“Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Chrisus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, as arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man’s cruelty, that they were being destroyed.”
“Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus and Claudia, and all the brethren.”
“Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.”
“The cradle of the ancient British Church was a royal one; herein being distinguished from all other churches, for it proceeded from the daughter of the British king, Caractacus, Claudia Rufina, a royal virgin, the same who was afterward the wife of Aulus Rufus Pudens, the Roman senator, and the mother of a family of saints and martyrs.”
“Ecclesia Britannica ab incanabulis Regia et Apostolica.”
“The British Church was from its cradle Apostolical and Royal.”