An Alphabetical Martyrology, Part A 1
A A
ANdrew the Apostle, and Brother of Peter, being conversant in a City called Patris in Achaia, brought many to the Faith of Christ. Egeas the Governour hearing of it resorted to him, and with threats of the Cross disswaded him by his Proconsul; but Andrew said he would not have preached the honour and glory of the Cross, if he had feared the death of the Cross. And being condemned, when he saw the Cross he said, O Cross, most welcome and long looked for, with a willing mind, joyfully and desirously I come to thee, being the Scholar of him who did hang on thee, because I have always been thy Lover, and have coveted to embrace thee. And so being crucified he gave up the ghost the last of November. See Vol. 1. pag. 42, 43.
One Alexander under the Tenth Persecution standing near the Bar, at the Examination of the Christians, beckned to them with signs to confess Christ; which the multitude perceiving, made it known to the Judge, who examining what he was, and being answered by him, I am a Christian, condemned him to be devoured of wild Beasts. And he having endured sad Torments never sighed, but from the bottom of his heart praised and prayed to the Lord. Vol. 1. p. 62.
Apollinia an ancient Virgin, under the Seventh Persecution, having her Teeth dashed out, and being threatned to be cast into a great fire made before her, unless she would blaspheme with them, and deny Christ; she paused a while, and suddenly leaped into the fire, and was burned. Vol. 1. p. 80.
Ammonarion, an holy Virgin, told the persecuting Judge, That for no Punishment she would yield to his request; and constantly she performed her words, under very severe Torments, and was at last slain with a Sword. Vol. 1. pag. 80, 81.
Alban the first English Martyr, under the Tenth Persecution, did receive a Clerk into his House, flying for Religion, by whose Precepts and Precedents he of a Pagan became a Christian; and when the Emperour sent to apprehend the Clerk, Alban put on the Clerks Habits, and offered himself to the Souldiers as the Clerk, and so was had away; and being commanded on pain of death, by the Emperour, to sacrifice to Idols, he said, I am a Christian, and worship the true and living God, who created all the World; and the Sacrifices offered to Devils can neither help them that offer them, nor can they accomplish the desires of their Supplicants; but they whoever they be that offer Sacrifice to Devils, shall receive everlasting pains of Hell for their portion. Whereupon he was cruelly beaten, and at last beheaded. Vol. 1. pag. 115.
Agnes a Virgin of Rome, in the Tenth Persecution, of Noble Parentage, before she was marriageable she was dedicated to Christ, and boldly resisted the wicked Edicts of the Emperour, who by fair and foul ways induced her to renounce her Faith, yet she remained constant and courageous, and offered her body to suffer any torment or pain, not refusing to suffer whatsoever it should be, though death it self: But the Tyrant threatned to expose her Chastity to danger, by sending her to the Stews, unless she would ask Minerva pardon. Whereupon she inveighed against Minerva, and said, Christ is not so forgetful of those that are his, that he will suffer violently to be taken from them their golden and pure Chastity. Thou shalt, saith she, bathe thy Sword in my blood if thou wilt, but thou shalt not defile my body with filthy lust, for any thing thou canst do. After which the Tyrant commanded her to be set naked in the open Street, to the shame of himself and all present, who went from her; and she returned God thanks for this deliverance of her Chastity: And an Executioner being sent to kill her, she willingly met him and prayed, O God vouchsafe to open Heavens Gates, once shut up against all the Inhabitants of the Earth; and receive, O Christ, my soul that seeketh thee. And so she was beheaded. Vol. 1. p. 121, 122.
Anselm, an Italian, born and brought up in the Abby of Beck in Normandy, and afterwards made Archbishop of Canterbury, said he had rather be in Hell without sin, than in Heaven with sin. Vol. 1. p. 240.
Augustinus a Barber, about Hennegow in Germany, being an embracer of the Gospel, yet naturally so timerous that he fled twice when he was sought for, was so bold when he was apprehended that he confounded all Opposers: And being desired to pity his Soul and recant, he said he evidenced his pity to his Soul in giving his Body rather to be burned, than to do any thing contrary to his Conscience. And being set at the Stake, and the Fire kindled, he heartily prayed unto the Lord, and patiently departed, 1549. Vol. 2. pag. 124.
Aymond de Lavoy at Bourdeaux in France, a Preacher of the Gospel, being persecuted and sent for; his People and Friends perswaded him to flye; to whom he said, He had rather never have been born than so to do; it was the Office of a good Shepherd not to flye in time of danger, but rather to abide the peril lest the Flock be scattered; or lest some scruple might by his flight be left in their minds, that he had fed them with Dreams and Fables, contrary to Gods Word; wherefore beseeching them to move him no more therein, he told them he feared not to yield up both Body and Soul in the quarrel of the truth which he had taught, saying He was ready, with S. Paul, Acts 21. not only to be bound, but also to dye for the Testimony of Christ. And when the Sumner came to apprehend him, being in the City of Bourdeaux three days, Aymond preached each day a Sermon, and in his defence the People flew upon the Sumner, till Aymond desired them not to stop his Martyrdom, since it was the will of God he should suffer for him. Being apprehended, his greatest Accusation was, that he denyed Purgatory: He was nine Months in Prison, in great misery, bewailing his former life, though no man could charge him with any outward Crime; and enduring more severe torments by the Officers afterwards, he being of a weak body, comforted himself thus, This Body (said he) must once dye, but the Spirit shall live; the Kingdom of God endureth for ever. And swooning, when he came to himself, he said, Oh Lord why hast thou forsaken me? but his Tormentors further vexing him, he said, O Lord I beseech thee forgive them, they know not what they do. And when Sentence was given against him, he comforted himself with S. Paul's words, Rom. 8. saying, Who shall separate us from the love of God? shall the Sword, hunger, nakedness? no, nothing shall pluck me from him. And being brought to the place of Execution, he sang the 114. Psalm, and testified he dyed for the Gospel of Christ, and said, O Lord haste thee to help me, and tarry not: and desired all to study the Gospel, and not to fear them that kill the body. He said he found his Flesh to resist marvellously his Spirit, but he should soon cast it off: And then begging the people to pray for him, he said often, O Lord my God into thy Hands I commend my Soul. In the often repeating of which he dyed, being strangled and burned. Vol. 2. p. 129, 130.
Anne Audebert, an Apothecaries Wife and Widow at Orleance in France, being judged to be burnt for Religion's sake, when the Rope was about her neck to strangle her, she called it her Wedding Girdle wherewith she should be married to Christ: And as she should be burned on a Saturday, she said, I was first married upon a Saturday, and on a Saturday I shall be married again. And martyred she was with such constancy as made the beholders to marvel. Vol. 2. p. 135.
Somponius Algerius a young man, burnt at Rome 1555. being in Prison at Venice, (from whence he was sent to Rome) he wrote an Epistle to the persecuted and afflicted Saints, wherein he declares the many ways he was tempted to recant, to which Tempters he said, God forbid I should deny Christ, whom I ought to confess, I will not set more by my life than by my Soul, nor will I exchange the life to come for this present world. Vol. 2. p. 180, 181, 182.
Mrs. Anne Askew being 1545. apprehended, and often examined as an Heretick, subscribed two of her Confessions thus, By Anne Askew that neither wisheth death nor feareth his might, and as merry as one that is bound towards Heaven, God have the praise thereof with thanks. She always concluded her Letters with Pray, Pray, Pray. She was racked till almost dead, to discover her Confederates, but she would not; then was she by flattery tempted, but was not so won to deny her Faith, but said she would rather burn than deny it. In Newgate before she suffered she made a Confession of her Faith, clearing her self from Errours, and proving her self a Christian; and then prayed for support against the malice of her Enemies, that they might not overcome her; and that God would pardon their sins, and open their Eyes and Hearts to do what God pleased, and to set forth his Truth without Errour. She was of a Family that she might have lived in great wealth and prosperity, if she had loved the world more than Christ, but she being constant, was at last (being unable to go by reason of her racking) brought in a Chair to Smithfield, and there chained to a Stake, when Wrisley then Lord Chancellor sent her pardon, and bad her recant; but she refused to look once on them, and said she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master; and so was burned in Iune 1546. with whom suffered also Iohn Lacels, Iohn Adams, and Nicholas Belenian, which three men though courageous before, yet by her Exhortation and Example were emboldened, and received greater comfort. Vol. 2. p. 580.
Iohn Ardeley an Essex man, being burnt Iune 10. 1555. was examined and perswaded by Bishop Bonner to recant; to whom he said, Bear as good a face, my Lord, as you can, you and all of your Religion are of a false Faith, and not of the Catholick Church. God foreshield I should recant, for then should I lose my Soul; and if every hair on my head was a man, I would suffer death in the Faith and Opinion that I now am in. And so he did. Vol. 3. p. 253.
Will. Allen a Norfolk man, burnt at Walsingham 1555. in September, because he would not go in Procession and kneel to the Cross; he was in such favour with the Justices of Peace, for his tryed conversation amongst them, that he was permitted to go to his Sufferings untyed, and there being fastned with a Chain, stood quietly without shrinking till he dyed. Vol. 3. p. 419.
Rose Allen of much Bentley in Essex, being fetching drink for her sick Mother, in a morning with a light Candle, who was also with her self and Father apprehended by Edmond Tyrrel Esq to be all three carried to Colchester Goal for the Gospel, who perswaded this Rose Allen to counsel her Parents well; who said, They had a better Counsellor than she, to wit, the Holy Ghost, who I trust will not suffer them to erre. And being for this accused of Heresie by him, she said, With that which you call Heresie I worship my Lord God: To whom he then said, I perceive you will also burn for company's sake: And she answered, Not for company's sake, but for Christ's sake; and if he call me to it, I hope in his mercy he will enable me to bear it. So Tyrrel took her Candle and held it to her hand, burning it crossways the back of it, till the sinews crackt asunder; and asked her often during that tyranny, What you Whore will you not cry? To whom she said, she had no cause to weep, if he considered it well he had more cause to weep, for she had none she thanked God, but rather had cause to rejoice; and she said, that though at first burning it was some grief to her, yet the longer it burnt the lesser she felt, or well near no pain at all. Vol. 3. p. 830.
Iohn Alcock, a young man in Suffolk, apprehended at Hadley because he would not move his Cap as the Priest came into Church with a Procession, and being bid to take heed of the Priest, he said, I fear not, for he shall do no more than God will give him leave; and happy shall I be if God will call me to dye for his Truths sake. And being sent up to London he dyed in Prison at Newgate, and was buried in a Dunghil 1558. Vol. 3. p. 883.
Richard Atkins burnt at Rome 1581. he was born in Hartfordshire in England, and travelling to Rome he came to the English Colledge, knocking at whose Gates several English Scholars came out, and bid him go to the Hospital, and there he should receive his meat and drink: But he declared he came not to any such intent, but to reprove the great misorder of their lives, which (said he) I grieve to hear and pity to behold: I came also to let your proud Antichrist understand that he doth rob God of his honour, and poyseneth the whole world with his Blasphemies: So declaming against their Idolatry he was put into the Inquisition by one Hugh Griffith a Welchman, and a Student in that Colledge, where after a few days he was set at liberty: But one day going in the Streets, and meeting a Priest which carried the Sacrament, which offended his Conscience, he catched at it to have pulled it down, but missing of it he was let pass: A while after he seeing divers persons in S. Peter's Church at Mass, he stept up without any reverence, and threw down the Chalice of Wine, and would have gotten the Wafer-Cake out of the Priest's hands; for which he was much beaten with persons Fists, and cast into Prison; and upon Examination why he would do such a Crime, he said, I came for that intent, to rebuke the Popes wickedness, and your Idolatry. Upon this he was condemned to be burned: Which Sentence he gladly received, he said, because the sum of his offence pertained to the glory of God. A while after he was set on the bare back of an Ass, stript from the head to the waist, and so carried in the Streets, who called to the people and told them they were in a wrong way, and willed them for Christ's sake to have regard to the saving of their Souls; all the way as he went he had four men that did nothing else but thrust at his body with burning Torches, whereat he never moved nor shrunk, but with a chearful countenance often bended his body to meet the Torches, and would take them in his own hand and hold them burnig to his own body; which posture he continued in near the space of half a mile, till he came at the place of Execution, before S. Peter's Church▪ Then made they a device not to make the fire about him, but to burn his Legs first, which he suffered marvellously chearfully; then they offered him a Cross, but he put it away, telling them they did ill to trouble him with such paltry, when he was preparing himself for God, whom he beheld in majesty and mercy ready to receive him into the Eternal Rest: And so he dyed. Vol. 3. p. 1022.
Francis d' Alost in Flanders, beheaded May 1. 1566. said to his apprehenders, Now ye think to deprive me of life, and so to do me a great hurt, but ye are deceived; for it is all one as if ye took Counters from me, to fill my hand with a great sum of Gold. Being at the place of Execution, he said, Seeing ye thirst after my blood, I willingly yield it unto your hands, and my Soul into the hands of my merciful Lord God Almighty. And so he was beheaded, and his body given for a prey to the Fowls of the air. Addition to Vol. 3. of Massacre in France and Flanders, p. 34, 35.