OF TWO FOLLOWERS OF THE AFORESAID MARTYRS, NAMED SAMSON AND SYDONIUS, WHO, WITH OTHERS, MAINTAINED THEIR DOCTRINE AGAINST POPERY, PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE PAPAL LEGATE, BONIFACE, ARCHBISHOP OF MAYENCE; BUT WHETHER FOR THIS THEY WERE MARTYRED, IS NOT STATED.

Samson was also a Scotchman by descent, and an elder and companion of said Clement. He and Sydonius, Bishop in Bavaria, and others of like purpose and belief, were as one heart and soul, to oppose with the word of God, Boniface, the papal Legate, who proposed to oppress the people with manifold superstitions and burdens. This, not only Samson, but also Sydonius and the others boldly did. They taught with word and pen, that the apostolical embassy (as it was called) of Bishop Boniface bore a closer resemblance to paganism or anti-christendom, than to christendom, and that he had deformed rather than reformed, France and Germany. Again, that he was a sycophant and flatterer of the Pope of Rome, to whom he had not only bound, but completely sold himself, as a sworn slave.

This they were able to prove, since, by a solemn oath, he had sworn to the two Popes, Zacharias I. and Gregory II.: That he would bring all the persons whom he should draw to him, also into obedience to the Roman see. These things were known from documents written by himself and transmitted to said Popes.

They also censured him for his evil practices in the administration of baptism (that is, infant baptism), consisting in the saying of certain words, by way of exorcism. In this several questions were generally put to the unintelligent infants, namely: “Believest thou?” etc., whereupon the sponsors, in the child’s name, answered: “Yea, I believe,” etc.; which things certainly deserved no little censure, though without them, infant baptism had but little virtue or respectability.

They were also greatly offended, because he would forbid them to marry, as contrary to the institution of God, Gen. 1:27,28, yea, as being a doctrine of devils, 1 Tim. 4:1–3.

Finally it is stated, that said persons, and others, unable, in Germany as well as in France, to bring about any improvement with their doctrine, were greatly oppressed, partly through the tyranny of the popes of Rome, and partly through the authority of the kings of France, yea, were condemned in open synods, deposed from their ministry, and shut up in prisons and dungeons, and thus closely guarded that they might not escape. But as to what finally became of these persons, and others of like belief, A. Mellinus states, that the papistic historians are ashamed to tell. Compare Aventin. 3, Annal. Centur. Balaei., 14, cap. 31, and in Append., Tom. 2. Concil. in Decret. Greg. 2, Epist. Bonifac. ad Zachar. Citante Balaeo. Hist. Boj., lib. 3, with A. Mell, 2d book, fol. 329, col. 1, 2.