An Alphabetical Martyrology, Part P 1
P P
PHilip the Apostle, after he had much laboured amongst the Barbarous Nations, in preaching the Word of Salvation to them, at length he suffer'd in Hierapolis a City of Phrygia, being there crucified and stoned to death; where also he was buried, and his Daughters with him. Vol. 1. pag. 42, 43.
Peter the Apostle, being to be crucified under Domitius Nero, would be crucified with his head downwards, and his feet upwards; because he said he was unworthy to be crucified after the same manner and form as the Lord was. Vol. 1. pag. 45. As he was a crucifying, he, seeing his Wife going to her Martyrdom, was greatly joyous and glad thereof, and spake to her with a loud voice, called her by her Name, and bidding her remember the Lord Iesus. Vol. 1. p. 45.
Polycarpus, three dayes before he was apprehended saw in a Vision his Bed on fire, and consumed; and when he awaked he told them with him, how that he should die in the fire for Christ: And when he was pursued, having removed once or twice, and might still have fled, he would not, but said; The will of God be done: and came down to his Pursuers as soon as he heard they were come, and spake to them with a chearful voice and a pleasant countenance, and caused the Table to be spread, and they to dine with him; and begg'd of them an hours time for prayer: which he made so, as the hearers thereof were astonished and sorry they had pursued him: And going to the place of Execution, in an uproar of the People, when he could not be heard, there came a voice to him from Heaven, saying: Be of good chear, Polycarp, and play the Man. Many heard the voice, but none was seen to speak. And after this, Polycarp being advised by the Proconsul to defie Christ, he said; 86 years have I been his Servant, and in all this time he hath not so much as hurt me; how then can I speak evil of my King and Soveraign Lord who hath thus preserved me. Being to be fixed to the Stake, he would not; but said, God who had given him strength to suffer, would give him power to abide, and not stir in the midst of the fire. So he stood, and thank'd God that he should now become a Martyr; and though the fire was kindled, yet could it not burn his Body, but the wind kept it off; and when the Persecutors saw that, they order'd his Body to be thrust thorow with a Sword; and so much blood issued out as quenched the fire. He suffered the 167. year of Christ, about Ianuary 24. and was martyred in his own Church at Smyrna. Vol. 1. p. 55, 56, 57.
Ptolomeus being demanded, whether he was a Christian, declared that he had taught and professed the verity of the Christian Doctrine; for whoso denyeth to be what he is, either condemneth in denying the thing that he is, or maketh himself unworthy of that, the confession whereof he flyeth; which thing is never found in a true and sincere Christian. He was condemned to suffer. Vol. 1. p. 59.
Ioannes Pistorius, one of Holland, preaching and speaking against the Masses and other Popish abuses, was committed to Prison with ten other Malefactors, whom he comforted; and to one of them, being half naked, he gave his own Gown: He was condemned and degraded, and had a Fools Coat put on him; his Fellows at his death sang Te Deum: and he coming to the Stake gave his Neck willingly to the band, saying, O Death, where is thy Victory? 1524. Vol. 2. p. 116.
Stephen Peloquine, burnt at Ville France in France, 1553. being half burnt, ceased not to hold up his hands, and call on the Lord, to the admiration of people. Vol. 2. p. 141.
Mrs. Philips, a Gentlewoman of Paris, 1558. being apprehended and condemned for the Gospel's sake, received it couragiously; and being to be distongued, she said, Shall I, who do not stick to give my Body, stick to give my Tongue? And being distongued, though she was in Mourning for her Husband, a Lord of that Country, then late deceased; she laid aside her Mourning, and on the day of execution she decked her self in her best Aray, as if she was going to another Marriage; nor did she alter her colour or countenance, during her suffering. Vol. 2. p. 156.
Anthony Persons, a great Preacher of the Gospel in King Henry the 8th's days, 1544. and was, by Dr. London, condemned; who answering to his Indictment, said, So long as I Preached up the Pope and his superstition, so long ye favoured me; but since I took on me to Preach Christ, ye have alwayes sought my life; but it makes no matter, for when ye have taken your pleasure on my Body, I trust it shall not be in your power to hurt my Soul. He, with one Testwood, and Filmer, were condemned to suffer: and the night before they suffered they spent almost wholly in Prayers for strength under the Cross, and comforting one another that their Master Christ who had led the way before them, and had so far made them worthy to suffer for his sake, would give them stedfast faith and power to overcome these fiery torments; and of his free mercy, for his Promise sake, receive their Souls. Praying that God would forgive their Enemies and turn their hearts, which out of blindness and ignorance had done they knew not what. This Persons afterwards coming to the Stake, did embrace it, saying, Now welcome mine own sweet Wife; for this day shall thou and I be Married together in the love and peace of God. Vol. 2. p. 152, 153, 154.
Iohn Philpot, a Knights Son of Hampshire, brought up at Oxford; a great Scholar, and a zealous Preacher, who in King Edward the 6th's days was Arch-Deacon of Winchester; and in Queen Mary's days, with a few others, opposed Popery, and stood in the vindication of the Gospel in the Convocation-house at London, against all the other Prelates called by the Queen to determine of Religion. Vol. 3. p. 538. being apprehended and examined by Bishop Bonner, and told that the next day he should be judged, he said, I am glad hereof, I look for no other but death at your hands, and I am as ready to yield my life in Christ's Cause as you are to require it. p. 547. And being in discourse with Dr. Story, he said, I am sure I have the Iudge on my side, who shall justifie me in another World; and however you now unrighteously do judge me, yet sure I am, in another World, to judge you: And after, when Dr. Story hastned his death, and said to Philpot, he came to hasten it; which he came to tell him, he said, that he might thank no body else for it: To whom Philpot answered, I thank you with all my heart, and I pray God forgive you. And going again to Prison, meeting with Bishop Bonner, who proffered him any pleasure he could shew him, he only requested this pleasure, that his Lordship would hasten his judgment, and dispatch him out of this miserable World to his eternal rest, p. 151. At last he being condemned, and having word of it the night before, to be ready next morning to be burnt, he said, I am ready, God grant me strength and a joyful resurrection: and so retiring to his Chamber, he prayed and praised God, that he had made him worthy to suffer for his truth. In the morning, coming to Smithfield where he was burnt, he kneeled down at the entrance into it, and said, I will pay my Vows in thee, O Smithfield! and then coming to the Stake he kist it, saying▪ Shall I disdain to suffer at the Stake, seeing my Redeemer did not refuse to suffer on his Cross for me: and then he said the 106, 107, 108. Psalms; and was burnt December 18. 1555. His Letters were many and pious, comforting the penitent Sinners: From,
1. Examples of Penitents.
2. God can Pardon more than we can sin, and will pardon him who with hope of mercy is sorry for his sin.
3. God permits his People to see the evil of their sins, and to sorrow for it, to let them experience his superabounding Grace: He brings to Hell, that with greater joy he might lift up to Heaven.
4. Satan's conflict in you tempting, and your strife against sin, is an evidence you are the Child of God, whom he may unawares cause to fall by sin, but he shall never overcome; for God doth it but to try your Faith, and he beholds your resistance, is pleased with it, and will never forsake you: The Just falls 7 times a day, but yet he riseth again.
5. Rejoyce therein, in that your temptation and sorrow shall add to your glory. Pag. 598.
In divers Letters he much exhorts to Martyrdom; and in one to the Lady Vane, he thus writes: The World wonders we can be merry in such extreme misery, but our God is omnipotent who turns misery into felicity. Believe me, dear Sister, there is no such joy in the World, as the People of God have under the Cross: I speak by experience, therefore believe me, and fear nothing that the World can do; for when they imprison our Bodies, they set at liberty our Souls; when they kill us, they bring us to Everlasting Life: and what greater glory can there be than to be at conformity with Christ, which afflictions do work in us. Pag. 603. In another he writes to her, he saith; I that am under the Cross have felt more true joy and consolation in it than ever I did by any benefit that God hath given me in all my life before; for the more the World hates, the nigher God is unto us, and there is no joy but in God. Pag. 604. In another to that Lady, he writes thus: We have cause to be glad of the times of Persecution as to our selves; for if we be imprisoned, we are blessed; if we lose all we have, we are blessed a hundred times; if we die, we are blessed eternally: so that in suffering persecution all is full of Blessings. Vol. 3. pag. 605.
Agnes Potten, an Ipswich Woman, burnt with Ioan Trunchfield in Q. Mary's dayes. They being undressed for the fire, with comfortable words of Scripture exhorted People to constancy against Popery; and so continuing in the torment of the fire, they held up their hands and called on God constantly, so long as Life endured. Vol. 3. p. 678.
Iulius Palmer, born at Coventry, and Student and Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, who in King Edward the Sixth's dayes was a great Papist, for which he was expelled the Colledge, till Queen Mary's time, when he was received again to his Fellowship; and about 24 years of age by Scriptures, and Peter Martyr's Books, and Calvin's Institutions, God so wrought that he became a zealous Protestant, nor would be revoked from it, declaring the Pope to be Antichrist; whereupon for his safety he left the Colledge, and went to Reding to teach a School, where in a short time by false pretended Friends he was betray'd and forced to fly. And he thinking to receive some Legacy due to him by his Father's Will, went to his Mother in this his need, and begging her Blessing on his knees, she saluted him thus; You shall have Christ's curse and my curse where ever you go: To which words of his Mother, he said, being amazed at the salutation: Your curse, O Mother, you may give me, which (God knows) I have not deserved; but God's curse you cannot give me, for he hath already blessed me. Then she said, You went out of God's Blessing into the warm Sun, when you went from your Religion; for I am sure you believe not as I and your Father, and our Fore-fathers believed, but art an Heretique: and know your Father bequeathed nothing for Heretiques: As for money and goods, I have none for you; faggots I have to burn you; more you get not at my hands. To whom he answer'd, I am no Heretick, but do embrace a Religion as old as Christ and his Apostles; and though you curse me, yet I pray God bless you: And so softly spoke to her, that she threw after him an old Angel to keep him honest. So he went away from his Mother, going privately to Reding again, to gather up some Money due to him, where he was basely betray'd, and brought to Examination, and was condemned; and about one hour before his Execution, he comforts himself and two others who suffer'd with him, with Christ's Words, Mat. 5.10, 11, 12. and by these sayings; Be of good chear in the Lord; faint not we shall not end our Lives in the fire, but make a change for a better Life; yea, for coals we shall receive Pearls. And in the fire they three lifted up their hands, and quietly and chearfully as if feeling no pain, they cry'd, Lord Jesus strengthen us, Lord Jesus assist us, Lord Jesus receive our Souls: And so called on Iesus till they dyed, being burnt at Newbury Iuly 16. 1556. Vol. 3. pag. 733 to 741.
One Prest's Wife of Exeter, being a Protestant, but seeming to be a simple ignorant Woman, left her Husband and Children, because they were Papists, and went up and down to work for her living; and being taken and examined, she said, In the cause of Christ and his truth, she must either forsake Christ or her Husband; I am content to stick only to Christ my heavenly Spouse; and renounce the other; whom I left not for Whoredom, Theft, or the like, but because they by their Superstition and Idolatry persecuted me, rebuked and troubled me, when I would have had them leave their Idolatry. The Doctors further talking with her, she said: You do but trouble my Conscience; you will have me follow your doings, but I will first lose my life; I pray depart. She openly reproved and argued against their Idolatry, and that they went about to damn Souls by their Doctrine, and perswading them to Idolatry. She seemed to be a very simple Woman, yet could she rehearse many places in Scripture. And when (she being condemned) was desired to ask Pardon, because she was an unlearned Woman, not able to answer in such high matters; she said, I am not indeed able to answer in such high matters, yet with my death am I content to be a witness of Christ's Death. And being again proffer'd a pardon if she would recant, she said; Nay, that I will not; God forbid I should lose Life Eternal for this carnal and short Life; I will never turn from my Heavenly Husband to my Earthly; from the fellowship of Angels to my mortal Children: And if my Husband and Children be faithful, I am theirs. God is my Father, God is my Mother, God is my Brother, God is my Sister, my Kinsman, my Friend most faithful. And at the Stake she continued crying, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. Vol. 3. p. 890, 891.
Peter Chevet, burnt at Maubert near Paris March 11. 1559. being threatned to suffer, he said; Truly I do not think to escape your hands; and though ye scorch and roast me alive, yet will I never renounce my Christ. Being asked by the Official, If he would not be absolved, he said, It is a question, Oh poor Man! whether thou canst save thy self; and wilt thou take upon thee to save others? Who being thereat angry, threatned him with longer imprisonment; to whom the Martyr said; Alas! alas! though I should rot in Prison, yet shall you find me still the same Man. And at the Stake, having his Cloaths pull'd off, he said: How happy, how happy, Oh how happy am I? with eyes lift up to Heaven; and so he died. Additions to Vol. 3. concerning Massacre in France, pag. 9.