John, a Tradesman at Cordova, in the Year 850

In the year 850, in the city of Cordova, John, an unlearned but pious man, who kept a few things for sale, was accused before the judge, by false witnesses, for the sake of Jesus Christ, of mocking and reviling Mohammed. But since the witnesses in this case were not found reliable enough in their accusations to condemn him to death, this faithful servant of God was sentenced to be severely scourged, and forced to deny Christ. But this pious professor of Christ cried aloud that he would not forsake the Christian religion, even to death, and declared that he was innocent of the false accusations that had been brought against him.

This firmness so enraged the judge against John that he had him scourged with more than five hundred stripes, making the executioners keep on beating him until he fell to the ground under their hands, apparently dead. But since he still lived and breathed after this torture, they set him backwards on an ass, and led him through the whole city, from street to street, with a crier, who cried out: "This is what will be done with those who revile our prophet, and with those who mock our worship."

When this was done they fettered him with heavy chains, and put him in prison; but how he finally died we have not been able to discover in the accounts of the ancients; this much, however, is certain, that he contended for the name of Christ even to blood. Compare Eulog. Memorial. Sanctor., book 1, with the account of Abr. Mellinus, 2nd book, folio 307, columns 1; 2.

NOTE. For want of fuller records by the ancient writers, we have not been able to obtain further information about the cause of the martyrdom of the above-mentioned John, than that, being zealous for the truth of God and his Savior, he suffered chiefly for the second article of our general Christian faith, in which we confess that we believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; which may justly, and according to the rule of God's Word, be called a good profession, First Timothy 6, verse 12.

Moreover, we have found nothing in the other points that detracts from his faith, nothing of papal superstition or the like; although in the city of Cordova, where he suffered, there were also people who, it appears, were not free from the Roman pollutions, of which history has made mention. Hence, since nothing of this kind can be laid to his charge, we are bound, according to the nature of love, to judge the best both of his person and of the other points of his faith; and this not only with regard to him, but also with regard to others who suffered for the same reason, and of whom the ancients have given like testimony in this matter.