instigation of his mother, a most
superstitious woman, and partly by that of the pagan priests, till at
last, when Diocletian was at Nicomedia, in the year 303, he obtained
from him an edict by which the temples of the Christians were to be
demolished, their sacred books committed to the flames, and themselves
deprived of all their civil rights and honors. This first edict spared
the lives of the Christians; for Diocletian was averse from slaughter
and bloodshed. Yet it caused many Christians to be put to death,
particularly those who refused to deliver up their sacred books to the
magistrates. Seeing this operation of the law, many Christians, and
several even of the bishops and clergy, in order to save their lives,
voluntarily surrendered the sacred books in their possession. But they
were regarded by their more resolute brethren as guilty of sacrilege.

Not long after the publication of this first edict, there were two
conflagrations in the palace of Nicomedia; and the enemies of the
Christians persuaded Diocletian to believe that Christian hands had
kindled them. He therefore ordered many Christians of Nicomedia to be
put to the torture and to undergo the penalties due to incendiaries.
Nearly at the same time there were insurrections in Armenia and in
Syria; and as their enemies charged the blame of these also upon the
Christians, the Emperor by a new edict ordered all bishops and ministers
of Christ to be thrown into prison; and by a third edict, soon after, he
ordered that all these prisoners should be compelled by tortures and
punishments to offer sacrifice to the gods; for he hoped, if the bishops
and teachers were once brought to submission, the Christian churches
would follow their example. A great multitude, therefore, of excellent
men, in every part of the Roman Empire, Gaul only excepted, which was
subject to Constantius Chlorus, were either punished capitally or
condemned to the mines.

In the second year of the persecution, A.D. 304, Diocletian published a
fourth edict, at the instigation of his son-in-law and other enemies of
the Christians. By this edict the magistrates were directed to compel
all Christians to offer sacrifices to the gods, and to use tortures for
that purpose. And as the governors yielded strict obedience to these
orders, the Christian Church was reduced to the last extremity. Galerius
Maximianus therefore no longer hesitated to disclose the secret designs
he had long entertained. He