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The state of this Iland vnder bloudie Dioclesian the persecuting tyrant, of Alban the first that suffered martyrdome in Britaine, what miracles were wrought at his death, whereof Lichfield tooke the name; of Coilus earle of Colchester, whose daughter Helen was maried to Constantius the emperour, as some authours suppose.

THE XXVJ.  CHAPTER.

After that Britaine was thus recouered by the Romans, Dioclesian and Maximian ruling the empire, the Iland tasted of the crueltie that Dioclesian exercised against the christians, in persecuting them with all extremities, continuallie for the space of ten yeeres.  Amongst other, one Alban a citizen of Werlamchester, a towne now bearing his name, was the first that suffered here in Britaine in this persecution, being conuerted to the faith by the zealous christian Amphibalus, whom he receiued into his house:  insomuch that when there [Sidenote:  Beda and Gyldas.] came sergeants to seeke for the same Amphibalus, the foresaid Alban to preserue Amphibalus out of danger, presented himselfe in the apparell of the said Amphibalus, & so being apprehended in his stead, was brought before the iudge and examined:  and for that he refused to doo sacrifice to the false gods, he was beheaded on the top of an hill ouer against the towne of Werlamchester aforesaid where afterwards was builded a church and monasterie in remembrance of his martyrdome, insomuch that the towne there restored, after that Werlamchester was destroied, tooke name of him, and so is vnto this day called saint Albons.

It is reported by writers, that diuers miracles were wrought at the [Sidenote:  Beda.  See the booke of acts and monuments set forth by master Fox.] time of his death, insomuch that one which was appointed to doo the execution, was conuerted, and refusing to doo that office, suffered also with him:  but he that tooke vpon him to doo it, reioised nothing thereat, for his eies fell out of his head downe to the ground, togither with the head of that holie man which he had then cut off.  There were also martyred about the same time two constant witnesses of Christ his religion, Aaron and Iulius, citizens of Caerleon [Sidenote:_Iohn Rossus.  Warwicens. in lib. de Wigorniens. epis._] Arwiske.  Moreouer, a great number of Christians which were assembled togither to heare the word of life, preached by that vertuous man Amphibalus, were slaine by the wicked pagans at Lichfield, whereof [Sidenote:  Lichfield whereof it tooke name.] that towne tooke name, as you would say, The field of dead corpses.

To be briefe, this persecution was so great and greeuous, and thereto [Sidenote:  Gyldas.] so vniuersall, that in maner the Christian religion was thereby destroied.  The faithfull people were slaine, their bookes burnt, [Sidenote:  Ran.  Cestren.] and churches ouerthrowne.  It is recorded that in one moneths space [Sidenote:  Matth.  West.  Constantius.] in diuers places of the world there were 17000 godlie men and women put to death, for professing the christian faith in the daies of that tyrant Dioclesian and his fellow Maximian.