wilde beasts more gentle then the mē, would not touch them, they wer at length with the sword beheaded. Bergom. Vincent. lib. 11. cap. 4. Albeit to me it semeth not vnpossible nor vnlike, this Abdon and Sennas to bee the same, whom in other stories we finde, and before haue mencioned to be Ammon, and Zenon, pag. 90.

MarginaliaSecundianus,
Verianus,
Marcellianus
martyrs.One Secundianus was accused to Valerian a captayne of Decius, to be a christian, which profession whē he stoutly and constantly did mayntaine, was cōmaunded to prison. By the way as the soldiours wer leading him to the gaile, Verianus and Marcellianus seing the matter, cryed to the soldiers, asking them whether they drew the innocent. At the which woorde, when they also confessed themselues to be Christians, they were lykewise apprehended, and brought to a Citye named Centumcellas: wher being willed to sacrifice, they did spyt vpon the Idols, and so after sentence and iudgement geuen, first they were beat with wasters or trunshons, after that were hanged and tormēted vpon the gibbet, hauing fire set to their sides. MarginaliaEx Vincent. lib. 11. cap. 51.Vincentius addeth moreouer that the tormentors some of them fallen sodainly dead, other som being taken w^t wicked spirites, the martirs with sword at length wer beheaded. Vincent. Lib. 11.

To prosecute in length of historye, the liues and sufferings of al thē, which in this terrible persecution, wer Martyred, it were to long, and almost infinite: brieflye therfore to rehearse the names of such as we find alledged out of a certayne briefe treatyse of Bede intituled De Temporibus, cited by Henricus De Erfor. MarginaliaEx libro Bedæ, de Temporibus, citante Henrico de Erforida.
A briefe Cataloge of Diuers vvhyche suffred vnder Decius ex Beda.it shall be at this time sufficient. Vnder Decius suffered Hyppolytus and Concordia, Hiereneus and Abnudus, Victoria a Virgin, being noble personages of Antioche. Bellias Bishop of the citie of Apollonia. Leacus, Tyrsus, & Gallinetus, Nazanao, Triphon in the citie of Egypt called Tanais, Phileas Byshop, Philocomus with many other in Perside. Philocronius Byshop of Babylō, Thesiphon bishop of Pamphilia. Nestor bishop. In Corduba Parmenius priest with diuerse moe. In the prouince called Colonia Circensis, Marianus and Iacobus. In Africa Nemesianus, Felix, Rogatianus priest. Felicissimus. At Rome Iouinus, Basileus, also Ruffina, and Secunda Virgines. Tertullianus, Valerianus, Nenesius, Sempronianus, and Olympius. In Spaine Teragone, at Verona Zeno Byshop. At Cæsarea, Marinus, and Archemius. In þ^e towne ofMilane Priuatus Bishop, Theodorus surnamed Gregorius Bishop of Pontus. Hæc Beda.

MarginaliaChildrē martyrs.
Ex Vincent. lib. 11. cap. 52.Vincentius in his eleuenth boke, maketh also mentiō citing ex Hugone, of certaine children suffering Martyrdome vnder the same persecution, in a citie of Tuscia called Aretium: whose names I finde not, except thei be Pergentius & Laurētius mēcioned in Equilinus. lib. 5. ca. 80

MarginaliaSuch as reuoked and fel in this persecution.Now that I haue recorded of thē sufficientlye, which vnder thys tempest of Decius, constantly gaue their liues to Martyrdome for the testimonie of Christ: it remaineth, that a fewe wordes also be spoken of such that for feare or frailtie in this persecutiō did shrinke back, & slide from the truth of their confession. MarginaliaSerapion.In the nūber of whō first cōmeth in þ^e remembraunce of Serapion an aged olde mā. Of whō writeth Dionysius Alexandrinus, vnto Fabius, declaring: that this Serapion was an olde man, which liued amongst them a sincere & vpright life of long time, but at length fell. This Serapion ofte and many times desired to be receaued agayne, but no man lystened to hym, for he had sacrifyced before. After thys not longe after he fell into sickenes where hee remained. iij. dayes dombe & benummed of all his sences. MarginaliaEx Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 44.The fourth day folowing, beginning a litle to recouer, he called to him his sisters sonne, and sayd: how longe, how long (my sonne) do ye holde me here? Make haste I pray you, that I were absolued. Call hether some of the ministers to me, and so saying no more, held hys peace, as dombe and speachles. The boy ranne, it was thennyghte, vnto the minister, who at the same time being sicke, could not come with the messenger, but sayd: forso much (sayd he) as I haue willed heretofore, that such as laye a dying, if they couet to be receaued and reconciled, and especially if they requyred it earnestly, should be admitted, whereby with the better hope and confidence they may depart hence. Therefore he gaue to the boye a litle of the * Marginalia* Note here the sacrament to be called the Eucharist, and not the body of Christ.Eucharist, willing hym to crimble it into the cup, and so to droppe it into the mouth of the olde man. With thys the boye returned, bringing with him the holy Eucharist. MarginaliaThe holy Eucharist in time of great neede and distress committed to a boy.As he was now nere at hand, before he had entred in, Serapion the old man, speaking agayne, commest thou, sayd he, my sonne? The priest, quod the messinger, is sicke and can not come, but doe, as he willeth you, and let me goe. And the boye immixed the Eucharist, and dropt it in softlye into the mouth of the olde man. MarginaliaThe repentaunce and reconciliation of Serapion.Who after he had tasted a litle, immediatlye gaue vp the ghost. &c. Hæc Dionys. ex Eus.

MarginaliaThe goodnes of God shewed to Serapion.
Ex Henr. de ErfordIn the citie of Troade, as the Proconsull was grieuouslye tormenting one Nicomachus, he cryed out, that he was no Christian, and so was let downe agayn. And when after he had sacrificed, MarginaliaA terrible example of denying, shewed vpon Nicomachus.he was takē eftsones with a wicked spirite, and so throwen down vpon þ^e ground, where by byting of his tonge with his teeth, so departed. Henr. de Erfordia.

MarginaliaDionysi⁹ ad Fabiū.Dionysius in his epistles also writing to Fabius, and lamenting the great terrour of thys persecution declareth, how that many worthye and notable Christians, for feare and horror of the great tyrannye therof, dyd shewe themselues feable and weake men. Of whom some for dread, some of theyr owne accorde, other after great tormentes suffered, yet after reuolted frō the constancie of their profession. MarginaliaCyprian⁹ Serm. de lapsis.Also S Cyprian in hys treatyse De lapsis, reciteth with great sorowe, and testifieth, how that a great number at the fyrst threatning of the aduersarye, neyther being cōpelled nor throwen downe with any violence of the enemye, but of their voluntarye weakenes fell down themselues. MarginaliaThe weaknesse of Christians denying their faith.Neither (sayth he) tarying while the iudge shoulde put incense in theyr handes, but before any stroke stroken in the field, turned their backes, and playned the cowardes, not onelye comming to their sacrifices, but preuenting the same, and pretending to come without compulsion, bringing moreouer their infantes and children eyther put into their handes, or taking them with them of their owne accord, and exhorting moreouer other to do the like after their example.

Of thys weakenes and falling the sayd author sheweth. ij. causes, eyther loue of theyr goods and patrimonie, or feare of tormentes. And addeth moreouer examples of the punyshmentes of them which so reuoked: MarginaliaExamples of God hys punishmēt after denialaffyrming that many of them were taken & vexed with wicked spirites. And of one man among other which after hys voluntarye deniall, sodainlye was stroken dombe. Agayne, an other after his abiuratiō as he should communicate with other, in stead of bread MarginaliaThe sacrament called bread of S Cyprian
De lapsisreceaued ashes in his hand. Item of a certayne maiden, who being taken and vexed with a spirite, dyd teare her owne tonge with her teeth, and tormented with payne in her bellye and inward partes so deceased.

Among other of thys sorte, S. Cyprian. lib. 2. cap. 8. maketh also mencion of one Euaristus a Byshop in Africa, who leauing hys charge, and making a shypwracke of hys fayth, went wandering about in other countryes, forsaking hys owne flocke. In lyke maner he maketh also mencion of Nicostratus a Deacon, who forsaking hys Deaconshyp, and taking the goodes of the Church with hym, fledde awaye into other countries, &c. Albeit Bergomensis geueth þ^t thys Nicostratus the Deacon afterward dyed a Martyr. Thus then although some did relent, yet a verye greate number, sayth he, there was, whom neyther feare coulde remoue, nor payne coulde