in great admiration commaunded one day that he should depart from him and retire to his owne house remaining with in doores without taking any sustinance so that he should starue with famine This good Christian remained foure daies without taking any foode and his wife did the like imagining they did an acte of high merit but finding themselues much weakened through hunger they sent vnto our Father to know what they were to doe in that case and hauing answer that they should take their foode they did so and straight recouered there corporall forces hauing already giuen vnto the Tono who afterwarward molested them no more an assay of the interiour forces of their mind to defend by diuine assisistance our holy faith An other auncient Christian called Iohn Mangesuqus a seruant somtimes of Iustus Tacayamancundone hath beene proued by diuerse assayes but he euer answereth that Iustus his Lord with diuerse others of his company died for their faith and that he also would take great comfort if other by sword or fire he might in his death follow the footsteppes of those whom during their life he so much esteemed So that for the present he is by appointment of the Gouernours kept prisoner in such sort as no man may be admitted to speake with him and expecteth day by day to loose his life for his Religion The death of Leo Miz aqui Xinyemen and of his three sonnes IN one of the persecutions past Leo gaue some signes in the exteriour as if he had forsaken being a Christian but he cancelled soone after by penance that errour At such time therfore as this present storme arose calling vnto him his eldest sonne he told him that this time he would shew an other manner of resolution and that hee was determined that neither feare of any what so euer torment nor mordinate affection and loue euen to life it selfe should be able to induce him to commit the like faulte wherefore if hee as being but young would rather depart for some other place then remaining expose him selfe to further daunger that he would procure him fit meanes and opportunity The sonne hauing vnderstood his Fathers opinion and designe finding it for his purpose answered he would goe his waies The called he his three other sonnes demaunding of them whether they would escape away with their brother or surely abide with him Whereunto Andrew Thomas and Iohn made answer they would tarry in their owne Countrey and if it should chance to cost them their liues it should only accomplish their desires The officers of the Tono hauing notice that the eldest sonne was fled fearing least Leo himselfe should also escape away they tooke Iohn and kept him prisoner for a pledge Wherupon Leo made hast vnto the chiefe officers house and hauing found him it is true said he some yeares past in the exteriour I failed if my duty but now I am prepared to die feare not that I will fly from you When he said thus the Iudge not only contenting him selfe with him whō he had prisoner dispatched some who should take his other sonne Thomas vnder the same pretence Meane space arriued there a principall officer of the Tono who examined Leo very particularly concerning the cause of his sonnes flight and he would heare Andrew about the same matter who yet was not prisoner The Father being questioned concerning his faith behaued himselfe like a good and valorouse Christian but the poore sonne I know not how shewed himselfe fainte whervpon he was sent vnto a temple of the Idols to giue some signe that he had abandoned his faith The youth went and when he returned he said the Bonzo would not admit the signe wherof he made offer and so the Iudge commaunded him to giue in baile thereof and that he would send a seruant who should obtaine from the Bonzo what he should desire The timorous youth did so imagining hereby he should be quiet for many yeares but soone after coming to him selfe he repented of his facte and with many teares demaunded humbly pardon of God putting himselfe in prison with his Father and other brothers confessing a new with great courage the faith of Christ The three brothers were called one day before the officers to be examined and many torments were inflicted vpon them in the place The first was by water which they inforce men to drinke in excessiue quantity but for as much as this torment though very painfull seemed to the Iudges not powerfull enough to worke their intent they commaunded that about the calfe or brawny parts of their legges should be strait bound certaine canes bigger then those which we haue which cutting the skinne in sundry places draw forth the blood in great abundance of such as vndergo the tormer It is not yet certainly knowne wherefore they were tortured in this manner but the Common voice is for not declaring the reason why their eldest brother fled and for that being sollicited to forsake their faith they did neuer giue way by any the least word thereunto The Gentils remained wholly amazed made knowne vnto the Tonos Father how the matter had passed and he after diuerse conferences and consultations had with his sonne concluded that they would send vnto those seruants of the Xegun of whom I spake before to vnderstand what was their opinion They hauing vnderstood how all had succeeded as Paynims and enimies of our holy lawe made answer that it was meete they should all be executed All things were presently dispatched according to the opinions of these men and so there was forthwith a messenger addressed vnto Leo to intimate vnto him the sentence from the Tono who promised him that after his death his eldest sonne should be called backe and much honored Our valorous Leo reioyced much here at and gaue thankes vnto him who had brought him the newes he declared what till that time he had kept secret to wit that he had caused his sonne to withdraw himselfe to the end that being a Christian he might not expose himself to the daunger of forsaking his faith whence he coniectured that although he were recalled he would not returne to that place whilst the daungee should continus He added that he was sory for that the officer had beene put to those paines about him the time before when the Christians were examined and that he was sory from his hart for his hauing then obaied the Tono for that albeit he seemed in his exteriour to haue reuolted yet did he euer in his interiour adhere vnto Christ our Lord And I hope said he this day wherein I am to dy I shall purchase and recouer againe what soeuer then I lost through feare And hauing spoken in this manner he went forth with his sonnes and tooke his way towards the place appointed for their death Leo accompanied his steps with those diuine wordes of the Angelicall Salutation and so soone as he came with in sight of the place in which by losse of
who together with all the Nobility plyed him for thirty daies together neither did those onely who were present try their skill but the absent also by letters and large promises of great preferments about the Princes person so he would relent The braue young Champion had no sooner read the first letter tending to this purpose but straight he toare in pieces all the rest of the packet and threw them into the fier At which the messenger amazed bad him looke what he did for that the letters were of great importance and that he might doe much better to change his Religion to whom Francis imposing silence badd him keepe his Counsell for some body els His Father in law did also his best to withdraw him and among other perswasions threatned to take his wife from him vnlesse he yeelded at which Francis smiling replyed that neither wife nor all the world could yeeld should seperate betwixt him and his Religion Meane while the valorous Champion had recourse to his ghostly Father arming himselfe with the holy Sacramēta for greater enterprises At his returne from the good worke newes was brought him that Matthias Xobora Scizaimō was taken and laide in irons for the Confession of Christ at which felicity enuying he begun to exclame with ioy ô happy thrice happy Matthias and taking pen and paper writt him a letter full of spirituall comfort with extraordinary feeling Scarce was the letter made vp and sent when behould foure souldiers gentlemen sent from the Tono to know the present state of his mind which they soone perceiued to be the same and made their report accordingly Herevpon the Tono gaue order that when it grew darke three others should goevnto him and dispatch him out of the way vnlesse he changed his mind The three went at the time appointed and hauing beset the house they came in vpon him and demaunded if he would yet change his mind that therby he might greatly gratify the Tono wheras his obstinacy might peradnēture cause him a deare repentance and no lesse then death At the sound of death Francis turning to them told thē he could neuer looke for more welcome tydings and if they should happē to be the Messēgers thēselues he would receiue them not as men but as Angels from heauen and so saying for reuerence kneeled downe before them The Gentils were out of themselues at so vnaccustomed a manner of proceeding and to comply with their commaund from the Tono tould him plainly they were come to take his life from him and that therefore according to the fashion of Iaponia be might cut vp his owne belly This replied the valient Champion of Christ is forbidden me by the law of Christ but if you haue order to take my heade here it is I will not refuse it Only if you please I le goe first to take leaue of my Mother which was graunted him Then going by certaine secret doores he found her in her chamber and with incredible tokens of ioy he brake forth into these speeches Behould Mother the neure is come which I haue so often and earnestly begged from heauen I am euen now to giue my blood for Christ helpe me to thanke Almighty God for so great a fauour and in token you sorgiue all the faults and offences which I haue committed namely against your selfe giue me your last benediction and with this cast himselfe vpon his knees The poore Mother with eyes drowned in teares tooke him in her armes and embraced him and with a countenance cheered vp answered God blesse thee deare sonne and giue thee grace and strength necessary for so great an enterprise I confesse there is no losse in this world so sensible for in thee I loose all my support and comfort yet I am ouerioyed to see thee dy for Christ. Blessed be his holyname for his benefits bestowed on vs both and this in particulars with that came in his wife and all the standers by burst forth into lobs and teares to see them take their leaues Francis alone stood vndaunted and left her for a pledge the loue of Iesus whom he desired for a last fauour she would alwaies keep in her hart and rather dy then falsisy her faith This done he returned to the roome where he was expected and stretching forth his necke was beheaded for his Religion the 16. of February 1624 in the 24 yeere of his age Francis Sintaro was borne in the kingdom of Cai of noble parentage he was baptized at 16 yeares of age and as he grew in yeares so grew his loue and feare of God he receiued and lodged our Fathers in the kingdomes of Quinocuni and Aqui where he allotted a part of his house his chiefe delight was in seruing Masse and discoursing of heauenly matters his conferences of spirituall and dinine thinges was commonly with teares hauing a tender and most pious hart his zeale of soules was in credible and therfore he spared neither cost nor labour to assist all as well Christians as Gentiles and being gratious and fluent in discourse and conuersant in the Iaponian sect he was heard with exceeding content and no small fruite of many When he had of our Fathers in his house he would call the Christians round about and incite them to Confession and where by night any of ours went to heare Cōfessions he was the man that would accompany them he often fasted and disciplined himself but especially in time of Lent at which time and many others he depriued himselfe of the company of his wife therby to giue himself more freely to his praiers and deuotion So great was his desire of dying for Christ that he was often minded had not our Fathers for iust reasons opposed themselues to put himselfe Prisoner with certaine Religious persons to the end he might be put to death in their company The death of Matthias Xobora Schizaimon MAtthias serued a nobleman who put him in trust with most of his important affaires and therfore in time of these troubles laboured by all meanes both by threates and faire meanes to make him leaue his faith and not preuailing he gaue order he should be bound which Matthias ēdured most willingly for Christs sake A whole day and night was he tyed last vnto a stake by the necke handes and elbowes with sharp small cordes a torment of that nature that many dy vpon it the cordes entring into the flesh to the very bone But all this preuailed litle with Matthias which his Master perceiuing he caused in stead of cordes a great piece of wood to be put about his necke like a yoke for oxen vsually applied to the most famous delinquents and thus was he held the space of 4 daies with his friends and kindred about him to perswade to change his profession All this not taking effect his Master sent a note to the Tono to let him vnderstand what pasted who straight gaue sērēce he should be crucified The Ministers of Iustice going for this
Diego Caruaglio liued The poore Christians were greatly astonished some fled others stood to it valiaÌ„tly The Daisem thinking this a sitt occasion to worke vpon the constancy of Iohn ioyning his people together with the foresaid officers commaunded them to besiege his house and those of other Christians there abouts which they did to the full stealing all they could lay hands on and setting fier on the empty houses but all this made little to Daisem his purpose for Iohn was nothing mooued therwith and the day following he went voluntarily into banishment into the Countrey of Nembu which borders with that of Massamune on the Northside The Christians of Oroxie were in great perplexity sixty of which retired themselues into a little valley neare vnto the place where F. Caruaglio made his aboade who all this while knew nothing of the coming of the officers only carefull of the good successe of Iohn Goto his businesse But whilst they were burning and spoyling a certaine spie gaue them notice that F. Diego Caruaglio with many Christians were in Oroxie whereupon the Gouernor sent presently to take them prisoners The officers coming to Oroxie searched all the houses of the towne and found neither Father nor Christian and being ready to returne they chaunced to espy that valley and suspecting there might be somewhat they found out the little cottages and demaunding what they were that inhabited answer was made that they were Christians retired thither from the fury of persecution There needed nu more for straight they laied handes on them ouerturning their poore cottages and misusing their persons with barbarous cruelty F. Caruaglio seeing this outrage and his poore sheepe in distresse for the glory of God and good of soules with a sweet and smiling countenance he issued forth of his little cabanne and offered himselfe to the Ministers of Iustice saying I am he whom you looke after the Preacher of the law of Christ the only way to true happinesse The officers rushed in vpon him and binding him with many others whom they had most barbarously stipped starcke naked they carried them to Miâ—que to the howse of the Iudges where they were put of and made expect from the morning till midday with no small incommodity to those who were naked and stood in an open place whilst it actually snowed At last brought in the first examined was F. Caruaglio accompanied with two Christians Mathew Magobaius and Paul Quisusque His name countrey quality being asked they demaunded further whether he preached the law of the Christians the Father answered that he had not only preached it but was ready to seale it with his blood After him the other two were examined the one found to haue lodged the Father the other to be his disciple vpon which they were sent to a certaine howse where the Father spent greater part of the night in praier and hearing Confessions At breake of day they were transferred to a place called Midrusaua the Gouernours threatning to take the liues not only of the Christians but of their wiues also Some of the principall Gentills inuited them to their lodging but the ferueÌ„t Christians answered that no lodging should be welcome which could not admit the profession of their faith And so they went on couragiously two of the company not being able to trauaile by reason of their weaknesse and old age were beheaded by their barbarous guides vpon the way in a certaine valley the 9. of February 1624. their names were Alexius Coiemon and Dominique Dosai their heades being off they hacked the bodies in many peeces to try the edge of their swords It is hard to say what they suffered in this troublesome iourney being continually couered ouer with snow That day they came to a place where they were dispersed in seueral lodgings The Father was lodged with the Ministers of Iustice who were curious to heare some points of Christian doctrine which he liberally imparted by explicating the Credo then they asked whether those rumours were true that the Fathers should goe about to vsurpe the kingdom of Iaponia The Father answered that Europe far exceeded for siluer gold pretious stones and all other commodities and therfore it was a thing vnlikly they should forgoe it vpon so vncertaine an attempt and so vnequall a chaunge especially the distance being so great that three yeares are required to performe the voyage That it was easy to see what kingdomes they sought after that is saluation of soules since for the preathing of Christian Religion they suffered all manner of daunger torment and death it selfe The next day the marched after the same manner tyed two and two together with one to guard them with a writing vpon their shoulders importing this word Christians and so they came to Midrusara where they were made stand in the open streets till it was night exposed to the wind and bitter cold In Midrusara were two principall Officers called Safaoca Bingo and Faximoto Bungo the prisoners were not immediatly brought before these but were examined first by certaine Notaries who set downe punctually in writing all their answers and namely that they would rather dy then deny their Faith The day following the two chiefe officiers informed of what had passed called for the prisoners before them and intreated the Father to perswade the rest from their Religion the Father answered it was a part of his office to doe quite the contrary Little pleased with this answer they tryed all the rest one after an other but found them all in one tune at which they storming and turning to the Father they threatned to send them to the Citty of Iendo there to receiue a most cruell death The Father answered He would count it a speciall fauour to be cut in pieces for the faith be preached Hereupon the officers against the custome of Iaponia caused the wife of Mathew called Sabina to be taken prisoner Shee was bound and so ledde before them The officers importuned the Father to disswade her at least being a woman from Christian beliefe but he answering as before they tryed themselues by all meanes to withdrawe her but she constantly preuailing was sent a way some of the rest were sent to the house of a principal officer who by threats and promises sought to ouer come them this not preuailing he caused their leggs to be pressed betweene certaine boards with excessiue torment Leo and Mathias only were put to this torment for the officer perceiuing them so coÌ„stant would passe no further but sent them to Xindai to the Gouernour Suò to the end he might dispose of them at his pleasure They tooke their iourney straight bound and well guarded as before and vpon the way met with a certaine Christian called Michaell who did all he could to make the Sargeants lead him prisoner with the rest but could not obtaine his suite because he was a stranger The paines of their iourny were extraordinary by reason of continuall raine snow and
least the good will where with I offer my selfe to death to preserue inuiolable Gods holy truth will be acceptable to his diuine Matesty And so her husband setting her on horsebacke and tying her with cordes for fear of falling brought her by the helpe of God safe and sound to the place he determined Soone after the persecution in Iagami ceased without further preiudice to Catholicke Religion But those good Christians began to haue remorse for hauing put their hands to that writing imagining that thereby they had been decaued Whereupon diuerse of them resolued to go backe to the Iudge and tell him resolutely they were Christians and that he should not for beare to molest them in regard they had subscribed which the Iudge perceiuing answered they might remaine as constant in their Religion as they would and for their greater comfort gane order that those Christians who were departed the Countrey should returne againe and all of them enioy their Religion in peace as formerly they had done There was also neere vnto these partes a Christian named Gaspar much molested by the Lord of Ioysusi who finally seized vpon his goods cast him out of doores and banished him the Countrey keeping his wife and Children in prisons although she within few daies was permitted to go after her husband They assaulted Gaspars Mother in law who dwelt in a village not farr of But his good example had now made her too strong against this battery For being sollicited to comply wtih the Tono his will and go to a Temple of their Idolis she made answer that all they could do should neuer bring her vnto it Hereupō hey threatned to burne her in the forhead with an iron by diuerse other meanes to dilgrace her But she with great courage laughing at their threates and expecting a whole day and a night the effects of their meaning when she law nothing likely to be done finally other owne accord went into banishment there quietly to enioy the liberty of her conscience In like manner did a young man named Mansius a neighbour of Gaspars who being much molested by a seruant of the Lord of that Countrey with his Mother and sister departed thence to free himself from daunger of loosing his Religion So haue many more done who with great alacrity chose rather to be ablent frō their Natiue Countrey then put themselues in daunger or offending God The subiects of the Countrey called Omuradono liuing together with those of Nabexima all of them were commaunded to appeare before the Tono of Fucofori and answer for themselues Thirty of them tooke ship being accompanied to the water sine with their wiues and kindred all full of greef for that they imagined they should meet no more in this world Yet all that accompanied them with one accord exhorted them to spend their blood in defence of their faith Being arriued to Fucofori they were taken and examined each of them a part but they like old beaten so ildiers with great constancy suted words to their profession answering in such fort as the Iudges were little pleased and therfore co nmaunded the principall men amongst them to be stripped and naked as they were to be exoosed to wind and weather the season at that time as in winter being very cold There was a young man who had carried himselfe very couragiously whom the Iudges to make further triall of him cōmaunded since he would not conforme himselfe and obey their wills to put one of his fingers into the fier The noble Christian zealous of Gods honour and deeming that by this act he should giue a pregnant testimony of his faith vndauntedly put his finger into the fire and suffered it there to be burned with great admiration of all the Gentills who being satisfied much herewith and contented that the Christians in thinges extrinsecall to Religion would obey them sent the young man and all the rest full of merites backe to their houses The Christians being returned ioy ull at their good successe were now out of farther feare when the Gouernours Lieutenant being highly offended with a more zealous then prudent act of a Christian sent some Gen ills his seruants with commission to enter in vpon the Christians houses and constraine them to subscribe not alleadging any cause vnto them but adding many threates of future punishments the Christians for the most part conformed themselues some with remorse some without any difficulty subscribing so that their neighbours who had not subscribed reprehended them much and told them that they would not from thence forward haue any communication with them in regard they held them as excommunicated persons Wherupon these poore soules fell into such scruples and afflictions of mind that they would neither sow their corne nor till the ground as the season required but like men distracted let all run at random which one of our Fathers vnderstāding made ha◠vnto them and bidding them be of good courage taught them what they were to doe in like occasions for the time to come Some were of so tender consciences that for feare of future scruples they would by no meanes subscribe vnlesse the cause of their subscription were hrst made knowne vnto them and therfore abandoning their houses village and all other affaires went to seeke a dwelling place else where One there was of that holy company by name Iohn whose sufferance was most remarkable He together with his wife and children hauing notice of the Tonos officers whē they came first to make the Christians deny their faith retired himselfe into a great wood which was vnder the dominion of an other Lord where he made his abode for fifteene daies together in the cold time of winter and howbeit he endured very much yet he was so faue from being dismaied that he shewed himselfe most ready to dy in that distresse rather then hazard the losse of his faith Neither did he want followers of his rare example some remaining two whole daies some three in the woods and deserts without any food at all to speake of When the first storme was ouerblowne this Iohn was called home by his frendes But the forsaid officers returning the second time with their former intentrō he vtterly refured to subscribe and so returning againe into the forrest settled himselfe there in a poore cottage made vp for him by other charitable Christians and as a Father reported who contessed him and his whole family it that wood liued very contentedly deeming it farre better to suffer all temporall miseries then to be in danger of denying his faith The persecution of the Christians of the Citty of Firando and the territory belonging to it in which eight and thirty suffered death MAssura Figendono Lord of the state of Firando knowing how malitiously the Xogun was bēt against Christians thought good to feed his cruell humour the onely meanes as he conceiued to establish himselfe in that place of gouernment Wherefore he resolued vpon a persecution and
her selfe to the Tonos officers As she was going she met with those who had put to death her husband and the other two she presently stayed to heare what they would say and their proposition was the same which they had made to the rest to which she replyed I was baptized being but two yeares old and haue perseuered in the Christian Religion seauenty more can you imagin that I meane to forsake it now They left her for the present because it was night but the next day they came againe and receiuing the same answer led the good old woman to the place where they had beheaded her sonne Alexius told her that she must either change her Religion or dy the same death She imbraced the latter and kneeling downe with a cheerfull countenance first recommended her selfe to our Lord then offering her head to the sword died with the sweet names of Iesus and Mary in her mouth The wife of Lucas being thus dead the persecutours exercised their cruelty vpon the children of Alexius one of the which Thomas was ten yeares old an other fiue and the third an Infant borne three or foure daies before the Fathers death as yet vnchristened This bloody office was committed to a seruant of the house who by order of Figendonos Ministers cut of their heades All these Christians had been baptised by our Fathers except the little girle which was baptized in her owne blood A rare case in Iaponia which caused great admiratiō both for the infantes littlenesse and the cause of such a murder The death of Isabell Mother of Damianns and Beatrice his wise with their foure Children IN the yeare of our Lord 1622 Damianus being put to death and all his goods confiscated his wife with all her family was kept prisoner in her owne house hauing continually a double guard vpon her and a cord about her necke which was so tyed that she might neuerthelesse stirre about and dispatch her ordinary businesse The keepers weary of that tedious office did extreamly molest her by vrging her to forsake the Christian faith but she alwaies the same not the least daunted with the miseries of pouerty and long imprisonment answered onely this that she would be her husbandes companion as well in death as life ready to suffer all trouble and vexation for the loue of Iesus christ At two yeares end order came for the beheading of Beatrice and her children which they vnderstanding did euen leap for ioy only poore Isabell whose sentence was not come hung downe the head and shewed such manifest signes of true sorrow that the messenger acquainted the Tonos Lieutenant with it and he presently commanded she should dy with the rest At these happy tydinges the good old woman was reuiued and putting one her best apparell as the rest had done prepared for death Paul a child of eleuen yeares whilest the rest were making themselues ready with great ioy was very sad and pensiue by reason that some as he vnderstood were gone to beg his pardon but at length word was brought that no pardon would be granted Then might you haue seene in the face of this manly child a picture of his ioyfull hart so did he on the sudden pull vp his spirits and with marueilous alacrity make ready for death They departed al together from their owne house cheerfully bidding adieu to their friendes who met them vpon the way signified by their teares how loath they were to leaue them being no more to meete in this life Thus they imbarked being come within sight of the Iland Nacaie where Damian and his companiōs had suffered two yeares before Beatrice began to offer vp praiers of thankes giuing to the diuine Maiesty for the benefit bestowed vpon her husband and willed the rest for that end to recite with loud voices such praiers as they knew by hart By the way they met with the wife and Children of Iohn who were going also to shed their blood for the loue of Christ O happy encounter Who can expresse the reciprocall ioy the cordiall greetinges the zealous exhortations of these noble Christians There was no lamenting of each others hand fortune but mutuall encouragements to constancy and perseuerance which with vnited hartes and tongues they begged of the diuine goodnesse ioyning their two deuout quires in a consort of melodious praiers Thus cutting the waies with their oares and pearcing heauen with their voices they arriued at Gigoco a place of the Iland Nacaie Here the sixe first went a Land and Beatrice to giue her children good example was the first to kneele downe which she did with a marueilous courage manly spirit then lifting vp her handes to heauen and praying a while offered her head which with one stroke was deuided from her body Paul would be the next after his mother and was already vpon his knees but the cruell hangman seeing him girt in such sort with a towell as might hinder his blow bad him vnty it which he without the least signe of feare rising vp did very dexterously and then speedily falling downe vpon his knees againe as greedy of death with handes stretched forth to heauen whither he was taking his flight most deuoutly called vpon the holy names Iesus Maria and at the second stroke of the hangman lost his head and got a laurell Iohn the second sonne onely nine yeares old stood all this while on the right hand of his mother learning as well by her example as that of his elder brother how to play his part Wherefore knowing that his grandmother had chosen the last place and thinking it no pride to precede his sisters in such an occasion full of sweet deuotion well befitting his tender yeares bowed his knees to the ground and receiuing a mortall blow flow with his blessed soule to heauen No sooner were these three dead but the bloody butchers by exercise of cruelty growing more cruell tooke the younger sister by name Isabel onely leauen yeares old in most barbarous manner throwing her downe vpon the dead body of her mother cut her in peeces with their Cimitaries So did the mother become an Altar for the pretious sacrifice of her innocent daughter and the blessed child restore her blood and life to the fountaine from whence it sprung Magdalen the elder sister and eldest of the foure yet not aboue the age of thirteene yeares was so strengthened with the vigour of Gods holy grace that no cruelty could abate her courage wherefore drawing neare to her mothers body she knelt downe close by it with some holy enuy it may be to her sisters happy lot and imploring the assistance of Christ Iesus and the Virgin Mary was beheaded and crowned with glory at the same time Now had the good old Isabel obtained the first part of her desire which was as she said to see those dearest pledges out of daunger and safely placed in heauen the second was to beare them company of which she was