would willingly comply with his request, if before. The inhabitants of Prague met him, the practice of his religious family would be on his arrival, with great joy, and promised agreeable to him; he told him that the house obedience to his directions; but they soon in which he and his people lived, was given forgot their promises, and relapsed into their to them by those of Mount Cassino; and former vices, which obliged him, a second therefore it might not be safe for him to re- time, to leave them, and return to his monceive one that had left that community, but astery. Nevertheless, the archbishop of he advised him to return to Rome, and apply Mentz sent another deputation to Rome, and to Leo, an abbot of his acquaintance there, desired that his suffragan might be again orto whom he gave him a letter of recommen- dered back to his diocese. Gregory V., who dation. Adalbert went to Rome, where he was then pope, commanded him to return to found Leo, who, after putting his virtue and Prague; and, with great reluctance, he courage to proper trials, conducted him to obeyed. the pope, and, with the consent of that pon

The Bohemians, however, did not look tiff, and the whole college of cardinals, gave upon him as before, but deemed him the him the habit on Holy Thursday in the year censor of their faults, and the enemy of their 990. We have already said, that he had pleasures, and threatened him with death been attended only by three select persons upon his arrival; but not having him yet in ever since he had the pope's advice for re- their power, they murdered several of his signing his bishopric: two of them now left relations, plundered their estates, and set him; but the third, who was his brother, fire to their houses. Adalbert had intelliGaudentius, followed his example, and en- gence of these outrageous proceedings, and gaged in the same community. Adalbert, did not judge it prudent to proceed on his full of humility, took a particular pleasure journey. He therefore went to the duke of in the lowest employments of the house, and Poland, who had a particular respect for lived an excellent pattern of Christian sim- him, and engaged that prince to sound the plicity and obedience. Bohemians in regard to his return; but could The archbishop of Mentz, the metropoli- get no better answer from that wretched tan, being exceedingly afflicted at the disor- people, than "that they were sinners, hardders in the church of Prague, and wishing ened in iniquity; and Adalbert a saint, and for the return of the bishop, with whose re- consequently not fit to live among them; for treat he was not, for some time, acquainted, which reason he was not to hope for a tolerafter five years' absence, heard that Adal-able reception at Prague." The bishop bert was at Rome, when he sent a deputa- thought this message discharged him from tion to the pope, to press his return to his any further concern for that church, and bediocese. The pope summoned a council to gan to direct his thoughts to the conversion consider of the deputation, and after a warm of infidels; for which purpose he repaired to dispute between the monks and deputies, the Dantzic, where he converted and baptized latter carried their point, and Adalbert was many, which so enraged the Pagan priests, ordered to return to his diocese; but, at the that they fell upon him, and dispatched him same time, had permission to quit his charge with darts, on the 23d of April, A. D. 997 again, if he found his flock as incorrigible as

L2

BOOK IV.

PERSECUTIONS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES, FROM THE ELEVENTH TO THE SIXTEENTH

CENTURY.

SECTION I.

Persecutions in the Eleventh Century.

ACCOUNT OF ARCHBISHOP ALPHAGE. land, was obliged to interpose, and he conALPHAGE, archbishop of Canterbury, came secrated Alphage to the vacant bishopric, to from a considerable family in Gloucester- the general satisfaction of all concerned in shire, and received an education suitable to the election.

his birth. His parents were Christians, and The behavior of Alphage was a proof of Alphage inherited all their virtues. He his being equal to the dignity of his vocation. was prudent, humble, pious, and chaste; and Piety flourished in his diocese; unity was made a rapid progress both in polite litera- established among his clergy and people; ture and theological learning. In order to and the conduct of the church of Winchesbe more at leisure to contemplate the beau- ter made the bishop the admiration of the ties of divine history, he determined to re- whole kingdom. Dunstan had an extraordinounce his fortune, quit his home, and be-nary veneration for Alphage, and when at come a recluse. He accordingly retired to the point of death, made it his ardent request a monastery of Benedictines, at Deerhurst, to God, that he might succeed him in the in Gloucestershire, and soon after took the see of Canterbury; which accordingly haphabit. Here he lived with the utmost tem- pened, though not till about eighteen years perance, and spent the greatest part of his after Dunstan's death. In the course of that time in prayer. But not thinking the aus- period, the metropolitan church was governterities he underwent in this monastery suffi-ed by three successive prelates; the last of ciently severe, he retired to a lonely cell whom was Alfric; upon whose decease, in near Bath, and lived in a manner still more 1006, Alphage was raised to the see of Canrigid; but some devout persons finding out terbury. The people belonging to the diohis retreat, his austere life soon became the cese of Winchester were too sensible of the subject of conversation in the neighboring loss they sustained by his translation, not villages, whence many flocked to him, and to regret his removal to Canterbury. begged to be taken under his pastoral care. Consenting to their importunities, he raised a monastery near his cell, by contributions of several well-disposed persons; formed his When Alphage had governed the see of new pupils into a community, and placed a Canterbury about four years with great repuprior over them. Having prescribed rules tation, the Danes made an incursion into for their regulation, he again retired to his England. Ethelred, who then reigned, was cell, fervently wishing to pass the remainder a prince of a very weak mind, and pusillanof his days in religious security; when the following affair again drew him from his re

treat.

Soon after, he was made archbishop, he went to Rome, and received the pall from pope John XVIII.

imous disposition. Being afraid to face the enemy himself, and too irresolute to furnish others with the means of acting, he suffered his country to be ravaged with impunity, and the greatest depredations to be committed by the enemy.

The see of Winchester being vacant by the death of Ethelwold, a dispute arose respecting a successor to that bishopric. The clergy had been driven out of the cathedral Upon this occasion, the archbishop Alphfor their scandalous lives, but were admitted age acted with great resolution and humaniagain by king Ethelred, upon certain terms ty; he went boldly to the Danes, purchased of reformation. The monks, who had been the freedom of several whom they had made introduced upon their expulsion, looked upon captives; found means to send food to others, themselves as the chapter of that church; whom he had not money enough to redeem, and hence arose a violent contest between and even made converts of some of the them and the clergy who had been re-ad- Danes: but the latter circumstance made mitted, about the election of a bishop; while the Danes, who still continued Pagans, both parties were vigorously determined greater enemies to him than they would upon supporting their own man. This dis-otherwise have been, and they were deterpute at last ran so high, that Dunstan, arch- mined to be revenged on him. Edric, an bishop of Canterbury, as primate of all Eng-English malcontent and traitor, gave the

ment, when having intoxicated him, he sent of that monarch, however, prevented him for Julia in the name of her master. The from receiving any relief; for Maurice, who slave, not suspecting the design, immediately succeeded him, had no opportunity of affordwent; when the governor told her that he ing any succor to Hermenigildus. The king would procure her liberty, if she would sac- immediately laid siege to Seville; the prince rifice to the heathen gods; but, not being defended the place with great bravery, and able to prevail, he ordered her to be severely held out for twelve months; but finding that beaten, and finding her still resolute, he com- the city must soon be taken, he privately manded that the hair of her head should be made his escape, and fled to the Roman pulled up by the roots. This barbarity hav- troops to beg protection; when being ining no greater effect, he sentenced her to be formed that they intended to give him up, hanged. Scarcely was Julia dead when Eu- he precipitately retired to Corduba, and from sebius recovered from his intoxication, and thence to Asseto, which he fortified. On understanding what had passed, he, in the the escape of the prince from Seville, that first transports of his resentment, thought city surrendered, and the king having put a of complaining to the emperor, who being a garrison in it, pursued his son, laid siege to Christian, would have punished the perfidy Asseto, and soon obliged it to surrender. of the governor; but reflecting that Felix The prince being thus driven to extremities, had only acted with zeal for the deities he flew to a church for sanctuary, when the himself adored, he determined to put up with king having a respect for the sanctity of the the loss, and retire from the place. place, sent an officer, named Reccaredus, to assure him of his pardon, upon his submitting CRUELTY OF A KING TO HIS CHRISTIAN SON to ask it. The prince believing his father Hermenigildus, a Gothic prince, was the to be sincere, immediately went to him, and eldest son of Leovigildus, king of the Goths, threw himself at his feet: the king, howin Spain. This prince, who was originally ever, instead of forgiving him, loaded him an Arian, became a convert to the orthodox with chains, and carried him to Seville, faith, by means of his wife, whose name was where he endeavored to make him renounce Igonda. The king, on hearing that his son the Christian faith both by promises and had changed his religious sentiments, strip- menaces. Nevertheless, the prince remained ped him of the command at Seville, where true, and at the feast of Easter, when the he was governor, and threatened to put him king sent an Arian bishop to him to adminto death, unless he renounced the new faith. ister the eucharist, Hermenigildus refused On this, the prince, in order to prevent the to receive it; which so enraged the king, execution of his father's menaces, began to that he caused him to be cut to pieces by his prepare for defence; and many of the ortho- guards, on the 13th of April, A. D. 586. dox persuasion in Spain declared on his side. The king, exasperated at this act of rebellion, began to punish all the orthodox Chris- Anastasius, a Persian, was brought up a tians who could be seized; and thus origin- Pagan, and bore arms as a soldier under Cosated a very severe persecution; he marched roes, king of Persia, at the time that monagainst his son at the head of a very power-arch plundered Jerusalem; and, among other ful army; and knowing that he could not things, they carried off the very cross on oppose the formidable force that his father which Christ was crucified. Anastasius was bringing against him, he implored the could not imagine why the Christians had assistance of the Roman troops that were such a veneration for a person who had died left to garrison those parts of Spain which so mean a death as that of being crucified; the emperor still possessed. The Roman com- for that mode of death was held by the Permander undertook to assist Hermenigildus, sians in the greatest contempt. At length but being bribed by the king, he broke his some Christian captives instructed him in promise. Leovigildus then made it his busi- the whole Christian mystery, and being ness, as much as possible, to detach the or- charmed with the purity of their faith, he thodox Christians from the interest of his left the army, and retired to Syria; here he son; and in this he had great success, for it learned the trade of a goldsmith, and then was effected in 581, by convening the Arian going to Jerusalem, he supported himself by prelates at Toledo, who abolished the prac- that business; was baptized by Modestus, tice of rebaptizing those who came over to vicar-general of Jerusalem; and staid a week their sect; and he drew up a captious pro- with his godfather Elias. When that time fession of faith, which deceived many, and was over, and he was to quit the white clothes prevailed upon them to quit the interest of which he wore at his baptism, according to Hermenigildus. Hence finding himself for- the practice of the church, he desired the saken by numbers of those whom he most priest would put him in a way of renouncing confided in, the prince was obliged to retreat towards Seville, in which city he so shut himself up, and sent to Con for assistance from the empero.

ACCOUNT OF ANASTASIUS.

the world. Elias recommended him to Justin, abbot of a seminary four miles from Je

lem, who employed a person to instruct In the Greek tongue, and teach him the

Psalms; and then admitted him into his com- | he had not the power to perform his undermunity. Anastasius passed seven years in taking. Olympius thus finding it would be that house, dividing his time between hum- very difficult to destroy Martin, put himself ble domestic employments, and administer- at the head of his troops, and marched against ing the word of God; and at length he con- the Saracens, who had made some inroads ceived a strong desire to lay down his life into Italy, but during this expedition he died. for his Redeemer. His successor was Calliopas, who received On going to Cæsarea, which was then in express orders to seize Martin, which, with the hands of the Persians, he was taken up the assistance of a considerable body of solas a spy, and brought before Marzabanes, the diers, he performed; showing the clergy the governor, to whom he owned that he was a imperial mandate, which commanded him to Christian, and was sent to prison. Many at- dispossess Martin of his bishopric, and carry tempts were made to convert him, and at him a prisoner to Constantinople. Having length Justin, being apprized of his sufferings, recommended him to the prayers of the whole community, and sent two of his people to encourage him to perseverance.

endured various hardships, during a tedious voyage, he reached the imperial city of Constantinople, and was thrown into prison. While in confinement, he wrote two episThe governor at length wrote to the king tles to the emperor to refute the calumnies concerning Anastasius, and the sovereign did forged against him with respect to his faith all in his power to engage him to renounce and loyalty; for a proof of the soundness of his religion, but finding his endeavors in vain, the former, he appeals to the testimony of the he ordered him to be executed, which was whole clergy, and his own solemn protestaperformed in this manner: he was laid upon tion to defend the truth as long as he lived; his back, with a piece of wood across his and in answer to the objections made against legs, pressed down with the whole weight the latter, he declares he never sent either of two strong men: he was then severely money, letters, or advice, to the Saracens, beaten, hung up by one hand, with a weight but only remitted a sum for the relief of poor fastened to his foot; and after being strangled, his head was cut off, and sent to the king.

BISHOP MARTIN.

Martin, bishop of Rome, was born at Lodi, in Italy. He was naturally virtuous, and his parents bestowed on him an excellent education. He took orders, and on the death of Theodore, bishop of Rome, was advanced to that important see, by an unanimous election, in which all parties gave him the fullest praise, and admitted that he well merited a trust of such importance.

Christians among those people: he concludes with saying, that nothing could be more false than what the heretics had alleged against him concerning the blessed Virgin, whom he firmly believed to be the mother of God, and worthy of all honor after her divine Son. In his second letter, he gives a particular account of his being seized at Rome, and his indisposition and ill-usage since he was dragged from that city; and ends with wishing and hoping his persecutors would repent of their conduct, when the object of their hatred should be removed from this world.

The first vexation he received in his epis- The fatigues that Martin had undergone, copal capacity, was from a set of heretics, and his infirmities, were so great, that on the called Monothelites; who, not daring, after day appointed for his trial, he was brought the express decisions of the council of Chal- out of prison in a chair, being unable to cedon, to maintain the unity of nature in walk. When he was before the court, the Christ, asserted artfully, that he had but one judge ordered him to stand, which not being will and operation of mind. This sect was able to do, two men were ordered to hold patronized by the emperor Heraclius; and him up. Twenty witnesses were produced the first who attempted to stop the progress against him, who swore as they were diof these errors, was Sophronius, bishop of rected, and charged him with pretended Jerusalem. Martin, who on this occasion crimes. Martin began his defence, but as coincided in sentiments with the bishop of soon as he entered upon an investigation of Jerusalem, called a council, which consisted the errors which he had combated, one of of 105 bishops, and they unanimously con- the senators stopped him, and said, that he demned the errors in question. But the em- was only examined respecting civil affairs, peror, provoked at these proceedings, ordered and consequently that ecclesiastical matters Olympius, his lieutenant in Italy, to repair had nothing to do in his defence. The judge to Rome, and seize the bishop. The lieuten- then prevented him from going on. Martin ant performed the journey; but on his arrival was then ordered to be exposed in the most at Rome, he found the prelate too much be- public places of the town, and to be divested loved to induce him to attempt any open vio- of all marks of distinction; but all these lence; he therefore suborned a ruffian to rigors he bore with Christian patience. assassinate him at the altar; but the fellow, After lying some months in prison, he was after promising to execute the deed, was sent to an island at some distance, and there Beized with such horror of conscience, that cut to pieces, A. D. 655.

JOHN OF BERGAMO.

ions. Gozbert also commanded the attention of his Pagan subjects to Kilien's doctrines; and the greatest part of them became Christians in less than two years.

John, bishop of Bergamo, in Lombardy, a learned man, and a good Christian, did his utmost to clear the church from the errors Gozbert had married his brother's widow, of Arianism, and joining with John, bishop for which Kilien, though he knew the sinfulof Milan, he was very successful against the ness of the thing, did not choose to rebuke heretics. Grimoald, however, an Arian, hav- him till he was thoroughly confirmed in his ing usurped the throne of Lombardy, the faith. When he thought him fully instructed orthodox Christians feared that heresy would in the principles of Christianity, he entreated rise once more in that country; but the him, as the last proof of the sincerity of his bishop of Bergamo used such persuasive ar- conversion, to quit that person whom he had guments with Grimoald, that he brought him hitherto looked upon as a wife, as he could to profess the orthodox faith. On the death not cohabit with her without committing of Grimoald, and his son who succeeded him, sin. Gozbert, surprised at the proposal, Pantharit came to the crown, and again in- told the bishop this was the hardest demand troduced those errors which had been com- he had ever made upon him. "But," said bated with such spirit by the true clergy. he, "since I have renounced my own incliThe bishop of Bergamo exerted himself nations and pleasures in so many particulars strenuously to prevent the heresy from for the love of God, I will make the work spreading, on which account he was assassi- complete, by complying with your advice in nated on the 11th of July, A. D. 683.

MARTYRDOM OF KILIEN.

this too." The wife of the governor, in consequence, determined to be revenged on those who had persuaded Gozbert into such a resolution. She sent accordingly to the

Kilien was born in Ireland, and received place where they usually assembled, and from his parents a Christian education. His had them all beheaded. Kilien and his comfavorite study was theology, and hence he panions submitted without resistance, the was very assiduous in bringing many to the former telling them, that they need not fear light of the gospel. Afterwards he crossed those who had no power over the soul, but the sea, with eleven other persons, in order could only kill the body, which, in a short to make converts on the continent. On land- time, would of itself decay. This happened ing, they directed their route to the circle A. D. 689, and the martyrs were privately of Franconia, in Germany. On arriving at buried in the night, together with their the city of Wurtzburgh, they found the peo- books, clothes, &c. &c. It is said, that some ple in general, and their governor Gozbert, days after this impious tragedy was acted, Pagans; but conceived great hopes of con- Gozbert, surprised that he had not seen verting them to the gospel faith. Previous Kilien lately, ordered diligent search to be to making this attempt, however, he deemed made for him. Geilana, his wife, to stop it necessary to go to Rome, in order to ob- the inquiry, gave out, that he and his comtain his mission from the pontiff. He accord- panions had left the town, without giving ingly went thither, attended by Coloman a any account of their motions; but the execu priest, and Totman a deacon, who had ac- tioner, with remorse of conscience, ran about companied him from Ireland, and found Co- like a madman, and declared, that Kilien non in Peter's chair. He gave them a fa- burned him. Thus disordered, he was seized, vorable reception, and being informed of and Gozbert was considering what to do, Kilien's business at Rome, after some ques- when a creature of his wife's, a pretended tions about his faith and doctrine, consecrated convert, advised him to leave the God of the him bishop, with full permission to preach to Christians, to do himself justice on his enethe infidels, wherever he found them. Thus mies, and proposed the event as a test of his authorized, Kilien returned to Wurtzburgh, power. where he opened his mission; but he had not Gozbert was weak enough to tempt God, long been employed in his labors, when Goz- by putting it on that issue: and the murderer bert sent for him, and desired to know the being set at liberty, went raving mad, tore nature and tendency of this new religion, his own flesh with his teeth, and died in a which he recommended so boldly. The new miserable condition. Geilana was so perbishop had several conferences with the gov-plexed in her conscience, that she soon after ernor on that subject, and God gave such a expired; and Gozbert's criminal condescenblessing to his endeavors, that Gozbert not sion was punished by a violent death, and in only received the faith, but gave him leave a few years his whole race was extermi to preach wherever he pleased in his domin-nated.