A Metrical History of Christianity

There martyr'd at Nicopolis in Thrace
Choice Saints, yet handled in a dismall Case.
At Athens Monas play'd the Christians part
With bravery in all his torments sharp.
So did Euyraphus, whence Gods Grace did ceaze
On Athens, President Hermogenes,
And brings him home to Christ in such degree
That pledg them in their Martyres-Cap did hee.
Anysia of Thelsalonica
Of Christian Parents the rood people slay.
Quirinus Silcia's bishop in the higher
Hungaria, is apprehended and brought nigher
Unto the touch of Faith, Where he did shine
As pollished with wealthy Grace divine,
Is from the bridge into the river thrown
Fixt 'bout his neck to sinke him a greate stone,
Where floting long, he did the folk bid think
Not you of feare hereat: at length did sink.
Now Italy doth meet this bloody stroke
And findes the burden of these Tyrants yoak
Venice doth seale Christs Cause with martyres blood
In Aquileia out the Edict stood
For all as Would the Christian then to slay.
Felices now with Fortunatus they
Destroyed there. This Dismall day ore spred
Florence and Pergamus and Naples had
A Stroke then gi'n: and at Campania
And Benevent Apul-Venusia
And Tuscany this Persecution ran.
And tortur'd greatly many a gracious man.
Then Barbara the Tuscan Virgin brave
A glorious proofe of Christian Valour gave
When after sorrows in a stincking jayle
They slash her nerves and did her sides assaile
With flaming Tapers, tortures manifold,
She was beheaded like refined gold.
Agnes a Roman Damsell touching whom
Unto our eares incredibles do come
Well passed by therefore, is brought unto
The block for Christ, and off her head doth go.
An Apuleian Bishop now is caught
Adauct, and January, Elders brought

With Septimus and Fortunatus there
And at Venusia all martyr'd were.
There martyr'd were at Rome one Claudius
Serinus too, also Antonius
With Marcelline a Roman bishop who
Among the throng of Martyres thus doth show
Chrysogonus the pious Tutor were
Of Anastasia who did appeare
Adornd with Piety, who, when he fell
By Martyredom, her Zeale strove to Excell
At Aquileia gaind the Martyres Crown
Where martyr'd were these maids of bright renown,
Agapee, Irenee, Chiona, and
Theodora before with holy hand.
At Rome Arthemius that kept the jayle
Where Martyres were, Converted was, doth sayle
Along the torrent of blesst Martyrdome
And to the King of Glory this may run,
A Deacon of the Church of Rome is said
Under Marcellus bishop this sea made.

But to attempt the Spanish Continent
We'st finde Choice Saints to Heaven this way went.
At Valence Felix who the Elder was
And Fortunatus, as it come to pass,
And so Achilleus Deacons choice do dy
By Martyredome for Christianity.
Capophorus a Tuscan Elder and
Abundus Deacon at Spoleto stand
For Christ Choice Martyres and at Barcino
Is Cucusatus martyred also.
Cesaraugusta Eighteen at a time
Brings out to martyredome for truth divine.
Innumerable other martyres fall
By Dacian the President, and all
The Spanish Coast he sprinckles with their blood
As if their slaughter was a thing most good,
Leucadia the Virgin forth doth come
At Toledo unto her Martyredom
In Portugall at that brave City nam'd
There Einerita, by Eulalia tam'd
Who of Choice Noble Parents there was born
By Grace New born, and hence an holy Scorn
At twelve years old rose in her of all ways
Of Paganry prevailing in these dayes.
Greate honourable Matches she refusd
Having her Soule espousd to Christ, she usd
No Courtly dalliance, no pleasure tooke
In Purple robes nor gorgious Dress did brook,
Nor Pretious balms, nor costly Jewell, Rings
Of Wealthy gold or any am'rous things,
But all for Christ she was and Zeale did show.
Her parents hence lest she should guilty grow
Of her own blood convayd her out of town
Unto their Contry house far from the frown

Of bloody Catchpoles, but her spirits thus
Mewd up seems as a stiffling to them flush.
Hence in the night though darke she gets away
O're hedge and ditch through briars and brambles nay
Without all Path she strikes out to the town
And to it came by that they dark went down.
And in the morn goes to the judgement seate
And with a manly voice doth them thus treate.
What shame, I pray, that you men souls undoe,
And 'gainst the Rock their bodies living throw,
And make them God Omnipotent deny?
Behold I am a Christian, Enemy,
Unto your Divell-Sacrifices, yea,
And spurn your idols with my feet away.
I God Confess with heart and mouth but say
Isis, Apollo, Venus, What are they?
And what is Maiminus too? the One
A thing of nought. The other is well known.
A Reprobate, who doth the same adore
Both frivilous, not to be prizd therefore.
Goe too, thou Hangman born, cut, mangle all
These earthly parts, breake down this brittle Wall:
Its easly done, but yet the Inward part
Thou shalt not hurt by any of thy art.
Whereat the Judge inrag'd, cries, Hangman, take her
Hence hall her by the hair out, torments make her
Unto the Uttmost, let her feel this hour,
Of Country Gods and of Imperiall power.
But oh thou sturdy girle, or ere thou dy
Revoke they Wickedness. Thy Progeny
And noble Kindred waile thy overthrow.
What wilt thou kill thyselfe a young flower so?
Doth not the glistring golden pomp out spred
Now of the Bride bed moove thee? Childish head!
Behold Deaths Furniture here ready laid
Either thou'st by this Sword be headless made
Or by these beast be torn in pieces soon
Or flame shall thee to ashes quite Consume.
Let Salt and Incense in the Censer fall
And thou shall stay these punishments ---
Whereat she mov'd, spits in the Tyrants face
Throws down the idolls, spurns them in disgrace,.
The heap of Incense, Then without delay
The Hangmen hall her by strong hand away
Pluck joynt from joynt, and Claw her tender sides
Unto the bones with tallons, yet she 'bides
Sings songs of praise to God thus Lord behold
Ile not forget thee. What joyes manifold
Is it to eye thy Tryumphs, Victories,
Oh Christ to gain to these high Dignities?
And still she calls upon that holy name
All in her own blood brewd, that did her stain:
Not weeping but with merry looks she stands
Her red blood dies her milke white skin and hands.
They goard her mangled flesh on th'iron Grate
And Hurdle, and it harrow, then they take
And burn her sides and breasts with Candle flame
Which by her hair ran ore her, till death came.

At Adula Sabrina martyre's made
Christina too Vincentrice also's said
By some there to be martyred although
Others aver it was at Valence, who
Being a Levit and a Deacon was
By Dacian tormented thus alass!
He stretch him on the Eculean Fram
And thus Out Wrackt he torturd with the pain
Of Diverse Wounds, and wounded thus he runs
And tares his wounded flesh with raking Combs.
And drives the Executioners with Stripes
To greater Cruelty in all their Wipes
His harrowd body on the gridiron laid
With iron tenter hooks he open made
And clapt there to red burning plates ---orn
And did these wounds with burning salt be corn.
Then threw him in a dreadfull Prison so
On Shells most sharp his legs in stocks doth throw
And thus without all humane Confort he
Lies thus, and being dead the Seas must bee
His bury holy; but Vincent is humane
And he by these as Victor overcame.

But pass we now the Pyren-Hills to France
And see that Martyre that the Truth Advance
Much slaughter needs must be within the Same
If we but weigh how Maximinian came
Unto Marselles and Decrees proclaim'd
That all should worship idols or be bain'd
And hence the Noble Souldier Victor old
Because no idoll Gods he Worship would
Is by the Tyrant butcherd at Millain
And Lucian too at Belvack is there slain
Sebastian Lieutenant Generall
Of Dioclessians Vangard on did Call
The Martyres to be Constant to the Faith
Is apprehended and this Wage he hath
Gi'n by the Tyrant that his souldiers stick
Him full of arrows, and in sinck him kick
With whom Nicantrate and Zoe's spouse
Did fall, and Traglin (oh the scowling brows)
Tranquillines and Martia his Wife
Claud, Castor, and Tibertius in this strife,
Castellus Marcus and one Marcelline
With many more were martyrd at that time
And at Triders there Rectionarius playes
His game so well: so many Christians slayes
That there did run such streams of Pretious blood
As dide greate Rivers red with this red flood.
And out he did such Cursed orders send
That wheresoere they any Christians kend
They should fall on forthwith and slay them so
Without all further orders thereunto.
And also did it rage o'th'German Cost
For neer to Colen Gordon and his host
Above three hundred souls all martyr'd were
Agrippina and Augustina fell there.

Agricola and so Vitalis come
To Bulloign, thirsting after Martyrdome,
Vitalis first they handle wily doe
And him enveagle's faith to overthrow,
Which when they Could not then their rage aspires
And doth attempt with tortures him to tire
In which he faithfully attends Christ name
And dies by martyredom with glorious fame.
Agricola his Master now they treate
Whose Candid Life seems for to dint some feat
Upon them that they seem but slow to spill
His blood, and hence they him delay untill
He did provoke them not to make delay
But to dispatch the matter hence they slay,
But to conclude Brave Maurice now is brought
From Syria and's Thebane Legion fraught
With Christian piety, Maximian
The Emperour did call them, ery man,
Against the Reballs in pretence: they Come
Through Rome, Macellus, bishop before in Spain
Did strengthen them, they take an oath that they
Would dy before deny their Faith or slay
The Christians. Hence over the Alps they go
After the Emperour to France unto
The Agaun Downs that is by Rhone strong streams
The Emperour at Ottodor there means
To make his West and Eastern souldiers all
With him up on his idoll Worship fall.
Orders this thing, sends for his Theban host
To serve his gods and Christian foes d--- host
They do refuse to Come to Ottodor
To worship thus, nor will their swords begore
With Christian blood; the Tyrant mad doth then
Take out each tenth and doth bebutcher them.
Hence Maurice brave doth besteel the rest
With pious Exhortations t'yield their breast
Unto the sword, and neck unto the stroke
Rather than Christians slay or faith revoke,
Doth tell the Emperour they swords on put
To fight for justice, and the foes off cut
Of all the Empire and of justice they
Were Christian, said, and could not ---y
Nor worship divell-idolls. Hence in rage
He tithes them as before then doth engage
Them all with horse and foot, and on do fall
To hack and hew; they throw their arms down all
Fall on their knees while them the others flay
Who are as lambs most vilely made away
And thus this Christian Legion slaine fall
Sixty six hundred sixty six in all.

University of Virginia Library

The Martyres of Europe