cause therof more proper then other, it is most like to be imputed to their vaine Idolatry, and to the contempt of the true God. Also that such euils be increased by the wickednes of the people, so that to speake in his owne words famem maiorem faciat rapacitas quam siccitas, i. famine cometh more by auarice of men, then by drought of the aire, but especially the cause therof to procede of the cruell shedding of the innocent bloud of the Christians &c.

Thus with many other mo probations doth Cyprian defend the Christians, against the barbarous exclamatiōs of the heathē Gentiles. Of which Cyprian forsomuch as he suffered in the time of his persecution, I mynde (Christ wylling) to recapitulate here in ample discourse, the ful summe, first of his life and bringing vp, then of his death, & Martyrdome, as the worthines of that man deserueth to be remembred. Of this Cyprian therfore, otherwise named Statius, thus writeth Nicephorus, Nazianzenns, Iacobus de Voragine, Henricus de Erfordia, Volateranus. Hieronymus, and other,MarginaliaThe countrey and education of Cyprian. that he being an Aphrican, and borne in Carthage, first was an Idolater and Gentill, altogether giuen to the study and practise of the Magicall Artes, of whose parentage and education in letters from his youth, no mention is made but þ^t he was a worthy Rethorician in Aphrica. Of whose conuersion and baptisme he himselfe in his first booke & second Epistle, writeth a florishing and eloquent Hystory.MarginaliaThe conuersion of Cyprian. Which his conuersion vnto the christian fayth as Hieronimus affirmeth in his commentary vpon Ionas, was through the grace of God and the meanes of Cecilius a Priest, whose name after he bare, and through the occasion of hearing the history of the Prophet Ionas. The same Hierome moreouer testifieth how he immediatly vpon his conuersion distributed among the poore al his substaunce and after that being ordained a Priest, was not long after constituted bishop of the congregation of Carthage.MarginaliaCyprian made first Priest, then Byshop of Carthage. But whether he succeded Agrippinus of whom he often maketh mention, which also was the first author of rebaptization, or some other bishop of Carthage, it remaineth vncertain. But this is most true, he himselfe shined in his office and dignitie with such good giftes, and vertues, that as Nazianzenus writeth, he had the gouernment of the whole east Church, and church of Spain, and was called the Bishop of the Christian men.

MarginaliaThe vertues of Cyprians lyfe described. And to the further setting foorth (to the praise of God) of his godly vertues wherwith he was indued appearing as well in his owne workes, to them that list to peruse the same, as also described by other worthy writers, he was curteous and gentle, louing and ful of patience, and therwithall sharpe & seuere in his office, according as the cause required, as appeareth in his first booke and third epistle. MarginaliaThe care of Cyprian toward the afflicted brethren. Furthermore he was most louing and kinde towarde his brethren, and tooke much payne in helping and relieuyng the Martyrs, as appeareth by his letters to the Elders, and Deacons of his Bishopricke, that with all study and indeuour they should gently entertaine and shewe pleasure vnto the Martirs in his absence, as partly is touched before.

The third Epistle of his first booke doth declare of what stomacke and godly courage he was, in executyng his office, and handling his matters. Neither was he void of prudence & circumspection, but was adorned with marueilous modestie,MarginaliaThe modesty of Cyprian in conferring with hys fellow brethren. wherby he attempted nothing vpon his owne head and iudgement, but with the consent of his fellow byshops and other inferiour Ministers, & that chiefly (amōg others) doth the 10. Epistle of his third booke witnes. He was of a marueilous liberal disposition towards the poore brethren of other countries: for so often as he had cause of absence he committed the care of those poore men to his fellow officers, and wrote vnto them, that of their own proper goods, they would helpe their banished brethren, to that which was necessary for them, as witnesseth the 24. Epistle of his thirde booke. MarginaliaVisions cōcerning the troubles and peace of the church, recited and expounded by Cyprian before pag. 67. He reciteth among other gifts wherewith he was indued, as touching the visions and heauenly admonitions of the persecutions that should follow, and of other matters touching the gouernment of þ^e Church in his first booke & third Epistle, and fourth booke and fourth Epistle, where he reciteth and expoundeth the forme or maner of a certaine vision, which we haue before sufficiently expressed.

He had moreouer great skill in the foreknowledge of things that should chaunce, as may be gathered in the vj. Epistle of his fourth booke. Also Augustine doth attribute vnto him many worthy vertues, which wryteth much in setting foorth his giftes of humilitie, in his seconde booke of Baptisme, the fourth chapter, against the Donatistes, and in his vij. booke and xj. chap. of his long sufferaunce and patience. MarginaliaCyprian meeke and pacient. Also of his curtesie and meekenes by which vertues he concealed nothing that he vnderstoode, but vttered the same meekely and patiently. Also that he kept the Ecclesi-asticall peace & concorde with those that were of an other opinion then he was of: lastly, that he neither circumuented nor did preiudice any man, but followed þ^t thing which seemed good in his iudgement, it is manifest in S. Augustine his fift booke, De Baptismo contra Donatistas. Neyther is this to be passed with silence, that Hierome writeth that he was very diligent in reading, especially the works of Tertullian, For he saieth that he saw a certaine olde man whose name was Paulus, which tolde him he saw the notarye of blessed Cyprian, being then an olde man when he him selfe was but a springal in the Citie of Rome, and told him that it was Cyprians wont neuer to let one daye passe wythout some reading of Tertullian,MarginaliaCyprian a great reader of Tertullian. and that he was accustomed oftentimes to say vnto him: giue me my master, meanyng thereby Tertullian.

Now a few wordes touching his exile, and Martyrdome. Of his Epistles which he wrote backe to his congregation, leading his life in exile, mention is made aboue wherin he sheweth the vertue beseeming a faithfull pastor in that he tooke no lesse care, as wel of his owne church, as of other Bishops being absent, then he did beyng presente. Wherin also he himselfe doth signifie þ^t voluntarily he absented himselfe, least he should doe more hurt then good to the congregation, by reason of his presence, as is likewyse declared before. Thus from the desolate places of his banishment, wherein he was oftentimes sought for, he writeth vnto his brethren, as in his third booke and x. Epistle is manifest, which thing semeth to be done in the raigne of Decius or Gallus. But after that he returned againe out of exile, in the raigne of this Valerianus, he was also after that the second tyme banished of Paternus the Proconsull of Aphrica, into the Citie of Thurbin,MarginaliaThe second banishment of Cyprian. as the oration of Augustine touching Cyprian sheweth, or els as Pontius the Deacon saith, into a Citie named Furabilitana, or Curabilitana. But when Paternus the Proconsull was dead, Galienus Maximus succeded in the rowme and office of Paternus, who fynding Cyprian in a garden, caused him to be apprehended by his Sergeauntes,MarginaliaThe apprehension of Cyprian. and to be brought before the Idoles, to offer sacrifice, which when he woulde not doe, then the Proconsul breaking forth in these words sayd: Long hast thou liued in a sacrilegious mind, and hast gathered togither men of wicked conspiracie, and hast shewed thy selfe an enimie to the Gods of the Romanes, and to their holye lawes: neither could the sacrete Emperours Valerianus & Galienus reuoke thee to the secte of their ceremonies. At length the wicked tyraunt condemnyng him to haue hys head cut of, he patiently and willingly submitted his necke to the stroke of the sword (as Hieronimus affirmeth.)MarginaliaThe martirdome of Cyprian. And so this blessed Martyr ended this present life in the Lorde, Xistus then being Byshop of Rome, as Eusebius noteth, in the yeare of our Lorde. 259.MarginaliaAnno. 259. Sabellicus saith that he was Martired in the raigne of Gallus and Volusianus, Lucius, being bishop of Rome; but that seemeth not like.

MarginaliaThe books of Cyprian. Now remayneth to speake something likewise of hys workes and bookes left behind him, although al peraduēture doe not remaine, that he wrote: wherof some are missing, some againe which in the liuery of his name & title, are not his, but such as be certainly his by the style & sense may soone be discerned: such is the eloquence of his phrase, & grauity of his sentence, vigour of wit, power in perswasion, so much differing from many other, as he can lightlye be imitated but of fewe. Of the which his bookes with vs extant, as the florishing eloquence is worthely cōmended, proceeding out of the schoole of Rhetoricians, so is the authoritie therof no lesse reputation, not onely among vs of this age of the Church, but also among the Auncient fathers. Whereof S. Austen speaking of his commendation sayth,MarginaliaThe iudgement of Austen vpon the bookes of Cyprian. August. contra Cresconium. Lib. 12. cap. 32. Ego inquit, literas Cypriani non vt canonicas habeo, sed eas ex canonisis considero: & quod in eis deuinarum Scripturarum autoritati congruit cum laude eius accipio: quod autem non congruit, cum pace eius respuo. &c.  

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Eighth persecution down through writings of Cyprian: citation from Augustine

Foxe text Latin

Ego inquit, literas Cypriani non vt canonicas habeo, sed eas ex canonisis considero: & quod in eis deuinarum Scripturarum autoritati congruit cum laude eius accipio: quod autem non congruit, cum pace eius respuo. &c.

Foxe text translation

Not translated.

Translation

John Wade, University of Sheffield

I, he says, do not regard the letters of Cyprian as connonical, but I consider them as being from the canons: (?) and

Vincentius, and Laziardus Celestinus, recyting the names of dyuers bookes, bearyng the tytle of Cyprian (moe perchaunce then be truly his) do collect out of them a certaine extract of his most pithy sentences, al which here to repeat were to tedious. To giue a tast of the speciall, I thought it not impertinent. As where he speaking of the treasures of a rich man, exhorteth saying:
MarginaliaSentences of Cyprian collected. Ex Vincent. Lib. 12. ca. 63. Ne dormiat in thesauris tuis, quod pauperi prodesse potest i.
Let it not sleepe in thy treasures, that may profite the poore.
Duo nunquam veterascunt in homine, cor semper nouas cogitationes machinando: lingua, cordis vanas conceptiones pro-