A General Martyrology, Chapter 11 – Chapter 12
CHAP. XI. The Fifth Primitive Persecution which began An. Christi, 205.
COmmodus being dead, Pertinax succeeded in the Empire, under whom the Church enjoyed peace, and flourished exceedingly, so that many of the Nobles of Rome embraced the true faith, together with their whole housholds.
Pertinax being dead, Severus succeeded, and in the first ten years of his reign he was very mild and gentle to the Christians:Severus Emperour. But afterwards, through sinister suggestions, and malicious accusations; he was so incensed, that by his proclamations he commanded that no Christians should any more be suffered to live. Hereby great pe… secution was stirred up on every side, and an infinite number of Martyrs were slain. The crimes objected against the Christians were sedition,Christians charged with sedition and rebellion, &c. rebellion against the Emperor, Sacriledge, Murthering of Infants, incestuous pollutions, eating raw flesh, worshipping the head of an Asse, &c. but especially that they would not worship their Idols. The Places where this persecution most raged, were Africa, Capadocia, Alexandria and Carthage. The number of them that suffered, was innumerable, amongst whom was Leonides the father of Origen; with whom Origen his son,Leonides father of Origen. being but seventeen years old, would have suffered, (such a fervent desire he had of Martyrdom) had not his mother privily in the night conveyed away his shirt and cloths, whereupon,Zeal. more for shame to be seen, then for fear to die, he was constrained to remain at home.
Origen was afterwards a Professor of Divinity at Alexandria, and out of his school,Plutarch. Serenus. Potamiena. Marcella and Rhais. one Plutarch suffered Martyrdom, as also Serenus his brother, who was burned, and another Serenus who was beheaded. Potamiena also, who was tormented with boiling pitch poured upon her, and afterwards with her mother Marcella, and Rhais burned in the fire. This Potamiena being a beautifull Virgin, was committed to Captain Basilides to see execution done upon her, and as he led her to the place of Execution, he repressed the rage of the multitude, who followed her with many railings and revilings, whereupon, to requite his kindness, she prayed to the Lord for his Conversion to the true faith, and so with admirable patience she suffered Martyrdom.
Shortly after Basilides being required to give an oath in the behalf of his fellow-souldiers, he denied the same,B…silides his strange conversion. plainly affirming that he vvas a Christian, and therefore he could not swear by the Idols, &c. They vvhichwhich heard him, thought that he jested at first, but when he had constantly affirmed it, they had him before the Judge, vvho committed him to vvard: the Christians vvondring at it, vvent to him, and enquiring the cause of his Conversion, he told them that Potamiena had prayed for him, and so he savv a Crovvn put upon his head, adding that it should not be long before he received it, and accordingly the next day he was beheaded.
As many suffered death in this persecution, so others there were, who through Gods providence, suffered great torments; and yet escaped vvith life, of whom there vvas one Alexander, vvho for his constant confession, and torments suffered, vvas afterwards made Bishop of Jerusalem. Also Narcissus, Narcissus. False Witnesses plagued by God.against vvhom three vvicked persons conspired to accuse him, binding their accusations vvith oaths and curses, one vvishing to be destroyed vvith fire, if it vvere not true; another to be consumed vvith a grievous disease; the other to lose both his eyes; Narcissus being unable to vvith-stand so vvicked an accusation, retired himself into a desert: In the mean time Gods vengeance follovved these perjured Wretches: for the first, by a small spark of fire, vvas himself vvith all his family, and goods burned: the second vvas taken vvith a grievous sickness vvhichwhich tormented him from the top to the toe, whereof he died: the third, being vvarned by these Judgements, confessed his fault, but by reason of his abundant sorrovv and vveeping, he lost both his eyes: Narcissus being hereby cleared from their false accusation, returned home, and vvas received into his Congregation again. Also one Andoclus vvas sent by Polycarp into France, vvho because he spread there the Doctrine of Christ,Andoclus. vvas apprehended by the command of Severus, and first beaten vvith staves and bats, and aftervvards beheaded. Asclepiades also, aftervvards Bishop of Antioch, Asclepiades.suffered much in this Persecution. Then did Irenaeus, and many others vvith him suffer Martyrdom; and shortly after Tertullian also. Perpetua and Felicitas, Irenaeus. Tertullian. Perpetua. Felicitas. Revocatus. Satyrus. Secundulus.tvvo godly vvomen, vvith Revocatus their brother, and Satyrus, vvere throvvn to the vvild beasts, and devoured by them. Saturninus vvas beheaded: Secundulus cast into prison, where he died: all these suffered Martyrdom at Carthage.
Also Zepherinus, and after him Urbanus, both Bishops of Rome, vvere martyred in this Persecution:Zepherinus. Urbanus. This Urbanus by preaching and holiness of life, converted many heathens unto Christ; amongst vvhom vvere Tiburtius and Valerianus, tvvo noble men of Rome, vvho both suffered Martyrdom: Also Cecilia a Virgin, vvho vvas espoused to Valerian ▪ vvas apprehended & carried to the Idols to offer sacrifice,Tiburtius. Valerianus. Cecilia. vvhichwhich she refusing to do, should have been carried to the Judge to receive the sentence of condemnation; but the Serjeants and Officers beholding her excellent beauty and prudent behaviour, began vvith many persvvasions to solicit her to favour her self, &c. but she so replied vvith wisedom and godly exhortations,A great Conversion. that by the grace of Almighty God, their hearts began to relent, and at length to yield to that Religion which before they persecuted; which she perceiving, desired leave to go home; and sending for Urbanus the Bishop to her house, he so grounded and established them in the faith of Christ, that about four hundred persons believed, and were baptized; amongst whom was Gordianus a noble man. Afterwards this blessed Martyr was brought before the Judge, by whom she was condemned; then she was enclosed in an hot bath for twenty four hours, yet remaining alive, she was there beheaded.
Agape…us a boy of fifteen years old.At Preneste in Italy was one Agapetus of fifteen years old apprehended, and because he refused to sacrifice to Idols, he was first scourged with whips, then hanged up by the feet, and had scalding water poured on him, then he was cast to the wild beasts; but because they would not hurt him,Gods judgement on a persecutor. he was lastly beheaded. Antiochus that executed these torments on him, suddenly fell down from his judicial seat, crying out that all his bowels burned within him, and so he died miserably.
Calepodius, a Minister of Christ in Rome, was first dragged thorow the streets,Calepodius. and after cast into Tyber.
Pamachius, a Senator of Rome, with his wife and Children, and other men and women,Pamachius. to the number of forty two, vvere all beheaded in one day, together with another noble man, all whose heads vvere hung up over the gates of the City▪ to deter others from the profession of Christianity.Martina. Also Martina, a Christian Virgin, having suffered many other bitter torments, vvas at last slain vvith the sword.
CHAP. XII. The sixth Primitive Persecution, which began Anno Christi, 237.
THe Emperor Maximinus raised the sixth persecution against the Christians,Maximinus Emperor. especially against the Teachers and Leaders of the Church, thinking that if these Captains were removed out of the way, he should the easilier prevail against the rest. In the time of this Persecution, Origen vvrote his book De Martyrio, vvhichwhich being lost, the names of most that suffered Martyrdom in those times, are buried in oblivion, yet were they very many: Amongst whom Urbanus Bishop of Rome, Urbanus and Philip.and Philippus, one of his Ministers were banished into Sardinia, where they both died.
About this time one Natalius that had formerly suffered great persecution for the cause of Christ, was seduced by Asclepiodotus and Theodorus, Sectaries dangerous.two Sectaries, to be the Bishop of their Sect, promising to pay him a hundred and fifty crowns of silver every monethmonth, and so he joined himself to them;Note. but the Lord in mercy not intending to lose him that had suffered so much for his sake, admonished him by a vision to adjoin himself to the true Church again, which the good man for the present, blinded with lucre and honour, did not regard as he ought to have done: The night after he was scourged by Angels, whereupon in the morning, purting on Sack-cloth,Probably it was by the terrors of his own conscience. with much weeping and lamentation, he went to the Christian Congregation, praying them for the tender mercies of Christ, that he might be received into their Communion again; which request was accordingly granted unto him.
Hippolitus was drawn thorow the fields with wild horses till he died; Many others were martyred and buried by sixty in a pit.