1583 Edition | Book 1 | Page 71 
ClosePhrygian physician long resident in France; reputed Christian martyr
Alexander was thrown to wild beasts. 1570, p. 70; 1576, p. 48; 1583, p. 48.
Close(86 - 161) [ODNB]
Roman emperor (138 - 61); chosen by Hadrian as his successor
Advanced into Scotland, built the Antonine Wall; advanced the frontier in Germany
Antoninus was mild and gentle, and there was no persecution of Christians during his reign. He wrote to the people of Asia, ordering that Christians not be persecuted. 1570, p. 67, 74; 1576, pp. 41-42, 50; 1583, pp. 41-42, 50.
In a letter to Henry VIII, Philip Melancthon referred to Antoninus Pius as an emperor who received the apologies and defences of the Christians kindly. 1570, p. 1340; 1576, p. 1144; 1583, p. 1172.
Close(c. 100 - 165) [Catholic Encyclopedia]
of Caesarea; Christian convert; writer. Studied philosophy, taught in Rome; martyr
Foxe gives an account of Justin's education and early life. 1570, pp. 72-73; 1576, pp. 48-49; 1583, pp. 48-49.
Justin related in his Apology how the behaviour of the Christian martyrs helped to stimulate his conversion to Christianity. 1570, p. 73; 1576, p. 49; 1583, p. 49.
After his baptism, he went to Rome and disputed with Crescens. 1570, p. 73; 1576, p. 49; 1583, p. 49.
Justin presented an apology to the emperor in defence of the martyrs and in opposition to Crescens. He predicted his own martyrdom through the procurement of Crescens. 1570, pp. 46-47, 64, 73-74; 1576, pp. 37, 44-45, 49-50; 1583, pp. 37, 44-45, 49-50.
CloseReputed martyr at Lyons during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus
Ponticus was a boy of 15, and he was tortured before his death. 1570, p. 72; 1576, p. 48; 1583, p. 48.
CloseFather of Justin Martyr.
Priscus Bacchius had his son schooled. 1570, p. 72; 1576, p. 48; 1583, p. 48.
Close[Neapoli]
West Bank, Palestinian Authority
Coordinates: 32° 42' 13" N, 35° 16' 44" E
caried before him wherein was written in the Romayne toung. This is Attalus the Christian.MarginaliaAttalus commaunded to pryson.Then the people were in a marueilous rage against him, but the gouernor vnderstanding þt he was a Romane, commaunded him againe to prison, with the rest of his prison fellowes: whereof he wrote to the Emperour, and waited for aunswere what his pleasure herein was. The prisoners were not ydle in þe meane seasō, nor vnprofitable to their brethrē, but by their patience the vnspeakable mercy of Christ shined out. For those which were dead before, were now reuiued by them that liued and they which were Martyrs, profited them which were none, & the Church did much reioyce, as receiuing them againe aliue, whō she had lost before as dead For many of them which before had denied, now by theyr denial were restored and stirred vp, and learned to be confessours.MarginaliaThe denyers returning agayne to their confession.And now being reuiued and strengthned, and tasting the sweetenes of him which desireth not the death of a sinner, but is mercifull to the penitent, came of their own accorde to the iudgement seate againe, that they might bee examined of the Iudge. And for that the Emperour had written backe againe to him, that all the confessors should be punished and the other let go, and that the Sessions or Sises were now begun, which for the multitude that had repayre thether out of euery quarter, was marueilous great: he caused all the holy martirs to be brought thether, that the multitude might beholde them, & once againe examined them, and as many of them as he thought had the Romane fredome, he beheaded, the residue he gaue to the beastes to be deuoured. And truely Christ was much glorified by those which a little before had denied him, which againe contrary to þe expectation of the Infidels, confessed him euen to the death. For they were examined a part frō the rest. because of their deliuery, which being found Confessours, were ioined to the company of the martirs, & had with them their part. But there were then abroade, which had no faith at all, neither yet so much as the feeling of the wedding garment, nor any cogitation at all, of the feare of God, but blasphemed his waies, by the lewd conuersatiō of their life, euen such as were the children of damnation. Al the residue ioined thēselues to the congregation: which whē they were examined one Alexander a phrigian, borne,MarginaliaAlexander. the Phrigian Martyred.and a Phisition, which had dwelt long in Fraunce, and knowen almost of euery man, for the loue he had to God, & boldnes of speaking (neither was he voide of the Apostolicall loue) this Alexander standing somewhat neare to the barre, by signes and beckes perswaded such as were examined to confesse Christ: so that by his countenaunce somtime reioising, and some other while sorrowing, he was descryed of the standers by. The people not taking in good part to see those which now recanted, by and againe to sticke to their first confession; they cried out against Alexander, as one that was the cause of all this matter. And when he was inforced by the Iudge and cōmaunded what Religion he was of, he aunswered: I am a Christian. He had no sooner spoken the worde, but he was iudged to the beastes, of them to be deuoured.
[Back to Top]The next day following, Attalus, of whome I made mention a litle before, and Alexander, were brought foorth together (for the gouernour graunting Attalus vnto the people, was baited againe of the beasts.) When these men were brought to the scaffold, and had taken a tast of all the instruments that there were prepared for their execution, and had suffered the greatest agonie they could put thē to, were also at the length slaine: Of whome Alexander neuer gaue so much as a sigh, nor held his peace, but frō the bottome of his hart praised and praied to the Lorde. But Attlaus when he was set in the yron chaire and began to frye, and the frying sauour of his burning body began to smell, he spake to the multitude in þe Romane language:MarginaliaThe worthy pacience and constancie of Attalus.Behold (sayth hee) this is to eate mans flesh which you doe, for we neither eate men, nor yet cōmit any other wickednes. And being demaunded what was the name of their God: our God (saith he) hath no such name as men haue. Then said they, now let vs see whether your God can helpe you, and take you out of our handes or not.
[Back to Top]After this, being the last day of the spectacle, Blandine againe, & one Pōticus, a child of xv. yeare old was brought forth,MarginaliaBlandina and Ponticus agayne brought forth.and this was euery day, to the intent they seing the punishment of their fellowes, might be compelled thereby to sweare by their Idoles. But because they constantly abode in their purpose, & defied their idols, the whole multitude was in a rage with them, neither sparing the age of the child, nor fauoring the sexe of the woman, but put them to all the punishment and paine they could deuise, & often times inforced them to sweare, & yet were not able to cōpel them therevnto. For PonticusMarginaliaPonticus martyred.so being animated of his sister, as the Heathnikes standing by did see, after he hadsuffered all torments and paynes gaue vp the ghost. This blessed Blandina therefore being the last that suffered, after she had like a worthy mother giuen exhortations vnto her children, and had sent them before as conquerours to their heauenly king, and had called to her remembrance al their batels & conflicts, so much reioiced of her childrens death, & so hastened her owne, as though she had bene bidden to a bridall, & not in case to be throwne to the wilde beastes.MarginaliaBlandino Martyred.After this her pittifull whipping, her deliuery to þe beasts, & her tormentes vpon the gridiron, at the length she was put in a net, and throwne to the wild Bull, and when she had bene sufficiently gored & wounded with the hornes of the same beast, & felt nothing of all that chaunced to her, for the great hope and consolation she had in Christ & heauenly thinges, was thus slaine, insomuch that the verye Heathen men themselues confessed that there was neuer woman put to death of them that suffered so much as this woman did. Neither yet was their furious crueltie thus asswaged against the Christians. For the cruel barbarous people, like wilde beastes when they be moued, knew not when the time was to make an ende, but inuented new & sundry torments euery day against our bodies. Neyther yet did it content thē when they had put the Christians to death, for þt they wanted the sense of men: for which cause both the magistrate & people were vexed at the very harts that the scripture might be fulfilled,MarginaliaApoc 22.which saith, he that is wicked, let him be wicked stil, and he that is iust let him be more iust. For those which in their prisons they strangled they threw after to the dogs setting keepers both day and night to watch them, that they shoulde not be buryed, and bringing forth the remnaunt of their bones & bodies, some halfe burnt, some left of the wilde beasts, & some al to be mangled, also bringing forth heads of other which were cut of, and like maner committed by them to the charge of the keepers to see them remaine vnburied.
[Back to Top]The Gentiles grinded & gnashed at the Christians with their teeth, seeking which way they might amplifie their punishment: some other flouted and mocked them, extolling their idoles, attributing vnto them the cause of thys crueltie and vengeaunce shewed to vs. Such which were of the meeker sort, and seemed to be moued with some pyty, did hit vs in the teeth, saying, where is your God, that you so much boast of: & what helpeth this your religion: for which you giue your liues? These were the sundrye passions and affects of the Gentiles, but the Christians in the meane while were in great heauines, that they might not burye the bodies and reliques of the holy Martirs. Neither could the dark night serue them to that purpose, nor any intreaty, nor waging them with money, whiche were appointed for watchmen: but they so narowly loked vnto the matter, as though they should haue gotten great benefite and profite thereby.
[Back to Top]Thus were the bodies of the martirs made a wonderyng stocke, and laye sixe dayes in the open streetes, at the length they burned them, & threwe their ashes into þe riuer of Rods, so that there might appeare no remnaunt of thē vpō the earth. And this did they as though they had beene able to haue pulled god out of his seat, & to haue let the regeneration of the Saintes, and taken from them the hope of the resurrection, whereof they being perswaded (sayd they) bring in this newe and straunge Religion, and set thus light by death and punishment. Atque hæ: hæc ex Epistola Viennensium. &c.
[Back to Top]Amongest other that suffered vnder Antoninus, memtion was made also of Iustinus,MarginaliaIustinus.who as it is said before, exhibited two Apologies, concerning the defence of christian doctrine, the one to the Senate of Rome, and the other to Antoninus Pius the Emperour, cōcerning whose suffering, and the causes therof is partly before declared: this Iustine was borne in Neapoli, in the countrey of Palestine, whose father was Priscus Bachius, as he himselfe doth testifie.MarginaliaPriscus Bachius. Iustines father.By whom in his youth he was set to schole to learne, wherin processe of time he became a famous and worthy Philosopher, of whose excellency many learned & notable men doe record, For first, he being altogither inflamed and rauished with desire of knowledge, would in no wise be satisfied in his mind, before he had gotten instructors singularly seene iu all kinde of Philosophy, wherevpon he writeth of him selfe in the beginning of his Dialogue Cum Tripone, thus declaring, that in the beginning he being desirous of that sect and societie,MarginaliaIustine desirous of Philosophy.applied himselfe to be the scholer to a certaine Stoicke, & remaining with him a time, when he nothing profited in diuine knowledge (wherof the Stoicke had no skill, and affirmed the knowledge therof not to be necessary) he forsoke him, and went to another of the sect of the Perepatetick, a sharp witted man, as he thought with whome after he had beene a while, he demaunded of him a
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