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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14395	The memorable and tragical history, of the persecution in Africke: vnder Gensericke and Hunricke, Arrian kinges of the Vandals. Written in Latin by the blessed Bishop Victor of Vtica, who personallie (as also S. Augustine the famous doctor) endured his part thereof. With a briefe accomplishment of the same history, out of best authors: togither vvith the life and acts of the holy Bishop Fulgentius, and his conflicts vvith the same nation; Historia persecutionum, quas in Aphrica olim circa D. Augustini tempora, Christiani perpessi sub Censerycho et Hunerycho Vandalorum regibus. English	Victor, Saint, Bishop of Vita, d. ca. 505.; Buckland, Ralph, 1564-1611.	1605 (1605)	STC 24714; ESTC S119124	68,537	182

with sighs and teares they clasped their fellowes knees that they might not be drawne away whome neuerthelesse the rude Heretikes parting with their menacing swordes carryed backe to Carthage But though they were dealt with all not by faire meanes as their age seemed rather to require they were found more resolute then for their yeares and least they should sleepe to death they lighted to themselues the lampes of the Gospels light At this the Arrians conceiued grieuous indignation blushing for shame to see themselues ouercome by boyes and enflamed thereby vvill them to be beaten afresh vvith wandes whome fewe dayes before they had cut with many lashes Sores are made vpon sores and the hurts renewed waxe rawe afresh yet came it to passe through our Lordes assistance that their small age tainted not for payne and their courage increased so that they waxed strong in faith whome nowe Carthage honoureth with great affection regarding this Quyre of twelue boyes as of twelue Apostles They dwell togither they table togither they sing togither they rejoyce in our Lord togither CHAP. XII The Martyrdomes of certayne and the euill entreaty of Bishop Eugenius IN those dayes two Marchants of the same City who both had to name Frumentius vvere crowned vvith a notable Martyrdome Seauen brethren also not by nature but by grace as which liued togither in one Monastery accomplishing the agony of their confession came to the garland vvhose flourish neuer vadeth Liberatus the Abbot Bonifacius a Deacon Seruus a Sub deacon Rusticus a Sub-deacon Rogatus a Monke Septimus a Monke and Maximus a Monke For as then more cruelly did the Bishops Priests and Clergie of the Arrians rage then the King and his Vandals For euery where those Bishops vvith their Clergie ranne vp and downe persecuting vs with their swordes by their sides as namely one Antony a Superintendent of theirs somewhat crueller then the rest whose practises against vs vvere so abhominable and incredible that they can not be vttered His residence vvas in a City neare to the wildernesse which joyneth vpon the Prouince of Tripoly As an vnsatiable beast thirsting after Catholikes bloud he ranne here there roaring after his pray and impious Hunricke acquainted vvith his fierce disposition vvould needes banish Eugenius into the coasts of that wildernesse But Antony to whose custody he was committed kept him so close and straight that no man could haue accesse and besides by sondry afflictions guiles and paynes thought to make him away The holy man while he bewayled the sore persecution and wore out his aged limmes by rough haire-cloth and lying on the bare ground watred his couch vvith deuout showers of teares fell at last into the troublesome disease of the palsey At newes whereof the Arrian conceiuing great joy ranne in hast to the Cell of Gods exiled seruant and when he perceiued the true Bishoppe through stopping of his disease to maffle in speech he cast in minde to destroy him out-right as to whome he wished not long life Willing therefore the sharpest vinegre to be brought that could be found he powred the same into the reuerēd old mans jawes notwithstanding that hee abhorred and loathed it For if the Lord of vs all which came to that end to drinke it when he had tasted it refused to drinke howe much rather should this faithfull seruant and Confessor of his reject it when hereticall fury pressed it vpon him By this vinegre encreased that noysome disease of vvhich yet afterwardes Christ of his pity mercyfully assisting he became hole CHAP. XIII The barbarous and vaine outrage of an Arrian Superintendent against a Catholike Bishop BY the like banishment and vsage of Habet-deum and other of our Bishops is easely manifest how grieuously the City of Tamallum wherein Antony made his abode might be vexed For whereas he had vvith sondry afflictions giuen him vexation neyther could make him an Arrian but found the Champion of Christ alwaies constant in his profession neuerthelesse had promised his confederats to ouercome him saying If I make him not of our religion I am not Antony now perceauing that he failed of his boast he inuented thus to doe Tying the Bishop hand and foote with bigge bandes and gagging his mouth that hee might not crie out he cast vpon him water of rebaptization as he counted it as though he could aswell binde his conscience as his body or that he were not present by his grace who heareth the groanes of the fettered and searcheth the secretes of harts or as though the false water could take away such a perfect resolution as the man of God had already sent to heauen teares being the messengers of his hart He then loosed the man of his bandes and with semblance of great ioy merily saide Behould brother Habet-deum you are now made a Christian of ours what can you now doe but consent to the Kinges pleasure to whom Habet-deum answered Nay wicked Antony there is mortall sinne and damnation where consent of will is obtained I stood fast in faith confessing it with often speech maintained with open protestatiō that which I beleeue now alwaies did After that thou hadst bound me with chaines stopping the entrance of my mouth in the tribunall of my hart sent I vp to the view of the heauenly Emperours the actes of this my sufferance the Angels subscribing thereunto CHAP. XIIII More of the Arrians tyr any and how they rebaptized people by plaine violence LIKE violence was generally vsed by the Tyrāts For the Vandals were to this purpose sent about euery where that they might bring al passingers to be destroyed by their Priestes who when they had slaine their soules with that erronious water gaue them a bill or ticket that they might no more haue violence offered For it was not lawefull either to priuate men or to marchants and men of affaires to passe any where except they shewed a testimoniall discouering the death of their owne soules Reuelation whereof Christ long since opened to his seruant Iohn where hee saith It shall be to no man permitted to buy or sell but to him that hath the marke of the beast in his forehead and in his hand Their Bishops also Priests march about townes villages in the night season with a band of weaponed men and theeues of soules as they were breaking open doores entred in with water and sword and whom they found at home some of them peraduenture sleeping in their bedds they sprinkled with their thunder and fierie showre and all at once with Simoniacall crie called them their Christians so that they seemed rather to make a May-game of their hereticall water then a matter of religion Those of least capacity and dul spirit reputed that by this meanes the sacrilegious abhomination was accomplished in them but the wiser sort comforted thēselues in that it could not hurte them which had beene done to them repugning or sleeping Many did presently cast ashes

according to their desire yee may ordayne Bishoppe whome you will vnder this condition that in like sort the Bishoppes of our religion that are at Constantinople or in any other Prouinces of the East may by his commaundement haue free liberty to preach to the people and exercise Christian religion in what language they will in their owne Churches in such sort as you here or in other Churches of Africke haue free arbitrement to say Masse or preach in your Churches For if this be not obserued towards them not only the Bishop that shal be created and his Clarkes but all other Bishops also with their Clergy ouer the African Prouinces shal be commanded to the Moores As soone as this edict was in my owne hearing read before the whole congregation the 14. Calendes of Iune wee beganne sorrowfully to murmur amongst our selues for that by this politike pretext a persecution vvas like to followe and it is well knowne that to the Ambassador we made this answere If the matter goe thus and stand vpon such pernitious conditions the Church delightes not to haue a Bishop let Christ gouerne it who at all times hath vouchsafed to guide it Which information the Ambassador neglected to admitte and with all the people burned with desire to haue present dispatch vvhose crie vvas intollerable and could by no means bee appeased Eugenius therefore a holy man and one acceptable to God was chosen Bishop of vvhose election the Church of God was greatly recomforted people Catholike liuing vnder a barbarous gouernement triumphed to see the auncient creation of their chiefe Bishop againe renued The greatest number of young men and women by their vniuersall joy well witnessing that they had neuer seene a Bishoppe sitting in his Pontificall Throne This man of God that blessed Priest Eugenius beganne by vertuous conuersation to be reuerently esteemed euen of those without and to be so louing to al that he would gladly haue left his life if it might be for euery of them Such great almes also our Lord did by his meanes exhibit that it seemed incredible how so much could be bestowed where the Barbarous possessed all the Church hauing not the value of on penny His humility charity and piety wherewith he was endued from heauen who so would attempt to expresse he should faile of his purpose It is for certaine that mony neuer stayed with him except perhaps it had beene offered when the Sunne hauing ended his course gaue place to darknesse and then only he reserued what might serue for a day not what couetousnesse might haue vvished our Lord daylie sending him greater store But his fame waxing euery where glorious and manifest the Arrian Bishops especially Cyrill beganne to be tormented with sore enuy and pursued him with daylie quarrels To be short they put into the Kings head not to suffer him to sit in his Pontificall Throne nor preach after his accustomed manner Further to forbidde him that any men or women attyred after the Vandall manner should be seene in the church The Bishop answered as became him The house of God is free for all those which enter no man may driue forth and the rather for that an exceeding multitude of our Catholikes vvent after their guise by reason of seruice in the Kings Court. CHAP. III. The terrible vsage practised vpon Courtiers resorting to the Catholike seruice SVCH answere as soone as the King had receiued from the man of God he ordeyned torturers at the Church-gates who when they espied man or woman clad like one of the Vandall nation forthwith clapping on their heads flesh-hooks and writhing about the same their lockes of haire with a strong twitch pulled away both haire and scalpe withall from the head some being thus serued lost therewith their eyes certayne also dyed outright The women after this torment endured were carried through the streets to the gaze of the City with a Cryer before them which they who suffered it made reckoning of as a great gaine many of whom we knewe but any one of them to haue for the paine forsaken their straight way I neuer knew When by this meanes he could not infringe the constancy of any one of the faithfull he determined that none of our religion being of his Court should receiue their prouision of corne or accustomed penfions He proceeded also to trie them with rurall labours sent men of good calling delicately brought vp to the Country of Vtica there vnder the seruent parching of the Sun to delue for tillage whither all of them cheerefully going forwardes rejoyced in our Lord. Amōgst whome one of the company had a withered hand which for many yeares stood him in no steede who therefore not vntruly alleadged that he could not work yet was he so much the more violently pressed forth But as soone as they came to the place and that all falling to their prayers mourned principally for him through the mercy of God that dry hand of the Confessor became hole This was the entrance of Hunrickes persecution and now began our griefe and trauailing CHAP. II. The horrible tyranny of Hunricke toward his owne linage HE who had nowe begonne to shewe himselfe desirous although it otherwise fell out to leaue his Kingdome to his children after his death persecuted cruelly his brother Theodoricke with his sonnes and the sons likewise of his brother Genton of whome not one should haue escaped had not death interupted his designment First for asmuch as he knew the wife of Theodoricke to be a politike woman he slewe her vpon pretended ruine least by some witty wile she should as I suppose arme her husbāds eldest sonne against the tyrant as she that was both wise and sage After whom was also slayne her eldest sonne who had beene brought vp in learning and by the constitution of Gensericke should first of all his nephewes enjoye the Kingdome being the eldest of them all Proceeding yet farther he resolued vpon more cruelty and caused Iocundus a Bishop of his owne sect whome also they called Patriarch to be buried in the market-place before the staires of the newe streete in face of all the people for no other cause but that he was held very deare in the house of Theodoricke the Kings brother by whose assent it may be that the said familie might haue obtayned the Kingdome Which impious villainy gaue vs to foresee the mischiefe that hung ouer our owne heads saying one to another he that sheweth such cruelty to his owne Priest when will this fellowe spare vs and our religion Next he banished with inhumane exile Godagis the elder of Gentons sonnes and his wife without permitting the solace of seruant or hand-maide His brother Theodoricke likewise his wife and sonne being before slayne he sent packing naked and in distresse after whose death he set his litle infant two daughters of ripe yeares on Asse backes and to their great

Iudge But to true worshippers of the Maiesty diuine that is to say vnto our Priests we by this our constitution doe decree and prouide all manner of Churches belonging to the whole Clergie of the name aboue mentioned in what places or Countries soeuer they stand within these Dominions which by the grace of God are vnder our imperiall gouernment togither with all such thinges as to the same appertayne not doubting but to reliefe of the poore it shall proue more beneficiall which to our thrise-holy Bishops is so iustly giuen We notifie then vnto all men this lawe of ours issuing from the very fountayne of iustice that none may pretend ignorance of our commaundement Fare yee well 6. Cal. of March Carthage CHAP. II. Extreame proceedinges of Hunricke against the Bishops AFTER these lamentable edicts farced with intoxicate poyson he willeth al the Bishops which were assembled at Carthage whose Churches houses and substance he had already seazed to be despoyled in their lodgings and so driuen out of the Towne gates Neyther seruant nor beast nor garment to change was left them It was farther more forbidden that any man should harbour any one of them or giue them susteynance And who so should attempt for pity to doe the contrary he with all his family should be brent by fire Prudently did the Bishops who were then cast forth in that though begging yet they departed not from thence For had they gone their wayes not only should they neuer haue beene recalled but they vvould haue belyed them as they did that they shunned disputation especially because when they should haue retourned their churches had no goodes left all being rifled While therefore the Bishops lay round about the walles in the open ayre it fell out so that the wicked Tyrant went forth towardes the fish-pondes vvhome they thought good to meete in the way saying Why are we so afflicted For what euils committed suffer we this If called to dispute why are we spoyled why are we slaundred why are we deferred and driuen to remayne amongst the dunghils here without in the Country afflicted with hunger and nakednesse farre from our Churches and houses Whome he beholding with a fell regarde before he heard their complaint willed the horse-mē with ful course to ride ouer them that by such violence they might not only be trampled vpon but be slaine outright Many of them were then sore crushed especially aged men Then to the men of God was it commaunded to present themselues and meete him at the Temple of Memory vnwitting what treachery was there prepared CHAP. III. A fraudulent oath is proposed to the Bishops THITHER when they came in a writing deliuered vnto them was this serpentine subtlety inclosed Our Lord King Hunricke although lamenting your obstinacy refusing as yet promptly to obey his will and to become of the same religion where of he himselfe is being now in purpose to deale gratiously with you will if you sweare vnto the contents of this paper send you to your Churches and houses Hereunto answered the Bishops with one voyce We say still as we haue already said and will euer say Christians we are Bishops we are we hold the Apostolicall and only true faith A litle silence hauing ensued after confession of their faith the Kinges commissioners proceeded hastely to extort an oath from the Bishops whereupon the blessed men Bishop Hortulane and Bishop Florentian joyntlie replyed Depute you vs brute beasts that we should easely vnaduisedly sweare ignorant what the writing contayneth The Kings messengers vvithout more stay disclosed to them the purport thereof which with colourable wordes was glosed for thus the entrapping tenour thereof comprized Sweare ye if ye desire that after the death of our Lord the King his Sonne Hildericke succeede in the Kingdome and if none of you will send any letter beyond the Sea This oath if ye refuse not to take he will restore you to your Churches The mercyfull playne meaning of many minded to haue sworne whereas God indeede prohibiteth swearing least Gods people might afterwardes say that the Priests by not swearing gaue cause that their Churches were not restored Others of the Bishops more circumspect smelling out the guilfull treachery denyed to sweare alleaging that it was forbidden by the authority of the Gospell our Lord himselfe denouncing Yea and shall not sweare at all Then inferred the Commissioners Who purpose to sweare let them goe a-part Which vvhen they did by notary was straight enrolled what each said in what City he was entitled The like was done to them that would not sweare Then were both parties committed to warde and not long after the deceiptfull drift of the oath which before lay hid plainely appeared To those which would sweare it was said for as much as contrary to the commandement of the Gospell you vvould haue sworne the Kings will is that you shall neuer see your Churches but being banished you shall lawfully receiue wast and vnhabited places there to husbandry the ground yet with this clause that you shall neyther say Psalmes nor pray or hold any booke to reade in your hand nor baptize nor giue orders nor presume to reconcile any man In like manner to those which refused the oath they said Because you wish not the raigne of our Lordes Sonne therefore you would not sweare for which consideration it is commaunded that you shall be sent away into Corse the Island there to hewe timber for ships CHAP. IIII. The horrible cruelty of the Heretikes the constancy of Dionisia and her Sonne with others THE Beast thirsting after innocents bloud proceeded during that the Bishops vvere not as yet exiled and sent through all the Prouinces of Africke at once his cruell tormentors so that no place no house remayned free from lamentation screeching outcryes They spared not any age or sex but such only as yealded to their will Some they cudgeled with staues some they hunge vp others they burned Women and especially Gentle-women they tortured openly naked against the lawe of naturall honesty One of whome our Country-woman Dionisia I will succinctly intreate of When they sawe that she was not only bolder but more beautiful also then other Matrones they willed her first to be vnrayed and made ready for cudgels Who in her payne cryed boldly vnto them I am assured of my God vexe me how you list only my woman-hood diclose yee not But they with greater rage set her naked vpon an higher place for a publike spectacle Amidst the stripes of the woundes while streames of bloud flowed ouer all her body with a free voyce she spake thus vnto them Ye Ministers of Satan that which you doe reckoning it my reproch is to me an honour Moreouer in so great extreamities and already nowe a Martyr being her selfe vvell seene in the Scriptures she animated others to Martyrdome By this her holy example she saued almost all her Country And beholding her

iniury and wrong then made he a double munition or fortification within the one shutt the women prohibiting vnder to Iustinian the Emperour was this Hilderich euen before hee was Emperour and sundry presents had passed betweene thē There was in the stocke of Gizerich one Gilimer sonne to Genzon of whome is before mentioned and nexte in age vnto Hilderich a skilful warriour of a sore wit well furnished with meanes and euery way apte to inuade the state and who otherwise by proximity and age was expected to succeede But impatient of stay he letted not to thrust farre into the interest royall to vsurpe auctority proceeded to traduce the King vnto the Vandals as a dull and not daring Prince charging him also calumniously that hee entended to resigne and deliuer vp to the Emperor the whole dominion togither with the Vandals To which surmises credite ouerlightly giuen Ilderich after seauen yeares gouernment is togither with Amer and his brother Euagenes committed to ward Gilimer created King Newes wherof being brought to Iustinian the Emperour he by curteous aduertisement wished Gilimer not so to violate Gizerichs will and testament nor persist in so open wrong Vpō which message Gilimer forth with put out Amers eyes and helde the other two in streighter custody and to second Embassadors which Iustiniā shortly sent againe he finally answered that the Emperours curiosity was ouer great to ingest himselfe into the actions of other Princes pretended that Ilderich had attempted somewhat against those of the blood-royall neither ought to be King for that his cares and employments were not vpon his kingdome CHAP. VIII GREAT indignation conceaued the Emperour at his tyrannicall obstinacy Wherefore the Persian warre as God would haue it being with good successe freshly ended Belisarius the great Captaine then present in Constantinople hee resolued enterprise for the liberty of Africke Some repugnance yet therein he found for the common people repiningly murmured obiected the Emperour ●●os fleete that was in like attempt vtterly defeated and the dreadfull ouerthrow giuē to Basiliscus wherby perished an entire army the common wealth became extreamely impouerished they refused therefore to contribute vnto this warre Furthermore not the stoutest of the Captaines in whom lay the hope of wel carrying so great a charge but were discouraged and sore dreaded the greatnesse of the danger seeing first they had to ouercome the Seas then out of ships to assault a strong and potent kingdome The soldiers also so lately returned from the Persian brunts grudged that they shoulde now sodainely bee destined to other vnknowne people and sea-combates ere they had once beene so much as warme in theie owne country None yet was found who had the heart or would presume to disswade the Emperour excepte only Iohn the maister of the Pallace who with a graue and vehement oration dehorted that enterprise which vpon human reasons he held to be abhorred telling him plainly that by this iourney he should abuse to liberally both the blood of his best soldiers and the publike treasurie and abilities of his subiects vpbraiding that Carthage which hee would impugne was distant by land 140. daies iorneies and by sea so farre that scarce in a yeare should report returne of what was done that if he subdued the Vandals yet should he not be Lord of Africa both Sicilie and Italy being vnder those strange nations dominion happily also by this prouocation might hee drawe warres to his owne gates and to the walles of Constantinople He besought him therefore to desist from vndertaking so doubtfull and dangerous businesse and adding labours vnto labours Much moued the words of Iohn the Emperors minde much remitted he of his former feruor towards poore Afric There came not long after a certaine Bishop out of the parties of the East obtaining to relate vnto the Emperor that which he came for told him that he had receiued from God a vision wherein appeared the Emperor himselfe and was sharply by the Almightie reprehēded accused of great impiety that hauing cōceiued the good purpose of deliuering the Christians in Afric from the hands of the barbarous he had afterwards vpō no cause forsaken the enterprise and that God promised the Emperor to assiste him and to bring Africke into his subiection as it had beene vnto the former antient Emperors No longer differred Iustinian annimated by this oracle but furnished ships ordained Belisarius generall CHAP. IX THe first beginning of good lucke to this actiō was that Pudentius an African reuolting from the Vandals sent hasty word to Iustinian that if the army came to Tripolie he should easily obtaine that teritory for that few soldiers were there to resiste Which Belisarius accordingly by the aide of Pudentius brought to good effect Presently vpon which Godas in likemaner one of Gilimers captains gouuernour of the great Island Sardinia and by nation a Goth sent submission to the Emperour saying he chose rather to serue a iust King then a Tyrant whose cōmandments were vniust Towards Carthage were then directed 1000. footmen and foure thousand horsemē with them 400. Eruls and 600. Hunns all vsing their bowes The nauy was in all 500. vessels mariners 3000. and of voluntary aduenturers from Constantinople 2000. In the seauenth yeare of Iustinians empire was this expedition addressed and Epiphanius Bishop of the citie blessing as the maner is the fleet in the Emperours presence led one by one into a ship such soldiers as had lately beene baptized In this fleet passed with the rest Procopius author of this history consailor for the warres vnto the Generall Belisarius and passing by Syracuse he got intelligēce that the Vandals were attempting against Goda but that there was of the Roman forces no dreade at all in somuch that Gilimer as most secure had abandoned the sea costes was resident at Hermione foure daies iorney vp into the contrey Approching to sight of the African shore great consultation was had how to proceed Archelaus contrary to the affection of the soldiers who weary of the sea would presently haue sett to shore perswaded to deferre landing for that all that shore was both subiect to tēpests and destitute of hauens adding that all the townes of Africke except only Carthage were by Gizerich in time past dismātled of their walles for which respects he preferred directly to assaile Carthage neere whereunto was a goodly hauen vngarded from whence their could be no more distance to hold on the lefte hand on the right hand kept he the sea commanding the nauy as well as they could to obserue the proceeding of the army and to keepe neere vnto it In this order marched the army forwards no faster then after 80. furlongs to a daies iorney with such moderation also discipline that the husband men round about hid not themselues for feare but securelie brought all necessaries to the campe and freely sold them CHAP. XI GILIMER vpon first newes of his foes approach wrote vnto his