The martyrdom of Theodora and of Didymus by a person of honour.

SUCH AN ACCOUNT Of the following BOOK, Sent with it to a FRIEND; As may serve instead of a PREFACE.

TO convince you, Sir, how much more I am concern'd to have you think, I can Obey well, than Write well; I venture to send you the Account, (as imperfect and unpolish'd as it is) that you are pleas'd to command Of the last Hours of Theodora. But I must beg your leave to accompany it with another Account (though but a short one) how I came to meddle with

this Subject; and why what I pre∣sent you about it, is so much Maim'd, and has no more Uni∣formity.

Having had occasion many years ago to turn over a Martyrology, and some other Books, that related to the Sufferings of the Primitive Christians; I chanc'd to light on those of a Virgin, who, though (to my wonder) she was left unnam'd by the other Writers that men∣tion'd her, seem'd plainly to be the same, that is by one of them expresly call'd Theodora: I own, I was not a little affected, at the reading of such moving and uncom∣mon adventures as hers: and find∣ing her story to be related, by the Author that nam'd both her and her Lover, not only very succinctly and imperfectly, but very dully too; I found my self tempted so to enlarge this Story, as that it might be contriv'd into a some∣what voluminous Romance: But

upon second thoughts, it appeared incongruous to turn a Martyr into a Nymph or an Amazon: And I consider'd too, that (to omit what else might be objected against that sort of Composures) as true Pearls are Cordials and Antidotes, which counterfeit ones, how fine soever they may appear, are not; so True Examples do arm and fortify the mind far more efficaciously, than Imaginary or Fictious ones can do; and the fabulous labours of Hercu∣les, and Exploits of Arthur of Bri∣tain, will never make men aspire to Heroick Vertue half so power∣fully, as the real Examples of Courage and Gallantry afforded by Jonathan Caesar, or the Black Prince. But yet, thinking it great pity, that so shining a Vertue as Theodo∣ra's should prove Exemplary, but to her own time, and to one City; and remembring, that soon after the Age which she Ennobl'd, it was counted among the Primitive Christians an act of Piety, to build

fair Monuments, upon the formerly abject Graves of the Martyrs; to repay, by Honours done to their Memories, the indignities and Dis∣graces they had suffer'd in their Persons; I thought fit to try, if I could rescue from more unskilful Hands than even mine, a story that abundantly deserv'd to be well told.

But upon further thoughts, I soon foresaw, that this Task was not more worthy to be undertaken, than it would prove difficult to be well perform'd: For the Martyrologist having allow'd scarce one whole Page, to a Relation, that perhaps merited a Volume, had left so ma∣ny Chasms, and so many necessary things unmentioned, that I plainly perceiv'd, I wanted a far greater number of Circumstances, than that he had supply'd me with to make up so maim'd a story tolerably compleat. And as the Relation deny'd me matter enough to work

upon, so the nature of the Subject refus'd most of those Imbellishments which in other Themes, where young Gallants and fair Ladies are the chief Actors, are wont to sup∣ply the deficiences of the matter. Besides, my task was not near so easie as it would have been, if I had been only to recite the Intrigues of an Amour, with the liberty to feig surprizing adventures, to adorn the Historical part of the account, and to make a Lo∣ver speak as Passionately as I could, and his Mistress as Kindly as the indulgentest laws of decency would permit. But I was to intro∣duce a Christian and pious Lover, who was to contain the expres∣sions of his Flame within the narrow bounds of his Religion; and a Virgin, who, being as mo∣dest and discreet as handsom, and as devout as either, was to own an high Esteem for an ex∣cellent Lover, and an uncommon Gratitude to a transcendent Bene∣factor,

without intrenching either upon her Vertue, or her Reser∣vedness. And I perceiv'd the dif∣ficulty of my Task would be en∣creas'd, by that of Reconciling Theodora's Scrupulousness to the humours of some young Persons of Quality of either Sex, who were earnest to engage my Pen on this occasion, and would expect that I should make Theodora more kind, than I thought her great Piety and strict Modesty would permit. But for all this; the esteem I had for the fair Martyrs Excellencies, and the compliance I had for those that desir'd to receive an account of so rare a Persons actions and Sufferings, made me resolve to try what I could do. Which I adventur'd upon with the less Reluctancy, because, though I e∣steem'd it a kind of Profaneness, to transform a piece of Martyrology into a Romance; yet I thought it allowable enough, where a Narra∣tive was written so concisely, and

left so unperfect, as That I had to descant upon; to make such sup∣plements of Circumstances, as were not improbable in the nature of the thing, and were little less than necessary to the clearness and en∣tireness of the Story, and the de∣cent connection of the parts it should consist of. I suppos'd too, that I needed not scruple, to lend Speeches to the Persons I brought upon the Stage, provided they were suitable to the Speakers, and Oc∣casions; since I was warranted by the Examples of Livy, Plutarch, and other Grave and Judicious Historians, who make no scruple to give us set Orations, of their own framing, and sometimes put them into the mouths of Generals at the head of their Armies, just going to give Battel: though at such times the hurry and distraction that both they and their Auditors must be in, must make it very unlikely, either that they should make ela∣borate Speeches, or their Hearers

mind and remember them well enough to repeat them to the Historians.

Encourag'd by these Liberties, which I thought I might justly allow my self: I drew up, as well as I could, what you have been told I wrote about Theodora. This I thought fit to divide into two parts; in the first whereof, (which was less remote from being Romantick) I gave somewhat at large the Char∣acters of them both. I mention'd the rise and progress of Didymus's Love; the degeneracy of the then Christians, which provok'd Divine Providence, to expose them to a very Bloody Persecution: I de∣clar'd, how Theodora being involv'd in it, was brought before the President of Antioch; how she re∣solutely own'd her Religion before him, answer'd His Arguments, and resisted both his Promises, and his Menaces; how thereupon the Judge doom'd her either to Sacra∣fice,

or to be prostituted in the the publick Stews. How she, after an eager Debate in her own mind, refusing to offer sacrifice, was, (not∣withstanding her silence) led away to the infamous place; how being shut up there alone in a Room, she employ'd the little time, that was granted her to consider whe∣ther she would yet burn Incense to the Roman Idols, in fervent Prayer to the true God, for a res∣cue of her Purity, not her Life; in order whereunto, she design'd and hop'd by Resistance and Con∣tumelies to provoke her first Assail∣ant, to become her Murderer, ra∣ther than her Ravisher.

These were the chief Contents of the first Book. Those of the se∣cond, were more Historical; and consisted of an account of the last hours of her Life, and particular∣ly of those Sufferings that ended in her and Didymus's glorious Mar∣tyrdom. This piece having been

perus'd by those for whose sake I wrote it; was so fortunate, that it having, without my leave, been ventur'd into several hands, as a Book of a nameless and unknown Author, it was lucky enough to be, by some indulgent Readers, attributed to One, and by some to Another, of the two Persons, that were at that time counted the best writers of disguis'd Histories. But among the many Hands it pass'd through, it seems it fell in∣to some, out of which a great part of the loose sheets, (which were not bound in a Book, but only tack'd together) were not to be retriev'd: whether it were by the negligence, or the contempt, that some had of so unpolish'd a Work; or whether there were some fatality in the Business, that Theodoras Sufferings should outlive her, and her Story be as ill us'd as her Person had been. This loss, (if it can deserve that name) I did not much regret: Since I intend∣ed

not to make the lost Papers publick, and had receiv'd much greater approbation and thanks than they merited, from the par∣ticular Persons they were design'd for. But after I had for many years worn out, not only the sense, but the memory of this loss: It was made more troublesom to me, than ever it was at first, by the earnest solicitations of some emi∣nent Persons, that had a great power over me, and some of them the repute of great Judges of this kind of Composures. For having seen several Sheets, that I acciden∣tally lighted on, in tumbling over some long neglected Papers; they oblig'd me to cause those old rude sheets to be transcrib'd. And tho' almost all the first Book was want∣ing, (upon which account, I could not be remov'd from my Resolu∣tion not to trouble my self about it) yet there was so much of the Second Book, but in parts no way Coherent, little by little re∣triev'd,

that a pretence was affor∣ded to press me to repair those Breaches, and restore out of my memory, or otherwise, a piece, which they would needs perswade me might do some good, by ren∣dring Vertue Amiable, and recom∣mending Piety to a sort of Rea∣ders, that are much more affect∣ed by shining Examples, and pa∣thetical Expressions, than by dry Precepts, and grave Discour∣ses.

If some of your more scrupulous Friends shall object, that I have mention'd Theodoras Beauty more often and advantagously, and repre∣sented her Lovers Passion more Pathetically, than the subject of the story exacted, and the truth requir'd in History would war∣rant; I shall not altogether deny the Charge: Being rather content to have it thought, that a youth∣ful 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heated fancy transported 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pen, somewhat beyond the

narrow bounds of History, than that so Pious a person as Didy∣mus did not keep both his Flame, and the Expressions of it, within the limits of Reason and Religion. But though I pretend not to justifie, all that has been said in the strain of an Encomiast, or a Lover, yet I hop'd that I may much Extenu∣ate, if not Excuse it, by represent∣ing such things as these.

That I have been careful, that Theodora should not be made to do, or say, any thing, that, the great Obligations she had to her Rescuer consider'd, do intrench ei∣ther upon her Piety, or her Ver∣tue, or so much as upon her Re∣serv'dness.

That as for Didymus; I might say, that probably he thought, those Celebrations that would have been Flattery to another Lady, were but Justice to a Person so Extraordinary, and so accomplish'd

as his Mistress; and that he thought it allowable, not to suppress the chast effects of a Passion, that has not only been incident to He∣roes, but perhaps help'd to make them such. But I will rather say, that those only are like to find much fault with his Expressions, who consider not how free they are from any degree of Prophane∣ness or Immodesty: And who are not accustomed to the reading of Stories, where Lovers are in∣troduc'd, and made to Praise and Complement in a far more Bold and Romantick way, than I al∣lowed my self in the following Paper. In which, all the Defer∣ence, wherewith Irene as well as Didymus treat Theodora, may be be accounted for by this; That I remember'd to have, in some Author or other, found Mention made of a Person about Dioclesi∣an's time, Whom I took for our Martyr, that was intimated to be of high Quality, if not a Princess.

which Title I had without scruple given Her, If I had been half as sure that she Was a Princess, as that she Deserv'd to be One.

That perhaps I was not unwilling, both to shew the Persons I wrote for, that One might have glitter∣ing Idea's of Beauty, without be∣ing dazl'd by them; and also to convince them, that high Comple∣ments and passionate expressions, are no certain Marks of His being really Smitten (to speak in a Lovers Phrase) that can Imploy them; since I retain'd my wonted freedom of mind, while I was Writing; and presented them by the mouth of Didymus, but what Fancy, not Passi∣on indited.

And lastly, I was induc'd to al∣low my self a more fashionable Stile, than would perhaps be suit∣able to a meer Sermon, or Book of Divinity, because I fear'd, that the Youthful Persons of Quality of both

Sexes, that I was chiefly to regard, would scarce be sufficiently affect∣ed by unfortunate Vertue, if the interweaving of passages relating to Beauty and Love, did not help to make the Tragical story, Delight∣ful, and the Excellent Sufferers Pie∣ty, Amiable.

If it be objected, that in some of the discourses of the two Mar∣tyrs, there are Passages that argue more Knowledge, than is likely to have been found in Lay Persons no Elder than they. I answer, that such Discourses indeed were some∣what strange, if they were ascrib'd to a young Gallant, and a younger Lady, of Our degenerate Times; wherein so many Persons of that sort, make Diversion their grand Business; and, having as little Lei∣sure as Concern to mind any thing, but their Pleasures and petty In∣terests, think it their Priviledge to know little of Religion, and leave to meaner People the study of

things Serious and Useful. But, though among this sort of Persons, it were so difficult to find many that would Emulate such Knowledge and Vertue as shin'd in Theodora, that I fear they would not so much as believe them; yet among better qualify'd Judges, the lately pro∣pos'd objection will be of no great force, if it be consider'd, that Di∣dymus and Theodora liv'd in the Primitive and devout times of the Church, and in the Roman Em∣pire, when the Christian Religion was as diligently Taught by Excel∣lent Divines, as frequently Op∣pos'd by Arguments, and violently assaulted by Persecutions. Upon which scores, the zealous Candi∣dates of Martyrdom, many of which obtain'd the Crown of it, even in their greener Age, were early and skilfully instructed in the truths of their own Religion, and fur∣nish'd with good Arguments, both to Defend It, and Confute the Er∣roneous Opinions and Impious wor∣ships

of their Heathen Adversa∣ries. Nor is it any wonder, that they should think That Religion worth Studying, that they thought worth Dying for. I will not here examine, whether the Ignorance wont to be imputed to Women, be Their fault, or that of their Ac∣cusers, and whether it is any na∣tural want of Capacity, or rather want of Instruction, that keeps most of them from Knowledge, though This regards not Sexes. But without inquiry, whether it be not our Interest, or our Envy, that Makes Women what we are wont to decry them for Being; I shall not scruple to own, that I have sometimes had the honour to con∣verse with Ladys, that convinc'd me, That, to attain to a great proficiency in Knowledge, 'tis not necessary to be a Doctor of Divi∣nity, or so much as a Man, since they discours'd of Divine things, with no less Wit than Piety. And to return to our Martyr, if we

may judge by the Effects, we may reasonably suppose, that our Vir∣gins Parents not only thought it their Duty, but took much Plea∣sure, to Cultivate so excellent and promising a Subject as their fair Daughter. Since great advanta∣ges of Nature and general Grace should rather Invite, than Excuse, Improvements by Education; as even the Garden of Eden, though an admirably fertile Soil, and plan∣ted by God's own Hands, was not so left to itself, but that Adam was appointed to dress it, and to keep it. And if the Discourses of our Martyrs are sometimes less short than they might have been made; I hope it may be some ex∣cuse, that I was not unwilling, to lay hold now and then of the Ri∣ses afforded me by some occasi∣ons, to shew, that Romantick Sub∣jects are not, as too many Persons of Quality think them, the Only ones, that may be treated of in a Gentleman-like stile; and that even

some noble Questions in Divinity, and some of the severer Dictates of the Christian Morals, may be discours'd of, without the harshness of the School Terms, or the down∣right plainness of some better Meant, than Pen'd, Books of Theo∣logy and Devotion.

'Tis like Sir, you will think it strange, that I make so Pious a Person as Theodora, offer her Breast to Didymus's Sword, and by soli∣citing him to Kill her, tempt him to an Action, which would make her guilty of a Murder, and make him greatly accessory to it. But possibly her Action would not appear very strange, if we were not too enclinable to estimate the Affairs of Past Times, and Remote Regions, by the Opinions and Cust∣omes of our own Age and Coun∣trys. For, what ever we now justly think of the sinfulness of Destroy∣ing a Mans self, whether immedi∣ately or otherwise, yet I must not

deny, but that divers of the An∣cient Christians thought it not Criminal, when it was necessary for the preservation of Chastity. And, if I much misremember not, St. Jerom himself, where he speaks of the unlawfulness of Self-destroy∣ing, intimates, that he excepts the Case of an inevitable danger of a Rape. But my chief answer is, that having found the Virgin Martyrs proposal expresly deliver'd by the Author I was to follow, I judg'd it the part of an Historian not to suppress it; which I ac∣knowledge, I the rather declin'd to do, because Theodoras offer was a noble evincement, both of her Gratitude and her Generosity. And therefore, instead of Omitting so considerable an Action of hers, I chose rather to Set my thoughts a work, to find a plausible Co∣lour for it. Which whether I have happily done, by supplying her with the Example of a Pro∣phet, who, though he would not

cast Himself into the Sea, yet solici∣ted Others to cast him, (and that ha∣ving first bound him) I must leave You to judge.

I freely confess, Sir, that, if the following Piece had been written by One, that I were fond of Cen∣suring, I could my self find enough in it to Criticize upon; and should object against it, besides the want of Uniformity through∣out, That if judg'd of by the strict Rules of Art, it ought to pass for an Irregular Piece. And there∣fore I shall not wonder, if Nicer Criticks, and more vers'd in Ex∣quisite Composures than I pretend to be, shall find fault with this Artless one of mine. But the re∣ception that the following Papers met with, from the Persons for whom they were chiefly written, affords me the Consolation deri¦vable from the ingenious saying of that excellent Wit, who de∣clar'd, He had rather the Dishes

serv'd up at his Treat, should please the Guests, than the Cooks. And I might say too, that some of the Passages that may meet with Censure, would perhaps escape it; if in writing this Book many years agoe, I had not had some Aims, that I then thought more fit to be Pursu'd, than I now do to be Declar'd. Yet I will not here dissemble, that I know it may be thought by some, that this Paper should have consisted less of Conversations, and more of Narratives. But I chose the way of Writing I have employ'd, part∣ly because the Authors I met with furnish'd me with so very few matters of Fact, that if I would have confin'd my self to Relati∣ons; I must have compriz'd this piece in a very few Pages, and have finish'd it presently after I had begun it: And partly too, (and indeed much more) because (as I lately began to intimate) my chief design was not so much, to

perform the Office of a meer His∣torian, as to take Rises from the several Circumstances I should relate, to convey unperceivedly, in∣to the minds of those young Per∣sons of Quality for whom I wrote, Sentiments of true Piety and Ver∣tue. And these I thought would not so happily gain admittance and entertainment, if they were pre∣sented in a Scholar like-Discourse, or aprofess'd Book of devotion, as when they were taken, not from common places but from the Nature of the Things and Persons Introduc'd; and without formality Instill'd by the oc∣casional discourses of a young Gentle∣man and fair Lady, for whom the Beauty and the Merit ascrib'd to the Speakers, had given the Hearers as great Esteem and Kindness. And I shall not scruple to own, that I, who who value time above most other things, did not think it worth the expence of mine, to give my self the trouble of Writing a Book, only to give others a Divertisement in

Reading it. And whilst I was Conversing with such Excellent Company, as our noble Martyrs, and Meditating on such Serious Subjects, as are Death, and the Worth of that Heavenly Religion for whose sake They despis'd It; I found my self Incited, and thought my self Oblig'd, to aim less at the Pleasing of some few Nice Exactors of Regularity, than to Possess many Readers with high and noble Sentiments of the Chri∣stian Religion, and the sublime Dictates of it; and thereby both Elevate their minds to a generous Contempt of all they can lose and suffer for it, and Fill them with bright Idea's of Heroick Vertue, and of the much brighter Glories that will Crown it. By such Re∣flections, I was induc'd not to omit some Passages that seem'd likely to further the main Ends I pursu'd, though I foresaw, that per∣haps some rigid Judges would say, that they might have been spar'd.

For as I writ not a Romance, wherein Authors are wont to aim no higher, than to Delight the De∣licate Readers, and Escape the Criti∣cal ones, by making their Com∣posures Diverting and Regular; so I presum'd that to employ a more Useful, though less Fashio∣namble way of Writing, was al∣lowable for Me, who ought to en∣deavour in such a piece as This, ra∣ther to propose Patterns of Ver∣tue, than Models of Skill or Elo∣quence; and to think it more Suc∣cessful, if the Readers shall upon perusing it, Imitate our excellent Martyrs Piety, than if they should only Applaud their History. Which both as to Stile and Reasonings, is freely submitted to your Judg∣ment, by

Sir,

your most &c.