Page:A Discourse of Constancy in Two Books Chiefly containing Consolations Against Publick Evils.pdf/297

276 he kills them every one, and using the same cruelty to the remaining multitude, he utterly exhausted that populous and most frequented City. King Mithridates by one letter caused eighty thousand Roman Citizens to be slain; that were dispersed throughout Asia about their mercandise. Volesus Messalla the Proconsul of Asia, in one day caused three hundred to be beheaded; and strutting amongst the dead bodyes with his armes on his sides, as if he had done some glorious act; cryed out aloud; O Princely deed! Hitherto I have only spoken of prophane and impious persons; but behold amongst those that are devoted to the service of the true God: You will find it of the Emperour Theodosius that having by the highest wickedness and deceit, betrayed seven thousand innocent people of Theßalonica into the Theatre, under pretence of exhibiting some playes; He sent his Souldiers amongst them, and mur- Rh