# Of The Cruelty And Violence Of This Persecution.

3rd century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: OF THE CRUELTY AND VIOLENCE OF THIS PERSECUTION.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

P. J. Twisck, having concluded his account of the
aforementioned matter, proceeds immediately to
show how cruelly and lamentably the innocent
Christians were treated at that time. “The martyrdoms,”
he writes, “were manifold: they were cast
before the wild beasts; they were beaten, wounded,
executed with the sword, burned, torn limb from
limb, rent asunder, pinched with red-hot tongs;
red-hot nails were driven in their fingers and nerves.
Some were hung up by their arms, and heavy
weights tied to their feet, and thus were torn asunder
gradually and with great pain. Others, whose
wounded bodies had been smeared over with honey,
were placed naked on the earth in the hot sun, to
be tormented and stung to death by flies, bees, and
other insects. Others were beaten with clubs, and
cast into prison, until they miserably perished.”

“Under the reign of the aforementioned cruel and
tyrannical Emperors,” 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, amidst want
and poverty; leaving comfort, honor, prosperity,
peace, friends, money, and property.” Among
many others, there is an account given in the Keyser’s
Chronijk, of a youth 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 into a village to live with his sister.
But his brother-in-law was moved by avarice
to betray him, that thus he might obtain possession
of his property. His sister having warned him of
his danger, he fled into the mountains, gladly leaving
behind him all his possessions. However, God
135
prepared him there a secret cave, where he could
quench his thirst with pure water, and satisfy his
hunger with roots, herbs, and the fruits of the trees.
Idem. Ibidem, from Euseb. Fasc. Temp., fol. 94.
Chron. Mich., fol. 161. Chron. Seb. Franc., fol. 18,
Hist. Andr., fol. 177, 178, 2d part, fol. 174. Paul
Merula, fol. 217, 218, 221. Jan. Crespin, fol. 65.





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