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When Cesars race had sufferd its last Fate
In Nero, when there di'de the Laureate
And Nerva after sixteen months did leave
To Trajans Crown the rich Imperiall Wreath,
The hundreth yeare from Christ he dipt his Bayes
In Martyres Blood; third Persecution raisd
And did so rage in Cruelty whereby
There thousands daly fell most Cruelly.
This fire burnt up in Asia these then
Old Simeon Clophas at Jerusalem
Whom they though sixscore years of age he'd gaind
Scourgd many dayes, Death on the Cross sustaind.
Cleophus too sustains this Cruell rage
And as a martyre now goes of the Stage.
Now Sagaris obtains this blessed Crown.
At Antioch five virgins with renown
Were for the Faith to ashes burnt, whose bones
Were powder'd small then into vessells thrown
And usd to wash with. And these tyrants throw
Into a Lime kiln hot first, then into
A scalding Bathe, that worthy bishop nam'd
Phocas of Pontus, thus the Crown he gain'd.
Marke the Evangelist was drawn its said
By ropes in Egypt to the fire there made,
And burnd, then buri'd in the Bucolus,
But some deny't, and say he dide not thus.
Now Domicilla that Choice Lady glisters
Was Daughter of Domitian Cesar's sister
Converted too by Peters Scholars who
Because she would not married bee unto
Clemens Domitians brothers son was sent
To Pontia ile for Christ in banishment.
But now at last is burned in her bed
Yea and her Servants Welcome banished.

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This Cup is drunke at Rome. Sulpitius
Servilianus Romans also rush
With Euphrosina and Theodora
Their Wives into the Sorrows of their day.

Ignatius now of Antioch, by some
Held next to Peter there thus out must come
To be devour'd at Rome by Wild beasts, who
Confirmd the Asian Flocks as he did goe
Charging them to take heed of Heresy,
And coming unto Smyrna there whereby
He Polycarp did visit, and wrote thus
A letter to the Church of Ephesus:
Onefimus being their Pastor then
Letters to others as he went did pen.
Wherein he thus enflames to Martyredome,
From Syria, saith he, untill I come
To Rome I fought with beasts as well by Sea
As Land as well: both in the night and day,
Bound fast among ten Libbards, whom I finde
Worse so much to me as I'm to them kinde.
Would God I were come to the Beasts which be
With claws prepar'd, provoked to worry mee.
Oh Pardon me, prayer I now begin
To be a true Disciple by this thing.
Things seen or Unseen I regard not so
I may obtain Christ Jesus: Weale or Woe,
Fire, Gallows, Wild Beast-knawings, Crashing Bones,
Tareing my members off, Weights on me thrown
To press my body, torments, Divells bring
On Hell itselfe, may I Christ Jesus win.
And when Condemn'd he heard the Lions roare,
I am, said he, Christ's Wheate and shall therefore
As by a mill by wild beasts teeth be ground
That I fine mansient Bread may thus be found.

This Tragedy in Trajans 'Leventh yeare
Was acted as by histories appeare
And Publius Bishop, at Athens falls
By this sad Persecution, as Christ calls.
This Persecution ragde to's fourteenth yeare
Wherein amazed Pliny did appeare
To intercede, gave Trajan t'understand
They upright were that fell by this sad hand
Onely they Worshipt Christ. Hence Trajan staid
This Persecution that such Works had made.