ABOUT FORTY PIOUS CHRISTIANS SEIZED BY THE LONGOBARDS IN ITALY, AND MOST OF THEM PUT TO DEATH WITH THE SWORD, FOR REFUSING TO COMMIT IDOLATRY, A. D. 566Shortly after the death of the peasants just spoken of in the margin, as the heathen Longobards, according to their custom, were offering to Satan the head of a he-goat, about forty meek and pious Christians were apprehended. When their captors, in honor of Satan, had gone round their sacrifice, consecrated it by their sorcerous incantations and conjurations, and had bowed their heads before it, and worshiped it, they wanted to constrain the captive Christians to worship with them this head of the he-goat. But most of the Christians, preferring to die and strive for life immortal, rather than to live and worship the idol, refused to bow their heads, which they had always bowed in honor to God their Creator, before a vain and, perishable creature. Thereupon, the enemies of od and His Anointed, who had not hesitated to fight against the Lord, and to kick against the pricks, put to death with:the sword, all of said captive Christians who would have no fellowship with their idolatry; and thus they (the latter), all became blessed martyrs of Jesus Christ. Compare A. Mell. 2d book, 1699, page 299, col. 4. from lib. 5 Dialog., cap. 28.** GOLAUDUCH, A CHRISTIAN WOMAN OF PERSIA, MUCH TORTURED, AND PUT TO DEATH FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, ABOUT A. D. 598 About A. D. 598, in the time of the Emperor Mauritius, Golauduch, a woman of Persia, who had once been an adherent of the Persian religion, but subsequently become converted to Christ, and, consequently, had been baptized upon her faith, and remained steadfast in the confession of the Christian religion, even unto death. Of this, Evagrius makes mention, whom we take to be the same one of whom we have spoken elsewhere, and shown that he has described and commended as something praiseworthy, the baptism of candidates; that is of those who were baptized upon * In the following year, namely, A.D. 563, mention is made of forty Christian peasants, whom the Longobards seized and would constrain to eat of the food offered to idols; but as they refused to do this, they were beheaded together, for the faith in the only God, and His Son Jesus Christ. Compare. J. Twisck. Chron. page 192, from"Marianus Scotus," lib. 4, with A. Mell., 2nd book, fol. 299, col. 4, from"Gregor. Dialog.," lib. 5, cap. 27 from trustworthy eyewitnesses. Nevertheless, we dare not count them among the true, defenseless martyrs, since we doubt whether, at their apprehension, they showed themselves meek. * Concerning these martyrs, we have not found that anything has been laid to their charge, as regards the uprightness and steadfastness of their faith (as has been stated respecting Arnold); nor have we discovered anything that is at variance with the views of the Anabaptists; hence we have accorded them a place among the faithful martyrs of Jesus Christ.
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