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But now to pass from Palestine, we finde
Sylvanus Pastor at Emisa shin'd
Now cast unto Wild Beasts with many more
Tyrannion Pastor of Christs flock more ore
At Tyre sunk in the Seas proud waves beside
Zenobius Zidons Choice one now is much try'd
Both Minister and expert Artist there
In Physick scourgd and di'de for Christ his Deare.
Melitus and so Syria did smart
Their Pastors, Elders Deacons all must part
And are in prison cast, no roome is there
For Roagues and Rascalls left; they've better Cheer.
In Pontus Cruelties extremly rise
To heare most horrible and tyrant wise.
Some have sharp things run up their tender nails,
The Backs of others melted lead assails
Pourd all thereon. Some's needfull members maimd,
Some in their privy members have sustaind
Such horrid and such shamefull tortures there
Whose mention suites not any modest eare.
Left legs hewn of[f] at knee with burning sa---
Right eyes pickt out with bodkins by their pa---

But come we now to Antioch and see
What burnings, butcherings of saints there bee
For to be red in blood red dress infoild
Torments so terrible that many spoild
Therewith so sadly that to shun the same
Made many headlong cast themselves amain
From house's tops to end themselves outright
To shun these Tyranies of wicked Might
An Noble famous Vertuous Lady grave
With her two Beautious daughters Virgins brave
Yet Vertuous, the town avoided but
Are sought for, found, fetch back by souldiers put
To feare not only tortures but that they
Should be abused in a lustfull way,
The which to shun they in the river lept
And sunck themselves while th'guard did them neglect.
Two other sisters of a noble blood
Renowned Virgins of a life Choice good
Of pregnant beauty, tender years, they hoist
And Cast into the Sea for Jesus Christ.

Romanus Deacon of Cesaria's Church
At Antioch when Sorrows tooke its porch
Bravely exorted Christians for Christ name
Manfully to behave themselves. Hence came
This Counsell gi'n unto the Tyrants eare
Ceizd him and by his gods swear to him there
He'd make him smart for't and gave charge that he
Should up be trust and's bowells drawn out bee.
Not so quoth Officers, we mayn't do so.
This man's of noble Parentage. Then go
Whip him with lashes wearing knops of lead
Under the which he songs of praise displayd
And when the raged Tyrant had made Wide
And deep Cuts gasht with lancets in his Sides
Had dasht his teeth out, tore his Cheeks, he said
I thanke thee Captain, thou more mouths hast made
Mee thus to preach my Lord and Saviour Christ.
How many wounds, so many mouths be voic't.
And when the Tyrant said with scorn abroad,
Thy hanged Christ is but a last night God
He to him Christs eternity displayd:
Call me a seven yeare Child he also said
And hearken what he'l say. One being brought
Tell me my little babe, quoth he, thy thought.
Should we one Christ and in One Christ the father
Or should we many Gods adore the rather?
To which the Child, one God in Christ, repli'de.
Whereto the Tyrant, then thou Villain Cride,
Who learnd thee this? my mother quoth [the] lad
Wherefore she's calld, This villain, horse, he bad:
They scourgd him till beholders Cheeks were wet.
The mother Comforts him, Child don't forget
Young Isaac who his Fathers knife yields to
Pledge Bethlem's babes now in this Cup also.
They pluck the hair and skin of from his Crown.
Christ will thee Crown (Quoth shee) with bright renown.
The Tyrant being tir'd, at last behead
The Child, Romanus then is strangled.

Now Lucian Minister and Cyprian
Who was at first a Vile Marcian
Or Filthy Sorcerer be'st won to Christ
Then Deacon of the Church, after that Priest
Then Bishop of this Church of Antioch
Justina too dies by the Tyrants stroke
Arabia her Martyres doth present
To Christ also as her rich Ornament.

Again else where, nay at Sebastia
Forty brave flourishing youthfull Souldiers lay
All friezing in a pond of Watills till
The morning came, and then alive as still
They're taken out all frozen stiffe and Cast
Into the fire and burnt for Christ at last.
(This or one instance of such fact was wrought
Under Licinius as some have taught)
After whose deaths, their pious wives are tai'n
And sent with Deacon Amones ore the main
Unto Heraclea in Thrace and there
With grieveous tortures they all murdered were.
He slew the Learned guides of Churches, and
Did raze their Temples even with the land,
In Pontus; and imprisond others some
Forbiding all that with good visits come.
His Officers did many Bishops slay
And cut their bodies into gobbits, nay,
As pieces in a butchers shambles small,
Then after this fed sea fish with the mall.
He Theodorus Crucifid then strikes
Nails in his Armpits, then his head off smites.
Another Theodore bishop of Tyre
A third a man of Perga; and goes higher
Then Basilus Amason's bishop thus
And Nich'laus bishop too of Mirorus
And Gregory he of Armenia falls
By him, and at Neocesaria Paul.
But now its time to pass from Asia,
To see the havock made in Africa.