iudge, and so by hym committed to ward. The Christians marueilyng thereat, as they came to him into the prison, inquired of him the cause of that his sodaine conuersion. To whom he answered agayne and sayd, that Potamiena had prayed for him to the Lord, and so he saw a crowne put vpō his head: addyng moreouer that it should not be long, but he should be receaued. Which thynges thus done, the next day followyng, he was had to the place of execution, and there beheaded. Euseb. Lib. 6. cap. 5.MarginaliaEx Euseb. Lib 6. cap. 5. Albeit the sayd Eusebius geueth this story of no credite, but onely of heare say, as he there expresseth.

MarginaliaAlexander cōfessor & Byshop of Hierusalem. As diuers and many there were that suffered in the dayes of this Seuerus: so some were agayne which though the protection of God his prouidēce, beyng put to great tormentes, yet escaped with life. Of whom was one Alexander, who for his constaunt confession and tormentes suffered, was made Bishop afterward of Hierusalem, together with Narcissus,MarginaliaThe notable age of Narcisius Byshop of Hierusalem. who beyng then an olde man of an hundred and three score yeares & three, as sayth Eusebius, was vnwieldy for his age to gouerne that function alone.

Of this Narcissus is reported in the Ecclesiasticall historie, that certaine miracles by him were wrought very notable, if they be true.MarginaliaA miracle of water turned into oyle.
Ex Euseb. Lib 6. cap. 9. First of water turned by hym into oyle at the solemne vigile of Easter, what tyme the congregation wanted oyle for their lampes. An other miracle is also told of him, which is this: There were three euil disposed persons, who seyng the soundnes and graue constancie of his vertuous life, and fearyng their owne punishment, as a conscience that is giltie, is alwayes fearefull, thought to preuent his accusations, in accusyng him firste, and laying an haynous crime to his charge. And to make their accusation more probable before the people, they bound their accusation with a great othe: One wishyng to be destroyed with fire, if he sayd not true. The other to be consumed with a greuous sickenes. The third to loose both his eyes if they did lye. Narcissus, although hauyng his conscience cleare, yet not able beyng but one man to withstād their accusation bound with such othes, gaue place, and remoued him selfe frō the multitude, into a solitarie desert by him selfe, where he continued the space of many yeares. In the meane tyme, to thē whiche so willyngly and wickedly forsweare them selues, this happened:MarginaliaA terrible example of periury punished. the first, by casualty of one little small sparkle of fire was brent with his goodes and all his familie. The second, was taken with a great sicknes from the top to the toe, and deuoured with the same. The third hearyng and seyng the punishment of the other, confessed his fault, but through great repentaunce poured out such teares, that he lost both his eyes. And thus was their false periurie punished. Narcissus after long absence, returnyng home agayne, was by this meanes both cleared of the fact, and receaued into his Bishopricke agayne.MarginaliaNarcissus and Alexander ioyned together in one Byshopricke. To whom, as is sayd, for impotencie of his age Alexander was ioyned with him in execution of the function. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. 6. cap. 10. Of this Alexander is recorded in the sayd Ecclesiasticall historie, that after his agonies and constancie of his confession shewed in the persecution of Seuerus, he was admonished by a vision in the night season to make his iourney vp to Hierusalem and Palestina (for that place remained free frō this persecution) to see there the congregation, and to pray. Thus he takyng his iourney, and drawing neare to the Citie,MarginaliaAlexander ordayned Byshop of Hierusalem, by Gods miracle.
Ex Euseb Lib. 6. cap. 11. a vision with playne wordes was geuen to certaine chief heades of Hierusalē, to go out of þ^e gate of the citie, there to receaue their Byshop appointed to thē of God. And so was Alexander met and receaued, and ioyned partner with aged Narcissus, as is before expressed, in the Citie of Hierusalem: where he continued Byshop aboue. 40. yeares, vntil the persecution of Decius, and there erected a famous Librarie, where Eusebius had his chiefest helpe in writyng his Ecclesiasticall history. He wrote also diuers Epistles to diuers Churches, and licensed Origene openly to teach in hys Church.MarginaliaThe constācie and death of Alexander Byshop. At length beyng very aged, was brought from Hierusalē to Cesaria before þ^e Iudge vnder Decius, where after his constant confession the second tyme, he was committed to prison, and there dyed.

MarginaliaAndoclus. Martyr. Besides these that suffered in this persecutiō of Seuerus, recited of Eusebius, Vincentius also, Lib 11. cap. 6. Ex Martyrol. speaketh of one Andoclus, whom Polycarpus before had sent into Fraunce: which Andoclus because he spread there the doctrine of Christ, was apprehended of Seuerus, and first beaten with staues and battes, after was beheaded.

MarginaliaAsclepiades Byshop of Antioche cōfessor. To these aboue named may also be added Asclepiades, who although was not put to death in this persecution of Seuerus, yet constātly he did abide the triall of his confession, & suffered much for the same, as Alexander did, before mentioned. Wherfore afterward he was ordained Byshop of Antioche, where he continued the space of seuen yeares, of whom Alexander writeth to the Churche of Antioch, out of prison, much reioysing and geuyng thankes to God, to heare that he was their Byshop.

MarginaliaIrenæus Byshop of Lyons, and Martyr. About the same tyme duryng the raigne of Seuerus, dyed Irenæus, Henr. de Erfordia, Ado, and other Martyr writers, do hold, that he was Martyred with a great multitude of other moe, for the confession and doctrine of Christ, about the fourth or fift yeare of Seuerus. This Irenæus as he was a great writer, so was he greatly cōmended of Tertulian for his learnyng, whom he calleth omnium doctrinarum curiosissimū exploratorem: a great searcher of all kynd of learnyng. He was first schollar and hearer of Polycarpus, from thence either was sent or came to Fraunce, and there by Photinus, and therest of the Martyrs was instituted into the ministery, commended by their letter vnto Eleutherius, as is before premonished. At length after the Martyrdome of Photinus he was appointed Byshop of Lyons, where he continued about the space of. 23. yeares. In the tyme of this Ireneus, the state of the Churche was much troubled, not onely for the outward persecution of the forein enemy, but also for diuers sectes and errours then styrring, agaynst whiche he diligently labored, and wrote much, although but few of his bookes be now remayning. The nature of this man well agreeyng with his name, was such, that he euer loued peace, and sought to set agrement when any controuersie rose in the Church. And therefore, when the question of keepyng the Easter day was renued to the church, betwene Victor Byshop of Rome, & the Churches of Asia, and when Victor would haue excōmunicated them as schismatickes, for disagreeyng from him therin: Irenæus with the other brethren, of the French Churche, sory to see such a contencion among brethren for such a trifle, conuented them selues together in a common Councell, and directyng their letter with their common consent subscribed, sent vnto Victor, intreatyng him to stay his purpose, & not to proceede in excommunicatyng his brethren for that matter. Although they them selues agreed with him in obseruyng the Sonday Easter as he did: yet with great reasons and argumētes exhorted him not to deale so rigorously with his other brethren, folowyng the auncient custome of their coūtry maner in that behalfe. And beside this he wrote diuers other letters abroad concernyng the same contention, declaryng the excommunication of Victor to be of no force.

MarginaliaTertulian Ecclesiasticall writer. Not long after Irenæus followed also Tertulian about the tyme of this Seuerus, & Antoninus Caracalla his sonne, a man both in Greeke and Latine well expert, hauyng great gifts in disputyng, and in writyng eloquent, as his bookes declare, and as the commendation of all learned men do testifie no lesse. To whom Vincentius Lirinensis geueth such prayse, that he calleth him the floure of all Latine writers, and of the eloquence of his style so he writeth, that with the force of his reasons, he sayth, whom he could not perswade, them he compelled to cōsent vnto him. How many wordes, so many sentences, and how many sentences, so many victories he had. &c.

Such men of doyng and writyng God rayseth vp from tyme to tyme, as pyllers and stayes for his poore Churche, as he did this Tertulian in these daūgerous dayes of persecution. For whē the Christiās were vexed with wronges, and falsely accused of the Gentiles,MarginaliaThe Apologie of Tertulian defēdyng the Christians. Tertulian takyng their cause in hand, defendeth them agaynst the persecutors, and against their slaūderous accusatiōs: First, that they neuer mynded any styrre or rebellion, either agaynst the Empire or Emperours of Rome: for somuch as þ^e vse of Christiās was to pray for the state of their Emperours and gouernours. And where as they were accused falsely to be enemyes to all mankynd: how could that be (sayth Tertulian to Scapula)MarginaliaTertullianus ad Scapulam. seyng the proper office of the Christiās is by their professiō to pray for all mē, to loue their enemyes, neuer requityng euill for euill: when as all other do loue but onely their friendes, and scarcely them? As touchyng the horrible slaunder of murderyng infantes, how can that be true in the Christians (sayth he) whose order is to abstaine from all bloud, and strangled, in somuch that it is not lawfull for thē to touche the bloud of any beast at their tables when they feede? From filthy copulation no sorte more free then they: whiche are and euer haue bene the greatest obseruers of chastitie, of whom such as may, liue in perpetuall virginitie all their lyfe, such as cannot, contract matrimony, for auoydyng all whordome and fornication. Neither can it be proued of the Christiās to worship the sunne which false surmise.MarginaliaThe occasiō hereof belyke came of the Iewes worshypping the iawe of an Asse in the story of Sampson. Tertulian declareth to rise hereof, for that the maner of the Christians was to pray toward the East. Much lesse was there any of them so mad to worshyp an Asses head, whereof the occasion beyng taken onely of the Iewes, the slaunder therof, therfore he proueth to be falsely and wrong-