which he doth geue? God forbyd that I should relinquishe the commaundementes of God, and folow the counsailes of men. For it is writtē: Blessed is the mā that hath not gone in the wayes of sinners, and hath not stand in the counsailes of the vngodly, and hath not sit in the chayre of pestilence. Psal. 1. God forbyd that I should deny Christ, where I ought to confesse hym. I will not set more by my lyfe, then by my soule: neither will I exchaunge the lyfe to come, for this worlde here present. O how foolishly speaketh he, which here argueth me of foolishnes?

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Neither do I take it to be a thyng so vncomely or vnseemyng for me not to obey in this matter, the requestes of those so honorable, iust prudent, vertuous, and noble Senatours, whose desires (he sayth) were inough to commaūde me. For so are we taught of the Apostles:  

That we ought to obey God before men. After that we haue serued & done our duety first vnto God, then are we bound next to obey the Potestates of this world: whom I wishe to be perfect before the Lord. They are honorable, but yet are they to be made more perfect in þ^e Lord. They are iust, but yet Christ the seate of Iustice is lackyng in them. They are wise, but where is in them the begynnyng of wisedome, that is, the feare of the Lord? They are called vertuous, but yet I wish them more absolute in Christian charite. They are good and gratious: but yet I mysse in them the foundation of goodnes, which is the Lord God, in whom dwelleth all goodnes and grace. They are honorable, yet haue they not receaued the Lord of glory, which is our Sauiour most honorable and glorious.   Vnderstand you kyngs, and learne you that iudge the earth. Serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce in him with tremblyng. Hearken to doctrine, and get knowledge, lest you fall into Gods displeasure, and so perish out of the way of righteousnes. What freat you, what fume, you O gentles? O you people, what cast you in your braynes the cogitations of vanitie? you kyngs of the earth,and you princes, why cōspire you so together against Christ, and against his holy one? Psal. 2. How long wil you seeke after lyes, and hate the truth? Turne you to the Lord and harden not your hartes. For this you must needes confesse, that they which persecute the Lordes seruaunts, do persecute the Lord him selfe. For so he sayth himselfe: Whatsoeuer men shall do to you, I will coūt it to be done, not as vnto you, but to me self.

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And now let this carnall polliticke Counseller and disputer of this world, tell, wherein haue they to blame me, if in myne examinations I haue not aunswered so after their mynde and affection as they required of me? seyng it is not ourselues that speake, but the Lord that speaketh in vs, as he himselfe doth forewitnes, saying: Whē ye shal be brought before rulers and Magistrates, it is not you your selues that speake, but the spirite of my father, that shalbe in you. Mat. 10. Wherfore if the Lord be true and faythfull of his word, as it is most certeine, then is there no blame in me: for he gaue the wordes that I did speake, and who was I, that could resist his will? If any shall reprehend the thyngs that I sayd, let hym then quarell with the Lord, whom it pleased to worke so in me. And if the Lord be not to be blamed, neither am I herein to be accused, which did that I purposed not, and that I forethought not of. The thyngs which there I dyd vtter and expresse, if they were otherwise then well, let them shew it, and then will I say, that they were my wordes, & not the Lordes? But if they were good, and approued, and such as can not iustly be accused, then must it needes be graunted, spyte of their teeth, that they proceeded of the Lord: and then who be they, that shall accuse me? A people of prudence. Or who shall condemne me? Iust Iudges. And though they so do, yet neuertheles, the word shall not be frustrate, neither shall the Gospell be foolish, or therfore decay: but rather the kyngdome of God shall the more prospere and florish vnto the Israelites, and shall passe the sooner vnto the elect of Christ Iesu: And they which shall so do, shall proue the greuous iudgemēt of God, neither shall they escape without punishment, that be persecuters & murderers of the iust. My welbeloued, lift vp your eyes, & consider the coūsailes of God. He shewed vnto vs a late, an Image of his plague, which was to our correction. And if we shall not receaue him, he will draw out his sword, and strike with sword, pestilence, and famine, the nation that shall rise agaynst Christ. These haue I written to your cōfort, deare brethrē. Pray for me. I kisse in my hart, with an holy kisse, my good masters, Siluius, Pergula, Iustus, also Fidell Rocke, & him that beareth the name of Lelia, whō I know although being absent. Item, the gouernour of the Vniuersitie, Syndicus, & all other, whose names be written in the booke of life. Fare well all my felow seruaunts of God: fare ye well in the Lord, & pray for me continually. From the delectable horchyard of Leonine prison. 12. cal. Aug. an. 1555.

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¶ It is writtē of one Theobrotus, that when he had read the booke of Plato De immortalitate ammæ, he was so moued & persuaded therewith, that he cast himselfe down headlong from an hygh wall, to be ryd out of this present lyfe. If those heathen Philosophers, hauyng no word of God, nor promise of any resurrection and life to come, could so soone be persuaded by readyng the wordes of Plato, to cōtemne this world and lyfe here present: how much more is it to be required in Christians, instructed with so many euidences & promises of Gods most perfect word, that they should learne to cast of the carnall desires and affections of this miserable peregrination, and that for a double respect, not onely in seyng, readyng, and vnderstandyng so many examples of the miseries of this wretched world: but also much more in consideryng, and pondryng the heauenly ioyes and consolations of the other world, remainyng for vs hereafter to come. For a more full euidence wherof, I thought good to geue out this present letter of Algerius aboue prefixed, for the taste of the same, & a liuely testimony for all true Christians to read and consider. Now let vs proceede further (the Lord willyng) in our Table of Italian Martyrs.

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Persecutors.	Martyrs.	The causes.
Ioannes A- loisius. At Rome. An. 1559.	Of Ioannes Aloi- sius we finde mentiō made in a letter of Sy mon Florillus: which Aloisius was sent downe from Geneua, to the parties of Ca- labria, there to bee their minister, who af terward was sent for vp to Rome, & there suffered. Ex Epist. D. Simonis Florilli.

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Iacobus Bouellus. At Messina. An. 1559.

Iacobus Bouellus was likewise sent frō Geneua to the sayd parties of Calabria, with Aloisius, who also beyng sent for vp to Rome, was sent downe to the Citie of Messina, and there was martyred. Ibidē.

Pope Pius the fourth.

Diuers that suffered in the kyng- dome of Naples.

After Pope Iulius the thyrd, came Mar cellus the second. Af- ter him succeded pope Paule the iiij. This Paule beyng dead fo-

Persecutors.	Martyrs.	The Causes.
	At Nea- ples. an. 1560.	folowed pope Pius the fourth. Who beyng ad uaunced to þt rowme, began hoate persecu- tion in all the territo- ries of the Church of Rome, agaynst them which were suspec- ted for Lutheranes. Whereupon ensued great trouble and per secution in the kyng- dome of Neaples, in such cruell sort, that many noble mē with their wiues, & others are reported there to be slayne. Vid. Pantal. lib. xi.

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Pope Pius the fourth.

Lxxxviij. Martyrs in one day, with one butcherly knife, slayne like sheepe.

In Calabria like- wise the same tyme, suffered a blessed nū- ber of Christes wel- beloued Saints, both old and young, put to- gether in one house, to the number of 88. persōs, all which, one after an other, were