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Decius that bore th'Imperiall Diadem
Did stain it with the holy blood of them
That followed Gods Holy Lamb, for they
Were by this Tyrant murd'red, made away.
The Cause is said to be with other things
This Chiefly, Cause, Philip while reigning brings
The Imperiall Treasure to the Custody
Of Fabian the Bishop, hence you'l spy
That Philips Love to Fabian soon brought
The hate of Decius. Hence Fabian's caught
And martyrd soon by Decius when in throne,
(Though when the Church him Bishop chose, its shown,
A Dove that flew above sat on his Head
In sight of all: Hence he away was lead
And made Romes Bishop. Now Christ Martyre Deare)
Orders now cry'de, t'slay Christians ery where
Jerusalems Choice Bishop Alexander
In prison dies now under this Commander
So died Babylas in prison now
Who held at Antioch the Gospell plow.
And forty Antiochian Virgins were
Now martyred (as Vincent makes us heare)
And Babylas of Nicomedia
Doth suffer martyredom in this sad day.
Peter at Lampsar now in Phrygia,
Paul, Andrew, Nichomach, Dionysia
At Troida. They take at Babylon
And send to Spain the same who dy each one.
German, Theophilus, with Polychron
Vitalis, Nestor in Cesaria known,
The Crown of Martyredom they now obtain.
At Cardala in Persis forth there Came
To martyredom Olympiades, also
One Maximus at Tyre there out doth goe
Audax, Anatoly a Virgin there
That for the name of Christ now martyrd were.
At Alexandria in Egypt came
Metra a minister they Clubt (Oh shame)
With sharp Roods stabd the face and Eyes, then stond.
Quinta a woman then is, who Christ ownd,
Dragd through the street, dasht upon milstones there
Scourgd and is martyred in such a geer.
They Apolony'th th'Virgins teeth out dasht
Then burnt her: and Serapion they Cast
Out of an upper loft down head long, killd.
A Souldier too dide now rather than yield.
One Julian and Cronion, Macar
Four Women, Epimachus in this War
And Alexander: Heron, Ater, and
Isidorus, Nemesion too now damnd
Unto the flames were burnd, for Christ alone
Tyrannically thus were overthrown,
And Amonarion a virgin so
Mercuria and Dianysia too
Choice Women by the Cruell sword were slain
Ischirion for Christ did death sustain
And multitudes that to the mountains flew
Consum'de with hunger, thirst, Cold, Sickness, too,
Theeves and wild Beast of Whom One Cheremon
Bishop of Nile flew with his wife for one
But never more was heard of and although
They sought him greatly yet the Case went so.
At Florens Meniate, in Sicily
The Damsell Agatha do martyred ly.
At Nice Good Triphon: and at Ephesus
Seven Christian Souldiers in mount Celius
Lurkt in a Cave to shun the tyrants breath
Were stopt therein, and famished to death.
A Souldier now that torments Conquoured
Was laid out in a garden on a bed
Mong Lillies, and sweet Roses grace to dull
And courted by an Harlot beautifull
With all her Wiles to draw him to her Sin
But he as she was then a kissing him
Bit off his tongue and spit it in her face,
Thus Conquour'd her attempts to her disgrace.
At Antioch the Virgin Theodore
Condemned was for Christ to beggi'n o're
To Souldiers Lusts. Who ready for the thing
One Didimus a Christian first stept in
In Souldiers dress, her rounded in the eare
Hence changing of apparell, he stayd there
And she out passt, but when the Souldiers vile
Did finde their lusts deluded by this Wile
The matter to the President is brought
The Souldiers for a maid a man had caught
And Didymus is 'fore him had, and layes
The matter all before him. He delayes
Not then but sentenc't him forthwith to dy.
Which Theodora hearing draweth nigh
Tenders herselfe for him that he might live.
The wicked Judge then on her too did give
The Sentence that she was Condemned too
Hence both were headed, then were burnt also.
One Agathon at Alexandria
Justin, one Nicostrate and Portius lay
At Rome destroyde, Abdon and Sennas who
Did bury those at Corduba brought to
That place from Babylon beheaded were
Amnon and Zenon too was serv'd so there.
Secundian, Marcellian, Verian
Vencent asserts were gibbeted each man
Fires then set to their sides, to torture them
Then after were beheaded by these men.
In Spain fell Teragon. In Verona
Zeno, Maurinus at Cesaria
Archemius too, and at Milain Private
The Bishop and Theodore (Oh sad Fate)
At Rome one Moses and Cornelius
A Roman Bishop, and Aurelius
Mappolicus did also spend their blood
For Christ as they Idolatry withstood.

Now Origen that worthy man of might
Is on the Cause of Christ comes to this fight
Sustaineth bonds, and torments, wrackt with bars
Of Iron, Cast in Dungeons, is threatend far
To be exilld and burnd, yet nought prevaile
Their Jugling flatteries do him assaile
Belike they seem ore come and grant that they
Will be baptized Christians th'following day.
Hence with designs most gracious out doth goe
With them to be baptizd, but stay, not so
They then replide, and on him plaid their game,
And catching one poore word of his, proclaim,
That Origen had sacrificed which
Like as a Dagger in his heart there sticks,
He's wounded to the Quick; the Church doth frown
And him reject. He sincks in Sorrows, drowns
In penetentiall tears, and goes to Tyre
Where in obscurity he did expire.
And now about a Minister that lay
At point of death 'bout Carthage thus did pray,
That he might now depart and be dischargd
Yet feare of Death was greate and much enlarg'd,
To whom a young man came so gloriously
Scarce to be lookt upon by mortall Eye,
And thus bespake, To suffer you're affraid,
And to depart you are not Willing, said,
What shall I doe for you? Oh strange! but loe
Under the Word of Cypriats 't doth goe.

255

But now the Rose falling from Decius' Crown
Gallus doth Catch the scepter tumbling down,
And doth renew the old attempt again
And banisheth Christs ministers, mentain
His Oars and Mines by Christians Choice forth sent
By him into this sort of Banishment.
Now Cyprian is thought to be Excild,
Nemosian, Felix, Lucius thus assoild
And other Bishops Elders Deacons thus
Yet some assert the fact to Decius.
Yet Lucius soon returnd again to Rome
And there closd up his day by Martyredome
And Stephen who his Bishoprick obtaind
Did pledge him in the selfe same Cup there gaind.
But Gallus having broke his spurs lets fall
The Wing. Emelian came in the Cock pit tall
And there before he came to use his heel
Doth lose his head, is neckt by gags of Steel.