who ask'd them, If they would recant, and so
Have pardon from the Queen? All answer'd, No,
Yea, all of them unan'mously agreed
To stand to what they taught: the Bishop's speed
[Page 167] Made them close prisoners, and did divorce
Their friends from interchangable discourse.
Mr. James George, one of them, there did yield
His spir't up, whom they bury'd in the field;
Then Mr. Hooper, Rogers, Bradford ( hated)
And Sanders too, were excommunicated:
And Pious Dr. Tailour, Ferrar, Crome,
Did all of them, with them receive their doom.
Commissions and inquisitors were sent.
Throughout the Realm;great multitudes from Kent,
From Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and elsewhere,
VVere brought to London, and encloyftred there.
Part of them dead in prison, out were turn'd
To dunghills, and the flames a many burn'd:
Also Hanks, Hunter, Pigot, Laurence, brought
Before the Bishops were, for no just fault.
When Stephen Gard'ner saw that what h'assail'd
By threats, hard usage, not at all prevail'd
To make men shake off truth; he did begin
(As utterly discouraged therein)
The business in hand, for to renounce,
Meddling no more with condemnations;
But unto Bishop Bonner, them referr'd,
Who in that trust imposed, so bestirr'd
Himself, that sending for all in great hast
Th'above nam'd parties, he upon them past
Death's final sentence: Dr. Ferrar, quick
He sent down to St. Davids Bishoprick
Within the Cambrian country, there to be
Condemn'd and executed (crueltie!)
To th'Queen in Mr. Coverdale's behalf
Twice wrote the King of Denmark for his safe
Release from prison; but with much ado
To him, the Queen permitted him to go,
[Page 168] One Thomas Tomkins, Weaver by his trade,
An humble man, and one that conscience made
Of what he did, who would begin his labour
With servent prayers; and to his needy neighbour
So charitable was, that he'd disburse
Unto them, all the mony in his purse
If any came to borrow of him: when
His creditors would bring it home agen,
He u'sd to bid them keep it longer yet,
Till they more able were to pay the deb.
This man was kept in pris'n a half years space,
By Benner's means, who beat him on the face
With livid blows, and plucked off a piece
Of his fast beard; yet this did but increase
His patience more: the Bishop then affail'd
(When other tearms nothing at all prevail'd)
With gentle words to win him; but the trial
Succesless prov'd: Tomkins return'd denial.
The Bishop, having by, a flaming Torch,
Took Tomkins by the fingers and did seorch
His hand therewith; afterwards Tomkins told
A friend of his, that whilst Bonner did hold
His hand to burn, he felt no pain at all,
Such consolation from God's spirit did fall;
Nor shrunk he in the least, until his veines
The fire contracted (fire you know constreines)
And sinewes crack'd again, and water spurt
On Dr. Harpsfield's face (as from a squirt.)
Who was so pityful compassionate,
As to beseech the Bishop to abate
His cruel minde: O be not so, so rough,
(Said he) have you not tryed him enough?
Into the Bishops consistory brought,
Examined he was, whether he thought
[Page 169] Christs real body in the Sacrament
Was present yea, or no? to which he sent
This answer, that he verily believ'd,
The Sacrament by a true faith receiv'd,
Was onely its remembrance; with the High'st
The very body, and the blood of Christ,
In heaven is, and nowhere else: being ask'd
If he'd recant? God hath (said he) unmask'd
His truth to me in such corruscancy,
That in it I resolve to live, and die.
The Bishop then, death's sentence on him past,
And to the Sheriffs deliv'red him, who cast
Him into Newgate prison; in Smithfield
The truth (in fine) with his dear blood he seal'd,
Anno 1555.
And in the Lord slep'd sweetly.—
Then William Hunter, that had scarce out-worn
The nineteenth, year of Godly Parents born,
VVho him instructed in Religion's truth,
And plac'd him out in London; this good youth
VVas charg'd by special command to go
To Mass, break bread; which he refus'd to do.
Hunter when threatened that this should come
Unto the Bishop's ear, leave got, went home
To Burnt-wood, and did with his Parents stay
About six weeks. And going on a day
Into the Chappel there, (which pleas'd him well)
He found a Bible, and to reading fell:
In came a Sommoner, who thus did say,
VVhat dost thou meddling with the Bible? Ha?
Know'st thou well, what thou read'st? canst thou un­fold
The Sacred VVrit? I dare not be so bold.
Said Hunter then, Nor Scriptures to expound
Take I upon me now; but having found
[Page 170] The Bible here, that joy might me betide
I read in it. The Sommoner reply'd,
Twas never merry world, since in our tongue
The Bible first came forth; would it were hung.
Said Hunter, Oh! for Godsake say not so;
'Tis Gods Book, by it ev'ry soul may know,
That hath one sparke of grace, the way which leads
To lasting bliss: 'tis this true comfort breeds.
God grant that we may still amongst us have
The blessed Bible, as a means to save.
O now I know your minde,
Sommoner.
y'are one of them
That slight the Queen, and her decrees contemn;
But you and others, must a new leaf turn,
Or else I fear me, you'l go neer to burn.
Pray God I build my faith on his word still,
Hunter.
And his great name confess, come what come will.
Confess his name?
Sommoner.
No, no, you'l in a mess
All to the Devil go, and him confess.
Then step't the Somm'ner forth, and fetch'd a Priest,
The Vicar of that place, a drunken beast,
VVho finding William Hunter at his Book,
Rebuk'd him for't, and ask'd if he could brook
The Doctrine well of Transubstantiation:
Hunter made answer it had no relation
Unto the truth reveal'd: he understood
Those words of Christ touching his flesh and blood
Carnal Capernait-like, who thought to feed
On Christ his flesh, and drink his blood indeed.
VVherefore to them he said, The words I speak
Are spirit, and life, and not as flesh so weak.
Ah! quoth the Viear, have I found you out?
Thou art an Her'tick now, without all doubt, &c.
VVhereas you of my faith do question make,
Hunter.
I would we two were fastned to the stake,
[Page 171] To prove whether of us should closest stick
Unto our faith, and which was Heretick, &c.
The Vicar to complain of him did threat,
Flung out of doors, departing in a heat.
Hunter went home, and having farewel took
Of his dear friends, his fathers house forsook.
Brown, call'd old Hunter, ask'd if he could tell
VVhere his son was; who said, He knew not well.
Brown told him, Either your miss'd-son produce,
Or go to prison; bring me no excuse.
The old man strides his horse, and rides to look him,
And after two dayes journey overtook him;
Telling him all what happ'ned; yet said he,
Go on, I'll say I cannot light on thee.
No, no, said William, home with you I will,
And save you harmless; me they can but kill.
At his return, a Constable him caught,
And brought before this Mr. Brown, who thought
VVith arguments to win him; and enrag'd
At his judicious answers, he engag'd
No more to hold on the dispute, but streight
Sent him to Bonner, Bonner to the Grate;
VVhere he for two dayes lay allowed just
A dish of water and a brown-bread crust.
At two dayes end, the Bishop coming found
The slender fare, he bids he be unbound,
And break his fast with them, but he's revil'd,
Call'd Heretick, worthy to be exil'd
Their company: said Hunter, I decline
Their company, as much as they do mine:
The Bishop sent for him, and thus did rant;
And wilt thou not, thou Heretick, recant?
Recant (said he) the faith I have profest
So publikely? I will not, I protest:
[Page 172] No, no, I will not; what? shall I be whirl'd
By errours wheels? I would not for a world.
Then take him Jailor, mand him to the stocks;
Be sure you load him well with bolts and locks
Till I shall burn him. VVhereupon he said,
Great God! O let thy all-sufficient aid
Corroborate my soul. He's born away;
The Bishop to a half-penny a day
Stinted his lively-hood; thus nine months space
Imprison'd, he before the Bishop's face
Was six times brought, to th'question still propounded
Hunter a pertinacious No, rebounded.
The Bishop read his charge, and him return'd
To Newgate, so to Burnt-wood to be burn'd.
His parents see him, and petitions send
To God, to make him constant till the end:
His mother added this, that she was blest
In bearing such a child, as could devest
His life for Christ's sweet sake. William reply'd,
For the small pain, which I shall here abide
But a short time, my Christ a joyful crown
Hath promis'd me. His mother kneeling down
Said thus, I pray God strengthen thee my son
To run the race thou hast so well begun;
I think thee now as well bestow'd (my dear)
As any child that ever I did bear.
VVhilst he remain'd at Burnt-wood, many friends
Came to him, to whom he the truth commends:
Three dayes expir'd all things were ready made;
The Sheriffs son hugg'd him in his arms, and said
William, don't fear these men with Bills Bowes,
That bring you to the place; death as he showes
Is not so grim. I've cast up mine accounts
(Said he) and know t'how much the cost amounts.
[Page 173] With that the young man, while he went about
To speak, could not, his tears so fast burst out.
So Hunter his way cheerfully went on,
His father meeting with him, said, My son
God be with thee. God be with you likewise
Good father, answer'd William. Let your eyes
Smile on your son; O be not so, so sad;
For we shall meet, and have our hearts made glad.
Come neer the stake, he kneeled down, and read
The one and fiftieth Psalm. The Sheriff said,
Here is a pardon: if thou wilt be turn'd,
Thou shalt live, otherwise thou must be burn'd.
No, I'll not turn (quoth William) and did go
To th'stake, and so was fast'ned thereunto.
Then spake he to the throng, Good people strive
By pray'r for me while I remain alive,
And I'll for you. Not I, I'll make my boon
Said surly Brown, (there standing by,) assoon
For a cur-dog as thee.
Hunter.
Sir you have got
What you desir'd; I pray God it be not
Laid to your charge, but I forgiv'n you have.
Said Brown,
Brown.
That's more then at your hands I crave.
If God forgive you not,
Hunter.
I tell you true,
This blood of mine shall be requir'd of you.
O Son of God shine on me; from a cloud
The Sun brake out (till then thick shades did shroud
The face of day) his eyes he turn'd aside,
Too weak such radiant glory to abide.
A Priest brought him a book to look upon.
To whom he thus, False Prophet thou be gon:
Good folk beware of them, for Jesus sake;
Who of their fins, shall of their plagues partake.
Marke what I say, as thou burn'st in this fire,
Brown.
So shalt thou burn in hell. Hu. Thou art a lyar.
[Page 174] False Prophet hence, from me away be gon:
Fire made, he pray'd, and breath'd his last. Anon
Higbid, and Causton, Gentlemen as good
As great, in Essex, with their own hearts blood
Sealed their faith unto Gods glory then,
And the rejoycing of all Godly men.
At Braintree, William Pigot, for Christs name
Endur'd the fury of the ardent flame;
At Maulden, Stephen Knight, before the stake
Kneel'd down and pray'd; Sweet Jesu, for whose sake
I freely leave this life and rather choose
Thy cross, and irrecoverably loose
All worldly goods, then to give audience
To men in breaking thy commandements:
Thou seest (O Lord) that whereas I but now
VVas proffer'd great preferments, if I'd bow
To a false helpless God; I was content
My body should be burnt, and my life spent,
Counting all things below, but dung and dross,
For thee; happy such gain which comes by loss!
Thousands of silver, and as much of gold,
Then death I do of lesser value hold.
Just as the wounded Deer desires the soil,
So longs my soul for thee: pour down the Oil
Of consolation on a crumbling clod
So helpless of it self: Thou know'st O God,
That I, who am but sinfull flesh, and blood,
Can of my self act nothing that is good;
And therefore, as of thine abundant love
And goodness still deflowing from above
On me, (me that am lesser then the least
Of mercies,) thou hast bid me to this feast,
And judg'd me worthy to drinke of this cup
With thine elect: even so, O bear me up
[Page 175] Great God! against this Element of fire
So formidable, to the sence so dire;
Sweeten it by thy spirit, so asswage
The heat, that I may overcome its rage,
And pass into thy bosome. Holy father
Forgive thou me, as I do all men; gather
My soul, sweet Son of God, my Saviour,
Beneath thy shady wings, a Balmy Bower;
O blessed Holy-Ghost, whose strength destroies
Fleshly corruptions, hasten thou my joyes,
Eternal joyes. Lord I commend, take then
My parting spirit, Amen, Amen, Amen.
John Laurence legs, with bolts and irons lame,
His body with hard usage out of frame,
Was to the stake transported in a chair,
And suff'red for the saith at Colchester:
Young children while he burn'd, cry'd out, O Lord
Strengthen thy servant, and make good thy word,
Stand up, stand up, for thy poor servant's aid,
As thou art just, O do as thou hast said.
Ferrar (set o're St. Davids Bishoprick)
Was apprehended for an Heretick:
Him Winchester misus'd call'd him base slave,
False-hearted fellow, and a cross-grain'd knave:
Morgan (a fraudulent supplanter) turn'd him
Out of his place, and at Carmarthen burn'd him:
Not long before his death, one Richard Jones
A Knights son comming, his sad pains bemones;
T'whom Ferrar thus: Sir if you see me move
My hand or foot during the flames, do prove
What mettle I am of, believe not then
My Doctrine oft inculcated to men.
And as he said, he did: with the fire hot
Besieged round, he stirred not a jot,
[Page 176] Held his stumps bolt upright; then with a pole
Knock'd down i'ch' fire he breathed out his soul.
One Rawlins White, a Fisher-man in Wales,
Of Cardiffe town, when superstitions scales
Drop'd from his eyes, the Truth he understood,
And in his country aid a deal of good;
He dayly now expects to he surpriz'd
By truths oppugners: his dear friends advis'd
Him to retire elsewhere, and be excus'd:
For their good will he thank'd them, but resus'd.
He's apprehended, and in prison laid
In Cardiffe Castle, where a year he staid;
His friends resorting to him, he would spend
The time in pray'r, exhorting them to mend:
At last the Bishop of Landaffe commands
That he be brought: he threats him now, then stands
On fairer terms; but all this would not stir
His unmov'd brest, a day's appointed for
His condemnation; which being come
The Bishop call'd him forth and told him some
Heretical opinions he did hold,
And had seduced others; Rawlins bold
Reply'd; My Lord, a Christian man I am
I praise God for't, my tenents are the same
With Sacred Writ: if from God's word I stray
I would be gladly brought in the right way.
The Bishop said, Speak, if you will be won,
Else I'll proceed to condemnation.
Proceed, said Rawlins; but you never shall
Condemn me for an Heretick. Let's fall
To pray'r (said Landaffe) that the Lord some spark
Of grace would send thee, to disclose the dark;
Now (said he) you deal well; and if your pray'r
Do with God's will agree, he'll doubtless hear.
[Page 177] Pray to your God, and I to mine will pray;
I know my God will hear, and not say nay.
The Bishop and his Chaplains pray'd anon:
Rawlins pray'd by himself alone: pray'r don,
The Bishop said, How is it with thee now?
Thine errours (what?) wilt thou revoke, and bow
To our true God? no, surely no said he,
Rawlins you left, and Rawlins you finde me;
Rawlins I was, and am, and Rawlins will
Through God continue to be Rawlins still.
God would have heard you, had your sute bin just,
But he hath heard me, and on him I trust.
The Bishop being wroth, him soundly shent,
So went to Mass. Rawlins his minde then bent
Shot forth these words: Good people if there be
Amongst you any breth'ren, two, or three,
Or if but one, bear witness at the day
Of judgement, that I to no Idols pray.
Anno 1554.
Mass don, he was condemn'd, and after thrown
Into a darke and loathsome dungeon.
There Rawlins pass'd his time in drowning wrongs
With spir'tual prayers and religious songs.
The night before his death t'his wife he sent
To send his wedding weed (a shirt he meant)
Which he rejoycingly next morn put on;
And being led to execution,
Guarded he was with bills, and Pike-staves too,
Alas! said he, what need all this ado?
By God's grace, I will nothing start aside;
VVho is't that gives me power to abide
All this affliction for his own names sake
But God? his be the glory. At the stake
He his dear wife and children having found
Pickled in briny tears, or rather drown'd;
[Page 178] His eyes let fall a tear; but having made
A recollection of himself, he said,
Ah flesh! saiest thou me so? would'st thou obtain
The Victor's Palm? I tell thee 'tis in vain
To strive; thy pow'r is like the morning mist:
Then failing on the ground, the ground he kist,
And spake, Earth unto earth, and dust to dust,
Thou art my mother, and return I must
To thee. With an exhilarated brow,
Then going to be bound to th'stake, I now
(Said he t'a friend of his) finde great contest
Betwixt the flesh and spirit, for the best.
I pray you therefore, when you see me shrink,
Hold up your finger, that I may bethink
My too oblivious self. B'ing bound he rais'd
These words up to the height; The Lord be Prais'd.
Unto the Smith then spake he, Pray good friend
Knock it in fast,
Anno 1554.
the flesh may much contend;
But God, support me, let thy grace refresh
My fainting spirits, and my trembling flesh.
About him pulled he the reeds and straw,
VVith such a merry look, that all that saw
Much wondred at it. Now a Priest appear'd
And preached to the people: Rawlins heard
Until he spake of Transubstantiation,
Alledging Scripture for its confirmation;
This is my Body; Come you here good folk
(Said Rawlins) don't hear that false Prophet's talk.
Ah! naughty Hypocrite dar'st thou produce
A Scripture-proof for so profane a use?
I have heard your already-quoted text;
But look immediately what follows next;
Do this for my Remembrance: then streight-way
The Priest stood still, not knowing what to say.
[Page 179] The fire was kindled, Rawlins in the flame
Bathed his aged hands, till in the same
The sinews shrunk, the fat drop'd out, and all
That while he cried out; Lord, let my fall
Mount me to thee; Receive this soul of mine,
O Lord receiv't; his spirit he did resign.
It was observ'd of him, that whereas through
Infirmity of age he round did go,
And with dejected countenance, he now
Went bolt upright t'his death, his smoother brow
As clear as day; his speeches and behaviour,
Of courage, vigour very well did favour.
And now the Queen restor'd the Abbey-lands
She late possess'd. A Pope-sent Bull commands
All do the like; but none therein was seen
T'obey the Pope, or imitate the Queen.
A Popish Priest at
in Kent neer Can­terbury.
Crondale (impious fool!)
Boasted that he had bin with Card'nal Pool,
Who cleans'd him from his sins; the Bull sent o're
He prais'd, fell down, and never spake word more.
Some burn'd, because they on their necks did tie
This Motto,
Deum tim Idolum fug
Fear God, fly Idolatry.
George Marsh, one William Flower, John Card­maker
John Simpson, and John Warne, were each partaker
Of life, by suff'ring death, climb'd heavens story:
Death is the ladder to immortal glory.
Bonner for many things John Ardly accus'd,
To whom John Ardly such expressions us'd;
My Lord, not you, nor any of your breed
Are of the true Catholick Church indeed;
Your faith is false, and when you most depend
Upon it, it will fail you in the end.
You have shed much, too much innocuous blood,
And are not weary yet: Can this be good?
[Page 180] Were ev'ry hair upon my head a man,
So many lives I'd part with, rather than
Lose the opinion I am in; so said,
In Essex burnt a joyful end he made.
One Thomas Hauks, a Courtier comly tall,
VVas greatly admired and belov'd of all
For his rare qualities, in Edward's dayes;
But in Queen Maries Reign Religion's rayes
Waxing more dull, he left the Court, home went
And practis'd Godliness, t'his great content.
While thus he staid at home, a son he got,
But in the Popish way baptiz'd it not.
By using oil, cream, spittle, salt, (absurd!)
Nowhere enjoyned in the holy Word:
Told Bonner so: the Bishop left him than
A while; and Mr. Darbisher began:
You are too curious, and on none will look,
Unless your little pretty God's good book.
Sir,
Hauks.
is not that sufficient to save?
Yes but not to instruct:
Bishop.
that I may have
Salvation to my God,
H.
I humbly sue,
As for instruction, that I leave to you.
Shall your child be baptiz'd,
B.
you not look o're?
I had such councel given me before.
H.
Why we can have it done, if we be bent,
B.
True, but you never shall,
H.
with my consent.
I'd Gladly do thee good,
B.
save thee from hell;
I am thy pasture and would teach thee well.
I'll stand to what I said,
H.
you shall not finde
My resolutions waver like the winde.
I am the bread of life,
B.
the Scripture saith,
And this bread is my flesh; is this thy faith?
'Tis so,
H.
I will believe what Scriptures say.
Well, let's to Evensong.
B.
H. There I'll not pray,
[Page 181] I'm best when furthest off from such resort:
And so he walked forth into the Court.
What thinke you of the Altar's Sacrament?
B.
Excuse me,
H.
for I nere knew what it meant.
But we will make you know't,
B.
when we begin,
Faggots shall make you do' [...]. H. Faggots? a pin
For all your faggots, you no more can do
Then God permits you, and no further go.
Much more was said; in prison he at last
Was for his bold judicious answers cast;
Nor could that move him in the least to doubt:
What's bred in the bone, will not eas'ly out.
Being (his sentence read) to Coxshal sent,
In Essex, he exhorted as he went
His friends: and at the stake (as he had spoken
That he would do) he gave to them a token
By lifting up his hands all in a flame,
Above his head, and clapping of the same,
To let them understand, that he was able
To 'bide the pain not too intolerable.
Then gave the people an unusual shout,
And so this blessed Lamp (all burnt) went out.
An. Chr. 1555.
One Thomas Watts in Essex who defended
The truth so much oppos'd, was apprehended,
Condemn'd, and after sent to Chilm'ford, where
The little time he had, he spent in pray'r.
Come to his wife and his six child'ren small,
He said; Wife, and my hopeful branches all,
I now must leave you all; henceforth therefore
Alas! I cannot know you any more:
As unto me at first, the Lord did send you,
So I unto the Lord, do recommend you;
Him I command you to obey, and fear
As long as life shall last: see you beware
[Page 182] Of this loath'd papistry, which I withstood,
And shall against it give my dearest blood
By God's grace by and by. Let not the number
Of bleeding Saints discourage or incumber
Your active faith, and move you to relent,
But thereby take occasion to be bent
For greater service in Jehovah's fight:
'Tis happy dying for a cause that's right.
I do not doubt, nor have you cause to fear
But he which strikes, will give you strength to bear
He'll be unto the widdow, in distress
Husband, and father to the fatherless.
Farewel, (said he) farewel, gave each a kiss,
So past he through the fi'ry blaze to bliss.
One Bainford, Osmund, Osborne, overturn'd
Unto the Sec'lar power, in Essex burn'd.
Mr. John Bradford and John Leafe did climbe
Up fiety stairs to heaven about this time.
The next day after at Maidstone in Kent
One Mr. Minge dy'd in imsprisonment.
Mr. John Bland, God's faithful Minister,
Was for the truth a constant sufferer.
John Frankish, Humphry Middleton, two men
Of admirable worth, were martyr'd then.
John Fettie's child, such cruel whippings feels,
That the gore blood ran down about its heels;
The father put in the tormenting stocks,
Must see his Lamb misus'd (O hearts of rocks!)
One Nicholas Sheterden being brought,
Him Doctor Harpsfield asked what he thought
That passage, This my Body is, should mean;
Said Sheterden, This cannot well be seen
By carnal eyes: thus much I gather thence,
It must be taken in a spirituall sence;
[Page 183] Else when, This Cup's my blood's so understood,
The substance of the Cup must needs be blood.
Nicholas Hall, Christopher Waide, Joan Beach,
John Harpool, Marg'ry Boley, who did reach
At the despised truth, and Popery spun'd,
Condemn'd at Rochester in Kent, were burn'd.
Dirick Carver, a Surrey Gentleman
Call'd to the stake, unto his God began
His servent pray'r, which having done he strip'd
Himself, and so into the barrel skip'd;
They threw his book in also but in vain;
For to the throng he flung it out again:
I charge you, said the Shrieffe, in the Queen's name
To fling that Vip'rous book into the flame.
Then spake he with a cheerful voice, and said,
Dear friends, bear witness I am not affraid
To seal Christ's Gospel with my dearest blood,
Knowing 'tis true, and was of late your food,
Though now surrepted from you; and because
I'll not deny it to obey mans laws,
Condemn'd I be to dy; see that you walk
In answer to the truth, of which you talk.
And as for those that do the Pope believe,
Hell's theirs, without Gods merciful reprieve.
Except (said then the Sheriffe) believe thou do
The Pope, th'art damn'd both soul and body too:
Pray to thy God that he may set thee free,
Or strike me down. The Lord forgive, said he,
Your temerarious words. Dear Lord, thou knowst
How I left all, to come to thee; thou dost
Draw with Magnetick-love; to thee I fly
For shelter, Ah! but when my serious eye
Darts on thy power, and on my self looks down,
I fear the wrath of a condemning frown.
[Page 184] What, shall I shrink? no; now the flames surround me,
I'll trust my God, although my God confound me.
Christ Jesus help, Christ Jesus look upon me;
He cry'd and dy'd, with Lord have mercy on me.
Iveson said, All the treasure in the nation
Should never draw him to a recantation:
I to the mercy of my God appeal,
And would be none of your Church for a deal:
Yea though an heaven-sent Angel came t'expound
Unto me other Doctrine, I'm not bound
For to receive it: hereupon condemn'd
And put into the fire, he death contemn'd.
James Abbes, a Godly man did shift about
From place to place for safeties sake: found out
At last, they carri'd him to Norwich town,
VVhere, by the Bishop's threats he did disown
VVhat he profess'd; the Bishop seeing so,
Gave him some money, and dismiss'd him too:
But conscience bringing him upon the rack,
The Bishops money he returned back,
Repenting e're he took it: then again
The Bishop strove to gain him, but in vain;
Though Peter-like he fail'd, now to persever
Resolve he did, and stood more fast then ever,
Even to his last-drawn breath; the Bishop's fury
Condemn'd him to be burn'd, he burn'd at Bury.
John Denly, Newman, Partrick, Packingham,
Dy'd constant Martyrs for their Saviours name,
Wright, Coker, Collier, Hooper, Stere, and more
Besides in Canterbury, faggots bore.
Robert Smith, Stephen Harwood, Thomas Fust,
And William Hale, dy'd for the truth their trust.
Eliz'beth Warne, condemned to be burn'd
By Bonner, unto Bonner soon return'd
[Page 185] These words, Do what you will with me; for why,
If Christ was in an errour, so am I;
Otherwise not: but Christ spake true I know
Therefore then was she burn'd at Stratford-Bow.
About this very time George Tankerfield
Did at St. Albanes to their rancour yield.
George King, John Wade, and Tho. Leyes, with sore
Usage fell sick, and dy'd in Lollards tower.
In Suffolk Mr. Robert Samuel
Of Barfold Min'ster, who instructed well
The flock committed to his charge, was tost
To Norwich goal, there chained to a post,
And so erect that's body did command
For some small ease induc'd his tip-toes stand.
Hunger and thirst (bad helpers) are procur'd;
VVhat tongue can tell what he poor man endur'd!
At last brought to be burn'd (an easie pain
To what he felt before) he did detain
Some friends in telling them, a most strange story
Of what fell out, while he was us'd so sory:
VVhen I much want (said he) had undergon,
I slept, and then me thought appeared one
Cloath'd all in white, who whisp'red in mine ear,
Samuel, Samuel, be of good cheer;
Take heart to grass man, thou hast past the worst,
Henceforth thou shalt nor hunger feel, nor thirst:
VVhich came to pass; such consolation did
Sweeten his woes, that modesty forbid
Him tell the same. So as he went along
To execution, amidst the throng
A maid there was, (who after scap'd) did fall
About his neck, and kissed him withall.
The while his body burn'd, it shin'd as bright
As new-try'd Silver, or as Cynthia's light.
[Page 186] Next day Anne Potten and Joan Trunch field▪ come
From Ipswich prison unto Martyrdome.
Thomas Cob, William Allen, Roger Coo
Death for the sake of Christ did undergo.
In Coventry and Litchfield-Diocess,
One Mr. Robert Glover, did profess
The Gospel; he surprized, had his doom
To be confined to a narrow room,
And dark withall, next to the dungeon,
Scarce having straw enough to lie upon.
No chair nor stool to fit on; none might look
To him though sick; pen, paper ink nor book,
Was not allow'd him; yet a Teftament
And Prayer-book, by stealth he getting, spent
Most of his time in pray'r, and meditation
On Gods great love in working mans salvation.
Yea, said he, health began to come; my peace
Of conscience did more and more encrease
God's spir't reviv'd me; I had sometimes some
Glimm'ring reflections of. the life to come.
All for his own Son's sake: to him alwayes
Be Glory, Honour, and Obedience, Praise.
Two dayes before his death, he found his heart
Less lightsome then it was, and fear'd the smart
Would too much try his patience, for his pray'rs
God heard not; he unbosomed his fears
Unto a Godly Minister his friend,
Who wish'd him to be constant to the end:
O play the man, your cause is just and true,
God will appear anon, I'll warrant you.
The stake in fight, he said, I see him whom
I call'd for, Austin, Oh he's come, he's come:
And look'd so cheerful e'en as though new breath
He should receive, and not a painful death.
[Page 187] Cornelius Bongey, Capper also came
With him, and burned in the self-same flame.
Mr. John Glover now was troubled sore,
Seeing his brother took for him; therefore
He would have suff'red in his brother's stead,
But by his friends importunings he fled
Into the neighbouring Woods, did there abide
Till he with cares and cold sickned and dy'd.
His body privately was buri'd in
The Church-yard: they his bones dig'd up agin
A twelvemonth after, threw them out (Opains!)
For to be trampled on by Horses, Wains.
And thus though in his life, he scaped from
Their rage, yet after's death, on him they come.
William the third brother, in Shropshire dead,
Might not (by their consent) be buried.
Wolsey, and Pigot, suff'red in the Isle
Of Ely. And within a little while
Bishop Ridly, and also Latimer
Burned at Oxford. Stephen Gardiner
That day to dine till almost night deferr'd;
(Th'old Norfolk Duke then with him) having heard
Word of their deaths, he with a smiling brow
Said to the Duke, let us to dinner now.
The Table fill'd, as merry as a Buck
The Bishop was, but on a sudden struck:
(Two bits scarce eaten) carry'd from the table
To bed he was, his pains intolerable;
Nature he could not ease, for fifteen dayes,
His tongue was swoln, and black, his mouth's assaies
Could giv't no house-room; his pin'd body all
Sadly enflam'd, he gasp'd and gave a sprawl.
And now John Webbe, George Roper, Greg'ry Parke,
At Canterbury burn'd,
An. Chr. One 1556:
not miss'd their mark.
[Page 188] One Thomas Whittle Minister, accus'd
By Bonner, was most wickedly misus'd;
Who fell upon him, beat him with his fists,
And him enclos'd within a close rooms lifts:
There (said he) though I did on the bare ground lie
Two nights I (prais'd be God) slep'd very soundly.
He, Joan Warne, Is'bel Foster, Thomas Brown,
John Went Iobn Tudson, Bartlet Green, lay down
Their lives together did at Smithfield stake,
Of heaven-prepared joys for to partake:
The last of which going to bear the yoke,
Cheerfully this repeated Dystich spoke;
Christe Deus, sine te spes est mihi nulla salutie;
Te duce vera sequor, te duce falsa nego.

In English thus:

O Christ who art my God
In thee for mine abode,
With thee, I onely hope:
Ʋnder thy Conduct I
Seek the truth and deny
The falsi-loquious Pope.
He was a man exceeding charitable
Unto the poor, so far as he was able.
Nor did he love (his modesty was such)
Pop'lar applause, though he deserved much.
His beatings he conceal'd, till neer his end,
When he declar'd it to a bosome-friend.
Anne Albright, Agnes Snoth, Joan Catmer, Sole,
At Canterbury were burnt to a coal.
Good Doctor Cranmer, then of Canterbury
Archbishop, also past the fi'ry fury.
[Page 189] At Salsbury, on William Coberly,
John Spicer, and John Mandrel, so did die.
Richard and Thomas Spurge, Tims, Cavel, Drake,
Ambrose, all Essex-men, fell at the stake.
Master Tims many Godly letters sent
T'his friends, not long before his life was spent:
In one he us'd these passages; I praise
The Lord for helping you to minde his wayes.
Consider I beseech you, what of late
Fell from my lips, so shall we meet in state:
I'm going to the Bishops coal-house now,
And hope to go to heaven e're long; do you
Hie after me: I have a great while tarri'd
For you; but seeing y'are not yet prepared,
I'll stay no longer; you shall finde me blest
And singing, Holy, Holy Lord of Rest,
At my race end; now therefore my dear hearts
Make hast and loyter not, lest light departs,
And yee (who with the foolish Virgins stay)
Be with the foolish Virgins turn'd away:
And now in witness that I have not taught
Contrary to the truth revealed, ought,
My blood-writ name I send you, for a Test
That I will seal my Doctrine with the rest.
So fare you well, and God defend you then
From Antichrist, and his false Priests, Amen.
Use constancy in pray'r, with faith require;
And gain the fulness of your choice desire.
John Hullier (formerly an Eaton Sholar)
At Ely, by his patience, conqu'red dolour.
Hugh Lavrock John Ap-Rice, this blind, that lame,
Told Bishop Bonner, that he laws did frame
To take mens lives away, making the Queen
His hangman: Bonner burn'd them out of spleen,
[Page 189] At Stratford-Bow. In Litchfield, Colchester,
Gloster, and Leister, many burned were.
One Mr. Julines Palmer, and some more
At Newb'ry dy'd. One Sharp at Bristol bore
The flames with joy. In Darby town Joan Waste.
(Born blind) did in the fire breath out her last.
Sir John Cheek for the truths sake underwent
In London-Tow'r a sore imprisonment.
A new Commission from the King and Queen
(Like Dracoes laws) came forth,
Anno 1557.
that they which lean
T'his Holiness the Pope, should raise the fire
Of Persecution yet a little higher:
By means where of, throughout the Kingdoms quar­ters
Prisons were stuff'd with Saints, fires grac'd with Martyrs.
First to begin with Colchester, where they
Apprended three and twenty in one day,
And burnt the major part. Margaret Hyde,
With Agnes Standly, stak'd at Smithfield dy'd.
They Stephen Gratwick William Moraunt, King,
Iato St. Georges field, in Southwark bring,
And burn together. In the Diocess
Of Canterbury, many did profess
The truth and suffered. In Lewis town
Ten faithful servants in one fire laid down
Their lives for Christ; one of them Richard Woodman
Betraid was b'his father and brother, (good man!)
Eliz'beth Cooper, Simon Millar too,
At Norwich fir'd; Eliz'beth cry'd Ho, ho,
And shrunk a little: Simon Millar said,
Reaching his hand out to her, What? affraid?
Raise up your spirits, in the Lord be strong
And cheerful; for these pains are of no long
Continuance (Good sister) by and by
We'll take our supper with alacrity:
[Page 191] This so becalm'd her heart, she through-stitch run
The work she had so happily begun,
And so committing their blest souls to God,
They clim'd to heaven, death being under trod
Mrs. Joyce Lewis a gentlewoman born,
Accuted, and condemn'd, contemn'd with scorn
Death's rigid brow: my Christ is fair, when him
I see (said she) death looks not half so grim.
Urg'd to confess before her end begins,
She said, to God she had confess'd her sins,
And he had pardon'd them: the Priest befool'd
Told her e're long her courage would be cool'd.
At stake the Mass she pray'd against, cry'd then
The crowd, and Sheriffe himself aloud, Amen.
Taking a cup of drink, Here here's to all
That love the truth, and wish proud Babel's fall;
Her friends do pledge her, and some others too;
For which fact penance many undergo.
Bound at the stake, her smiling ruddy face
Made all spectators (pitying her case)
Go with wet eyes, much grieving for her woes
Inflicted on her by tyran'cal foes:
She striv'd nor strugled when the fire rag'd most,
But with her lift-up hands, gave up the ghost.
Ralph Allerton, and Richard Roth, With James
Astoo, and his wife, dyed in the flames
At Islington; as did at Colchester
Margaret Thurstone, and Agnes Bongier.
John Noyes a godly Shoo-maker, who liv'd
At Laxfield in Suffolk, sentence receiv'd
There to burn'd: the people in the town
Put out their fiers, and no house but one
(And that discov'red by the Chimnies smoak)
Had some: the Sheriffe and's Officers in broke,
[Page 192] So got a coal. John Noys fell down and pray'd,
And being bound unto the stake, he said,
Fear not the bodies killer, but him, who
Can kill thee, damne thee, soul and body too.
Seeing his sister weep, he thus begins,
Weep not for me, but weep you for your sins.
He took a faggot up, gave it a kiss,
And said, Did I e're think to come to this?
Blessed be God that ever I was born;
Then spake he to the people, Of bread-corn
They tell you they can make God, but beleive
Them not at all, nor their false truths receive:
Pray bear me witness I expect salvation
Not by mine own good works but Christ his passion.
The fire was kindled, and his last-spoke word
Was Christ have mercy, O have mercy Lord.
Within the Diocess of Chichester,
Many accus'd, condemn'd and burned were.
Hillingdal, Sparrow, and one Gibson dy'd
In Smithfield flames. John Rough Minister try'd
With Marg'ret Mearing, neer about this time,
Were also burned for the self-same crime.
One Cuthbert Sympson, Deacon, in one day
Though rack'd no less then thrice, would not betray
The Congregation, lying in the stocks,
At midnight one (whom he well heard) unlocks
The coal-house doors, and though no candles light
Nor fire's he saw, yet his amazed sight
Splendour beheld; he that came in said Ha!
And after that, soon vanished away:
This much rejoyc'd his soul; upon the morrow
He, Hugh Fox, and one Devnish▪ fire went thorough.
One Thomas Hudson, Thomas Carman too,
And William Seaman, Norfolk-men, did go
[Page 193] Through tribulation to heavenly bliss,
To have the crown their own, the cross they kiss.
There was one mother Bennet of the town
Wetherset, who was driven up and down
For Jesus sake; returning home, she dy'd,
Her corps b'ing buri'd by the high-wayes side.
She was exceeding lib'ral to the poor;
Her mate once told her merrily, their store
If she had bin but sparing, had bin much
To what it was: said she, I cannot grutch
The poor: Alas! good husband, be content,
Let us be thankful, God enough hath sent;
Wee still (sweet heart) have good competent fare:
Content's a fear although the feast be bare:
I cannot see the needie's wants, and hoard,
Least in so doing I displease the Lord:
But husband let's be rich in good works still,
So pleasing God, we shall have all at will.
One Cicely Orms b'ing ask'd, over his head
What 'twas the Priest held up? she answ'red, Bread
Bread at the best; and if you do endeavour
To make it better, 'twill be worse then ever.
Brought to the stake, she kiss'd it, and respir'd
Welcome Christs cross, his sweet cross so desir'd
My soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit
In God rejoyceth, and my Saviours merit.
So casting up her head, on heaven she fix'd
Her eyes, and in the flames her hands commix'd
She yielded up the ghost. Thomas Spurdance
Of Norwich suff'red for the truths advance.
George Eagles, Tailour, travell'd up and down
In sev'ral countries, went from town to town
Confirming weaker Saints: in a short season
At Chelmsford he condemned was for treason.
[Page 194] And hang'd up with two theevs, the one where of
With tears sought Christ, the orher with this scoffe
Put off George Eagle's exhortation,
Our Captain leads, we shall to heaven anon.
The Pen'tent thiese did call upon the Lord.
The mockers fhtt'ring tongue spake not one word
Upon the ladder. Eagles was cut down
Half dead, his heart pull'd out, his members strown.
George Eagles sister, and a man call'd Fryer,
At Rochester did in the fire expire.
A Proclamation was sent about,
An. Chr. 1558.
That all good books within this Realm set out,
Or from beyond seas brought, should all be turn'd
To ashes; if not so, their owners burn'd.
Soon after this dire Proclamation,
Twice twenty persons met neer I slington
Were caught, some scap'd, some burn'd with faggot­sticks
In Smithfield thirteen, and in Brainford six.
Amongst these Godly persons there was one
Nam'd Roger Holland, (who had boldly done
His duty in reproving bloody Bonner)
Spake thus: at last, God will redeem his honour
With your destruction, and will soon asswage
(His spir't so tells me) your unbridled rage
Against his Church; he heareth the complaints
His servants make, for the afflicted Saints,
Whom you so dayly persecuted have
As us you do now: Christ will shortly save
His spotless Spouse; in God I dare be bold
To tell you that you are too fierce to hold.
And my dear breth'ren, know that in this place
After this day, not any shall embrace
The fire and faggot by this means procur'd:
Mark what I say, and be thereof assur'd.
[Page 195] Which came to pass; for, for the Lord Christ's sake
None after them suff'red at Smithfield stake.
Said Bonner then, What? Roger I perceive here
Thou art as bad an Heretick as ever;
And in thine anger thou wouldst now become
A railing Proph't, but th'hadst as good be dumbe:
Though thou, and all like thee, would see me turn'd
Over the ladder, yet to see thee burn'd
I shall live; yea, and (before God I vow)
I'll make you rue it, ev'ry one of you
That comes within my clutches; so he went.
Roger call'd on the people to repent,
And to think well of all the Saints, that past
The fiery tryal, which not long should last,
For God intended to abridge straightwayes
For his elect's sake, those sanguineous dayes.
Roger embrac'd the stake, and said, O Lord
I praise thee for affording me thy word,
And fellowship with Saints, which in heavens coasts
Sing, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts:
O God receive my soul, preserve thy flock,
Save them from Idols, O be thou their Rock.
So with his fellowes praising God above,
They all reposed in the arms of love
There was one William Pikes amongst the six
(VVhich dy'd at Brainford) false-nam'd Hereticks:
VVho (while that he his liberty enjoy'd)
I'th' Summer, at noon-day, (of cares devoyd)
His Bible with him in t'his garden took,
Sate down to read upon it; on his book
Four drops of blood fell suddenly, he knows
Not whence it came; t'his call'd-wife it he showes,
Saying, I well perceive God will have blood;
It cannot, no, it must not be withstood:
[Page 196] His will be done; God help me to abide
The trial, for without him I shall slide.
And so they went to pray'r, and in short space
Burned he was, in the aforenam'd place,
One Thomas Hinshaw, like a dog was us'd
By Harpsfield first, by Bonner next abus'd,
Who in an arbour pulled down his breeches,
VVhip'd him with willow-rods, and with sharp speeches
Returned him to prison: there was one
John Willis the like usage undergone;
T' whom Bonner thus, Me bloody Bonner call
Ye do, a plague of God upon you all:
I'd fain be rid of you, but you delight
In burning sure I think; but if I might
Have my desires, O then I'faith I'd stitch
Your mouths up, sack you, throw you in a ditch
Or down the stream, this would I do with speed;
My fingers itch to do this pious deed.
Upon a time Bonner came to the stocks
VVhere this John Willis lay, and spake with mocks,
How like you ( John) your lodging and your fare?
Willis said, VVell, had I a straw-pad here.
VVhile thus they commun'd, in the good man's wife
Came (great with child) to beg her husbands life;
Told Bonner she within his house would stay,
And there (her count neer out) her belly lay,
Unless her (loving) husband might be sreed,
And pack along with her. Indeed, indeed,
Said Bonner then, that were a handsom trick:
How say'st thou John, thou damned Heretick;
Suppose thy wife should with her brat mscarry,
And perish man, art thou not accessary
To both their deaths? what thinkst thou? To be short,
The woman would not go ('cwas pretty sport
[Page 197] To hear these parly) Bonner lest in's house
She should cry out, did let her husband loose
On easie tearms. A Godly Minister
Nam'd Mr. Richard Yeomans, much did bear:
At last (he finding how his foes were bent
To take away his life) went down to Kent,
Selling pins, needles, points, thred, white and black,
And some odd trifiles, to supply the lack
Of himself, his poor wife and childeren:
He was imprison'd but releas'd agen:
He went to Hadly to his wife, and there
Hiring a chamber, they abode a year;
Carding of Wool he sets himself about,
She spins; thus pick they a poor living out.
At length the Parson having understood
How this good old man liv'd, he took a brood
Of Officers with him, at night, rebound
He made the doors, search'd diligently, found
Old father Yeomans and his family laid
In bed together; whereupon he said,
Ne're trust me if I did not think a knave
I with a whore should finde, and so I have;
And would have pull'd the bed-cloaths off withall:
But father Yeomans held them fast: Call, call
Us what you please, here's neither knave nor whore,
But a cojugal pair in God (though poor)
I bless God for it; you in darkness grope,
And I defie (with all his trash) the Pope.
Then in the cage they carri'd him away;
There to the stocks with one John Dale he lay,
(VVho shortly after dy'd) he told's faith, for which
Degraded and condemn'd he burnt at Norwich.
John Alcock a young man, by trade a Shear-man
In Hadly-Parish said, I do not fear man,
[Page 198] But God if for my God I suffer may,
'Twill be a happy and a joyful day:
As for the Pope I will not be forgiven
By him forgive me thou great God of heaven.
He was a Newgate pris'ner hereupon,
And thrust into the lower dungeon,
Where he with cruel handling, and beside
Ill keeping, suddenly fell sick and dy'd.
One Mr. Thomas Benbridge though estate
Enough he had, yet through the narrow gate
Of persecution did he chuse to enter
Into heaven's Kingdom; manfully adventure
His life and limb for Christ, Truth he defended
Against the Pope till he was apprehended,
Condemn'd therefore; at the place unappal'd,
His rich apparel he put off, and call'd
Upon his God; then fastned to the stake,
Said Dr. Seaton to him, Do but make
A recantation, and thou shalt be freed;
Said Mr. Benbridge, Shall I so, indeed?
I thank you, but I will not, Christ's my Guerdon;
I don't regard you man, no, nor your pardon.
The Doctor said, In troth it is a sin
Good folk, to pray for such a dog; begin
Benbridge, begin a new leaf wilt thou? say?
Away thou Babylonian, away,
Benbridge reply'd; they kindled then the wood
VVhich burnt his beard, yet he unmoved stood:
Fire seiz'd on's legs; unable to abide
So grievous pains, I do Recant he cry'd:
The fire's removed and his life is granted;
But he his recantation recanted,
(it pleasing God his conscience to awake)
And six dayes after suff'red at the stake.
[Page 199] John Cook, James Ashly, Alexander Lane,
And Robert Miles, because they did abstain
From going to the Church, did pass the Fury
Of corm'rant Vulcan at St. Edmunds Bury.
One Philip Humphry, John and Henry David,
Two brothers, were destroy'd, and yet were saved.
Green Wilmot, Williams, Cotton, Collingborow,
And Harris, whip'd run through a deal of sorrow.
One Alexander Gouge, Alice Driver,
By Mr. Noon a Suffolk-Justice were
So hunted after, that a while they lay,
For safety sake, hid in a mow of hay:
The Justice with his men searching about,
Thrust Pitch-forks in the mow, and found them out,
Sent them to Melton goal, where being prov'd
A certain time, they were to Bury mov'd;
At the Assizes, they Christ crucifi'd
Boldly confessed, and the Pope defi'd.
Alce Driver did compare (exceeding well)
Queen Mary, in her rage, to Jesabel;
Her ears to be cut off the Judge procur'd,
Hereat, which she rejoycingly endur'd.
Both are to Ipswieh sent examin'd there
By Dr. Spencer, Norwich Chanceller,
And others; the main matter was intent
About Christs presence in the Sacrament.
Alce Driver did so baffle them herein,
That they had nothing to reply agin:
Thus she concluded then, the Lord be blest
You are (though learn'd) not able in the least
T'oppose God's spirit in me a silly woman
Of low degree, and tutoured by no man;
I am no Academick, nor was I
E're brought up in the University,
[Page 200] As ye have been; yet in the truths defence,
And in the cause of Christ my Master, whence
I power derive, I will set foot to foot
To any of you, if you put me to't,
For to maintain the same; and if I had
A thousand lives to lose, I should be glad
To let all go for it. The Chancellour
Condemn'd, and sent her to the Sec'lar power.
Gouge also was condemn'd for Christ his name,
And so both sweetly dy'd in Ipswich flame.
Alce Driver's neck being chain'd, O said she (heed)
Here is a goodly handkerchief indeed!
VVell, God be praised for it. As they stand
At stake, some came to take them by the hand:
The Sheriffe bids they be caught: the crowd forbid:
The Sheriffe bids let alone, and so they did.
There liv'd in Cornwall a religious Dame,
Her husband a recusant, often came
To hear Mass read, nor would he ever lin
Till his forc'd-wife did joyn with him therein,
Which was no little trouble to her soul;
She thereupon did seek the Lord, and roul
Her self upon him, and by earnest prayer
Crav'd his direction; God was pleas'd to hear,
And one night fill'd her with such spir'tual mirth,
That she enjoy'd a little heaven on earth;
From husband, children, and from all she run
For conscience sake, and for her living spun:
Yet to her husband she return'd at last,
Where (but a very little time being past)
Her neighbours apprehending, carry'd her
To th'Bishop of the town of Exeter;
She was condemned, and the reason why,
VVas that she spake against Idolatry.
[Page 201] The Bishop said to her, VVoman do y'hear?
Minde your good husband, and your children dear.
She answered, Remembred and forgot
They're soon; I have them and I have them not:
While I enjoy'd my ease, I them enjoy'd,
But now (all such relations are voyd)
Standing here, as I do, in Christ his cause,
Where I must either frangifie the Laws
Of Grace, or Nature; either Christ forsake,
Or else my Husband; I'm content to take
Christ as my heavenly Spouse, and to renounce
The other with my children all at once.
The Bishop after much Argumentation,
Gave her a months time for consideration.
Seeing a Dutch-man who new Noses made
For images defac'd when Edward swaid;
She said, Mad-man, what meanst thou to compose
New Noses for such images as those,
Which will so shortly loose their heads? For this
She was close pris'ner kep'd, nor did she miss
Threatnings, taunts scoffes, call'd Anabaptist, whore,
Mad-woman, drunkard, vagabond, and more.
Then many specious promises were us'd,
Of liberty, of wealth; which she refus'd.
With husband, goods, and children they affail
To win her but yet nothing would prevail,
Her heart was fixed trusting in the Lord;
She had cast anchor, and renounc'd, abhor'd
The sin-involved world, with all the wiles
Which Satan uses when he souls beguiles.
She was devoyd of learning, yet so vers'd
I'th' Scriptures, that not onely she rehers'd
Apposite proofs, Quotations, but could tell
The Book and Chapter also very well.
[Page 202] Condemn'd and given to the sec'lar power,
The country Gentlemen came flocking to her
Bidding her, yet to call on God for grace,
And cease her fond opinions to embrace,
So got'her husband, and her children dear;
Thou art a woman ignorant (we fear)
And these things are too far above thy reach
(Said they) the shrub is lower then the Beach.
I am, said she, indeed, and yet my breath
I'll give in witness, of my Saviours death.
O do not put me off with longer stay,
For Ah! I am impatient of delay;
My love hath wings, it hovers up and down,
Nor can it rest, till glory is her own.
My heart is fixed, I will never go
From what I said, nor do as others do.
Then said the Bishop, There's no hopes to win her,
The devil leadeth her, the devil is in her.
Not so my Lord (quoth she) Christ is my guide,
His Spirit upholds me, that I cannot slide.
She, when she heard deaths sentence past upon her,
Advanc'd her voice, and said, Unmated honour!
The Proverb's true. Long look'd for, comes at last;
My Lord, my God, I thank thee, that thou hast
Granted to me this day, my hearts desire
In listing me with thy celestial Quire.
Woman, said one, be thou a happy wife
By thy recanting; O the sweets of life!
No, said she, by no means; my life is hid
With Christ in God, now the good Lord forbid
That for this life, at best but transitory,
I should lose heaven and eternal glory:
I have two husbands, but will onely cleave
Unto my heavenly, and my earthly leave;
[Page 203] The fellowship of Saints in heaven I trow
Exceeds the having children here below:
And if my husband and my children prove
Faithful, then am I theirs, they have my love;
God my good father is, God is my mother,
God is my sister, and God is my brother,
God is my kinsman, God's my faithful friend
Who will stick close unto me, till the end.
To execution then led along,
She was attended with a num'rous throng.
Bound to the stake, she by the Popish Priests
Was set upon again (unwelcom guests!)
To whom she thus: for God's sake now give o're
Your bibble babble, trouble me no more
With empty sounds fain would I, Oh! divorce
My self from your impertinent discourse.
O God be merciful to sinful me,
For Ah! I onely do depend on thee.
She stood with admirable patience
Amidst the flames, and so her soul flew hence.
Sh'had such a cheerful look, that one would say
It was her wedding, not her burning day.
She had been alwayes sober in her diet,
Neat in apparel, peaceable and quiet;
Alwayes a doing, never fitting still,
During her health and limbs, by her good will;
Chain'd to her house; she ever would refuse
To gad abroad, as most ill-houswives use.
To all that came to her, her gracious heart
Would streams of consolation impart.
Gods word was her delight, she gave good heed
Ther husband in the Lord, a wife indeed!
According to her power, she at her door,
And at their sev'ral homes, reliev'd the poor;
[Page 204] And in the time of her calamity
Would take no proff'red coyne; for, said she, I
Am going now to (Heaven) a City, where
No mony any Mastery doth bear;
And whilst I here remain, the Lord will feed
My craving stomack, and supply my need;
It is his promise, and full sure I be,
That he which feeds the Ravens, will feed m [...].
One Richard Sharp, a Weaver by his trade
In Bristel City apprehended, made
A large confession of his faith before
One Dr. Dalby the there-Chancellour,
Who by perswasive Arguments so wrought
Upon his weakness, that he soon was brought
To make a promise, That he would appear
And publickely recan, and when, and where.
But after this Apostacy, Sharp felt
His conscience gall'd, hell's horrour so indwelt
His soul, that he his calling could not minde,
His colour went away, his body pin'd:
Next Sabbath day going to Church, he made
To the Quire-door, and with a loud voice said,
That Altar, neighbours, pray bear me record,
Is the Great Idol: I deny'd my Lord,
But from the bottom of my heart am sorry
For what I don, in hazarding my Glory.
He caught, condemn'd, and burn'd, with Thomas Hale
Climb'd up to heaven from this tearful vale.
One Thomas Benson of the same town went
To pris'n, for saying, That the Sacrament
Was as they us'd it, nothing else but bread,
And not the body of the Lord indeed;
As for the Sacraments, which you call seven,
Five were ordain'd by men, but two by heaven:
[Page 205] Give me the two, which I acknowledge true,
And all the other five I'll leave to you.
Soon after this he did receive death's sentence;
And executed, to his God he sent hence
His blessed soul, which left its bodie's jail
For Paradise, death having put in bail.
Now to conclude, The last that did maintain
The Gospel with their hearts-blood in the Raign
Of Mary Queen, that hell-begotten fury,
Were these five Citizens of Canterbury,
John Hurst John Cornford, ( Captains in the fight)
Christopher Brown, Alice Swoth, and Kath'rine knight
The things imputed to their charge were, that
Christs real presence they denyed flat,
Affirming onely those that do believe,
Not wicked men, Christs body do receive.
The Pope they said was Antichrist, the Mass
Abominable; that a sin it was
To pray to Saints; that cringing to a cross
Was meer Idol'try and an errour gross, &c.
Sentence of condemnation being heard,
Forthwith John Cornford, was in spirit stirr'd,
And with an ardent zeal for God, express'd
In the name of himself, and all the rest
This doom: I'th'name of Christ our Saviour,
The Son of God, the High'st, and by the power
Of his most Holy-Ghost, as also by
The Holy and Divine authority
Of the Apostolick and Cath'lick Church
(Never yet totally left in the lurch)
We here turn over to the Prince of hell
As slaves eternally to howle and yell
In sulph'ry flames, the bodies of all those
Blasphemers, Hereticks, who do oppose
[Page 206] The living God, and bolster up their errours
Against the Truth, hence to the King of Terrours;
So that by this thy righteous judgement shown
Against thy foes great God, thou mayst make known
Thy true religion to thy greater glory
And our souls comfort when we read the story
Of thy great power, and to th'edification
Of all our well-nigh ruinated Nation.
Good Lord, so be it, be it so, Amen.
And this his excommunication then
Took great effect against truth's enemies.
Queen Mary within six dayes after dies,
And Tyrannie with her; there is no hope
Of any longer footing for the Pope;
In England now great joy betides to all
The faith-ey'd Saints, who wish'd proud Babels fall:
Yet the Archdeacon, and's associates quick
(Knowing the Queen was dangerously sick)
Condemn'd those pious persons to the flame,
And hurri'd them away. When there they came,
In Christ his name they offer'd up their prayers,
As holocausis to the Almighties ears.
To God they pray'd, to God for ever blest,
Preferring this request amongst the rest;
That if it were his will, their blood might be
The last that should be shed, so Lord pray we.
No sooner had they pray'd, but heaven return'd
A gracious answer, they the last that burn'd.
Great God (said they) we cheerfully resign
Our souls into those blessed hands of thine
Amidst these flames; their spirits did ascend
To glory, which shall never have AN END.

Gloria Deo in Excelsis.

SECT. Ʋlt.
God's Judgements upon the Persecutors of hic Church and children.

SInce first the Gospel in the Ears did ring,
Of England under Lucius the King;
Never did King or Queen the Land so stain
With Christian blood as in her four years reign
Queen Mary did: she burned in her fury
An Arch-Bishop, (and he of Canterbury)
Four Bishops, twenty one Divines or more,
Eight Gentlemen, Artis'cers eighty soure,
Husbandmen, Servants, and poor Labouring men
Five score; Wives twenty six, Widdowes twice ten; to
Nine Maids, two Boyes, and two young Babes heaven
VVere sent) in all two hundred seventy seven.
Sixty four more for Jesus Christ his sake
VVere persecuted sore; which could not shake
Their heaven-built faith; seven whereof were strip'd
Stark naked, and most mercilesly whip'd.
Sixteen in prison perishing, had dung
(After the Nabathoean custom) flung
Upon their outcast bodies: Some did lie
In captivated chains, condemn'd to die,
But were deliv'red from approaching death
By th'happy entrance of Elizabeth,
Our glorious Queen, our Pallas and Astraea:
Of Grace and Virtue the divine Idea,
Many did spend, by reason of exile,
Their dayes in trouble, and their years in toile.
[Page 208] But as Queen Mary lavished the blood
Of her best subjects, and the truth withstood
Unto the utmost of her power; so God
Scourged her soundly with his flaming rod,
Both in her life and death; for whilst she liv'd,
What did she prosper in which she atchiev'd?
To instance in a few particulars,
And first, her fair'st and greatest man of War
Unmatch'd i'th' Christian world, cal'd the great Har­ry
Was burnt by heavenly flames. Then would she mar­ry
Spanish King Philip, so expose to dangers
Poor England under barb'rous foes and strangers.
She labour'd much, but never could attain
To joyn the English to the Spanish Raign.
Then did she set about the restauration
Of Abbey-lands throughout the British nation:
Her self began according to the Popes
Directions, yet frustrate were all her hopes.
God o're her land then such a famine spred,
That her poor subjects upon Acorns fed,
Then Calice where the English did remain
During eleven Kings reigns from her was ta'in;
Which loss so griev'd her, as she did impart,
That Calice was engraven in her heart.
Again in child-birth never woman had
S'unfortunate success as she, so bad:
For if she was with child, and had e're been
In travel, why? why was it never seen?
If not, why was the Kingdom so beguild?
Some in the Pulpit for her new-born child
Returning thanks: thus her desires b'ing crost,
She then th'affections of her husband lost:
She could not him enjoy, nor might she smother
This her first love, by marrying another,
[Page 209] Although she did so many Judgements feel,
Yet would she not her bloody Laws repeal:
She had no minde to stop the opened vain,
Or close the bleeding Orifice again
Of dying Saints. At last the Lord did please
To strike her with a languishing disease,
VVhereof she dy'd; and having held the crown
Five years, and five months onely laid it down.
Horrible tempests, mortal sicknesses,
Plagues, famines, burning fevers, did perpess
The grieved land, (the fourth year she did sway)
And swept a multitude of folks away:
So that in six weeks space in London there
Dy'd seven Aldermen. VVheat that same year
Yielded four marks the Quarter: Mault a Peck
Fourty four shillings; as much Pease did make
Two pound six shillings eight pence: to a crown
The following year a Peck of VVheat came down:
Four shillings eight pence Mault; of Ry a Strike
Take for a groat you may, if it you like.
In her fifth year, a thundring tempest came
And batt'red down two towns neer Notingham,
Flung sheets of lead abroad, bells from the steeple,
Tore trees up by the roots, slew divers people, &c.
Also a great mortality was known
In Autumn then; Corn stood unreap'd, unmown,
And rotted in the fields, hence did ensue
Great scarcity, the lab'rours being few.
So much of her; nor must my Muse pass by
Her chiefest Instruments of cruelty,
First to begin with Stephen Gard'ner then
Bishop of Winchester, whose end my pen
Disdains to mention twice: I will therefore
Add onely this, That lying at the door
[Page 210] Of merc'less death, and being put in minde
Of Peter his denying Christ, he whin'd
This answer out, VVith Peter I deny'd
The Lord, but there is somewhat else beside
VVanting in me: Alas! I never spent
A tear, nor can (as Peter did) repent.
Morgan St. Davids Bishop, who (high base)
Condemned Ferrar, and usurp'd his place,
Did vomit up his meat through mouth and nose
(O horrible) until his life did close.
Then Mr. Leyson high Sheriffe, set away
This Martyrs Cattel int'his own ground: they
No meant would eat, nor touch a blade of grass,
But bellowed and roar'd till death (Alas!)
One Justice Morgan who condemned had
Lady Jane Grey, within a while fell mad:
Nothing but Lady Jane, his voice did sound;
The Lady Jane, (Oh! how her name did wound!)
The Lady Jane, the Lady Jane; O take
The Lady Jane away; no more he spake.
Dunnings the Norwich Chancellour for's hate
To the truth, dy'd as in his chair he sate.
Berry of Norfolk Commissary, one
Burn'd harmless Saints, fell with an heavy groan
Down to the ground, and never did recover.
One Bishop Thornton Suffragan of Dover,
A cruel man, while on a Sabbath-day
He looked o're his men, to see them play
At Bowles, on him did the dead palsey fall;
Carry'd to bed, he was defir'd to call
The Lord to minde: Yea, said he, so I do,
Not onely so, but my Lord Card'nal too:
So desperately dy'd. Another tool
Of Hell at Greenwich went to Card'nal Pool
[Page 211] To get his blessing; but returning fast,
He fell down stairs, and brake his neck for hast.
Grimwood a wretch, who had himself forsworn,
Being in Harvest stacking of his corn,
His bowels suddenly fell out. These two
Capon and Jeff'ry Doctors, undergo
At Salsbury sudden deaths. Mr. Woodroffe
Sheriffe of London dyed soon enough.
One Clerk who did the Godly Saints devour.
Hanged himself, at last in London-Tower.
Cox a Promoter, going well t'his bed,
When the next morn arose, was found stone dead.
Dale dy'd of lice. One Troling Smith, a great
Foe to the truth, dy'd suddenly [...]'th'street.
Paul, London Town-Clerk, an accursed wretch
Did voluntarily an halter stretch.
A lightning stroke did Robert Baldwin kill.
Cardinal Pool of an Italian Pill
Dy'd as 'twas thought. Dr. Foxford, Blomefield,
And Leland too, to sudden deaths did yield.
One Dr. Williams Chanc'llour of Glocester,
Died the death before he was a ware.
One Lever said he had at Oxford been,
And that ill-favour'd knave, Latimer seen,
Tooth'd like an horse: but mark we what did follow.
His son soon hang'd himself. One William Swallow
Lost all his hair; off all his nails did pill;
And's wife was taken with the falling ill.
Brown, Lardin, Potto, en'mies of George Eagles,
D'yd a dogs shameful death (three pretty Beagles!)
A Sheriffes man, who cruelty had acted
Against James Abbes, despair'd & dy'd distracted.
In Lincolnshire, Burton who Bayliffe was
Of Crowland, labour'd to set up the Mass;
[Page 212] But the Parishioners with wise delay
Still put him off; upon a Sabbath-day
This Burton went to Church, (when all men fail'd)
And on the Service-reading Curate rail'd:
Sirrah (said he,) a Mass, (what?) may'nt we have?
Buckle your self to it, you whorson knave,
Or by Gods-Blood I'll sheath, I that I will,
My dagger in your shoulder; vex me still
Do? you had best. Th'affrighted Curate made
No more ado, but Mass in Latin said.
Soon after this, as Burton with one more,
Rode on the road, a cro [...]king Crow flew o're
His head, and dung'd; which falling on his nose,
Ran down his slab'ring beard, but in the close
Burton was so perfum'd, that one would think
No Jakes could yield so horrible a stink
As he good man! Sweet Burton go thy way
Contented, th'hast enough; such luck they say
As thine is good: if the best luck betide
To fools, thou art not on the wiser side.
Hast Burton, hast what need I bid thee hast
Whom mischance drives? Oh, Oh, cries he, at last,
My very bowels up such reachings make,
My head even breake, ough, ough, and heart-strings ake:
A plague upon, a vengance take the crow
That poyson'd him, and made him vomit so:
And so he dy'd. The black-ey'd night inters
Bonners corps amongst thieves and murtherers.
‘ Job 313.Is not destruction to the wicked, and strange Judgements to the Workers of iniquity?’ ‘ 2 Thess. 1. 6, 7.It's a Righteous thing with God, to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you that are troubled, rest with us.’
[Page 213]
Roma diu titubans, varijs erroribus acta,
Corruet, & mundi desinet esse Caput.
Rome tot'ring long laden with Errours store,
At last shall fall, and Head the World no more.

AMEN.

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.