same to the time of Antoninus Verus, and his sonne Lucius Antoninus Commodus, and not of Marcus Aurelius Commodus his brother. But how soeuer the truth of yeares and time do stand, certaine it is, that after the death of Antoninus Verus, and of Aurelius Commodus,MarginaliaAn. 175. succeded Lucius Antoninus Commodus the sonne of Verus, who raigned. 13. yeares.

In the tyme of this Commodus, although he was an incommodious Prince to the Senatours of Rome, yet notwithstādyng there was some quietnes vniuersally, through the whole Church of Christ from persecution, by what occasion it is not certaine.MarginaliaQuietnes geuen to the Church. Some thinke (of whom is Xiphilinus) that it came through Marcia the Emperours concubine, whiche fauoured the Christians: but how soeuer it came, sayth Eusebius, the fury of the ragyng enemyes was then somewhat mitigated, and peace was geuē, by the grace of Christ, vnto the Church, throughe the whole world. At what tyme the wholesome doctrine of the Gospell allured and reduced the hartes of all sortes of people, vnto the true Religion of God, in so much that many both riche and noble personages of Rome, with their whole families and housholdes to their saluatiō, adioyned them to the Church of Christ.

MarginaliaApollonius Martyr. Among whom there was one Apollonius, a noble man, and a Senatour of Rome, mentioned in Eusebius Lib. 5. cap. 21.MarginaliaApollonius accused by his owne seruaunt who beyng maliciously accused vnto the Senate by one, whom Ierome writeth to be the seruaunt of the sayd Apollonius, and nameth him Seuerus: but whose seruaunt so euer he was, the wretched mā came soone inough before the iudge, beyng condignely rewarded, for that his malicious diligence. For by a law which the Emperour made, that no man vpon payne of death should falsly accuse the Christians, he was put to execution, & had his legges broken forthwith, by the sentence of Perennius the Iudge, which beyng an heathen man, he pronounced agaynst him.MarginaliaApollonius exhibiteth an Apologie of his fayth to the Senate. But the beloued Martyr of God, when the Iudge with much a do had obtayned of him to render an accompt before the honorable Senate of his fayth, vnder whose defence and warrant of lyfe he did the same, deliuered vnto them an eloquent Apologie of the Christian belief. But the former warrant notwithstandyng, he by the decree of the Senate, was beheaded, and so ended his life:MarginaliaAn old wicked law of the Romaines for that there was an auncient law among them decreed, that none that professed Christ, and therfore araigned, should be released wythout recantacion, or alteryng his opinion.

This Commodus is sayd in stories to be so sure & steddye handed in castyng the dart, that in the opē Theatre before the people, he would encounter with the wilde beastes, and be sure to hit them in the place where he appointed.MarginaliaThe ridiculous pride of the Emperour. Among diuers other his vicious and wilde partes he was so farre surpressed in pride and arrogācy, that he would be called Hercules, and many tymes would shewe him selfe to the people in the skynne of a Lyon, to be counted thereby the kyng of men, like as the Lyon is of the beastes.

Vpon a certaine tyme beyng his byrth day, this Commodus, callyng the people of Rome together, in a great royaltie, hauyng his Lions skinne vpon him, made sacrifice to Hercules and Iupiter, causyng it to be cried thorough the Citie that Hercules was the patrone and defender of the Citie.MarginaliaVincentius.
Eusebius.
Peregrinus.
Potentianus.
Martyrs. there were the same tyme at Rome, Vincentius, Eusebius, Peregrinus, Potētianus, learned men, and instructors of the people, who folowing the steps of the Apostles, went about from place to place where the Gospel was not yet preached, conuertyng the Gentiles to the fayth of Christ. These hearyng the madnes of the Emperour & of the people, began to reproue their idolatrous blindnes, teachyng in villages and townes all that heard them, to beleue vpon the true and onely God, and to come away from suche worshypping of diuels, and to geue honour to God alone, which onely is to be worshypped, willyng them to repent, and to be Baptised, least they perished with Commodus.MarginaliaIulius a Senator conuerted to Christ.
Ex Vincen. Lib. 10 cap.
119. Henr. de Erford. With this their preachyng they conuerted one Iulius a Senator and other to the Religion of Christ. The Emperour hearyng therof, caused them to be apprehended of Vitellus his Captayne, and to be compelled to sacrifice vnto Hercules, whiche when they stoutly refused, after diuers greuous tormētes, and great miracles by them done, at last they were pressed with leaden waightes to death. Vincentius Lib. 10. cap. 119. & Chron. Henr. de Erfordia.

MarginaliaPeregrinus sent to Fraunce & Martyred at Rome.
Ex Platina in vita Sixti. This Peregrinus aboue mentioned had bene sent before by Xistus Byshop of Rome, into the parties of Fraunce, to supply there the rowme of a Byshop and teacher, by reason that for the continuall and horrible persecutiōs there aboue touched, those places were left desolate and destitute of Ministers and instructors, where after he had occupyed hym selfe with much fruite amōg the flocke of Christ, & had stablished the congregation there, returnyng home agayne to Rome, there finished at last (as it is sayd) his martyrdom.

Now remaineth likewise to speake of Iulius, which Iulius beyng, as is afore described, a Senator of Rome & now won by the preachyng of these blessed men, to the fayth of Christ, did eftsoones inuite them and brought them home to his house, where beyng by them more fully instructed in Christiā Religiō: he beleued in the Gospel.MarginaliaIulius with his familie baptised & after Martyred. And sendyng for one Ruffinus a Priest, was with all his familie by him baptized, who (not as the common sorte was wont to do) kept close and secrete his fayth: but incensed with a marueilous and sincere zeale openly professed the same: altogether wishyng and praying to be geuen to him by God, not onely to beleue in Christ, but also to hasard his life for him. Whiche thyng the Emperour hearyng, how that Iulius had forsakē his old Religion, and became a Christian, forthwith sent for him to come before him, vnto whom he spake on this wise: O Iuly, what madnes hath possessed thee, that thus thou doest fall from the old and common Religion of thy forefathers, who acknowledged and worshypped Iupiter and Hercules their Gods, and now doest embrace a new & fond kinde of Religion of the Christians? At whiche tyme Iulius hauiuge good occasiō to shew and open his fayth, gaue straight way accompt therof to him, and affirmed that Hercules and Iupiter were false Gods: and how the worshippers of them should perish with eternall damnation and punishmentes. Which the Emperour hearyng, how that he condemned and despised his Gods, beyng then inflamed with great wrath, as he was by nature very choloricke, committed him forthwith to Vitellus, the maister of his souldiours, a very cruell and fierce mā, to see Iulius either to sacrifice to mighty Hercules, or refusing the same to slay him. Vitellus (as he was commaunded) exhorted Iulius to obey the Emperours commaundement, and to worshyp his Gods. Alledgyng how that the whole Empire of Rome was not onely constituted, but also preserued and maintayned by them. Whiche Iulius denyed vtterly to do, admonishyng sharply in lyke manner Vitellus, to acknowledge the true God, and obey his commaundementes, least he with his maister should dye some greuous death. Wherat Vitellus beyng moued, caused Iulius with cougels to be beaten vnto death.

MarginaliaXistus Byshop of Rome. These thynges thus beyng briefly recited touchyng such holy Martyrs, as hetherto haue suffered, now remaineth that we returne agayne to the order of the Romaine Byshops, such as followed next after Alexander at whom we left, whose succeeder next was Xistus or Sixtus, the first Bishop counted after Peter, and gouerned that ministery the space of. x. yeares, as Damasus and other do write. Vrspergensis maketh mention but of. ix. yeares. Platina recordeth that he dyed a Martyr, and was buried at Vaticane. But Eusebius speakyng of his decease, maketh no word mentiō of any Martyrdome. In the 2. Tome of the Councels, certaine Epistles be attributed to him, whereof Eusebius, Damasus, Hierome, and other olde authors, as they make no relation, so seeme they to haue no intelligēce nor knowledge of any such matter. In these coūterfet Epistles, and in Platina appeareth, that Xistus was the first author of these ordinaunces: MarginaliaThe triflyng ordinaunces of Xistus. First that the holy misteries and holy vessels should not be touched, but onely of persons holy and consecrated, especially of no woman. Itē, that the corporas clothe should be made of no other clothe, but of fine lynnen. Item, that byshops such as were called vp to the Apostolicke sea, returnyng home agayne, should not be receaued at their returne, vnlesse they brought with them letters from the byshop of Rome, salutyng the people. Item, at the celebration he ordained to be song this verse: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Where moreouer is to be noted, that the sayd Platina in the liye of this Xistus, doth testifie,MarginaliaS. Peter celebrated the Lordes supper onely with the lords prayer, Platina in vita Sixti. that Peter ministred the celebration of the Cōmunion onely with the Lordes Prayer.MarginaliaThe ordinaunce of Xistus suspected. These triflyng ordinaunces of Xistus, who is so rude þ^t seeth not, or may not easely coniecture to be falsely fathered of Xistus, or of any father of that tyme, first by the vniforme rudenesse and stile of all those decretal letters, nothyng saueryng of that age, but rather of the latter Dunsticall times that followed. Also by the matter and argument in those letters contayned, nothing agreeyng with the state of those troublesome dayes. Neither agayne is it to be supposed, that any such recourse of byshops was then to the Apostolicall sea of Rome, that it was not lawfull to returne without theyr letters: when as the persecution agaynst the Christians was then so hoate, in the dayes of Hadrian, that the Byshops of Rome them selues were more glad to flee out of the Citie, then other Byshops were to come to them vnto Rome. And if Xistus added the Sanctus vnto the Masse Canō, what peece then of the Canon went before it, when they whiche put to the other patches, came after Xistus? And if they came after Xistus that