matter It was this Eunomius that Eudoxius preferred to the bishopricke of Cyzicum When as he after his wonted maner fedd the eares of his auditors out of the pulpitt w t sophisticall arguments and reasons of Logick he amazed his auditory so that thereupon there was raysed a great tumult at Cyzicum for the citizens of Cyzicum when they coulde not away w t his arrogant and insolent maner of preaching they banished him their citie Thence he gott him to Constantinople liued with Eudoxius and playd the Bishop no longer Yet lest we seeme in the way of sclaunder onely to report these thinges of him let vs heare the blasphemous wordes of Eunomius him selfe wherewith most impiously after his Sophisticall maner he derogated from the maiesty of Almighty God he sayd as followeth God of his owne essence vnderstandeth no more then we doe neither is the same better knowen or vnderstoode of him then of vs and whatsoeuer we knowe of it the same knoweth he and looke what his capacitie reacheth vnto the same thou shalt finde in vs. These and many other such lewde fallacies linked Eunomius together but after what sorte he fell from the Arians I will hereafter declare CAP. VIII Of the oracle that was founde ingrauen in a stone when the Emperour Valens vpon displeasure ouerthrewe the walls of Chalcedon THe Emperour vpon displeasure gaue commaundement that the walls of Chalcedon lying ouer against Byzantium should be ouerthrowen for he tooke an othe that if he gott the vpper hand of Procopius the tyrant he would do it because y â— citizens of Chalcedon tooke Procopius part and reuiled him as he passed by the walls of their citie with spitefull and contumelious languages and shutt vp their gates against him so it fell out that the walls of the citie by the commaundement of the Emperour were throwen downe to the grounde the stones there of were caryed to the common baths at Constantinople called Constantianae In one of the sayd stones there was an oracle founde ingrauen the which of olde lay in secret then first came to light Whereby it appeared that the walls should be taken to the vse of the baths when great pleÌ„ty of waters were seene in the citie and that when infinite of the Barbarian nations inuaded the Romayne dominions they shoulde wonderfully molest the empire of Rome and in the ende be ouerthrowen them selues there is no cause to the contrary but that the reader may haue the oracle layd before him VVhen Nymphs with noyse and royall feasts when mirth in citie raygnes VVhen walls with woe keepe streamy bathes that boyle vp filth and staynes A people strong in number great shall passe Danuby streames Calliro eke the Scythian â—se and Misian craggy realmes The Thracian bankes with armour bright all couered men shall see This nation fierce though armour fight in armour foyld shal be The oracle is in this sort for not long after the conduyt which Valens made yelded great plenty of water vnto the citie of Constantinople at the same time also as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare certaine of the Barbarian nations tooke armour against the empire of Rome yet y â— oracle may otherwise be vnderstoode for Clearchus the Lieuetenant of the city after y â— conueyance of the conduyt made a great pipe in Theodosius market the which was called the plentifull pipe where also for ioye thereof the citie kept a solemne feaste and this peraduenture was it which the Oracle meant when he sayd VVhen Nymphes with noyse and royall feasts when mirth in citie raygnes VVhen walls with woe keepe streamy bathes that boyle vp filth and staynes But these circumstances knowledge of the oracle fel out afterwards When y e walls of Chalcedon were a throwing downe y â— citizens of Constantinople made humble sute vnto y e Emperour y t he would not so deface the city of Chalcedon y â— like did y â— Bithynians Nicomedians Nicaeans who by chaunce then were at Constantinople but the emperour being throughly incensed against them tooke their sute in very ill part to the end he might kepe his othe he commaunded the wal shoulde downe and the foundation should be filled vp with litle pelting stones so that as yet there is to be seene in some places of the wall how sclender and what newe building of no accompt was raised vpon so auncient and substantiall a foundation but of the walls of Chalcedon so much shall suffice CAP. IX How the Emperour Valens persecuted the Nouations who embraced the clause of one substance no lesse then the true Christians How the Emperour Valentinianus begate a sonne and called him after his owne name for his sonne Gratianus was borne before Valentinianus enioyed the empire THe Emperour moreouer ceased not from persecuting such as embraced the creede contayning the clause of one substance but banished them out of Constantinople and together with them the Nouatians who addicted them selues vnto the same opinion their Churche doores he commaunded to be nayled vp their Bishop Agelius a man that led a precise life and ruled the Church euen from the raigne of Constantine he exiled This man all his life tyme went barefoote and according vnto the commaundement of the Gospell he had but one coate At that tune Martianus who sometime was a souldier in the Emperours pallace a zealous and an eloquent man appeased the displeasure of the Emperour conceaued against the Nouatians He was then a Priest of the Nouatian Churche and trayned vp Anastasia and Carosis the Emperours daughters in the precepts of Grammer in whose name the common bathes buylded by Valens at Constantinople were consecrated the which as yet are there to be seene bearing the name of the Emperours daughters Wherefore by reason of his sute and because of the reuerende opinion which the Emperour conceaued of this priest the Nouatian Churches being shutt vp for a while were set wide open and frequented a newe yet were they not ridd of the Arians nor deliuered from their persecution The Arians abhorred them because they loued entirely such as embraced the faith of one substance The state of the Ecclesiasticall affayres then was at this point This one thing we may not leaue vntoutched how the battell betwene the Emperour and Procopius the tyrant was fought about the latter ende of May. in the consulship of Gratianus and Dagalephus In a while after the sayd battell the aforesayd men being Consulls the Emperour Valentinianus had a sonne borne him in the West whome he called after his owne name for his sonne Gratianus was borne before he was crowned Emperour CAP. X. Of the great hayle that fell at Constantinople and the earthquakes which happened in Bithynia and Hellespontus THe yeare following in the Consulship of Lucinus and Iouianus the seconde of Iulie hayle of a wonderfull bignes like vnto stones lighted at Constantinople It is rise in euery mans mouth that God sent that great hayle in token of his displeasure
as a simple lodging a peece of the byshops pallace Epiphanius answered him in this sorte I will neyther lye with thee neyther praye together with thee vnlesse thou both banishe Dioscorus with his brethren out of the citie and also subscribe with thine owne hande vnto the decree which condemneth the works of Origen When that Iohn paused vpon the matter and sayde that he ought not rashly neyther without good aduisement determine any thinge of that matter afore that he had generally examined and that narrowly the whole circumstance the aduersaries of Iohn set Epiphanius otherwise on worke For at the celebration of the blessed and holie Communion in the churche commonly called the Apostles they sette Epiphanius in the myddest they cause him in the open audience to condemne the workes of Origen to excommunicate Dioscorus and his brethren laste of all to rebuke Iohn for takinge of their parte When Iohn hearde of this he sent vnto Epiphanius who the daye followinge was at churche this message by Serapion Epiphanius thou doest manie thinges contrarie to the Canons firste in that thou hast presumed to make ministers vvithin my Diocesse secondly in that thou hast ministred the Communion of thyne ovvne heade vvithout my licence agayne in that thou dyddest refuse it vvhen I requested thee and novve thou doest it of thy selfe VVherefore take heede lest the people stomacke thy dealinge and be sett on an vprore if ought come amysse thou hast thy remedie in thy hande Epiphanius receauinge this message was strucken with sodayne feare left the church inueyed bitterly agaynst Iohn and tooke shippinge towards Cyprus The reporte goeth that as he went downe to the rode to take shipping he prophecied thus of Iohn I hope thou shalt neuer dye a bishop that Iohn answered him thus againe I hope thou shat neuer come aliue into thy contrey Whether they that told mee these things reported truely I am not able to say but sure I am that it fell to ether euen as eche one wished to the other For neyther came Epiphanius aliue to Cyprus he dyed on the seas by the way neyther dyed Iohn a bishop for he was deposed and banished the church as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare CAP. XIIII Howe that after the departure of Epiphanius Iohn made a sermon agaynst allwomen which made both the Emperour and the Empresse to summone a Councell at Chalcedon where Iohn was deposed In his absence the people made much adoe to appease them Iohn is called home to Constantinople againe AS soone as Epiphanius had hoysed vp sayle reporte came vnto Iohn that Eudoxia the Empresse had bolstered Epiphanius against him he beinge very hot and a hasty man of nature euer ready for his gift of vtterance did so serue him immediatly went vp into the pulpitt made a whole sermon in the dispraise of all women The multitude tooke it in the worst part as if therby he had determined secretly to pay home y ◠Empresse The sermon was borne away of ill-willers and brought to the Emperour the Empresse also hearinge therof complayned vnto the Emperour that therein she was contuineliously dealte withall and that the reproche thereof redounded also vnto him Wherfore she worketh through Theophilus to summone a councell against Iohn Seuerianus likewise went about the same neither was the dealing of Iohn towards him as yet gone out of his stomacke Shortly after Theophilus came thither who called together at the Emperours commaundement many bishops out of diuers cities But aboue all other men they came thither apace which for diuers quarells owed Iohn a displeasure They also came thither whome Iohn had deposed put by their bishopricks ▪ for he had depriued many of the bishops in Asia in the voyage he made to Ephesus at what time he made Heraclides bishop wherfore w t one cōsent they meete all at Chalcedō a citie of Bithynia At that time Cyrinus an Aegyptiā borne being bishop of Chalcedō inueyed bitterly against Iohn in presence of all y ◠bishops he reported of him y ◠he was a wicked mā that he was an arrogāt a sollyne bishop the rest of y ◠bishops were glad of that But Maruthas bishop of Mesopotamia trode against his will on Cyrinus foote and hurt him sore The broise so encreased pained Cyrinus so much y ◠he could not goe w t the rest of the bishops to Cōstātinople but taryed behind at Chalcedō the rest sayled to Cōstantinople When as none of y ◠clergie of Constantinople went forth to meete Theophilus neither exhibited vnto him the accustomed honor and reuerence for then all beganne to hate him the matiners of Alexandria who then by chaunce were there and had brought corne to Constantinople went to meete him and receaued him with gladsome shoutes He went not to the house of prayer but vnto the Empresse pallace called Placidia Then the aduersaries of Iohn went about to forge many false accusations agaynst him they brabble no longer about the bookes of Origen but they take other absurde matters in hande When these thinges were thus adoynge the Bishops assembled together in the suburbs of Chalcedon in a place called the Oke immediately they cite thyther Iohn for to answere vnto such crimes as he was charged withall Besyde him they charge Serapion Tygris the Eunuche prieste and Paulus the reader for they were also accused to appeare before them When Iohn had excepted agaynst such as had cited him thither as his open enemies he appealed from them vnto a generall Councell they without any other circumstance called him foure tymes And seeyng that he would not come but sent them still the same answere they proceeded against him they condemned and deposed him of his bishoprick for no other crime but because he being cited would not appeare When tydings thereof about euentyde were brought to Constantinople the whole citie was on an vprore Wherefore they watched all nyght they would not suffer him to be thrust out of the churche they exclaimed that his cause ought to haue bene hearde in a greater assemblie of Bishops But the Emperours commaundement was that as soone as he were remoued he shoulde be conueyed to exile This beyng knowen for certayntie Iohn the thirde day after his deposition about noone vnknowinge to the multitude for he was loth there shoulde be any adoe for his lake yeelded him selfe voluntarily into the handes of his aduersaries and so went awaye The people were all sette on fyrie sedition and as it commonly falleth out in suche hurlyburlies many of them which aforetyme pursued him with deadly hatred then chaunginge they re mind pitied his case many others who lately desired to see his depriuation reported then that he was craftely dealt withall and falsely accused Many cryed out agaynste the Emperour and exclaimed at the Councell but aboue all others they inueyed agaynst Theophilus who was knowen to haue bene the author of all that treacherie and malicious sclaunders
rebaptizing of heretickes THen firste of all Cyprian bishop of Carthage thought the heretickes no other kinde of waye to be admitted and purged from their errour then by Baptisme But Stephan thought good that nothinge shoulde be innouated preiudiciall to the tradition preuaylinge of olde for whiche cause he was greatly offended with Cyprian CAP. IIII. Dionysius writeth vnto Stephan bishop of Rome of the matter in controuersie and of the peace which followed after persecution DIonysius when he had often written vnto him of this matter at length certifieth him that persecution beynge ceassed all the churches enioyed peace embraced vnitie and detested the erroneous nouelties of Nouatus he writeth thus Vnderstand nowe o brother that all the churches throughout the east yea and beyonde are vnited together whiche afore tyme were deuided and at discorde amonge them selues All the gouernours of the churches euery where are at one reioysinge exceedingly at the peace which happened beyonde all expectation Demetrianus of Antioche Theoctistus of Caesarea Mezabanes of Ierusalem Marinus of Tyrus Alexander who is dead Heliodorus of Laodicea which succeeded after the death of Thelymidres Helenus of Tarsus all the churches of Cilicia Firmilianus and all Cappadocia I haue onely recited the most famous Bishops lest my epistle become ouer large and the readinge be ouertedious All Syria and Arabia two wherewith ye are pleased and to whome presently ye write and Mesopotamia Pontus and Bithynia and that I may vtter all in one worde euery one euery where reioyceth glorifyinge God in concorde and brotherlie loue So farre Dionysius Stephan when he had bene byshop of Rome two yeares dyed and after him came Xystus in place And to him wrote Dionysius an other epistle of Baptisme layinge downe the censure of Stephan and the other byshops Of Stephan he sayeth thus He wrote an epistle toutchinge Helenus and Firmilianus and all Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia and the borderinge nations that he woulde not communicate with them for that cause to weete for that they rebaptized heretickes Consider that this is a weyghtie matter For truely as I heare in the greatest synodes of bishopes it is decreed that such as renounce any heresie shoulde firste agayne be instructed then be baptized and purged of the dregges of the olde and impure leauen And hereof I wrote vnto him requestinge him to certifie me agayne and to our welbeloued fellowe ministers Dionysius and Philemon who at the firste gaue their censure with Stephan and nowe they write vnto me to whome at the firste I wrote brieflie but nowe at large So farre presently of this question then in controuersie CAP. V. Of the Sabellian heresie MAkinge relation of the Sabellian heretickes then preuaylinge he writeth thus For as much as manie brethren of both partes haue sente theyr bookes and disputations in writinge vnto me toutchinge the impious doctrine lately sowen at Pentapolis in Ptolemais contayning many blasphemies against the almightie God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ and withall muche incredulitie toutchinge his onely begotten sonne and firste begotten of all creatures and the worde incarnate and senselesse ignorance of the holy ghoste Some of them I haue written as God gaue me grace with greater instruction and sent the copies vnto you CAP. VI. Dionysius being warned from aboue read with greate profitt the bookes of heretickes he thinketh that such as returne from their heresies shoulde not be rebaptized DIonysius in his third epistle of Baptisme writeth thus vnto Philemon a Romaine minister I haue read ouer the traditions and commentaries of heretickes not infecting my minde with their impure cogitations but profiting my selfe accordingly that I reprehēded thē with my selfe and detested them vtterly And when I was brotherly and charitably forbidd by a certaine minister whiche feared lest that I wallowed my selfe in the puddle of their malicious writinges whereby my soule myght perishe who as it seemed me tolde the trueth a certaine vision came vnto me from aboue plainlie commaundinge and sayinge Reade all whatsoeuer come into thy handes thou shalt be able to weye to proue and trye all for by this meanes at the firste thou camest vnto the faith I thankfully receaued the vision as agreable vnto the voice of the Apostle speakinge vnto myghtier men Be you tryed stewardes or disposers of the mysteries of God Agayne after he had spoken somewhat of all the heresies before his time he proceedeth on thus I haue receaued this canon and rule of blessed Heraclas our pope Suche as returned from heretickes though they fell from the churche or not fell but thought to participate with them yet betrayde for that they frequented the companie of one that published false doctrine he excommunicated neither admitted no if they had entreated before they had openly pronounced all they had hearde of the aduersaries then at length he gathered them together not requiringe that they shoulde be baptized againe For a good whyle before they had obtained by his meanes the holie ghost Agayne when he had largely entreated hereof he writeth thus ▪ And I am sure of this that not onely the bishopes of Africk haue practised the like but also the bishops our predecessours of olde in the most famous churches and in the Synodes of the brethren at Iconium and Synadis with the aduise of manie haue decreed the same whose sentences to ouerthrovve and raise contention and bravvling among the brethren I cannot awaye with Thou shalt not as it is written alter the bounds of thy neighbours which thy fathers haue limited CAP. VII The same Dionysius of the Nouatian heresie HIs fourth epistle of Baptisme is written vnto Dionysius then a Romaine minister but afterwards there placed bishop whereby we may coniecture howe he was counted wise and famous by the testimonie of Dionysius bishope of Alexandria he wrote vnto him after other things in this manner of Nouatus VVe are not without iuste cause offended with Nouatus vvhiche hath rent a sunder the churche of God and drawen diuerse of the brethren vnto impietie and blasphemies and hath published of God a moste impious and prophane kinde of doctrine charging the moste louing and mercifull God vvith the title and sclaunder of immercifulnesse And moreouer he hath renounced baptisme he hath made shipwracke of his former faith and confession he hath chased avvay the holy ghost vvhat hope soeuer remaines either of the tarying or returning of the holy ghost into them againe CAP. VIII Dionysius reporteth of one that sorowed because he had receaued baptisme of heretickes THe fifte epistle of Dionysius is extant vnto Xystus bishop of Rome where after he had written many thinges againste heretickes he reporteth this one thing which happened in his time writing thus In good sooth brother I stande in neede of aduise and counsaile I craue your opinion for that a certaine thing happened vnto me vvherin I feare lest I be deceaued when the brethren were gathered
ende ye like vvise might receaue from him againe letters of friendly coÌ„sent amitie novv let Paulus vvrite to Artemas let the coÌ„plices of Artemas coÌ„municate vvith him But of these things thus farre Paulus together with his right faith was depriued also of his bishoprike Domnus as it is written before succeeded him being chosen by the synode bishop of Antioch wheÌ„ Paulus would not depart the church neither voyde the house the emperour Aurelianus being besought decreed very well coÌ„mauÌ„ded by ediâ—â— â–ª the house should be allotted for such as y â— bishops of Italic Rome with vniforme coÌ„seut in doctrine â–ª appointed for the place After this sort was Paulus with greate shame vanished y â— church by secular power thus was Aurelianus theÌ„ affected towards vs but in processe of time he so eâ—â—raunged him selfe that welnygh through the lewde motion of some men he moued persecution against vs much talke was blased farre nygh toutching him but wheÌ„ he had raysed persecution against vs now welnygh subscribed to a publicke edict preiudicial to our affaires the iust iudgement of God ouertooke him hindred his purpose craÌ„ping as it were his knuckles making manifest vnto all men that the princes of this world haue neuer any power to practise ought against the church of God vnlesse the inuincible myght of God for discipline conuersion of his people according vnto his deuine celestiall wisdome graunt pardon or licence to bring any thing about in what time it shall please him best When Aurelianus had held the imperiall scepter the space of sixe yeares Probus succeeded him And agayne after sixe yeares Carus came in his place together with Carinus and Nâ—â—erianus his sonnes Againe when these had continewed scarse three yeares Diocletianus was chosen emperour and by his meanes they were promoted vnder whome persecution and the ouerthrow of the churches preuayled a little before the raygne of this Diocletâ—â—â— Diâ—â—yâ—â—â—s byshop of Rome dyed when he had gouerned the church nyne yeares whome Feliâ— succeeded CAP. XXX Of Manes whereof the Maniches are called whence he was his conuersation and heresie ABout that tyme Manes after the etymologie of his name in no better taking than a 〈…〉 man was in armour and instructed in a deuelishe opinion through the peruersitie of his minde the deuell and satan the aduersariâ— of God leading and procuring him to the perdition of many soules He was in tongue and trade of life very barbarous by nature possessed and frenticke he practised things correspoÌ„dent vnto his witte and maners he presâ—â—â—ed to represent the person of Christ he proclaimed him selfe to be the comforter and the holy ghost and beynge puffed vp with this frenticke pride chose as if he were Christ twelue partners of his new found doctrine patching into one heape false and detestable doctrine of olde rotten and roâ—ted out heresies the which he brought out of Persia for no other then deadly poyson into the world whâ—â—â— that abhominable name of the Maniches hath had his originall CAP. XXXI Of the bishops ministers and other famous men florishing at that tyme in the churches of Rome Antioch and Laodicea SVch a fained name of false science sprong vp in those tymes in the which after Felix had gouerned the churche of Rome fiue yeares Eutychianus succeeded who continewinge seares tenne moneths committed his cleargie vnto Gaius in this our time and fyfteene yeares after Marcellinus followed whome also the persecution ouertooke In the churche of Antioch after Domnus succeeded Timaeus after him in our tyme Cyrillus was chosen bishop vnder whome we remeÌ„ber one Dorotheus then minister of the churche of Antioch to haue bene a very eloquent and singuler man he applyed holy scripture diligently he studied the Hebrewe tongue so that he read with great skill the holy scriptures in Hebrewe This man came of a noble race he was expert in the chiefe discipline of the Grecians by nature an eunuch so disposed from his natiuitie for which cause the emperour for rarenesse therof appropriated him placing preferringe him to the purple robe in the citie of Tyrus we hearde him our selues expounding holy scripture with great coÌ„mendation in the churche of God Tyrannus succeeded Cyrillus in the churche of Antloch in whose tyme the spoile of churches was very ryfe Eusebius whiche came from Alexandria gouerned the church of Laodicea after Socrates The sturre about Paulus Samosatenus was the cause of his remouing for whose sake he weÌ„t into Syria where of the godly he was hindred that he coulde not returne home againe because he was the desired Jewell hoped staye of our religion as by the testimonie of Dionysius hereafter alleaged shall manifestly appeare Anatolius succeeded him the good as they say after the good who also was of Alexandria for his eloquence and skill in the Grecians discipline and philosophicall literature he bare the bell among all the famous of our time he excelled in Arithmeticke Geometric Astronomie Logicke physical coÌ„templatioÌ„ and rhetoricall exercises for whiche his excellencie he was chosen moderator of Aristotels schoole by the cytizens of Alexandria They report at AlexaÌ„dria many other famous acts of his specially his behauiour at the slege of Pyruchium â–ª where he obâ—â—yneâ— a singuler prerogatiue of principalitie of whose doings one thing for example sake I will rehearse When vittaile as they say fayled such as were vesieged and famine pressed them sorer then foraine enemies this same Anatolius brought this deuise to passe whereas the one part of the citie helde with the Romaine hoast and therfore out of the daunger of the slege he gaue information to Eusebius who then was at Alexandria it was before his departure into Syria and conuersant amonge them which were not besieged in great estimation and credite with the Romaine captaine howe that such as were besieged almost perished for famine he beinge made priuie to their miserie by the messengers of Anatolius craued pardon of the Romaine captaine for such as left forsooke the enemie â–ª which sute when he had obtained he communicated with Anatolius he forthwith accepting of his promise assembleth together y â— senate of Alexandria first requesteth of theÌ„ all that they will ioyne in league with the Romaines when he sawe them all sett in a rage at this his request be sayd but yet in this I suppose you will not resist if I councell you to permitt such as stand you in no stede as olde men and olde women and children to depart the cytie to repaire whither please them for to what purpose do we retaine these among vs nowe ready to yelde vp the ghost to what purpose do we presse with famine such as are maymed and wounded in bodie when as men onely and yonge men are to be releaued and retayned and prouision of necessary foode is to be founde for them which keepe the citie with contine wall watch and warde when he
Christian religion And such a one was 〈◊〉 â—ut Liconius while these thinges were a doynge by common consente of the potentates was also created emperour and Augustus Whiche â–ª thinge greened Maximinus very sore who vnto that tyme was alone called Caesar of all meÌ„ who also being tyrannically disposed violeÌ„tly of his owne mind inuaded the empire and intitled him selfe Augustus And being attainted of treason and founde to haue conspired the death of Constantinus and after deposition to haue aspired againe vnto the imperiall scepter dyed a moste shamefull death He was the firste whose titles pictures withall that seemed to shewe forth his honor were ouerthrowen for no other then the armes of an emperour that was moste prophane and impious CAP. XV. The dissimuled loue of Maxentius towardes the Christians his horrible offences and crueltie HIs sonne Maxentius which exercised tyranny at Rome in the beginninge of his raygne dissembled our fayth egregiously creepinge into creditt by flatteringe of the people of Rome and therefore he commaunded his communalty to cease from persecutinge of the Christians whereby he might pretende a shewe of pietie and seeme tractable more benigne theÌ„ his auncestres were before him but in processe of time he was not in dede founde the same which men tooke him for and hoped he woulde be for he fell into all kinde of enormyties omittinge no haynous offence bowe detestable and laciuious soeuer it were vnassayed committing adultery all kinde of lewde wantonnesse sendinge home againe vnto their husbande 's the louinge spouses and lawefull wiues taken from them by force when he had ignominiously abused them and these presumpteous practises he exercised not onely vpon the obscurer sort but dealt this opprobriously with the most renowmed of the Romaine senators Wherefore all both high primats and inferior people trembling for feare of him were oppressed with his intollerable tyranny yet nether by silence neither by suffring this greuous setuitude cold they be free from the bloody slaughter and embrued murther of this tyrante vpon light occasions sundry times deliuered he the people vnto the soldiers which were in compasse to be slayne and an innumerable multitude of the Romayne people in the middes of the citie he offred to the sworde and spears not of Barbarians and Scythians but of his owne proper soldiers It may not be recited what slaughter of senators he procured craftely seeking after their substance of whome an infinite number he executed for sundry causes and fayned crimes this was the drift and marke this mischiefous tyrant shotte at he applied himselfe vnto the studie of Magicall artes for inchauntement he opened and ript the bowells of burthened women great with childe he searched the entrailes of newe borne babes he slewe lyons and after a secrett maner coniured deuells and endeuored to withstande the warres then approchinge for he fully determined with himselfe to be crowned conquerour by meanes of these artes This Maxentius therefore practisinge tyrranny at Rome oppressed the commonalty with such haynous offences as may not be tolde so that they were pinched with so great penurie of necessary victaile as the like can not be remembred in this our age to haue happened at Rome CAP. XVI The cruell behauiours of Maximinus in the East and of Maxentius at Rome and other where in the west â–ª MAximinus the Casterne tyrant of a long tyme behaued himselfe to the ende he might conceale his malice against his brother and his hid friendship towards the Romaine tirant but in the ende he was espied and suffred punishmente due to his desert It was wonderfull to see howe that he committed things a like and correspondeÌ„t vnto the practises of the Romayne tyrant nay he farre passed him in malice and mischiefe The chiefest inchaunters magicians were in greatest creditte with him and because he was a man very timorous wonderfully rooted in superstition he highly esteemed of the erroneous worship of Idols and deuels without southsaingâ— answers of Oracles he durst not mone no as it is commonly sayd not the breadth of a nayle for which cause he persecuted vs without intermission and more vehemently then his auncesters before him he erected temples throughout euery citie the Idolatricall worship of longe time defaced and ouerthrowen he carefully restored agayne and published by edict that Idole priestes shoulde be ordained throughout all countreys and cities besides this he appointed in euery prouince one for high priest of such as were counted famous for politicke affaires being also able with decency to execute that function whome he furnished with a great trayne and gard of soldiers To be short he priuiledged all inchaunters recounted godly and takeÌ„ for Gods them selues with primacy dignities and chiefest prerogatiues He went on still and oppressed not on Citye or region onely but whole prouinces vnder his dominion exactinge golde and siluer and summes of money and vexed them with greuous proclamations on penaltie ensuinge after another The wealth and substance which his progenitors had gathered before he tooke in greate heapes of treasure and greate summes of money and bestowed it vpon his flatteringe parasites He was so drowned with ouer muche wine and drunkenesse that amonge his cuppes he woulde be starke madd and besides him selfe and often times beinge typsie commaunded such thinges whereof afterwards being restored to his former sobriety it repented him He gaue place to no man for surfeting and superfluitie but made him selfe ringe leader of that vice vnto all that were about him bothe Prince and people He effeminated his soldiers with all kinde of delicacy and lasciuiousnes He permitted his presidentes and captaynes to practise rauenous extorcion and poulinge of his subiectes whome he entertayned as fitte companions of his foule and shamefull tyranny To what ende shall I rehearse his vnchaste life Or recite the adulteryes he committed He colde passe no Citie where he rauished not wiues and deflowred not virgins And in these thinges he preuayled agaynst all sortes of people the Christians only excepted which contemned death and despised his tyranny The men endured burninge beheading crucifyinge rauenous deuouring of beastes drowninge in the seae mayming and broyling of the members goringe and digginge out of the eyes manglinge of the whole body moreouer famyne and imprysonment to be short they suffred euery kinde of torment for the seruice of God rather then they woulde leaue the worship of God and embrace the adoration of Idols â–ª women also not inferior to men through the power of the worde of God putt on manly courage whereof some suffred the same tormentes with men some attayned vnto the like maysteries of vertue other some drawen to be abused yelded sooner they re life vnto the death then theyr bodyes to be defiled For when as others by reason of the tyrants adultery were polluted a Christian matron of Alexandria both noble and renowmed
alone ouer came the lecherous and lasciuious mynde of Maximinus with the presence of her manly courage This woman for many â–ª thinges was highly esteemed for ritches for kindred for learninge yet preferred she chastitie before all Whome when he had earnestly entreated yet coulde not finde in his harte to putt her to death which otherwise was already prepared to dye being moued more with lust then with anger exiled and depriued her also of all her substance And infinitie other matrons not abydinge no not the hearinge of the threats of abusinge theyr bodies done by the presidents of euery particular nation endured all kinde of punishments torments and deadly paynes These are in deede to be wondred at but in greater admiratioÌ„ is that most noble most chast matron of Rome to be had in respect of all the rest agaynst whome the Romayne tyrant Maxentius liuely resemblinge Maximinus went about to rage When that she vnderstoode the ministers of tyrannicall lust to be at hand and her husbande she beinge a Christian though he were a Romayne magistrate to be in holde amonge them and for feare of execution to haue consented therevnto she craued a little leasure as if she went to trime her selfe and entting into her chamber and there beinge alone she runne vpon a naked sworde and dispatched her selfe so imediatly by her death she bequeathed her carkasse vn to the tyrantes baudes and by this acte of hers soundinge and pearcinge more then any shrill voyce shee pronounced and printed in the mindes of all mortall men both presente and to come that amonge the Christians alone vertue can with no money be ouercome neither be destroyed with any kinde of death This so great a burthen of impietie was brought into the worlde at one and the same time by two tyrants which helde East and west If any seeke out the cause of these so great mischieues who will doubt to assigne the persecution raysed agaynst vs for cause thereof specially in as much as this confusion finished not before the Christian liberty was first restored for during the tearme of these tenne yeares persecutioÌ„ there wanted them nothing which might tende to mutuall hatred or ciuill dissention The sea was besett with shippes and therefore innauigable neyther was it possible from any place for any man to arriue and take lande but he shoulde he sifted with all kinde of punishments his sides scourged and himselfe tried with sundry torments whether he were not sent from the enemy as a spie in the end he was either hanged or burned morouer there were prepared for the purpose targets brest plats dartes spears with other warlicke armour galeyes also and other ordinance for shipps were heaped in euery place neyther wayted any man for any other then dayly inuasion by the enemy after these thinges ensued famine pestilence of the which we will entreat hereafter when fit oportunity is ministred CAP. XVII The ende of the persecution and the finall confusion of the tyrant SUch things had they prepared during y â— who le time of persecution which in the tenth yeare by the goodnes of God wholy ceased yet after the eight yeare it begaÌ„ne somwhat to slacke relent for after that the deuine and celestiall grace of God behelde vs with a placable and mercifull countenance then our princes euen they which heretofore warred against vs after a wonderfull manner chaunged their opinion song a recantation and quenched that great heate of persecution with most benigne and milde edicts and constitutions published euery where in our behalfe The cause of this was not the humanity or compassion as I may â—o terme it or benignity of the princes being farre otherwise disposed for they inuented dayly more and more greuous thinges against vs successiuely vnto that time they founde out sundry sleyghtes and newe puniments one after an other but the apparent countenance of the deuine prouidence reconciled vnto his people withstood the power of mischiefe and quelled the author of impietie and the worker of the whole persecution And yet according vnto the iudgment of God it was behoueable that these things should come to passe yet vvoe vnto them sayth the Lorde by vvhome offence doth rise Wherefore a plague from aboue lighted on him firste takinge roote in his fleshe and afterwards proceeding euen vnto his soule there rose vpon a sodayne in the secret partes of his body an impostume or running sore afterwards in the lower parts of his priueyties a botchye corrupt byle with a fistula whence ishued out corrupt matter eatinge vp the inward bowels and an vnspeakeable multitude of lice swarming out breathinge a deadly stinche when as the corpulency of the whole body through aboundance of meat before the disease came was turned into super fluous grossenes and then beinge growen to matter yelded an intollerable and horrible spectacle to the beholders Wherefore of the phisicians some not able to digest that wonderfull noysome stinche were slayne some other by reason of the swellinge throughout the body there remayned no hope of recouery beyng not able to helpe at all with theyr phisicke were cruelly executed theÌ„ selues CAP. XVIII An Edict in the behalfe of the Christians the which aduersitie wrested from Maximinus AT length being thus tormented and lying in this miserable plight he beganne to ponder with himselfe the rashe enterprises he had practised against the holy worshipers of God Wherefore returning vnto himselfe first he confesseth his sinnes vnto God whose power reacheth ouer all next calling vnto him such as then were in compasse he gaue commaundement that with al speede they should relent and cease from persecuting of the Christians that by the decree and commaundement of the emperour they should buyld againe theyr churches they should frequent theyr often conuenticles they shoulde celebrate theyr wonted ceremonies and pray for the life of the emperour and immediatly that which by word he coÌ„maunded was in dede brought to passe The proclamations of the Emperour were published throughout the cities and a recantation of the practises preiudiciall vnto vs contayned in this forme The Emperoure Caesar Galerius Maximinus puysant magnificent chiefe Lord Lord of Thebais Lord of Sarmatia fiue times conquerour of Persia Lord of Germanie Lord of Aegypt tvvise conquerour of the Carpians six times conquerour of the Armenians Lorde of the Medes Lord of the Adiabeni tvventy times tribune nineteene times generall captaine eight times Consul father of the countrey proconsul And the emperour Caesar Flauius Valerius Constantinus vertuous fortunate puysant noble chiefe Lord â–ª generall captaine and tribune fiuetimes Consull â–ª father of the countrey proconsull Amonge other thinges vvhich vve haue decreed for the commoditie and profitte of the common vvealth our pleasure is first of all to order and redresse all thinges accordinge vnto the aunciente lavves and publicke discipline of the Romaynes â–ª vvithall to vse this prouiso that the Christians vvhich haue forsaken the relligion of
God had graunted him that might and power that neither he in no wise colde be kept backe from his wilfull malice and wickednes neither these men for their manifolde sundry cōflicts should be depriued of their reward glory For which cause by the decree of the most wicked emperour Maximinus there were in one day nine thirty martyrs beheaded These were the martyrdoms suffred in Palaestina during the whole tearme of eight years and such was the persecution raysed against vs which first beganne with the ruine and ouerthrowe of the churches which also encreased dayly more and more by reason that the emperours at sundry times renewed the same whereupon also it fell out that there were manifold and sundry conflicts of valiāt champions wrastling for the trueth in Christ and an innumerable multitude of martyrs in euery prouince reaching from Libya throughout all Aegypt Syria the Eastern countreys and euery where euen vnto the cōfines of Illyricum And the coasts adioyning vnto the aforesayd countreys as all Italy Sicilia Fraunce and the VVeasterne coūtreis and such as reach vnto Spayne Mauritania Aphrike where they were not persecuted fully two years but quickely through the mercy and goodnes of God obtained peace and tranquillitie because that the deuine prouidence of almighty God for there faith and innocencyes sake pitied their lamentable estate For that which from the beginning was not remembred to happen in the Romaine empire came now in the end to passe amongest vs beyonde all hope expectation The empire was deuided into two partes because of the persecutiō raised against vs. And though in some part of the world the brethren enioyed peace yet in other regions and countreis they suffred infinite conflicts and torments But when that at length the grace of God shewed vnto vs his louing his mercifull his fauorable coūtenance and watchefull care ouer vs then I say then the gouernours and magistrates euen they which afore time raysed persecution agaynst vs remembred themselues somwhat better altered their mind song a recantation quenching the firie flame of persecution flashing among vs with more circumspect decrees milder constitutions in y ◠christians behalfe Nowe let vs record vnto the posterity the recantation of Maximinus the tyrant The ende of the eyght booke THE NINTHE BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALAESTINA CAP. I. Though Maximinus went not seriously about to succoure the christians and to relent the persecution yet it profited Sabinus published abroade his letters in the behalfe of the christians so that peace was restored THis recantation set forth by the commaundement of the emperours was published euery where throughout Asia and all his prouinces which thing being done Maximinus the Eastern tyrant most impious of all chief enemy to y ◠seruice of God not pleased w t these proclamations in steade of y ◠wryttē edict commaunded his princes by word of mouth y ◠they should make league w t the christians And because he durst none other but obey the sentence of the higher power he begāne to imagine howe to conceale the decree already proclaimed to prouid lest that it were made manifest vnto the countreis of his dominiō by this aduise he commaunded his inferior magistrats by word not by wryting that henceforth they should persecute vs no more But they certified one an other of this commaundement Sabinus who then among them was in highest dignity certified by epistle wrytten in the latine tongue the seuerall presidents of the prouinces of the emperours decree by translatiō thus The maiesty of our Lordes and most noble emperours hath decreed nowe a good while agoe with great care deuotion to induce the mindes of all mortall mē vnto the holy right trade of liuing to the ende these also whiche haue alienated them selues from the Romaine maner should exhibite due worship vnto the immortall gods but the stubburnes of some the mind of all other most obstinate so farre resisted that they could be vvithdravven from theyr purpose nether by ryght nor by reason neyther be terrified vvith any tormēt that was laied vpon them For as much as therefore it fell out by this meanes that many putt themselues in great perill the maiesty of our lieges most puysant emperours after their noble piety iudging it a thing farre from their most noble purpose for such a cause to cast men into so great a daunger gaue me in charge that with diligence I shoulde write vnto your industry That if any of the christians be founde to vse the relligion of his owne sect you neyther grieue nor molest him at all neyther thinke any man for this cause worthy of punishment when as it appeareth in so long a tract of time they can by no meanes be induced to sursease from such a pertinacy Your industrie hath therefore to write to the liuetenāts captaines cōstables of euery citie village that they passe not the bounds of this edict to presume any thing contrary to the same The presidents through out the prouinces hauing receaued these letters thinking this to be the true meaning of the emperour in these lettres contayned declare forthwith by their epistles y ◠emperours decree vnto y e liue tenants captaynes and vnto such as gouerned the common people of the countrey Neither were they onely satisfied with the sending of letters but rather by the deed doing it selfe to bring about the emperours will brought forth and sett at liberty such as they held captiues in prison for the confession of christian religion yea releasinge them also which for punishmentes sake were committed to y e mine pitts digginge of mettalls for they being deceaued thought this would please the emperour These things being thus brought to passe immediatly after the sonne beames of peace shined brightly as if it had bene after a darke or mysty night Then might a man haue seene throughout euery city congregations gathered together often synods and there wonted meeting celebrated At these thinges the incredulous heathen were much dismaied and wondering at the maruelous straūgnes of so great a chaūge shouted out that the God of the christians was y e great and onely true God Some of our men which faithfully manfully endured the combatt of persecution enioyed againe there liberty amōg all men but others some faynting in the faith of abiect mindes in the storme of persecutiō greedely hastened vnto their salue and sought of such as were strong and sound y e forewardnes of health and destred the Lord to be mercifull vnto them Againe the noble champions of godlines beinge sett at liberty from the affliction they suffred in the mine pitts returned vnto their owne home passing throughout euery city with valiant and chearefull courage w t vnspeakeable ioy and replenished with inexplicable liberty of mind They went in y ◠voyage and returne lauding God in songs psalmes throughout y
Nicomedia to the faction of Eusebius as a sure and safe refuge They for hatred they owed vnto Athanasius entertayned him for a priest and promised to make him Bishop if he would accuse Athanasius so that hereby I meane by the false reports of Ischyras they tooke occasion to sclaunder Athanasius for Ischyras blased abrode that vpon a sodaine they brake in vpon him and dealt with him very contumeliously that Macarius beat the altar with his heeles ouerthrewe the Lordes table brake the holy cuppe and burned the blessed bible They promised him for these his malicious accusations as I sayd before a bishoprick for they were fully perswaded that the crime layd to Macarius charge was of force sufficient not onely to displace Macarius that was accused but also to remoue Athanasius who had sent him thither This sclaunder was compassed against him in a while after Afore that tyme the complices of Eusebius had forged agaynst him an other accusation full of spite and cankered malice whereof I will presently entreat They gott I wott not where a mans hande whether they slewe a man and stroke of his hande or cutâ— of the hande of a dead man God knoweth alone and the authors of this treachery this hande the Bishops of Meletius sect bring forth in the name of Arsenius and protest that it was his hande the hande they bring forth but Arsenius they hidd at home They say moreouer that Athanasius vsed this hande to magicke and sorcery And although this was the chiefest thing that was layd to Athanasius charg yet as it falleth out in such kinde of dealing other men charged him with other things for they which spited him vnto the death went then about to worke all meanes possible to mischieue him When these thinges were told the Emperour he wrote vnto Dalmatius the Censor who was his sisters sonne and then abode at Antioch in Syria that he shoulde call such as were accused before the barre that he shoulde heare the matter and execute the offenders He sent thither Eusebius and also Theognis that Athanasius might be tryed in their presence Athanasius being cited to appeare before the Censor sent into Aegypt to seeke out Arsenius for he vnderstoode that he hidd him selfe but he could not take him because that he fledd from place to place In the meane while the Emperour cutt of the hearing of Athanasius matter before the Censor for this cause He called a synode of Bishops for to consecrate the temple which he had buylded at Ierusalem The Emperour had willed the Bishops assembled at Tyrus to debate together with other matters the contention raysed about Athanasius to the ende all quarells being remoued they might cheerefully solemnize the consecration of the Church and dedicate the same vnto God Constantine went now on the thirtieth yeare of his raigne The Bishops that mett from euery where at Tyrus being cited by Dioâ—ysius the Senator were in number three score Macarius the Priest of Alexandria being fast bounde with fetters and bolts of yron was brought thither by the souldiers Athanasius would not come to Tyrus not disinayed so much with the sclaunderous reportes that were layd to his charge for his conscience accused him of nothing as he feared greatly lest that they woulde bring in some innouation preiudiciall to the decrees of the Nicene councell but because that the angry lynes and threatning letters of the Emperour moued him not a litle for he had written vnto him that if he came not of his owne accord he should be brought thither with a vengeance he came of necessitie vnto the councell CAP. XXI How Arsenius whose hand they said had bene cutt of was found out and brought before the barre to the confusion of Athanasius accusers which then fledd away for shame and how that Athanasius being otherwise parcially dealt withall of the councell appealed vnto the Emperour THe diuine prouidence of God brought to passe that Arsenius also came to Tyrus For he quite forgetting the lessons geuen him by those false accusers that bribed him for the purpose came thither as it were by stelth to knowe what newes there were in those coasts It fell out that the seruants of Archelaus a Senator hearde say in a certaine tipplinghouse that Arsenius whome they reported to haue bene slayne was there and hidd him selfe in a certaine house of the towne When they hearde these thinges and eyed well the authors of this report they reueale the whole matter vnto their lord and maister He forthwith laying all delayes aside sought out the man being sought founde him being founde he layd him fast by the heeles and biddes Athanasius be of good cheere that Arsenius was come thither aliue Arsenius being in holde denieth him selfe to be the man But Paulus Bishop of Tyrus who knewe him of olde affirmed plainely that he was Arsenius in deede These thinges being thus rightly disposed by the wisedome and prouidence of God Athanasius not long after is called before the councell in whose presence the accusers bring forth the hande and charge him with the haynous offence He behaueth him selfe wisely and circumspectly and demaundeth first of them all that were present and also of his accusers whether any of them did euer knowe Arsenius When that diuers of them had aunswered that they knewe him very wel he caused Arsenius to be brought before them with his haÌ„ds couered vnder his cloke and then againe demaundeth of them Is this fellowe that Arsenius which lost his hande at the sight of the fellow some of them that were present except them that knew whence the hand came were astonied some others thought verily that Arsenius wanted a hande and gaue diligent eare to see what other shift Athanasius had to saue him selfe But he turning vp the one side of Arsenius his cloke shewed them one of his handes Againe when some did surmise that his other hande was cutt of Athanasius at the firste paused a while and in so doing brought their mindes into a greate doubt but in the ende without any more adoe he casteth vp vpon his shoulder the other side of his cloke and sheweth them the seconde hande saying vnto all that behelde it you see that Arsenius hath two handes now let mine accusers shewe vnto you the place where the thirde hande was cutt of This treachery of theirs toutching Arsenius being thus come to light the dealing was so shamefull that the accusers coulde finde no where as much as visards to couer their faces Achaab otherwise called Iannes the accuser of Athanasius crept by stelth from the barre thrust him selfe among the throng and priuely ranne away Thus did Athanasius cleare him selfe of this sclaunder vsing exception agaynste no man for he doubted not at all but that the very presence of Arsenius woulde astonish the sclaunderers to their vtter shame and ouerthrow * But for the wiping away of the crimes layde to Macarius charge he tooke the benefitt of the lawe vsinge such
was Siluanus and molested the quiet estat of the coÌ„mon weale in Fraunce but the captaines of Constantius dispatched him quickely out of the way when these things were come to an end there rose other ciuill warres in the East for the Ievves inhabiting Diocaesarea in Palaestina tooke armour against the Romaines and inuaded the bordering regions But Gallus called also Constantius whome the Emperour Constantius had made Caesar and sente him into the Easte came thither with great power ouer came the Iewes in battell and made the citie Diocaesarea euen with the ground When Gallus had brought these thinges to passe being swollen and puffed vp with the pride of good successe and prosperous affaires could no longer containe himselfe within his bounds but forthwith beinge inflamed with tyrannicall motion turned his minde against Constantius so that Constantius not long after espied him out and perceaued his drift He had executed of his owne absolute authoritie Domitianus who was president of the East and the greate treasurer not making the Emperoure priuey vnto his doings Wherefore Constantius was sore incensed against him He being wonderfully affrayd yet of force came vnto him Constantius hearing of his comminge y â— he was nowe in the Westerne partes of his dominions to wete in the He Flauona caused his head to be taken of his shoulders In a litle while after he appointed Iulianus y â— brother of Gallus Caesar sent him into Fraunce against y â— Barbarians Gallus whose name was also Constantius ended his life the seauenth Consulship of Constantius and the third of his owne Iulianus the yeare following was created Caesar â–ª in the Consulship of Arbition and Lollianus the sixte of Nouember But of Iulianus we will discourse in the third booke Constantius beinge rid of these present mischiefs turned himselfe to wage battell with the church of God Remouinge from Sirmium vnto the princely citie of Rome â–ª he called together a councell and commaunded diuers Bishops out of the East to repaire with all speed into Italy and that the Bishops of the Weste shoulde meete them there In the meane space while they trauell into Italy it fell out that Iulius Bishop of Rome after he had gouerned that churche fiftene yeares departed this life and Liberius succeded him in the Bishopricke CAP. XXVIII Of the heretike Aetius the Syrian the mayster of Eunomius AT Antioche in Syria there stept vp an other hereticke founder of a straunge and forayne opinion whose name was Aetius called also the Atheist He although he maintayned the same things and vpheld the selfe same opinion with Arius yet seuered he him selfe from y e Arians because they admitted Arius into the communion For Arius as I sayd before meant one thing with in and vttered an other thing without being at Nice he allowed subscribed vnto the forme of faith layd downe by the councell deceaued the Emperour which raigned theÌ„ with his fraude subtltie This was y e cause that made Aetius seuer him selfe from the Arian sect vntil that tyme Aetius was knowen not onely for an hereticke but also for a greate patron of the pestilent doctrine of Arius When he had gott some smacke of learninge at Alexandria he left that citie and went to Antioch in Syria where he had bene borne and there was he made Deacon of Leontius theÌ„ bishop of Antioch In a short while after he was able to amaze such as reasoned with him with his subtle quirkes of sophistrie This did he by the meanes of Aristotls Elenches for so is the booke intituled for whylest he disputed vnwittingly coulde he frame such captious and sophisticall propositions as his owne capacitie coulde not dissolue the reason was because he had not learned Aristotls dryft of cunninge and learne â–ª Logicians For Aristotle agaynste the sophisters who then derided and abused philosophie wrote such a kinde of reasoninge for the whetting of yonge mens witts displaying their behauiour and ouerthrowinge their sophisticall fallacies with wittie reasons and well couched subtilities The Academikes that comment vpon Plato and Plotinus works doe mislyke very much with such thinges as Aristotle hath so argutely and subtly written but Aetius not procuring vnto him a maister that was an Academicke cleaued vnto these captious subtle fallacies Wherfore he could not deuise how to vnderstand that there was an vnbegotten birth or how to imagine y â— the begotten could be coeternall with the begetter so barraine a brayne had he of his owne and so ignorant and vnskilfull was he in holy scripture for he had nothing in him saue a subtle kind of reasoning quarellous and contentious languages such as may easily be found in the 〈◊〉 ignorant vnlearned he had read ouer the auncient writers such as published commentaries vpon holy scriptures and condemned Clemens Aphricanus and Origen sage men of singular learning for vnlearned persons the epistles which of set purpose he had patched and stuffed with litigious triflles sophisticall conclusions the same he sent vnto the Emperour Constantius and to sundry others And therefore was he called the Atheist And although he affirmed the selfe same thinges with Arius yet of his owne crue not attayning vnto his intricate and captious maner of reasoning was he counted for an Arian hereticke Wherefore being excommunicated out of the church yet woulde he seeme as though of his owne accord he had seuered him selfe from their communion Of him therefore as originall of this errour the Aetians had their appellation but now are they called Eunomians For in a litle while after Eunomius his scribe who sucked of his filthy sinke of hereticall doctrine became a ringleader to this sect But of Eunomius in an other place CAP. XXIX Of the Councells held at Mediolanum and Ariminum with the Creedes then concluded vpon BY that time there met in Italie not very many bishops out of the East for heauie age long iourneyes were letts so that they coulde not come but out of the West there came aboue the number of three hundred bishops The Emperours ediâ—â— was proclaimed that the councell should be held at Mediolanum When the bishops of the East came thither first of all they require that sentence by their generall consent should be pronounced agaynst Athanasius thinking verily thereby to stoppe all gappes from goinge or returninge of him any more to Alexandria After that Paulinus bishop of Triuere in Fraunce Dionysius bishop of Alba an heade citie of Italy and Eusebius byshop of Vercellae a cytie of the Lygurian Italians had perceaued that the byshops of the East bent all their myght to enact a decree agaynst Athanasius for no other purpose but to ouerthrowe the true faith they stoode vp and cryed out that in so doing the christian religion should be cancelled by the meanes of their deceatfull fraudulent treachery that the crymes layd to Athanasius his charge were false reports meere sclauÌ„ders and y â— they had
inueÌ„ted such things to deface the true and catholicke faith When they had ended these lowde speaches the Councell brake vp The Emperour vnderstaÌ„ding of this coÌ„mauÌ„ded them forthwith to exile banishmeÌ„t determineth w t him selfe to summone a generall couÌ„cell to y â— end after citing of all the easterne bishops into the west contries he might if it were possible bring them all to embrace vnitie and concorde But after better aduisement taken with him selfe he sawe it was a very hard matter to compasse by reason of the farre contries and longe iourney and therefore he commaunded the Councell shoulde be deuided into two partes the bishops then present to assemble at Ariminum a citie of Italie the bishops of the East to meete at Nicomedia a ritie in Bithynia But his purpose tooke no prosperous successe for nere nother of y â— Councells agreed â–ª within them selues both was deuided into sundry factions For neither could the bishops which mett at AriminuÌ„ in Italy agree amonge them selues neyther the bishops of the East among them selues for they raysed a newe schisme at Seleucia a citie of Isauria but howe all this came to passe I will hereafter rehearse in processe of our discourse if that first I say somewhat of Eudoxius In the very same time Leontius â–ª who preferred Actius the hereticke to the degree of Deaconship hauing departed this lyfe Eudoxius bishop of Germanicia a citie of Syria then beyng at Rome thought it high time for him to returne into the East he dealeth doubly with the Emperour forlicence to depart with speede alleadginge for him selfe that the citie of Germanicia stoode in greate neede of his helpe and ghostly counsell The Emperour litle thinkinge what fetches he had in his heade gaue him his pasport He through the sute and furtherance of the Emperours chamberlaynes left his owne citie and crept through wyle and subtletie into the byshopricke of Antioche he endeuoureth to restore Actius agayne into the church and goeth about to summone a Councell of byshops and to make him Deacon agayne But his lewde dryft was longe in brynginge about because the hatred owed vnto Actius was of more force to repell him then the hartie good wyll and furtherance Eudoxius vsed to restore him but of this we neede no more wordes Of them which assembled at Ariminum the Easterne byshops not mentioninge the businesse aboute Athanasius signified that the cause of their comminge was to discourse of other matters Vrsacius and Valens who at the firste were Arians and afterwards exhibited a recantation vnto the byshop of Rome subscribing as I sayd before vnto the clause of One substance stoode them in great stead for these two continewally cleaued vnto the stronger and the surer side There came also to take their part Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius In the assembly of bishops then present when diuers men would haue diuers things enacted Vrsacius Vales affirmed y â— all formes of faith layd downe in times past were thenceforth to be caÌ„celled that y â— new forme of faith published a litle before at y â— councell of SirmiuÌ„ was to be coÌ„firmed When they had so sayd they gaue forth a shete of paper which they had in their haÌ„ds to be read The second creede written before at Sirmium suppressed there as I sayd before read also at AriminuÌ„ translated out of the Latine into y â— Greeke toÌ„gue was layd downe in these words This Catholick faith was published at SirmiuÌ„ in the presence of Costantius our liege lord Flauius Eusebius Hypatius renowmed consuls the eleuenth Kalends of Iune VVe beleue in one onely true God the father almightie creator and maker of all things in one onely begotten sonne of God who was before all worlds before all beginninges before all tymes that may be imagined and begotten of God the father vvithout any passion before all comprehensible knowledge by vvhome both the vvorld and all things were made one only begotten begotten of the father alone God of God like vnto the father which begatt him according vnto the scriptures vvhose generation no man hath knovven saue the father vvhich begatt him him vve knovve his onely begotten sonne to haue come dovvne from heauen at the fathers becke to banishe and vvype avvay synne to haue bene borne of the Virgine Marie to haue bene conuersant vvith the disciples to haue fulfilled according vnto his fathers will all his message to haue bene crucified to haue suffred died to haue descended into hell and there to haue disposed all things at whose sight the porters of hell gates trembled to haue risen againe the third day againe to haue accoÌ„panied with his disciples after 40. dates were expired to haue ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the father and shall come againe at the last day with the glory of his father to reward euery one according vnto his workes And we beleue in the holy ghost whome the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ him selfe promised to send mankind the coÌ„forter as it is written I go vnto my father I will pray my father to send you an other comforter the spirite of trueth he shall take of myne and shall teache leade you in all things The word Substance being simply layd downe of the fathers vnknowen of the ignoraÌ„t people geuing vnto many great cause of offence insomuch it is not founde in holie scripture vve haue thought good to abandone it and henceforth speakinge of God to make no mention of the vvorde Substance because the sacred scriptures haue not once remembred the substance of the Sonne or of the holie ghost VVe say that the sonne is like the father in all things that because the word of God hath affirmed taught it vs. WheÌ„ these things were read such as were not pleased with the circumstances and contents therof rose vp and sayde We came not hither as though we wanted faith and beleese for we retayne that faith which we learned from the beginning but we are come to withstand nouelties if ought be practised preiudiciall vnto y â— same If those thiÌ„gs which you haue now read neither sauor neither rend to y â— establishing of noueltie accurse renounce the heresie of Arius in such wise as the old auncient canon of the church hath banished all hereticall blasphemous doctrine It is apparent vnto the whole world what tumults troubles the blaspemous opinioÌ„ of Arius hath raysed euen vnto this day in the church of God This offer was not accepted of Vrsacius Valens Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius thervpon the bond of vnitie retained in the church of God was broken asunder For these men cleaued vnto such things as the councell of AriminuÌ„ had decreed y â— other confirmed the canons of the Nicene Councell derided y â— contents of the creede y â— was read in their presence but specially Athanasius so y â—
onely among them which then bare away incurable woundes he being the cause thereof but also among his owne familiar and deare friendes so that the emperour also had him in disple asure and alienated his minde from him partly for this thing and partly for an other cause which was as followeth He went about to pull downe the temple where the tombe of the Emperour Constantine lay and put the people which prayed within and serued God deuoutly in great feare of their liues Macedonius had purposed to translate the Emperours bones lest the tombe with the falling of the temple should breake and deface y ◠monument The people vnderstanding of this withstoode his enterprise affirming it a thinge vnlawfull to translate the Emperours bones that it was in maner nothing else but the digging of him vp againe out of his graue The people was deuided into two parts the one iudged the deade carkasse in no wise to be iniuried with remouing the other thought that wicked offence might lawfully be done They which maintained the faith of one substance with generall consent resisted the deede but Macedonius making no accompt of the gainsayers translated the carkasse into y ◠church where Acacius the martyr had bene buried This was no soner done but the multitude of the contrary side ranne thither in all the hast they set them selues one against the other without any delay they went together by y ◠eares so great a slaughter was committed that the body of the Church was aflote with streames of blood and yet not only there but also from the Church porch vnto the streete the way was all blood and deade carkasses crossing one an other When the Emperour vnderstoode of this woefull and lamentable case he was wonderfully incensed against Macedonius partly for that he murthered so many men and partly also that he durst presume without his consent to translate his fathers bones After that he had committed the gouernment of the westerne dominions vnto Iulian whome lately he had made Caesar he returned into the East but how Macedonius in a short while after was depriued of his bishoprick and receaued so small a punishment for so greate an offence I will declare in an other place CAP. XXXI Of the councell helde at Seleucia a city of Isauria NOwe I beginne to discourse of the other councell resembling the councell of Ariminum summoned also by the Emperours edict in the East Although it pleased him at the first that the Bishops shoulde meete at Nicomedia in Bithynia yet the greate earthquake which shooke the countrey and ouerthrewe Nicomedia was a let so that they coulde not assemble there This came to passe in the consulship of Tatianus and Cerealius the eyght and twentyeth of August They consulted for to remoue the councell into the citie of Nice which was not farre of but altering their sentence they appoynted to meete at Tarsus a citie of Cilicia neyther yet coulde they all agree vpon that and therefore they assemble at Seleucia a citie of Isauria called Roughe These things were done in one and the same yeare when Eusebius Hypatius were Consuls The number of Bishops which met there was a hundred and threescore There was also with them one Leônas a man of great autoritie fame in the Emperours court in whose hearing it was commaunded by the emperours edict they should reason of the faith Lauricius also captaine of the garrison in Isauria was commaunded to supply and minister vnto the Bishops whatsoeuer they wanted The bishops being met together the eight and twentieth of September disputed to fro their disputation was laid downe in writing by publick notaries for there were scriueners present of swift pēning great exercise ready for to note their obiections resolutions what other thing soeuer was vttered All which thinges are at large set forth in the booke of Sabinus intituled the collection of councells where the studious Reader may peruse them at his pleasure but I of my part will therfore runne ouer briefly the chiefe pointes therof The first day of their assembly Leônas commaunded that euery one should freely propose what pleased him best but they that were present affirmed it was not lawful to call any thing into question before they came whose presence was required in the councell For Macedonius Bishop of Constantinople Basilius bishop of Ancyra sundry others were looked for of the councell who mistrusting their cause suspecting they should be accused of hainous crimes absēted them selues of set purpose Macedonius pleaded sicknes for him selfe Patrophilus that he was sandblinde troubled with dropping bleare eyes and by reason of the aforesayd causes that of necessitie they were constrained to stay in the suburbes of Seleucia the rest alleadged other causes of their absence And when Leônas saide they might propose questions for all they were absent the Bishops answered that it was not meete any thinge should be reasoned of before they had first diligently examined the liues and conuersation of such as were accused for Cyrillus bishop of Ierusalem Eustathius bishop of Sebastia in Armenia and diuers others had hainous crimes laide to their charge Wherefore there was great contention betwene them that were present whilest y ◠the one part would first examine their liues the other part reason and question of the faith The doubtfull and darke sentence of the Emperour was cause of that hurlyburly For the letters which he wrote vnto the councell commaunded one while one thinge an other while an other thinge first to be handled The varience that rose among them that were present so deuided them that it ministred occasion vnto the councell of Seleucia to parte them selues into two factions vnto the one side there cleaued Acacius Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina Georgius Bishop of Alexandria Vrsacius Bishop of Tyrus Eudoxius bishop of Antioch together with thirty others of the other side there were Georgius Bishop of Laodicea in Syria Sophronius Bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagoma Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum together with many others When that that side preuayled which first woulde haue had them reason of the faith the Complices of Acacius motioned that the Nicene creede shoulde be abrogated and that a new forme of fayth was to be layde downe the contrary part being moe in number approued all other thinges of the councell of Nice the clause of one substance onely layde aside And when as they had thus brawled amonge them selues from morning to night at length Siluanus Bishop of Tarsus cryed out amonge them that it was not their parte to laye downe a newe forme of fayth but to retayne vnuiolably that which was decided at Antioch at the dedication of the Churche He had no sooner spoken but the confederats of Acacius rose vp and gott them away the other side bring forth the creede concluded vpon at Antioch they reade it and immediatly the councell was dissolued The day after meeting together at the
of their owne but in so much they haue written and annexed something of their owne braine it is requisite that we rehearse it againe They wrote as followeth VVe beleue in one God the father almighty of whome are all things in the only begotten sonne of God begotten of the father before all worldes before all begininge by whome all thinges were made both visible inuisible the one only begottē begottē of the father alone God of God like vnto the father which begate him according vnto the Scriptures whose generatiō as holy Scripture doth witnesse no man knoweth but the father alone which begat him This only begottē sonne of God vve knovve to haue bene sent frō the father to haue come dovvne from heauē as it is vvritten to haue bene conuersant vvith his disciples after the accōplishing of his message according vnto the vvill of his father to haue bene crucified dead buried to haue descended into hell at vvhose presence the infernall povver trembled to haue risen againe the third day from the dead againe to haue accōpanied his disciples after forty dayes vvere expired to haue bene taken vp into heauē vvhere he sittteth at the right hande of the father shall come at the generall resurrectiō vvith the glorie of the father to reward euery one according vnto his vvorks and vve beleue in the holy ghost vvhom the only begottē sonne of God himselfe our Lord God promised to send mankind a comforter as it is vvrytten the spirit of trueth whome also he sent after his assumptiō into heauē The clause of substāce being of diuers simply layd downe because the ignorant people vnderstood it not gaue greate occasion of offence It semed good therefore in as much as there was no mentiō thereof in holy scripture quite to take it away henceforth not to reason thereof because the word of God hathe no where remembred the substāce of the father of the sonne For the substance or subsistēcie of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost may not be once named or reasoned of we therefore as we are taught by holy scripture doe affirme that the sonne is like the father All heresies whatsoeuer either heretofore condemned or lately sprong vp if they be found contrary to this faith let them be held for accursed These things as you see were then decreed at Cōstantinople Nowe hauing at length runne ouer the confuse multitude of Creeds formes of faith let vs once againe briefely repeate the number of them After the Creede that was laid downe by the Nicene councell the Bishops framed two others at Antioch when they assembled to the dedication of the church the third was made in Fraunce of the bishops which were with Narcissus exhibited vnto the Emperoure Constantine the fourth was sent by Eudoxius vnto the Bishops throughout Italie Three were published in wryting at Sirmium where of one being gloriously intitled with the names of Consulls was red at Ariminum The eight was set forth at Seleucia procured to be red by the complices of Acacius The ninth was geuen abroade with additions at Constantinople there was thereunto annexed that thenceforth there should be no mention made of the substance of subsistencie of God Whereunto Vlphilas Bishop of y ◠Gotthes then first of all subscribed For vnto that time he embraced the faith established by the councell of Nice and was an earnest follower of Theophilus steps Bishop of the Gotthes who had bene at the Nicene councell subscribed vnto the Creed But of these things thus much CAP. XXXIII Howe that after Macedonius was deposed Eudoxius was made Bishop of Constantinople and of Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia ACacius Eudoxius together with their faction made foule tumults greate sturre at Constantinople fully purposing to remoue frō their bishopricks some of the contrary side And here also we may not passe ouer with silence howe that both parts inuēted causes of depriuatiō not for piety religion sake but of priuat malice quarellous spite for though they varied in the faith yet in deposing one an other they charged not ech other with their beleefe but such as were of Acacius side tooke the Emperours displeasure who purposed among diuers other to reuenge him of Macedonius as a fit occasion first they depose Macedonius frō his bishoprick partly for that he had bene the cause of great slaughter partly also because he admitted into the communion a certaine deacon that was taken in adultery They remoued Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicū for baptizing one Heraclius a sacrificing priest of Hercules at Tyrus who was knowē to be a great coniurer preferring him to the order of deaconship they depriued Basilius otherwise called Basilas who was made Bishop of Ancyra in Marcellus rowme for that he cruelly tormented imprisoned a certaine man for because he forged sclaundres discredited diuers persons and lastly for molesting the quiet estate of the churches in Aphricke by his epistles they suspended Dracontius for leauing Gallacia remouing to Pergamus they displaced moreouer Neonas Bishop of Seleucia where y ◠coūcel was held Sophronius bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia Elpidius bishop of Satalum in Macedonia Cyrillus Bishop of serusalē many mo for sundry other causes Neither had Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia licence permitted him for to purge himselfe because that a little before he had bene deposed by Eulauius his owne naturall father who was Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia for apparelling himselfe in such weede as was not decent for the dignity order of priesthood In this Eustathius rowme Meletuis of whome I mind hereafter to speake was made Bishop Moreouer Eustathius was afterwards condemned by the councell held at Gangra that was summoned for the hearing of his matters because that after his former deposition in the councell of Caesarea he had attempted many things cōtrary to the canons customes of the church He forbad mariadge set forth precepts of abstuēce He parted asunder diuers that were coupled together in wedlock perswaded suche as refrained the churches publick assembly to raise conuenticles brotherhood in their priuat houses He tooke seruāts frō their maisters vnder colour of religion He himselfe vsed the Philosophers habite constrained his followers to vse a straunge kind of Atyre He caused the women to be shauen He forbad the accustomed prescribed fasting dayes commaunded abstinence on the sundays He abhorted y ◠prayers that were made in maried mēs houses He detested the offring and the communion of the maried priest who when he was a lay man had lawefully coupled himselfe in the bonde of wedlocke This Eustathius when he had taught and set abroch these and many other such lewd precepts was as I said before deposed by y ◠councell held at Gangra in Paphlagonia and his doctrine accursed But these things were done a good while after When that
the Emperour in all thinges he shall passe the boundes of his callinge and forgett his profession Thus much briefly of the Emperour Iulians linage his bringinge vp and disposition also howe he came to be Emperour nowe let vs returne to discourse of the ecclesiasticall affayres within that tyme. CAP. II. Of the commotion risen at Alexandria and the death of Georgius IT fell out vpon this occasion at the beginninge that there rose a greate vprore at Alexandria There was a certaine place within the citie which of old time lay all wast and open full of all filth and vncleanesse where the Ethniks with rites and ceremonies done to the honor of Mithra accustomed to offer vp men for sacrifice This platt of ground seruing to no vse or purpose Constantius gaue to the church of Alexandria Georgius purposing with him selfe to founde there a church causeth the ground to be ridd and the filthe to be caryed away Hauing purged the place there was found a chauncell of great heyghth where the Ethniks had layd vp the reliques of their mysteries There was also found therein an infinite number of dead mens skulles both of yonge and olde the which as we are geuen to vnderstande were slayne when the Pagans vsed bowells and intraylls for diuination and deuelish southsaying thereby to dasell and bleare the eyes of simple and ignorant soules When these were found in the vesteryes and secret closets of Mithra the Christians went about to disclose vnto the world their practises to the end their fond ceremonies myght be derided of all men They cary about the bauld skulls of the dead for the people to gaze vpon The Pagans inhabiting Alexandria perceyuing their drift ▪ stomaked the Christians boyled within them selues for anger tooke that which first came to their handes sett vpon them and slewe of them euery kind of way so that some were runne through with swords some other brayned with clubbs other some stoned to death some strangled with halters about their necks some other were nayled to the tree casting in their teeth the death of the crosse In the end as cōmonly it falleth out in such hurlyburlyes they held not their hands no not from their dearest friends one friende fell vpon an other the one brother sought the other brothers lyfe the parents put theyr children to death and to be short the one cutt the others throte so that the Christians were fayne to ceasse from rydding the filth and foule closetts of Mithra and Georgius was of the gentils pulled out of the church by the eares tyed to a camell torne in peeces and burned to ashes together with the beast CAP. III. Howe that the Emperour taking grieuously the death of Georgius rebuked sharply in his letters the people of Alexandria THe Emperour beyng wonderfully moued with the death of Georgius wrote bytter letters vnto the people of Alexandria The reporte goeth that such as conceaued displeasure agaynst him in the quarell of Athanasius committed these thinges agaynste Georgius for to dispatche him out of the way But in my opinion they that be at variance amonge them selues most commonly holde together when necessitie constrayneth them in tumultes and seditions to withstand the violence of desperate and damned persons Wherfore the Emperours epistle chargeth not the Christians seuerally but all the inhabitants of Alexandria Georgius as it is very lyke had diuersly molested and greeued them all and therefore the people was furiously sett on fiery seditiō that the Emperour wrote generally vnto y ◠who le multitude heare out of his epistle as followeth The Emperour Caesar Iulianus Maximus Augustus vnto the people of Alexandria sendeth greetinge Although it falleth out amongest you that there is no reuerence geuen vnto Alexander the founder of your citie or that vvhich is greater if ye stand in no avve of the great and moste holie God Serapis yet doe I greately maruell that you vvere so voyde of common reason naturall affection and honest ciuilitie and that vvhich with modestie I may add therevnto you had so little consideration of our person vvhome not onely the greate God Serapis but also all the other godds haue thought vvorthie to be Emperour of the vvhole vvorlde vnto vvhome it shoulde haue bene your parte to haue had recourse and to haue geuen vs the hearinge of all such iniuries vvhatsoeuer you had sustayned at the handes of levvde and disobedient persons But peraduenture the boylinge heate of anger and the furious motion of the mynde ouershadovved your vvytts and blynded your eyes the vvhich most commonly beynge remoued from the seate of reason is vvont to committe such cruell and haynous actes And though the fonde humour of sedition feedinge on malice vvas hyndered a little yet for all that it brake out to the contempt and ouerthrovve of the lavves You therefore seynge ye are numbred amonge the people and inhabitants of Alexandria vvhome neyther reason coulde persvvade neyther shame vvithdravve from attemptinge the thynges for the vvhich you myght haue iustly detested them I charge you in the name of Serapis tell mee vvhat vvicked fiende hath thus furiously prouoked you to seeke the death of Georgius you vvyll saye peraduenture he incensed agaynste you the most blessed Emperour Constantius that he procured a bande of armed souldiers to be brought into your sacred citie that the Liuetenant of Aegypt ransacked and kept from you the most holie temple of God caryed avvay thence the images the monuments glorious ornature prouided for the solemnitie of seruice and also that vvhen you not digestinge those haynous acts endeuoured and that not vvithout iust cause to maynetayne the quarell of your god yea rather to retayne the glorious ornaments of your greate god the same Liuetenant contrarie to all reason both vniustly and vvyckedly sett vpon you vvith armed souldiers vvho fearing more the displeasure of Georgius the byshop then of Constantius the Emperour thought best in such sorte to saue him selfe For novve of a longe vvhyle he had behaued him selfe more orderly and ciuilly then tyrannically disposed tovvardes you For the vvhich causes you vvere incensed agaynste Georgius the open aduersarie of the godds and haue thus defyled vvith conspiracie and slaughter your holie citie vvhen as you myght haue sued him in the lavve and brought him to his tryall and the sentence of the Iudges In so doinge this haynous offence had not broken out into bloodshedinge and horrible murther but vvoulde haue pacified the matter in aequall ballaunce and preserued you vvithout harme or domage it vvoulde haue sharpely punished the authour of such levvde practises and kept vnder all them vvhich not onely despise the gods but also sette at nought such noble cities and famous assemblies supposinge the crueltie they exercise vpon them to be a furtherance vnto their povver and authoritie Conferre this my epistle vvith that vvhich of late I sent vnto you and weye diligently the difference betvvene them In the former I haue highly commended you but novve
and decreed that in handling the diuinitie of God there should thenceforth no mentioÌ„ be made of these words affirming y â— the word essence was not founde in holie scripture and that the Apostle in deliueringe the grounde of doctrine was constrayued of necessitie to vse the word substance But they decreed farther that in an other sense to the end the opinion of Sabellius might be rooted out these words were to be admitted lest that through the want of proper wordes we should be compelled to imagine the thinge of three names to be as one but that the seuerall names of the blessed Trinitie signifie and sett forth God to subsist by him selfe in proper substance These were the things decided in that Councell I see nothinge to the contrarie but that presently also we may laye downe what we learned and read of the wordes essence and substance Such as laboured in Greece to sett forth the sage doctrine of the Grecians gaue vs to vnderstande that the worde Essence was diuersly to be taken and had many significations but of the word Substance they made no mention at all nay Irenaeus Grammâ—ticus in his Atticke Dictionarie termeth it a barbarous worde He sayeth moreouer that it can not be founde in any auncient writer and if that perchaunce we lyght vpon it that it was neuer meant in the sense we take it That Sophocles in his Tragedie of Phoenix taketh Hypostasis for wyles or conspiracie and Menander for sauce and resignifyed also lâ—es or dregges of wyne For though the auncient Philosophers haue not vsed this worde yet we see that the later wryters haue taken it very oft for Essence But we haue spoken before that the definition of Essence was deliuered to haue diuers significations If that Essence may be comprised by definition howe when we entreate of God which is incomprehensible can we properly vse this boyced Euagrius in his booke intituled The Mooke exhorteth vs to refrayne from rashe and vnaduised reasoninge of the God head he forbyddeth the definition of the diuinitie of God because it is a simple thinge For definitions sayeth he are alwayes of concâ—eâ—â— and compound things not of the abstract and simple His wordes are these Euery proposition as the Logicians doe vvrite hath eyther Genus of vvhome it may be verifyed oâ— Species or Differentia or Proprium or Accidens or that vvhich dependeth of these But in the handlinge of the blessed Trinitie none of all thâ—se is to be required because it can not be layde dovvne neyther expressed by vvordes therefore it is not to be defined but reuerently to be runne ouer vvith silence So farre presently out of Euagrius but here after more at large We of our owne parte although we steme to haue digressed yet in so much these things appertayne vnto the discourse of our present argument 〈◊〉 haue thought good to lay them downe here CAP. VI. The Apollogie of Athanasius in defence of his flyght in the tyme of persecution AThanasius at that very tyme read in the hearinge of such as were present an Apollogie the which he had written a litle before in his owne defence when as by reason of the armed souldiers that besett the churche of Alexandria and sought his lyfe â–ª he was fayne to leaue all and runne away Whereof I haue thought good at this present to alleadge some such parcell as may seeme to brynge most profitt vnto the louing reader leauinge the whole discourse beynge somewhat ouer longe vnto the labour and industrie of the paynefull students Beholde â—ayth Athanasius the lewde practises of vvicked persons Although they are priuie vnto these haynous offences yet for all that they are nothinge ashamed of the contumelyes an dâ—â—uell tyrannle they exercised against vs but charge vs in their opinion vvith a foule spott and blemishe of infamie for escapinge the handes of cutthrotes and bloodâ—uckers yea they beshrevve them selues that they dispatched vs not out of the vvay Moreouer to the ende they may stayne my credite and aestimation they fall to accuse me for faint courage and timorous disposition being forgetfull that vvhilest they blased these thinges to my dispraise they turned the shame to light vpon their ovvne pates For if it be a discredite to slie the handes of the tyrant hovve much more to persecute meÌ„ vnto the death He that flieth seeketh meanes to saue his life but he that persecuteth goeth about to procure the others death That vve shoulde flie in such cases the scriptures are on our side but in thurstinge after the bloode of our brother the commaundement is broken and the author thereof is founde chiefe cause of the flight If they blame any man for geuinge them the slippe they are vvorthie of farre greater shame and reprehension For lett them ceasse from persecutinge and threatninge of death then vvill the other remaine still and not runne avvay But their spite and malice hath no ende they doe nought else â—aue deuise feates to bringe men vnto destruction yea vvhen they knovve full vvell that the flight of the persecuted is a foule shame vnto the persecutours For no man flieth the gentle and meeke but rather the cruell and vvicked man They that vvere greeued and farre indetted vnto others gaue Saul the slippe and fledde vnto Dauid VVherefore these men goe about to dispatche such as conuey them selues out of their vvay lest the levvdnesse of Bishops be manifestly knovven vvithout doubte herein they seeme to be starke blinde For looke hovve euident the flyght is farre more apparent vvyll theyr slaughter and banishmentes seeme vnto the vvorlde If they murther men death no doubt lifteth her voyce and soundeth out their crueltie if they fall a banishinge of them therein they sett vp monuments to the remembrance of their vvicked doinges Had they bene in theyr ryght vvitts they might haue easilie perceaned their ovvne follie and them selues ouerthrovven in their ovvne deuises But in that they are bereaued of their vvittes and beside them selues they fall a persecutinge of others and vvhile they endeuour to mischiefe others they perceaue not their ovvne malice and impietie If they reprochefully charge them which hide them selues from such as seeke their liues and accuse them for strenge the handes of the persecutor what haue they to say I beseche you vvhen they heare that Iacob fledd from the face of his brother Esau and that Moses for feare of Pharao â–ª conueyed him selfe to Madian VVhat haue these contentious quarellers to saye vnto Dauid vvho fledd from Saul vvhich sent of his garde out of his house to slaye him hid him selfe in a caue counterfeited his person vntill that subtly he had past Abimelech the priest and auoyded their layinge of vvaite for him VVhat ansvvere can these rashe bablers geueâ— vvhen they see that the greate prophete Elias vvho so deuoutly called vpon the name of God and raysed the dead vvas faine to hide him selfe from Achaab and runne away because of
courage Moreouer the Emperour called home againe the bishops whome ConstaÌ„tius had exiled whome Iulian also had not restored to their seaes TheÌ„ also the Idoll groues temples of the Ethnicks were shut vp the Pagans them selues wandered hid them here there such as wore y â— philosophicall habite layd it aside wore y â— coÌ„mon vsuall attire Those bloody detestable sacrifices wherwith they openly defiled theÌ„ selues tooke their fill during y â— raigne of Iulian were nowe wholly taken away CAP. XXI How the Macedonians and Acacians assembling at Antioche confirmed with their subscriptions the Nicene Creede THe Christian affaires were not as yet pacified neither enioyed they a quiet ende For such as were ringleaders of contrary factions gott them vnto the Emperour hopinge that he would geue them free libertie to feede foster among them selues the fiery humour of contention licence to deale sediciously w t their aduersaries And first of all y â— Macedonians exhibite vnto him a supplication where they request that such as auoutch the vnlikenes dissimilitude betwene the sonne the father should be banished y â— church theÌ„ selues substituted in their rowmes The authors of this supplication were Basilus bishop of Ancyra Siluanus bishop of Tarsus Sophronius bishop of Pompeiopolis Pasinicus bishop of Zenum Leontius bishop of Comanum Callicrates bishop of Claudiopolis Theophilus bishop of Castabala The Emperour receauiÌ„g their supplication gaue them no answere at all but sent theÌ„ away w t these words I tell you truely I caÌ„ not away w t contention but such as embrace vnitie concord I doe both honor reuerence them These words of y â— Emperour coÌ„ming to yâ—eares of other contentious persons delayd the heate of sedition y â— was kindled amoÌ„g them which fell out right as the Emperour had wished Againe at y â— time also the behauiour of y e Acacians a busie kind of bodies a sect wonderfull seditious was perceaued a kind of people they are alwaies applying them selues according vnto the vaynes of the Emperours These men assemble them selues at Antioch in Syria together with Meletius who a litle before had seuered him selfe from their communion they creepe to familiaritie conference with him The cause that moued them therevnto was for that they sawe him in great estimation with the Emperour who then made his abode at Antioche They frame a supplication amonge them selues with vniforme coÌ„sent of them all They acknowledge the faith of One substance they ratifie the Nicene creede They exhibite vnto y â— Emperour their supplication coÌ„tayning y â— forme as followeth Vnto our most holy and gratious lorde Iouianus victorious puisant Augustus the councell of bishops assembled at Antioch out of sundry prouinces send greeting in the Lorde VVe haue experience tryall sufficient most holy Emperour howe that your graces highnes with great industrie endeuoureth to establishe peace vnitie in the church of God neither are we ignorant howe that your prudent aduice thinketh no lesse then that the forme of the catholicke faith will preuayle very much to the furtherance and confirmation of the aforesayde vnitie and concorde Therefore lest we should be numbred among the corrupters of the true and syncere character of Christian doctrine we thought good to let your maiestie vnderstand that we both allowe and retaine vnuiolably the Creede confirmed of old in the holy sacred councell of Nice sithence that the clause of One substance according vnto some mens thinkinge vnaduisedly layde downe is very well interlaced of the fathers interpreted and expounded both with commodious phrases and fitt epithetons the which exposition sheweth forth the sonne to be begotten of the fathers substance to be like vnto the father according vnto his substance that no passion ought to be conceaued in his inexplicable generation that the word Substance was not vsed of the holie fathers in that sense which the Graecians take it but to the ouerthrowe of the poysoned doctrine which the blasphemous mouth of Arius endeuoured to establishe saying that Christ had his originall of nothinge that also these Anomoians affirming by interpretation the sonne to be vnlike the father who lately stept vp auoutched more impudent and levvde doctrine to the ouerthrovve of the ecclesiasticall peace and vnitie VVherfore vve haue thought good to annexe vnto this our supplication vvherein our censure and opinion is layde downe the forme of faith which we honor and reuerence decreed by the bishops assembled at Nice It beginnes as followeth VVe beleeue in one God the father almightie c. contayning throughout very sounde and substantiall doctrine I Meletius bishop of Antioch doe subscribe and allowe of all the parts and parcells of the aforesayde supplication and creede aboue written Euen so doe I Eusebius bishop of Samosata Euagrius bishop of Sicilia Vranius bishop of Apamea Zoilus bishop of Larissae Acacius bishop of Caesarea Antipater bishop of Rosse Abramius bishop of Vria Aristonicus bishop of Seleucobelus Barlamenus bishop of Pergamus Vranius bishop of Melitine Magnus bishop of Chalcedon Eutychius bishop of Eleutheropolis Isacocis bishop of Armenia the greater Titus bishop of Bostra Peter bishop of Sipus Pelagius bishop of Laodicea Arabianus bishop of Antros Piso bishop of Adana by his substitute Lamydrio the elder Sabinianus byshop of Zeugma Athanasius byshop of Ancyra by his substitutes Orphitus and Atetius the elders Irenio byshop of Gaza Piso bishop of Augusta Patricius byshop of Paltum by his substitute Lamyrio the elder Anatolius byshop of Beroea Theotimus byshop of Arabia and Lucianus byshop of Arce This supplication haue we founde in the booke of Sabinus intituled The collection of the Councells The Emperour who determined with him selfe to pacifie with gentle and curteous languages all quarelles and contention made answere that he woulde not molest any what faith or religion soeuer they professed but aboue all others that he woulde honour and reuerence such as shewed them selues peacemakers and went about to mayntayne the bonde of vnitie and concorde Themistius the philosopher doth report these thinges in this sort of him For in the oration intituled Consul the which he wrote of him he extolleth him vnto the skies because that in grauntinge euery man free choyce and libertie to professe this or that kinde of religion he stopped the mouthes of all flattering parasites and sycophants which kinde of men sayeth he nyppinge wyse as it is knowen vnto the whole world worship not the kinge of heauen but the earthly crowne and scepter much like vnto Euripus caryed headlong some times this way some times that way CAP. XXII The death of Iouianus the Emperour THe Emperour when he had appeased the sedition of contentious persons in such sorte as we haue sayde before remoued with speede from Antioche and gotte him to Tarsus in Cilicia where after the wonted solemnitie of honorable funeralls he buryed the corps of Iulian his predecessor immediatly after he is proclaimed CoÌ„sul
of theyr spitefull muention was turned downe to the ground When the Emperour vnderstoode of their manifolde dissentioÌ„ that they buylded not vpon y â— auncient fathers exposition of the faith but trusted to their sophisticall quirckes of Logicke dealt an other way with them bad euery sect lay downe theyr faith and opinion in wrytinge Then the principall of euery secte tooke penne in hande and wrote his opinion There was a daye appointed for the purpose All the Bishoppes beinge called mette at the Emperours pallace There came thither Nectarius and Agelius fauoringe the faith of one substance Demophilus of the Arians Eunomius himselfe in the name of the other Eunomians and Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum for the Macedonians First of all the Emperour saluteth them rurteously next he receaued euery ones wryting then he went a side lockt in himselfe sell downe vpon his knees and prayed vnto God that he woulde asist him in the choice and reuealing of the trueth Last of all hauing perused euery ones opinion he condemned and tore in peeces all such Creedes as derogated from the vnitie which is in the blessed Trinitie he allowed highly commended onely of all the rest the Creede containing the clause of one substance This was the cause that the Nouatians were fauored and thenceforth suffred to celebrate their woÌ„ted assemblies within the walles of the citie The Emperoure wonderinge at their consente and harmonie toutching y â— faith made a lawe that they should enioy their owne churches w t securitie and y â— their churches should haue such priuiledgs as the other churches of the same opinion faith were wont to haue The Bishops of other sectes because there raigned amonge themselues mutuall discorde and dissentioÌ„ they were set at nought of the people committed to their owne charge Who though at their departure they were all soroweful pensiue yet fell they a coÌ„forting of their charge by letters exthorting them not to shrinke at all from them because many had left them and fell to embracinge the faith of one substance For many were called but fewe chosen This they vttered not when y â— greatest parte of the people cleaued vnto the higher power and zealously embraced their faith Yet for all this were not they which held the faith of one substance voyd of disturbance and molestation For the controuersie that sell out in the churche of Antioch deuided such as were of the councell into two factions for the Aegyptians Arabians Cyprians held together thought good to remoue Flauianus out of the Bishops seae of Antioch but the Palaestinians PhoeniciaÌ„s Syrians tooke his parte The issue end of this controuersie I will lay downe in an other place CAP. XI Howe that Maximus the tyrant through wiles sleâ—e the Emperour Gratian. And howe that Iustina the Empresse the mother of Valentinianus the yonger left persecutinge of Ambrose Bishop of Myllainâ— because she feared Maximus the tyrant WHen the councell was helde at Constantinople we haue learned such a broyle as followeth to haue bene in the Weste partes of the worlde Maximus a Brittaine tooke armour against the Empire of Rome and conspired the death of Gratian who nowe was weakened together with his power by reason of the battail he waged with the Germanes Probus sometimes a Consul was chiefe gouernour of Italy during the nonage of Valentinianus who w t great prudence ruled the common weale Iustina Valentinianus the Emperours mother being infected with the silch of Arianisme while her husbande liued coulde no kinde of way molest such as embraced the faith of one substaÌ„ce yet after his deseasse remouing to Mediolanum and her sonne being of tender yeares she raised such tumults against Ambrose the Bishop that in the end he was exiled But when the people for the singuler loue and affection they bare vnto Ambrose with stoode her act and hindred their force that went about to conueye him to exile tydings came y â— Gratianus through the wiles sleight of Maximus the tyraÌ„t was put to death Andragathius the captaine of Maximus hidinge himselfe in a chariot resemblinge the forme of a licter borne of mules gaue his souldiers charge to signifie vnto the Emperours gard y â— the Empresse rode therein weÌ„t to meet y â— Emperour who passed ouer Rhodanus a flood y â— runneth by Lions a citie of Fraunce The Emperour thinkinge verily that his wife was there in deede aboyded not the conspiracie but fell vnawares into the enemies hand as a blind maÌ„ falleth into y â— ditch For Andragathius lighted downe out of y â— chariot slewe Gratianus presently He died in the Consulship of Merogandus Saturninus after he had raigned fifteen yeares liued foure twenty The which newes cooled y â— heat of y â— Emperours mother kindled agayust Ambrose Wherefore Valentinianus y â— time constrayuâ—ng him thereunto receaued Maximus with unwilling mind to be his fellowe Emperour Probus y â— gouernour of Italy fearing y â— power of Maximus determined with himselfe to remoue into y â— East with all speed he left Italy and hasteninge towardes Illyrium made his abode at Thessalonica a citie of Macedonia CAP. XII Theodosius the Emperour left Arcadius his sonne and Emperour at Constantinople went towards Millayne to wage battail with Maximus the Bryttaine THeodosius the Emperour for y â— aforesaid cause was wonderfull sory he gathered greate power to go against the tyrant feared greatly lest Maximus would coÌ„spire the death of Valeutinianus y â— yonger Then came also legats from y â— Persians to conclude peace betwene theÌ„ the Emperour it was the very same time y â— his sonne Honorius was borne by his wife Placilla y â— Empresse in y â— consulship of Richomelianus Clearchus the neenth of September A litle before wheÌ„ y â— aforesaid men were consuls Agelius y â— Nouatian bishop finished the mortal race of his naturall life The yeare following being the first coÌ„sulship of Arcadius Augustur Vadon after y â— Timotheus bishop of Alexandria departed this life Theophilus succeeded him in the bishoprick The second yeare wheÌ„ Demophilus the Arian bishop had chaunged this life y â— Arians sent for Marinus out of Thracia a man of their owne crue appointed him their bishop Marinus in whose time y â— AriaÌ„s were deuided among theÌ„selues as it shal be shewed hereafter liued not many dayes after wherefore they call Dorotheus out of Antioch in Syria assigne him their bishop The Emperoure leauing his sonne Arcadius at ConstaÌ„tinople marched forewards to geue battail vnto Maximus As he came to Thessalonica he found the souldiers of Valentinianus all dismayed quite discouraged because y â— necessitie had constrained them to take the tyrant Maximus for an Emperour Theodosius shewed himselfe openly to seeme of nere nother side For wheÌ„ Maximus had sent embassadours vnto him he neither receaued neither reiected theÌ„ yet was he sory y â— the Empire of Rome
Sisinius to succeede him in the bishopricke a priest of his owne church and a man very well seene in prophane literature trayned vp in philosophie together with Iulian the Emperour vnder Maximus the philosopher And when the Nouatians charged Agelius for appoynting them Sisinius and not Marcianus who was a godly man by whose meanes they were rid from trouble molestation in the time of Valens he for to pacifie their heate and to satisâ—â—e their minde assigned Marcianus vnto them In a while after although he was very weake yet went he into the church and sayd thus vnto the people Immediatly after my desease you shall haue Marcianus to your bishop after Marcianus Sisinius When he had sayde thus he tooke his leaue of them and not longe after dyed But Marcianus beyng byshop of the Nouatians their church was deuided vpon such an occasion as followeth Sabbatius a certaine Iewe embraced Christian religion whome Marcianus preferred to the function of priesthood notwithstanding his conuersion and preferment he sauored of the old infection and addicted him selfe vnto Jewishe obseruations neither was he onely coÌ„tented with this but nedes he would be made a bishop Wherfore after that he had gotten of his side a coople of priests men of like disposition and aspiring mindes by name Theoctistus and Macarius he went about to reuiue the time and maner of solemnizing the feast of Easter euen as according vnto our former relation the Nouatians attempted vnder Valens at Pazus a peltinge village of Phrygia And though at the first he seuered him selfe from the church vnder pretence colour of the monasticall trade of life affirminge that certaine men were stumbling blocks vnto his conscience whome he thought vnworthy of the holy mysteries yet in processe of time whilest that he raised priuate conuenticles his drift was manifestly perceaued Marcianus vnderstandinge of this misliked very much w t him selfe that he had not taken better aduisement in geuing of orders y â— he had preferred such vayneglorious persons aspiring minds vnto the function of priesthoode he fretted within him selfe for anger and wished that his haÌ„ds had bene set vpon pricking thornes when they were layde vpon Sabbatius heade To be short he summoned a councell of Nouatian bishops at Angaris the mart towne of Bithynia â–ª adioyning vnto Helenopolis he cited Sabbatius to appeare before them and expostulated w t him in presence of the councell the cause that gaue him occasion of offence As soone as he had pleaded for him selfe the variance toutchiÌ„g y â— celebration of Easter to haue layen vpon his stomack for he was of y t opinion y t therein it behoued theÌ„ to obserue the Jewishe custome and the order prescribed by such as afore that time met for the same cause at Pazus the bishops suspecting that he had enterprised the same in hope of a bishoprick made him sweare that he would neuer take vpon him to be bishop When he had taken his â—th they read to him the Canon contayninge a matter of indifferencie that it was not a sufficient cause to part asunder the vnitie of the church about the celebration of Easter and that their assemblie at Pazus was no preiudice vnto the generall canon They sayd moreouer that the elderswhich immediatly succeeded the Apostles varied among them selues about this feast yet brake not asunder y â— bonde of vnitie and that the Nouatians inhabitinge the princely citie of Rome for all they neuer retayned the maner of the Iewes but alwayes kept Easter after the Aequinoctiall space yet communicated notwithstanding with such as were of the same faith obserued a contrary custome When they had vsed these and other such like reasons to the same purpose at length they concluded that the canon of Easter was an indifferent matter that it was lawfull thenceforth for euery one to celebrate that feaste euen as he had aforetyme determined with him selfe moreouer there was a prouiso layde downe for the remouinge of dissention that if some varyed about the celebration of Easter notwithstanding they shoulde be at vnitie and concorde in the churche of God These thinges were then in this sort layde downe of them for the rootinge out of variance from amonge them about the celebration of Easter Sabbatius beynge bounde with an oth for all the celebration of that feaste was variable and diuers was before hande with them alone for fastinge and vigils for he kept Easter vpon the saturdaye yet mette he the daye followinge with others in the churche and was partaker together with them of the holie mysteries That dyd he for the space of many yeares and therefore coulde not be concealed from infinite multitudes of men By occasion whereof many simple and ignorant soules especially in Phrygia and Galatia hopinge verylie to be iustified thereby became earnest followers of him and obserued in secrete his celebration of Easter In the ende Sabbatius raysed priuate conuenticles and forgetting the othe he had taken was chosen byshop as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare of suche as addicted themselues to his kinde of discipline CAP. XXI The diuersitie of obseruations in diuers places toutching Easter fastinge mariadge seruice with other ecclesiasticall rites PResently mee thinkes fitte opportunitie serueth to discourse of Easter For neyther had the elders of old neither the fathers of late dayes I meane such as fauored the Jewishe custome sufficient cause as I gather so egerly to coÌ„tend about the feast of Easter neither weyed they deepely with theÌ„ selues that when Jewishe formes figures were translated into christian faith the literall obseruation of Msoes law and the types of things to come wholly vanished away The which may euidently be gathered when as there is no lawe established by Christ in the Gospell whiche alloweth of the obseruation of Jewishe rites nay the Apostle hath in playne wordes forbidden it where he abrogated circumcision and exhorted vs not to contend about feasts and holydayes For writinge vnto the Galathians he sayeth in this sorte Tell me you that desire to be vnder the lawe doe ye not heare what the lawe sayeth When that he had discoursed a whyle therof he concludeth that the Iewes were become seruants vnto the law that such as were called vnto the Christian faith were thereby made free he admonisheth vs further not to obserue dayes neither moneths nor yeares And vnto y â— Colossians he is as plaine as may be saying that y â— obseruatioÌ„ of such things was nothing but a shadow his words are these Let no maÌ„ therfore iudge you in meate or in drinke in a peece of an holidaye or of the newe moone or of the sabbaoth which are but shadowes of thiÌ„gs to come And in y â— epistle to y â— Hebrewes he coÌ„firmeth the same where he sayth In so much the priesthood is traÌ„slated of necessity there must be a translation of the law Wherfore neither doth y â— Apostle nor y â—
then immediatly after his returne from Rome beyng called of Peter to beare wittnesse affirmed playnly that the woman which had bene of the Manichees opinion was receaued by the consent of Theophilus the byshop and that he him selfe had ministred the communion vnto her Theophilus hearinge this fretted within him selfe for anger and thrust them both out of the church This was y â— cause that made Isidore to accompanie Dioscorus into Constantinople that both in presence of the Emperour and Iohn the bishop the sleyghts and wyles which Theophilus practised against them myght be reuealed Iohn vnderstanding these circumstances of them entertayned the men with great reuerence made them partakers of their common and publique prayers but he woulde not receaue them into the communion before that firste he had throughly examined their cause When these thinges were thus come to passe it was falsely reported vnto Theophilus that Iohn both receaued them into the communion and was also ready to take their part Wherefore Theophilus endeuoured with might and mayne not onely to reuenge him of Dioscorus and Isidorus but also to thruste Iohn besides his bishopricke and therevpon he sent letters vnto the bishops throughout euery citie where he concealed his principall drift pretending onely vnto them that he misliked with the works of Origen whence Athanasius before his tyme borowed testimonies to the confutation of the Arians Moreouer he reconciled and lynked him selfe with Epiphanius bishop of Constantia a citie of Cyprus with whome aforetyme he had iarred and bene at variance For Theophilus had charged him a litle before that he thought of God basely and abiectly attributing to him y e forme or shape of man And for all that Theophilus was of this opinion and accused them which beleued that God had the figure of man yet for the hatred and spite he owed vnto others he denyed openly in word that which he beleeued secretly in minde and linked vnto him Epiphanius in the league of friendship who lately had bene his foe but then as it were repented him of his folly ioyned with him in one faith and opinion of God Through his ayde and furtherance he purposed to summone a Councell at Cyprus for the condemning and rooting out of Origens workes Epiphanius beinge a vertuous and a godly man was easily perswaded therevnto by the letters of Theophilus To be short the bishops of that Isle assembled together and decreed that thenceforth none shoulde reade the workes of Origen moreouer they write vnto Iohn bishop of Constantinople exhortinge him to abstayne from perusinge the bookes of Origen requesting him also to summone a Councell and to ratifie the same with vniforme consent of them all When Theophilus had snared Epiphanius a man of greate fame and renowme to his side and perceaued that his fetches nowe framed according vnto his owne desire he dealt more boldly summoned a synode within his owne prouince where euen as Epiphanius had done before he condeÌ„ned the works of Origen which had departed this life about two hundred yeares before him this was not his principall drifte but he purposed verely to reuenge him this waye of Dioscorus and his brethren Iohn made small accompt of the thinges which Epiphanius and Theophilus had signified vnto him by their letters for he occupyed him selfe to the furtherance and profit of the churches and therin he excelled as for the conspiracie mischiefe intended agaynst him he made very light of it As soone as it was openly knowen and manifestly perceaued that Theophilus bent all his myght to depose Iohn of his bishopricke diuers that bare Iohn ill will fell a deuisinge and a forginge out of false crimes and accusations agaynst him Many of the cleargie sundry also of the magistrates which were in great fauour with the Emperour supposing now they had gotten fit opportunitie to reuenge them of Iohn determined with them selues partly by writinge of letters and partly also by sendinge of messengers to summone together at Constantinople a great Councell of byshops CAP. X. Of Seuerianus and Antiochus the Syrians howe and vpon what occasion they fell from Iohn AN other thinge gaue occasion to encrease the hatred and ill will owed vnto Iohn in suche sort as followeth There were two bishops by byrth Syrians which florished at one tyme the ones name was Seuerianus the other Antiochus the one was bishop of Gabale in Syria the other of Ptolemais in Phoenicia both excelled in the gift of vtteraÌ„ce but Seuerianus although he were learned yet pronounced he not the Greeke toÌ„gue distinetly neither skilfully for he spake Greeke as a Grecian yet pronounced it like a Syrian Antiochus coÌ„ming from Ptolemais to CoÌ„stantinople continewed there a while and preached with great diligeÌ„ce after that therby he had got vnto him selfe good store of money he returned home to his owne church Seuerianus hearing that Antiochus had got much money by preachinge at Constantinople was very desirous to doe the like him selfe He exercised him selfe diligently he patched together a great companie of boosome sermons and came to Constantinople Being there friendly louingly entertained of Iohn he applied him selfe craftely for a while to please Iohn and gott greate fauour by flatterie He was much set by and in great estimation and as he was highly coÌ„mended for preaching so in like maner purchased he vnto him selfe great credit with the chiefe magistrates and w t the Emperour In the meane space because that the bishop of Ephesus was departed this life Iohn of necessitie was coÌ„strained to take his voyage into Ephesus for to chuse there a bishop After his comming thither when that some would haue this man some that man preferred to the rowme and thervpon fell to bitter words contention whilest that euery one would haue his friend aduaunced to the dignitie Iohn perceauing that they were all set on tumults and that by no meanes they would be ruled by him endeuoured to ende the quarell without offending of either side He assigned one Heraclides a deacon of his church yet borne in Cyprus to be bishop With that both parts were pleased and gaue ouer contention Iohn was faine for this matter to continewe a greate while at Ephesus In his absence Seuerianus had brought his auditors at Constantinople to beare him farre better good will then euer they did before neyther was Iohn ignorant of this for it was tolde him quickly When Serapion of whome I spake before had signified vnto Iohn that Seuerianus had deuided the churches he forthwith was kyndled with the flame of contention Wherefore when as he had not fully ended all such thinges as he determined with him selfe for he had depriued â—oth the Nouatians and such as celebrated the feast of Easter the fourteenth day of the moneth of many churches he returned to Constantinople and applyed him selfe after his vsuall maner vnto the ouersight of the ecclesiasticall affayres The insolent disdayne and hautie stomacke of Serapion was
raysed of Iohn For the cōspiracie and wayte he layd for Iohn could do longer be concealed and though it was diuersly found out yet specially in that he cōmunicated with Dioscorus and his brethren called Longe immediatly after the deposition of Iohn Seuerianus also as he preached in the church thought now he had fit opportunitie geuen him to inuey against Iohn he sayde playnely though Iohn were conuicted of no crime yet was he iustly deposed for his insolent and hautie behauiour that all sinnes were to be forgiuen yet as holy scripture bare witnesse that God resisted the proude With the hearinge of these and suche lyke contumelious phrases recited the people was the more prone to contention Wherefore the Emperour in all the hast caused Iohn agayne to be sent for and to returne to Constantinople Briso being the messenger he was an Eunuche of the Empresse found him at Prenetum a mart towne ouer agaynst Nicomedia and brought him to Constantinople But for all he was thus called home from exile yet purposed he with him selfe not to treade within the citie afore he were proued and founde innocent by the censure of the hygher Iudges therefore he continewed a whyle in the suburbes called Marianae When that he lyngered from returnynge into the Cytie the multitude tooke it grieuouslye and forthwith fell a reuilinge of the Magistrates Wherefore of necessitie he was constrayned to come home the people went forth to meete him they bring him to the church w t great reuerence they request him to continew their bishop and thenceforth after the vsuall maner to praye for the peace and prosperous estate of the church of God When that he refused so to doe and pleaded for him selfe that it must not so be afore his cause were hearde of indifferent Iudges the deposers had chaunged their mind absolued him they were the more desirous for they longed to see him stalled againe in the bishops seae and preache afreshe vnto the people To be short the people cōpelled him so to doe When that Iohn was placed in the bishops seate and prayed after the accustoined maner for peace vnto the people and congregations throughout the worlde he was constrayned also to preache The which thinge ministred occasion vnto the aduersaries to accuse him againe although for a while they suffred it to lye for deade CAP. XV. Howe that when Theophilus woulde haue Heraclides matter hearde in his absence and Iohn resisted it the citizens of Constantinople and Alexandria went together by the eares so that Theophilus with other bishops was fayne to leaue the citie and flye away IN the meane space Theophilus went craftely aboute for to call into question the consecratinge of Heraclides to the ende he myght thereby if it were possible finde matter to charge Iohn afreshe and so to depose him the seconde tyme. Heraclides for all he was not present yet they proceede againste him they laye to his charge that he had iniustly punished certaine persons imprisoned them last of all lead them throughout the open streetes of Ephesus to be ignominiously derided When Iohn made answere that of ryght no man ought to be iudged in his absence without the presence of the partie and the hearinge of his owne cause the people of Alexandria brged very earnestly that the accusers of Heraclides were to be hearde for all he him selfe were absent Herevpon there rose greate strife and contention betweene the citizens of Constantinople and the inhabitants of Alexandria And while they skirmishe one with the other many were sore wounded and diuers also presently dispatched When the heade of this combatt was past and the trueth come to light Theophilus gott him in all the hast to Alexandria the other bishops ranne likewise away fewe onely excepted which helde with Iohn and repaired euery one to his owne bishopricke After that these thinges were thus come to passe euery man was readie to speake ill of Theophilus The hatred grew and increased agaynst him dayly because he sticked not studiously to peruse the workes of Origen secretly though openly he condemned them And being demaunded why he made so much of the bookes he had lately condemned his answere was that the bookes of Origen were like meddowes clad with euery kinde of flowers therefore sayeth he if I finde in them ought that is good I cull it out if otherwise bryers or brambles I sett nought by them because of their prickes This was the answere of Theophilus when he called not to remembrance the saying of the wise man that the wordes and counsells of sages resemble very much prickinge thornes and that such as are toutched therewith ought not to kicke agaynste the pricke The aforesayde causes made Theophilus to be hated of all men Dioscorus Bishop of Hermopolis one of these religious men which commonly were called Longe departed this lyfe shortly after the departure of Theophilus into Alexandria and enioyed an honorable funerall at the Church called the Oke where the Councell was summoned for the hearinge of Iohns cause Iohn gaue him selfe wholly to teache and to preache vnto the people he made Serapion who had procured vnto him great hatred bishop of Heraclea a citie of Thracia CAP. XVI Howe the picture of Eudoxia was erected all of siluer with playes and spectacles Iohn reprehended the authors that did the whole was therfore banished SHortly after such things as followe ensued A siluer picture couered with a mantell of Eudoxia the Empresse was set vp vpon a pillour of redd marble The place of this erected pillour was not very nygh the church called VVisdome neither very farte of onely the broade streete went betwene the picture the church There were cōmon playes showes as the maner was celebrated Iohn supposing verely that these things redounded to the great sclaunder and infamie of Christian religion not forgetting his wonted audacitie and libertie of speache prepared him selfe for the authors therof and in steede of the exhortation he should haue vsed to the perswasion or rather the reformation of the princes and magistrates he skoffed with nipping tauntes at such as had caused those vanities to be solemnized The Empresse likewise applying these things to her selfe supposing that all was vttered to her disgrace and reproche procured an other Councell of bishops to be called together agaynst him Iohn vnderstanding of this made that famous notable sermon in the church which beginneth in this sort Herodias rageth afreshe stomacketh anewe daunceth againe seeketh as yet the head of Iohn in a platter This sermon made the Empresse mad set her on fire against him Not long after the bishops met there together Leontius bishop of Ancyra in Galatia the lesser Ammonius bishop of Laodicea a citie in Pisidia Briso bishop of Philippis in Thracia Acacius bishop of Beroea in Syria w t diuers others The accusers which lately charged Iohn with haynous crimes are nowe brought forth before these bishops Iohn trusting to the iust
accustomed to adore in a certaine house fire which continewally burneth vnder the ground they conuey a man whome they make to rore and to crie out as followeth when the king is at his prayers The king must be thrust out of his kingdome He behaueth himselfe lewdly in taking the Christian priest for a godly person Isdigerdes for so was their king called hearing this dreadful voice for all that he reuerenced Maruthas yet purposed he to sende him awaye Then Maruthas being a right godly man gaue himselfe wholly to prayer whereby he found out the fraude and deceate of the Magicians Wherefore he reasoneth thus with the kinge Be no longer deceaued O king but get thee into the house cause the earth to be digged vp thou shalt easily perceaue theyr guile For the fire speaketh not it is a certaine deuise inuēted by men for y ◠purpose The king yeldeth vnto the counsell of Maruthas in he goeth againe vnto the house where the fire continewally burned As soone as the voice was heard the second time he commaunded the earth should be cast vp and there was he founde which spake and cried out the which clamor they tooke to be the commaundement of God himselfe The kinge when he espied theyr lewde treachery was exceedinge wroth and gaue forth charge that euery tenth of the Magician kinred shoulde be executed he turned him to Maruthas and willed him to buylde churches where pleased him best Upon this occasion it fell out that y ◠faith in Christ florished exceedingly in the kingdome of Persia For that time Maruthas left Persia and tooke his voyage to Constantinople Shortely after he went againe in embassie into Persia by that time the Magicians found out other deceytfull deuises and a freshe they fall a forging to the end the kinges mind might be alienated from him Of sette purpose they infected the ayer of a certaine place where the king was wont to frequent with a stinking sauour and with all they sclaunder the Christians that it was scattered by them But the kinge hauinge iust cause to suspect the Magicians for theyr former wiles made great inquire who should play so slutush a parte at length by longe sifting it was knowen that the Magicians themselues had caused this corrupte odour for the nonce to be spred all ouer the place wherefore againe he executed many of them but Maruthas he had in greate estimation Thence forth he loued the Romaynes entirely embraced thē in league of peace friendship The king was almost become a christian when Maruthas together w t Ablaatus the Persiā bishop published vnto y ◠world an other experimēt or triall of the Christian faith for they both beinge continewally geuen to watch and to pray cast a Deuell out of the kinges sonne which tormented him out of measure But death preuented him and abridged the raines of his mortall rare ere he coulde fully be instructed in the Christian faith After his desease his sonne Bararanes enioyed the crowne in whose dayes as it shall be hereafter more plainely declared the league betwene the Romaynes and the Persians was broken CAP. IX The succession of Bishops in the Church of Antioch and Rome ABout that time when Flauianus Bishop of Antioch had departed this life Porphyrius was chosen in his rowme and after Porphyrius Alexander was made Bishop of that seae In the Churche of Rome when that Damasus had gouerned the Ecclesiasticall affayres the space of eighteene yeares Siricius succeeded him in the Bishoprick Againe after that Siricius had continewed there the tearme of fifteene yeares departed this life Anastasius was Bishop three yeares after his desease Innocentius who firste droue the Nouatians out of Rome and depriued them of many Churches was made Bishop of that seae CAP. X. Howe that Alarichus tooke Rome and made it subiect vnto the Barbarians IT fell out in those dayes that Rome was taken of the Barbarians For one Alarichus a Barbarian being in league with the Romaynes and sometime ayded the Emperour Theodosius in the battaill agaynst the tyrant Eugenius and therefore was aduaunced into great honour by the Romaines when he could not paciently content him selfe with the prosperous sayle of fortunate successes although he aspired not vnto the Emperiall seepter yet left he Constantinople and posted in all the hast into the Weste partes of the worlde He was no sooner come into lllyrium but he subdued vnto him all that contreye As he went forewardes on his iorneye the Thessalians withstoode him aboute the entries of the riuer Peneus the readye waye by Mounte Pindus vnto Nicopolis a citie of Epirus the sielde beinge there pitched the Thessalians slew aboue three thousand men After that bloody s kirmishe the Barbarians which accompanied Alarichus ransackinge and spoylinge both towne and coutrey as they went tooke at length the citie of Rome They rāsacked the citie They defaced and fired many worthie monuments they violently spoiled the citizens of theyr money they executed many of the Senatours with sundry kindes of tormente Alarichus to the ende he might bring the Royall porte and maiestie of the Emperiall scepter into contempt and derision proclaymed Emperour one whose name was Attalus this man by his procuremc̄t walked abroade the space of one wholl daye with a garded troope of souldiers the next day after in the attyre and habite of a seruant When these things preuailed then in suche sorte as you heare Alarichus tooke his heeles and ranne away for the reporte that was bruted abroad of Theodosius y ◠Emperours great power marching to geue him battaill astonied his mind and put him in great feare Neither was it a fable or a forged rumor but for moste certaine trueth that the Emperours host made expedition to wage battaill with him He when as he coulde in no wise away with that fame gaue him selfe to flight The reporte goeth that as he went towardes Rome a certaine monk met him which admonished him not to delite him selfe with perpetrating of such haynous and horrible offences neither to reioyce in committing of slaughter and bloodshed Whome Alarichus answered in this sorte I God knovveth doe take this voyage agaynst my will There is one which molesteth me dayly nay he compelleth me by force and sayth thus vnto me goe on thy iorney destroy the citie of Rome So farre of Alarichus CAP. XI Of the Bishops which in those dayes gouerned the Church of Rome AFter Innocentius Zosimus gouerned the Churche of Rome the space of two yeares after his desease Bonifacius was Bishop three yeares whome Celestinus succeeded This man banished the Nouatians out of Rome depriued them of their Churches and constrayned Rusticula their Bishop priuely to rayse priuate conuenticles For vnto that time the Nouatiās florished at Rome enioyed many churches had vnder thē great cōgregatiōs but they were thē hated out of measure whē as the bishop of Rome no otherwise thē the bishop of
henceforth I will no more come into your company Immediatly after he had spoken this he went aside ioyned him selfe with the Bishops which held with his opinion â–ª so that the bishops then present were deuided into two parts â–ª such as of the councell held w t Cyrillus called Nestorius before them he came not but answered that he would differr the hearing of his cause vntill the comming of Iohn bishop of Antioch Wherfore Cyrillus together with the other Bishops of the councell after they had read ouer the Sermons of Nestorius the which he had preached vnto the people and gathered out of them that in good earnest he had vttered open blasphemies against the sonne of God deposed him of his bishoprick This being done the Bishops which helde with Nestorius assembled together seuerally by them selues and deposed Cyrillus and Memnon Bishop of Ephesus Shortly after Iohn Bishop of Antioch was come who vnderstanding of all circumstances blamed Cyrillus greatly as the autor of all that sturre and because that vpon a head he had so soone deposed Nestorius Cyrillus taking Iuuenalis on his side for to reuenge him of Iohn deposed him also When the contention grewe to be very trouble some when also Nestorius perceaued that the poysoned infection of discorde was scattered farre and nighe amonge the common â—orte of people he as it were recanting his folly called Marie the mother of God his wordes were these Let Marie be called the mother of God and I pray you conceaue no longer displeasure But no man thought that he spake this and repented from the hart therefore as yet he dwelleth in Oasis both deposed of his bishoprick and banished his contrey Thus was the councell of Ephesus at that tyme broken vp it was in the Consulship of Bassus and Antiochus the eyght and twentyeth of Iune Iohn Bishop of Antioch after his returne vnto his proper seae called many Bishops together and deposed Cyrillus who nowe was gone to Alexandria Shortly after for all that they layde aside all spyte grudge and enmitie they became friendes and restored eche to other their bishoprickes againe After the deposition of Nestorius there rose a greate schisme in the Church of Constantinople for the vayne and foolish doctrine of Nestorius parted the people asunder All the Elergie with vniforme consent accursed him openly for so we Christians doe call the sentence which we pronounce against the autor of blasphemie whereby we minde to make it so manifest vnto the worlde as if it were ingrauen in a table and nayled to an open post CAP. XXXIIII How that after the deposition of Nestorius Maximianus was chosen Bishop of Constantinople AT Constantinople there rose an other schisme about the election of a Bishop â–ª for some would haue Philip of whome I spake a litle before some other would haue Proclus chosen bishop Proclus verily had preuailed had not some of great autoritie bene his back friends and signified playnly that the canon of the Church forbad any should be nominated Bishop of one city and translated to an other â–ª the which saying being alleadged was of such force that the people were therewith appeased and satisfied Wherfore three moneths after the deposition of Nestorius Maximianus was chosen Bishop a man he was which led a monasticall life by degree a Priest one that of late had purchased vnto himselfe a good name and was thought to be a godly man because he had buylded vpon his owne costes and charges the sepulchres and tumbes where godly men shoulde be interred â–ª he was a man altogether vnlearned who determined with him self to leade a quiet life void of all care and molestation CAP. XXXV Socrates proueth that it is not forbid but that there may be a translation of Bishops from one seae to an other INsomuch that some by reason of the Ecclesiasticall Canon which they allendged for them selues haue inhibited Proclus intitled Bishop of Cyzicum from being placed in the Bishops â—eae of Constantinople I thought good presently to say somewhat thereof â–ª such as tooke vpon them to iustifie that saying in myne opinion did not reporte the trueth but eyther of enuie against Proclus forged such a decree or of wilfull ignorance considered not then of the canons and other constitutions oftentimes established for the profitt and commoditie of the Church of God â–ª for Eusebius Pamphilus in the sixt booke of his Ecclesiasticall history reporteth that one Alexander Bishop of some citie in Cappadocia taking his voyage towards Ierusalem was of the citizens of Ierusalem caused to tary and stalled Bishop in the rowme of Narcissus where he continewed vnto the ende of his life It was an indifferent matter of olde time among the auncient fathers as oft as the Ecclesiasticall affayres so constrayned to translate bishops from one seae vnto an other If it be any thing auaileable to annect the canon decreed in this behalfe vnto this our present history let vs see howe shamelesse these men were who therefore thrust Proclus besides the bishopricke of Constantinople and how vntruely they reported of the canon for it is read as followeth If any Bishop be assigned to gouerne any Church whatsoeuer goeth not thither the fault being not in him selfe but either that the people repelled him or some other necessary cause doe staye him vnto him be it lawfull to enioy the honour the priestly function so that he be not troublesome vnto the Church whereof he is appointed Bishop but approue whatsoeuer the prouinciall councell shall determine of the matter called in controuersie These be the wordes of the Canon But that it may appeare more euidently that many Bishops were translated from one citye vnto an other vpon necessary and vrgent causes I wil here lay downe the names of such as were remoued Perigenes being chosen bishop of Patras in Achaia and refused by the citizens of that place was by the commaundement of the Bishop of Rome placed in the Metropolitane seae of Corinth to succeede the late deseased where he continewed all the rest of his life Gregorie Nazianzene was first bishop of Sasimum a city in Cappadocia next of Nazianzum afterwards of Constantinople last of all he went back againe to Nazianzum Meletius was chosen Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia but afterwardes remoued to Antioch Dositheus Bishop of Seleucia was by Alexander Bishop of Antioch translated vnto Tarsus in Cilicia Berentius Bishop of Arcae in Phaenicia was brought thence into Tyrus Iohn was sent from Gordus a city of Lydia to gouerne the bishoprick of Proconesus Palladius was translated from Helenopolis to Aspunis Alexander from Helenopolis vnto Adrian Theophilus from Apamea in Asia to Eudoxopolis which of old was called Salabria Polycarpus from Sexantapristae a city in Mysia vnto Nicopolis in Thracia Hieroâ— hilus from Trapezupolis in Phrygia vnto Plotinopolis in Thracia Optimus from Andagamia in Phrygia vnto Antioch in Pisidia and Siluanus bishop of Philippopolis in Thracia
also the booke whiche he dedicated vnto Theodosius with other notable monuments of his industrie doe declare CAP. XVI Howe Ignatius was translated by Theodosius from Rome and buried at Antioch THe bigger sort of bones which the beasts left vndeuoured vnto holy Ignatius after the blessed martyr as Iohn the Rhetorician with others doe recorde had according vnto his desire enioyed the bowells of beastes in stede of his resting graue at Rome in the theatre and stage striuing of rauenous beasts were translated into the Churchyard of Antioch in the raigne of Theodosius which was a long time after his martyrdome for it was almightie God no doubt that inspired Theodosius with that good motion highly for to reuerence that godly martyr and to consecrate the temple whereof old deuells were honored called y ◠temple of the goddesse of fortune vnto Ignatius the holy martyr That which of olde was dedicated vnto fortune is nowe become a sanctuarie and a famous temple to celebrate the memore of Ignatius whose holy bones were caried in a chariott with great solemnitie and buried within the temple for whiche cause there is an holy day kept with great ioye euen at this day the which Gregorie the byshop hath set forth with greater royaltie These thinges came there to passe in such sort as you heare because God would haue there the memoriall of his saincts celebrated with honor and reuerence for the impious and wicked tyrante Iulian the Apostata being emperour and requiringe an aunswere of the oracle of Apollo who prophecied in Daphnis and spake by vertue of the fountaine Castalia whiche had not the power to open his mouth holy Babylas the martyr whose corps was hard by interred had tyed his iawes together Iulian I say against his will and as it were forced thereunto translated verie honorably the corps of Babylas and builded a goodly Churche which stands at this day without the the gates of Antioch this he did to th ende the dettells afterwarde might accomplishe their wonted treacheries euen as reporte goeth they promised before vnto Iulian. but this came to passe through the prouidence of God partly that the force and vertue of martyrs may be sene of all men and partly also that the holy bones of this blessed martyr should be buried in hallowed ground and beautified with so gorgeous a building CAP. XVII Of Attilas king of Scythia howe he destroyed both the Easterne and westerne parts of the worlde of the great earthquake and straunge wonders that were seene in the worlde IN those dayes there was a battell raised by Attilas king of Scythia which at this day is much spoken of but Priscus Rhetor declareth at large with flowing stile howe he inuaded both east and west howe many and what great cities he wonne and howe nobly he behaued him selfe vnto the finall end of his frayle life Furthermore in the time of the aforesaid Theodosius raigne there was a marueilous great earthquake the straungenesse whereof exceeded all the wonderfull earthquakes that euer were before which stretched it selfe in manner throughout the whole worlde so that many turretts within the pallace were turned downe to the grounde the longe wall of Cherronesus came to ruine the earth opened and swallowed vp in her gulphes many villages many woefull mischaunces befell vnto mankinde both by sea and by lande many welspringes were dried vp againe where fountaines were neuer seene before it flowed out manie trees were plucked vp by the rootes the valleis became high mountaines the sea threwe out fishes for dead many Islands were drowned the sea ouerrunning the bankes and ouerflowing the cuntreys many shipps sulcating in the maine seas were seene on ground the sea falling backe not yelding his wonted streames many cuntreys throughont Bithynia Hellespontus and both Phrygia endured such calamities that they were vtterly vndone This misery endured toe toe long yet did it not proceede with such vehement anoyance as it beganne for it fell and slaked by a litle and a litle vntill at length all was ended CAP. XVIII The buildinges of Antioch and the founders thereof ABout the same time Memnonius Zoilus and Calixtus great patrons of the true pietie and Christian profession were sent from Theodosius the Emperour to gouerne the noble citie of Antioch of which number Memnonius buylded from the grounde with gorgeous and goodly workemanship the place which we cal Psephium leauing in the middest an hal open in height to the tempered aer vnder heauen Zoilus erected the princely porche so called vnto this day and curiously wrought which is towarde the South side of the pallace called Ruffine moreouer Calixtus founded a goodly monument whiche both of olde and of late vayes is called Calixtus porche afore the shire hall and the iudgement seates ouer against the market and the princely house where the captaines of the garrisons are wont to lye After all these Anatolius president of the Emperours power in the east beinge sent thither buylte the tower whiche beareth his name and set it out with sundrie kindes of buylding Though these things seeme from the purpose yet in mine opinion the knowledge of them is profitable for the studious reader CAP. XIX Of sundrie battailes that were fought both in Italie and in Persia in the time of Theodosius the Emperour WHile Theodosius was Emperour there was great sedition throughout Europe yea whē Valentinianus gouerned the Romane dominions all which Theodosius with great power of horsemen and footemen by sea and by land suppressed And so quelled the hautines and furious race of the Persian blood whose king was Isdigerdes the father of Bararanes or as Socrates writeth Bararanes him selfe for when they had sent Legates vnto him to entreate for peace he graunted it the whiche continewed vnto the twelfe yeare of Anastasius raigne the whiche things are also remembred of other writers partly compendiously gathered by Eustathius Syrus of Epiphania otherwise called Antioch who layeth downe in like sort howe Amida was taken It is reported moreouer that then Claudian and Cyrus the famous Poets did florishe and that Cyrus was made chiefe president which our auncetors doe tearme the heade officer of the hall and then appointed general captaine of the Romane power in the west dominions when Carthage was wonne of the Vandalls and Genzerichus captaine of the Barbarian host CAP. XX. Of Eudocia the Empresse and her daughter Eudoxia of her voyage to Ierusalem and the picture where with the people of Antioch did honor her THeodosius through the procurement of Pulcheria the Empresse being his sister maried Eudocia borne in Athens and of goodly beawtie after she had bene baptised in the Christian fatth on whom he got a daughter by name Eudoxia when she came to ripenesse of yeares and mariageable Valentinianus the Emperour tooke her to wife brought her from Constantinoplc to olde Rome Eudoxia went afterwardes to the holy citie of Christ who is God where in the Oration she made vnto
Rhetorician writeth howe the lieuetenant of Thebais came then to Alexandria saw al the people on an vprore set vpon the magistrates how they threwe stones at the garrison which endeuoured to keepe y â— peace how of force they made y â— soldiers flie vnto y â— temple of old called Serapis how the people ranne thither ransacked y â— temple burned y â— soldiers quick the emperour vnderstanding hereof to haue sent thither imediatly two thousand choseÌ„ soldiers who hauing winde wether at will arriued at Alexandria y â— sixt day after Againe when y â— soldiers rauished the wiues defloured the daughters of y â— citizens inhabiting Alexandria y â— the latter skirmish combat exceded the former in cruelty After al this how the people assembled together at Circus where their spectacles were solemnized there to haue requested Florus who was captaine of the garrisoÌ„ gouernour of their city in ciuill affaires y â— he would restore vnto them y â— priueledged corne which he had depriued them of their bathes their spectacles other things whatsoeuer were takeÌ„ from them because of their insurrection tumults The aforesaide autor reporteth that Florus appeased their wrath with his presence gentle exhortation restored peace for a while but in the meane space the monks which inhabited y â— deserts adioyning vnto Ierusalem could not setle quietnes within their brests for some of them which had bene at the councell dissented from the decrees came to Palaestina coÌ„playned of the forme of fayth deliuered by y â— councell laboured to set other monks on firy sedition but wheÌ„ Iuuenalis returned froÌ„ y â— councell to his byshoprick was coÌ„pelled by such aduersaries as laboured to bring him into y â— contrary opinion to coÌ„fute detest his owne religion had fled vnto the city where y â— emperour made his abode they y â— impugned reuiled the councell of Chalcedon as I said before gathered theÌ„ selues together made an election vpon Easter day chose Theodosius to their byshopp who was the ringleader of the whole mischiefe raised in the councell and the first that certified them of the canons and decrees thereof concerning whome not long after the Monks of Palaestina wrote vnto Alcison how that he was conuicted of haynous crimes by hiw owne byshopp and expulsed the monastery and how that continewing a while at Alexandria he cleaued to Dioscorus was whipped for sedition set vpon a Camell as malefactors are vsed and carted throughout the citie vnto this Theodosius there came many out of the cities of Palaestina requesting him to appoint them byshops of which number Petrus the Iberian was made byshop of Maiuma hard by Gaza â–ª when the trueth of these treacheries came to light Martianus the Emperour commaunded first of all that Theodosius should be brought vnto him with power of armed soldiers secondly he sent thither Iuuenalis to th ende he shoulde reforme the disordered state of the Church and reduce all to peace and quietnes moreouer he commaunded him to depose as many as Theodosius had preferred to y â— priestly functioÌ„ After the returne of Iuuenalis into IerusaleÌ„ many grieuous calamities mischieuous deuices such as most coÌ„monly through the instigation of the enuious deuell and satan the sworne enemy to God and man are wont to raigne in the mindes of mortall men ensued by the meanes of y e contrary factions for the deuell by chaunging of one letter and lewde interpreting thereof brought to passe that it should be pronounced either way for to establish a contrary opinion the which sentence as diuers doe thinke is so repugnant and inferreth such contradictorie sense and meaning that the one seemeth vtterly to subuert and ouerthrowe the other for he that confesseth Christ to be IN two natures saith no lesse but that he consisteth Oâ— two natures for by graunting that Christ is both IN diuinitie and humanitie is to confesse that he consisteth OF diuinitie and humanitie he againe that saith that Christ consisteth OF two natures affirmeth plainly that he is IN two natures for by auouching that he consisteth of diuinitie and humanitie he testifieth him to be in diuinitie and humanitie yet not by conuersion of the fleshe into the godhead whose vniting is inexplicable neither of y â— godhead into flesh so that wheÌ„ we say OF TVVO we vnderstand withall IN TVVO by saying IN TVVO we meane OF TVVO not parting y â— one froÌ„ the other for it is toe plaine that the whole not onely consisteth of the parts but y t the whole is vnderstood in the parts yet for al y â— some men be of the vpinion y t they are farre seuered a sunder because their mindes and heads are so occupied before or else because they maintaine some sulline opinion of God or selfe will that they had leuer endure any kinde of death then yeelde vnto the plaine and manifest trueth by occasion of this subtlety of satan the aforesaid mischieues ensued but so much of these things in this sort CAP. VI. Of the great necessitie of rayne famine and pestilence and howe that in certaine places hardly to be belieued the earth brought forth of her owne accorde ABout that time there was suche scarsitie of rayne in both Phrygia Galatia Cappadocia and Cilicia that men wanting necessaries receiued poysoned nurishment and deadly food vpon this there rose a great pestilence and men after chaunge and alteration of diet beganne to sickenne their bodies swelled the inflammation was so great that it made them starke blinde they had withall such a cough that they died thereof the third day Although there could no medicine be had neither remedy be found for this pestilence yet by the prouidence of almighty God the famine relented for suche as were left aliue for it is reported that in that deare and barren yeare there came downe foode from the aer no otherwise then Manna of olde vnto the 〈◊〉 and the yeare following the earth of her owne accorde brought forth fruite Neither wâ—… this miserie rise throughout Palaestina but also sundry calamities raigned in many and inâ—… regions CAP. VII How Valentinianus the Emperour was slaine Rome taken and ransacked WHile the aforesaide calamities raigned in the East Aëtius was lamentably put to death at olde Rome Valentinianus also Emperour of the West parts of the worlde was slaine together with Heraclius by certen soldiers of Aëtius through the treason of Maximus who aspired vnto the Empire and therefore wrought their destruction because the wife of Maximus had bene deflowred by Valentinianus and forced to commit adulterie This Maximus maried Eudoxia the wife of Valentinianus against her will she neyther without good cause tooke this as a great contumelie and reproche deuised euerie way howe to reuenge her husbandes death for she is a woman exceedinge outragious for stayninge the puritie of her vessell of an intractable minde when her honesty is oppressed
the hereticke corrupted Anthimus Byshoppe of Constantinople and Theodosius Byshop of Alexandria but the Emperour deposed them and placed other in theyr rowmes THere are extant Epistles which Seuerus wrote vnto Iustinianus the Emperour and Theodora his wife where we may learne howe that at the firste when he fled from the Byshopricke of Antioch he went not straight to Constantinople but in a good while after that beinge at Constantinople he conferred with Anthimus found him of his owne opinion and perswaded him to leaue his Byshopricke He wrote of the same matter vnto Theodosius Byshop of Alexandria where he glorieth that as I sayd before he had perswaded Anthimus to make more accompt of that opinion then of worldly honor and Bishoplicke dignity There are moreouer to be seene toutching that matter the Epistles of Anthimus vnto Theodosius and of Theodosius againe vnto Seuerus and Anthimus all which I purposely doe omitte lest I seeme to stuffe this present volume with toe many such allegations leauinge them for suche as are desirous to sifte them out them selues Bothe these Byshops when they had withstoode the Emperours edictes and reiected the canons of the Chalcedon councell were deposed of theyr Byshoprickes in the seae of Alexandria Zoilus did succeede and Epiphanius in the Byshopricke of Constantinople to the end from thence forth the councell of Chalcedon mighte openly be preached in all Churches and that none durst be so bold as to accurse it and if any were found of the contrary opinion they were by all meanes possible to be perswaded For Iustinianus published an edicte where he accursed bothe Seuerus and as many as helde with him and enioyned greate penalties for such as maintayned theyr opinion to this ends that from that tyme for the there mighte no dissention take roote in any of all the Churches throughout the worlde but that the Patriarchs of euery prouince mighte hold together and the Byshops of euery city obey theyr Archebyshops and that the foure councells the firste helde at Nice the councell of Constantinople the firste helde at Ephesus and the councell of Chalcedon shoulde be preached in the Churches There was a fifte councell summoned by the commaundemente of Iustinian whereof what shall seeme conuenient I will declare when occasion shall serue In the meane space we haue seuerally to discourse of the worthy actes done about those tymes CAP. XII Of Cabades kinge of Persia and his sonne Chosroes out of Procopius history PRocopius Rhetor who penned the life of Belissarius wryteth that Cabades king of Persia purposed to bequeath the kingdome vnto Chosroes his yongest sonne and that he tooke councell howe he mighte procure the Emperour of Rome to adopte him hoping by that meanes to assure him of the regall Scepter But when he coulde by no meanes bring his purpose about Proclus one that was alwayes conuersante with Iustinian and by office his Quaestor was the cause that there rose greater enmytye betwene the Romaynes and Persians then euer was before Furthermore the sayde Procopius discourseth at large of the Romayne and Persian affayres of the bloodye battaills that were betwene them when Belissarius was captayne of the Easterne power And firste he reporteth howe the Romaynes had the victorye at Daras and Nisibis what tyme Belissarius and Hermogenes were chiefe ouer the Romayne Armyes Vnto these he annexeth the state of Armenia and the mischiefe whiche Alamundarus captaine of the Barbarians called Scenetae wrought in the borders of the Romane Empire how he tooke Timostratus the brother of Russinus aliue together with his soldtours and afterwardes tooke for them a great raunsome and let them goe CAP. XIII Of Alamundarus and Azerethus and the sedition at Constantinople where the people had this watchword Nica that is ouercome THe aforesaid author handleth very learnedly how Alamundarus spoken of before and Azerethus inuaded the marches of the Romaine dominions how as they returned into their countrey Belissarius was compelled of his armie to ioyne with them a litle before Easter day beside Euphrates how the Romaine power for not following Belissarius counsell was vtterly foyled and how Russinus and Hermogenes concluded a perpetuall league with the Persians so that he moueth the reader very much Immediatly he entreateth of the popular sedition raised at Constantinople called Nica by interpretation ouercome For that was the watchword which they had chosen to discerne and know their friend from their foe In which insurrection Hypatius and Pompeius were of the people constrained to rebell yet after the rebelles were ouercome Iustiman commaunded they two should be beheaded and throwne into the sea Procopius wryteth that in that skirmish there were staine thirtie thousand persons CAP. XIIII Of Honorichus king of the Vandals and the Christians whose tongues he caused to be pulled out AGain the said author cōmitting to letters the historie of the Vandals reporteth such stories as are worthy of memorie and the printing in Marble the which I am now about to declare Honorichus the successor of Genzerichus in the kingdom being an Arian hereticke raised great persecution against the Christians which inhabited Libya For such as maintained the sound and sincere faith he compelled to embrace the Arian heresie and such as would not yeelde he burned to ashes and executed with sundrie kindes of lamentable death pulling out from some their tongues Of which number after their flight to Constatinople Procopius sayth he sawe certen of them with his owne eyes and that they spake as if they had had no such mischaunce and for all their tougues were pluckt vp by the rotes yet talked they very plaine and distinctly which was very straunge and in maner incredible Of these kinde of people there is mention made in the Edict of Iustinus two of them sayth Procopius lost their speach for immediatly after they went about to talke to women their voyce was taken from them and the Martyrs gift remained no longer wyth them CAP. XV. Of Cabaon captaine of the Maurusians ANother myracle besides the aforesayd worthy the admiration is remembred of him to haue bene wrought by the power of our Sauiour among men who though they were such men as were not of one opinion with vs yet led they a godly life He sayeth that Cabaon was gouernour of the Maurusians inhabiting about Tripolis This Cabaon I wil vse the proper wordes of Procopius who orderly discoursed heereof as soone as he perceaued that the Vandals tooke armour against him did as followeth First he commaunded all the subiectes within his dominions to refraine from all vnrighteousnes to abstaine from such meates which prouoked to sensualitie and specially to forgoe the companie of women Next he made two trenches pitching in the one his owne tent and pauillion with all his men In the other he shutte vppe the women threatning that who so euer repaired vnto the womens trench should die the death Afterwardes he sent to Carthage a skoutwatch commaunding that as soone as the Vandals made
them as they haue learned by heresay or conceaued by selfe opinion who most commonly by reason of ignorance are deceaued and so halt or through toe muche partialitie or negligent or by occasion of spite and hatred are so blinded that they can not vtter the trueth CAP. IIII. Of captaine Priscus and the insurrection of the soldiers against him PRiscus succeeded Philippicus in the rowme of a captaine and was so stately that none coulde speake with him vnlesse it were about weightie and great matters For he was of the opinion that if he vsed litle familiaritie he might doe what him selfe listed and that his soldiers vnderneath him woulde stand in awe of him and the sooner obey his commaundement But comming on a certaine time vnto his armie with high lookes and hauty disdaine with his whole body set vpon toe arrogant gestures he made them an oration of soldiers patience in perill of warres of fine and picked harnesse and last of all of the rewardes they were to reape of the common weale for their trauell and seruice they knowinge of these thinges as well as he beganne openly to reueale their wrath and conceaued displeasure againste him and rushinge in thither where he had pitched his tent as if they had bene Barbarians They spoyled him of all his sumptuous store and precious treasure not onely this but without doubt they had also dispatched him had not he with al speede taken horse and fled vnto Edessa Yet they besieged this citie and commaunded that Priscus should be deliuered them CAP. V. Of Germanus whom the soldiers made Emperour against his will VVHen the citizens of Edessa woulde not restore Priscus the soldiers left him and by force tooke Germanus captaine of the warefaringe soldiers in Phoenicia of Iabanesia and proclaimed him their captaine and Emperour While he refused the office and they vrged it vpon him there rose great contention of either side for he would not be constrained and they would needs compell him they threatned to execute him vnlesse he would willingly accept of the dignitie he of the contrary protested openly he was neither affraide neither woulde yelde one iote At length they went about to lash him with whips to maime the members of his body which torments they perswaded them selues verily he would not endure that there was not in him more hardnesse to beare away stripes then nature and yeares gaue them to vnderstande they tooke him in hand knowing well inough what he was able to suffer dealt very circumspectly lest they wounded him sore vntil in th end they forced him to condescend and with anoth to promise them his faith and fidelitie Wherfore thus they compelled him whom they had ruled to rule and whom they had gouerned to gouerne and whom they led captiue to become their captaine furthermore they displaced all other officers as captaines tribuns centurions decurions and placed in their rowmes whom pleased them best reuiled the empire with railing speaches And though they bore them selues towards such as were tributary milder then the common vse and maner is of Barbarians yet were they altogether alienated from their companions members with them of one common weale For they tooke not their wayfaring vittailes by weight and measure neither were they pleased with suche lodginge as was appointed for them but tooke their owne lust for lawes and pleasure for prescribed order CAP. VI. The Emperour sent Philippicus againe among the soldiers but the armie refused him WHen the Emperour sent Philippicus to redresse the aforesaide enormities the soldiers not onely reiected him but menaced and conspired the deaths of suche as seemed to take his part CAP. VII Of Gregorie byshop of Antioch how he proued the report that was raised of him to be a meare sclaunder THe affaires of the common weale lying at this poynt Gregorie byshop of Antioch returned from Constantinople after the ending of a bitter conflict the which I am now about to declare when Asterius was lieuetenant of the east contention risen betweene him Gregory first all the head citizens tooke part with Asterius next the artificers stuck vnto him sayinge that Gregory had iniuried them euery one last of al it was permitted for the common people al to reuile Gregory both high and low conspired together and ceassed not either in the streat or on the theatre to raile very contumeliously at byshop Gregory neither was their scaffold and enterludes without skoffs Therefore Asterius was deposed of his Lieuetenantship and Iohn elected to succeede him whom the Emperour charged diligently to examine the circumstances of that seditious controuersie This Iohn was a man vnfit for the hearing of trifling causes much more for the examining of so weighty a matter the executing of so worthy a function wherefore when he had set the whole city on tumults published an edict where it was lawful for him that could say any thing to come forth accuse the byshop a certen exchaunger presented him y â— he had companied with his owne sister whom he maried vnto an other Againe others of y â— kinde of people charged him that he had disturbed the quiet and good estate of the citie and that not once but very oft But Gregory purged him selfe of that sclaunder and appealed vnto the Emperour and to a councell for the hearinge of the other matters I was my self in his company and present when he purged him of these crimes at Constantinople And when as al y â— patriarchs either by them selues or by their substitutes were at the hearing of Gregories purgation and the cause heard of the holy Senate and of many holy bishops â–ª after great sturre and much adoe the sentence went with Gregory that his accuser should be racked â–ª carted about the citie and banished the countrey After all this Gregory returned vnto his byshopricke againe in the meane while the soldiers ceassed not from raising of sedition for Philippicus the captaine made then his abode about Beroea and the citie of Chalcis CAP. VIII Howe Theopolis otherwise called Antioch was againe tossed with earthquakes FOure moneths after the returne of Gregorie from Constantinople in the sixe hundred thirtie and seuenth yeare after Antioch was so called and the threescore and firste yeare after the earthquake whiche went next before when as I my selfe the last day of September had taken to my wyfe a virgine of tender yeares and the citye therefore kept holiday and flocked wyth great pompe and solemnitie to my wedding caâ—â—ber feasting house about the third houre of the night there rose such an earthquake that with the violence thereof it shooke together the whole citie It so tossed the fundations that all the buildinges about the most holy Churche were turned downe to the ground except onely the hemispherical rouf that Euphraemius had made of baye trees which also was sore hurt of the earthquake in the time of Iustinus and so tossed also by other earthquakes
this also howe certaine trauelers in whose company Symeon was lefte behinde them a childe about midnighte a Lion came and tooke vp the childe on his backe and brought him to Symeons Monastery Symeon bad the seruaunts go forth and take in the childe which the Lion had caried thither He did many other notable actes which haue neede of an eloquente tongue leasure conuenient and a peculiar volume all which are well knowen and rife in euery mans mouth There resorted vnto him of all nations not only Romains but also Barbarians and obtayned there sutes This Symeon in steede of meate and drinke fedde vpon certaine bowes of shrubbes that grewe in the mountaine harde by him CAP. XXIII The death of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch SHortly after Gregorie Bishop of Antioch being sore pained with the gowte tooke a certaine medicen made of Hermodactylus for so was it called the which a certaine phisicion ministred vnto him and after the drinkinge thereof died immediatlye He departed this worlde when Gregorie the successor of Pelagius was Bishop of Olde Rome Iohn of Constantinople Eulogius of Alexandria Anastasius of Theopolis who after twenty and three yeares was restored vnto his Bishopricke and also when Iohn was Bishop of Ierusalem which died shortely after and as yet there is none chosen in his rowme Here doe I minde to cut of and make an end of wryting to wit the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Mauricius Tiberius Emperour of Rome leauing such things as followe after for them that are disposed to penne them for the posterity in time to come If I haue omitted ought through negligence or lightly runne ouer any matter let no man blame me therefore remēbringe with him selfe that I gathered and collected together a scattered and dispersed historie to the end I might profitt the reader for whose sake I tooke in hande so greate and so werysome a labour I haue finished an other worke comprisinge relations Epistles decrees orations disputations with sundry other matters The relations therein contayned are for the most parte in the person of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch For the which I was preferred vnto two honorable offices Tiberius Constantinus made me Quaestor Mauricius Tiberius preferred me to be maister of the Rolles where the Liuetenants and Magistrats were registred The relations I compiled duringe his raygne at what tyme he broughte Theodosius to lighte who was bothe vnto him and to the common weale a preamble or entrance to all kinde of felicity The ende of the sixt booke of the Ecclesiasticall historie of Euagrius Scholasticus THE LIVES THE ENDS AND THE MARTYRDOMES OF THE PROPHETES APOSTLES AND SEVENTYE DISCIPLES OF OVR SAVIOVR WRITTEN IN GREEKE by Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus aboue a thousand yeares agoe and nowe translated by M. H. Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers 1577. THE LIFE OF DOROTHEVS GATHERED by the Translator DOrotheus vvas a rare and singular man vvell seene in the Latine Greeke and Hebrevv tongues He flourished in the time of Diocletian Constantinus Magnus Constātius Iulian the Apostata Eusebius Pamphilus one that knevve him very vvell heard his gift of vtterance vvryteth thus of him Dorotheus minister of the Church of Antioch vvas a very eloquent and singular man He applied holye Scripture diligentlye he studied the Hebrevve tongue so that he reade vvith great skill the holy Scriptures in Hebrevve This man came of a noble race He vvas expert in the chiefe discipline of the Grecians by nature an Eunuche so disposed from his natiuitye For vvhich cause the Emperour for rarenesse thereof appropriated him placing and preferringe him to be magistrate in the citie of Tyrus and to ouersee the dieing of purple VVe heard him our selues expounding holy Scripture vvith greate commendation in the Church of God So farre Eusebius Antonius Demochares saith of him that he vvas exiled in the persecution vnder Diocletian and that he returned from banishment after the death of Diocletian and Licinius and recouered his Bishopricke againe vvhere he continevved vnto the raygne of Iulian about the yeare of our Lord 365. And because Iulian persecuted not the Christians openly him selfe but secretly by his gouernours and Magistrates Dorotheus vvas faine againe to flie vnto the city of Odissus vvhere as Petrus de Natalibus vvriteth the officers of Iulian apprehended him and tormented him to death for his testimony of Christ Iesus There he died and vvas crovvned Martyr being a hundred and seuen yere old An. Dom. 366. Of his vvorkes there is none extant saue this treatise contayning the liues and endes of the Prophetes Apostles and seuenty Disciples of our sauiour mentioned in the Gospell after Luke the vvhich he entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by translation a compendium or briefe tract THE TRANSLATOR VNTO THE READER TOVTCHING DOROTHEVS AND THE LIVES HE WROTE OF BY this short treatise of DOROTHEVS Christian reader we may take occasion to beholde the prouidence of God ouer his Churche scattered farre and nigh ouer the face of the earth and to praise him therefore in so much that of his great care and entire loue the inheritors of the kingdome of heauen his chosen people the Sainctes of God whose names were written in the booke of life were neuer left desolate without guides and teachers Adam in Paradise hearde the voyce of God himself there followed him such as called vpō the name of God erected diuine worship and taught their posteritie the same namely Abel Seth Enos Cainan Malalael Iared Enoch Mathusalem Lamech and Noe whome Peter calleth the eight person after Seth the sonne of Adam and a preacher of righteousnes When as the olde worlde and the first age numbred from Adam to Noe I meane as many as liued in his time were drowned for the sinnes iniquities of the whole world yet saued he eight persons to reueale his will vnto all nations to vphold his Church to multiply and to encrease the world In the secōd age of the world after Noe there liued Sem Arphaxad Sale Heber Phaleg Reu Saruch Nachor Thare Abraham vnto whom God rekoned faith as S. Paule saith for righteousnes In the third age of the world after Abraham liued Isaac Iacob otherwise called Israel with the twelue patriarchs Ruben Simeon Leui Iuda Zabulon Issachar Dan Gad Aser Nepthali Ioseph Beniamin Threescore and fiue yeares after the death of Ioseph Moses was borne He gouerned Israel he guided the people God gaue him three signes from heauen to confirme his doctrine to assure him of his vocation ▪ he receaued the ten cōmaundements the law of God in moūt Sina deliuered it vnto the people him succeeded Iosue after Iosue captains Iudges namely Othoniel Aod Debora Barach Gedeon Abimelech Thola Iair Iepthe Abesan AElon Abdon Samson Heli the priest Samuel the prophet iudged Israel After these came in the kings good bad Saule Dauid c. In the fourth age of the
sent vnto him sent him backe to Pilate againe â—uc 23. CAIPHAS other wise called Ioseph was high prieste when Christ suffred next after SimoÌ„ placed by Cratus Euseb lib. 1. ca. 11. Ioseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 4. The Scribes Pharises and elders hearing that Christ was risen from the dead gathered a councell for to suppresse the rumor thereof and concluded that a pece of money should be geuen to the souldiers for sayinge that his disciples stole him away by night Math. 28. Iudas Iscarioth being one of the 12. was the first Apostata that fell froÌ„ the trueth in Christ he solde his master for 30. pieces of siluer Math. 26.  Pâ—â—Aâ—â— certifieth the emperour Tibâ—â—ius of the doinges of Christ his passion resurrection Eseb 〈…〉 hist li. 2. â—a 2. IOSEPH of Arimathia who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes came to Pilate begged the body of Iesus Ioh. 19. NICODEMVS also came who at the first came to Christ by night Io. 3. brought precious oyntments Ioh. 19.  The holy EuaÌ„gelists doe recorde Annas Caiphas to haue beene highepriests in the coÌ„passe of our Sauiours preaching and passion so they might very wel be both placed and displaced and placed againe within that time these 5. Annas Ismael Eleazar Simon Caiphas are sayde to haue bene within 4. yeares The cause of so great a chauÌ„ge of priestes was the often alteration of Presidents sent froÌ„ the Emperour into Iudaea Euseb lib. 1. ca. 11.   Christ â—ose froÌ„ the dâ—â—d the 3. daye being the 27. day of March the samâ— day he shewed hiÌ„ selfe diuersly 1. to Maâ—â—â— Magdalene 2. to other womeÌ„ 3. to the disciples as they went to Emaus 4. to Iames 5. to Peter 6 to all the Apostles wheÌ„ the dores were shutt 7. to mo theÌ„ 500. brethreÌ„ Mat. 28. Marâ— 16. Luc. 24. Ioh. 20. 1. Cor. 15. eyghte dayes after that is the 3 of Aprill he appeared vnto Thomas afterwardes he shewed him selfe at the sea of Tiberias Iâ—hn 20. 21. Cytreus in 21. cap. Math. TIBIRIVS woulde haue had Christ to be canonized by the Senate of Rome in the catalogue of the Gods the Senate woulde not Euseb lib. 2. cap. 2 The names of the 12. Apostles Mat. 10. Marc. 3. Act. 1. Luc. 6.  IONATHAS the soÌ„ne of Anna succeedeth Caiphas by the commaundement of Vitellius president of Syria who deposed Caiphas for his lewdnesse Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8.   Forty dayes after that is the 5. of May he ascended into the heauens Act. 1. Math. 28. Marâ— 16. â—uâ— 24. Câ—treus in 21. cap. Math. MARCIIIVSIS lente into Iudaea in the towme of Pilate Ioseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 7. by Vitellius President of Syria 1. Peter called both Simon and Cephas 2. Andrewe Peter his brother 3. Iames the sonne of Zebedaeus the brother of Iohn the Euangelist 4. Iohn the Euangelist the brother of Iames. 5. Philip of Bethsaida 6. Bartholomaeus 7. Mathewe the sonne of Alphaeus Marc. 2. called Leui a Publicane 8. Thomas called Didymus 9 Iames the sonne of Alphaeus called Iustus and Oblias and the brother of the Lorde touching whome looke Euseb lib. 2. cap. 23. the censure following 10. Iude the brother of Iames called Lebbaeus Thad daeus 11. Simon the brother of Iames Iude called the Cananite Zelotes 12. Iudas Is charioth who slewe his father maried with his mother betraied his maister in the ende he hanged himselfe Chronic. Al bon  THEOPHILVS brother to Ionathas is placed high priest Ionathas remoued by the same Vitellius Zuinger Theat hu vit   The acts of Christ and the yeares of the incarnation The raigne of the Emperours The Fathers of the Church The Kinges of Iudaea The High-priestes of the Iewes in Ierusalem The Councells The bishops of Ierusalem The Bishops of Antioche The bishops of Rome The Bishops of Alexandria The Hâ—…tickes      The Apostles imme diatly after the ascentioÌ„ of our sauiour returned sroÌ„ Mount Oliuet to Ierusalem there asseÌ„bled together for the election of one to succede in the rowme of Iudas the traytor wher they chose Mathias Act. 1 IAMES called the brother of Christ as ClemeÌ„s writeth was immediatly after the assumption of our sauiour choseÌ„ bishop of IerusaleÌ„ by Peter Iames and Iohn the Apostles Euse lib. 2. cap. 1. he coÌ„tinewed Bishop of that seae 30. yeares Anto. chron part 1. tit 6. cap. 8. paragr 1. He was martyred an Dom. 63. Euseb chron The Iewes but especially Ananias the highpriest set him vp to preache vnto the people when he had done they threwe him downe headlong brayned him with a Fullers clubb Euseb lib. 2. cap. 23. Iosephus thought that the destruction of Ierusalem was partly because of the martyrdome of this Iames. The Antiochians as Iuke reporteth were first called Christians Paul and Barnabas preached there one whole yeare Act. 11. Eusib eccles hist lib. 2. cap. 3    The 15. daye of mayhe seÌ„t the holy ghost vpoÌ„ the Apostles on the day of pentecost Act. 2. Cytreus in 21 cap. Math.  Mathias is added to the eleuen in the rowme of Iudas the traitor Act. 1. Besides these 12. Christ appointed other 70. disciples ther names are founde in this voluÌ„e before this Chronography writen by Dorotheus Luc. 10. Seuen dea cons are chosen by the Apostles Stephan Philip Prochorus Nicanor Timon Parmenas Nicolas Act. 6.     PETER the Apostle was the first bishop of Antioch He continewed there 7. yeres 70. ther yeres about Ierusalem the Easterne relegioÌ„s Anton chron part 1. tit 6. cap. 4. parag 1. Euseb eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 1. 4.   Anaâ—… getheâ—… Saphâ—… wife fâ—… from faith hypoâ—… dis 〈…〉 latioÌ„ cons 〈…〉 togeâ—…â—or tâ—… lude 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 in reâ—… backâ—… part 〈…〉 sold 〈…〉 sion 〈…〉 espiâ—… a 〈…〉 amiâ—… had 〈…〉 theâ—… fall 〈…〉 deaâ—… dowâ—… his 〈…〉 Act 〈…〉 Anno Christi 34. Eus Chronic. Anno Tiberij 19. Euseb in Chronic StephaÌ„ was stoned to death Ac. 7   A councel is summoned of the Apostles disciples of Christ at IerusaleÌ„ for the remouing of the tumult risen betwene the Grecians the Hebrewes about the conteÌ„ning of their widowes wherein they chose 7. deacons Act. 6.  EVODIVS one of the 70. disciples whom S. Paul remembred in his epistles was bishop of Antioch after Peter Euseb eccles hist lib. 3. ca. 19.  MARKE the Euangelist being the disciple and interpreter of Peter was the 1. bishop of Alexadria being at Rome he was intreated of the brethreÌ„ to write a go spell the which wheÌ„ Peter herd of he allowed coÌ„mitted the said go spell with his autoritie to be read in the churche Marke was not al waies resiant at Alex andria for he preched also in the contreyes about  〈…〉 froÌ„â—…encri â—…nto 〈…〉 as he 〈…〉 perâ—…ing 〈…〉 Saul 〈…〉