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. IV. Concerning God's illustrious Martyrs; how they fill'd the world with their fame, having been adorned with divers crowns [of Martyrdom] for Re∣ligion.

FOr who should be able to make a relation of those infinite numbers [of Martyrs] who de∣monstrated an admirable alacrity of mind for the worship of the supream God; not onely from that time the persecution was raised against all the [Christians,] but long before, when the times were calm and serene? For some time since, when the [Devil,] a 1.1 who hath received power over this world, was first rouzed as it were out of a profound sleep, and as yet made his attempts against the Churches in a secret and occult manner, after that interval which followed the perfecution under Decius and Valerian: (for he would not set upon us closely and with an open War; but as yet made tryal onely of those who were en∣gaged in the Milice; for he supposed the rest would easily be vanquished, could he first over∣come them:) Then [I say] you might have seen very many of those who were Souldiers most willingly embracing a private life, rather than they would renounce the worship of the Creator of all things. For when the [Roman] b 1.2 General (who he was it matters not) first set upon persecuting the Chri∣stian Souldiers, and began * 1.3 to take a strict view of, and purge those that belonged to the army; permitting

them freely to choose, whether by obeying they would enjoy that degree of honour they were arrived to, or on the contrary be deprived of it, if they refused to comply with the [Emperours] commands: innumerable Souldiers of the King∣dom of Christ, without all delay or hesitancy, pre∣ferred their confession of him, before the apparent glory and prosperity they were possest of. Some few of which (one or two) procured not onely the loss of their preferment, but death also for their pious and resolute stedfastness: * 1.4 the framer of the conspiracy [against our Religion] being at that time moderate, and presumed to proceed to shed the bloud but of very few: the multitude of believers ('tis likely) terrified him, and made him afraid as yet to enter into an open War against them all. But when he prepared himself more manifestly for an engagement, it is impossi∣ble to relate how many and eminent Martyrs of Christ were visible to the inhabitants of all Cities and Countries.

Notes

• a 1.1

  He means the Devil, who is said in the Go∣spel to be the Princo of this world. Vales.
• b 1.2

  His name was Veturius; he was Magister Militum, the Master of the Camp, or Lieutenant-Gene∣ral of the Army: Concerning whom Eusebius in his Chronicon, at the 17 year of Diocletian says thus, Veturius Master of the Camp persecutes the Christian Souldiers; the persecution against us being from that time begun by degrees. Vales.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 It Imports his doing of the Office of a Judge amongst his Souldiers, exami∣ning the place and order of each of them. The same term occurs book 10. chap. 4. where see note (••.)
• * 1.4

  He means the Devil, not the Ro∣man Gene∣ral, as Chri∣stophorson supposed. Vales.