selfe, the Questor, and chiefe Captaine confessed that they were all Christians. The Citie vpon this was besieged & set on fire, and all the people, Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 11.MarginaliaMartyrs in a certayne Citie of Phrigia brent with the whole Cittie. Euseb. lib. 8. ca. 11. 6. In Melitina a region of Armenia, the bishops and Elders were cast in prison. Eusebius eodem cap. 6.MarginaliaMartyrs of Melitina in Armenia. In Arabrace a region neare adioyning to Armenia Eustratius was Martyred, as Nicephorus declareth, Lib 7 cap. 14.MarginaliaEustratius of a persecutor made a Martyr. Ex Nicephoro lib. 7. cap. 14. This Eustratius was þ^t countrey man borne, and very skilfull in the Greeke tong, executyng by the Emperours commaundement, the shiriffes office at Licia in the East, which also did execution there vpon the Christians, and was a Scribe of great estimatiō called Ordinis Ducalis. This man beholding the meruailous constancie of the Martyrs, thirsted with the desire of Martyrdome, for that he had priuily learned the Christian religion. Therfore he not abiding for other accusers, detected himself, and worthely professed that he was a christian, openly execrating the madnesse and vanitie of the wicked Ethnikes. He therefore being caried away, was tyed vp, beyng first most bitterly beaten. After that he was parched with fire, beyng put vnto his bowels, and thē basted with salt and vinagre; and lastly, so scotched and bemangled with the shardes of sharpe and cutting shels, that his whole body semed to be all one continual wound; howbeit, by gods great goodnes afterward, it was restored to the first integritie. After this he was caried away to Sebastia, where, w^t his companion Orest he was burned. At that tyme also suffred Eugenius, Auxentius, Mardarius, Nicepho. Lib. 7. cap. 14.MarginaliaNiceph. lib. 7 c. 14. Orestes Martyr. Eugenius, Auxentius, Mardarius, Peleus, Nilus, Byshops and Martyrs in Egipt. And in no lesse wise raged this persecution throughout al Egypt: where Eusebius in his 8. booke, and 13. chapter maketh mention of Peleus and Nilus Martyrs and byshops in Egypt. But at Alexandria especially were declared most notable conflictes of Christian and true constant Martyrs that suffred: which Phileas the Bishop of Thumitane describeth as after (God willing) shalbe declared. In this persecution of Alexandria, the principall that then suffred was Peter the bishop of Alexandria, with the Elders of þ^e same most worthy Martyrs, as Faustus, Didius, and Ammonius, also Phileas, Hesichius, Pachiminus, and Theodorus;MarginaliaPetrus Byshop of Alexandria. Faustus, Didius, Ammonius, Phileas, Hesichius, Pachiminus, Theodorus, Byshops and martirs. which all were bishops of the congregations within Egypt, and besides them, many other both famous and singular mē. The whole legion of Christian souldiours which lay at Thebes in Egypt, vnder the christian captaine Mauritius, when they would not obey the Emperours commaundement touching the worshippyng of Images, were tythed to death once, and then againe.MarginaliaThe Christian souldiours, and Martyrs of Thebes. And at last through the exhortation of Mauritius, dyed altogether like constant Martyrs. Vincentius in speculo, Lib 13. cap. 2. Likewise at Antino diuers Christian souldiours, notwithstanding they were seriously dissuaded, suffred death together, amongst whome were Ascla, Philemon, and Apollonius, ibidem, cap. 50.MarginaliaThe Christian souldiours and Byshops in Antino. Ascla, Philemon, Apollonius, Martyrs. and also in þ^e other partes of Aphrica and Mauritania, was great persecution, as Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 6. Also in Sammium, of whiche place Chronicon maketh mention, and Scilia, where were 79. Martyrs slayne, for the profession of Christ, as writeth Henricus de Erfordia. Marginalia79. Martirs.

MarginaliaThe persecution in Europe. Now let vs come vnto Europe, Nicephorus in his vij. booke and xiiij. chap. sayth, that at Nicopolis in Thracia the Martyrs were in most miserable and pitifull wise handled, where Lysia had the execution thereof. MarginaliaEuphemia, In Chalcedon suffred Euphemia, vnder Priscus the Proconsul. Vincentius, Lib. 12. cap. 77.

Henricus de Erfordia sayth that at Rome, Iohannes and Crispus, beyng priests, had the execution of Martyrs. And at Boemia Agricola, and Vitalis, Vincentius. Lib. 12. cap. 49. And at Aquileia the Emperour commaunded euery man to kill the Christians. Vincentius, Lib. eodem cap. 58. and amongest those Martyrs he maketh mention of Felices, and Fortunatus. Reginus also writeth that in other places of Italy the persecution became great, as at Florentia, Pergamus, Neaples Campania, Beneuentus, at Venusa in Apulia, and in Thussia, and Henricus de Erfordia, saith, also at Verona. MarginaliaPersecution in Fraunce. In France doubtlesse Rectionarus appoynted to that office, played the cruell helhound, of whose great cruelty agaynst þ^e Christiās many histories are full. MarginaliaVictor martyr. At Mediolanus suffered Victor. And at Massilia, Maximianus set forth his decree, that either they should all do sacrifice to the Gods of the Gentils, or els be all slayne with diuers kindes of torments. Therfore many Martyrs there dyed for the glory of Christ. Antonius & Vincent. lib. 12. cap. 2. MarginaliaLucianus Martyr. In Beluacus suffred Lucian.

MarginaliaThe persecucion in Spayne. Eulalia, Adula, Vincentius, Sabina, Christina, Lencadia. Martyrs. Vincentius and Reginus write of many places in Spain, where was great persecution, as at Emerita, where suffred Eulalia, of whom more foloweth hereafter, & Adula, where also suffred Vincentius, Sabina and Christina. At Toletum suffred Lencadia the virgin, at Cesarea Augusta, where were put to death, 18. beside a great number of other Martirs, which suffred vnder Decianus the gouernour, which afflicted with persecution all the coast of Spayne, as sayth Vincentius, lib.13. cap. 123. 124. 128. 130. 134. Marginalia18. Martyrs in Spayne. The foresayd Rictionarus made such persecution at Treuers neare the riuer of Mosella, that the bloud of christian men that were slayne, ran like small brookes, and couloured great and mayne riuers.MarginaliaRictionarus a notable tyraunt. The bloud of the Christians made riuers. Neyther yet did this suffise him, but from thence sent certaine horsemen with his letters, commaunding them to ride into euery place, and charge all such as had taken and apprehēded any Christians, that they should immediatly put them to death. Vincent. Lib. 13. cap. 136.

MarginaliaAgrippina, Augusta, Martyrs. Also Henricus de Erfordia, and Reginus make mention of great persecution to bee at Colonia where Agrippina and Augusta were martyred, as also in the Prouince of Rhetia.

MarginaliaThe persecution in Brittany or England. Beda de ratione temporum. Beda also sayth, that this persecution reached euen vnto the Britains in his booke De ratione temporum. And the Chronicle of Martinus, and the Nosegay of tyme do declare that all the Christians in Britanny were vtterly destroyed. Furthermore, that the kindes of death & punishment were so great and horrible, as no mans tong is able to expresse. MarginaliaDioclesianus did but dally in the beginning of the persecution. In the beginning, when the Emperour by his subtletie and wilines, rather dallied then shewed his rigor, he threatned them with bands and imprisonment: but within a while when he began to worke the matter in good earnest, he deuised innumerable sortes of torments & punishments,MarginaliaSundry sortes of tormentes deuised agaynst the Christians. as whippings and scourgings, rackings, horrible scrapings, sword, fire, and ship boates, wherein a great nūber beyng put, were sunke & drowned in the bottom of the sea. Euseb. Lib 8. cap 6. & 7.MarginaliaEuseb. lib. 8. cap. 6. 7. 8. Also hanging them vpon crosses, binding them to the bodies of dead trees with their heads douneward, hanging them by the middles vpon gallowses, til they dyed for hunger, throwyng them aliue to such kind of wilde beastes as would deuour them, as Lyons, Beares, Libardes, and wild Buls. Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 8. Pricking and thrusting them in with bodkins and talants of beastes till they were almost dead, liftyng them vp a high with their heads douneward, euen as in Thebiade, they did vnto the women beyng naked and vnclothed,MarginaliaThe woemen of Thebaide, Martyrs. one of theyr feete tyed and lifted a high, & so hanging doune with theyr bodies, which thing to see was very pitifull, with other deuised sortes of punishments most tragicall, or rather tirannicall, and pitiful to describe: as first, the bindyng of thē to trees, and to the boughes therof. The pulling & tearing asunder of their members and iointes, beyng tyed to the boughes and armes of trees. Euseb. Lib 8. cap. 9.MarginaliaEuseb. lib. 8. cap. 8. The mangling of them with axes, the choking them with smoke by small and soft fires, the dismembring of their hands, eares, and feete, with other ioyntes, as the holy Martyrs of Alexandria, suffred, the scorching and broyling of them w^t coales, not vnto death, but euery day renued. MarginaliaThe persecution in Antioche. With such kynde of torments the Martyrs at Antioche were afflicted. MarginaliaPersecution in Pontus. But in Pontus other horrible punishmentes and fearefull to bee heard, did the Martyrs of Christ suffer; of which, some had their fingers endes vnder the nayles thrust in with sharpe bodkins, some all to be sprinckled with boyling lead, hauing their most necessary members cut from them, some other suffryng most filthy, intollerable, and indurable tormentes and payne in theyr bowels and priuy members. Eusebius eodem, cap. 12.

MarginaliaPersecution in Alexandria. To conclude, how great the outrage of the persecution which raigned in Alexandria, was, and with how many & sundry kindes of new deuised punishments the Martyrs were afflicted: Phileas, the byshop of the Thumitanes, a man singularly well learned, hath described in his epistle to the Thumitanes,MarginaliaThe contentes of the Epistle of Phileas sent to hys congregation. the copy wherof Eusebius hath in his 8. booke & x. chapter, out of the which we meane here briefly to recite somewhat.MarginaliaEuseb. lib. 8. cap 10. Because (sayth he) euery man might torment the holy Martyrs as they listed themselues, some beat them with cudgels, some with rods, some with whippes, some with thongs, and some with cordes; and this example of beating was in sundry wise executed, and with much crueltie. For some of them hauyng their handes bound behynde their backes, were lifted vp vpon tymber logs, and with certaine instruments their members & ioints were stretched forth, whereon their whole bodies hanging, were subiect to the will of the tormentors, who were commaunded to afflict them with all maner of torments, and not on their sides onely (like as homicides were) but vpon their bellies, thighes, and legges, they scratched them with the talents and clawes of wylde beasts. Some other were seene to hang by one hand vpon the engine, wherby they might feele the more grieuous pullyng out of the rest of their ioyntes and members. Some other were suche sort bound vnto pillers with their faces turned to the wall, hauing no stay vnder their feete, and were violently wayed downe with the payse of their bodies; that by reason of their straight binding, they beyng drawn out, might be more greuously tormēted. And this suffered they not onely during the tyme of their examination, and while the Shiriffe had to do with them, but also the whole day long. And whilcst the Iudge went thus from one to another, he by his authoritie appointed certaine officers to attende vpon