 | A Metrical History of Christianity |  |
The Fift Persecution.
The Fift hot Persecution now out brake
Under Severus for the Gospell sake
In Affrick, and in Asia raged most
Innumerable suffered in this Coast:
Leonides, (whose Son was Origen
Whom as he slept he would his bosom then
Uncov'ring kiss, Give thanks to God that hee
Had him so happy Father made to bee
Of such an happy Child) now first out Came
And was beheaded for Christ blessed name.
At Alexandria now there Martyrde were
Plutarch, Serenus too his brother deare,
Rais, Marcella, and her Daughter fair
Potamiena (on whose Skin laid bare
They poured boyling pitch) were burnt with fire,
Then came Heraclides, (the rage grows higher)
Heron, a second Serenus so bright
Beheaded were, also this axe did smite
Basilides his head off who is said
Betrusted was with Potamien the maid
To se here executed, and did Chid
The raging rout that did the maid deride.
To whom she said, be Cheary, Sir, I'le pray
That Christ may mercy unto you display.
And hereupon a Christian he became
And was cast in the prison for the same.
He said he saw her in the night come down
And did his head adorn too with a Crown.
In France Andoclus whom Old Polycarp
Had sent to Play upon the Gospell Harp
Unto them there, was beat with bat, then's head
Was severd off. Thus was he martyred.
Now Famous Ireneus out doth come
And with him multitudes to martyredom
Felicitas, Perpetua, another
Calld Revocate, Saturnine with his brother
Satyrus thown to wild beasts to be slain
Secundulus in prison Death doth gain
At Alexandria for Christs Glorious Cause
Under Severus by his Wicked Laws.
Under Severus for the Gospell sake
In Affrick, and in Asia raged most
Innumerable suffered in this Coast:
Leonides, (whose Son was Origen
Whom as he slept he would his bosom then
Uncov'ring kiss, Give thanks to God that hee
Had him so happy Father made to bee
Of such an happy Child) now first out Came
And was beheaded for Christ blessed name.
At Alexandria now there Martyrde were
Plutarch, Serenus too his brother deare,
Rais, Marcella, and her Daughter fair
Potamiena (on whose Skin laid bare
They poured boyling pitch) were burnt with fire,
Then came Heraclides, (the rage grows higher)
Heron, a second Serenus so bright
Beheaded were, also this axe did smite
Basilides his head off who is said
Betrusted was with Potamien the maid
To se here executed, and did Chid
The raging rout that did the maid deride.
To whom she said, be Cheary, Sir, I'le pray
That Christ may mercy unto you display.
And hereupon a Christian he became
And was cast in the prison for the same.
He said he saw her in the night come down
And did his head adorn too with a Crown.
32
Had sent to Play upon the Gospell Harp
Unto them there, was beat with bat, then's head
Was severd off. Thus was he martyred.
Now Famous Ireneus out doth come
And with him multitudes to martyredom
Felicitas, Perpetua, another
Calld Revocate, Saturnine with his brother
Satyrus thown to wild beasts to be slain
Secundulus in prison Death doth gain
At Alexandria for Christs Glorious Cause
Under Severus by his Wicked Laws.
Severus then being slain at Yorke his son
Calld Bassianus Caracalla run
Upon his brother Geta, did him slay
In England, did six years the Scepter sway.
Macrinus with Diadamenus came
Unto the Throne when Caracall was slain,
Whose weighty Crowns did crush them underground
When that a single yeare was turned round.
Then Heliogabalus that greedy gut
In the Imperiall Throne of gold did strut,
The Miror of Excess, the Prodigy
Of Gluttony and filthy Ribauldry
His Cloaths of God and costly Silks, his Shooes
Glisterd with pretious Stones they did, did use
To ware no garment twice nor twice one fare.
Sometime they for his palate did prepare
The tongues of Popingais, and birds that sung
Most sweetly for him disht up, to him come
Five thousand Fowles, six thousand fishes lie
Serv'd at one Supper up (oh! Luxury)
His Lamps were fed with Balm to light him eke
He filld his Fish Ponds with Rosewater sweet.
He was attended in his progress out
There with six hundred Charrots round about
Filld all with Puncks and Pandors, Bawds and Whores
For Varlets he preferd to places stores.
Did Sacrifice up Children and when he
Learnd by his Wizzards that his death should bee
By violence silk halters got he did
To hang himself, and Golden Swords to rid
Himselfe therewith. Ranck poysons too he kept
In Jacinct and in Emralds to effect
His Death, nay and he made a lofty tower
Whose floore was guild with gold against that hour
And border'd too with pretious Stones from which
He if assaild then ment himselfe to pitch
Down headlong and destroy himselfe. At last
He's slain, dragd through the town, in Tiber cast.
Calld Bassianus Caracalla run
Upon his brother Geta, did him slay
In England, did six years the Scepter sway.
Macrinus with Diadamenus came
Unto the Throne when Caracall was slain,
Whose weighty Crowns did crush them underground
When that a single yeare was turned round.
Then Heliogabalus that greedy gut
In the Imperiall Throne of gold did strut,
The Miror of Excess, the Prodigy
Of Gluttony and filthy Ribauldry
His Cloaths of God and costly Silks, his Shooes
Glisterd with pretious Stones they did, did use
To ware no garment twice nor twice one fare.
Sometime they for his palate did prepare
The tongues of Popingais, and birds that sung
Most sweetly for him disht up, to him come
Five thousand Fowles, six thousand fishes lie
Serv'd at one Supper up (oh! Luxury)
His Lamps were fed with Balm to light him eke
He filld his Fish Ponds with Rosewater sweet.
He was attended in his progress out
There with six hundred Charrots round about
Filld all with Puncks and Pandors, Bawds and Whores
For Varlets he preferd to places stores.
Did Sacrifice up Children and when he
Learnd by his Wizzards that his death should bee
By violence silk halters got he did
To hang himself, and Golden Swords to rid
Himselfe therewith. Ranck poysons too he kept
In Jacinct and in Emralds to effect
His Death, nay and he made a lofty tower
Whose floore was guild with gold against that hour
And border'd too with pretious Stones from which
He if assaild then ment himselfe to pitch
Down headlong and destroy himselfe. At last
He's slain, dragd through the town, in Tiber cast.
Then Alexander came unto the Throne
By whom respect is unto Christians shown.
His Mother Mammea adornd (is said)
To be with Grace to whom the truth displaid
Was tendered by Origen of Fame
But yet the Cruell law not dead, forth came
And by some Wicked Judges did take place
Hence many fell (some say) ev'n now for Grace.
As Certain Roman Bishops, touching whom
Eusebius tells not their Martyredom.
Tibertius, Cicly and her Husband Calld
Valerian, and Agapete they thralld
With Cruell tortures which he did endure
And of all sorts it's said a many more,
Yet some suppose Historians here faile
That now at Rome such doing should prevaile
Under a Friendly Prince, as not before
Which things if done, its rather thought therefore
Were done under some Persecuting Foe
Not under Alexander, as not soe.
By whom respect is unto Christians shown.
His Mother Mammea adornd (is said)
To be with Grace to whom the truth displaid
Was tendered by Origen of Fame
But yet the Cruell law not dead, forth came
And by some Wicked Judges did take place
Hence many fell (some say) ev'n now for Grace.
33
Eusebius tells not their Martyredom.
Tibertius, Cicly and her Husband Calld
Valerian, and Agapete they thralld
With Cruell tortures which he did endure
And of all sorts it's said a many more,
Yet some suppose Historians here faile
That now at Rome such doing should prevaile
Under a Friendly Prince, as not before
Which things if done, its rather thought therefore
Were done under some Persecuting Foe
Not under Alexander, as not soe.
| A Metrical History of Christianity | |