 | A Metrical History of Christianity |  |
The Eight Persecution
Valerians Head th'Imperiall Turbit caught
As from Emelians it dropt as nought
And wore it well at first; his Courts abound
With Pious Christians Orthodox and sound,
Untill an arch Magician did bewitch
Him unto Cruell things from the better twitch
Him away quite through spite he bore unto
The Christians cause they mard his magick show
Blockt up his Sorceries and Charms and tricks
Hence now this Prince bewitcht out of his wits
Doth sacrifice to Divells Infants young,
Plucks out their Intrains and in them doth sum
His fortunes up, doth persecutions raise
Against the Christian, whom he vilely slayes.
Men, Women, Young and Old, Maids, Matrons Old
Ideots and Souldiers, these sad strokes Enfold,
Jayles, Scourgings, Banishments Wild Beasts, the Fire
Taring the Flesh, Gridirons and swords they tire.
Now Cyprian after his banishment
Beheaded is and so to heaven sent.
And Vincent doth assert three hundred more
Was in a Lime killn burnd at Carthag Doore
At Tuberba in Affrick headed they
Secunda, Donatilla, Maxima
And in Cesaria Palestine they throw
Priscus and Alexander Malchus too
Unto Wild beasts to be devourd thereby
And a Gool Woman too for piety
Verona's Bishop Zenon doth sustain
A Crown of Martyrdom for Christ blesst Name.
In Simela under th'Italian Alps
One Pontius now took by these hellish Scalps
Is hanged first upon the Cruell Wrack
Then cast to Beasts, thence to the fire doth Pack
Thus cruelly he is a Martyre made.
Some say now Rome is as a shambles laid
Now Sextus bishop and his Deacon rainde
Nemesius are beheaded, as 't is fam'd.
Laurence another Deacon of Choice fame
Of Romes blesst Church the third day after came
Unto his Martyrdom, Whose Case runs thus
The greedy Tyrant being very flush
With hopes to get the Churches Treasure all
Doth Deacon Laurence now charge whom they call
To shew him where the Churches Treasure were
Who therefore causd great number to appeare
Of Christian Poore ore whom with arms displayd
These are the Churches treasures then he said
These Treasures are indeed, in them the Faith
Of Christ doth reign, in them Christ mansion hath.
Oh now what tongue is able to express
The Tyrants fury and enragedness.
He stampt, star'd, Rampt and far'd as lost his Wit,
His Eyes did glow, Mouth foam, Teeth gnasht and bit
And like a Lyon out doth breake thus arr,
What hath this Villain mockt the Emperour
Away with him, away with him, him Whip
With Scourges, Scurge with rods, and buffit flip
With fist, him brain with bats. What doth he slur?
What joke and jybe upon the Emperour?
Pinch him with firy tongs and gird him up
With burning plates. Strong Chains upon him put
The firy Forkes and Gridiron bed out bring
Make it red hot, this Rebbell on there fling
Him Rost, him broyle, him toss, him turn again
Oh ye Tormentors on your sorest pain
They whirle him on't, but oh God made this Bed
Like to a Down bed where he's nourished
And broyling long on this red firy Grate
Presst with red forks was patient and thus spake
This side is rost, turn't up, thou Tyrant great
Try whether rost or raw is better meat.
And in this wise he did to Christ ascend
And by a glorious martyredom did end.
As from Emelians it dropt as nought
And wore it well at first; his Courts abound
With Pious Christians Orthodox and sound,
Untill an arch Magician did bewitch
Him unto Cruell things from the better twitch
Him away quite through spite he bore unto
The Christians cause they mard his magick show
Blockt up his Sorceries and Charms and tricks
Hence now this Prince bewitcht out of his wits
Doth sacrifice to Divells Infants young,
Plucks out their Intrains and in them doth sum
His fortunes up, doth persecutions raise
Against the Christian, whom he vilely slayes.
Men, Women, Young and Old, Maids, Matrons Old
Ideots and Souldiers, these sad strokes Enfold,
Jayles, Scourgings, Banishments Wild Beasts, the Fire
Taring the Flesh, Gridirons and swords they tire.
Now Cyprian after his banishment
Beheaded is and so to heaven sent.
37
Was in a Lime killn burnd at Carthag Doore
At Tuberba in Affrick headed they
Secunda, Donatilla, Maxima
And in Cesaria Palestine they throw
Priscus and Alexander Malchus too
Unto Wild beasts to be devourd thereby
And a Gool Woman too for piety
Verona's Bishop Zenon doth sustain
A Crown of Martyrdom for Christ blesst Name.
In Simela under th'Italian Alps
One Pontius now took by these hellish Scalps
Is hanged first upon the Cruell Wrack
Then cast to Beasts, thence to the fire doth Pack
Thus cruelly he is a Martyre made.
Some say now Rome is as a shambles laid
Now Sextus bishop and his Deacon rainde
Nemesius are beheaded, as 't is fam'd.
Laurence another Deacon of Choice fame
Of Romes blesst Church the third day after came
Unto his Martyrdom, Whose Case runs thus
The greedy Tyrant being very flush
With hopes to get the Churches Treasure all
Doth Deacon Laurence now charge whom they call
To shew him where the Churches Treasure were
Who therefore causd great number to appeare
Of Christian Poore ore whom with arms displayd
These are the Churches treasures then he said
These Treasures are indeed, in them the Faith
Of Christ doth reign, in them Christ mansion hath.
Oh now what tongue is able to express
The Tyrants fury and enragedness.
He stampt, star'd, Rampt and far'd as lost his Wit,
His Eyes did glow, Mouth foam, Teeth gnasht and bit
And like a Lyon out doth breake thus arr,
What hath this Villain mockt the Emperour
Away with him, away with him, him Whip
With Scourges, Scurge with rods, and buffit flip
With fist, him brain with bats. What doth he slur?
What joke and jybe upon the Emperour?
Pinch him with firy tongs and gird him up
With burning plates. Strong Chains upon him put
The firy Forkes and Gridiron bed out bring
Make it red hot, this Rebbell on there fling
Him Rost, him broyle, him toss, him turn again
Oh ye Tormentors on your sorest pain
They whirle him on't, but oh God made this Bed
Like to a Down bed where he's nourished
And broyling long on this red firy Grate
Presst with red forks was patient and thus spake
This side is rost, turn't up, thou Tyrant great
Try whether rost or raw is better meat.
38
And by a glorious martyredom did end.
Eugeny Philips daughter who they say
Was Presiden of Alexandria
Suckt Gospell breast, that she at length then flew
With Prothus and with Jacinth to eschue
The Persecution or a Wedden band
Her Pagan Parents had for her in hand,
In mans attire she went and grew so high
In wisdom till of her society
She head was made, and now her beauty clear
Allured the lust of an old matron there
Nam'd Melancy who to obtain her Will
Of this supposed man did by her Skill
Allure to folly, but repulse sustaind
And had the hazzard of such Sin explaind.
Melancy seing by no meanes she could
Attain her end, could not from envy hold.
And fearing lest Eugeny should her shame
She thought it wisdom first to play her game.
She goes to Philip and complaineth first
Against Eugeny and the rest (Oh Curst)
As that Eugeny did attempt to bring
Her unto Whordom, yea, unto that Sin.
This fame now flies, the Christians now are vile,
And all salute them with a shamefull Stile.
And Philip cites Eugeny now t'appeare
Who comming now and doth herselfe thus cleare,
Melancy doth me wrong, it is not so,
But she attempted me her lust unto.
Which when she saw I'de not with her comply
She slanders me, yea, and the Company,
And if you'l not believe me know this day
I am your Daughter, your Eugnia,
And that those were her Schoolemates with her there
Jacincth and Prothus, and she made it cleare
Wherefore she left them; thus she cleard her name
And overwhelmd Melancy with greate shame.
The Christians they were filld with joy and oh
Her Parents joy did hereupon oreflow,
And in due time her fathers heart found place
By her attempts for Christ and for his grace.
And in this holy War was, as they say,
A martyre made at Alexandria.
Eugeny, Prothus, yea, and Jacincth too
Did suffer martyredom at Rome also.
Now Fructuosus Bishop choice and true
With Eulogy and Augury the two
Choice Deacons of the Church at Taracon
In Spain are burnt for Christ the holy one.
But when Valerian was Captive ta'ne
His son Galienus did put out this flame
Yet not so fully but some few did fall
Under its Sparks though in the ashes small.
Marinus who was at Cesaria
A military gentleman did lay
Claim to a Place of honours which then fell
As unto him the next but, as they tell,
Some who then strove to wipe him of the same
Chargd him as Christian, hence he now out came
And was beheaded for this glorious Cause
Under a Pagan judge by Pagan laws.
Was Presiden of Alexandria
Suckt Gospell breast, that she at length then flew
With Prothus and with Jacinth to eschue
The Persecution or a Wedden band
Her Pagan Parents had for her in hand,
In mans attire she went and grew so high
In wisdom till of her society
She head was made, and now her beauty clear
Allured the lust of an old matron there
Nam'd Melancy who to obtain her Will
Of this supposed man did by her Skill
Allure to folly, but repulse sustaind
And had the hazzard of such Sin explaind.
Melancy seing by no meanes she could
Attain her end, could not from envy hold.
And fearing lest Eugeny should her shame
She thought it wisdom first to play her game.
She goes to Philip and complaineth first
Against Eugeny and the rest (Oh Curst)
As that Eugeny did attempt to bring
Her unto Whordom, yea, unto that Sin.
This fame now flies, the Christians now are vile,
And all salute them with a shamefull Stile.
And Philip cites Eugeny now t'appeare
Who comming now and doth herselfe thus cleare,
Melancy doth me wrong, it is not so,
But she attempted me her lust unto.
Which when she saw I'de not with her comply
She slanders me, yea, and the Company,
And if you'l not believe me know this day
I am your Daughter, your Eugnia,
And that those were her Schoolemates with her there
Jacincth and Prothus, and she made it cleare
Wherefore she left them; thus she cleard her name
And overwhelmd Melancy with greate shame.
The Christians they were filld with joy and oh
Her Parents joy did hereupon oreflow,
And in due time her fathers heart found place
By her attempts for Christ and for his grace.
And in this holy War was, as they say,
A martyre made at Alexandria.
Eugeny, Prothus, yea, and Jacincth too
Did suffer martyredom at Rome also.
Now Fructuosus Bishop choice and true
With Eulogy and Augury the two
Choice Deacons of the Church at Taracon
In Spain are burnt for Christ the holy one.
But when Valerian was Captive ta'ne
His son Galienus did put out this flame
39
Under its Sparks though in the ashes small.
Marinus who was at Cesaria
A military gentleman did lay
Claim to a Place of honours which then fell
As unto him the next but, as they tell,
Some who then strove to wipe him of the same
Chargd him as Christian, hence he now out came
And was beheaded for this glorious Cause
Under a Pagan judge by Pagan laws.
| A Metrical History of Christianity | |