University of Virginia Library

But let it be no fault if now my pen
Out of the Roman Empire run to ken
Beyond Euphrates how the State stands there
And Oh! it tells you tragedies there were
Sapores king crown'd in his mothers Womb
As stories goe, and Tyrant forth doth come
Stird by magicians up and by the Jews,
Against the Christians, whom they do accuse
Of sending to the Roman how things goe
In Persia, who war upon them do.
Hence he doth squeeze them first with Taxes great,
Then overthrows their Oratoriall seats.
Commands their Pastors and their Ministers
To Execution: Jew and Soothsayers
Cast Symeon in Prison, who as hee
Was going there, did Usthazares see,
(Who formerly Was Tutor to the King
And now old man had much respect from him)
He sharply did rebuke because he had
Apostatizd from Christ. Hence he grows sad,
Sadly laments his fall, begs pardon and
Resumes his Faith, this to the King they hand
Who him by flattery and frowns assails
To take from Christ, but nothing now prevails
For he replies, I've gainst my judgment done
In worshipping as you the rising Sun.
I'le be no more so mad and sottish vain,
The Wrathfull King hence Charg'd and he was slain
Then sixweekes thus before their easter day
They in the prison do an hundred slay
Of Pastors, Elders, other officers,
All on a day, who had their Comforter
That Worthy Symeon who Comfort brought
Touching the glorious Death of Saints and taught
The Resurrection from the Scriptures sure
And then with Abedechalaas pure,
And Ananias came to Martyredome
And thus his race for Christ was bravely run.

Pusaces then an Artist of the King
Exhorting Ananias firm to cling
Is judgd a Christian tooke, and stobt about
The Neck, and also they his tongue hall out.
And now goes out the bloody Edict which
Death upon all that Christians were inflicts,
And then among the left Azades who
Was Chamberlain and was beloved too
By th'King himselfe, is slain: which grievd the King,
Hence Onely Teachers strikes he with his sting.
And though this fire did all ore Persia stream
It raged most i'th'tract of Diabene
Where all were Christians, and in all it slew
Full sixteen thousand, not of Comon shew.

But after this, the fire brake out again
When Foigerdes mannaged his reign
For Aadas Bishop by a Zeale divine
Who with greate Virtue much adornd did shine
Subverted Vesta's Temple Pareum
The which Magicians to the King did sum,
Which when he heard, he did this Charge out bring
To kill the man and down their Temples fling
Which is attended; hence there up arose
A persecution sore which onward goes
For thirty yeare at once Continually
Wherein the Persian Christians havockt ly.
For Isdegerdes dead Gorones reigns
His kingdom and his Cruelties mentains,
Against the godly and he also dies
And hands them both unto his son likewise.
The Cruelties they mannaged were sore,
To hear the same may make one shake all ore.
They fley'd the skin off of the hands of some
Off of the backs of others as they come,
Off of the Heads of others, and begin
Upon the brow and to the neck unskin,
Then leave them in this wise. Some naked quite
They Cover ore with reeds split down aright
Fitting the Cutting reeds upon the flesh
And bind with Cords from head to foot this dress.
This done they drew with Violence away
From ery part, that their sharp Edges may
Thus drawn upon the flesh, cut, gash and Wound
Thereby to make their tortures more abound.
They many close in filthy Valts up shut
And many Dormice caught and to them put,
And having tide the martyres hands and feet
That so they might not fright them when they Creep
Upon them and the bats by hunger greate
Being compelld do peck them up as meat:
And so by little bits greate torments rise
While being peckt and eate to Death each dies.
And thus these Saints did for Christ holy Cause
Sustain and overcome all hellish jawes,
And if the same Consider'd be we'st finde
Gods Patience in the Same most clearely shin'd
The glory of it now doth seem so thick
As if he did alone delight in it,
Or else as if its brightness was so bright
As did Gods other Properties benight.