After whom succeded next in the same seate of Alexandria, Dionysius Alexandrinus, who also suffered much vnder the tyranny of Decius, as hereafter shalbe shewed (Christ willing) whē we come to the time of Valeriā.

MarginaliaEx Nicepho. lib. 5. cap. 29.Nicephorus in his fift booke, and other which write of this persecution vnder Decius, declare the horriblenes therof to be so great, and innumerable Martyrs to suffer in the same, that he sayth it is as easy to number the sandes of the sea, as to recite the particular names of them, whom this persecutiō did deuour. In the which persecution the chiefest doers and tormētors vnder the Emperour appeare in the historye of Vincentius to bee these: MarginaliaPersecutoursOptimus the vnder Consul, Secundianus, Verianus, & Marcellianus. &c. Although therefore it be hard here to inferre al and singular persons in order that died in this persectuion: yet suche as remaine most notable in stories, I wyll briefly touche, by the grace of hym for whose cause they suffered.

MarginaliaAlexander bishop of Hierusalem martirIn the former tractation of the fift persecution, pag. 80. mencion was made before of Alexander the worthy bishop of Hierusalem, and of his troubles suffered vnder Seuerus, and how afterward by the miracle of god he was appointed bishop of Hierusalem, wher he continued a very aged man, aboue the terme of. xl. yeres gouernour of that church, tyl the time of the first yeare of Decius. At what time he being brought from Hierusalem to Cesarea in to the iudgement place, after a constant and euident confession of his fayth made before the iudge, was committed vnto pryson, and there finished his life, as testifieth Dionisius Alexandrinus in the sixt booke of Eusebius. MarginaliaEx Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 41.After whom succeeded in that seate Mezabanes the. xxxvj. byshop of that Citye, after Iames the Apostle.

MarginaliaAsclepiades bishop of Antioche martyr.Mention was made also before of Asclepiades byshop of Antioche, who succeeded after Serapion, and in the persecution of Seuerus did likewise perseuer a constant confessor, and as Vincentius testifieth in hys. xj. booke, suffered martyrdome at last vnder this Decius. MarginaliaEx specu. Vincēt. lib. 11. c. 52
A place of Vincentius reproued.But this computation of Vincentius can in no wise agree with the truth of time, forasmuche as by probable writers, as Zonaras, Nicephorus, and other, the sayde Asclepiades after Serapion, entred the bishops seate of Antioche, an. 214. and sat. vij. yeares before the tyme of Gordianus. After whom succeeded Philetus, an. 221. gouerning þ^e function. xij. yeares. And after him Zebinus followed. an. 232. and so after him Babylas, which Babylas if he died in this persecution of Decius, then coulde not Asclepiades also suffer in the same time, who dyed so long before him, as is declared.

MarginaliaBabylas Byshop of Antioch Martyr.Of this Babylas bishop of Antioche, Eusebius and Zonaras recorde, that vnder Decius he died in prison, as did Alexander bishop of Hierusalem aboue rehersed.

MarginaliaEx Chrisost. lib. contra Gētiles.We reade in a certayne treatise of Chrisostome, intituled Contra Gentiles, a notable and a long historye of one Babylas a martyr, who about these times was put to death for resisting a certain Emperour, not suffering him to enter into the temple of the Christians, after a cruel murder committed, the storye of which murder is this: MarginaliaThe story of Babylas.There was a certayne Emperour, who vpon conclusion of peace made with a certayne nation, had receiued for osteage or suretye of peace, the Sonne of the king being of yong and tender age, with condicions vpon the same, that nether he should molest them, nor that they should euer be vexed of him. Vpon this the kynges sonne was deliuered not without great care and feare of the father, vnto the Emperour, whom the cruell and barbarous Emperour, contrary to leage and promise, caused in short time, without al iust cause or quarell to be slayne. This fact so cruel and horrible being committed, the tyrant with al hast would enter into the temple of the Christians: Wher Babylas being byshop or Minister withstood and stayde him that he should not intothat place approch. The Emperour therwith not a litle incensed, in great rage and furye commaunded hym forthwith to be layd in pryson with as manye yrons as hee coulde beare, and from thence shortlye after to bee brought forth to death and execution. Babylas goyng constantly and boldly to his martyrdome, desired after his death to be buried with his yrons and bands, and so he was. The story proceedeth moreouer and sayth, that in continuance of time in the raygne of Constantinus, Gallus then made the ouersear of the East partes, caused his body to be trāslated into the suburbes or a place vnder the city of Antioche called Daphnes, where was a temple of Apollo, famous with diuelishe oracles and answers, geuen by that Idole, or by the diuell rather in that place. In the which place or temple after the brynging of the body of Babylas, MarginaliaThe bodie of Babylas stoppeth the oracles of Idolesthe Idole ceased to geue any more oracles or answers, saying that for the bodye of Babylas he could geue no mo answers, but complaining that that place was wont to be consecrated vnto him, but now it was full of dead mens bodies. And thus the oracles there ceased for that time, tyll the comming of Iulianus: who inquyring out the cause why the oracles ceased, caused the bones of the holy martyr to be remoued agayne from thence, by the Christians, whom he then called Galileans. They cōming in a great multitude both men, maydes, and children, to the tombe of Babylas, transported his bones according to the commaundement of the Emperour, singing by the waye as they went the verse of the psalme, in woordes as foloweth: Confounded be al that worship images, and al that glory in Idoles. &c. which comming to the Emperours eares, set him in great rage and fire against the Christians, stirring vp persecution against them. Albeit Zonaras declareth the cause somthing otherwise, saying that so soone as the body of him and other martyrs were remoued away, incontinent the temple of the idole wyth the image in the night, was consumed with fire. For the which cause (sayth Zonaras) MarginaliaEx Zonar. tom. 3.Iulian styrred vp with anger, persecuted the christiās, as shalbe shewed (Christ willing) in his order and place hereafter.

And thus much of Babylas, which whether it was the same Babylas bishop then of Antioche, or an other of the same name, it appeareth not by Chrisostome: which neither maketh mencion of þ^e Emperours name, nor of the place wher this Babylas was bishop. Againe the stopping out of the Emperour out of the church importeth as much as that Emperour to haue bene a christian. For otherwise if he had come in as an Heathen & as a persecutour, it was not then the maner of Christian bishops violently to withstande the Emperours, or to stop them out. Ouer and beside the testimony of MarginaliaEuseb. lib. 6 cap. 39.Eusebius and Zonaras doo witnesse contrary in hys syxt booke, that this Babylas which was then bishop of Antioche after Zebinus, was not put to death by the tormentors, but dyed in prison. Wherfore it is not vnpossible, but this Babylas, & this Emperour which Chrisostome speaketh of, may be an other Babylas, thē that which suffered vnder Decius. MarginaliaNicep. lib. 5. cap. 52.
Babylas bishop of Nicomedia Martyr.Nicephorus in his. v. boke maketh mēcion of an other Babylas beside this, þ^t suffered vnder Decius, which was byshop of Nicemedia.

MarginaliaVincēt. lib. 11. cap. 52.
Xl. virgins martyrsIn the forenamed City of Antioch, Vincentius lib. 11. speaketh of. 40. virgins Martyrs, whiche suffered in this persecution of Decius.

MarginaliaPeter of Phrigia Martyr.
Andreas,
Paulus,
Nicomachus,
Dionisia virgine,
Martyrs.In the country of Phrygia, & in the towne of Lampsar, the same Vincentius also speaketh of one Peter, which there was apprehended, and suffered bitter tormentes for Christes name, vnder Optimus the proconsul. And in Troada likewise of other Martyrs that ther suffered, whose names were Andrew, Paule, Nicomachus, and Dionisia a virgin, lib. 11. cap. 46.

Also in Babylonia (sayth he) diuers Christian Confessours were found of Decius, which were led awaye