Three days before his apprehension, he saw in a vision by night, the bed set on fire under him, and suddenly to be consumed, And when he waked, he interpreted it, that he should suffer martyrdom by fire. At the last (being found by the pursuers, & understanding that they were armed) he came from the chamber where he was, & entertained them with cheerful ⟨p. 12⟩countenance, and made them dine, and required that he might have one hours respite to make his prayers: which being granted him, he did it in such sort, as they which heard him were astonied. His prayers being ended, they brought him to the city upon an Ass on a solemn feast day, there met him Irenarchus, 1Herodes, 2and his father Nicetes: 3which causing him to come up into the chariot where they sat, persuaded him to do sacrifice. Which when he refused, with rough words they molested him, and thrust him, going down the chariot, that he might hurt or break his legs: but he went merrily on to the place appointed. To whom there came a voice from heaven that comforted him, & bad him be of good cheer, as he was going to the place of judgement. Whither when he came, the Proconsul dissuaded him from the faith, and willed him to say with him and the rest, Destroy these naughty men. Then Polycarpus beholding with constant countenance the whole multitude, and giving a great sigh, looked up to heaven and said: Thou thou it is that wilt destroy these wicked men, meaning the Lord. Then the proconsul thus being earnest with him said unto him, take thine oath, and I will discharge thee: Didst Christ Polycarpus answered, 86. years have I been his servant, yet in all this time hath he not so much as once hurt me, how then may I speak evil of my sovereign Lord and king, which hath thus preserved me. Then the Proconsul used all manner of threatenings against him: which when they could not prevail, Policarpus still denying with great constancy, Philip the Governor of Asia, was commanded to let lose the Lion to Policarpus: who made answer, that he might not so do, because he had his pray already. Then the people required with one voice, that he would burn Policarpus alive. Which was performed. And having made himself ready to the stake, they would have nailed him thereto with Iron hoops, but he said:
Three daies before his apprehension, hee sawe in a vision by night, the bed set on fire vnder him, and sodainly to be consumed, And when he waked, he interpreted it, that he should suffer martirdome by fire. At the last (being found by the pursuers, & vnderstanding yt they were armed) he came frō the chamber where he was, & entertained thē wt chéerful ⟨p. 12⟩countenaunce, and made them dine, and required that hée might haue one houres respite to make his prayers: which being grāted him, he did it in such sort, as they which heard him were astonied. His prayers being ended, they brought him to the citie vpon an Asse on a solemne feast day, there met him Irenarchus, 1Herodes, 2and his father Nicetes: 3which causing him to come vp into the chariot where they sat, perswaded him to do sacrifice. Which when he refused, wt rough wordes they molested him, and thrust him, going downe the chariot, that he might hurt or breake his legs: but he went merily on to the place appointed. To whome there came a voice from heauen that comforted him, & bad him be of good chéere, as he was going to the place of iudgement. Whither when hee came, the Proconsul disswaded him from the faith, and willed him to say with him and the rest, Destroy these naughty men. Then Polycarpus beholding with constant countenance the whole multitude, and giuing a great sigh, looked vp to heauen and said: Thou thou it is that wilt destroy these wicked men, meaning the Lord. Then the proconsul thus being earnest with him said vnto him, take thine oath, and I will discharge thée: Deste Christ Polycarpus answered, 86. yéeres haue I béen his seruant, yet in all this time hath he not so much as once hurt me, how then may I speake euil of my soueraign Lord and king, which hath thus preserued me. Then the Proconsul vsed al maner of threatnings against him: which when they could not preuaile, Policarpus still denying with great constancie, Philip the Gouernor of Asia, was commaunded to let lose the Lion to Policarpus: who made answere, that he might not so doe, because he had his pray alredy. Then the people required wt one voice, that he would burn Policarpus aliue. Which was perfourmed. And hauing made himselfe readie to the stake, they would haue nayled him thereto with Iron hoopes, but he said:
- 1Irenarchus.
- 2Herodes.
- 3Nicetes.
