African Martyrs

ON THE HOLY AFRICAN MARTYRS

MAMMARIUS THE PRESBYTER, FELIX AND VICTORIANUS THE DEACONS, ALBINUS, DONATUS,

LIBUSUS, LAURENTIUS, FAUSTINIANUS, ZIDDINUS, CRISPINUS, LEUCIUS, FAUSTINA,

FAUSTA, FAUSTINUS, AND TWO COMPANIONS.

AT BESECHI ANFORARIA IN NUMIDIA.

IN THE YEAR CCLIV.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

On the Acts, place, and time of the contest.

Mammarius, Presbyter. African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Felix, deacon, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Victorianus, deacon, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Albinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Donatus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Libusus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Laurentius, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Faustinianus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Ziddinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Crispinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Leuvus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Faustina, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Fausta, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Faustinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Two Companions, African Martyrs, at Besechi in Numidia (SS.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

In the ancient division of the whole world among the Romans, the third part was reckoned Africa; and it was either Greek, and in ecclesiastical regimen was subject to the Patriarch of Alexandria; or Latin, and was subject to the Roman Pontiff, and in the ancient Fasti was called Africa alone, Among the many African Martyrs, whose Acts lie hidden, having Carthage as Metropolis, and so was reckoned one Church and province. The witness of this matter is S. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in Epistle 45, with these words: The province is more widely spread; it has also Numidia and the two Mauritanias adhering to it. Now how the orthodox Christian faith flourished there in the first centuries of Christ; can be known from the very many Martyrs, whom in this our work we present on almost every single day. But which is to be lamented, because those regions were occupied first by the Vandals, then by the Mahumetans, and have been held until now, these we give from 2 Mss. we can produce the Acts of few Martyrs. Some we give sent to us from Cologne, plainly such as we afterwards received from the famous Legendary of the Monastery of Bödeken in Westphalia, whence our Grothusius once received them, whose hand it also seems to be; he could however have received them also from elsewhere. The same we have from the Ms. codex of the monastery of Rubea-Vallis of Regular Canons near Brussels, but here and there contracted.

[2] Their memory is inscribed in the Auctarium of Grevenus to Usuardus, Memory in the fasti. or certainly that of the Cologne Carthusians printed in 1515 and 1521, with these words: Of Mamarius the Presbyter, holy old man of ninety-two years, and of his companions, Felix and Victorianus Deacons, Libosus Prior of the city, Donatus, Albinus, Laurentius, Faustinianus, Ziddinus, Crispinus, Leucius, Faustina and Faustinus her spouse. Of all of whom, in the time of Valerianus and Gallienus (after the rack, lamps applied to their sides, and the hooks) the skin of their heads being flayed, glowing-hot helmets were placed. Then in prison consoled by an Angel, and led out again and put into the fire, but in no way injured, on the gridiron they are roasted, with raw sinews to the effusion of their entrails they are beaten, and finally by a stroke of the sword obtain the palm of martyrdom. The same, but somewhat more contractedly, are had in the German Martyrology, which Petrus Canisius caused to be printed at Dillingen in 1573, and re-printed in 1599: but in these is omitted Fausta, the spouse of Faustinus, from whom Faustina is to be distinguished, and two companions are to be added, because below sixteen are said to have been crowned with martyrdom. Philippus Ferrarius had a Gallic Calendar, received from Lorraine, in which he confesses to find nothing concerning the time and place of the said Martyrs; The arena was Palestine, not Gaul or Lorraine. and yet boldly in his General Catalogue on this June X he wrote; In Gaul of the holy Martyrs Mammarius the Presbyter and his companions. From this more daring made, Andreas Saussajus, in the Supplement of the Gallican Martyrology, wrote these things. In Lorraine the Birthday of S. Mammarius and his companions, Martyrs, whom persisting in one confession of the highest Deity, the fierce persecutor slaughtered. The true arena of this Passion in the Mss. Besech, but Bosech in Africa elsewhere called Boseth, which to belong to the Province of Proconsular Africa I shall teach in the Notes: and to the same Africa certainly belong the cities named in the same place, Vaga and Lambesa; whom in Spain no one but one dreaming would seek with Tamayus.

[3] The time of Martyrdom the Acts note, under the Emperors Valerianus and Gallienus, Time of Martyrdom which began to be so, when Gallus and Volusianus were killed in Moesia at the end of 253. In Canisius the year 260 is appended. Henschenius would have preferred the year 258, in which at Rome the Martyrs SS. Sixtus II Pope and Laurentius the Deacon died; in Africa however S. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage, with M. Aurelius Memmius Fuscus, (in the Acts of S. Cyprian Tuscus) and Pomponius Bassus as Consuls. In the Acts of the same S. Cyprian is named, Valerius Maximus Proconsul, who is here simply called Maximus the Governor, having succeeded the Proconsul Anulinus. Thus then prudently enough Henschenius; for to confirm a more certain reckoning, the 4th Volume of the Analecta of Mabillon had not yet appeared, given to the light first in the year 1685, since he died in 1681. In that Volume these Acts, taken from the Codex of S. Gall, occupy the first place, certainly worthy of that honor, and such that for the greatest part they ought to seem to have been collected from the Proconsular Acts; but among the hands of the transcribers

somewhat varied: yet so that also those from our Mss. and these from those can receive excellent light: and especially as to the year of Martyrdom. For the first question in the Ms. of S. Gall, which Mabillon used, is said to have been held, on the Fifth of the Ides of May, at the dawning of the fifth Day. This concurrence demands the Dominical letter A, which under the reign of Valerianus and Gallienus notes the year 254: year 254 and precisely in this year M. Valerius Maximus, having performed the Consulate of the immediately preceding year, could have been sent into the place of Anulinus. Him indeed the Consular Fasti nowhere here name (unless perhaps he is Vettius Aquilinus, Consul of the year 249); it is however credible that by Volusianus Augustus, who together with the aforesaid Maximus had entered into the Consulate of the year 253, when going forth into Moesia, another was substituted, who furthermore should bear the Consulate with Maximus, namely this Anulinus: and thus at the same time in one year at Rome the Consuls, in Africa however in the following year the Proconsuls in succession were Anulinus and Maximus. Who afterwards Maximus in the year 256 having performed another Consulate, again sent into Africa was Proconsul, known from the Acts of S. Cyprian, for the year 258.

[4] These things fitly cohering, there is nothing that should greatly move us in the contrary opinion of Mabillon, assigning to this Martyrdom the year 304, which similarly had the Dominical letter A. rather than 304. Yet prudently Mabillon proceeded from the Ms. of S. Gall, which alone he had before his eyes, and begins: With Maximianus and Gallienus as Emperors; where he himself thought one should read Galerius for Gallienus. For not ineptly into their times fit Anulinus, Consul in the year 295, and in the year 304 Proconsul of Africa; about whom Optatus of Mileve, flourishing in the year 370, wrote, that as having been sent there sixty and some odd years before, to the persecution of Christians: of whom also Henschenius had made mention in the Life of S. Proculus Bishop of Verona on March 25, and again by our successors it will be made on the Acts of S. Crispina, to be given on December 5. Mabillon could also be confirmed in that opinion of his, when in number 9 he should read, that Maximianus ordered Maximus to be ordained Governor: which the Cologne Ms. also has. But however the name of Maximianus there for Valerianus crept in; or even the single name for the two named in the beginning, throughout the whole course of the Acts however indicated only under the generic appellation of Emperors, I shall not easily say; yet I am persuaded that a fault underlies it, on account of the consensus of our two Mss. at the beginning against the one S. Gallian, connecting the two too disparate Maximianus and Gallienus. If however to someone it seems otherwise, he will be able to refer these Martyrs with Mabillon to the beginning of the 4th century.

ACTS OF THE MARTYRDOM.

From 2 Mss. and Mabillon.

Mammarius, Presbyter. African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Felix, deacon, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Victorianus, deacon, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Albinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Donatus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Libusus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Laurentius, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Faustinianus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Ziddinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Crispinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Leuvus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Faustina, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Fausta, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Faustinus, African Martyr, at Besechi in Numidia (S.)

Two Companions, African Martyrs, at Besechi in Numidia (SS.) BHL Number: 5206

FROM MSS.

[1] Under Valerianus and a Galienus the Emperors there went out such an edict of persecution, through the regions and cities, that whoever should be found a Christian, should be delivered to the fires. Then b Anolinus the Proconsul ordered Alexander the Provost with soldiers to be directed into the parts of Numidia, S. Mammarius is apprehended. that those worshipping the name of Christ, bound with iron, he should bring before the tribunal of the Judge. And when he had come into the city c of Vaga, it was announced to him concerning the Venerable Mammarius, that he was a Christian: and he ordered him bound with iron to be presented. Who when he was led, said to him: You are the author of evils and crimes, who have gathered men to yourself, and have prohibited the sacrifice of the gods? What name do you have, or of how many years are you? The holy man answered: What is first, I am a Christian, but by men I am called Mammarius. If you desire to know my age, I am about ninety-three years old. The Count said: Why do you rave, and do not obey the Emperors, that you should offer sacrifice to our gods? Who answered: Never do I sacrifice to demons, but to the one God, who made heaven and earth. The Count said: Have you others with you? The holy man said; There are Christian men, who were baptized with me in the city d of Lambesa, whence I also was born. The Count said: I order you to tell me their names in the forum in writing. And he said: In their houses you will find them: they are not hidden.

[2] Therefore the Count ordered thirty soldiers to proceed to the city of Lambese: who coming into the place, Felix, Albinus, Donatus, which is called At-the-hundred-trees, there found Felix the Deacon, Albinus and Donatus: and bound them with iron: and having entered the aforesaid city, they found in the holy church Victorianus the Deacon, with Libosus the Prior of the city: and bound with iron they led them to the Count. Who interrogating them said: Are you Christians, or e Pagans worshipping gods? Felix the Deacon answered: Victorianus, Libosus, All whom you see bound with iron, with one voice we answer you, that we are Christians. The Count said: Who is the author among you? The Saints of God said; First, the Lord God: in the second place, he who has answered you, on our behalf Mammarius f our Father, who regenerated us from water and the Holy Spirit g. [The Count said: Then do you wish to die, rather than to live? The Saints of God said: Not to die, but to live in eternal life.] The Count interrogated, saying: Are there any who worship your religion? They said: Yes indeed in the city h of Tamugadis. The Count said: What are their names? S. Mammarius said: There you will find them. Felix the Deacon said: Do not, good Father, hide the sheep from Christ's treasury: tell their names.

[3] S. Victorianus said: Their names i are, Laurentius, Faustinianus, Laurentius, Faustinianus, Ziddinus, Crispinus, Leucius, Faustina, Ziddinus, Crispinus, Leucius, whom all you will find in their houses, as we have said. Then the Count ordered twenty soldiers to be directed to them: who coming in the same place, apprehended them. And when they were being led, they entered into the Village k of Tigisi, and found B. Faustina, who also offered herself saying: I am a Christian. Her also they bound with the rest, who confessed Christ: who being led into the city of Vaga, were presented to the Count. The Count said to them: Of what religion are you? Christians, or those serving the gods? The Saints answered: Our religion is to be inquired from our Father Mammarius. To whom the Count said: Then do you desire to perish with him? They said: Not indeed to perish, but to live forever. He himself said: Wretches, do not hope in the vain witchcrafts of this man, who from much time of his life already raves. But the Saints as if from one mouth answering, said: You rave, for he has always taught us good, and teaches in the Lord Jesus Christ, and on his discretion it depends, what ought to be done concerning us. The Count said: Then have you prepared yourselves rather for death than for life? They said: Do what you will, we already long ago have been prepared to sustain your tortures.

[4] Fausta, Faustinus, But he said: I shall direct you to Anulinus the Proconsul, and he himself shall give counsel concerning you. The Saints said: Then hasten, why do you detain us? And we now hasten to attain that crown. Then the Count, these things having been described in records, ordered them, bound with iron, to be led with a multitude of soldiers to Anulinus the Proconsul. And behold B. Fausta together with her spouse Faustinus cried out, saying: We also are Christians. Whom the soldiers holding and binding with the Saints, [shut them up in the prison of the city of Vaga, until they heard that he was in the city l Boseth Anforaria: and led them to the same city. Then it is announced to Anulinus the Proconsul, and he ordered them to be shut up in the depths of the prison]. After some days however Anulinus ordered heralds to go through the regions and cities, that they should come to the spectacle of the Saints. But all the peoples hearing, came from all sides to the spectacles; and those who would not come, were urged by Officials.

[5] On the fifth m day of the Ides of May, at the dawning of the fifth day, steadfast in the faith, the Proconsul ordered a tribunal to be prepared for him: and when he had sat, he ordered the Saints at once to be presented to him, to whom he also said: Who are you? or of what kind sprung? or what religion do you worship? The Saints said: Who we may be, or of what kind sprung, or what religion we worship, you have to learn from our Father Mammarius n, because we cannot speak to you before him. Anulinus the Proconsul said; About whom do you say? S. Mammarius said: I am he of whom they speak. And he said: Of how many years are you? The man of the Lord answered: I am about ninety-three years old and six months. The Proconsul said: They will be completed today, unless you sacrifice. The holy man said: We are all Christians: leaving much substance of this world, because we seek to live in heaven. Why do you inquire our kind? The Proconsul said: To whom, wretches, have you pledged yourselves? Sacrifice to our gods, or you seem to persist in your religion. The holy man said: We sacrifice to the Lord Jesus Christ o, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things which are in them; hung up they are tortured, to this God we believe and serve. Then Anulinus ordered them to be suspended on the rack, and lamps to be applied to their sides, and their bodies to be torn apart with hooks, in order that thus he might be able to convert them to the worship of the gods. And when they were suffering these things, with one voice they cried: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us in the tribulation, which you see us suffering and being tortured: because we are your work; and made by you, we have borne your image and truth: but according to our sins, we suffer such torments, because we have never done well in this earthly world. And at once when their voice was heard, the racks were shattered, and the lamps extinguished: the hands also p of the ministers withered and the Saints appeared without injury in their midst. Anulinus said: O arts of witchcraft q, that you should do such things in my sight! The Saints said: We have not done these things, but are healed divinely: but our Lord Jesus Christ, who supplanted you with your father the devil and his angels into the fire of devouring, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Governor said: Then is this punishment prepared for me?

The man of God answered: Yes indeed to you and to all who sacrifice to idols.

[6] He furious said: their heads are flayed, glowing-hot helmets imposed; I order these wicked men to have the skin of their heads flayed, and over their wounds glowing-hot helmets r to be placed, and their teeth to be torn out. And when the orders of the Governor were being fulfilled, the Saints with groan and pain cried out, saying: Lord, look upon our wounds, for badly are we tortured in these pains. But the Proconsul ordered them to be shut up in prison, and tortures prepared for them in which they should fail. And when they were shut up in the depths of the prison, the Angel of God visited them, and put the darkness to flight with immense light s, and changed the most foul stench with the scent of sweetness. they are strengthened by the Angel. Whence rejoicing they sang psalms, saying: God, do not be silent at our praise, because the mouth of the sinner and the deceitful is opened over us, and they have warred against us without cause: in return for our loving them they detracted us. Ps. 118, 4 You, Lord, our hope, do not confound us, for in you we have hoped: you are our helper, and our refuge, have mercy on us, God, in the day of necessity.

[7] After many days however Anulinus the Proconsul ordered the tribunal again to be prepared, and the Saints to be led out from prison to him, to whom he also said: Have you thought about yourselves, that you may receive salvation from me, and the indulgence of the Emperors? The Saints answered: We seek indulgence from the Lord, that in the future we may receive eternal life. Anulinus the Proconsul said: You see what tortures are prepared for you, in which badly you should fail. They said: Do what you have prepared for us, do not threaten us with words t. Who said to them: How many are you? The Saints answered: Sixteen u are we gathered into one, worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ. The Proconsul said: Therefore do you wish more to die than to live? S. Mammarius said: If we were not seeking life from God, we would not be consecrated to Him. [Anulinus the Proconsul said: I order these wicked men again to be shut in the depths of the prison, unharmed by fire, until again new tortures be prepared for them]. Then Anulinus ordered the baths to be heated sevenfold more than they were accustomed. [And when the orders were being fulfilled he ordered them to be led from prison: to whom he said: Do you wish to live or to die? They answered: If we had not begun to die, we would long ago have given in to you: that you should not lacerate our body with tortures. Anulinus the Proconsul] ordered them to be led to the Baths that there they should be burned with fire. But Georgius x and Menas, the Prefects of the Offices, while they were opening the doors y of the baths, were burned by the fire leaping forth and gave up their spirit: but the Saints with triumph entering sang psalms in the midst of the fire. Anulinus raging against them, ordered the doors to be closed, that they should be consumed by the fire. And when this had been done, after three days the Saints z appeared unharmed by the fire, the soldiers are converted: and singing psalms were found by the soldiers: and a light from heaven had shone around them, and the excessive heat was turned into great refreshment. The soldiers however seeing the wonders which were done, themselves also believed. Anulinus hearing that they were converted, sent others; and ordered the Saints to be brought to him, to whom he said: What arts of witchcrafts do you know, that you should seduce these? Who answered: We are not workers of evil; you rather are a seducer of evils α.

[8] These things having been heard, filled with anger he ordered them to be roasted on a gridiron, on the gridiron unharmed. but when by the power of God they remained unharmed, with one voice they said: Thanks we give you, Lord Jesus Christ; because in us has been fulfilled, that which in the book of the Psalms is written; We have passed through fire and water, and you have led us out into refreshment. Ps. 65, 12 But a certain dead man was being carried through the street, and the Proconsul ordered the body to be brought to him, and said to the Saints: If you trust in the true Son of God, whom you say to be great; in His name raise the dead man. Mat. 7, 7 The Saints said: The Lord Himself said: They raise a dead man: Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. And we ask and pray: and whatever we shall wish, He will at once hear His servants. The Proconsul said: Why do you speak to me in words, manifest to me by deeds, and I shall prove your speeches. Then the Saints bending their knees, made prayer, saying: Lord Jesus Christ, hear our prayers, and in your name let the youth rise: and let them see and wonder, that you are God alone for ever and ever. The prayer having been completed they all said, Amen: and at once the place was shaken, and the dead man rose: and said to the Saints: Pray for me, because great is the God of Christians, and He does not despise those who seek Him. The Proconsul seeing these things said: O evil arts! who taught you to do such things? For our gods can do you no harm. But they said: Your gods of stone are made by the hand of men, whence with them you shall perish without end in eternal fire. While the Saints were saying these things, the devil cried in the air: O, he said, Saints, through you I am cast out of this city; and against those who believe in Christ, I cannot prevail. But Anulinus at the very moment of the devil's disturbance fell and expired β, and his body was eaten by birds. Then his assessor ordered the Saints to be thrust back into prison, and announced to the Emperors their deeds, that they were Christians, and worshipped their own religion.

[9] Hearing these things γ Valerianus ordered Maximus to be ordained Governor in that place. But while he was sitting before the tribunal in the city of Boseth, he ordered the Saints to be presented to him, saying: What do you think about your safety? Do you wish to live according to the precepts of the Emperors, that you may have indulgence? Behold death and life are prepared for you, choose what you wish. To whom the Saints answered: Do what is commanded to you, for in no way can you seduce us. The Governor Maximus said: See how much I am bearing with you, and in how much I endure: and you cannot mock me. But they said: they are beaten with sinews: Do what seems good to you concerning us, and do not waver against the servants of God. Then the Governor ordered them δ to be stretched out, and beaten with raw sinews, until their entrails should be poured out: and when nothing could harm them, he ordered them to be shut up in prison. But the Saints when they were shut up, prayed, saying: To our help, you, Lord, attend, that you may free us from these torments. After some days however the Governor ordered the tribunal to be prepared for himself, and the Saints of God to be presented to his sight: whom he addressed thus, saying: What do you think among yourselves? They with one voice said: Many demons appear in you, but in no way can you seduce us: for through us God is blessed, but through you and your ministers the devil is worshipped. Maximus said: Now sacrifice to our gods, and do not name your God, but our Gods. The Saints said: May it never be well with you, who think that our mind can be changed from the worship of Christ. The Governor said: Do you not know that worse torments are prepared for you, in which you should fail? But they answered: Do not mock us with words: prepare what you will: by the cutting off of fingers: we are prepared to sustain punishments rather than to sacrifice to your idols. The Governor hearing these things, ordered the fingers to be cut off from their body, and their jaws to be crushed with a stone: but they praying with one voice said: Thanks we give you, Lord Jesus Christ, who have deigned to strengthen us, that we may bear the punishments of the enemy. Maximus the Governor said: Why do you give over your souls ε that you should be tortured? The Saints said: Our soul is not tortured, but our body: because it is written; Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul: but fear rather Him, who can send both soul and body into hell. Mat. 10, 28 He is the one who mortifies and gives life, the Lord our God. The Governor said: What do these words avail you? Sacrifice to the gods. They answered: We sacrifice to the one true God, who, impious and wicked and prince of all malice, will destroy you forever, who force us to sacrifice to demons. But the Governor ordered them to be shut up in prison, and sharp nails ζ to be fixed under their feet, until he might prepare tortures for them.

[10] But on another day he ordered them to be brought to him, to whom he said: O authors of witchcrafts, and they are tortured with nails so much rest ought already to suffice you. But they said: We are not authors of iniquity, for we have one God, and His Son Jesus Christ, born of the Holy Spirit. For you also worship demons, but you despise the highest Prince, who formed soul and spirit for you, and gave the honor of power, and still you blaspheme Him. The Governor said: So your God made all our things, which you say? The Saints answered: Enemy, you do not understand, that God founded heaven and earth, the sea and all things which are in them, and placed a boundary for them. For the demons whom you worship neither founded heaven and earth, nor raised the dead, nor illumined the blind, nor established the abyss, nor strengthened the stars. Why therefore do you worship stones and figments, made by the hands of men? The Governor said: Do not now rave so much, because these words shall not profit you. They said: In this world they do not profit, but in the future they shall profit us unto eternal life. But he said to them: If you do not sacrifice, you shall die by death. The Saints said: hung on the rack they are tortured: It is not death but eternal life and an everlasting crown, to which we all desire to attain. Then the Governor ordered them to be suspended on the rack, and clawed, and over their wounds salt, vinegar, and lime to be added, and from raw sinews to be beaten above, that in punishments they should fail, and through them others should have fear, and not worship the name of Christ, but obey the precepts of the Emperors. And when the Saints were suffering these things, and all tortures were being applied to them, with one voice they cried saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, hear us asking the consolation which we have awaited from you, and give us strength against the tyrannical and diabolical power, because you are a merciful God; and hear us in the tribulation, which we suffer from this impious and wicked one, who does not acknowledge your name. King of Kings and Lord of Lords you are, God in heaven above and on earth below. Then he ordered them to be taken down, and said: Already these begin to feel the punishment; let us seek others also in which they may fail more. The Saints said: We ask from the Lord, that we may never fail; but in the punishments, which you prepare for us, we may be able to be strong.

[11] He hearing these things growling said: If I do not destroy them out of this city, they will separate many from the sacrifice of our Gods. And when he had said these things, he ordered

such a sentence to be recited from the tablet. Those who have despised the precepts of the Emperors, it pleases that by the sword their souls be killed η. Therefore the Saints of God said, Thanks be to God, they are beheaded. because today we are crowned in heaven. Then they were led outside the city of Boseth Amphoraria at a half milestone and a half and in the middle of a cornfield failing from the pain of his wounds, B. Mammarius fell, and there at the same hour was beheaded. The others also θ of his followers, fifteen in number, on the same day in a mountainous place were struck for the faith of Christ, and obtained the palm of martyrdom at the sixth hour on the IV of the Ides of June. Then Maximilla the Senatress and Lucianus the Presbyter secretly buried them, together with S. Mammarius in peace, in one cemetery, blessing the Lord; to whom is honor and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

ANNOTATIONS BY D. P.

p Ms. of S. Gall, The hands of the soldiers were hardened.

q The same. Articula as if a diminutive from Ars. But below at num. 8 where Cologne has "what arts"; S. Gall, "What articulum?" and again "O articula of evils," where here is "o evil arts?"

r Ibid. lacking, "glowing-hot."

s Ibid. And where there was darkness, immense light was made; and where there was a most miserable smell, the smell of sweetness was found.

t Ibid. Do not intimidate us with words.

u The same number is confirmed near the end. But the names of two are missing.

x Cologne Ms. Two Prefects, names omitted.

y Ms. of S. Gall. Vessel.

z Ibid. the following are read thus. The Saints of God escaped from the fire, for three days singing psalms. But when Anulinus heard them singing psalms, he ordered them to be presented to him again. But the soldiers who had come, found them praying, and a great light had shone around them: and where there was brightness, great refreshment was made. And the soldiers, seeing the wonders which were done, themselves also believed. But Anulinus hearing, that these were seduced.

α Cologne Ms. Of men.

β I scarcely know, says Mabillon, whether learned men will approve what is here narrated about the kind of Anulinus's death: and rightly, since he understands that Anulinus, who under Maximianus and Galerius held a Magistracy, and who in the year 312, already perhaps converted, received from Constantine the Great a mandate to protect Christians: but in our opinion, establishing a different Anulinus from this one, under whom S. Mammarius was examined, the matter has no difficulty; just as there is none in the repetition of magistracies of the same name, since even under Nero some Anulinus is said to have persecuted Christians by those, who believe SS. Gervasius and Protasius suffered under Nero.

γ Here was the name Maximianus, which we judge to have been substituted by some sciolist in place of Valerianus, because he knew, that some Anolinus, as said above, lived under Maximianus. But in the Acts of S. Cyprian Galerius Maximus is named Proconsul, as we said above.

δ Ms. of S. Gall. Turidi.

ε Id. Why are you not sensible about your souls, that you should not be tortured?

ζ The same. Aculeos spikes.

η Cologne, Animadverti be punished.

θ Ms. of S. Gall thus extends: Felix the Deacon, Faustinus, Albinus Vivus, Donatus, Libosus, Ziddinus, Victorianus the Deacon, Laurentius, Faustinus, Faustina, Crispina, were beheaded; who are only twelve; and yet "Vivus" is added for Leucius previously named: also Crispinus said in the context, here is called Crispina.