as haue no names, suffice not to any iust crime or accusatioū, for that should geue both an euill President, neither doth it agree with the example of our tyme.

Tertullian writyng vpon this letter of Traianus aboue prefixed, thus sayth: O sentence of a confused necessitie: He would not haue them to be sought for as men innocēt, and yet causeth them to be punished as persons gilty. And thus the rage of that persecutiō ceased for a tyme, although notwithstandyng many naughty disposed men and cruell officers there were, whiche vpon false pretence to accomplish their wicked myndes, ceased not to afflict the Christians in diuers prouinces. And especially if any occasion were geuen neuer so litle for the enemies to take hold, or if any cōmotion were raysed in the Prouinces abroad, by and by the fault was layd vpon the Christians.MarginaliaThe stocke of Dauid feared & inquired for of the Romaine Emperours. As in Hierusalem, after that the Emperour Traianus had sent downe his commaundement, that whosoeuer could be found of the stocke of Dauid, he should be enquired out and put to death: vpon this Egesippus writyng sayth,MarginaliaEx Egesippo. that certaine sectaries there were of the Iewish nation, that accused SimeonMarginaliaSimeon sonne of Mary Cleophas the Byshop then of Ierusalem and sonne of Cleophas to come of the stocke of Dauid, and that he was a Christian. Of the which his accusers, it happened also (sayth the sayd Egesippus that certaine of them likewise were apprehended and taken to be of the stocke of Dauid,MarginaliaA iust punishemēt of God vpon the malitious accusers of the Christians. and so right iustly were put to execution them selues, which sought the destruction of other. As concernyng Simeon the blessed Byshop, the foresayd Egesippus thus writeth: That Simeon the Lords nephew, when he was accused to Attalus the Pronconsul, by the malicious secte of the Iewes, to be of the lyne of Dauid, and to be a Christian, was scourged, duryng the space of many dayes together,MarginaliaThe age of Simeon.
The death and Martyrdome of Simeon. beyng of the age of an hundreth and twēty yeares. In which his Martyrdome he indured so constant, that both the Consul, and all the multitude did meruaile, to see hym of that age so constantly to suffer: & so at laste beyng crucified, finished his course in the Lord, for whom he suffered, as partly before also is recorded.

In this persecution of Traianus aboue specified, (which Traianus next folowed after Nerua:) besides the other afore mētioned,MarginaliaPhocas Byshop of Pontus Martyr. also suffered Phocas Byshop of Pontus, whom Traianus, because he would not do sacrifice to Neptunus, caused to be cast into an hoate Lymekilne: and afterward to be put into a skalding bathe, where the constaunt godly Martyr, in the testimony of Christ, ended his life, or rather entred into life. Anton. Equil. Fascic. temporum.

MarginaliaSulpitius.
Seruilianus,
Euphrosina.
Theodora Martyrs.
Sabina, Martyr. In the same persecution suffered also Sulpitius & Seruilianus two Romaines. Whose wiues are sayd to be Euphrosina and Theodora, whom Sabina did conuerte to the fayth of Christ, and afterward were also Martyred.MarginaliaEx Supple
Chron.
Seraphia. Of which Sabina Iacobus Philippus author of the booke called, Supplementum, reporteth that in the Mount of Auentine in Rome, she was beheaded, of Clepidus the gouernour in the dayes of Hadrian. Vnder whom also suffered Seraphia a virgine of Antioche, as Hermannus witnesseth.

MarginaliaNercus.
Achilleus Martyrs.
Sagaris Martyr. The forenamed authors Anton. and Equilius make mētion moreouer of Nereus, and Achilleus, who in this persecution of Traiane had the crowne of Martyrdome, beyng put to death at Rome. Eusebius in his fourth booke cap. 26. maketh mention of one Sagaris, who about the same tyme suffered Martyrdome in Asia, Seruilius Paulus beyng then Proconsul in that Prouince.

Marginaliaignatius Martyr
An. 111.
Ex Euse. Lib. 3. Cap. 35. 36.
Ex Hiero. In catalogo Scrip Eccles. In this persecution beside many other, suffered the blessed Martyr of Christ Ignatius, who vnto this day is had in famous reuerēce among very many. This Ignatius was appointed to the Bishopricke of Antioche next after Peter in succession. Some do say, that he beyng sent from Syria to Rome, because he professed Christ, was geuen to the wild beasts to be deuoured. It is also sayd of him, that whē he passed through Asia beyng vnder the most straight custody of his garders, he strengthned and confirmed the Parishes through all the Cities as he went, both with his exhortations and preachyng of the word of God: and admonished them, especially and before all other thynges, to beware and shunne those heresies risen vp and sprong newly among them, and that they should cleaue and sticke fast to the tradition of the Apostles, which he for their better safegarde, beyng about to denounce, or put in writyng, thought it a thyng very necessary to trauell in. And thus when he came to Smyrna, where Policarpus was, he wrote one Epistle to the Congregation of Ephesus, wherin he made mētion of Onesimus their Pastour,MarginaliaOnesimus Pastor at Ephesus. and an other he wrote vnto the congregation of Magnesia, being at Meandre, wherin also he forgetteth not Dama their Bishop. Also an other he wrote to the cōgregation of Trallis: the gouernour of which City at that time he noteth to be one Polibius. Vnto which congregation he made an exhortation, least they refusing Martyrdome, should leese the hope that they desired.

But it shalbe very requisite that I alledge somwhat therof to the declaration of this matter. He wrote therfore as the wordes lye in this sort:MarginaliaThe wordes of Ignatius.
The straight handlyng of Ignatius. From Syria (sayth he) euen till I came to Rome, had I a battaile with beastes, as wel by sea, as land, both day & night, beyng bound in the middest of ten cruell Libardes (that is, the company or band of the souldiours) which, the more benefites that they receaued at my handes, became so much the worse vnto me. But I beyng exercised and now well aquainted with their iniuries, am taught euery day more and more: but hereby am I not yet iustified. And would to God I were once come to the beastes, which are prepared for me. Which also I wish with gapyng mouthes were ready to come vpon me, whō also I will prouoke that they without delay may deuour me and forbeare me nothyng at all, as those whom before they haue not touched or hurt for feare. And if they will not, vnlesse they be prouoked, I will then inforce them agaynst my selfe. Pardon me I pray you. How much beneficiall it is to me, I know. Now begin I to be a scholer.MarginaliaThe notable cōstancy, and burnyng zeale to Christ in this blessed martyr to be marked. I force or esteeme no visible thynges, nor yet inuisible thynges, so that I may get or obtaine Christ Iesu. Let the fire, the galowes, the deuouryng of wilde beastes, the breakyng of bones, the pullyng a sunder of my members, the broosing or pressyng of my whole body, and the tormentes of the deuil or hell it selfe come vpon me, so that I may winne Christ Iesus.

And these thynges wrote he from the foresayd Citie, vnto the congregations which we haue recited. And when he was euen now iudged to be throwne to the beastes, he spake, for the burnyng desire that he had to suffer, what tyme he heard the Lyons roaryng: I am the wheate or grayne (sayth he) of Christ,MarginaliaIgnatius deuoured of wild beastes I shall be grounde with the teeth of wilde beastes, that I may be founde pure bread. He suffered in the. xi. yeare of Traian the Emperour. Hæc Eusebius, & Hieronym.

Besides this godly Ignatius, many thousandes also were put to death in the same persecution, as appeareth by the letter of Plinius secundus aboue recited, written vnto the Emperour.

MarginaliaEx Hiero. lib. de viris illustr.
Publius Byshop of Athens Martyr. Hierome in his booke intituled De viris illustrib. maketh mention of one Publius Byshop of Athenes, who for the fayth of Christ, the same time duryng this persecution was put to death and martyred.

Next after this Traianus succeded Hadrian the Emperour, vnder whō suffered Alexander the Byshop of Rome, with his two Deacons: Euentius and Theodorus: Also Hermes, and Quirinus with their families, as lately before was declared.

MarginaliaZenon with 10000. Martyrs slayne for Christ.
Ex Henr. de Erfordia, & alys. It is signified moreouer in historyes, that in the tyme of this Hadrian, Zenon a noble man of Rome with ten thousand, two hundreth and three, were slayne for Christ. Henr. de Erfordia, and Bergomensis. Lib. 8. make mention of ten thousand, in the dayes of this Hadrian, to be crucified, in the Mount Ararath, crowned with crownes of thorne, & thrust into the sides with sharpe Dartes, after the example of the Lordes passion. Whose Captaines, (as Antoninus, & Vincentius in spec. histor. declareth)MarginaliaAchaicus.
Heliades.
Theodorus.
Carcerius with x thousand Martyrs. were Achaicus, Heliades, Theodorus, & Carcerius, &c. Whether this story be the same with the other aboue of Zenō, or not, it is doubted: As touchyng the miracles done, and the speaking of the aungell, I referre the certaintie therof to Vincentius & such other like authors, where they are to be founde.

MarginaliaEustachius with hys wife & children Martyred for Christ. There was one Eustachius, a Captaine, whom Traianus in tyme past had sent out to warre agaynst the Barbarians. After he had by Gods grace valiauntly subdued hys enemies, and now was returnyng home with victory: Hadrian for ioy meetyng him in his iourney, to bring him home with triumphe, by the way first would do sacrifice to Apollo, for the victory gotten, willyng also Eustachius to do the same with him. But when Eustachius could be no meanes thereto be inforced, beyng brought to Rome, there with hys wife and children suffered Martyrdome, vnder the foresayd Hadriā. It were a lōg processe here to recite all the miracles contained and read in this story of this Eustachius concernyng his conuersion, and death. How the crucifixe appeared to him betwene the hornes of an harte. Of the sauyng of his wife from the shipmen. Of one of his sonnes saued from the Lyon, the other saued from the Wolfe. Of their miraculous preseruation from the wild beastes, from the tormentes of fire, mentioned in Bergomensis, and Vincentius & other. All which as I finde them in no auncient recordes, so I leaue them to their authors and compilers of the Legendes.

MarginaliaFaustinus and Iobita. We read also of Faustinus and Iobita, Citizēs of the Citie of Brixia, which suffered Martyrdome with like grie-