The consent of time disciphering the errors of the Grecians in their Olympiads, the vncertaine computation of the Romanes in their penteterydes and building of Rome, of the Persians in their accompt of Cyrus, and of the vanities of the Gentiles in fables of antiquities, disagreeing with the Hebrewes, and with the sacred histories in consent of time. VVherein is also set downe the beginning, continuance, succession, and ouerthrowes of kings, kingdomes, states, and gouernments. By Lodovvik Lloid Esquire.

CHAP. III.

Of the tyrannie of the time from the sixt persecution vnder Seuerus, vnto the ninth persecution vnder Dioclesian the Emperour: of the zeale and constancie of the godly in their Martyrdome: and of the tyrannie and wickednesse of the kings of Persia, and of the Emperors of Rome, at that time in the persecution of the Church.

I Will passe to the Martyrs of the Church in all countreys, which nowe againe be∣ginneth, what in Alexandria and in E∣gypt, in the time of Septimius Seuerus the * 1.1 Emperour. At what time Leonides the father of Origene was beheaded for the profession of his faith, leauing his sonne a young man behinde him, who vehe∣mently * 1.2 perswaded his father to stande constantly to Christ: and after being growen to some yeeres, taught in Alexandria Christians that came vnto him, as Olutarchus, who to prooue his zeale, and to shew himselfe a Christian, became willingly a Martyr of Iesus Christ.

Also his brother named Heraclas, who being instructed by Origene, came in time to be a bishop of Alexandria: so many zealous men flocked to this vertous and good man, that he gaue vp his other prophane studie, as Grammer, & Rhetoricke, which Demetrius then bishop of Alexandria committed to his charge, and taught Christ to the brethren and Christians that came from •…•…uery part vnto him, in so much that diuers of his scholers proued themselues cōstant Martyrs: as these, Serenus, Heraclides, Heron, Serenus (an other frō the first) and Rhais a wo∣man: * 1.3 these were crowned as victorious Martyrs. After whom folowed Potamaena, a very faire & vertuous virgine, who toge∣ther with her mother Marcella, offered themselues to the like

torments for Christ Iesus: but being pitied of many, that so faire and a beautiful virgine should die, she litle regarded her beautie but said, Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus, and so was with her mother Marcella burned: whose constant * 1.4 zeale mooued many in Alexandria to professe the Christian faith, as Basilides a souldier, and euen he who brought Pota∣miaena to the stake, was within foure dayes after put in prison, and there baptized, and after beheaded as a Martyr.

Diuers beside, by the instructions of Origen, became faith∣full Martyrs in Alexandria and in other places: for during the reigne of Septimius the Emperour, great persecution fel euery where: in whose time this Origen florished amongst the Mar∣tyrs of the Church, a man singularly well learned, most zea∣lous, and most godly in al his life, euen from his childehood: whose fame grewe such, that Mammea Alexander Seuerus his mother came to Antioch for to see Origen, & was in the tenth yeere of Alexander Seuerus made priest at Caesarea in Palestina. * 1.5 Tertulian was in the time of Origen, in the first yeere of Anto∣ninus surnamed Caracalla, where hee came to Alexandria: hee commaunded that all the young men shoulde be called be∣fore him: and being together in one place, he gaue a signe or a watch worde to his souldiers to kill them, as both Herodia∣nus and Functius doe affirme.

In the time of Origen, Asclepiades was the ninth Bishop of Antiochia, Calixtus the fifteenth and Vrbanus the sixteenth Bi∣shops of Rome, Philetus in Alexandria the tenth Bishop. At this time, Nicopolis a towne in Palestina was builded, being before called Emmaus. In the time of Maximinius the Emperor, Ori∣gen made a booke of Martyrs: for during the whole reigne of * 1.6 this cruell emperor, continued a vehement persecutiō of the Church: Origen confuted many Philosophers, and conuerted many heretikes, disputed & wrote in the face of the aduersa∣ries, insomuch that he reduced Berillus Bishop of Bosterna in Arabia, after sharpe and seuere disputation in the doctrine of the true Church, from his errour concerning the diuine na∣ture of Christ: his fame was such, that Athinedorus and his

brother Gregorie Nazianzenus, with other, many became his schollers. Dionysius also Bishop of Alexandria, in the time of Decius the Emperour, which was a vehement persecutour of the Christians, wrote this of himselfe in an epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antiochia, howe he by Gods prouidence was won∣derfully deliuered from great dangers, and many of the bre∣thren with him, and howe constant in the faith many at that persecution in Alexandria continued and stood most boldly vnto the last breath: as Metra a priest being taken, was com∣maunded * 1.7 by the Romane Iudge to speake some wicked blas∣phemous words, which he refused, and therefore he was bea∣ten and bruised with clubs, and after pricked in the face and in the eyes with sharpe needles, and at last haled & drawen through the towne and stoned to death.

Metra Quinta a faithfull woman, was likewise taken and brought into the temple and there commaunded to worship their idoles, but shee lothing their idolatrie refused to obey them: she was therefore bound both her feete together, and drawen naked through the streetes where sharpe picked stones were for the purpose set in the way, & certein torturers, with whips in their hands scourging her as shee was haled. Appollonia a virgin of ardent zeale, refusing to blaspheme her * 1.8 God with idolatrie, and with wicked sp•…•…ches after them in their temple, they brake her chawe bone, and all her teeth they violently knockt out, and brought her vnto the stake where fire was ready kindled for her, and there being deman∣ded by the magistrates whether she would conuert from her God, and from his religion: shee looked on them, and saide, When I come from my God vnto you againe, I wil answere you, and withall leapt into the fire and ended her life with a glorious death: and to bee short, innumerable were they at * 1.9 that time in Alexandria, that willingly confessed themselues to be Christians, and so bent to offer their bodies to any tor∣ment for the proofe of the same, that at that very tumult and sedition, the wicked and vngodly fedde on the Christians and deuoured them as wolues or lyons deuoure their praye:

nay wolues, lyons, beares, and other sauadge wilde beastes spared the people of God, and had no power to touch them: * 1.10 for God so stopt their mouthes, that tyraunts and cruel mur∣therers might be warned thereby: and for that it is infinite to prosecute the whole histories of Martyrs, I passe ouer them lightly, noting vnto you some fewe for example sake, as now vnder Decius the Emperour these many.

• 1 Metra a Priest.
• 2. 3. Quinta and Appollonia two virgins, you heard of these.
• 4 Serapion martyred with all the torments that might be.
• 5. 6. Iulianus and Coronion after scourging, and sore whip∣ping, were throwen to Camels, and after burned to ashes.
• 7 Marca a blessed Martyr and a stout Christian at that time, was burned aliue.
• 8 A souldier that stoode by and sawe the tortuers so cruell, re∣sisted and stood stoutly to the face of the Magistrates in the profession of Christ, and was after great tortures beheaded.
• 9. 10. Epimachus and Alexander after long imprisonment and diuers torments, were throwen to the fire with 4. wornē * 1.11
• 14 more to accompanny them.
• 15 Likewise Amonarium a blessed virgin.
• 16. 17. Mercuria a sage and godly matrone, and Dionitia a faithfull woman, they made the magistrate amased and the torturers astonied to behold their cōstancie in their tormēts.
• 18 Hieron Ater, and Isidorus 3. Egyptians & Dioscorus a boy of 15. yeres were most cruelly torne and broken in pieces by tor∣tures, and at last burned.
• 22 Menesion an Egyptian full of faith endured most willingly * 1.12 to be martyred for the Gospel.

These with infinite more doth Dionisius a priest write to Fa∣bius bishop of Antiochia, setting forth his owne danger many times, and also setteth downe that persecution which con∣tinued most cruelly for one yere: for the nomber of the faith∣full so increased, their constancie and their faithso amased the wicked, that they were both weary & feareful to folowe their tyrannie, & at last ouerthrowen by their guiltie conscience: but Dyonysius sayeth that diuers times came in place to see

these persecutions certeine souldiers, who seeing the orders and maners of the Christians towards God and his Church, * 1.13 felt them selues much conuerted and most desirous to con∣fesse themselues Christians. At a great persecution in Alexan∣dria standing before the Romane Magistrate, when a certeine Christian among the rest waxed timerous, and feared such torments as hee sawe other suffer hee thought to recant, but these souldiers cōforted him with signes, & perswaded him with secret words, and at length they came openly vnto him, councelled and comforted him to die like a Christian, and at length started in, confessed themselues to the Magistrates to be Christians, and therefore most willing with the rest to die for Christ Iesus sake. It made the the Romane iudge, and the rest of the Commissioners afraide, supposing further, that if * 1.14 they would vse this extreame crueltie of persecution, all A∣lexandria and al Egypt would become in time Christians, and therefore they rose vp from their seate frighted and amased of these strange sightes, and the Christians had some rest. The names of these last souldiers worthie to be engraued Cap∣taines on marble for their victories and conquest ouer them selues, which is the greatest conquest of all, I cannot omitte: they were foure in number.

• 1 Ammon. * 1.15
• 2 Zenon.
• 3 Ptolomeus.
• 4 Ingenus.

And beside these foure, an olde man named Theophilus, in * 1.16 the next place hee bringeth in Ischyrion, a faithfull Martyr of that time, and Cheremon, an olde Bishop of a Citie called Ni∣lus, * 1.17 who fled with his wife and children to the mountaines of Arabia, to auoide the tyrānie of that time: likewise of Vrbanus, Sidonius, and Selerius, three Martyrs which suffered all kind of torments, to enioy the glorious crowne of Martyrs. When this cruell Emperour Decius died, Gallus succeeded him both in life and in persecution, about what time Origen also died. This time in Rome, Cornelius was the twentieth Bishop: in An∣tiochia, * 1.18 Demetrianus was the fourteenth Bishop: in Alexan∣dria, this Dionisius that wrote of this last persecution, the 13.

Bishop. In other places other godly & faithfull Bishops reig∣ned, as Theoctistus in Caesarea, Mezabantes in Ierusalem, Marinus in Tyrus, Heliodorus in Laodicea, in Cappadocia Firmilianus, Hele∣nus in Tarsus, & so (to be short) in all Syria, Arabia, Pontus, Bythi∣nia, * 1.19 and Mesopotamia, godly and good Byshops liued vnder the feare of God. This did Dionysius Byshop of Alexandria write to Stephanus the 22. Bishop of Rome, of the peace and the staie of the persecution in all the parts of the East coun∣tries.

To this Bishop Stephen, Ciprian bishop of Carthage wrote concerning those that were here tikes conuerted, that by bap∣tisme * 1.20 they were first to be receiued into the Church. During this litle quietnesse and stay of persecution diuers and sundry sectes of heresies began to rise in many places: as Heresis No∣uatiana, & Sabellaena, with others. Cyprianus bishop of Carthage, a singular deuoute man, and a Martyr of the Church, was of the Carthagineans and the Affricanes honored as a god, to whō they erected a temple in memory of him, & celebrated a so∣lemne feast, calling often on the name of Cypriā, which tem∣ple the Vandales in the time of their king Tuorichus destroyed. Thus much Euagrius in his histories of the Church wrote of Cyprian, who also dyed a most constant Martyr of Christ Iesus.

I omitte with Dionysius to name the Martyrs which dyed vnder Valerianus the emperour, because they were so many, * 1.21 men, women, children, olde men, young men, olde women, virgins, souldiers, and all kinde of people, who became most willing Martyrs, and suffered diuers torments for religion sake. Amongst whome Lucius Maximus Demetrius, Faustinus, and Aquila suffered in Egypt: also Eusebius was then Deacon, * 1.22 and after made Byshop of Laodicea in Syria, and Faustus who succeeded Eusebius, Cheremon, Caius, and diuers other, who from place to place, to auoide that terrible persecution which reigned vnder the Emperour Valerianus, wandred ma∣ny Countries, desertes, & mountaines. And as for the Mar∣tyrs of Caesarea, specially there were three, which willingly

came from their houses in the Countrie to Caesarea, being a∣shamed and sory to haue seene so many good and godly Christians contending for the same noble crowne of Mar∣tyrs, * 1.23 that they were so long negligent and carelesse of so glo∣rious reward, and therefore Priscus Malchus, and Alexander claimed before the Iudge the rewarde of Christians, and streight they were deliuered to be deuoured of beastes, from whom these three stoute Christians shrinked not.

I will not omitte the historie of Marinus a knight of Caesa∣rea, who when hee obteyned that honour by iust desertes, which was among the Romanes a rewarde for victorie, and * 1.24 thereby to bee called Centurio, a certeine Sycophant accused this knight to the Magistrate, saying that it was not lawfull by the auncient lawes, that Marinus should haue that Ro∣mane dignitie, for that hee was a Christian: who being de∣maunded, most boldly confessed himselfe to bee a Christi∣an: and yet hauing three houres to deliberate of this cause, Marinus went to consult with Theotecnus byshop then of Cae∣sarea, by whom he was in this instructed: he brought him into the Temple, and offered before him a naked sworde, and the * 1.25 newe Testament of Christ Iesus: Chuse, said the byshop, which thou wilt: whereby he was admonished to stand to his faith most stoutly, and dyed for the same.

This time againe another sedicion began in Alexandria: for sooner the great Ocean could be emptied from water, then Alexandria purged from sedicion. Of this sedicion, Dionysius wrote to Hierax byshop of Egypt, and also a terrible sicknesse * 1.26 that then reigned in Alexandria for the rewarde of their per∣secution, which so long and so vehement endured, which was warre, hunger, and pestilence, that they were so pla∣gued in Alexandria for their crueltie against the Church of Christ, as Egypt was for their tyrannie shewed to the Israelites. These and many other things wrote Dionysius into Egypt, into Affrike, and to al Asia, to instruct the brethren of the tumults, sedicion, and persecution in Alexandria, and after of the * 1.27 warres, hunger, and plague that ensued the same.

Nowe a Synod was called at Rome to consult of the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus, who denied the Diuinitie and Eterni∣tie * 1.28 of our Sauiour Christ: for at that time Paulus Samosatenus succeeded Demetrianus in Antiochia, and for that he thought so impiously of Christ, affirming in all pointes that hee was but a man, a Synod also was called at Antiochia, where diuers learned byshops, and other godly preachers came together: amongst whom, Firmilianis byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Gregorius Nazianzenus and his brother Athenodorus which were byshops in Pontus, Helenus byshop of Tarsus, Hymeneus * 1.29 byshop of Ierusalem, and Theolecnus with Maximus, the one byshop of Caesarea in Palestina, the other byshop of Bostea∣na in Arabia, with many more which for breuitie sake I omit, where Samosatenus was confuted by Malchion a reader of the Greeke lecture in Antiochia, a subtill schooleman and a per∣fect * 1.30 good Christian, so that at length Samosatenus was con∣demned as a heretike, and driuen out of his bishoprike by the commaundement of Aurelianus the Emperour.

This time began one other heretike called Manes to sowe the seede of Satan: of whom sprang those heretikes called the Manichees: and as persecution seased some time, so heresie at that very time beganne to encrease. Nowe reigned this time these byshops in Rome, Alexandria, Antiochia, and in other places.

• 1 First in Rome after Stephanus reigned Xistus 23. Byshop of
• 2 Rome, after him Dionysius the 24 Byshop, after Dionysius
• 3. 4. Felix the 25. then Eutichianus the 26. Byshoppe, and * 1.31
• 5 Gaius the 27. Byshop.
• In Alexandria after that godly Dionysius of whome you
• 6 heard of, succeeded Maximus, after Maximus succeded
• 7 Theonas.
• After Demetrianus in Antioch fourteene Bishops.
• This Paulus Samosatenus being as an Heretike condemned,
• succeeded him Domnus Demetrianns sonne.
• ...

• After him succeeded Timaeus. After Timaeus, succeeded that great and famous scholler, Cyrillus.
• In Laodicea Eusebius a learned man was Byshop, and many other Byshops in other places, as Hymeneus and Labdas, two By∣shops of Ierusalem.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Leonides the father of Ori∣gen beheaded.
• * 1.2

  Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 1. Eccl.
• * 1.3

  Diuers Mar∣tyrs in the time of Origin.
• * 1.4

  A good verse for a faire wo∣man.
• * 1.5

  Tertulian was in the time of Origen.
• * 1.6

  Nicopolis be∣fore was cal∣led Emaus.
• * 1.7

  Metra a priest tortured.
• * 1.8

  Appollonia a zealous maid much tormē∣ted.
• * 1.9

  The infinite number of Martyrs.
• * 1.10

  Sauage wilde beasts spared the people of God.
• * 1.11

  The multitude of Martyrs.
• * 1.12

  The zeale of Martyrs in those dayes.
• * 1.13

  Many cōuer∣ted vnto the faith.
• * 1.14

  The Iudges were amased to see such cō∣stancie in the Christians.
• * 1.15

  Euseb. 6. cap. 41. and 42.
• * 1.16

  Theophilus.
• * 1.17

  Cheremon.
• * 1.18

  Origen dyed.
• * 1.19

  Many godly and good By∣shops.
• * 1.20

  Cyprian bishop of Carthage.
• * 1.21

  The 8. perse∣cution vnder Valerianus.
• * 1.22

  Martyrs en∣crease in eue∣ry countrie.
• * 1.23

  The crowne of Martyrs is eternitie.
• * 1.24

  The historie of Marinus a Romane knight
• * 1.25

  The new Te∣stament, and the naked sword.
• * 1.26

  Alexandria a very seditious towne.
• * 1.27

  Dionysius.
• * 1.28

  A Synod at Rome.
• * 1.29

  Samosatenus confuted.
• * 1.30

  Persecution slacketh, here∣sie reigned.
• * 1.31

  Euseb. cap. 27.