A BRIEF RELATION of the late Martyrdom of five PERSIANS Converted to the Catholic Faith by the reformed Carmelites, who remain in the Mission of PERSIA, with the King of Persia, in his City of Haspahan. And of the increase of the Christian Faith in those parts.  
Gathered out of the Letters, which the Father's labouring in the said Mission, have written unto their General: which Letters are printed in the Italian and French, and are now translated into English for the good of the Church.  
Teach ye all Nations, Baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Math. 28. 19 
DOUAI Printed with permission of Superiors. 1623.   

IN my former Letters I made relation to your Reverence, not only of the state of this our Mission into Persia, and the bordering Kingdoms, where by the goodness of Almighty God, we have labourers who diligently travel in the Vineyard of our Lord: but also I have further signified unto you, the fruit and increase which daily proceedeth from our labours, sometimes by Preaching, Teaching and baptising Mahometans, whose conversion is most hard: Other sometimes by reducing the poor deceived souls of the Armenians, Nestorians, jacobites, and other such like, unto the Faith of Christ, which are here in great number; and have little of Christianity, more than the Name; amongst whom we do much good, and gather great plenty of fruit into the storehouse of our Lord, which is the greatest comfort we enjoy in these Deserts of Infidelity.  
This only heretofore, hath been a discomfort unto us, that this our Mission on our behalves, hath gone on too favourably, and hath not been accompanied with tortures, torments, Imprisonments, and effusion of our Blood, for the Gospel of Christ which we profess, and desire to plant in these parts; as we read of in other Missions; and are necessary for us to suffer, aswell for the testimony of the Truth, as for the edification of others; and encouraging them to be constant in the Faith; which hitherto God hath not bestowed upon us, though we often desire it at his hands, for confirmation of his Truth.  
True, it is, that heretofore there hath not been wanting, nor yet at this present there is wanting, occasions, and opportunities, to merit, and to offer something to our Lord: yet generally the King here though a Mahometan, hath heretofore always showed towards us, so great signs of affection and love; that for our sakes he hath not molested any Christian, under the name and title of a Christian: But if at any time he hath constrained some of the Armenians to deny their Faith; he hath done it under colour, that they have otherwise displeased him, or for that they had not wherewithal to pay him, that which they ought, or under some other pretext; until now of late within these few days, it hath pleased his Divine Majesty in part, to hear our Prayers, and to comfort his Children, by giving them a taste of the sweetness, which those enjoy, who shed their blood, and yield their lives for his love, though it hath not been fully accomplished in us, yet so it is that he hath given us a little taste, to strengthen our hopes, that hereafter it may be fully accomplished in us; for not many days ago, he hath blessed this Mission with the happy Death of five Martyrs, and watered it with their Blood: so that now we hope that it will yield a most plentiful harvest, to the great content of all our Congregation, but especially to your Reverence who hath been so great a favourer of it.  
Amongst other Persians which in these last Months we have Baptised here at Haspahan; there were five (that is to say) Elia, Chassadir, (his Cousin) Alexander, joseph, and Hebrani. Elia hath served us sometimes in our house, and was the Husband of that Theresa, of which I made mention in my former Letters, who was likewise Baptised by our Fathers; and after Baptism God gave her so great Zeal; that like an Apostolic Woman, she preached and published the Name of jesus Christ in all places; and travailing into her Country, which is a Province of the Ringdome of Sciras, subject to the King of Persia, she converted diverse, and with the rest the aforesaid Chassadir, and in those parts enkindled in them such a desire of Christianity, as that the Governor of that Province sent diverse times, and lastly his own proper Son to our Fathers in Haspahan, earnestly entreating them to send two Fathers unto them, to the intent to teach them the Faith of jesus Christ; which at that time could not be executed, because the King of Persia was then incensed against the Portugals, preparing to wage war against them in Ormus, (being an Island of the King of Spain's in the East Indies, somewhat further distant from the firm land, than his other Kingdoms are) as accordingly he shortly afterward performed.  
These foresaid five Christians being Baptised at several times, and instructed for some weeks, in the mysteries of the holy faith, departed to make their abode in their own houses. But we perceiving the King's indignation to increase against the Francans (Francs in Persia are called the Christians that follow the custom of the Latins, to distinguish them from the greeks, Armenians, and others) thought it more safe, for them to retire themselves to Ormus▪ thereby both to secure themselves from the King's fury, and the better▪ also to confirm them in the holy faith: To this effect Father john of St. Eliseus (who hath been long times Vicar general of the reformed Carmelits in these Countries) wrote unto our Fathers, who resided there▪ and to a Captain of Ormus, that they would entertain them, and provide for them there, until the King's indignation was overpassed. He sent his Letters by Elia, as by one who best knew the ways, and the practice of the Country, and in whom he put the more confidence, for that he had served in our house. Elia travailed onwards with great alacrity, although he foresaw the great peril, whereunto he was exposed, for at that time the Country was all in Arms, and Ormus was besieged by the Persians. But the ardent desire, which this servant of God had to endure any thing whatsoever for his sake, made him set light by all dangers, and thenceforth choosing only for his Companion in the journey, his aforesaid Cousin Cassadir, he went cheerfully forward, until that in his way, he was discovered by an Englishman, whereof some are resident in Persia, to traffic with the King for Silk, which they find there, and brought to be accused before the Chan, that is to say▪ the Duke that governed the said Kingdom of Sciras, in the name of the King of Persia, as his Viceroy, who was going to the siege of Ormus, who presently shut him up in prison, and searching him, found the Letters, which after he had perused, he caused him to be racked, and asked him what he was? Elia answered that he was a Francke, whereupon the Chan or Duke commanded him, that he should speak in the language of a Francke, but being ignorant of the language, he paused a while, and then said, that he was a Christian Francke, (which is as much as to say, in the Persian tongue, a Christian Catholic, or one that yieldeth obedience to the Pope) afterwards the Chan asked Cassadir, Cousin to Elia, what he was, and whither he went, and upon what affairs? and finding him to be a Christian newly Baptised, who went to accompany his Cousin, and that they had no other business, but to carry the Letters he found about them, out of the hatred he bore to Christians: the Chan begun to be enraged like a dog, and endeavoured by diverse means, that is to say, by threatenings, torments, persuasions, and promises, to make these two new Disciples of jesus Christ, to deny the holy faith, and to return to the false observance of Mahomet: But GOD (who never abandoneth those which travail for him, and put their trust in him) favoured them with so great abundance of his graces, that they set light by the threats, and torments, and respected not the promises of the Tyrant; but freely confessed that they were Christians, and that GOD had showed his favour unto them, to draw them out of the darkness of infidelity, and the false sect and doctrine of Mahomet, to the end they might know the true and only faith of jesus Christ, in which they were both of them resolved to live and dye.  
The words of Elia like darts pierced the heart of the Chan▪ who enraged with new indignation, commanded them to be carried into the sight of Ormus, (eight days distant from that place where they were at that time) and in the presence of the Christians of that City to be put to death, in such manner, as hear after shall be declared. In these eight days of travail they were most inhumanely handled and injured, enduring hunger, thirst, and watching, to which the cruel instruments of the devil, fierce in heart, and savage in behaviour, added another more greater, which was to labour diverse times, to take from them the precious treasure of the sacred faith▪ sometimes by threats, other while by promises, now by flatteries, and again by stripes, under pretext to make them Runagates and Apostates. But these true servants of God, tried like fine gold in the midst of so many persecutions, suffered and endured all these cruelties, with joy of spirit, and unspeakable constancy, yielding thanks to our good Lord jesus Christ, for the grace he bestowed on them, in making them worthy to suffer, and endure anything for his love, and for the holy faith, which they had received in Baptism. Being argued in sight of Ormus, these fierce and cruel ministers flayed an Ass, and sowed the Martyr Elia in the skin, and afterwards nailed him on high to a great piece of wood: he lived in this most cruel torment some hours, praising and blessing God, and preaching the faith of jesus Christ, after the best manner he could. Cassadir was always present at this spectacle, who in stead of astonishment, and losing his courage, for the torments that were inflicted upon his Cousin, was the more animated, and remained always constant, confessing jesus Christ, and rejecting with an holy disdain, all those that counselled him to return unto the Sect of Mahomet, which was the cause that they tied him to a Stake, and ripped up his belly. Thus those two holy Martyrs finished their frail life, to the end to possess and begin another eternal, and happy; insomuch as the ministers of cruelty, and those other Infidels that were there present, remained confused and astonished, at the constancy of those two Martyrs. I could not as yet understand what became of the bodies of these two glorious Martyrs, but I hope that God will preserve and reserve so great a treasure.  
The Chan of Sciras being informed by these two glorious Martyrs Elia, and Cassadir, what those three other Christians were, which according to the Father's Letters, were to be sent to Ormus, and having notice both of their names, by which they were baptised, as for the others, they had when they were yet Mahometans, signified the whole proceedings by his Letters to the King of Persia, and sent him those Letters which the holy Martyr Elia was to carry to Ormus. The King having received this news (who at that time was three Leagues from the City) commanded the foresaid three Christians to be apprehended, who were not as yet departed, and commanded the Daraga (that is to say, the Governor of the City of Haspaphan) and the Captain of the Camp, to repair unto our Covent, and shut us up therein: which they punctually performed, locking, and sealing up the Cells of the Covent, and shutting all of us together in one Chamber: After this, they asked Father john, whether he thought he had done well, or that it were fitting, that he should be the cause of such a matter, considering that the King had always entertained, and honoured him? Whereunto the Father answered, that he came not into Persia for the honours and favours which the King had bestowed on him; but for the only hope he had, not only to convert the King, but his whole Kingdom to the faith of jesus Christ. With this answer the Governor and the Captain of justice, departed, leaving the Monastery full of Soldiers: God so would that one of the Fathers was yet fasting (notwithstanding that it was more than two of the clock afternoon) and thus consummated he the holy Sacrament. That night they forbade us to perform our accustomed spiritual exercises, believing that we would set some Charms, and Sorceries a work. Yet did we that which upon such like occasion, the Prophet. Daniel did. Your Reverence may consider in what estate we were, the house being full of Watchmen, and Sergeants that were Infidels, the gates of the Monastery locked, when as we might not speak to any of our friends, or know what was done, but were all of us closed up in a Chamber, preparing ourselves to give our lives for jesus Christ. One only thing afflicted us, which was, that we could not give succours to the new Christians▪ knowing for certain, that they suffered great necessity of all things, and for that we could not counsel, and animate them, being doubtful of their perseverance in the faith.  
At that time, we betook ourselves to our prayers, beseeching our Lord to give them force, and perseverance, offering up our prayers to the two holy Martyrs Elia, and Cassadir, to the end they should intercede, and pray for them. We remained prisoners thus, for three days space, during which time, each of us prepared himself to dye, and made a general confession after the best manner we could. The first day we read the life of St. Ignatius the Martyr, the second of St. Laurence, and the third that of St. Katherine. I cannot express unto you the consolation, and inward joy that we felt, nor the fervour, or sensible apprehension and zeal of the Fathers: every hour was unto us a thousand, whilst we expected to give up our lives for jesus Christ's sake, and no less able am I to express unto you, the desire which we had, that our deaths might be accompanied with many torments, neither the fervent acts which we did to that effect. We tasted (dear Father) of the force, and efficacy of God's grace▪ and the fidelity which God useth towards those who expose themselves to dangers, by the means of holy obedience; in such sort, that me thought I saw, that which in such like occations God operated in the Primitive Church.  
The second day of our imprisonment, the King sent these Letters to Father john (by a Secretary, to the Governor of the City) which he had written by the holy Martyr Elia to Father Baltaser, and the Captain of Ormus, with the interpretation of the same, but unfaithfully and corruptly translated by the direction of the Chan of Sciras, commanding him to certify him, whether these Letters were his, and whether they were well interpreted, and that he should interpret them himself, and call to his remembrance what honours and favours he had done him, and whether this was the acknowledgement which he ought him, and the reward of the bread and salt they had eaten together; intending hereby, how often times the King had invited our Fathers to eat with him, particularly upon the occasions of the arrival of great Ambassadors, and at Feasts, at which time, the King is accustomed to make great banquets, to which he always invited Father john, with some other Fathers, honouring them very much upon such like occasions, placing them always near himself, feasting them at his own dish, and doing such like things: (This is a phrase amongst the Persians to say, they invite them to eat bread and salt, when they invite to a banquet.) Father john read the interpretation of his own Letters▪ which the King had sent him, and finding them full of lies, and falsehoods; he interpreted them, and signified to the Messenger, which was sent unto him by the King, that he acknowledged the graces, and honours which he had always received at his Majesty's hands, that those were his Letters; and that it was true, that he had baptised those five. And being demanded why he Baptised them? the Father answered: why doth the King enforce Christians to forsake their faith, and become Mahometans? as his Majesty endeavoureth for Mahomet, so will I do my uttermost for jesus Christ, in whose place I am here set: and for this cause, who so ever they be, that desire to become Christians, those will I freely baptise, being only sent into these Countries, with these my Companions, to that intent. The Ministers delivered the answer, which the Father sent to the King, who was highly contented, both with the interpretation which the Father had made of his own Letters, which he had sent unto Ormus, (being much different from those which were sent him by the Chan of Sciras, translated wholly into a contrary sense, and as it may be thought, by some enemies of our holy faith) as also with his constancy, and for that cause, the King said the Father had reason.  
Full two hundred Mulaz (which are the Doctors of Mahomet's law) were present with the King, when the Father's answer was brought unto him, who making some tumult, and noise; and almost mad with anger, were assembled there, to the end to complain unto his Majesty, for that the law of Mahomet grew out of request, and for that we had sent more than five thousand baptised Persians into Christendom, inciting him to remedy the same, and provoking his displeasure against us. The King being much displeased, turning himself towards them (after he had heard the Father's answer) reviled, and taunted them with bitter speeches, telling them, that the Father had reason; but that they were villains, and old crafty Foxes, commanding them out of his presence: saying, for sixteen years' space, I have frequented the Father's company, yet hath he never told me any untruth, neither have I found any ill beseeming behaviour amongst the Fathers, and I hold them for honest men. Hereupon the Mulaz departed, confused: At this time the King expressed the affection which he bore to Father john, which truly is very great, whereupon we suppose, that the severity which at this present he showeth, and heretofore used towards the Christians his Subjects, as to the Armenians and others, evil entreating them, and permitting sometimes, that their children should be made slaves, and forcing some of them to deny their faith, is to no other end, but to give some satisfaction to the Mulaz, and the people; in that he feareth some revolt, having particularly discovered diverse times conspiracies against himself, whereby he stood in danger both of his life, and Kingdom, wherein one of his sons was intended to be placed, which hath been the cause that he hath put two of his sons to death, and as it is presumed, hath caused the third in like sort to be slain, to the intent to leave one of his eldest sons children, to succeed him in the Kingdom, who as yet is a little Infant, and incapable of the Empire.  
True it is also, that the King naturally is both angry and choleric, both by reason of the conspiracies which have been also addressed against him, as for the death which he hath inflicted on his own natural children, so that this passion hath gotten so great power over him, that sometimes he seemeth to be out of his wits, and at that time acteth beastly resolutions. All these things being thus past betwixt the King, and the Father, the King commanded those three prisoners to be brought before him, that were imprisoned in the City of Haspahan, by reason of the intelligence the Chan of Sciras had given him, together with these six other, who desired to be Christians, and were ready to receive sacred baptism, being for this cause also committed to prison. The King himself asked them whether they were Christians or no? to whom these Catechumen▪ answered together, with two of the three other Christians, (that is to say joseph, and Hebrain) that they were none; Alexander only answered with great courage, that he was a Christian. The King commanded him to forsake his faith, and to return to Mahometisme: Whereupon Alexander, with greater fervour, and freeness of spirit, said, that he would never commit such a sin, as to separate himself from the true faith of jesus Christ, for the false Doctrine of Mahomet, and that he hoped through the mercy of God, to live and die a Christian. The King▪ being strangely moved by this free and confident answer (as one who was unaccustomed to hear replies, and contradictions to his commandments) sentenced him to be presently stoned to Death, and afterwards burned to Ashes. The ministers suddenly executed the King's command, and happy Alexander publicly confessing jesus Christ, gave him thanks, for that he thought him worthy to lose his life for his sake. We cannot as yet, learn the other particularities of this glorious servant of God, because the Execution was sudden, and without the City: we only know that the Relics are in the hands of the Christians, and are kept by them with honour and reverence.  
The other eight (that is to say) the two Christians and the six Catechumen, who had been brought before the King, with the holy Martyr Alexander, were by his Majesty's commandment led unto Father john, to know which were the two that were Baptised, for all of them had denied themselves to be Christians. We thus locked up as we have signified unto you, the next day following about an hour within Night, whilst we were occupied in mental Prayer which we use to make for one hour in the Evening and another in the Morning; behold the Eight inchayned Prisoners, together with the ministers of Cruelty, came unto us, commanding the Father to certify them, which of those were the two Christians. The Father animated and exhorted them, to confess the true and holy Faith, which he had taught them, and that God had engraved in them by holy Baptism, and which they, with so much gladness, had at that time testified; and also showed unto them, that it was not lawful for Christians to deny the Name of jesus Christ, at such time as they are constrained to confess the same, and afterwards he told these whom the King had sent, that joseph and Hebrain were the two, which he had Baptised (for the Father knew that the King was well informed of all) one of these two relented a little, because the Father had discovered him, uttering forth certain words, whereby he discovered his apprehension of the danger, the other spoke not one word. here we have an occasion, wonderfully to admire the means which his Divine Majesty used at this time, to assist those two souls, and to crown them with the crown of holy Martyrdom, provoking even the very ministers of Cruelty, who led them to Martyrdom, to animate them unto Death for the love of jesus Christ; for one of them said, be not afraid of Death, because it is our most assured heritage: Thou art a Christian, die then in the Faith of jesus Christ; Another said this life passeth in a moment, you shall go and live with jesus Christ: The last said, jesus Christ is alive, and is not dead as Mahomet is; continue constant, and you shall ascend to the fourth Heaven of jesus Christ.  
The next day early in the morning, they brought us back the Eight that were chained together, and with them a Portugal called Sebastian Does, taken Prisoner by the King's Soldiers in his Wars, and for that cause detained in Prison in Haspahan; this did God ordain for his greater Glory, and the aid of these new Christians: Father john, issued out of the Gate, with Bread to distribute amongst them, and to refresh them a little, but the Catechumen would take none, yet did joseph and Hebrain receive the same, and gave thereof likewise to Sebastian Does, entertaining Father john with a joyful countenance, and great contentment, who called all the other Fathers and Religious, for the common consolation of all, and after he had exhorted the two Christians to perseverance, and without fear to confess their God and Saviour, who gave himself for our Redemption, and to esteem it to be a great grace and blessing to be reputed his Martyrs, and to remember themselves of the virtue, courage, and constancy, of their three companions, Elia, Cassadir, and Alexander, who like glorious Saints, enjoy and for ever shall enjoy Eternal glory: whose intercession he promised them, as also our prayers; but above all the aid and assistance of jesus Christ in their passion, and that their torments would seem sweet, and pleasant unto them: After this each one with tears in our eyes, embraced each other, envying their happiness, and reputing ourselves not worthy of so great a favour, we took our leave of them, and they departed comforted, joyful, and invested with a new Spirit; but we remained sad and afflicted, for that we were deprived of the Crown of Martyrdom, which we so much desired: we settled ourselves to prayers, to assist them the best that we could, considering that it was not permitted to us, to do otherwise, neither to accompany them as we desired, and as we endeavoured to do. But Sebastian Does sufficiently supplied our places, heartening, comforting, and inciting them always to behave themselves like the true soldiers of jesus Christ.  
They two with the other seven, which were in chains, that is to say, Sebastian Does, with the six Catechumen in religion, were led through the City of Haspahan, and turned three times about the same, and were then conveyed to the King's presence, mean while Sebastian Does with the two new Christians, confessed always (both passing through the City, and in the way, with a loud voice, and in the King's presence) the Name of jesus Christ. The King seeing this, commanded that joseph and Hebrain, should be stoned to Death, and their Bodies to be burned, and that Sebastian Does, with the six Catechumen, should be led back to Prison: and to this purpose it was Proclaimed throughout the City of Haspahan, that those that loved Mahomet should repair to the Execution place, with Stones to chastise those, who had denied the Faith of Mahomet. Being arrived at the place where this Execution of these two happy Christians, was to be performed, The Governor of the City who is an Apostata, and hath abjured Christian Religion, alighted from his Horse, & taking the Mulaz with him to ass●●t him, enforced himself to persuade these two Martyrs, to make profession of the Law of Mahomet, attempting them, with their ordinary, carnal, and temporal reasons, promising them not only their lives, and the King's pardon, but also great Rewards, considering that not only the matter concerned and hazarded their reputation, but also the credit of their Prophet Mahomet: joseph answered with great courage, saying; That although he were the first that denied himself to be a Christian, at such time as the King questioned him thereupon, yet now in no sort he would commit such an error, for that the offence he had committed was too great already, when in the King's presence he had denied himself to be a Christian, hoping that our Lord jesus Christ, who had showed him so much favour, as to call him to become a Christian, would now give him grace and force to suffer Death for his love: Whereupon they that were about him, and particularly the Mulaz took up stones to stone him, which, whilst they performed, the Saint having his Head already broken and in pieces, cried out with a loud voice: Blessed be the holy Name of jesus, his Faith is holy and true; and that of Mahomet's is false, and no man can be saved thereby; But Brethren God pardon you, and give you his holy light: telling them further, that he felt no pain. Hebrain, that was the last to dye for jesus Christ, was tempted and likewise assaulted anew, to deny the holy Faith, and to profess and protest that of Mahomet, whereunto he answered; that he would not do it, and that he was a true Disciple of jesus Christ, the true God, and true Man, wishing them, that they should not lose any more time to persuade him to such lies, and that they should not delay any longer, to bestow that Crown on him, which his companions enjoyed in Paradise, and that he was disposed to shed his Blood for him, and for his Love, who with so great excess of love▪ had given his Corporal life for them and him, to the end to give them an Eternal life: And whilst they bound and fastened him to the stake, he said to the Ministers of his Execution, that he pardoned them, and desired that God would not demand account of his Blood at their hands. It is impossible to express with what rage these Ministers of the Devil stoned this holy Martyr, out of the despite they had, for that they could not pervert him, whereupon they remained wholly confused and derided by all men. Having stoned these two Saints, they burned their Bodies, and set a watch over the relics and ashes of the Saints, yet notwithstanding the Christians gathered them all up, so that nothing was left unpreserved.  
The King's Ministers repent themselves for that they had Executed the Martyrs, because they did not believe, that so great a constancy could be in the Saints, considering the torments which they suffered, and the rather, because they saw so great a murmur amongst the people, who flocked together in great multitudes, to see the spectacle they had never seen, and they openly said, that the faith of the Christians was more strong, and better than theirs: Whilst this Martyrdom was a doing, we that were locked up, and guarded by our ordinary Watchmen, prayed God that his holy name might be sanctified in these his Saints. Not long after this the King departed and went to Kanda, where his Army attended him; but before his departure, he caused the Catechumen in Christian Religion, to be set at liberty, and ordained, that not only they should have their free liberty, but that they should be honoured, and and left free as they were before, to do their offices in our Church. Signifying hereby, that what he had done, he had done against his will. But as we remained in the Ministers hands, and the King was far distant from us, they left us one of the guard in the ●●●ent, saying, that the King had so commanded them, but this was not a guard but a Mamonda (that is to say a guard of guests or strangers) and for this cause the Christians frequented not our Church, as they were accustomed. But GOD draweth the best from all things, for by this persecution, we have gotten the love of diverse Persians, and are in good reputation with them, and those that kept us, testify our poverty in all places, and that we are good Christians, which we could not have obtained in our prosperity. The sensible apprehension that all the City showeth, gives us great occasion to praise God, because all of them thought, that we should have been put to death, by diverse torments. For going once along the City, and making some little walk, presently after the death of these Martyrs, they all beheld us, with joy and contentment, and great reverence, blessing GOD. Although as yet, we are under the aforesaid guard, and in a manner imprisoned, yet do we say our offices in the Church, and we ring our bells (which are very good) as we did before, and as you do in Europe, and notwithstanding our need of money, wherewith we are pressed, yet within these few days, we have bought a very good Bell, for fear lest the other should be broken, hoping in God that we shall one day see them, in the best Idolatrous Church in this City (that is to say) in the Synagogue of the Mahometans. We remain very much comforted, and the rather because we already see the efficacy of the intercession, which those five Martyrs make for this Mission, enjoying the fruit of their blood, wherewith it is watered, hoping to have greater one day, and to see throughout this whole Kingdom, the holy Cross triumphantly erected, which God grant for his great and infinite mercy sake.  
The Parents of the Martyrs are very well affected towards us, diverse of the most Learned and Principals of Haspahan, send us salutations, excusing themselves, that for the present they cannot come to salute us in person, because as yet those things that are past, are new, and fresh in memory: And although we are thus closed up, I will not say Imprisoned, yet some have not failed to come unto us (although with great danger) importuning us to Baptise them. The Forty three Territories of the Armenian Christians, who are under the King's Obedience (as at other times I have certified your Reverence by my Letters) had played the Apostates, in another Persecution, and were for the most part become Mahometans, (although as I believe it was not in heart) by the example of these five Martyrs, they have all of them declared themselves to be Christians, and protest they are ready to dye for CRHISTS sake and his Love.. The King hath taken no notice hereof, but hath commanded, that every one should live according to that Faith wherein he was borne, and to the aforesaid Forty Territories, he hath made restitution of their Christian Books, which the Persians had taken from them, when they abjured.  
These are the fruits of the Death, and intercession of these Five glorious Martyrs. There are some, that for the present labour to put this Information into an authentical form by a public Notary, with many witnesses, which were present at this famous Martyrdom, amongst which there shall be the Ministers of the King: which once obtained, I will send it to your Reverence, with all the other particularities that may be known, to the end, you may make use of them at Rome.  
I will certify your Reverence no further as touching the workmen in this Mission, lest I should grow too tedious, but this, that they live in great observance, and with such perfection, as if this house were a Noviship, and they Novices. They humbly require the Prayers of our Congregation, and especially and particularly those of your Reverence, and your holy Benediction, in which we have much confidence. Beseeching you to succour this Mission, and to send labourers, for the Harvest is great, and your Reverence may believe me, that sometimes my heart bursteth (if I may so speak it) with compassion seeing them still crying out for the Bread of the sacred Gospel, and that we cannot assist them all, as we earnestly desire: The zeal of your Reverence permitteth me not to speak any further, knowing what desire you have to assist this Mission, with the hazard of your blood. Our Lord reward you, and preserve us, as we pray to that effect.  
From Haspahan the Eleventh of April. 1622.