brethrē, named Didimus (as Ado sayth) moued with fayth and motion of God, puttyng on a souldiours habite, made him selfe one of the first that came in, who roundyng her in the eare, told her the cause and purpose of his commyng, beyng a Christiā as she was: his coūsell was that she should put on the soldiours habite, and so slyp away. And he puttyng on her garmentes would there remaine to abyde their force. And so did, whereby the virgine escaped vnknowen. Didimus left vnto the rage and wondryng of the people being a man in steede of a woman, was presented to the President, vnto whom without delay he vttered all the whole matter as it was done, professyng him so as he was, to be a Christian, and therupon was condemned to suffer. Theodora vnderstndyng therof, and thinkyng to excuse him, by accusyng her selfe, offered her selfe as the partie giltie, vnto the iudge, clayming and requiryng the condemnatiō to light vpon her, the other as innocent to be discharged. But the cruell Iudge (crueller then Dionysius, which spared Damō and Pithias) neyiher consideryng the vertue of the persons, nor the innocēcy of the cause,MarginaliaTheodora,
Didimus, Martyrs. vniustly and inhumanely proceeded in execution agaynst thē both, who first hauyng their heades cut of, after were cast in the fire Ambros. Ado. Although what tyme, or in what persecution these did suffer, in the authors of this narration it doth not appeare.

MarginaliaAgathon, Martyr. Agathon a man of armes in the Citie of Alexandria, for rebukyng certaine lewde persons, scornefully deridyng the dead bodies of the Christians, was cryed out of and rayled on of the people. Afterward accused to the Iudge, was cōdemned to lose his head. Erfordiensis.

MarginaliaPaulus,
Andreas, Martyrs. The sayd Erfordiensis also maketh mention of Paulus, and Andreas, whom the Proconsul of Troada gaue to the people beyng scourged, and after drawne out of the Citie, they were troden to death with the feete of the people. Henr. de Erford.

MarginaliaIustinus,
Nicostratus,
Portius, Martyrs. Among other that suffered vnder this wicked Decius, Bergomensis also maketh mention of one Iustinus a Priest of Rome, and of an other Nicostratus a Deacon. To these Vincentius also addeth Portius a Priest of Rome, whom he reporteth to be the conuerter of Philippe the Emperour afore mentioned.

MarginaliaAbdon,
Sennas, Martyrs. Of Abdon and Sennas we read also in the foresayd Bergomensis and Vincentius, two noble men, who because they had buried the Christiās, whom Decius had brought from Babylon to Corduba, and there put them to death, where therfore accused to Decius, & brought to Rome, where they beyng commaunded to sacrifice to dead Idoles, would not obey, and for the same were geuen to the wilde beastes to be deuoured: but when the wilde beasts more gentle then the men, would not touch them, they were at length with the sword beheaded. Bergom. Vincent. Lib. 11. cap. 4. Albeit to me it seemeth not vnpossible nor vnlike, this Abdon and Sennas to be the same, whom in other stories we finde, and before haue mentioned to be Ammon, and Zenon, pag. 62.

MarginaliaSecundianus,
Verianus,
Marcellianus,
Martyrs. One Secundianus was accused to Valerian a Captaine of Decius, to be a Christian, which profession whē he stoutly did maintaine, was commaunded to prison. By the way as the souldiours were leadyng him to the gaile, Verianus and Marcellianus seyng the matter, cryed to the souldiours, askyng them whether they drew the innocent. At the which word, when they also confessed them selues to be Christiās, they were likewise apprehēded, and brought to a Citie named Centumcellas: where beyng willed to sacrifice, they did spyt vpon the Idols, and so after sentence and iudgement geuen, first they were beatē with wasters or trunshons, after that were hanged and tormented vpon the gibbet, hauyng fire set to their sides.MarginaliaEx Vincent. Lib. 11. cap. 51. Vincentius addeth moreouer that the tormētors some of them fallen sodainly dead, other some beyng taken w^t wicked spirites, the Martyrs with sword at length were beheaded. Vincent. Lib. 11. cap. 51.

To prosecute in length of history, the liues and sufferyngs of all them, which in this terrible persecution, were Martyred, it were to long, and almost infinite: briefly therfore to rehearse the names of such as we find alledged out of a certaine brief treatse of Bede intituled De Temporibus, cited by Henricus De Erford.MarginaliaEx libro Bedæ, de Temporibus, citaunte Henrico de Erforida.
A brief Cataloge of diuers vvhiche suffered vnder Decius ex Beda. it shall be at this tyme sufficient. Vnder Decius suffered Hyppolitus and Concordia, Hiereneus and Abundus, Victoria a virgine, beyng noble personages of Antioche. Bellias Byshoppe of the Citie of Apollonia. Leacus, Tyrsus, and Gallinetus, Nazanao, Tryphon in the Citie of Egypt called Tanais. Phileas Byshop, Philocomus with many other in Perside. Philocronius byshop of Babylon, Thesiphon Byshop of Pamphilia. Nestor Byshop. In Corduba Parmenius Priest with diuerse moe. In the Prouince called Colonia Circensis, Marianus & Iacobus. In Africa, Nemesianus, Felix, Rogatianus priest. Felicissimus. At Rome Iouinus, Basileus, also Ruffina, and Secunda Virgines. Tertullianus, Valerianus, Nemesius, Sempronianus, and Olympius. In Spayne Teragone, at Verona Zeno Byshop. At Cæsarea, Marinus, and Archemius. In the towne ofMilane Priuatus Byshop, Theodorus surnamed Gregorius Byshop of Pontus. Hæc Beda.

MarginaliaChildren Martyrs.
Ex Vincent. Lib. 11. cap. 52. Vincentius in his xj. booke, maketh also mention cityng Ex Hugone, of certaine childrē sufferyng Martyrdome vnder the same persecution, in a Citie of Tuscia called Aretiū: whose names I finde not, except they be Pergentius and Laurentius mentioned in Equilinus. Lib. 5. cap. 80 MarginaliaSuch as reuolted & fell in this persecution. Now that I haue recorded of them sufficiently, which vnder this tempest of Decius, constauntly gaue their liues to Martyrdome for the testimonie of Christ: it remayneth, that a fewe wordes also be spoken of such that for feare or frailtie in this persecution did shrinke backe, and slide from the truth of their confession.MarginaliaSerapion. In the number of whom first commeth in the remembraunce of Serapion an aged old mā. Of whom writeth Dionysius Alexādrinus, vnto Fabius, declaryng: that this Serapion was an old man, whiche liued amongest them a sincere and vpright lyfe of long time, but at length fell. This Serapion oft and many tymes desired to be receaued agayne, but no man lystened to him, for he had sacrificed before. After this not long after he fell into sickenes where he remained three dayes dombe and benūmed of all his senses.MarginaliaEx Euseb. Lib. 6. cap. 44. The fourth day folowyng, begynnyng a litle to recouer, he called to him his sisters sonne, and sayd: how long, how long (my sonne) do ye hold me here? Make hast I pray you, that I were absolued. Call hether some of the ministers to me, and so saying no more, held his peace, as dombe and speachles. The boy ranne, it was then night, vnto the minister, who at the same tyme beyng sicke, could not come with the messenger, but sayd: for somuch as he willed heretofore (as he sayd) that such as lay a dying, if they couet to be receaued & reconciled, & especialy if they required it earnestly, should be admitted, whereby with the better hope & confidence they may depart hence: therefore he gaue to the boy a litle of the *Marginalia* Note here the Sacrament to be called the Eucharist, & not the body of Christ. Eucharist, willing hym to crimble it into the cup, & so to drop it into the mouth of the old mā. With this the boy returned, bringyng with him the holy Eucharist.MarginaliaThe holy Eucharist in time of great neede & distres committed to a boy. As he was now neare at had, before he had entred in, Serapiō the old mā, speakyng againe, cōmest thou, (sayd he), my sonne? The Priest, quoth the messenger, is sicke & cā not come, but do, as he willeth you, and let me go. And the boy immixed the Eucharist, & dropt it in softely into the mouth of the old man.MarginaliaThe repentaunce & reconciliation of Serapion. Who after he had tasted a litle, immediatly gaue vp the Ghost. &c. Hæc Dionys. ex Eus.

MarginaliaThe goodnes of God shewed to Serapion.
Ex Henr. de Erford. In the Citie of Troade, as the Proconsul was grieuously tormentyng one Nicomachus, he cryed out, that he was no Christian, and so was let downe agayne. And when after he had sacrificed,MarginaliaA terrible example of denying, shewed vpō Nicomachus. he was taken eftsoones with a wicked spirite, and so throwen downe vpon the grounde, where by byting of his toung with his teeth, so departed. Henr. de Erfordia.

MarginaliaDionysius ad Fabium. Dionysius in his Epistles also writyng to Fabius, and lamentyng the great terrour of this persecution declareth, how that many worthy and notable Christians, for feare and horror of the great tyranny therof, dyd shew them selues feable and weake men. Of whom some for dread, some of their owne accorde, other after great tormentes suffered, yet after reuolted from the constancy of their profession.MarginaliaCyprianus Serm. de lapsis. Also S. Cyprian in his treatse De lapsis, reciteth with great sorrow, and testifieth, how that a great number at the first threatenyng of the aduersary, neither beyng compelled nor throwen down with any violence of the enemy, but of their volūtary weakenes fell downe themselues.MarginaliaThe weaknesse of Christians denying their fayth. Neither (sayth he) tarying while the Iudge should put incense in their handes, but before any stroke stroken in the field, turned their backes, and played the cowardes, not onely commyng to their sacrifices, but preuentyng the same, and pretending to come without compulsion, bringyng moreouer their infantes and children either put into their handes, or takyng them with them of their owne accorde, and exhortyng moreouer other to do the like after their example.

Of this weakenes and fallyng the sayd author sheweth two causes, either loue of their goodes and patrimonie, or feare of tormentes. And addeth moreouer examples of the punishmentes of them whiche so reuoked:MarginaliaExamples of God his punishment after deniall. affirmyng that many of them were taken and vexed with wicked spirites. And of one man among other whiche after his voluntary deniall, sodainly was stroken dombe. Agayne, an other after his abiuration as he should communicate with other, in stead of breadMarginaliaThe Sacrament called bread of S. Cyprian
De lapsis. receaued ashes in his hād. Item of a certaine mayden, who beyng takē and vexed with a spirite, did teare her owne toung with her teeth, and tormented with payne in her bellye and inward partes so deceased.

Among other of this sorte, S. Cyprian. Lib. 2. cap. 8. ma-