The Tragedies of Tyrants Exercised Upon the Church of God, Chapter 9
Of the greeuous woful and long tragicall Acte or perſecution, being in number the. 15. vnderunder the Emperours Dioclecian and Maximian, wherein innumerable Chriſtians were martired and ſlayne. Chapter. ix.
NOne hath written more dillygentlye Euſebius biſſhop of Caeſarea.of the perſecution of the Emperours Iouius Dioclecian, and Herculius Maximian then Euſebius in the laſte booke of his eccleſiaſticall hiſtorye. For he lyued at that time, & behelde the doyng of many things whereof he writeth. Wherefore the full and true diſcourſe of theſe matters muſte be borrowed of him, which although it be terrible: yet is it there withall pleaſant, & profitable to be read. As for me I mean but breifly to touch y• chiefeſt poyntes.
The Chriſtian Churche enioyed peace and tranquillitye a fewe yéeres, from the raigne of Aurelian, vntounto the xix. yéere of the raigne of Dioclecian and Maximian, about the ſpace of. 28. yéeres. For the Chriſtians had commonly their Churches, and godly congregations and méetinges together, profeſſing and exerciſing their relygion openly without any feare: wherein alſo they had the aſſiſtance of lieutenants of prouinces eueryevery where, vntounto whom the Chriſtian Relygion was knowne, …nd many of great power in the Emperours Court, as namely Dortheus and Gorgonius, who being Chriſtians: aided and defended them of their owne religion. The Chriſtians alſo in the begining of this peace and quietnes agreed very well together, were feruent in y• worſhipping of God, and of holy conuerſation, and therefore the number of the faithful increaced very much, ſo that it was néedefull to enlarge their Churches, and places of common prayer.
But in proceſſe of time, that feruent Abuſe of peace.louelove of Relygion began to waxe colde, and ther aroſe diſſentions & contentions, cheifly amonge biſſhops and doctours, who beinge addicted to ſtrife & vnquietneſſe: fell ſore at debate amonge themſelues, handlynge their controuerſies, whereby the people were nothing edefied: wherfore, the Lorde taking away his hand from his people: ſuffred y• faith leſſe Gentiles to lay their handes vponupon his Churche, to ſcoure away the ruſte which daily increaſed more and more. And this is the .xv. perſecution of the Church which Oroſius calleth y• tenth.
At the béeginning of this perſecution the Lord dealt verie gently, not giuyng the reigne and bridle immediatly to the perſecution, and ſuffringe the Churches to be deſtroyd: but the onſet of the perſecution was béegun by the ſouldiours. And doubtles vntounto this purpoſe apperteineth that which is written by Otho Friſingenſis in the. 3. book and. 45. chapter, ſpeakinge of bleaſſed Mauritius. Mauritius.Who marchyng forward into Germanie, vnderunder Maximian with his legion of men which were all Chriſtians, goinge againſt the Bacharides, whome Eutropius termeth Bongarides, a troubleſome and ſeditious kinde of people, to bring them to dutie and quietneſſe: & when the armie had paſſed the Alpes, and was arriued into the country of the Veragri, whiche at this day they cal the lower, Valleſia: there Maximian commaunded his ſouldiours to ſacrifice to the Gods, that they might obtaine good fortune, and victorie againſt their enemies. Then Mauritius anſwered, that hée would not ſo doe, nor the reſidew of Chriſtians that were vnderunder him, franckly profeſſinge himſelf & his company to be Chriſtians, for whom it was not lawful to do ſacrifice to y• gods. Wherefore, they were firſt craftely deuided, and ſome ſent to Solodorū, Bonna, Colen, Santum, and abroad vntounto other places for defence ſake diſperſed. Laſt of all, the greater part of the legion whiche remayned with Mauritius neare vntounto Octodorum, whiche is at this day called Martenacum, and Agaunum, whiche is nowe called by the name of S. Maurice: which was ſlain by y• heathen ſouldiours. S. Ierome reporteth, that the expedition againſt the Bagaudae, was in the yéere of Chriſte, 290.
I cannot, nor I ought not in this place Foelix and Regula.let paſſe to make mencion of Foelix and Regula being Germans, who were alſo of Mauricius companie: both theſe & diuers other moe, whoſe ſeruice it pleaſed God that he woulde vſe to preache Chriſt to the Gentiles: by flight eſcaped from the ſlaughter at Octodorum, and firſt they came to Glarona, and ſo along the Lake were brought vntounto the moſt auncient citie of Zuirick, in which at y• time y• Ethnick idolatry floriſhed, wher they preached ſimply the Chriſtian relygion, and as wée hauehave ſhewed in the beginning of this booke, purely & faithfully without any aditions of man. The ſame they approued valientlye, and at length confirmed wt their bloud. For after manie, and diuerſe torments they were ſlayn with the ſworde by Decius the Romane lieutenant that dwelte in the caſtle of zuirick. And theſe moſt holly Germans, hauehave left vntounto vsus the moſt holly and precious treaſure of the Goſpell, and Chriſtian fayth. Theſe our Apoſtles, or rather teachers, ſent vntounto vsus from heauen, are farre more auncient then y• counſailes. Theſe liued and taught, and are bleſledly departed this life, béefore the Papiſticall Churche was eſtablyſhed in forme and manner as it is: for at theyr time there was not that Papacie which afterwarde enſued: there were then no Images in Churches, there was no ſacryfice of Mas, no inuocatiō of ſaints, no Munks, no inſtitutiōs or foūdations of Abbeies, for they lyued in thoſe yeres after Chriſte whiche wée hauehave before noted, ſo that the Chriſtyan fayth hath contynued amongſt vsus, and alſo the auntient Congregation of Zuirick aboue. 1270. yeares, whiche I praye God alwayes with his grace to preſerue.
But when this loſſe whiche the Churche had ſuſtayned, and this token of the wrath of God againſt his people had mooued but fewe in the Churche to repentaunce, the more parte remaynynge careleſſe and impenitent, and alwayes procéedynge farther in theyr vnthankefulneſſe: God alſo increaſed the correction, ſuffryng the Churche to bée oppreſſed with a moſte ſharpe perſecution. For in the .xix. yéere of Dioclecian, which was the. 306. after the birth of Chriſte, in the month of March & euen on Eaſter day, were publiſhed eueryevery where edictes from y• emperours Edictes againſt chriſtians.againſte the Chriſtians, wherin was charge giuen, that Churches and Oratories of the Chriſtians ſhoulde bée plucked downe to the grownd, the Bibles and all bookes of holly ſcripture burned, and whoſoeuer of the Chriſtians hée were that were in any honour office, and dignite ſhould bée diſgraded and made imfamous, with many other commaundmentes of that ſorte.
Shortly after, it was commaunded by another edict from the emperours, that in eueryevery place the byſſhops and miniſters of the Church, ſhould bée apprehended and conſtrained to do ſacrifice to the Gods, & if anie ſpake againſt it: they ſhould be enforced therto, or ſlaine. Héerevpon enſued a miſerable and cruell ſlaughter. For the chriſtian byſhops, doctours, and miniſters of the Churches, were thicke and thréefolde led and drawn to the temples of Idols to do ſacrifice: and manie times thoſe that lead them mooued with certein compaſſion: exhorted them whom they lead, to holde their peace, and if they woulde but diſſemble as though they dyd ſacrifice: they woulde then lette them departe. But they declared with a loude voyce, that they neither had Sacrificed, neither woulde Sacrifice, but that they were the ſeruantes and miniſters of Chriſte, wherfore vnaccuſtomed and new tormentes, and diuerſe tortures and puniſhments were laid vponupon the Chriſtians, in execution wherof: the tormenters and officers were more wery in appliyng, then the Chriſtians in ſuffringe them. For they through thée goodnes of God, continnued conſtant in the Chriſtian faith vntounto death: notwithſtandinge certen, through feare and greatnes of paine and torment: renounced their faith, to the wounderfull ſorowe and greif all the godlie.
At Nicomedia in Bythynia, when Done at Nicodemus.the emperours commaundement and proclamation was openly ſet abroade and both emperours at that preſent ſoiurned at Nicomedia, a certen noble citizen and of great dignitie in that city rent downe the emperours edict and tore it all to péeces, wherfore with out delaye hée was brought vntounto the emperours. Who after that hée had confeſſed that hée was a Chriſtian, and that whiche hée had doone hée did it on a feruent zeale: hée was deliuered vntounto the hangemen and Iurmagantes, who tormented him with ſundrie torments vntill hée died. But amonge the outragious tormentes wherewith they martyred him, there neuer appéered any one ſygne of ſorrowe in his countenaunce.
At the ſame tyme were tormented and ſlayne the chéeife Prynces and nobles of the Emperours houſeholde, amonge whom Peter after ſundrie vexations and tortures, was layde vponupon a Gridyron, and roaſted, with this moſte cruell kynde of deathe, endynge his lyfe. Lykewyſe Dorotheus, and Gorgonius, Gentilmen of the Emperours Chamber, after the bitter taſte of ſundrie tormentes: were laſte of all hanged.
Anthimus alſo byſſhop of Nicomedia was at that time ſlayne with the ſword and with him a great numbre of cityzens, as ſhéepe followynge their ſheapheard through tormentes and death, with a moſt conſtant faith.
In Nicomedia at that time, there aroſe Nicomedia the Emperours Pallace burned.a great fire ſuddeinly within the kinges palace, as who ſhould ſay that God ment to puniſhe the extreame crueltie of the emperours and the heathen people which had burned, and broiled ſo manie innocent, and godlie men. But the ſame chaunced which befell at Rome in the time of Nero, for like as hée imputed the cauſe of burninge the citie vntounto the giltleſſe Chriſtians, beeinge cauſe therof himſelfe: ſo theſe emperours publiſhed new commaundementes, wherby they ſtrayghtly charged, y• the Chriſtians ſhould bée extinguiſhed wt fier, & ſword in eueryevery place.
In Syria likewiſe, the faithfull Doctours, Perſecucion in siria.noble and vnnoble, men and women, younge and ould, were drawen by heapes into priſon, in ſo mutch that the priſons and common places of the citie were full of priſoners, and but few men there were that walked abroade, the place reſemblyng the ſhew of a forlorne wilderneſſe. Wherof when the Emperours were aduertiſed: they willed that ſutche as would do ſacrifice to the gods ſhould bée releaſed, the reſidew that continued in the chriſtian béeléefe, ſhould bée put to death with moſte cruell kindes of tormentes.
The people of Tyrus alſo, in the land In Tyrus.of Paleſtine, whole flockes as it were of men and women, in places of common reſorte for ſhewes, were thrown vntounto wylde beaſtes, and when the wild beaſtes were more gentyl towards the Chriſtians then the men, neither forced vponupon them to teare them, yea, rather teare their kéepers and maiſters that egged them to others: notwithſtanding theſe faithleſſe tyrants crueller then all beaſtes, ranne vponupon the miſerable chriſtians, woundyng them, ſtabbyng them and cruelly without all pittie murtheryng them.
A ſtrainge kynde of crueltye alſo the vngodly in Egipt, and Thebais, practized againſt the faithfull, wherwith they In Egipe.ſlew infinite numbers of them. They vſed in certayne places to bend downe two Trées, and to bynde the faithfull vntounto eche trée by the legge, then to let them riſe agayne, and ſo tearyng the men in péeces. And Vſpurgenſis reporteth, how at the ſame time, in one monethes ſpace were ſeuentéene thouſand men martyred, and ſlayne.
Euſebius in the. 9. and. 10. Chapters of the, 8. booke, deſcribeth the ſtrange torments and puniſhments of many chriſtians which he himſelfe dyd beholde amonge whom he mentioneth one Phileas Phileas.a worthy man, who was a Martir himſelfe, and had wroten of Martirs.
There was alſo in Phrigia a certen famous Citie, wherein all the people, A wofull deede.higheſt and loweſt, young and old, profeſſed the Chriſtian faith. The ſame Citie the Emperours army beſeidged round about, and ſet it on fire, burninge therin all that euer was, as well men as goodes, that there was not one that eſcaped Beſides there are many other cruell tortures, and puniſhmentes recited in y• ſame boke of Euſebius, wherby infinit multitudes of chriſtians wer executed to death, & made away in Arabia Cappadocia, Meſopotamia, Alexādria Antioche, and lykewiſe in Pontus.
But after that theſe bloudthirſtie dogges, Dioclecianus, and Maximianꝰ departed from the empire, there ſuccéeded in their place other tyrantes, maxentius ſunne to Maximian, & Galerius Maximinus who perſecuted the church noleſſe cruelly then theyr prediceſſours did, neither made they any ende, or moderation, or meaſure of puniſhing, ſtaynge Dorothea,or ſheadinge of blood. At Alexandria, a noble & honeſt virgin. Dorothe, was by Maximinus ſpoyled of all her goods & with other virgines alſo whiche would not conſent to his filthie luſt: tormented, and ſlayne. At Rome, Sophronia wife to the gouerner of the cittie choſe rather to die with her owne hand Sophronia.then to bée defiled by a beaſtly tirant.
By this Tyrant very many chriſtians were driuen into exyle, puniſhed, and ſlayne as Euſebius copiouſly declareth in thenéeinth and laſt booke of his ſtorie. Howbeeit the moſte famous amongſt them all are thrée miniſters of Chriſte, and his Churche: Syluanus of Tyre, Peter of Alexandria, and Luciā siluanus. …etrus. Lucianus.of Antioche, who had traueiled very mutch in the ſcriptures, as S. Ierom reporteth. Theſe woorthie men, not only by their teachinge and writinge: but alſo by their bloud and death hauehave borne teſtimony to y• chriſtian faith, and hauehave cleaued vntounto chriſt conſtantly to death.
This cruell and rare kinde of perſecution, continued from the yeere of Chriſte. 306 vntounto the yere. 320. that is to ſay about .xv. yéere in the whole. For in the yeere of Chriſte. 321. Conſtantinus the emperour in the .x. yéere of his reigne, gaue peace and reſt to the miſerable, torne, and almoſt oppreſſed Church: & indéede, from the time that Chriſte ſuffred his paſſion vntounto that preſent: there was no perſecution more cruell, or that continued longer then this, wherin notwithſtandinge the Church through faith preueiled, ouerthrew, and caſte downe al falſe religion and Idolatrie.
But that I may returne vntounto the accuſtomed talke whiche I hauehave vſed Chriſtian Relygion.before this, in the diſcourſe of moſt perſecutions, is there anie man I béeſéech you, which dareth avoutch that the Ethnick religion of the Romanes, was therefore iuſt and true, bycauſe the Romane emperours defended and enlarged the ſame, caſtinge downe, and defilinge the faith of the Chriſtians with their owne blood moſt cruelly, & bicauſe the… obtained proſperus ſucceſſe againſt the Chriſtians, the Chriſtiās the mean ſeaſon taſtinge none other but the croſſe afflictions, miſeries, and moſt cruell death? And who is hée now, that will diſpute with God, why hée ſuffred ſutch naughtie knaues, and wicked varlets with ſo many and diuerſe kyndes of calamities, moleſt and trouble ſutch men as were dearely beloued vntounto him? Who will de…aunde whether hée did well or ill, ſince God doth no vniuſte thing? But hée proueth his ſeruantes with the croſſe and afflictions, like as Gold and Siluer are by woorkmen tried in the fier. This the faithfull know very well, and therfore if our wretched and impatient fleaſh do mooue any contrary thoughtes (as it often chanceth:) immediatly they ſuppreſſe them. And Saint Peter ſaith: humble your ſelues 2. Pet. 4.vntounto the mightie hand of god, and hee will exalt you when hee ſeeth his time and caſt all your cares vponupon him for it is hee that is carefull for you.