The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XII. Concerning many other men and women, who suf∣fered Martyrdom in a various and different manner.

WHat need is there now of mentioning the rest by name, or of recounting the mul∣titude of men, or delineating the various sorts of tortures [endured by] the admirable Martyrs of Christ? Part whereof were beheaded, as it happened to those in Arabia; and part were [killed] by having their legs broken, as it befell those in Cappadocia. Some, being hung up on high by the feet with their heads downwards, (a a 1.1 slow fire having been kindled under them,) were suffocated with the smoak that ascended from the com∣bustible matter set on fire, so it befell those in Mesopota∣mia: others had their noses, the tips of their ears, and their hands cut off, and the other members and parts of their bodies were mangled, as it happened at Alexandria. What need is there of re∣newing the remembrance of what was done at Antioch? where some were broyled on b 1.2 Grid-irons set over the fire, not till they were kil∣led, but that their punish∣ment might be prolonged: others were more ready to thrust their right hands into the fire, than to touch the impious sacrifices. Whereof some, avoiding the being put to the test [whether they would sacrifice,] before they would be apprehended and fall into the hands of those that laid wait for them, threw▪ themselves headlong from the tops of high houses, having accounted death to be a gain, because of the malitiousness of the impious. Also, a certain holy woman, (admirable for her virtuous soul, and [her comely] body, eminently famous, beyond all at Antioch, for riches▪ descent, and reputation,) had educated two daughters (virgins that were emi∣nent for beauty, and in the flower of their age) in the precepts of Religion: when many, moved thereto by envy, used all manner of industry in inquiring out the place where they absconded; and it being at length understood they lived in a forrein country, they were with ▪much diligence summoned to Antioch: after the woman knew, that she and her daughters were now incompassed with the Souldiers nets, perceiving her self and daughters reduced to an inextricable state of perill, she exhorted the virgins, expresly declaring to them the mischiess that would befall them from the Souldiers, and that of all evils, ravishment was the most intollerable, the meances whereof it was un∣lawfull for them to endure even to hear: More∣over, having said, that to yield up their souls to the service of devils, was worse than all sorts of death, and all manner of destruction; there was but one way (she declared) to avoid all these evils, which was to flie to the Lord for refuge. Immediately after these words, having all agreed to embrace the same advice, they adorned their

bodies with a decent dress: when they had gone c 1.3 half their journey, having intreated their guard for a short recess out of the way, and that being granted them, they threw themselves into a River which ran hard by: thus these persons [drowned] themselves. At the same City of Antioch, another pair of virgins, in all points divine, and truly Sisters, emi∣nent for descent, splendid as to estate, in the flower of their age, beautifull in body, chast of mind, pious in their conversations, admirable for their industry, (as if the earth were unable to bear so great [an ornament,]) were, by the command of the wor∣shippers of Demons, cast in∣to the Sea. These things were done amongst those [at An∣tioch.] But 'tis horrid to hear the relation of what o∣thers suffered in Pontus: some had sharp reeds thrust up the fingers of both their hands from the very tops of their nailes: others had mel∣ted l••ad poured upon their backs, even whilst the melted metall boiled, which [ran down and] burnt the most d 1.4 necessary parts of their bodies: again, others without any commiseration endured obscene tortures (which are unfit to be related) in their privy members, and bowels; which those * 1.5 cou∣ragious and just judges in∣vented with much earnestness and labour, demonstrating thereby the acuteness of their wit, as if the very power and strength of wisdom [consisted in such cruell inventions:] and striving continually (as if it had been for rewards in a combat) to outdo one another in finding out new sorts of tortures. These calamities therefore were not ended, till such time as [the Judges,] despairing of making any further addition to these miseries, wearied with slaughters, filled and satiated with the effu∣sion of bloud, betook themselves to the thoughts of clemency and humanity, that in future they might seem to invent no further cruelty against us. For it was unfit (they said) to pollute the Cities with the bloud of their inhabitants, and to defame the government of the Emperours (which was benign and gentle towards all persons) by so e 1.6 superlative a cruelty: but that rather it was fit, that the humanity and bene∣ficence of the Imperial au∣thority should be extended to all persons, and that [the Christians] should not any longer be punished with death, in regard those of our Re∣ligion were exempted from such punishment by the indulgence of the Emperours. At that time therefore f 1.7 command was given to pluck out the eyes [of the Christians] and that they should have one of their legs lamed. For such was their civility towards us, and this seemed to them the most gentle punishment [that could be inflicted] on us. In so much that, upon acount of this lenity used by these impious wretches [to∣wards us,] it is impossible to give in any further account of the multitudes (which indeed are al∣together innumerable) both of them who had their right eyes first thrust out with a sword, and after they had been thus prickt out, their [eye∣holes] were seared with a red-hot iron; and also of those, who had their left legs (as far as the bending of their knees) made useless by being seared with hot irons: after which they were con∣demned to the brazen mines which were in the Province, not so much for the service they could do, as upon account of the affliction and misery they should [endure there.] Besides all these, there were many others, who were assaulted with several sorts of combats, which 'tis not possible to give a catalogue of; for their couragious ex∣ploits do surpass all relation. Therefore, the noble Martyrs of Christ, having obtained great renown over the whole world in these [g 1.8 combats,] did both deservedly amaze every where the specta∣tours of their courage; and also exhibit in them∣selves manifest tokens of the truly divine and h 1.9 in∣explicable power of our Saviour. Indeed, the mention of every particular person of them by name, would be very tedious, if not a thing im∣possible.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Such a fire is that, which is made of straw and small sprigs of trees. It is called a slow, or slack fire, to difference it from the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the unquench∣able fire, which we took notice of before. This fire was kindled at some distance, that so the Mar∣tyrs might be choakt with the smoak, rather than burnt. Pio∣nius the Martyr seems to have been killed by such a fire, as his Acts do attest. Seneca (in his third book De Irâ) seems to men∣tion this sort of punishment, in these words, E•• circundati defixis corporibus ignes. Vales.
• b 1.2

  Rufinus translates 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is the term here, grid-irons▪ So also the Old Gloss renders this term. Vales.
• c 1.3

  There may be a double meaning given of these words. For we may either understand that these women had gone one half of their journey; in which sense Nicephorus took the words: or that they stood on a bank which was in the middle of the high∣way. Concerning the Martyr∣dom of these sort of Christian women (who drowned them∣selves for the preservation of their Chastity and Religion,) see S^t August. De Civitat. D••i, book 1. chap. 26. There is extant an encomium of these women in the first Tome of Chrysostome, where the mother is called Domnina, and the daughters Bernice and Prosdoce. The Antiochians, celebrated their Martyrdom on the 20 day after the Feast of the holy Cross; the Greeks placed their Birth-day on Oct. 4. Vales.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; which Rufinus translates elegantly, us∣que ad loca pudenda quibus natu∣ralis egestio procurari soles. The Grecians call [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that part of the body, which modesty for∣bids to be named. Vales.
• * 1.5

  Ironically spoken.
• e 1.6

  The Med. Maz▪ and Fuk. M. SS. read [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,] superlative. Vales.
• f 1.7

  Rufinus says an Edict of the Emperour was set forth, whereby such a sort of punishment was commanded thenceforth to be in∣flicted on the Christians: But I think this not to be true. For the Magistrates themselves, being overcome by the constancy of the Christians, at length betook themselves to this sort of punish∣ment on their own accord. Vales.
• g 1.8

  You must understand [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, combats▪] for he had spoken concer∣ning these just be∣fore. Chri∣stophorson translated these words ill, thus [at this time;] and from them began a new Chapter. Vales.
• h 1.9

  The term here is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, secret.] It seems to be used for [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, inexplicable;] in which sense Eusebius does frequently use it. But if any one will translate it [secret,] I shall not withstand it. Vales.