his life Afterwardes when he sawe his tyme he determined to enter vnlooked for into the Romayne dominions throughe Mesopotamia where there was no power to resiste them and purposed so to reuenge him of the Romaynes But the Romayne captaine was quickely made priuey vnto the pollicie and fetche of Narsaeus for he sacked and rifled Azazena with all speede and got him in post hast to Mesopotamia Wherefore though Narsaeus had gathered a woÌ„derfull great power together yet could he not inuade the Romayne contreyes When he came to Nisibis a citie of Persia yet situated iuste in the middest betwene the Romayne and Persian dominions he sent vnto Ardaburius that he would gladly come to parle with him toutchinge the time and place when and where the battaill shoulde be foughte Ardaburius answered the legats in this sorte tell Narsaeus from me that the Emperours of Rome vse not to wage battaill at Narsaeus his pleasure Wherefore the Emperour of Rome vnderstanding that the kinge of Persia had gathered a greate army together for to wage battaill with him put his wholl trust confidence in God he sent of the contrary a great host against him And hereby it will euidently appeare vnto the wholl worlde that the Emperour enioyed immediatly a singuler benefitte for casting his care affiance vpon God For when as y â— citizens of Constantinople were very sad heuy mistrusting the doubtful end of the variable chaunces incident to warrs a company of Angells appeared vnto certen in Bithynia whose necessary affayres constrained to trauell into Constantinople willed them to salute the citizens of Constantinople bid them be of good cheare exhorting them to pray to put theyr trust in God that the Romaines should foyle the enemy become conquerours and that God had sent them as gouernours and soueraigne captaines of the warres this being heard not only the citie was recreated but also y â— souldiers harts were lighted the more encouraged to fight WheÌ„ the campe was remoued y â— warres traÌ„slated out of Armenia into Mesopotamia the Romaines got the Persian souldiers into the citie of Nisibis and there besieged them they set to the walls wodden turrets resembling ladders rolled vpon wheeles and winded vp they slewe many of them whiche fought on the walls defended theyr citie withstood their skaling Bararanes king of Persia vnderstaÌ„ding that his contrey Azazena was destroyed and that his souldiers were shutte vp of the Romaynes and besieged within the citie Nisibis wente him selfe with all his power agaynste the Romaynes But because he feared greatly the force of the Romayne souldiers he craued ayd of the Saracens whose gouernour then was Almundarus a man of valiaunte courage and noble prowesse whiche broughte with him an infinite multitude of Saracens and encouraged the kinge of Persia and promised moreouer that in a shorte while after he woulde not onely conquere the Romaines but also take Antioch and Syria deliuer it into his hands But his promise was not performed it preuayled not accordinge vnto his desire for God vpon a sodaine so terrified astonied the Saracens that they imagined the Romaine souldiers were vnawares come vpoÌ„ them whilest that they besturred theÌ„ selues for feare knewe not where to flie they cast theÌ„selues headelonge as they were all in armour into the riuer Euphrates where the number of one hundred thousand was drowned such a misfortune befell vnto the Saracens The Romaines which layde siege to Nisibis hearing that the king of Persia was comming against them with a great number of Olyphants were wonderfully afrayde gathered together all the engines they had prepared for siege and burned them afterwards returned backe to their coÌ„trey But what battailes were afterwards fought how Areobindus an other captaine of the Romaines slew a mightie Persian dealing with him hand to haÌ„d how Ardaburius dispatched through wiles and stratagemes seuen of the nobilitie of Persia and how that Vitianus a third captaine of the Romaines foyled the remnant of the Saracens power I thinke it my duty to ouerskip them with silence lest I seeme to make toe long a digression from the purpose CAP. XIX Of Palladius the poste and his swiftnesse THe aforesayde newes were quickly brought vnto the Emperour Theodosius but howe he coulde so soone vnderstande of matters done in contreyes so farre distant I am now about to declare He had a man whose name was Palladius one that had rare gyftes bothe outwardly in bodie and inwardly in minde He was able in three dayes to ryde in such poste as was to be wondered vnto the furthest places and boundes of the Romaine and Persian dominions and backe agayne in so many dayes to Constantinople Moreouer he went with maruelous greate speede throughout the worlde whyther so euer the Emperour had sent him so that a wise man sayde once of him This fellowe with his celeritie maketh the Empire of Rome which is very wyde to be narrowe and strayght When the king of Persia heard the same of him he coulde not chuse but wonder So farre of Palladius CAP. XX. Howe the Persians were agayne vtterly foyled by the Romaines THe Emperour of Rome abydinge at Constantinople and vnderstanding for trueth of the victory that was geuen him behaued him selfe so graciously that he desired greatly the enioyinge of peace and quietnesse for all that his souldiers had suche prosperous successe in all their aduentures Wherefore he sent Helion one that was in greate creditte with him in embassie vnto the kinge of Persia for to conclude a league betweene them Helion comminge to Mesopotamia and the place where the Romaines had trenched them selues sent Maximinus a valiaunt man and felowe captayne with Ardaburius as Embassadour to entreate for peace As soone as he had presented him selfe before the kinge of Persia he sayde that he came not from the Emperour but from his captaines to see whether it woulde pleâ—â—e him to make truce that the Emperour was ignorant of all the circumstance and euents of that battaile â–ª and if peraduenture it were told him he would make but small accompt of it The king as he purposed with him selfe to receaue this embassie with most willinge minde for his army was almost famished to death the order of the souldiers whome they call Immortall the number mouÌ„ted to tenne thousand of most stronge and valiaunt men came and perswaded the kinge that he should not confirme any league before that they firste of all had assaulted and sodainly sett vpon the Romaines who nowe as they thought were vnprouided The Kinge yeelded vnto their aduise and councell deliuered the Embassadour in the meane while to be kept in holde and sent those Immortall souldiers for to assault the Romaines They went on their voyage and deuided their coÌ„pany into two armies purposing to beset and compasse some part of the Romaine host The Romaines when as they might see but one onely army of the Persians set vpon them for the other had not as yet appeared
the partes of Galilee CAP. X. VVhat successours Archelaus left behinde him when that he had raigned tenne yeres after his father Herode Howe that Christ suffred not the 7. yere of Tiberius as some did write for Pilate then did not gouerne Iudaea HOwe that Archelaus was placed in the kingdome of his father Herode the foresayde Historiographer doth testifie describing the maner that by the testament of Herode his father by the censure of Augustius Caesar he tooke to his charge the gouernement of the Ievves also howe that tenne yeres after he lost the sayde principalitie and that his brethren Philip and the yonger Herode together with Lysanias gouerned there seuerall Tetrarchies The same Iosephus in his 18. booke of ludaicall Antiquities declareth that about the 12. yere of the raigne of Tiberius after the fiftie and seuenth yere of the raigne of Augustus Pontius Pilatus was appointed president of Ievvrie in the which he continewed welnigh whole ten yeres vnto the death of Tiberius Then manifestly is the falsehood of them confuted whiche of late haue published lewd commentaries agaynst our Sauiour where euen in the beginning the time after their supputation layd downe and beyng well noted confuteth the falshood of these â—ayning fooles These commentaries do comprehende those thinges whiche against the passion of Christ were presumptuously practised of the Ievves within the fourth Consulship of Tiberius the seuenth yere of his raigne at which time it is shewed that Pilate was not gouerner of Iudaea if the testimonte of Iosephus be true whiche playnely sheweth in his foresayde histories that Pilate was appoynted procurator of Iudaea the twelfth yere of Tiberius his raigne CAP. XI VVhen Christ was baptized and beganne to preache what highe priestes there were in his tyme. ABout these times then accordinge vnto the Euangelist The â—luetenth of Tiberius Caesar the fourth of the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate Herode Lysanias Phillip ruling the rest of â—udaea in their Tetrarchies the Sauiour our God Iesus the anoynted of God beginning to be about thirty yeares of age came to the baptisme of Iohn and began to publish the preaching of the Gospel the sacred Scripture do declare that he finished the ful time of his teaching vnder the high priesthoode of Annas Caiphas signifying that within the yeares of their publique ministery he ended y t course of his doctrine for beginning about the high priesthood of Annas lasting vnto the principality of Caiphas yet in this space there weâ—â— not foure yeres fully expired for the legall rites by his edict being in maner abrogated it folowed then that the succession of progenitors by age and line vnto that tyme vsually obserued should thenceforth be of no force Nether were then those things which concerned diuine worship with due administration executed for diuerse seuerally executing the office of high priesthoode vnder Romayne princes continewed not in the same aboue one yeare Iosephus some where in his bookes of Antiquities writeth foure high priestes by succession to haue bene after Annas vnto the time of Caiphas saying thus Velerius Gratus Annanus being remoued ordayneth Ismael the sonne of Baphus high prieste And the same Ismael not long after being deposed he appoynteth Eleazar the sonne of Annanus high priest in his place the yeare after this Eleazar being reiected he committeth the office of high priesthoode to Simon the sonne of Camithus And him vvho enioyed this honor no longer then one yeare Iosephus vvhich vvas also called Caiphas succeded The whole tyme of our Sauiours preaching is shewed to haue bene comprised in the compasse of 4. yeares foure high priestes also in the same foure yeares to haue bene from Annas to Caiphas executing the administration of the yearely ministery The holy Gospell doth very well set forth Caiphas to be high priest that yeare in the which the passion of our Sauiour Christ was finished that the tyme of Christes preaching might not seeme to repugne with this obseruation Our Sauiour and Lorde Jesus Christ not long after the beginning of his preaching chose 12. Apostles whome of all the rest of his disciples by a certayne singuler prerogatiue he called Apostles Afterwardes he appoynted other seuenty whome he enioyned by two and by two to passe vnto euery place and city where he him selfe should come CAP. XII Of the life doctrine baptisme and martyrdome of Iohn Baptist The testimony of Iosephus toutching Christ NOt longe after the holy Gospel reporteth the be headding of Iohn Baptist wherwithall Iosephus by name accordeth making mention of Herodias with whome Herode maried being his brothers wife puttinge away his owne wife lawefully maryed which was the daughter of Aretas King of Persia Herodias being separated from her husband which was aliue for the which he slewe Iohn Herode warred agaynst Aretas so that his daughter was ignominiously reiected * In the which battell then being fought he reporteth all Herodes hoaste to haue vtterly perished and these thinges to haue chaunced vnto him for the death of Iohn maliciously executed The same Iosephus when he had confessed Iohn Baptist to be a very iust man beareth witnesse also with those thinges which concerne him in the Gospels he writeth further that Herode was depriued of his kingdome for Herodias together with her condemned banished into Vienna a city of Fraunce the same he declareth in his eyghtenth booke of Iudaicall Antiquities wherof Iohn Baptist he writeth thus * Certayne of the levves vvere persvvaded that the hoast of Herode vvas vtterly foiled because that God had iustly plagued him vvich this punishe meÌ„t reuenging the death of Iohn coÌ„monly called the Baptist for Herode had slaine him being a iust man This Iohn coÌ„maunded the Ievves to embrace vertue to execute iustice one tovvards an other to serue God in piety reconciling men by baptisme vnto vnity for after this sort baptisme seemed vnto him a thing acceptable if it vvere vsed not for the remissioÌ„ of certain sinnes but for the purifiyng of the body the soule I say being cleÌ„sed before by righteousnes vvheÌ„ aâ— diuers slocked together for thy vvere greatly delited in hearing of him Herod feared lest that so forcible a povver of persvvadiÌ„g vvhich vvas in hiÌ„ should lead the people into a certain rebellioÌ„ he supposed it far better to bereaue hiÌ„ of his lif afore any nouelty vvere by hiÌ„ put in vre theÌ„ that change vvith danger being come in place he should repent him and say Had I vvist Thus Iohn because of Herods suspicion vvas sent bounde to Machaerous the vvarde mentioned of before and there beheaded When he had thus spoken of Iohn in the same history he writeth of our Sauiout in this sorce There vvas at that time one Iesus a vvise man if it be lavvefull to call him a man a vvcrker of miracles a teacher of them vvhich embrace the trueth vvith gladnes he drevv after him many as
had perswaded the senate with these and the like reasons firste of all he rose and pronounced that all such of what age soeuer as were not fitte for feates of armes were they men or women myght boldly passe and depart the citie affirminge that if they woulde remaine and lynger in the cytie like vnprofitable members there was no hope of life they must nedes perishe with famine to which saying the whole seuate condescended so that he deliuered from daunger of death in maner as many as were besieged but specially those that were of the churche Agayne he perswaded to flyght all the christians throughout the citie not onely such as were within the compasse of the decree but infinite mo vnder colour of these priuely arrayed in womens attyre carefully he prouided that in the nyght season they should conuey them selues out at the gates and flye vnto the Romaines campe where Eusebius entertained all them that were afflicted with longe siege after the maner of a father and phisition and resteshed them with all care and industrie Such a coople of pastors orderly succeeding one an other did the church of Laodicea by the diuine prouidence of God enioye who after the warres were ended came thither from Alexandria we haue seene many peces of Anatolius works whereby we gather how eloquent he was howe learned in all kind of knowledge specially in those his bookes of Easter wherof at this present it may seeme necessary that we alleage some portion of the canons toutching Easter The nevy moone of the first moneth first yeare sayth he cōpriseth the originall cōpasse of nineteene yeares after the Aegyptians the sixe tvventieth day of the moneth Phamenoth after the Macedocians the xxij day of the moneth Dystros after the Romaines before the eleuenth of the calends of Aprill the sonne is found the xxvj of Phamenoth to haue ascended not onely the first line but also to haue passed therin the iiij day this section the first tvvelfe part they terme the aequinoctiall spring the entrance of moneths the head of the circle the seuering of the planets course but that sectiō vvhich foregoeth this they terme the last of the moneths the tvvelfe part the last tvvelfe part the ende of the planets course vvherefore they vvhich appoynted the first moneth for the same purpose celebrated the feast of Easter the fourteenth daye after the same calculation haue erred in our opinion not a little and this haue vve not alleaged of our ovvne brayne yea it vvas knovven of the Ievves of old and that before the comming of Christ and chiefely by them obserued The same may be gathered by the testimonies of Philo Iosephus Musaeus and yet not onely of them but of others farre more auncient to vvete of both the surnamed Agathobulus schoolemaisters vnto the famous Aristobulus one of the seuentie that vvere sent to trāslate the sacred holy scripture of the Hebrevves vnto the gracious princes Ptolemaeus Philadelphus his father vnto vvhome he dedicated his expositions vpon the lavv of Moses All these in their resolutions vpon Exodus haue giuen vs to vnderstande that vve ought to celebrate the feast of the Paschall Lambe proportionally after the aequinoctiall springe the first moneth comming betvvene and this to be found vvhen the sonne hath passed the first solare section and as one of them hath termed it the signifer circle Aristobulus hath added that it is necessarie for the celebration of the feaste of Easter that not onely the Sunne but the Moone also haue passed the aequinoctiall section In so much there are tvvo aequinoctiall sections the one in spring time the other in Autumne distant diameter wise one frō the other the daye of Easter allotted the fourtenth of the moneth after the tvvilight vvithout al faile the moone shal be diameter vvise opposite to the sonne as ye may easily perceaue in the full moones so the sonne shal be in the sectiō of the aequinoctial spring the moone necessarily in the aequinoctiall autumne I remēber many other profes partly probable partly layde dovvne vvith auncient assertions vvherby they endeuour to persvvade that the feast of Easter of svveete bread ought euer to be celebrated after the aequinoctiall space I passe ouer sundry their proofes arguments vvherby they cōfirme the vayle of Moses lavv to be remoued done avvay the face novv reuealed Christ him selfe the preaching passions of Christ are to be behelde Anatolius left behinde him vnto the posteritie toutching that the first moneth after the Hebrevves fell euer about the Aequinoctial space sundry expositions precepts of Enoch Againe Arithmeticall introductions cōprised in tenne bokes with diuers other monumēts of his diligēce deepe iudgemēt in holy scripture Theotecnus bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina was y ◠first y ◠created him bishop promised y ◠he should succeede him in y ◠seae after his death selues and whilest they heaped these things that is contention threatnings mutuall hatred and enmitie and euery one proceeded in ambition much like tyranny it selfe then I say then the lord according to the sayinge of Ieremie Made the daughter Sion obscure and ouerthrewe from aboue the glorie of Israell and remembred not his footestole in the daye of his vvrath The Lorde hath drovvned all the bevvtie of Israell and ouerthrovven all his stronge holdes And according vnto the prophecies in the Psalmes He hath ouerthrovven and broken the couenant of his seruant and prophaned his sanctuarie casting it on the grounde by the ouerthrowe of his churches he hath broken dovvne all his vvalls he hath layde all his fortresses in ruyne All they that passed by spoyled him and therefore he is become a rebuke vnto his neyghbours he lyfted vp the ryght hande of his enemyes he turned the edge of his svvorde and ayded him not in the tyme of battaile he caused his dignitie to decaye and cast his throne downe to the ground the dayes of his youth he shortened and aboue all this he couered him with shame CAP. II. Howe that the temples were destroyed holy scripture burned and the bishops ill entreated ALl these aforesayde were in vs fulfilled when we sawe with our eyes the oratories ouerthrowen downe to the ground yea the very fundations them selues digged vp the holy sacred scriptures burned to ashes in the open market place the pastors of the churches wherof some shamefully hid them selues here and there some other contumeliously taken derided of the enemies according vnto an other prophecie Shame is powred vpō the pates of their princes he made them wander in the crooked and vnknowen way Yet is it not our drift to describe the bitter calamities of these mē which at lēgth they suffred neither is it our part to record their dissention vnwonted guise practised among them before the persecution but only to write so much of them wherby we may iustifie the deuine iudgement of God
that time from the beginning were friendes and fellowes of the Romaines These Armenians when as they were Christians and carefull about the seruice of God the tyrant enemie to God endeuoured to constraine them to do sacrifice vnto idols and deuills in stede of friends he made them foes in stede of felows enemies These things sodainly meeting together in one and the same time haue quelled the boasting of the presumptuous tyrant againste God wherwith he gloried that neither famine neither pestilence neither warre fell in his time for that he carefully worshipped idols and impugned the Christians CAP. VIII Of the grieuous famine and pestilence in the tyme of Maximinus of the godly affection which the Christians shewed to their heathen enemies THese things running in a heape and together contained foresignes of his death for he together with his army was sore vexed with the warres against the Armenians and the rest I meane the inhabitors of his cities sore pined away with famine pestilence so that one measure of wheate was solde for two thousand fiftie Aâ—â—icks An infinite number dyed through out the cities but more throughout the coÌ„tries and villages so that nowe the sundry and auncient sised valuations of husbandmen were in maner quite done awaye for because that all sodainely through want of foode grieuous maladie of the pestilence were perished Many therfore sought to sell vnto the welthier sort for most sclender foode the dearest things they enioyed Others selling their possessions by peeces fel at length into the miserable perill of extreme pouertie others gnawing the small shreded toppes of greene grasse and withall confusely feeding on certaine venemous herbes vsed them for foode whereby the healthie constitution of the bodie was perished and turned to poyson diuers noble women throughout the cities driuen to extreme neede and necessitie went a begginge into the contrey shewing forth by their reuerend countenance and more gorgeous apparell an example of that auncient and free maner of feeding certaine others whose strength was dryed vp tottering to and fro wending and slyding much like carued pictures without life for that they were not able to stand fell downe flat in the middest of the streets groueling vpon the grounde with their faces vpwarde and stretched out armes makinge humble supplication that some one woulde reache them a little peece of breade and thus lying in extremitie ready to yeelde vp the ghost cryed out that they were hungrie beyng onely able to vtter these wordes others which seemed to be of the wealthier sort amazed at the multitude of beggers after they had distributed infinitely they put on an vnmercifull and sturdye minde fearinge lest they shortly shoulde suffer the like neede with them that craued Wherefore in the myddest of the markett place and throughout narrowe lanes the deade and bare carcasses lay many dayes vnburyed and cast a longe which yeelded a miserable spectacle to the beholders Yea many became foode vnto doggs for which cause chiefely such as lyued turned them selues to kill dogges fearing lest they should become madd and turne them selues to teare in peeces and deuoure men And no lesse truly did the plague spoyle euery house and age but specially deuouring them whome famine through want of foode could not destroy Therfore the ritche the princes the presidents and many of the magistrats as fitt people for a pestilent disease because they were not pinched with penury suffred a sharpe and most swift death All sounded of lamentation throughout euery narrowe lane the market places and streetes there was nothing to be seene but weeping together with their wonted pipes and the rest of minstrels noyse death after this sort waging battaile with double armour to wete with famine and pestilence destroyed in short space whole families so that the dead carcasses of two or three were seene borne to the graue in one funerall These were recoÌ„pences for the bragging of Maximinus the edicts which he published aganst y â— ChristiaÌ„s throughout the cities when as by manifest tokens it appeared vnto all men how seruiceable godly the christians were in al things For they alone in so great an ouerflowing of mischiefe shewed forth true compassion and studious curtesie euery day some busily occupyed them selues in curing and burying the deade wheras infinite were otherwise despised of their owne friends others gathering together throughout the whole city into one heape and place the multitude of them which were in great daunger by reason of famine distributed breade vnto all to the end they myght make that benefite manifest famous vnto all men wherby they might glorifie y â— God of the ChristiaÌ„s coÌ„fesse that they alone were godly in deede and sound by their works to be the only worshipeâ—â— of God These things being thus 〈◊〉 might to passe the great celestiall God defender of y â— Christians which by the aforesayd calamities shewed his wrath indigâ—â—ioÌ„ against mortall men 〈◊〉 because they had vexed vs aboue measure made the bright countenance of his prouidâ—â—e towards vs placable coÌ„fortable so that therby peace shined with great admiratioÌ„ vnto vs like light vnto such as sate in darknes made manifest vnto all men that God him selfe is the continewall ouerseear of our affaires which chastiseth his people and exerciseth them with calamities for a season â–ª yet after sufficient correction appeareth againe tractable and mercifull vnto such 〈◊〉 trust in him CAP. IX The victory of Constantinus against Maxentius the Edict of Maximinus in the behalfe of the Christians WHerfore CoÌ„stantinus whome we haue termed emperour sonne of an Emperour godly of a most godly maÌ„ gracious in all things being raised vp by the highest king y â— god sauiour of all against these most impious tyrants waging battaile with theÌ„ by law of armes and boulstred with the ayde of God ouerthrewe miraculously Maxentius at Rome and foyled him vtterly Maximinus also in the east suruiuing a litle after his depareâ—â—e one of this â—â—fâ— dyed a most shamefull death procured by Licinius who theÌ„ as yet had not raged against vs netheâ— turned him selfe to persecute the christians but the forsayde Constantinus who was â—â—st in honor and possession of the empire tendering y â— Romaines estate whome the tyrant oppressed made supplication vnto the celestiall God his word euen to visus Christ the sauiour of all y â— world for aide succour to the end he might deliuer vnto the Romaines the libertie they enioyed from their forefathers and girded him selfe to battaile together with his whole host while that MaxeÌ„tius in the meane space trusting more in his magicall arts theÌ„ in y â— good will of his subiects durst not march forwards to meete him no not out of y â— towne walls but fortified euery place euery â—â—ast and city with innumerable multitudes of armed souldiers infinite garrisons full of fleight placed here and there on euery side throughout all Italie the other contries
against our louig subiects whome chiefly as reasoÌ„ requireth we ought to prouide for whose substaÌ„ce was takeÌ„ away by our letters sent vnto the presideÌ„ts throughout euery prouiÌ„ce of our dominioÌ„s the last yere we haue decreed that if any were disposed to cleaue vnto such ceremonies or to addict theÌ„ selues vnto the obseruatioÌ„ of that religion it might be lawfull for theÌ„ without offeÌ„ce to follow their owne wil that they should be hiÌ„dred or forbiddeÌ„ by no maÌ„ our pleasure was moreouer that without feare suspitioÌ„ they should vse that seruice which pleased euery maÌ„ best Neuertheles you can not be ignoraÌ„t of this that certaine iudges despised our decrees made our subiects vncertaine of our edicts to haue done it of set purpose that they might the loÌ„ger abide in those rites which pleased theÌ„ better That therfore hereafter all suspicioÌ„ doubt feare may be remoued we haue decreed to publishe this edict wherby it may appeare manifest vnto all meÌ„ that it may be lawfull for theÌ„ as many as will follow that opinion religioÌ„ by this our gracious gift letters pateÌ„ts as euery one listeth is delited so to vse that religioÌ„ which him pleaseth after his owne maner to exercise the same Besides this also is permitted vnto theÌ„ that they may buyld places of praier for the lord last of al that this our gyft may be the greater we haue voutchsafed to decree that also that if any house or manours heretofore beloÌ„ging vnto the christians title by the coÌ„maundement of our auncetors haue passed vnto the crowne either presently enioyed by any citie either otherwise soulde or giuen to any man for a reward all these we haue coÌ„mauÌ„ded they should be reuoked to the auncieÌ„t right of the christiaÌ„s wherby all may haue experieÌ„ce of our pietie prouideÌ„ce in this behalfe These words of y â— tyraÌ„t not one yeare being fully past followed y e edicts which against y â— christiaÌ„s were ingrauen in pillers â–ª to whome a litle before we seemed prophane impious the plague of all mankind so y â— he forbad vs to dwell not only in y â— cities but also in y e fields yea in y e desert by y â— same maÌ„ edicts iniunctioÌ„s are decreed nowe in y e behalfe of the christians they which of late were in perill of fire sword the rauenous deuourâ—g of beasts â—oules of y e aire before y â— tyraÌ„ts face suffred all sort of paines punishmeÌ„ts miserable ends of this life as prophane impious persoÌ„s vnto theÌ„ now it is permitted opeÌ„ly to exercise vse y e christiaÌ„ religioÌ„ to buyld places for praier vnto the Lord againe y â— tyraÌ„t affirmeth this vnto theÌ„ y t they may enioy certaine rights priuiledges wheÌ„ he had proclaimed this his protestatioÌ„ therfore in y e ende he receaued this in stead of recoÌ„pence y â— enduriÌ„g y â— lesser tormeÌ„t which by right he shold haue suffred he being strickeÌ„ of God w t a sodaine plague froÌ„ aboue should die in y â— second skirmishe of y â— battaile he dyed not as captaines in warre fighting maÌ„tully in battaile for their coÌ„try for vertue their friends are commoÌ„ly woÌ„t to endure couragiously a glorious death but like an impious persoÌ„ a rebell to God his army as yet lyiÌ„g in y e field he tarying at home in secret he suffreth dew punishmeÌ„t being strokeÌ„ with a sodaine plague of God ouer all his body so y t he was vexed w t great torments griefes pyned away with huÌ„ger fell downe froÌ„ his bed his fleshe altogether wasted by inuisible fire sent from aboue so y t it consumed dropped away lost al y e fashioÌ„ of y e old forme wheÌ„ as there remained nothiÌ„g vnto him saue onely the bare bones like a paynted image dryed vp of a longe time Neyther did the beholders take his bodie for other then the sepulcher of the soule buryed in a body that was nowe dead and all together consumed When that as yet he burned more vehemently then the boyling bathes are woÌ„t out of y e inward closets of y e marow his eyes lept forth passing their bounds left him blinde but he breathing as yet in these torments making his confession vnto the Lorde called for death and at length confessing himselfe to haue suffred these thinges iustly and in steede of reuengment for the madnesse he presumed and practised against Christ Iesu gaue vp the ghost CAP. Xâ— After the death of Maximinus the Christian affaires beganne to be in better estate the executors of Maximinus tyrannie are punished Constantinus and Licinnius are proclaymed Emperours WHen Maximinus had thus departed this life who alone continewed of all the tyrants the vtter enemy to all pietie and godlines the churches through the grace of almighty God were buylded againe and erected from the fundations the Gospell of Christ Iesus shining vnto the glory of the vniversall God receaued greater libertie then aforetime but the impietie of the sworne enemies to godlinesse was subiect to extreme shame and ignominie For the sayd Maximinus was declared by publique edicts the firste most deadly enemie of all the Emperours the most impious the most ignominious and a tyrant that was abhorred before the face of God And what monument so euer of letters or proclamations stoode throughout euery citie to his or his childrens honor they were partly worne and throwen from aloft vnto the pauement partly so ouerlayd darkened with so blacke a colour that they became vnprofitable for publique sight Likewise the pictures as many as were erected to his honor being throwen downe after the same sort and defaced were sett forth to the laughter and derision of such as woulde vse them both ignominiously and contempteously Afterwardes all the ensignes also of others that were enemies to pietie and christian religion were taken downe all the persecutors as many as fauored Maximinus were executed specially such as by him were honored in the heade cyties and to the ende they might flatter him hated more deadly our doctrine and religion of which sort of people Peucetius was one whome before all other he esteemed for most honorable most reuerend and of all his friends best beloued twise and the thirde time Consull and had appointed him the chiefe gouernour in all his affaires next was Culcianus enioying the authoritie of euery degree and office who also hauinge shedde throughout Aegypt the bloode of an infinite number of Christians was of greate fame besides others not a fewe through whome chiefly the tyranny of Maximinus preuayled and tooke encrease Moreouer also bengeance lyghted vpon Theotecnus not forgetfull of the things he had committed against the Christians who because of the image idol he erected at Antioch became famous and was also made president by Maximinus Licinnius after his comming to Antioche to the ende he might finde
to bloodshed yet doubted they not to deale with the Persians who nowe were come forthe to meete them so that in the ende they putte them to flighte and wonne the fielde The Emperoure himselfe was a horsebacke at the battell to the ende he mighte animate and incourage the souldiers but trusting to much to his prosperitie and thinkinge himselfe cockesure wente into his campe without complete harnesse Therefore an arrowe beinge soddaynely shotte at him pearced throughe his arme and stucke in his ribbes whiche gaue him his deathes wounde but who did it was neuer knowen Some reporte that he was wounded by a fugitiue Persian some other that he was slayne by one of his owne souldiers whiche is rife in euerye mans mouthe yet Calistus one of the Emperours housholde garde who wrote his life in Heroycall verse and the battell whiche he gaue then vnto the Persians say the that it was a wicked fiende or Deuell that runne him throughe whiche peraduenture is fayned after the maner of Poeticall inuention and yet it may very well be true for we learne that the furies of Hell haue often times recompenced suche lewde persons with extreme punishmente But howe so euer it was euerye man knoweth that for his headye rashenesse he was subiecte to daunger for his eloquence and gifte of vtterance he was desirous of vayne glorie and for his counterfete grauitie he was contemned and derided of all men Thus he ended his life in Persia as I sayde before in his fourth Consulship the whiche he enioyed with Salustius beinge the sixt and twentieth of Iune and the thirde yeare of his raygne the seauenth yeare after he was made Caesar by Constantius the one and thirtieth yeare of his age CAP. XIX Iouianus is created Emperoure A notable confutation of Libanius the Heathen Rhetorician THe souldiers beinge doubtefull knowinge not what was best to be done the nexte day after the death of Iulian without any further deliberation they proclaime Iouianus a man of valiante and noble courage theyr Emperoure This man beinge a tribune when Iulian by proclamatioÌ„ gaue the souldiers in choice eyther to doe sacrifice or to leaue warefare chose rather to throwe awaye his swordegirdle then to satisfie the wicked and detestable edicte of the Emperoure For all that Iulian when the necessitie of the warres then in hande constrayned him retayned him in the number of his Captaines But Iouianus beinge nominated Emperoure refuseth the crowne and beinge compelled thereunto agaynste his will by the souldieres breaketh out into lowde speache sayinge In that he was a Christian he woulde not be Emperour where Ethnickes shoulde become his subiectes yet when all with one voice confessed themselues to be Christians he yelded and was crowned Emperour Beinge in Persia and sodainely put to his shiftes his souldiers also being almost famished to death vpon certaine conditions he ioyned in league with the kinge of Persia and so ended the warres The couenantes as the Romaynes thoughte were vnlaweful yet consideringe the case of that presente time they were not to be misliked For he was contente to loose the dominion of Syria and to deliuer the Persians Nisibis a citie in Mesopotamia When these tidinges were blased abroade the Christians conceaued no small ioye at the departure of Iulian the whole armie also misliked very muche with his vndiscreete and headye rashenesse and laye to his charge that the boundes of the Empire were cutte shorte For be beinge deceaued by a Persian that was a fugitiue sette afire certaine vessells vpon the seaes whiche broughte them corne and thereof it rose that the famine grieued them sore At that time Libanius the Sophist made a funerall oration where he be wayled the death of Iulian and entitled it Iuliana or the Epitaph of Iulian. In the whiche he paynted forthe his life with loftye stile in prayse of his person and to his further commendation reporteth of the bookes he had wrytten agaynste the Christians and howe that in them he had proued theyr doctrine for triflinge and ridiculous stuffe If this Rhetorician had extolled the Emperoure onely for his other Acts I would haue proceeded with silence to discourse of that which remayneth of the historie but in so muche he hath mentioned the bookes of Iulian and like a graue and wise orator inueyed bitterly againste Christian religion therefore I haue thoughte good to saye somewhat thereof and firste I will laye downe his owne wordes In the vvinter season sayth he vvhen the nights are somevvhat longe the Emperoure perusing those bookes vvhiche affirme that the man vvhose originall vvas in Palaestina is bothe God and the sonne of God confuted them vvith manye reasons and stronge argumentes and condemned them for ridiculous doctrine affirmed moreouer that the glorious religion highly esteemed of them was full of toyes and trifles vvhere he proued himselfe to be farre vviser then the olde grayberde of Tyrus VVherefore let the olde man of Tyrus he meaneth Porphyrius conceaue no displeasure at all but patientely vveye vvherein his childe doth preiudice his creditte These are the wordes of Libanius the Sophiste Truely I will saye no lesse but that he was a notable Rhetorician and I am verelye perswaded that if he had not consented vnto the Emperours religion he woulde haue had no other speache in his mouthe then the Christians haue at this day and that by all likelyhoode beinge an excellent Rhetorician he woulde haue extolled Christian religion vnto the skies For he wrote in the prayse of Constantius while he liued after his desease he wrote to his disprayse and made inuectiues agaynste him Wherefore if Porphyrius had bene Emperoure he woulde haue preferred his workes before the wrytinges of Iulian againe if Iulian had bene a Sophist as he wrote of Ecebolius in his funerall oration of Iulian he would haue called him a â—auâ—â—e Rhetorician In as muche as then he beinge of the same religion with the Emperoure beinge a Rhetorician beinge also his friende wrote his pleasure of him we also after our habilitie will fall to answere his sclaunderous workes First he sayth that in the winter season the nights beinge somwhat longe he tooke great paines in perusing the christians bookes He signifieth by taking of paines in this place that his trauell was greate in wrytinge of inuectiues as Rhetoricians doe vse when they traine vp youth to the knoweledge of their art A good while agoe he read those bookes in deede tooke greate paynes discoursed at large not as Libanius sayth with stronge argumentes but with weake in somuche they were contrarie to the trueth and endeuored skoffinge wise to refell suche thinges as of themselues were of force inoughe For whosoeuer disputeth with an other laboureth to foile his aduersarie sometime by corrupting and peruerting some other time by concealinge of the trueth Whosoeuer also he be that oweth spite and hatred vnto any man he will endeuer like a deadly enemy not onely to doe but also to speake the worste of him he
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
dissention to embrace peace and vnity â–ª of the same matter also he wrote vnto Peter Byshop of Alexandria CAP. XXII Of the schisme raised at Alexandria and in sundrie other places toutching the councell of Chalcedon WHen the schisme waxed hotte and the sedition grieuous within the citie of Alexandria Peter perswaded certaine Byshops and gouernours of monasteries to communicate with him There he condemned and accursed the decrees of Leo the actes of the Chalcedon councell and suche as woulde not receaue the bookes of Dioscorus and Timothee Manye others he banished their monasteries when he could not allure them to his hereticall opinion wherfore Nephalius tooke his voyage to Constantinople reuealed the wholl vnto Zeno who therefore was wonderfull sorie and sent thither Cosmas one of his garde for to threaten and rebuke Peter verie sharpely partly for coutemninge the Epistle of Zeno intitled of concorde and partly also because that through his rough dealinge so great a sedition was raysed But when Cosmas could preuaile in nothinge saue onely that the expulsed monks were restored by his meanes vnto their monasteries backe againe he got him to the Emperour Wherefore the Emperour the seconde time sent Arsenius lieuetenant of Aegypt and captaine of the garrison amongest them who together with Nephalius went straighte to Alexandria entreated them to keepe the peace but when he could not obtaine his purpose he sent some of them to Constantinople And for al there was great reasoninge in the presence of Zeno about the councell of Chalcedon yet was there nothinge concluded for neither did Zeno wholly cleaue vnto it CAP. XXIII Of Phranitas and Euphemius Byshops of Constantinople Athanasius and Iohn Byshops of Alexandria Palladius and Flauianus of Antioch with others ABout that time when Acacius Byshop of Constantinâ—â—â— had finished the mortall race of his naturall life Phranitas was chosen to succeede him in the Byshopricke He wrote letters of amitie vnto Peter but Peter aunswered him againe and inueyed bitterly against the councell of Chalcedon This Phranitas continewed Byshop no longer then foure moneths but he died and left Euphemius to succeede him When Peter wrote vnto him also letters of amitie and Euphemius perceaued that in them he accursed the councell of Chalcedon he was all out of quiet and woulde in no wise communicate with Peter Both their Epistles are extant Phranitas vnto Peter and Peter vnto Phranitas the whiche I will omitte because they are longe and tedious When Euphemius and Peter contended among them selues and while they purposed to call synods together one against the other it fell out that Peter departed this life in whose rowme Athanasius succeeded which laboured with all might to reconcile suche as were at discorde and dissention but he could not preuaile because their mindes were so drawen into diuers and different opinions The same Athanasius wrote afterwardes letters of amitie vnto Palladius the successor of Peter in the byshopricke of Antioch specially concerning the councell of Chalcedon So did Iohn the successor of Athanasius in the seae of Alexandria Moreouer when Palladius Byshop of Antioch had departed this life Flauianus succeeded him and sent Solomon priest of Antioch to Alexandria with letters of amitie vnto Iohn requiringe an aunswere by the same messenger After the deceasse of Iohn an other Iohn succeeded him in the byshopricke of Alexandria These things continewed in this sort the raigne of Anastasius for he deposed Enphemius of his byshopricke yet was I fayne here to rehearse them in order for the playner deliuerance and better vnderstanding of the storye CAP. XXIIII How Armatus cosen to Berina the Empresse was put to death KEno through the procurement of Ilus dispatched out of the way Armatus the cosin of Berina the Empresse whom Basiliscus sometime had made captaine against him yet he wonne him to his side made him in steade of his enemy his companion and created his sonne Basiliscus Caesar at Nice notwithstandinge these great benefites he got him to Constantinople and conspired the death of Armatus his sonne Basiliscus in steade of Caesar he made priest who afterwardes was preferred to be Byshop CAP. XXV The death of Theodorichus the Scythian which tooke armour against Zeno. ABout that time Theodorichus a Scythian borne prepared him selfe to geue Zeno the Emperour battaile he raised a wonderfull great army in Thracia and marched forwardes towardes Constantinople he destroyed all the countrey before him vnto the entry of Pontus and verily he had taken Constantinople had not some of his dearest friendes bene displeased with him and conspired how to bereaue him of his life he himselfe beinge geuen to vnderstande of the hatred that was borne vnto him gaue backe yet not longe after he dyed but what kinde of death I am now about to declare There honge on high before his campe after the Barbarian maner a speare cleft in the ende He beinge desirous to reuiue his spirites and exercise his body commaunded they shoulde bringe him a horse In all the hast as he was in other thinges altogether impatient vp he gets him the horse beinge vnbroken and fierce praunced about fette diuers carrieres ere Theodorichus coulde settle him selfe in his sadle he fanned the aer with his forefeet and stood bolt vpright onely vpon the hinder feete so that Theodorichus had muche adoe to struggle with him yet durst he not pull the bridle lest he fell vpon him neyther was he fast on his horse but was tossed to and froe so that the point of the speare whiche honge ouer his heade toutched him and at length stucke in his riâ—bes that he was daungerously wounded thereupon he was constrained to keepe his bedde and shortly after dyed CAP. XXVI How Martianus raised battaile against Zeno and what became 〈◊〉 him â—n the ende AFter the death of Theodorichus Martianus the sonne of Anthemius Emperour sometime of Rome and allyed vnto 〈◊〉 the Emperour rebelled against Zeno. â–ª He had maried Leontiâ— the yonger daughter of Leo and fell to practise tyrannye When they had fought in the pallace and many fallen of both sides Martianus foyled his aduersaries and had taken the pallace had not he posted his deuise ouer vnto the nexte daye and let slippe the opportunitie that was geuen him Occasion is a slipperie thinge beinge once past perhaps it will not come againe beinge gone out of our hande it flyeth with the aer â–ª laugheth the pursuers to scorne and bids fooles farewell For he that will not when he may when he will he shall haue nay Poets and Paynters the fathers of glosses and vizards vse to portract the forepart of the heade with a bushe of heare and to leaue behinde the bald skull geuinge vs very wittily to vnderstand that while occasion or opportunity is behinde it can not be helde for there is no heare to take holde of but while it is in the forehead it flyeth away makes of the pursuer a foole Whiche verily happened vnto
there should no such thing afterwardes be committed CAP. XIIII Tiberius the Emperour sent Iustinianus with a great armie against Chosroes and droue him out of the Romaine dominions THe aforesayd Tiberius hauing set in order as right and reason did require such summes of money as his predecessour had both wickedly and iniuriously appoynted to be gathered made ready for battaile gathered together a great armie of valiant souldiers and noble persons beyond the Alpes about Rhene on this side of the Alpes of the nation called Messagetae with other Scythian nations out of Paeonia Mysia Illyria and Isauria so that he had well nigh a hundred and fiftie * troupes of chosen horsemen ready and well appoynted by meanes whereof he gaue the vtter foile vnto Chosroes who immediatly after y â— winning of Daras had in the sommer time ouerrunne Armenia and thence marched forwards towards Caesarea y â— head Citie of Cappadocia This Chosroes behaued him selfe so insolently towards the Empire of Rome that when the Emperour sent Legates vnto him he would not once voutchsafe to geue them the hearing but very disdainefully bad them follow him to Caesarea and that there he would sitte and heare what they had to say When he sawe the Romaine host whose captaine was Iustinianus the brother of Iustinus that was piteously murthered at Alexandria all in armour comming of the contrary to meete him the trumpettes sowne to battaile the armies ready to ioyne together the clamour of the souldiers pearcing the cloudes in the skie orderly placed in the front in battaile aray foming out with great furie present death Last of all when he espied so great and so goodly a troupe of horsemen as none of the Emperours before euer thought of he was greatly astonied and by reason it so fell out vnlooked for and vpon a sodaine he sighed heauely and would not geue the first onsette As he deferred the battaile lingered still spent time idlely and craftely went about to deceaue them Curs a Scythian Captaine of the right wing of the battaile set vpon him and when the Persians could not withstand his violence but quite forsooke the front of the host Curs made a great slaughter of the ennemies Last of all he pursued the souldiers at their backs where the artillarie and preparation of Chosroes and of his whole armie lay He tooke all the kings treasure and Iewelles all his ordinance for warre yea when Chosroes both sawe and suffered it thinking that to be farre better then that Curs should sette on him Curs with his souldiers gotte great spoyle and summes of money and tooke away their beastes loded with fardelles and packes where also the fire lay which Chosroes king of Persia worshipped for his God thus hauing foiled the Persian armie and sounding a hymne to the praise of God he returned in the Euening about candlelight vnto his companie who by that time had left the aray they were sette in Chosroes in all this while stirred not neither as yet was the battaile begonne but only light skirmishes one while of this side an other while of that side as the maner is Chosroes sette a mightie beacon on fire in the night and purposed then to geue the ennemie battaile the Romaines hauing two armies he set about midnight on that host which lay in campe of the Northside they being sodainly taken and vnprouided recoyled and gaue backe he went forwardes tooke Melitina a Citie not farre of that was destitute of a garrison and Citizens to repell his violence sette all on fire and sought to cutte ouer the riuer Euphrates When the Romaine armies ioyned together pursued after him he fearing him selfe got vp on an Olyphant and passed ouer Euphrates â–ª but the greater part of his armie in swimming and conueying them selues ouer were drowned in the deapth of the water He vnderstanding of this misfortune got him away with all speede Wherefore Chosroes in the ende being thus plagued and recompenced for his insolencie and disdaine towards the Romaines returned into the East with as many as were left him aliue There the league was of force that none should assault him Iustinianus after all ouerrunne the marches of the Persian dominions continued there all winter long without let or anoyance About the eight â—alends of Iulie he returned backe without the losse of any one part of his host and spent all sommer with prosperous successe and ioy of Martiall prowesse about the boundes where the Romain and Persian dominions doe part a sunder CAP. XV. How Chosroes after great sorowe that he was foyled in battaile died and bequeathed the kingdom of Persia to his sonne Hormisda CHosroes being on euery side beset with miserie all dismaid and discouraged languishing for sorrow and pining away for care and pensiuenes as it were swallowed vp in the gulphs of his deepe sighes and heauy sobs died after a lamentable sort leauing behind him a law the which he made that the king of Persia should neuer from that day out take armour against the Romaines as an euerlasting memoriall of his flight and vtter foile After his desease his sonne Hormisda was crowned with the royall scepter of whom I will presently say no more for the Ecclesiasticall affaires do call me away and looke that now I should thitherwards direct my penne CAP. XVI Of the chiefe Byshops which flourished about that time WHen Iohn otherwise named Cateline departed this life Bonosus became Bishope of Rome whom an other Iohn succeded and after him Pelagius In the seae of ConstaÌ„tinople after Iohn came Eutychius who had bene Bishop there before The Citizens of Alexandria after the death of Apolinarius had Iohn to their Bishop whom Eulogius succeded The Bishoprike of Ierusalem when Macarus had finished his mortal race was gouerned by Iohn who sometime led a very poore and austere life in the monasterie of the vigilant Monkes during whose time the Church continewed at one stay without chaunge or alteration CAP. XVII Of the earthquake at Antioche in the raigne of Tiberius IN the third yeare of Tiberius Caesars raigne there rose about noone day so great an earthquake at Antioche and Daphne adioyning thervnto that all Daphne with the force violence thereof fell to the ground and many both publique and priuate buildings within the Citie of Antioch were vnioynted and broken asunder yet not so much that they fell to the ground there happened both at Antioch and at Constantinople other calamities which require a long discourse and vexed out of measure either of the Cities with great tumultes and sedition yet as they rose vpon a godly zeale so ended they very straungely But of them afterwardes CAP. XVIII Of the tumultes at Antioch and at Constantinople about wicked Anatolius ANatolius one sometime that was but a light and a commen felow yet afterwardes crept through wiles I wot not how to be a Magistrate and to beare office in the commen weale He liued at Antioch where
of the virgine but that the worde became flesh Epiphan haeres 76. 77. 365. Iulian succeded ConstaÌ„tius in the empire he heard at ConstaÌ„tinople Macedonius the Eunuch Niâ—ôcles the Laconian Ecebolius the sophist CoÌ„stantius fearinge he woulde fall froÌ„ christian religion into heathenish idolatrie sente him to Nicomedia charging him nor to treade in the schoole of Libanius yet by stelthe he resorted vnto him and read his heathenishe doctrine When the Emperour suspected his disposition IuliaÌ„ shaued him selfe and became a reader in a certaine churche yet after the Emperours death the obtayninge of the empire he became an Apostata he banished the Christians out of his court entertained in steede of theÌ„ philosophers coniurers Not longe after being the third yere of his raigne he was slayne in a battayle whiche he gaue the Persians An arrowe was shot at hiÌ„ which pearced him in the ribbs and gaue him his deaths wounde Some say it was one of his owne seruants some other that it was a fugitiue Persian some other saye that it was a deuell some doe write that he tooke the daâ—te out of his side threwe it all bloodie into the ayre cryed O Galilaean meaning Christ thou hast ouercome Socra lib. 3. cap. 1. 9. 10. 18. Sozomen lib. 6. cap. 2. Theodo lib. 3. cap. 25. Iouianus a godly maÌ„ one that mayntayned the Nicene creede was Experour after Iulian. He raygned no longer then seaueÌ„ moneths but he dyed Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 19. 20. 22. Macedonius Theodulus Tatianus were broyled to death in the time of Iulian. Socrat lib. 3. cap. 13. Theodorus was sore tormented Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 16. A councell held at AlexaÌ„dria by Athanasius after his returne from exile in the time of Iulian where the Arians Apollinarians Macedonians were condeÌ„ned Socrat lib. 3. ca. 5. A couÌ„cel held at LampsacuÌ„ 7. yeares after the couÌ„cell of Seleucia wher the AriaÌ„s were condemned Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 2. 4. A councell of bishops in Sicilia condemned the AriaÌ„s Soc. lib. 4. cap. 11. Iohn was b. of Ierusalem after Cyrill Socrat lib. 2. cap. 25. Dorotheus Paulinus and Euagrius beig godly meÌ„ were chosen by the people yet notsuffred to continew  Massiliani were idle monks whome the deuell had possessed they sayde that the bodie of Christ in the sacrament did neither good neyther harme they sayde baptisme was to no purpose Leotius b. of Melitena draue the theeues out of their dennes the wolues from among the sheepe sett their monasteries on fire Theodoreâ— lib. 4. cap. 11. these hereticks were called also Euchitae so called because of their coÌ„tinewaâ— prayinge It is a wonder sayeth Augustine to heare what a number of prayers they runne ouer muche like vnto the late mumblinge of prayers vpon beades where Christ sayd Praye alwayes and Sainct Paul Pray without intermission which is deuoutly to be taken for euery day they doe it to much therfore sayeth Augustine to be numbred among heretickes They saye when the soule is purged that a sowe with her pigges is seene to come out of mans mouth and that a visible fire entreth in whiche burneth not these Euchits did thinke that it appertayned not vnto the monkes to get theyr lyuinge with the sweate of their browes but to lyue idlye Epiphanius sayth that wheÌ„ Luppicianus the Praetor executed some of them for their lewdnesse they called them selues Marryrianos Some of them thoughte that it was they re duetie to worshippe the deuell lest he shoulde hurte them these were called Sataniani If ye called any of them Christ a Patriarche a Prophet or an Angell he woulde answere that he was so They slepte like swine men and women all in one heape August lib. de haeres Epiphan haeres 80. These MassiliaÌ„s were coÌ„demned in the generall councell held at Ephesus in the tyme of Theodosius iunior Cyrill lib. Apologet.   Artemius a noble man beheaded for the faith Theodor lib. 3. cap. 18. The MeletiaÌ„s esseÌ„bled at An tioche where they layde down the Macedonian opinion of the sonne of God iump betwene the Arians the true christians where they proued theÌ„ selues neutrans Ier. chro Socr. li. 3. cap. 8.  Dorotheus tooke possession of the bishopricke the seconde time and coÌ„tinewed ther a good while Democh. Socrat lib. 4. cap 28.      A councell at Laodicea anno Domini 368. decreed that the laytie shold not chuse the priest that lessoÌ„s shold be read in the church betwene certen Psalmes that seruice should be morning euening that the Gospel should be reade with other Scriptures on the sunday that leÌ„t should religiously be obserued without marieÌ„g solemnizinge the feastes of martyrs That christians shold not daunce at brydehouses c. tom 1. coÌ„c      367. Valentinianus one whome sometime Iulian banished his court succeeded Iouianus in the Empir he ioyned with him his brother Valens Valentinianus was a true Christian but Valens an Arian the one persecuted the Churche the other preserued the christians Valentinianus dyed Anno Domini 380. after he had liued foure and fiftye yeares and raygned thirteene Valens his brother raygned 3. yeares after him departed this life Socrat lib. 4. ca. 1. 26. 31. Basilius b. of Caesarea in Cappadocia florishedabout this time wheÌ„ Valens the emperour sent for him out of Caesarea into Antioch he be haued him selfe very stoutly in the defence of the trueth Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 21. Gregorie Nazianzen the maister of S. Ierom liued in the time of Valens dyed in the raygne of Theodosius Magnus Socrat. li. 4. cap. 21. Ierom catalog eccles script A councell of Nouatians met at Pazum and decreed contrary to the Nicen couÌ„cell that the feaste of Easter shoulde be kept alike with the Iewes Socrat. li. 4. cap. 23. Nepos Meletiê° came the seconde time to be Byshop Democh    368.  Ambrose b. of Millayne beiÌ„g Liuetenant of the prouince was chosen to gouerne the church by the vniforme consent of the people coÌ„firmed by Valentinianus Ierom suspended his iudgemeÌ„t of him because he liued in his time Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 25. A councell of macedoniaÌ„smet at Antioch and condemned the Nicene councel with the clause of one substance Socrat. lib. 5. ca. 4   Damasus was b. of Rome an Dom. 369 after Liberius where he continewed 18. yeres Socrat lib. 4. cap. 17. 24. lib. 6. ca. 9. lib 7. ca. 9. Ierom. chronic   378.   A couÌ„cel of 90. Byshops called at Rome by Damasur where Arius Eunomius Macedonius Photinus HebioÌ„ and theyr disciples were condemned where also the holye Ghost was sayd to be of one substaÌ„ce with the father and the sonne tom 1. concil    Peter was b. of Alexandria after Athanasius an Dom. 375 the AriaÌ„s by autoritie froÌ„ the emperour clapt him in prison and chose Lucius in his roume Peter got out of prison fled vnto Damasus b. of
Martyrs enioyned to kill one an other Auxentius â—orne of wild beasts The gelding of christians PaÌ„philus had his sides maÌ„â—led with â—â—arpe rasors Vrbanus for his crueltie fel into great shame misery in the ende he was put to death A hundreth Martyrs tormented and sent to digging of mettalls 2. womeÌ„ burned Valentina The prayer of Paulus be fore his mar tyrdome Paulus prayed for his persecutors Paulus beheaded 130. Confessors The edict of Maximinus against the Christians Antonius be headed Zebinas beheaded Germanus beheaded Maxis a wicked tribune Ennathas a virgine burned quicke A miracle Ares burned Promus beheaded Elias beheaded Petrê° Apsela mus burned Asclepius a Marcionite burned Pamphilus Valens Paulus 5. Martyrs be headed Galâ—â— 4 Heb. 12. Porphyrius the seruant of Pamphilus after torment was burned to death Seleucus beheaded Theodulus crucified Iulianus burned Adrianus be headed Eubulus beheaded Firmilianus the wicked tyrant was beheaded Cap. 2. Peleê° burned Nilê° burned A minister burned Patermythius burned Siluanus Iohn a blind man of a singuler memory and rare gifts 39 Martyrs beheaded Sabinus vnto the presideÌ„ts through out the dominions of Maximinus Such as fell in persecutioÌ„ repented theÌ„ of their fall Iuppiter philius Three christians deuoured of beasts Siluanus martyrd Petrus b. of Alexandria beheaded Lucianus martyred Maximinus against Christians He coÌ„mendeth the superstition of the Tyrians their cruelty against the ChristiaÌ„s A sclaunder Maâ— 24. The Christiâ—ns alone â—ere enduâ—d with comâ—assion Exod. 14. Psal 7. Exod. 15. Maximinus in the behalf of the Chistians An impudeÌ„t lye he shewed no such curtesie Maximinus wageth battaile with Licinnius Psal 33. Cap 10. in the Greeke Maximinê° in the behalfe of the Christians He dissembleth with his subiects The death of Maximinus the tyrant God plagued Maximinus Famine Inward burning Hewme Blindnesse His last confession The ignominy that befell Maximinê° after his death The executors of tyrannie are plagued Peucetius a wicked magistrate Culcianus a wicked magistrate Theotecnus Inchaunters idolatrerâ— punished Maximinus children and kinsmen receaued theyr deserts Psalm 146. CoÌ„stantinus Licinnius Emperours He begâ—neth with thankes vnto God for the peace after persecution Psalm 98. Psalm 46. Psalm 37. The temples builded agayne Consecrations and the dedications of temples Ezech. 37. An vniforme consent of the Christians He prayseth Paulinus the Bishop Beseleel Solomon Zorâ—babel Psal 44. Psal 48. 1. Timoth. 3. Psal 87. Psal 122. Psal 26. Psal 48. Psal 113. Luc. 1. Psal 106. Psal 107. Psal 136. Psal 105. Esay 53. Satan the enemy of mà kinde worker of all mischiefe Christ aideth the comfortlesse The ornaments of the temple and the meaning thereof Psal 33. Psal 148. Iohn 5. Beselc cl The clensing of the polluted temple Psal Psal 8. Psal 37. Psal 9. Psal 18. Psal 73. Esay 35. Psal 74. Psal 80. Prouerb 3. Heb. 12. Esay 35. The wall of the church The porch A space betwene the Sanctuary the porche Welspringes cockes or cundâ—â—â—s Gates Porches Windowes Psal 104. The floore or pauement Esay 61. The church â—ioyâ—eth Esay 54. Esay 51. Esay 52. Esay 49. 2. Corinth 6. Esay 54. Act. 2. 1. Corinth 2. The copy of the Imperiall edicts traÌ„slated out of the latine into the Greeke out of the Greeke into Englishe ConstaÌ„tinus Licinnius the Emperours vnto Anilinus proconsul of Aphrick ConstaÌ„tinus the emperours vnto Militiades byshop of Rome ConstaÌ„tinus the emperour vnto Chrestus bishop of Siracusa ConstaÌ„tinus vnto Cecilia nê° byshop of Carthage Pholes according vnto Epiphaniê° is a weyght other wise called TalantiuÌ„ and the same is too folde the one containing 312. pouÌ„des six ounces the other weying 208. pence it is vsed of Suidas and Augustine de ciuit Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. for a halfpeny ConstaÌ„tinus vnto Anilin ' gouernour of Aphrick Licinniê° had maried Constantinus sister Socrat. lib. 6. eccl hist cap. 12. Volater li 19. Anthropolog Socrat. li. 7. cap. 47 Theodor. Zuinger Volaterr Socrat. li. 5. cap. 23. Niceph. lib â–ª 9. cap. 13. lib. 11. cap. 14. Euseb lib. cap. 2. Euseb lib. cap. 27. 28 â–ª Euseb lib. cap. 23. Socrat. li. 1. cap. 9. Socrat. li. 2. cap. 30. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 5. lib. 2. cap. 17. Tritenhemius li. de eccl scrip Socrates in this his first booke contayneth the history of 31 yeares being the whole raigne of Constantine and the ende of 340 yeres after Christ Where Socrates beginneth his history Diocletian Maximinian Maximinus Seuerus Constantinê° Maxentius Licinnius The tyranny of Maxentiê° The signe of the crosse was seene of Constantinê° in the aëre Christ appeareth to Constantine in his sleepe Maxentius died about the yeare 318. The godly study of Constantine The death of Diocletian Anno Dom. 318. * Cap. 4. in the Greeke The humanitye of Constantine LiciÌ„nius was put to death for his periurie breakiÌ„g of league Anno Dom. ni 327. Cap. 5. in the Greeke Peter Achillas Alexander Arius contraryeth his Bishop and ordinary The original of Arius heresie * Cap. 6. in the Greeke Two Eusebius the firâ—t was writer of the former historâ— the 2. Bishop of Nicomedia an Arian The blasphemies of Arius and his complices The confutation of Arius Iohn 1. Psal 44. Psal 109. Coloss 1. Heb. 1. Ioh. 14. Ioh. 14. Ioh. 10. Malach. 3. Hebr. 13. 1. Corinth 8. Ioh. 10. Prouer. 18. Arius his complices excommunicated 2. Timoth. 2. Math. 24. 1. Timoth. 4. 2. Iohn The meletiaÌ„ heretickes ioyne with the Arians Meletius why he was depriued by Peter byshop of Alexandria Arians Eunomians MacedoniaÌ„s Cap. 7. in the Greeke Osius a Spaniard byshop of Corduba The epistle of Constantinus vnto Alexander Arius takeÌ„ out of the 2. booke of Eu sebius of the life of Constantine The contention of Philosophers Brethren and christiaÌ„s may not brawle coÌ„tentiously about words Cap. 8. after the greeke The messenger was Osius byshop of Corduba â—n Spaine The first generall councell of Nice â—â—seb lib. 3 〈◊〉 vita CoÌ„st Osius byâ—â—op of Corâ—â—bâ— as I supâ—â—se â—â—e byshop Rome was â—t at the â—â—uncell but â—â—t thither â—â—taine of 〈◊〉 clergie â—â—â— 2. Paphnutiê° b. of Thebais Spiridâ—on b. of Cyprus Euseb Nicomed Theognis an Arian Maris an Arian Athanasius Alexander Ruffinus in his first boke cap. 3. layeth downe the circuÌ„stances of this historie more at large Constantine the Emperour sheweth greate reuereÌ„ce vnto tâ— bishops Constantine exhorteth tâ— vnitie and burneth theâ—â— libells Mat. 18. Euseb lib 3 â–ª de vit Constantini He coÌ„futeth the sclaunderous report which Sabinus made of the bishops assembled in the councell of Nice * this Nicene creede was not founde thus placed in the greeke coppy wherfore the Greeke seemed vnperâ—ect for to what ende â—hold Socraâ—es write The â—niforme doâ—trine of faith â–ª c. is this â—nlesse some â—hing folowâ—d or howe â—oulde he afâ—er all conâ—lude as he â—oth This â—â—th vnlesse â—â—ere were â—â—mewhat â—terlaced we â—â—ue thereâ—ore suppliâ—d the want 〈◊〉 this vnperâ—â—ct place by â—rowinge â—e coppy of â—â—is Creede â—ritteÌ„ truely the same