Of the Cruelty and Violence of This Persecution

P. J. Twisck, having finished his account of the matter just mentioned, goes on at once to show how cruelly and pitifully the innocent Christians were treated at that time. "The martyrdoms," he writes, "were of many kinds: they were thrown before wild beasts; they were beaten, wounded, executed with the sword, burned, torn limb from limb, pulled apart, pinched with red hot tongs; red hot nails were driven into their fingers and nerves. Some were hung up by their arms, with heavy weights tied to their feet, and so were torn apart slowly and with great pain. Others, whose wounded bodies had been smeared over with honey, were laid naked on the ground in the hot sun, to be tormented and stung to death by flies, bees, and other insects. Others were beaten with clubs and thrown into prison, until they died in misery."

"Under the reign of the cruel and tyrannical Emperors mentioned before," he writes a little further on, "many Christians had to wander and roam about in foreign countries, in secluded places, along shores, in caverns, on mountains, in caves, in want and poverty; leaving behind comfort, honor, prosperity, peace, friends, money, and property." Among many others, there is an account given in the Keyser's Chronijk of a young man of sixteen years, called Paul, well versed in different languages, and the son of a rich man, who, in order to escape the persecution, went out to a village to live with his sister. But his brother-in-law was moved by greed to betray him, so that he might get possession of his property. His sister warned him of his danger, and he fled into the mountains, gladly leaving all his possessions behind him. However, God prepared a secret cave for him there, where he could quench his thirst with pure water, and satisfy his hunger with roots, herbs, and the fruits of the trees. The same, in the same place, from Euseb. Fasc. Temp., folio 94. Chron. Mich., folio 161. Chron. Seb. Franc., folio 18, Hist. Andr., folio 177, 178, 2nd part, folio 174. Paul Merula, folio 217, 218, 221, Jan. Crespin, folio 65. [n210-1]