on the grounde to be lugged and trayled all a long to gâ—â—t them heat â–ª they had not one sparcle of compassion on vs but thought of duety they should thus be affected furiously rage agaynst vs as though vve had bene no liuing creatures vvherfore our aduersaries inuented this seconde payne and added it to the former punishments after stripes they vvere layd in the stockes and their feete streched foure spaces or holes asunder so that of necessitye they must lye on their backes hauing no feeling of their bodies by reason of the vvoundes vvhich the stripes printed in their members others being throvvne a long vpon the pauement lay poudred in the dust in extreame payne a more piteous and lamentable spectacle vnto the behoulders then the torment it self bearing in their bodies diuers vvoundes diuersly inuented The case lying thus some died in torment confounded the aduersaries vvith their pacience some halfe deade and shutt in pryson after a fevve dayes died of their payne the rest by carefull prouision vvere comforted and after certayne continevvance of imprisonment became more constant vvhen they had geuen them in choise either to toutch the detestable sacrifices and so be at ease enioy among them their cursed libertie or not to sacrifice chaung life for death vvith all speede voluntarily they embraced death â–ª for they vvere skilfull in those things vvhich concerned them in holy Scripture he that sacrificeth to straunge Godâ— sayth he shal be rooted out from among the people and thou shalt haue no other Gods but me such are the words of a true Philosopher and godly Martyr which he wrote from prison to his parishioners afore the iudge pronounced the sentence of condemnation vpon him rehearsing vnto them y t state he stoode in prouoking them to march forwards and to holde fast the profession of fayth in Christ after his death which then was at hande but to what ende doe I vse many wordes and alleadge the conflictes of the blessed Martyrs throughout the worlde inuented one after an other specially of them which were pursued to death not after the publique lawes but with deadly hatred CAP. XI How a whole citie in Phrygia with the inhabitants thereof was burnt to ashes and of Audactus the Martyr WHen the souldiers had besieged a whole citye in Phrygia inhabited of Christians and compassed in both men women and children which called vpon the name of the Lord they sett all a fire and burned them to ashes For with one consent all the inhabitants thereof the Lieuetenant the captayne the whole Senate the people euery one protested them selues to be Christians and coulde by no edicts be brought to adore Idols or carued images And an other also there was renowmed for Romayne dignitie whose name was Audactus by linage comming of a noble house in Italie and for all his vertues in great creditt with the Emperours so that he gouerned with great wisedome vprightnes the common wealth and weyghtiest matters of the empire but aboue all he was famous for religion and sayth in Christ so that in the administration and gouerning of the common wealth he endured torment and was crowned with martyrdome CAP. XII Of the regions and contreys where the Christians were martyred and the sanadgnesse of tyrannic all he at hen towards the faythfull TO what ende shall I by name recite the rest or rehearse the maltitude of men or describe the sundry torments of famous Martyrs whereof some were beheaded as it happened in Arabia some tormented with the breaking and bruysing of their legges as it happened in Cappadocia some hanged by the feete and their heades downe warde with slowe fire sett vnder smothered to death with choking smoke as it happened vnto the brethren in Mesopotamia some others had their nostrells slitt their eares bored their handes maymed their members and parts of their bodies drawne asunder and vnioynted as it happened at Alexandria to what ende shall I furbushe the memory of them which were burned at Antioche hott burning coales layde vnder not quickely to dispatch them but with lingering payne to torment them of others which chose rather to burne their handes then they woulde toutch their abominable sacrifices the experience whereof some going about to auoyde before they were apprehended and fallen into the handes of their aduersaries threw them selues downe headlong from the toppe of houses thought better so to preuent death then to sustayne the torments of their malicious enemies A certayne matron also renowmed for her vertue and integricie of life among all them of Antioch famous for her wealth and substance her noble lynage and estimation â–ª had brought vp two doughters that were virgins in the feare of God which passed all other in brightnesse of bewtye and youthly comlines These because they were greatly spited and enuied for all that they hidd them selues they were founde out and when that at length with much adoe they vnderstood of their being among forrayners they cyted them to appeare with speede at Antioch in their proper persons and besett the place of their abode with a bande of souldiers compassing them as it were with a nett This matron seeing her self and her doughters plunged in great periâ—â— by no meanes possibly to be auoyded pondered with her selfe the punishments ensuing and that which was most greeuous of all the abusing of their bodies she admonished in no wise to be suffred no not once to sincke into their eares and sayd further that if they committed their soules as bondslaues vnto Satan it were a thinge more intollerable then any death or destruction yet there remayned one remedie for all and that sayd she was to flye vnto the Lorde for refuge After deliberation with vniforme consent they layde downe what was to be done they apparelled them selues gorgeously and tooke their iourney towards Antioch In the middest of the way when their gard seuered them selues as about to serue nature they cast them selues vnto the floode that slyded thereby and drowned them selues These heathen Idolaters threwe into the seaâ— an other coople of Antiochian virgines renowmed for all vertues true sisters of noble linage of good life of tender yeares of goodly bewtie of honest mindes of godly conuersation of wonderfull disposition as though the earth could no longer beare them such were the tragedies at Antioch In Pontus they suffred horrible punishments to be heard of whose fingers of both hands were pricked vnder the tender nayles with sharpe quills others had hott buyling leade poured on their backes the most necessary members of their bodyes maymed others endured shamefull intollerable and such torments as may not be tould in their priuy members and in the secret bowels of their bodyes such as these noble and counted lawfull iudges excogitated for tokens of their sharp witt and deepe wisedome Dayly also they founde out newe torments contending one with an other who could excell in spitefull
clergie we the layty of the communion referring vnto God alone y â— power of remitting their sinne The same Atticus had the foreknowledge of his death for taking his leaue of Nice he sayd vnto Calliopius the minister of that Church make haste to Constantinople before Autumne that thou mayst againe see me aliue for if thou linger make delayes thou shalt see me no more in this world In vttering these wordes he hitt the trueth on the head for he departed this life the one and twentieth yeare of his consecration the tenth of October in the eleuenth Consulship of Theodosius and the first of Valentinianus Caesar Theodosius the Emperour returning from Thessalonica came short to his funerall for Atticus was buried the day before the comming of the Emperour into Constantinople Shortly after the creation of Valentinianus the yonger was proclaymed to wit the three and twentieth day of the same moneth CAP. XXVI Of Sisinius the successor of Atticus in the bishoprick of Constantinople AFter the desease of Atticus there was great contention in the Churche of Constantinople about the election of a Bishop â–ª for some woulde haue Philip a minister some other Proclus who also was a minister preferred to the rowme but all the people with vniforme consent desired Sisinius He was like wise a priest not of any of the Churches within the walls of Constantinople but of Elae a Church in the suburbes ouer against the citie where all the people of Constantinople are wont to celebrate the feast of our Sauiours ascention All the laytye laboured by all meanes to haue him to their Bishop partly because he was counted a very godly man partly also for that he endeuored to relieue the poore beyond the reach of his substance To be short the layty got the vpper hande and Sisinius was consecrated the eyght and twentieth of February in the twelse Consulship of Theodosius and the seconde of Valentinianus Augustus the yonger Philip the minister seeing that Sisinius was preferred before him stomacked the matter wonderfully and inueyed bitterly agaynst his consecration in the worke which he wrote and intitled the Christian history While he inueyeth against Sisinius that was consecrated agaynst the Bishops who were consecrators and especially agaynst the laytye who were electors he wrote such thinges as I am loth to report for I can not chuse but blame him greatly that euer he durst be so bold to lay downe so rash and vnaduised reasons yet in my opinion it will not be amisse presently to say somewhat of him CAP. XXVII Of Philip a Priest bred and brought vp in Sida PHilip of whome we spake before was borne at Sida a citie in Pamphilia where also Trophilus the Sophist had his original of whome Philip boasted not a litle that he was his kinsman This Philip being a Deacon and of great familiaritie with Iohn the Bishop was as it were driuen to bestowe great labour and diligence in the study of good learning so that he wrote many bookes of diuerse sortes his stile was asiaticall proude and lofty and to the ende he might confute the workes of luhan the Emperour he compiled a volume and intitled it The Christian historie the which he deuided into six and thirty bookes euery booke hath sundry tomes the number of all mounteth very nigh to a thousande the argument prefixed to euery one is in maner as bigge as the tome it selfe this worke he entitled not the Ecclesiasticall but the Christian historie where he patched together many matters for to let the worlde vnderstand that he was seene in Philosophy Wherefore he alleadgeth very oft precepts and rules of Geometrie Astronomie Arithmetick Musick Moreouer he describeth Isles mountaines trees with other thinges of smal importance so that it grewe to a huge volume full of bumbast and vayne ostentation In my simple iudgement it is a worke that is prositable neyther for the learned neyther the vnlearned For the learned will condemne the often repetition of the same wordes which is riâ—e throughout the booke the vnlearned haue not the capacitie to comprehende the insolent stile and affected sentences of his arrogant minde but let euery one iudge of his owne doings as he shall thinke good I dare affirme that the order he followed in laying downe of the times is both confuse farre from good order for when he had runne ouer the raygne of Theodosius back againe he getts him to discourse of Athanasius the Bishops tymes â–ª the which I note to be his vsuall maner but of Philip so farre Now to the history of Sisinius tyme. CAP. XXVIII Howe that Sisinius made Proclus Bishop of Cyzicum whome the Cyziceni woulde not receaue AFter the desease of the Bishop of Cyzicum Sisinius appoynted Proclus to be their Bishop The citizens vnderstanding of his comming preuented him and chose Dalmatius a religious man to gouerne the bishoprick This they did neglecting the lawe canon which commaundeth that no Bishop be appoynted and ordayned without the consent and autoritie of the Bishop of Constantinople They made no accompt of that canon because it commaunded namely as they thought that the sayd autoritie shoulde be geuen vnto Atticus alone Wherefore Proclus being not admitted to execute the function of a bishop in the Church where he was ordayned continewed at Constantinople where he occupied him selfe in preaching and purchased vnto him selfe thereby great fame and commendation but of him I shal haue occasion of speake more hereafter Sisinius had scarse bene Bishop two yeares when he died it was in the Consulship of Hierius and Ardaburius the foure and twentieth of Decembre He was a man highly commended for temperancie for godly and vertuous life and to be shorte for his liberalitie bestowed vpon the poore He was a man both gentle and familier playne without fraude or guyle and therefore he neuer molested any in his life he was a great enemie to busie bodyes and to quarellers and therefore taken of many for a cowarde CAP. XXIX After the desease of Sisinius Bishop of Constantinople Nestorius was sent for to Antioch for to enioy the bishoprick who immediatly reuealed him selfe what kinde of man he was IT seemed good vnto the Emperour after the desease of Sisinius because ofdiuers vaine glorious persons to chuse none of that Church to be bishop though many made sute for Philip and many againe for Proclus but determined with him selfe to send for a straunger out of Antioch there was in those dayes there a man whose name was Nestorius by birth he was a Germaine a loude voice he had and an eloquent tongue and therefore as it was thought a fitt man to preach vnto the people They put their heades together they sent for Nestorius and brought him from Antioch to Constantinople three moneths after who though his temperance was highly commended of many yet the wisest sort and sagest people perceaued well inough his other conditions when he first beganne to preach for immediatly after his
as much as the name either of lawes or iudgements and to be short not once as much as the vewe of vertue and philosophie but liuing among beastes spent their time in wildernesse as â—â—eldish men and voyd of humanity corrupting the reasonable vnderstanding agreable with nature the reasonable seedes of mans minde with their wilful malice yelding them selues wholy to al abominations so that sometimes they infect eche other sometimes they sleye eche other sometimes they deuoure mans fleshe presuming to wage batle with God after the famous battel of the foolish Giants determining and imagining in their minde to wall heauen and earthe in one and beinge moued throughe the madnesse of their minde they went about to conquere God the gouerner of all thinges whereby they haue thus sore incensed him agaynst them selues God the duerseer and ruler of all things reuenged them with floodes and destructions of fiery flames as if they had bene a certaine wilde vmnanured thickett ouerspreadinge the whole earthe also with famyne and continuall plagues with battayle and thunderboltes from aboue he cut them of and subdued that seuere and most bitter maladye of their soules by restrayning them with more sharpe punishments imprisonments When malice was now flowen vnto the brimme and had ouercast al with the couer thereof ouershadowing ouerdarkening the mindes of mortall men as it were a certaine soking slumber of drunkennesse that first begotten wisedome of God and the same worde that was in the beginning with God by his superabundant louing kindnes appeared vnto the inhabiters on earth sometimes by vision of Angels sometimes by him selfe as the helping power of God vnto some one or other of the auncient worshippers of God in no other forme or figure then of man for otherwise their capacity could not haue comprised the same After that now by them the seede of piety was sowen scattered amiddes the multitude of men and the whole nations which from the Hebrewes linealy descended had now purposed to preferre godlines vpon earth he deliuered vnto them of olde by his seruant Moses after strait institutions certayne figures and formes of a miâ—ticall Sabaoth and circumcision and entrances vnto other spiritual contemplations but not the perfect playne mysteries thereof When as the law was published and set forth as a sweete 〈…〉 vnto all men then many of the Gentils through the law makers euery where yea and philosophers changed their rude brutish and sauage senses vnto meeke and milde natures so that thereby there ensued amongest them perfect peace familiarity and frendshipithen againe to al men and to the Gentils throughout al the worlde as it were now in this behalfe holpen and fit to receaue the knowledge of his father the same schoolemaster of vertue his fathers minister in al goodnes the deuine and celestiall worde of God through man with corporall substance not different from ours shewed him selfe about the beginning of the Romaine empire wrought and suffred such thinges as were consonant with holy Scripture which foreshewed there shoulde be borne such a one as shoulde be both God and man a mighty worker of miracles an instructor of the Gentiles in his fathers piety and that his wonderfull birth shoulde be declared his new doctrine his wonderfull workes besides this the maner of his death his resurrection from the dead and aboue all his diuine restitution into the heauens The Prophet Daniel beholdinge his kingdome in the spirit to be in the latter age of the worlde whereas otherwhere deuinely yet here more after the maner of man describeth the vision of God I beheld sayth he vntill the thrones vvere placed and the auâ—â—â—ent of dayes sate theron his garments vvere as the vvhite snovve the heares of his heade as pure vvoll his throne a flame of fire his chariots burning fire a fyry streame slyded before his face a thousande thousandes ministred vnto him the iudgement vvas set the bookes vvere opened c. Againe And againe after this I behelde sayth he and beholde one comminge in the cloudes like the Sonne of man and he came still vnto the auncient of dayes he vvas brought â—â—â—ore him and to him vvas geuen principalitie honour and rule and al people tribes and to 〈…〉 shall serue him his povver is an euerlasting povver vvhiche shall not paâ—â—e his kingdome 〈…〉 neuer be destroyed These thinges truely may be referred to none other then in out 〈…〉 God that was the word being in the beginning with the father and named 〈…〉 reason of his incarnation in the latter tinâ—es 〈◊〉 â—â—eause we haue in out 〈…〉 propheticall expositions touching our Lord 〈…〉 Christ and therin hath 〈…〉 thinges which concerne him at this present we wylbe content with the premises CAP. IIII. That Iesus and the very name of Christ from the beginning was both knowen and honored among the deuine Prophets that Christ was both a King an highpriest and a Prophet THat the name both of Iesus and also of Christ among the holy prophets of old was honored nowe is it time to declare Moses first of all knowing the name of Christ to be of great reuerence glorious deliuering types of heauenly things pledges mistical formes according vnto y â— commaundement prescribed saying vnto him See thou doe all thinges after the fashion that vvas shevved thee in the mount Naming man as he lawfully might an highpriest of God called the same Christ and to this dignitie of highe priesthood althoughe by a certayne prerogatiue excelling all others among men yet because of honor and glory he put to the name of Christ So then he deemed Christ to be a certayne deuine thyng The same Moses also when being inspired with the holy Ghost he had wel forseene the name of Iesu iudged the same worthy of singuler prerogatiue for this name of Iesu appeared not manifest among men afore it was knowen by Moses and this name he gaue to him first and to him alone whom he knew very wel by tipe figuratiue signe to receaue the vniuersal principality after his death His successor therfore before that time called not Iesu but otherwise to weete Ause He called Iesu the which name his parents had geuen him therby attributing to that name singuler honor farr passing al princely scepters because that the same Iesus Naue was to beare the figure of our Sauiour also alone after Moses to accomplish the figuratiue seruice committed vnto him and thought worthy to beginne the true and most sincere worship Moses to these two men after him thus surpassing all people in vertue and honor attributed for great honor the name of our sauiour Iesus Christ to the one as highe priest to the other as principal ruler after him After this y â— prophets playnely haue prophecied namely of Christ of the peeuishe practise of the Iewishe people agaynst him of the calling of the Gentils by him Ieremie thus sayde The spirite before our face
Christ our Lorde is taken in their nets of vvhom vve speake before vnder the shadovve of his vvinges vve shal be preserued aliue among the Heathen Dauid also being amazed because of his name expostulateth the matter thus VVhy sayth he haue the Gentiles raged and the people imagined vayne thinges The kinges of the earth stoode foorth and the princes assembled together against the Lorde and against his Christ To these he addeth in the parson of Christ saying The Lorde sayde vnto me thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall geue thee the Heathen for thine inheritaunce and the endes of the earthe for thy possession The name of Christ therefore among the Hebrewes hath not onely honored those that were adorned with the high priesthood anointed with figuratiue oyle prepared for that purpose but also princes whom the Prophets by the precept of God haue anoynted and made figuratiue Christs because they figuratiuely resembled the deuine worde of God and the regall and princely power of the onely and true Christ gouerning all thinges And moreouer we haue learned certaine of the Prophets typicalye by their anoynting to haue bene termed Christs Al they had a relation vnto the true Christ the deuine and heauenly worde the onely highpriest of all the king of all creatures and the chiefe Prophet of the father ouer all other Prophets the proofe hereof is playne for none euer of all them that typicaly were anoynted were they Princes or Priests or Prophets haue purchased vnto them selues suche deuine power and vertue as our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ sole and singuler hath shewed None of all them howe famous so euer they were found among their owne throughout many ages by reason of their dignitie and honor haue bestowed this benefit vpon their subiects that by their imaginatiue appellation of Christ they should by name be consecrated Christians in deede Neyther hath the honor of adoration bene exhibited by the posteritie vnto any of them neither after their death hath there bene any such affection that for their sake any prepared them selues to dye for the maintenance of their honor neither hath there bene any tumult among the Gentils throughout the worlde for any of them the power of the shadow was not of such efficacy in them as the presence of the verity by our sauiour declared which resembled nether the forme or figure of any nether linealy descended according vnto the fleshe from the Priests neither was exalted by the might of men vnto his kingdome neither prophecied after the maner of the auncient Prophets neither obtayned any preeminence or prerogatiue amonge the Iewes yet for all this Christ being by the diuine spirite adorned with all these dignities though not in types yet in trueth it selfe and enioyinge all the gyftes of those men whereof mention is made he hath bene more published and preached and hath powred vpon vs the perfect ornature of his moste reuerent and holy name not turning henceforthe vnto types and shadowes such as serue him but vnto the naked trueth the heauenly life and vndoubted doctrine of verity his anoynting was not corporall but spirituall by participation of the vnbegotten dyetie of the father the whiche thinge Esai declareth when as in the person of Christ he breaketh out into these wordes The spirite of the Lorde vpon me vvherefore he anoynted me to preache glad tydinges vnto the poore he sent me to cure the contrite in hearte to preache deliuerance vnto the captiues and sight vnto the blinde Not Esay alone but Dauid also touching the person of Christ lifteth vp his voyce and sayeth Thy throne ô God lasteth for aye the scepter of thy kingdome is a right scepter thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquitie vvherefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee vvith the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felovves of the which the first verse termeth Christ God the seconde honoreth him with regall scepter thence consequently passing vnto the rest he sheweth Christ to be anoynted not with oyle of corporal substance but of deuine that is of gladnes whereby he signifieth his prerogatiue and surpassing excellencie and difference seuering him from them which with corporall and typicall oyle haue bene anoynted And in an other place Dauid declaring his dignitie sayeth The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hand vntil I make thine enemies thy footestole And out of my vvombe before the day starre haue I begotten thee The Lorde svvare neither vvil it repent him thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech This Melchisedech in the sacred Scriptures is sayde to be the Priest of the most highe God so consecrated and ordayned neither by any oyle prepared of man for that purpose neither by succession of kindred attayning vnto the priesthoode as the maner was among the Hebrewes Wherfore our Sauiour according vnto that order and not others which receaued signes shadowes is published by performance of the othe Christ and Priest So that the history deliuereth him vnto vs nether corporally anoynted among the Iewes nether borne of the priestly tribe but of God him self before the day starr that is being in essence before the constitution of all worldly creatures immortall possessinge a priesthoode that neuer perisheth by reason of age but lasteth worlde without ende Yet this is a greate and an apparent argument of his incorporeall and deuine power that alone of all men that euer were and now are among all the wightes in the worlde Christ is preached confessed testified and euery where among the Grecians and Barbarians mentioned by this name and hitherto among all his adherentes honored as King had in admiration aboue a Prophet glorified as the true and the onely high Priest of God surpassing all creatures as the worde of God consisting in essence before all worldes receauing honor and worship of the father honored as God him selfe and which of all other is most to be marueled at that we which are dedicated vnto him honour him not with tongue onely garrulous talke of whispering wordes but with the whole affection of the minde so that willingly we preferre before our liues the testimony of his trueth CAP. v. That the Christian religion is neither newe neither straunge I suppose these thinges to haue bene necessaryly placed by me in the beginning of this history lest that any surmise our Sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ to be a newe vpstarte by reason of the time of his being in the fleshe Nowe agayne leste that any so deeme his doctrine as newe founde and straung deliuered by such a one so thought of and nothing differing from other in 〈◊〉 doctrines let vs then in fewe wordes entreat and reason of this the which we may take for vndoubted For when as the comming of our Sauiour Christ was now freshe in the mindes of all men and that a newe nation neither smale nether weake neither such as
tyme also Paul raged agaynst the Church entring into the seuerall houses of the faythfull and giuing forth precepts that both men and women should be imprisoned And Phillip one of the ordayned Deacons with Stephen and of the dispersed came to Samaria and being plenteous as toutching the diuine power first of all preached vnto the inhabitantes there the word of God The grace of God so mightely preuayled with him that he drew vnto him by his preaching Simon Magus with many moe Simon at that tyme was so famous holding in awe them that were bewitched with his sorcery so that they supposed him to be the great power of God which then being amazed with the miracles wrought of Phillip by diuine power came and grewe so farre forwards to mens seeming that he dissembled euen vnto the baptisme y â— is through fayth in Christ Which at this day is wonderfull in them that hitherto walowing in that most detestable heresye treade the trace of their forefather encroatching vpon the Churche as a pestilent and â—â—ysome disease infecting them which can not throughly discerne the incurable intractable venyme lying hid within them but diuerse of them their implety being reuealed were throughly knowne and reiected of which number Simon himselfe being apprehended of Peter receaued the sentence of damnation due to his desert When that the preaching of the Gospel dayly proceeded with encrease it came to passe by reason of some domestâ—â—â—â— affayres that there came from the lande of the Aethiopians the theef gouernour of the qeene which after the custome of their contrey held the kingdome for as yet the people of that contrey haue to their Prince a Queene This same being the first of the Gentiles obtayned of Phillip the holy mysâ—eeyes by the inspiration of the heauenly worde was made the first fruites of the faithfull throughout the worlde and as it is reported after his returne vnto his natiue soyle he preached the knowledge of the vniuersall God geuing life vnto men and the comming of our Sauiour So that in his doing the prophecy was fulfilled which sayth Aethiopia shall stretch hir hand before vnto God About this tyme Paule the chosen vessel is declared an Apostle not of men nether by men but by reuelation of Iesus Christ and God the father which raysed him from the dead and is vouchsafed worthy of this vocation by a vision and a voyce reuealed from heauen CAP. II. The report of Pilate the censure of Tiberius the Emperour and the Romayne Senate concerning Christ. WHen as the wonderfull resurrection of our Sauiour and his assumption into the heauens was now made manifest vnto many and the auncient maner among the heathen Princes had so preuayled that if any nouelty by any were enterprised the same forth with should be signified vnto him that helde the Princely scepter lest that he should be ignorant of any thing which was done it came to passe that Pilate made Tiberius the Emperour priuy of those thinges which concerned the resurrection of our Sauiour Iesu were published throughout Palaestina adding thereunto his maruelous workes whereof he was credibly enformed and how that now after his resurrection he was of many taken for a God The report goeth that Tiberius made relation thereof vnto the Senate which reiected his saying for no other cause but for that they had not first approued the same the auncient custome oâ—â—â—rued that none should be accounted of the Romaynes among the number of Gods vnlesse he were canonized by the sentence and decree of the Senate which no doubt was done for this ende that the holesome doctrine of the diuine preaching should not neede the approbation and commendation of man Though this petition toutching our Sauiour were reiected of the Romayne Senate after it was made vnto theÌ„ yet Tiberius reseruing vnto him selfe his former opinion conceaued no absurdity preiudiciall vnto the doctrine of Christ. These things Tertullian a man well experienced in the Romane lawes and besides famous among them which flourished at Rome in his Apologye which he wrote for the Christians in the Romane tongue and by translation writeth thus and that vve may reason toutching the originall of these lavves it vvas an auncient decree that no God should be consecrated by the King vnlesse it vvere first agreed vpon by the Senate The like did Marcus Aemilius practise concerning a certayne Idole of Aâ—burnus and this is seene for our sake that the deytye is deliuered amongst you by mans decree Vnlesse that God please man he is not made God So that by this decree it is expedient for man that he be fauorable vnto God Tibarius then vnder vvhome the Christian name vvas spred abroad in the vvorld vvhen this doctrine vvas signified vnto him out of Palaestina vvhere it first sprang communicated the same vnto the Senate declaring vvithall that this doctrine pleased him right vvell The Senate reiected it because they had not allovved the same But he perseuered in his opinion threatning theÌ„ death that vvoulde accuse the Christians This was the wisedome of the diuine prouidence lightning his mind that the preaching of the Gospel shoulde passe at the beginning throughout the world without let or hinderance CAP. III. How that in short space the Gospell was published throughout the worlde BY the diuine power and helping hand of God the holsome doctrine sodaynely as it were sonne beames shined throughout the worlde and forthwith according vnto the sacred Scripture the sound of the holy Euangelists and Apostles passed throughout the whole earth and their vvordes vnto the endes of the vvorlde So that throughout all cities and villages after the maner of barne floores replenished forthwith very many the same very populous churches were established and they which by auncient succession were blinded through old errour and the rooted disease of superstitious Idolatry through the power of Christ by the doctrine of his disciples together with the wonderfull workes wrought by them were at libertye from their cruell Lordes and loosed out of their lothsome fetters wholy abandoning the Idolatricall worship of many Gods confessing the one and the alone God the worker of all thinges and worshipping him with the rites of true piety through diuine and pure religion graâ—â—ed in the heart of man by our Sauiour himselfe But the diuine goodnesse and grace of God spred it selfe abroade among other nations and first of all Cornelius of Caesarea in Palaestina with all his housholde by a diuine vision and the ministery of Peter embraced the fayth of Christ and many Graecians of Antioche hearde the preachinge of those which dispersed them selues at the stoning of Stephen when as at this tyme the Churche of Antioche flourished and multiplied exceedingly and many Prophets of Ierusalem among whome were Paul and Barnabas frequented thither and besides them an other multitude of brethren so that the christian name there sprange first as of a freshe and fertill soyle
the Machabees because it contayneth the combats of the Hebrues so termed in the bookes of the Machabees manfully fighting in the defence of their pietye towardes God And about the ende of the twentieth booke of Iudaicall Antiquities Iosephus him selfe signifieth that he wrote foure bookes of the proper opinions of the Ievves of God of his essence of the lavves and vvhy according vnto them certayne thinges are lavvfull and certayne forbidden He mentioneth in his workes other treatyes of his it shall seeme agreable with order if we recite those thinges which he wrote about the ende of his Iudaicall Antiquities that our allegations may the better be confirmed for he endeuoring to confute Iustus Tyberianus who writinge the historye of that tyme reported many vntruthes among others of his confutations thus he sayth I feared not thy censure so much of my vvritings but that I exhibited my bookes vnto the Emperours themselues vvhen the dedes done vvere novv fresh in memory my conscience bare me vvitnes that Ierred not but deliuered the trueth hauing obtayned their testimonies vvhich I hoped for And to diuers others I offred my historye vvhere of some vvere encombred vvith the vvartes as king Agrippa and diuers of his kinsfolkes And the Emperour Tytus him selfe vvoulde haue the certayne knovvledge of these vvarres deliuered vnto the vvorlde by my bookes onely commaunding them to be published vvith the priuiledge of his ovvne hande King Agrippa vvrote threescore tvvo epistles vvherin he testifieth of the true history deliuered by me Two of these epistles he alleadgeth but so farre concerning Iosephus now we wil proceede to that which foloweth CAP. XI How after Iames the Iust Simeon was Bishop of Ierusalom AFter the martyrdome of Iames and the captiuity of Ierusalem now ended the reporte â—â—â—eth that the Apostles and Disciples of our Lorde which then were aliue whereof many yet remayned gathered them selues from euery where vnto one place together with the kinsmen of the Lorde according to the fleshe there to haue consulted who was thought best worthy to succeede Iames so that all with one voyce iudged worthy of the seae of Ierusalem Simeon the sonne of Cleopas mentioned in the Gospell and called the cosin of Christ for Aegesippiâ—â— writeth that Cleopas was the brother of Ioseph CAP. XII How Vespasian commaunded the posteritie of Dauid diligently to be sought out in the Churche of Ierusalem MOreouer he declareth that Vespasian after the siege of Ierusalem caused enquirie to be made of such as were of the lyne of Dauid lest that any remayned yet among the Ievves of the royall bloude so that thereby agayne there was raysed a great persecution among the Ievves CAP. XIII After Vespasian and Titus Domitian raigned vnder Titus Linus and Anacletus were Bishops of Rome vnder Domitianus Anianus and Abilius were Bishops of Alexandria WHen Vespasian had raigned tenne yeares Titus his sonne succeeded him in the empire in the seconde yeare of whose raygne Linus after he had bene Byshop of Rome the space of xii yeares deseased and him succeeded Anacletus When Titus had raygned two yeares and two monethes his brother Domitian tooke the imperiall crowne In the fourth yeare of the raigne of Domitian Anianus the first Bishop of Alexandria hauing continued there xxii yeares dyed the seconde after him that succeeded was Abilius CAP. XIIII Of Clemens his Bishoprike his testimony his epistle IN the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Domitian when as Anacletus had bene Bishop of Rome twelue yeares Clemens succeeded whome S. Paul writing to the Philippians calleth his felovv laboter when he sayth vvith Glemens and the rest of my felovv laborers vvhose names are vvritten in the booke of life one vndoubted epistle there is of his extant both worthy notable y â— which he wrote from Rome vnto Corinthe when sedition was raysed among the Corinthians the same Epistle we haue knowne to haue bene reade openly publikely in many churches both of olde and amongest vs also â–ª that at that tyme there was raysed a sedition amongest the Corinthians Aegesippus is a witnes of creditt CAP. XV. Of the persecution and ende of Domitian warring agaynst God DOmitian when he had executed much cruelty agaynst many and put to death no smal multitude of the Nobles of Rome and notable men beyond all rightfull iudgement and punished an infinite company of famous men with the hurtful exile losse of their substance dyeth and appoynteth him selfe successor of the hatred owed to Nero of the warre against God this man secondarily raysed persecution agaynst vs although his father Vespasian practysed no presumptuous Lordlynes towards vs. CAP. XVI VVhen Iohn the Euangelist was banished into Patmos ABout this time Iohn y â— Apostle Euangelist is sayd to haue bene banished into y â— I le Patmos for the testimony of the worde of God Irenaeus in his fift booke agaynst the heresies writing of the epitheton of Antichrist layde downe in the reuelation of S. Iohn sayth thus word by word of Iohn If his name ought publikely to haue bene preached at that present tyme by him veryly it vvas preached vvhich vvrote the reuelation for it vvas not seene a long time after but vvelnigh in this our age about the ende of the raygne of Domitian Our religion so florished in the forsayd times that the heathen writers noting exactly the tymes voutchsafed to publish in their historyes this persecution and the martyrdomes suffred in the same CAP. XVII Of Flania Domicilla a noble gentlewoman banished into the I le Pontia and the edict of Domitian for the destroying of the posteritie of Dauid THey haue written that in the fiftenth yeare of Domitian one Flauia descending of the sister of Flauius Clemens which then was of the Romayne Consuls was exiled with many others vnto the I le Pontia for the testimony of Christ When Domitian commaunded such as lynealy descended out of Dauid to be slayne the old report goeth that certayne of this opinion were accused to haue come out of the auncetors of Iudas who was the brother of Christ according vnto the fleshe as if by this meanes they were of the stocke of Dauid and the kinsmen of Christ this Aegesippus declareth saying there suruiued as yet certayne of the kindred of the Lorde nephevves of Iudas called his brother according vnto the flesh vvhom they brought forth as being of the line of Dauid these Iocatus doth bring before the Emperour Domitian for he feared the comming of Christ euen as Herode did and demaunded of them vvhether they vvere of the stocke of Dauid vvhich vvhen they had acknovvledged he demaunded againe vvhat possessions they enioyed and vvhat money they had They aunsvvered both vve haue onely ix thousande pence so that halfe that summe sufficeth either of vs yet this summe haue vve not in money but in vallovved land contayning not aboue xxxix acres out of the vvhich vve pay tribute and relieue our selues through our
Alexandria in his seconde booke after he had remembred the reuelation of Sainct Iohn receaued by tradition of olde he reporteth of this man thus Cerinthus vvhiche founde the Cerinthian heresie â–ª gaue his figment a name for the further creditt thereof his kinde of doctrine vvas this â—he dreamed the kingdome of Christ shoulde become earthly and sett vppon those thinges vvhich he lusted after novv being couered vvith his fleshe and compassed in his skinne that is the satisfying of the belly and the thinges vnder the belly vvith meate vvith drinke vvith mariage and that he might the more colerably bring his deuelish deuices to passe he dedicated thereunto holy dayes oblations and slaughter for sacrifices so farre Dionysius but Irenaus in his first booke against the heresies layeth downe certayne more detestable opinions of his And in his thirde booke he reporteth a historye worthy the memorye as receaued by tradition of Polycarpus saying that Iohn the Apostle on a certayne time to bayne him selfe entred into a bathe and vnderstandinge that Cerinthus there vvithin bayned him selfe also started a side and departed forthe not abiding any tariance vvith him vnder the same â—ouffe signifying the same to his company and saying let vs speedely goe hence lest that the bathe come to ruyne vvherein Cerinthus the enemy of the truth baineth him selfe CAP. XXVI Of Nicolas and such as of him are called Nicolaïtes AT the same time the heresie of the Nicolaïtes spronge whiche lasted not longe after wherof the reuelation of S. Iohn made mention they boast that he was one of the Deacons ordayned together with Stephen of the Apostles to minister vnto the poore Clemens Alexandrinus in his thirde booke of stromatôn reporteth thus of him This Nicolas sayth he hauing a beautifull vvoman to his vvife after the ascention of our Sauiour vvas accused of ielousie and to cleare him selfe of that cryme brought forth his vvife and permitted him that lysted to marye her but his follovvers say that their doing is agreable vvith that saying that is the fleshe is to be brydled and so follovving that doing and saying vvithout all discretion they sinne vvithout all shame in silthy fornication but I heare that Nicolas accompanied with none other then his proper wife allotted vnto him by wedlocke and of his children his Daughters to haue endured virginity his sonne to haue remained vncorrupt the case being thus in y â— he brought forth his wife for ielousie ouer the which he was accused into the middest of the Apostles it was to cleare him oâ— the â—â—â—me layde to his charge and to teache the brydling of the fleshe by contayning and refrayning voluptuous lust and pleasure He woulde not as I suppose accordinge vnto the precept serue two masters lust and the Lorde they say that Mathias after this maner commaunded by instruction the fleshe to be ouercome and tamed yelding vnto it not one iote which might tende vnto pleasure and that the soule hereby shoulde take encrease by fayth and knowledge Thus much shall seeme sufficiently spoken toutching them which then depraued the truth and sodainely came to naught CAP. XXVII Of the Apostles which liued in wedlocke CLemens whose wordes lately we alleadged after the premises against them which relece and rebuke mariage reciteth the Apostles which liued in wedlocke saying VVhat doe they condemne the Apostles for Peter and Philip employed their industry to the bringing vp of their children Philip also gaue his Daughters to mariage And Paul in a certaine epistle sticked not to salute his vvife vvhiche therefore he ledd not aboute that he might be the redier vnto the ministation In so much then that we haue made mention hereof it will not seeme tedious if we alleadge an other historye worthy the notinge which he wrote in his seuenth booke after this manner they say that Sainct Peter going to his house and seeing his vvife ledd to be executed reioyced greatly because of the calling and cryed out vnto her vehemently exhorting and comforting her calling her by her name and saying O vvoman remember the Lorde such vvas the mariage of the godly and the entire affection of faithfull friendes And thus muche as pertinent to my purpose hereof I thought good here to alleadge CAP. XXVIII Of the death of Iohn and Philip the Apostles OF the deathe of Paule and Peter the tyme eke and the manner their resting place also after their departure hence we haue spoken of before and of Iohn toutchinge his appoynted tyme we haue tolde before but of his resting place or tombe we are enstructed by Polycrates his epistle this Polycrates was Bishop of Ephesus whiche he wrote vnto Victor Bishop of Rome where he remembreth also Philip the Apostle and his Daughters after this maner foâ— in Asiâ— sayth he greate pleadges of Christian religion rested them selues â–ª vvhiche shall rise the laste daye at the comming of the Lorde vvhen he shall come from heauen vvith glorye to seeke out all the Sainctes â–ª Philip one of the tvvelue Apostles â–ª resteth in the dust of the earthe at Hierapolis and tvvo of his Daughters vvhiche ledd their vvhole lyfe in virginitye the thirde vvhose conuersation vvas directed by the holy Ghoste resteth at Ephesus And Iohn vvhiche leaned on the breaste of our Sauiour vvho beinge also a Priest vvore the garment petalum A martyre and a doctor rested at Ephesus thus much of their endes In the Dialogue of Gaius mentioned before Proclus agaynst whom be proposed the question testifieth agreeable vnto that before of the death of Philip and his Daughters saying After this the foure Prophetisses the Daughters of Philip vvere at Hierapolis in Asia their sepulchre is there to be seene and their fathers also â–ª so farre he â–ª Luke in the Actes of the Apostles maketh mention of the Daughters of Philip dwelling at Caesarea in Iudaea with their father which were endued with the gift of prophecye saying VVe came to Caesarea and entred into the house of Philip the Euangelist vvhiche vvas one of the seuen and there made our abode this Philip had iiij Daughters vvhiche vvere virgines and Prophetisses â–ª thus much of the Apostles and apostolicke tymes and the thinges deliuered vnto vs by holy Scriptures of the canonicall and disalowed Scriptures though read of many in many Churches of the forged and farre from the Apostolicall rule as farre forth as we could learne Now to that whiâ—â— followeth â–ª CAP. XXIX The martyrdome of Symeon Bishop of Ierusalem AFter Nero and Domitian vnder that Emperour whereof we minde now to entreate the rumor went euery where throughout the cityes that persecution was raysed agaynst vs Christians through populare seditions in the which we learned that Symeon the sonne of Cleopas the seconde Bishop of Ierusalem ended his life with martyrdome hereof is Aegesippus a witnesse whose wordes we haue oft alleadged for he writing of certayne Hereticks geueth vs to vnderstand how that the afore sayd
Symeon was then diuersly by them accused to be a Christian for the space of many dayes he was scourged so that the Iudge and his company was maruelously amazed and in the ende he dyed a deathe agreeable with the passion of Christe but let vs heare the Historiographers owne wordes Certayne sayth he of the Heretickes accused Symeon the sonne of Cleopas that he linealy descended of the stocke of Dauid and that he vvas a Christian he suffered martyrdome being a hundreth and tvventy yeare olde vnder Traian the Emperour and Atticus the Consul The same Aegesippus reporteth how that his accusers enquiry being then made of such as came of the royall bloude among the Ievves were founde to haue their originall of the Regall Iewish trybe whosoeuer wayeth this with him selfe he will confesse that this Symeon was of them whiche both hearde and sawe the Lorde in that he liued so long a tyme and in that the Gospell maketh mention of Marie Cleopas whose sonne we haue sayde this Symeon to haue bene before Agayne the same Historiographer writeth how that certayne others of the posterity of some one of them called the brethren of our Lorde namely Iude were alyue vntil the same tyme yea after the testimony of them whiche vnder Domitian were tried for the true faythe of Christe for thus he writeth â–ª they come and gouerne vvhole Churches as martyrs being also of the kindred of Christ VVhen peace novve had possessed the Churches they remayne aliue vnto the tyme of Traian the Emperour vntil the afore sayd Symeon the Lords consingermaine the sonne of Cleopas vvas il entreated of Heretickes accused vnder Atticus the Consul often scourged tollerated such martyrdome that all vvondred the Consul him self marueiled hovv that he being a hundred xx yeares old vvas able to endure that bitter torment to be short in the end he vvas by commaundement crucified Vnto the afore said the same Historiographer annecteth this â–ª vnto those tymes the Church of God remained a pure an vncorrupted virgin for such as endeuored to corrupt the sound rule the right preaching of the vvord if then there vvere any such hidd them selues vnto that time in some thicke miste â–ª or dongeon of darkenes but after that the sacred company of the Apostles vvas vvorne and come to an end that that generation vvas vvholy spent vvhich by special fauour had heard vvith their eares the heauenly vvisedome of the sonne of God â–ª then the detestable error of conspiracy through deceate of such as deliuered straung doctrine tooke rooting and because that not one of the Apostles suruiued they publish boldely vvith all might possible the doctrine of falsehoode and impugne the open manifest and knovvne trueth Thus of these thinges hath this Historiographer written Now to that which by order of history we are bound vnto CAP XXX How Traian caused to cease the inquisition for Christians SO greate a persecution was raysed agaynst vs in sundry places that Plinius secundus a notable President made relation thereof vnto the Emperour being very much moued with the number of martyrs which suffred death for the testimony of their fayth signifying withall that they committed no haynous offence that they transgressed no law sauing that they rose before day and celebrated Christ with hymnes as God forbidding adulteryes slaughter with such other like abominable factes conforming all thinges agreable vnto the lawes After which reporte it is written that Traian commaunded by edicte that the Christian nation shoulde not be enquired for but if happily they were founde they ought to be punished by which edicte the vehement heate of that greuous persecution was somewhat delayed yet neuerthelesse there was scope enough left for such as were willing to afflicte vs. so that in one place the people in an other place the Princes and rulers of the regions layde wayte for our men whereby seuerall persons suffred martyrdome in their prouinces and sundry of the faithful sundry kindes of death without open or manifest persecution which history we haue selected out of the latine Apollogye of Tertullian whereof we haue alleadged before by interpretation thus Although vve haue knovvne the inquisition directed for vs to be inhibited it vvas by reason of Plinius secundus President of the prouince vvhich hauing condemned some of the Christians and depriued some others of their dignities vvas moued vvith the greatnes of the multitude and doubted vvhat vvas best to be done he made the Emperour Traian priuy thereof saying that he founde nothinge in them that vvas impious but that they refused the vvorshippinge of Idoles signifyinge this vvithall that the maner of the Christians vvas to ryse before daye to celebrate Christe in Psalmes as God and to the ende their discipline might straitly be obserued to forbid shedding of bloude adultery fraude trayterous dealing such like for aunsvvere hereunto Traian vvrote againe that there shoulde be no inquisition for the Christians but if they vvere mett vvith to be punished And thus went the affayres of the Christians then CAP. XXXI Of Euarestus the fourth Bishop of Rome AMonge the Bishops of Rome when as the afore sayd Emperour had raigned three yeares Clemens committed the ministery vnto Euarestus and finished his mortall race when he had gouerned the Churche and preached the worde of God the space of ix yeares CAP. XXXII How after Symeon Iustus succeeded the thirde Bishop of Ierusalem and of the famous Bishops then liuing â–ª Polycarpus Papias Ignatius and his Epistles AFter Symeon had such an ende as before we haue reported a certayne Ievve called Iustus one of that infinite number which of the circumcision beleued in Christ was placed in the Bishops seae of Ierusalem And vnto that time Polycarpus a Disciple of the Apostles liued in Asia beinge placed Bishop of the Churche of Smyrna by suche as sawe the Lorde and ministred vnto him the same time florished Papias Bishop of Hierapolis a man passing eloquent expert in the Scriptures And Ignatius likewise vnto this daye amongest most men famous the seconde Bishop by succession after Peter of the Churche of Antioch the reporte goeth that this Ignatius was sent from Syria to Rome for the confession of his faith to be foode for wilde beastes who passing through Asia and curiously garded with a greate troope of keepers confirmed the congregations throughout euery citye where he came with preaching of the worde of God and wholsome exhortations and specially geuing charge to auoide the heresies lately sprong and at that time ouerflowing and to cleaue stedfastly vnto the traditions of the Apostles which for the auoyding of error and corruption he thought very necessary to be diligently written And being at Smyrna where Polycarpus was Bishop he wrote an epistle vnto the Church of Ephesus making mention of Onesimus their Pastor An other vnto the Church of Magnesia lying on the riuer Meander â–ª making mention of Dama their
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
as were present affirmed that he had sacrificed departed with silence one being halfe dead was borne away being throwen of them for dead the same was tormēted with bondes reckned among the sacrificers an other lifted his voyce protested that he had not yelded at all the same was beaten on the mouth constrayned to kepe silence by the force of many hands which stopped his breath violētly excluded him when he had not sacrificed at al. so it pleased them well if at least wise they might seeme to bring their purpose to effect but for all their mischieuous deuises the blessed martyrs of God only bare away y ◠victory againe y ◠seuēteenth day of y ◠moneth Dius after the Romaynes the fifteenth of the Calendes of December Alphaeus and Zachaeus after they had bene lashed with whipps mangled with rasors after racking and greuous tormentes therein after sundry questions demaunded of them after they had layen in y ◠stocks many dayes and many nights their feet stretched foure spaces asunder last of all whē they had freely confessed and boldely pronounced that there was but one onely God one kinge captaine ouer all Iesus Christ as if herein they had vttered blasphemy or treason they were in like maner beheaded euen as the martyr mētioned a litle before Moreouer the history toutching Romanus y ◠martyr who suffred the same day at Antioch is worthie of memory He was borne in Palaestina he was deacon and exorcist of the church of Caesarea as it fell out being in Antioch at the ruyne and desolation of y ◠churches beholding with his eyes great multituds both of men women and children flocking vnto the altars and offering sacrifices to the Idols supposed it was his duety in no wise to winck thereat wherefore he being moued with singular zeale of the spirit of God drewe nigh vnto them exclaimed against them and sharpely rebuked them Who for so bold an enterprise was apprehended shewed him selfe a valiāt witnes or testifier if then there was any such in the world of the trueth in Christ For when the iudge threatned him death with flashing fire that consumeth to ashes he of the contrary embraced his offer most willingly with cherefull countenance and gladsome courage and with all is brought vnto the place of execution Being bounde to the stake while the officers threwe fagotts about him and such as were appointed to kindle the fire wayted for the emperours watch worde pleasure who then was presente he shouted vnto them from the stake where I pray you is the fire The whiche he had no sooner spoken but the Emperour called him vnto him to the ende he shoulde suffer a newe and straūge kinde of torment to wete that his tongue might be plucked out of his mouth the which he constantly endured and thereby declared at large howe that the deuine power and grace of God neuer fayleth them which suffer for godlines sake but alwayes ether easeth their labours slaketh theyr griefs or els graunteth courage and might to endure paciently vnto the ende This blessed sainct as soone as he had vnderstoode of their newe deuised torment beinge valiantly disposed neuer staggered thereat but voluntarily put out his tongue yelded the same which was fully instructed in the word of God vnto the tormentors hands After which tormēt he was clapt in prison and there plagued alonge time at length when the twentieth yeare of the Emperours raygne was nowe expired at what time a generall pardon was proclaimed y t all prisoners should be sett at liberty he alone lying in the stockes and his feete stretched fiue spaces asunder had his necke compassed with a haulter and thus in prison stifled to death so that hereby according vnto his desire he was crowned with martyrdome This man although he suffred out of the bounds of his natiue soyle yet being a Palaestinian by birth is worthy to be canonized amōg the martyrs of Palaestina Such were the tragicall affayrs of the church in Palaestina the first yeare of the persecution which was chiefly bent against y ◠presidents of our doctrine byshops of y ◠church of God CAP. XXI Of the martyrs which suffred in Caesarea the seconde yeare of the persecution vnder Diocletian and of the alteration of the Empire THe second yeare nowe being come when the persecution raised against vs waxed hott the proclamations of the Emperours where it was generally cōmaunded that both mē women children throughout euery citie and village should be constrained to sacrifice offer incense to Idols were newly come to the hands of Vrbanus then lyuetenant of y ◠prouince Timotheus of Gaza in Palaestina after infinite torments the which he endured laste of all being boūd to the stake enuironed with slacke slowe fire gaue forth a worthy triall of his zeale godwards through pacient sufferance in all the bitter punishments laid vpon him and in the end bare away the garlande of victory vsually graunted to all y ◠valiant champions which wrastle for piety the seruice of God At y ◠same time Agapius Thecla also which liued in this our age she wed y ◠worthy constancy of their noble minds when as at y ◠cōmaundement of the iudge they were throwen at the feete of wild beasts to be ether deuoured or torne in peeces What man is he that ether beholdinge with his eyes the thinges which ensued will not fall into admiration or lendinge onely the bare eare vnto the recitall of them will not be astonied thereat For when as the Ethniks solemnized their publick feastes and celebrated their wonted spectacles amongst other their mery newes gladsome wishes it was commonly noyced abrode that the christians lately condemned to wild beasts made all the sport and finished the solemnity This report being farre and nigh and euery where bruted abrode yonge striplings to the number of six whereof one was of Pontus by name Timolaus the second of Tripolis a citie in Phaenicia called Dionysius the third by name Romulus subdeacon of the church of Diospolis the fourth Pausis the fift Alexander bothe Aegyptians the sixt Alexander of the same name with him that went before of the citie of Gaza ioyning handes and hartes together signifiyng thereby the feruent loue they owed to martyrdome went with speede vnto Vrbanus who a litle before had let loose the raueninge beastes to rent the christiās in peeces and frely protested the christian faith declaring by this their promptnes and willing minds as it were absolutely furnished to giue the onsett of what aduenture soeuer that suche as glory in the title worshipp and seruice of the great God creator of the whole world haue not to tremble at y ◠fierce rage of furious and sauadge beastes Wherevpon both the president and the people fell into great admiration and the confessors were forth with clapt in prison Not longe
generall couÌ„cell of Nice is this VVe beleue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible and in one Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of the substance of the father God of God lyght of lyght very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance vvith the father by whome all things were made both the things in heauen and the things in earth VVho for vs men and for our saluation came dovvne and vvas incarnate he vvas made man he suffred and rose the thirde daye he ascended into the heauens he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the deade And vve beleeue in the holie Ghost therefore they vvhich say that there vvas a time vvhen he vvas not before he vvas begotten or that he had his beginning of nothing or that he is of an other substaÌ„ce or essence or that affirme the sonne of God to be made or to be conuertible or mutable these the Catholicke Apostolicke church of God doth pronounce for accursed This faith three hundred eighteene bishops haue confirmed and all consented thereunto and as Eusebius writeth they all with one voice and one minde subscribed therevnto fyue onely excepted which allowed not of this clause to weâ—e Of one substance by name Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia Theognis of Nice Maris of Chalcedon Theônas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais For they affirmed that to be Of one substance which hath his originall of some thing either by diuision or deriuation or production By production as a budde out of the rootes by deriuation as children of the parents by diuision as two or three peeces out of a masse of golde The sonne of God by relation was after none of these maners and therefore they sayde they would not agree vnto the forme of faith confirmed in the councell of Nice Wherevpon they derided exceedingly the clause of One substance and would not subscribe vnto the deposition of Arius For which cause the councell not only accursed Arius and all his adherents but also forbad him Alexandria Morouer by the Emperours edict Arius Eusebius Theognis were exiled whervpoÌ„ Eusebius Theognis in a while after they were banished gaue vp a booke of their coÌ„uersion repeÌ„taÌ„ce signifying withall their coÌ„sent toutching the faith Of one substaÌ„ce as hereafter in processe of our history we will declare more at large At y â— same time Eusebius coÌ„monly called PaÌ„philus bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina wheÌ„ in y â— same couÌ„cell he had a while staggered aduisedly pondered with him selfe whether it were his part to admit y â— plattforme definitioÌ„ of faith â–ª at length approued it together with the other byshops subscribed therevnto and sent the same forme of faith in writing vnto y â— people whose charge he had expounding the clause of One substance lest y â— any thenceforth should suspect him to haue doubted therof at all The things which he wrote were after this maner It is very like welbeloued that the acts coÌ„cerning the ecclesiasticall faith coÌ„cluded in the great famous couÌ„cell held at Nice came heretofore to your knowledge specially in that fame spreadeth her self abrode faster theÌ„ the truth curiously tryed or handled of vs yet that the trueth may not only be embraced of you by hearesay I haue thought necessary to send vnto you in writing first that forme of faith which I exhibited to the councell next the other published by the bishops where they haue annexed added certaine things to ours The forme of our faith which theÌ„ was read in presence of our most holy emperour theÌ„ approued for souÌ„d certaine was in this sort as we haue receaued of the bishops our predecessors both when we were catechized as also vvhen we vvere signed with the seale of baptisme as we haue learned of holy scripture as we haue beleued beiÌ„g priest preached being bishop euen so now also beleuiÌ„g we haue made manifest our faith vnto you which is this VVe beleue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible in one Lord Iesus Christ the word of God God of God light of light life of life the only begotten sonne the first begotten of all creatures begotteÌ„ of God the father before all worlds by whome all things were made who for our saluation was incarnate coÌ„uersant amoÌ„g men who suffred rose the third day who ascended vnto the father and shall come againe to iudge both the quicke the dead â–ª we beleue also in one holy Ghost beleuing moreouer euery one of these to be in esseÌ„ce substaÌ„ce the father to be a father in deede the soÌ„ne to be a soÌ„ne in deede the holy ghost to be a holy ghost in deede cueÌ„ as our Lord sending his disciples to preach said Goe therfore teach all natioÌ„s baptiziÌ„g theÌ„ in the name of the father of the soÌ„ne of the holy ghost ToutchiÌ„g all which we firmly protest that we are of this mind that we are of this opinioÌ„ haue bene and that we minde to perseuer in this faith vntill death do seuer and part asunder body soule holding for accursed all caÌ„kred heresies the which godlesse persons haue soweÌ„ in the world â–ª that you may fully perswade your selues of vs that we haue heretofore beleued spoken vnfâ—inedly and from the hart toutching all the premisses presently also vve protest that vve both beleue aryght and speake as vve ought of God almyghtie and our Lorde Iesus Christ and vve are able vvith playne demonstration to proue and vvith reason to persvvade that in tymes past our fayth vvas alike that then vve preached thinges correspondent vnto the forme of faith already published of vs so that none in this behalfe can repyne or gaynesay vs. Moreouer our most holie Emperour hath testified the same to be most true affirming him selfe to be of the same opinion he commaunded that all should geue their assent vnto the same that they should subscribe vnto the particulers that they shoulde condescende vnto the premises so that this one onely clause Of one substance vvere interlaced The vvhich he him selfe explicated in these vvordes to be Of one substance may not be taken accordinge vnto corporall affections neytherto consist of the Father by diuision neyther by incision or parting asunder It may not be that an immateriall an intellectuall and an incorporeall nature should admitt or be subiect to any corporall passion for it behoueth vs to conceaue such mysteries vvith sacred and secrett termes Our most sage and vertuous Emperour reasoned of these thinges after this sort The bishops because of the clause Of one substance published this forme of faith VVe beleue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible and in one Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of
the sentence vvhich seemed gratefull and acceptable vnto God the ouerseer of all thinges for the concorde and consent in religion vvas openly pronounced so that there remayned nothinge hereafter to be concluded vpon vvhich seemed to tende or grovve either vnto discorde or disagreement toutchinge the faith VVhen as there at that tyme vve reasoned of the most sacred solemnitie and feast of Easter it seemed good by vniforme consent of all that all men in all places shoulde celebrate it vpon one and the selfe same daye for vvhat vvas there more auaylable vvhat could there be more glorious then that this feast vvhereby vve retaine and holde fast the firme hope of immortalitie shoulde after one and the same order and after the same manifest trade vvithout noueltie or alteration be obserued and first of all it seemed altogether contrary to order that in the celebration of the sayd most sacred feast we should imitate the rites maner of the Iewes who in as much as they haue defiled their hāds with an hainous offence reason it is as impure persons their minds should be helde snared in blindnesse It remayneth therefore that vve lay aside theyr custome and publishe for a remembrance vnto the posteritie in tyme to come the celebration of this feaste after a truer more syncere institution the vvhich vnto this present time from the first day of the passion we haue obserued VVherfore let vs haue nothing common with that most odious broode of the Iewes for we are taught by our sauiour to tread an other way the which we must cleaue vnto there is layde downe a race a limite both decēt and lawfull for our most sacred religion let vs ioyntly retaine this with vniforme consent most honorable brethren withdraw our selues from that despitefull nation For in very deede it is the greatest absurditie that can be for them arrogantly to vaunt that we can in no wise obserue these things without the ayde and helpe of their discipline VVhat is it whereof they are able to sauour aright who after they had put the Lord Iesus to death hauing remoued the right sense of their minde out of his quiet seate vvere caryed not vvith the vveyght of reason but vvith an intollerable vvilfulnesse of rashe enterprises vvhither so euer the frensie and madnesse that vvas ingraffed in their mindes did leade them And in this poynte it is apparent they see not the manifest trueth no maruell then they erre in many things in that they besides the appointed time for the celebration of this fest within the compasse of the selfe same yeare do celebrate a second Easter VVhat cause then shall moue vs to imitate these men vvhome vve see thus manifestly infected vvith the grieuons maladie of errour vve vvill in no vvise permit the same feast in one and the same yeare the seconde time to be solemnized If that I had bene carelesse and busyed my selfe herein nothinge at all it had bene your parte and duetie to haue imployed both your diligence and also with earnest and continewall prayer to haue craued that the right rule and synceritie of your minds should in no wise participate neither in any thing haue felowship with the vvicked vvayes of levvde persons Besides all this vve may easily perceaue hovve shamefull and detestable a thinge it is to dissent and disagree about so vveyghtie a matter and about so hygh and so religious a feaste One festiuall daye of purchased freedome to vvete of the moste blessed passion bloodsheding hath our sauiour commended vnto vs one catholicke churche he would haue to be collected of all whose mēbers though they be many in sūdry places dispersed vnder heauē yet do they knit close together in one spirite that is in the will pleasure of almighty god I would that of your wisdome holines you deepely weyed with your selues how disordered vndecent a thing it is vpō the selfe same dayes for some religiously to fast for some others ryotously to feaste it out and after Easter holidayes for some to feast and yeld them selues to fullnesse of pleasure for others to abstayne and obserue the prescribed dayes of fastinge VVherefore this is to be reformed and reduced vnto one maner and custome this as I am sure you doe all knowe very vvell is the pleasure of God him selfe And in as much as the same is ryghtly to be redressed that vve haue nothinge common vvith murtherers of fathers and such as haue putt theyr Lorde and mayster to death In as much as agayne that orderly and comelie maner retayned of all the churches throughout the vvorlde inhabiting either the VVest the South or the North and in sundrie places also of the East vvas to be obserued of vs therefore it is that presentlie all haue thought ryght vvell thereof I my selfe also haue taken vpon myne ovvne person your tractable vvisdome that looke vvhat custome soeuer vvith vniforme consent is of force in the citie of Rome in Italie Aphtick in all Aegypt Spaine Fraunce and Bryttaine Libya and all Greece in the prouince of Asia Pontus and Cilicia the same also vvith vvilling and gratefull minds should be ratified and approued of you all Considering of this carefully vvith your selues that not onely the greater number of congregations lyeth in the places before mentioned but also that it is a most godly purpose for all men ioyntly with one harte and voyce to desire that established which right and reason requireth to be done which also hath no fellowship with the damnable periurie of the despiteful Iewes but that I may vtter the whole in fewe wordes it seemed good by common assent of the whole assembly that the most sacred feaste of Easter shoulde be celebrated vpon one and the selfe same daye for it may not be that variance and dissention shoulde raygne about the celebration of so holy and so high a feast yea moreouer it is very commendable to condescend vnto this sentence which is farre from all error that doth preiudice the faith from all fellowship with shamefull sinne VVherefore the matter being brought to this passe embrace this decre with willing mindes as an heauenly most godly commaundement for whatsoeuer is decreeed in the holy councels of Bishops the same is to be attributed to the will of God VVherefore when you haue certified al our welbeloued brethren of the canons of this councel the sentence already layd downe the maner of celebrating the most holy feast it is your parte to approue the same and duely to obserue it that as soone as I can perceaue the right disposition of you all the vvhich of long tyme I haue desired I may vpon one and the selfe same daye together vvith you all solemnize this most sacred feaste and ioye for your sakes the vvhiche shall come to passe if that I may vnderstande that not onely the spite and outragious dealing of the deuill through your vvell doing ayded from aboue is vvholly put
by the way of Athanasius CAP. XII Howe that Constantine the Emperoure enlarging the city which of olde was called Byzantium tearmed it after his owne name Constantinople THe emperour after the ending of the coūcell liued in great trāquility And as soone as after the wonted guise he had celebrated the twētyth yeare of his raygne without all delay or tariance he turned himselfe wholy to the buylding of churches the which he brought to passe as well in other cyties as in that cytie the which he called after his name but of olde bore the name of Byzantium This he enlarged exceedingly he enuironed with great goodly walls he bewtified with glorious building and made her nothing inferior to the princely cytie of Rome callinge her after his name Constantinople He made moreouer a lawe that she shoulde be called the Second Rome The which lawe is ingrauen in a stony piller reserued in the publique pretory nigh the emperours knightly picture In this cytie he erected from the foūdation two churches calling y ◠one of peace the other of the Apostles He encreased not only as I sayd before christian affairs but altogether rooted out the rites of the Gentiles He caried away the images out of the Idole groues to the end they might sett out the cytie of Constantinople they were to be seene abrode in y ◠open market place He inuironed about in the open aer the threefooted trestle vpon y ◠which the priest of Apollo in Delphos was wont to receaue his oracle with a grate Peraduenture some men will count the recitall of these things altogether impertinent specialy in as much as of late in maner all men haue ether seene them with their eyes or heard of them w t theyr eares At that time y ◠christian religiō spredd it selfe farre nigh For vnder the raygne of the emperour Costantine besides the prosperous affairs of many other things the prouidence of God so prouided that the faith in Christ shoulde take great increase And although Eusebius Phamphilus hath sett forth the praises of this emperour with a large and lofty style yet in my opinion I shal nothing offend if that after my simple maner I say something to his commendation CAP. XIII Howe that Helene the emperours mother leauinge Ierusalem sought out the crosse of Christ and founde it afterwardes built there a Church HElene the emperours mother which of the village Drepane made a cyty the which afterwards the emperour called Helenopolis being warned by a vision in her sleepe tooke her iorney to Ierusalem And when as shee founde that auncient Ierusalem lyinge all wast in a heape of stones as it is in the prophet she searched diligētly for the sepulchre of Christ in the which he was layd and out of the which he rose againe and at length although with much adoe through the helpe of God she found it And why it was so harde a matter to finde I will declare in fewe words euen as they which embraced the faith of Christ highly esteemed of that sepulchre and monument after his passion so of the contrary such as abhorred christian religion heaped in that place much earth and raised great hilloks and buylded there the temple of Venus and hauinge suppressed the remembrance of the place they sette vp her Idole This haue we learned of olde to be true But when as the emperours mother was made priueye hereunto shee threwe downe the Idole she digged vp the place she caused the great heape of earthe to be hurled aside and the filth to be remoued she findes three crosses in the graue one I meane that blessed vpon the whiche Christe suffred other two on the whiche the two theeues ended their liues Together with whiche crosses the table of Pilate was founde whereupon he had wrytten with sundrye tongues and signified vnto the worlde that Christe crucified was the Kinge of the Iewes Yet because there rose some doubte whether of these three shoulde be the crosse of Christ for the which they had made this searche the emperours mother was not a litle pensiue The which sorowefull heuynes of hers Macarius byshop of Ierusalem not longe after asswaged For he made manifest by his fayth that which afore was doubtfull ambiguous He desired of God a signe and obtained his sute The signe was this there was a certaine woman of that coast which by reason of her long and greuous disease lay at the poincte of death As she was yeldinge vp of the ghost the byshop layd euery one of the crosses vpon her beinge fully perswaded that she shoulde recouer her former health if that she toutched the reuerent crosse of our Sauiour which in deed failed him not For whē as both the crosses which belonged not vnto the Lorde were layd to the woman she continewed neuerthelesse at the poinct of death but as soone as the third which in very dede was the crosse of Christ was layd vnto her although she seemed presently to leaue this world yet leaped she vp and was restored to her former health After this sorte was the crosse of Christ founde out The emperours mother buylded ouer the sepulchre a goodly and gorgeous church callinge it Nevve Ierusalem righte ouer against that old and wast Ierusalem The one halfe of the crosse she lockt vp in a siluer chest left there to be seene of suche as were desirous to beholde such monumēts the other halfe she sente to the emperour The which when he had receaued supposinge that city to be in greate safety where in it were kept compassed it with his owne picture which was sett vp in the market place at Constantinople so called of Constantinus ouer a mighty piller of redd marble Although I commit this to wryting which I haue onely learned by hearesay yet in maner all they which inhabite Constantinople affirme it to be most true Moreouer when Constantinus had receaued the nayles wherewith the naked handes of Christ were fastened to the tree for his mother had founde these also in the sepulchre of Christ and sent them vnto him he caused bitts for bridles helmets and headpeeces to be made thereof the which he wore in battaile The emperour furthermore made prouision for all suche necessaries as were required to the buyldinge of the churches and wrote vnto Macarius the bishop that with all diligence he should further the buyldinge The emperours mother as soone as she had finished the church which she called Nevve Ierusalem buylded a second nothinge inferior to the first at Bethleem in the hollowe rocke where Christ was borne accordinge vnto the flesh also a thirde vpō the mount where Christ ascended vnto y ◠father Besides she was so vertuous so meeke that she would fall downe to her prayers in the middest of the vulgare sorte of women that she woulde inuite to her table virgines which were consecrated to holy life accordinge vnto the canon of the church that she woulde bring
Thence he tooke his voyage towards Cōstantinople came vnto a place called Dedastana lying in y e middest betwene Galatia and Bithynia There was he mett of Themistius the philosopher together with other Senators and noble personages who then pronounced before him his oration intituled Consul the which afterwards also he vttered at Constantinople in the hearing of the whole multitude The empire of Rome had enioyed great prosperitie the state of all people both hygh and lowe the ecclesiasticall affaires of the church of God by reason of so vertuous an Emperour had florished exceedingly had not death vnlooked for pearced his breast with her poysoned dart and depriued him of all his princely ioy for he dyed in the aforesayde place in winter of the longues beynge stopped with deadly obstructions the 17 of Februarie he him selfe together with his sonne Varonianus being Consul He was Emperour seuen moneths and departed this lyfe beyng three and thirtie yeare olde This booke compriseth the space of two yeares and fiue moneths The ende of the thirde booke of Socrates THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. Howe that after the death of Iouian Valentinianus was chosen Emperour who ioyned with him his brother Valens Valentinianus him selfe was a true Catholicke but Valens was an Arian WHen Iouian the Emperour had runne the race of his naturall lyfe and departed out of this worlde at Dadastana as we sayde before the seuentienth of Februarie beynge Consull him selfe together with Varonianus his sonne the souldiers which came from Gallatia the seuenth daye after into Nicaea a citie of Bithynia proclaymed with vniforme consent and one voyce Valentinianus for their Emperour the fiue and twentie of the sayde Februarie and in the aforesayde Consulship This Valentinian was by byrth of Pannonia and of the citie Cimale who applyinge him selfe to feates of armes proued both a skilfull and a valiant warryer He was a man of a noble minde and seemed alwayes to deserue farre greater honor and dignitie then he enioyed As soone as he was created Emperour he gott him with all speede to Constantinople and thirtie dayes after his coronation he made his brother Valens fellowe Emperour with him And though they were both Christians yet did they disagree in poyntes of religion Valentinian embraced the faith established by the Councell of Nice but Valens after a certaine toye conceaued in his braynes cleaued vnto the Arian heresie the which opinion tooke roote in his breaste by reason he was baptized of Eudoxius the Arian bishop of Constantinople They were both earnest followers of the faith which they embraced and beynge created Emperours the one was farre vnlike the other in condicion and trade of lyfe For though before that tyme vnder the raygne of Iulian the one beynge Tribune I meane Valentinian the other beynge of the ordinarie garde and dayly about the Emperour I meane Valens they both declared vnto the worlde the zeale they bare vnto Christian religion for beynge constrayned to sacrifice they chose rather to flinge from them their sworde gyrdels then forsake the faith of Christ so that the Emperour Iulian deposed nere nother of them from their dignities no more he dyd not Iouian who immediately succeeded him in the Empire perceauinge they were profitable members of the common wealth yet afterwardes hauinge gotten the supremacie the emperiall scepter notwithstandinge their diligence and care was alike in the administration of the publicke weale at the beginninge of their raygne for all that toutchinge the faith as I sayde before they varyed one from an other and shewed a contrarie and a diuers countenance vnto the professors of Christian religion Valentinian as he honored and reuerenced the fauourers of his faith and opinion so he molested the Arians not at all yet Valens endeuoured not onely to encrease the numbre of the Arians but also as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare greeuously to persecute the contrarie opinion About that tyme Liberius was bishop of Rome and at Alexandria Athanasius was ouer the congregations which addicted them selues vnto the faith of One substance but ouer the Arians was Lucius whome the heretickes chose to their bishop immediatly after the desease of Georgius The Arians inhabitinge Antioch had Euzoius to their byshop Such as maynetayned there also the faith of One substance were deuided into two partes ouer the one was Paulinus ouer the other Meletius Cyrillus was then bishop of Ierusalem and Eudoxius the Arian bishop of Constantinople The defenders of the creede which contayned the clause of One substance were fayne to meete in a litle chappell within the sayd citie and there to celebrate their wonted solemnity The sect of the Macedonians which varied from the Acacians in Seleucia enioyed their churches throughout euery citie And thus went the affayres of the church in those dayes CAP. II. VVhen Valentinianus abode in the VVest the Macedonians repayred vnto Valens at Constantinople and obtayned of him to summone a councell How that Valens being an Arian persecuted the true Christians THe Emperour Valentinian tooke his iorney with all speede into the West whither he was constrained by reason of earnest busines to remoue But Valens as he remayned at Constantinople was visited of the Bishops which were of the sect of Macedonius and requested to summone an other synode for the establishing of the true faith The emperour thinking verily they were of one opinion with Acacius Eudoxius gaue them licence to call a councell together They from euery where cited the bishops to meete at Lampsacum But Valens with all celerity gott him to Antioch in Syria fearing lest the Persians should breake the league of thirty yeares made in the raygne of Iouianus and inuade the Romaine dominions where he founde that the Persians were quiet and meant no harme The Emperour therefore liuing in peace and enioying quietnes raised great and grieuous persecution against them which embraced the faith of one substance And although he molested not Paulinus the Bishop for his rare vertues and singuler giftes yet banished he Meletius but others of the Churches of Antioch that woulde not communicate with Euzoius he vexed diuersly and plagued with sundry penalties and punishments It is reported moreouer that he threwe many into the riuer Orontes which runneth by the citie and there drowned them CAP. III. VVhile Valens the Emperour persecuted the true Christians in the East Procopius the tyrant rebelled at Constantinople then also were seene great earthquakes and ouerflowing of the sea which destroyed many cities WHen Valens exercised such practises in Syria Procopius the tyrant rebelleth at Constantinople Who when in short space he had gathered great power marched forwards to geue battell vnto the Emperour Valens vnderstanding of this was in a sore taking and by reason of this sturre his tyranny cruelty rested a while from persecuting In the meane space while y ◠smoke of this tumult waxed hott there rose vpon a sodaine
his being These followers of Marinus were called Psathyriani because that one Theoctistus a wafrer borne in Syria was an earnest maintainer of y â— side Of y â— opinion was Selenas bishop of y â— Gotths a mungrell by father a Gotth by mother a Phrygian and therefore was he able to preach in y â— Church in both those languages This sect also not long after was diuided for Marinus contended w t Agapius one whom he him self had lately aduaunced to the bishoprick of Ephesus The controuersie was not of religion but of primacie they stroue whether of them should be chief The Gotths went of Agapius side Wherfore many clergy meÌ„ vnder these Bishops iurisdictions perceauing the ambition the rankor and malice of these proude Prelats forsooke quite the Arian opinion and embraced the faith of one substance the Arians being deuided among them selues the space of thirty fiue yeares in the ende as many as were Psathyrians through perswasion which preuailed with them made an ende of brawling in the Consulship of Theodosius the yonger and Plinthus the Pretor Who after their reconciliation and agreement made a lawe that the question which was the principall cause of that sturre shoulde neuer againe be called into controuersie Yet for all they coulde doe that decree of theirs coulde take no place saue at Constantinople â–ª for in other cities where the Arians doe raygne the sturre is rife So farre of the diuision among the Arians CAP. XXIII How the Eunomians were at discorde among them selues and called after sundrynames Likewise of the Macedonians THe Eunomians were also deuided for Eunomius him selfe first fell from Eudoxius who had chosen him bishop of Cyzicum the occasion he tooke was because he woulde not admitt his maister Aetius lately excommunicated into the Churche others also called after his name parted them selues into sundry sects And first of all one Theophronius a Cappadocian trayned vp in captious fallacies and quircks of logick vnder Eunomius had Aristotles praedicaments and perihermenias at his fingers endes wrote bookes entitled them the exercises of the minde Wherfore he was hated of his owne sect and counted of them an Apostata he raised thenceforth priuate conuenticles and left behinde him an heresie intitled with his appellation Agayne at Constantinople one Eutychius vpon light and trifling occasion fell from the Eunomians and vnto this day frequenteth seuerall meetings The followers of Theophronius were called Eunomothephroniani and such as were of the sect of Eutychius were termed Eunomieutychiani what vaine and fond thinges they brawled about I thinke it not needefull to laye downe in writing lest we shoulde digresse from the history we haue in hande Yet in somuch they haue corrupted baptisme I must in no wise runne that ouer with silence They baptize not in the trinitie but in the death of Christ Among the Macedonians also on a certaine time there rose a schisme for Eutropius a Priest of the Macedonians gathered a seuerall company of such mates as he thought good to followe his tayle Carterius likewise of the same sect deuided him selfe from him and of these there rose other schismaticks throughout other cities I of mine owne parte in somuch I leade my life here at Constantinople where I was borne bred and brought vp no maruell though I write more at large of the famous acts done within this citie partly seeing that I sawe most of them with mine eyes â–ª and partly also in somuch they are more famous and thought farre worthier of memory then many other acts These sects and schismes raygned not at one but at sundry times whosoeuer is disposed exactly to learne the seuerall names of all sects let him peruse the booke of Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus intitled Anchyrotus So farre of these thinges CAP. XXIIII How Eugenius the traytor and rebell procured the death of the Emperour Valentinianus the yonger and in the ende was slayne of Theodosius the Emperour THe state of the common wealth was then very troublesome the occasion was as followeth In the West empire there was one Eugenius a Grammarian and a Schâ—â—lemaister he left schoole and became a Courtier first he was appointed to gard the Emperours person next he was made his treasurer And because he was a politicke man therefore was he preferred into honor yet prosperitie puffed him vp with pride and caused him to worke treason he made Arbogastes of his aduise and councell one by birth of the lesser Galatia by office a captaine in condition barbarous and in behauiour cruell They both conspired the Emperour Valentinians death wrought meanes to allure the Eunuches of the Emperours chamber on their side These men gaping after promotion and dignities being promised faire fell vpon the Emperour as he slept and stifled him to death Eugenius hauing gott the supremacy in the west parts of the worlde behaued him selfe after the wonted guyse of tyrants Theodosius the Emperour vnderstanding of this was sory at the hart he thought it high time for him now to make expedition for the seconde battell for the first he had waged with Maximus Wherefore gathering together a great army and creating Emperour his sonne Honorius in his thirde Consulship and the first of Abundantius the tenth of Ianuary he tooke his iorney towards the West partes of the worlde leauing both his sonnes the Emperours at Constantinople As he went to wage battell with Eugenius many of the Barbarian nations inhabiting the contreyes beyonde Istrum came of their owne accorde to ayde the Emperour against the tyrant shortly after he came into Fraunce with great power for there the tyrant had gathered infinite multitudes of souldiers and fortified him selfe the campe was pitched and the battell was fought by a certayne riuer called Phrigdus As the battell was doubtfull where the Romaines dealt hand to hand with the Romaines so agayne of the Barbarians which came to ayde the Emperour Theodosius Eugenius had the vpper hand The Emperour seeing the Barbarians foyled and ouerthrowen was wonderfull pensiue he fell downe prostrate vpon the grounde prayed vnto God for ayde and asistance and obtayned his sute for Macurius his captaine put on venturous and valiant courage got him to the side where the Barbarians were foyled came to the standard ioyned with him the chiefe captaynes encountred with the enemy and brake the aray In the ende made them to flie which pursued after the flight Immediatly after there ensued this an other straunge act for there rose such blustering blasts of winde as turned the darts of Eugenius the vsurpers souldiers to light in their owne sides and draue with forcible violent flight the arrowes of the Emperours souldiers to pearce the armed peltes of the rebells Of such force and efficacie were the Emperours prayers Wherefore the variable course of that bloody battell being brought to that passe the rebel came groueling at the Emperours feete and craued for mercy but as he
kneeled the souldiers of Theodosius came and stroke his heade of his shoulders These thinges were done the sixt of Septembre in the thirde Consulship of Arcadius and the seconde of Honorius Arbogastes the autor of so great a slaughter two dayes after the ende of the battell seeing that by flight there was no way possible for him to saue his life ranne vpon a naked sworde and dispatched him selfe CAP. XXV How immediatly after this battell the Emperour Theodosius sickned and departed this life afore the triumphes were fully ended THe Emperour Theodosius by reason of the trauell and great toyle he had taken about those warres beganne to be very ill at ease And when that his disease gaue him to vnderstande that the mortall race of his naturall life was then to be finished care and doubts appertayning vnto the gouernment of the common weale troubled him more then the frayle departure or the feare of death yea when he considered with him selfe how many calamities do commonly happen vnto the empire when the Emperour and the scepter be parted asunder Wherefore he sent in post hast for his sonne Honorius to Constantinople purposing to establish through him peace and tranquilitie in the West partes of the worlde At the comming of the sonne to Millayne the father was somewhat recouered and beganne to celebrate exercise of triumphe for ioye of the victory gotten of the tyrant In the morning he felt him selfe so well that he honored the triumphe with his presence In the afternoone he was so sodainly taken with his disease that he was not able to goe beholde the solemnitie but charged his sonne to see all the royaltie accomplished the night following he departed this life It was when Olybrius and Probinus were Consuls the seuenteneth of Ianuary the first yeare of the two hundreth nynety and fourth Olympiad This Theodosius the Emperour liued three score yeares and raygned sixteene This booke contayneth the history of sixteene yeares and eyght moneths The ende of the fift booke of Socrates THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS The proeme of Socrates signifying that nowe he beginneth the history of his tyme. I Haue performed most holy Theodorus in the former fiue bookes the promise I made and the taske you haue enioyned me as touching the continewing of the ecclesiasticall history from the raygne of Constantine vnto these our dayes after my sclender skill and the simple talente bestowed vpon me But I woulde haue you knowe afore ye reade them that I haue not curiously addicted my selfe vnto lofty stile neither vnto a glorious shewe of gay sentences for so peraduenture in running after words and phrases I might haue mist of my matter and fayled of my purpose and intent had I attayned yet was it not in my reache to laye downe that forcible kinde of stile vsed of auncient wryters wherewith they amplifie and diminish they extoll and debase at their pleasure Agayne such a penning profiteth very litle the vulgare and ignorant sorte of people who desire not so much the sine and elegant phrase as the furtherance of their knowledg and the trueth of the history Wherfore lest that our story shoulde halt of both sides and displease the learned in that it doth not counteruade the artificiall skill and profounde knowledge of auncient wryters the vnlearned in that their capacitie can not comprehende the substance of the matter by reason of the paynted Rhetorick and picked sentences I haue tyed my selfe vnto such a meane for all the handling is simple the trueth is soone founde and the effect quickly vnderstoode Furthermore nowe entring into discourse of our sixt booke I must needes tell you the trueth that I am euen in maner dismayed when I take penne in hande to paynt for the vnto the posteritie the famous acts of these our florishinge dayes lest it fall out that we laye downe in writinge such thinges as may offende some kinde of men or as commonly we saye lest trueth be constrayned to trye her friendes when as we publishe not with prayses and commendations the names of such as they like well of or extoll not vnto the skies the fame of their noble and famous acts The fauorers of Prelats and patrons of clergy men will blame vs for not intitling the Bishops moste godly moste holy and such like epithetons Other sortes of men somewhat more curious then the rest will misconstrewe our meaning for not calling the Emperours Lordes and most vertuous with other such like honorable titles vsually geuen them of men But seeing that I am able to proue and iustifie out of auncient wryters that the seruant in their bookes hath called his Lorde and Maister no otherwise then after his christened name I will laye aside these lofty titles and tye my selfe as my bounden duety requireth vnto the trueth of the history and keepinge my selfe within the compasse and limites of faythfull Historiographers which couet a simple and a playne kinde of stile I will nowe to the matter and write of such thinges as I haue partly seene and partly learned of such as sawe them with their eyes the which I haue better liking of because the reporters varied not amonge them selues I had much adoe and greate labour in sifting out the trueth because that sundry men of diuers fortes made relation thereof vnto me wherof some affirmed that they had bene present some other that they had occasion to searche out all circumstances CAP. I. Howe that after the death of Theodosius the Emperour his sonnes parted the empire Of the Bishops then florishing and howe that Arcadius meeting the army at the gates of the citie had Russinus a Magistrate of his slayne at his feete by the souldiers WHen y â— Emperour Theodosius had departed this life in y â— Consulship of Olybrius Probinus y â— seuententh of Ianuary his sonnes tooke in hand the gouernment of the Romaine empire Arcadius ruled the East Honorius the West then was Damasus bishop of the princely citie of Rome Theophilus of Alexandria Iohn of Ierusalem Flauianus of Antioch and of Constantinople otherwise called newe Rome Nectarius was Bishop as I remembred in the former booke The eyght of Nouembre he being Consul him selfe the corps of Theodosius was brought to his resting graue and solemnely interred with noble funerall by his sonne Arcadius Shortly after being the eyght and twentieth day of the same moneth the Emperour Theodosius army which ouerthrewe Eugenius with all his host was come thither When the Emperour Arcadius went forth as the maner is vnto the gates of the citie to meete the army the souldiers presently layd hands vpon Russinus the Emperours Embassadour and beheaded him for he was suspected of treason and the report went of him that he procured the Hunnes a barbarous nation to inuade y â— Romaine dominions at the same time also they destroied Armenia with other contreyes of the East The same day when Russinus was beheaded
demaunded of him the like he sayd It is no hard matter to bereaue a man of his life but when he is gone there is no man be he neuer so sory for him that can restore him to life againe saue God alone He was alwaies of y ◠mind that if any cōmitted treason he would not suffer him to go as farre as the gates of the citie towardes the place of execution but of his clemencie he called him backe againe The same man againe when he published spectacles on a certaine time at Constantinople w t the bickering and fighting of beasts in cōpasse of the theatre and the people shouted vnto him requiring that one of the strōgest men should be turned vnto the sauadge beast which rainged about his answere was in this sort Doe not you know that we can not away with cruell spectacles When the people hearde this they learned thenceforth to refraine from cruell showes Moreouer he was so religious that he honored all the priests of God but specially such as he knew did excell in godlenesse The report goeth that he made searche for the sackcloth which the bishop of Chebrū wore that died at Constantinople aud being found they say he more it how homely soeuer it was thinking verely to gett vnto him selfe thereby some of the deade mans holinesse As he soleminzed on a certaine tempestuous and stormie tyme of the yeare the people requiringe the same the vsuall and wonted spectacles and showes in the place called Circus enuironed with a wall and galeries round about when the rowme was full of people and the tempest waxed sore there fell vpon them sodainly a great cloude of snow then the Emperour renealed vnto the worlde what affection and zeale he bare towards God he willed the bedells in his name to say thus vnto the people It is far better for vs to lay aside these sowes and pastime and with one voyce to fall a praying vnto God that he will deliuer vs out of this present storme The words were no sooner spokē but all ioyntly fell downe to the ground and poured out earnest zealous praiers vnto God so y ◠the whole citie was become like one church The Emperour him selfe in the middest of the assembly arrayed in cōmon vsuall attire began the hymnes neither failed he of his purpose For the wether became faire againe the great derth and scarsitie was turned by the goodnes of God into plenty and abūdance of all things If warres at any time were proclaimed he followed the example of Dauid he made God his refuge perswading him self for certaine that God ruled and gouerned all battails and by the meanes of prayer he obtayned euer a prosperous successe CAP. XXIII Of Iohn who after the desease of the Emperour Honorius playd the tyrant at Rome how God deliuered him through the prayers of Theodosius into the hands of the Romaine souldiers OCcasion is presently ministred to discourse howe Theodosius being ayded frō aboue foyled the rebell and tyrant Iohn immediatly after the Persian battaile the desease of Honoritu in y ◠cōsulship of Asclepiodotus Marianus y ◠15. of August In mine opiniō y ◠acts of those dayes are worthy y ◠writig such they are as of right should be recorded to y ◠knowledge of the posterity in time to come For the like thigs which hapned vnto the Hebrewes vnder Moses as they passed through the red sea new befell vnto the emperours captaines being set against y ◠tyrāt the which I mind briefly to rūne ouer leauīg y ◠large discourse because it requireth a seuerall volume vnto others Although Theodosius knew that Honorius y ◠Emperour had departed this life yet cōcealed he his death frō others so y ◠an other deuise which hereafter shal be spokē of begutled many therin He sent priuely a souldier vnto Salonae a city of Dalmatia to geue warnig y ◠if any nouelty were attēpted in y ◠west parts of the world there should be such preparatiò as might quickly suppresse y ◠authors therof Whē he had brought y ◠about he opened vnto all men y ◠death of his vncle In y ◠meane while Iohānes one of y ◠Emperours chiefe secretaries being not of setled disposition to beare y ◠saile bāner of prosperity chalēged the empire sēt embassabours vnto y ◠emperour Theodosius requiring him to proclaime him emperour Theodosius tooke his legats layd thē in hold sēt vnto Iohn Ardaburius y ◠captaine who of late had behaued him self valiātly in y ◠battaile agaīst the Persians he cōming to Salonae sailed into Aquileia whence as it is thought he tooke a wrōg course the chaunce was as followeth Being in the surging waues of y ◠maine seae y ◠winde blewe against him brought him ere he was ware into y ◠tyrāts clawes The tyrant laying hand on him was now in good hope y ◠Theodosius would be brought of necessitie if he tendered y ◠life of his captaine Ardaburius to create proclaime him Emperour whē these thīgs came to light both Theodosius him selfe his army also which marched forwardes against y ◠rebell were wonderfull sory lest Ardaburius should take any harme at y ◠tyrāts hāds Aspar also y ◠sōne of Ardaburius seing both his father taken captiue also hearing for certainty y ◠an infinite power of Barbariās wēt to ayde the rebell knewe not what to doe he was at his wittes ende To be short y ◠prayers of y ◠godly Emperour thē also proued thē selues againe to be very effectuall for an Angell of God in y ◠forme of a shepherd guided Aspar on his iourney led his army by a lake adioyning vnto Rauēna for there it was that the tyrant kept captaine Ardaburius in hold which way as fame goeth there was neuer man y ◠found passage But God opened a way vnto Aspar where as it is thought others coulde not goe He led then his armie through the lake which then as it fell out was dryed vp by the handy worke of God he rushed in at the gates of the citie which lay wide open dispatched the tyrāt At what time the most godly Emperour vnderstanding of the tyrāts death as he celebrated those showes and spectacles in Circus made manifest his singular zeale pietie godwards for thus he spake vnto the people Let vs geue ouer this vaine pastime and pleasure let vs rather repaire vnto the church and serue God deuoutly pouring vnto God zealous prayers yelding vnto him harty thankes who with his owne hande hath bereaued the tyrant of his life He had no sooner made an end of speaking but ther gaue ouer their spectacles and showes they set all at nought they passed throughout the theater sounding out thanks geuing with one voyce together with the Emperour they went straight to the church and spent there the whole day so that
all the citie seemed to be as one church CAP. XXIIII Howe Theodosius the Emperour after the execution of Iohn the tyrant proclaimed Valentinianus the sonne of Constantius and Placidia the Aunt of Theodosius Emperour at Rome WHen the tyrant was dispatched out of the waye Theodosius began to consider with him selfe whome he should proclaime Emperour of the west parts of the worlde He had to his kinseman one Valentinianus a very yong gentleman begotten on Placidia his aunt for she was the doughter of Theodosius Magnus the Emperour and sister to Arcadius and Honorius the Emperoures Constantius that was made Emperour by Honorius and gouerned the empire with him a very shorte space for he dyed immediatly was the father of Valentinianus Theodosius made this his cosin Caesar sent him into the west and put his mother Placidia in truste with the emperiall affaires Afterwards whē he determined to go him selfe into Italie for to proclaime his Cosin Emperour and in his owne person to counsell the Italians that they shoulde not lightly geue eare vnto tyrants and rebelles he came as farre as Thessalonica and there he was hindred with sicknes so that he could goe no further Therefore he sent the emperiall scepter vnto his Cosin by Helion the Senatour and returned him selfe backe againe to Constantinople But of these things thus much shall suffice CAP. XXV Of Articus bishop of Constantinople how he gouerned the churches Also howe he caused that the name of Iohn Chrysostome should be canonized among the saincts of that church ATticus the bishop was a great furtherer of the ecclesiasticall affaires for he gouerned with great wisdome and exhorted the people diligently with heauenly doctrine to vertuous and godly liuinge When he sawe the church deuided and that the Iohannits vsed their priuate meetings and conuenticles he commaunded that the memoriall of Iohn shoulde be solemnized at seruice time as the maner is of other Bishops that are deseased for by that meanes he hoped veryly it woulde come to passe that many of them woulde returne vnto the Church He was so bountifull and liberall that he prouided not onely for the pouerty of his owne Church but also sent money vnto the next Churches for to supply the want of the needy for he sent vnto Calliopius minister of the Church of Nice three hundreth peeces of golde and withall letters contayning this forme Aiticus vnto Calliopius sendeth greeting in the Lord. I am geuen to vnderstand that there is an infinite number in your city ready to perish with famine stand in neede of the almes charity of godly weldisposed persons VVhere I write an infinite number I meane a great multitude the certayne nūber wherof I do not readily knowe Therefore seeing I receaued money of him which bestoweth aboundance and plenty of ritches vpon them which vse it a right seeinge also dayly experience teacheth vs that some do want to the end that such as be welthy minister not vnto them may throughly be tryed my will is welbeloued brother that thou receaue from me these three hundreth peeces of golde and distribute them at thy discretion among the poore people of thy parish see that thou deale the same not among such as respect only the belly make a liuing or trade throughout their life time of begging but among such as are ashamed to begge Neither vvoulde I haue thee herein to respecte any opinion o◠sect vvhatsoeuer neither to preiudice them which practise in doctrine a contrary faith vnto vs but onely to haue consideration of this that thou relieue them which hunger thurst haue not vvherevvithall to helpe them selues Thus was he carefull of the pouerty of such as dwelled from him in farre forayne contreyes Againe when he vnderstood y ◠such as seuered them selues from the Nouatians about y ◠keeping of Easter had translated the corps of Sabbatius out of the Isle Rhodos for there he died in exile buried it solemnly and praied vpon his tumbe he sent certaine thither in the night time charging them to remoue the corps of Sabbatius bury it in an other sepulchre such as vsed to frequent the place when they saw the graue digged vp ceassed thenceforth to honour the tumbe of Sabbatius The same Atticus did passe in assigning of proper names to things for the rode in y ◠bosome of Pontus Euxinus which of old was called poyson he called Medicen lest he should there raise an assembly appoynt thereunto a place called after a foule name Moreouer he tearmed a peece of the suburbes of Constantinople Argyrople vpon such an occasion as followeth Chrysople is a rode in y ◠head of the sea Bosphorus Many auncient writers make mention therof namely Strabo Nicolaus Damascenus the famous writer Xenophon who both in y ◠sixt booke of Cyrus expedition in the first of y ◠famous acts of y ◠Grecians remembreth the said towne y ◠Alcibiades wal led it about how there is a place therein assigned for y ◠paiment of tyth tribute for such as loose out of the maine sea ariue at y ◠place doe vse there to pay tyth Wherfore Atticus seeing the place ouer against him had so worthy a name procured this rode thenceforth to be called Argyrople As soone as he spake y ◠word the name was immediatly chaunged Againe when as some men said vnto him y ◠the Nouatians should not haue their conuenticles assemblies w t in the walls of the citie what do ye not remember saith he what troubles vexations they endured when we were tossed w t the grieuous storme of persecution in y ◠raigne of Constantius Valens howe y ◠at sundry other times they testified together w t vs the true faith which we maintaine Moreouer for all they were of old deuided from the church yet attempted they to establish no noueltie as toutching y ◠fayth Againe this Atticus being at Nice about the ordayning of a bishop seing there Asclepiades a Nouatian bishop who was a very old man he asked of him how many yeares he had bene a Bishop when the other had answered fifty yeares thou art truely a happy man saith he in y ◠God graunted thee to enioy so worthy a function so long a time he said againe vnto Asclepiades verily I doe commende Nouatus but I allowe not of the Nouatians Asclepiades maruelling what he shoulde meane in so saying replyed how so O bishop Atticus made answere I do commend him saith he for refusing to communicate w t such as had sacrificed to Idols for I would haue done no lesse my selfe But I like not of the Nouatians because they exclude from the communion such as of y ◠layty haue lightly offended Asclepiades replied againe vnto these things besides y ◠sinne of sacrificing vnto Idols there are as holy Scriptures do witnes many other sinnes vnto death for the which you depriue onely the
sonnes he vsed to make Cardinals sometimes in their cradles Bishops and Archbishops in many countreis descende of noble houses Osorius Bishops of Lusitania in Portingall writing against M. Haddon sticked not to giue vs an inklinge of his parentage Neyther doe I mislike with this in the churche of Rome sicaetera essent paria for I reade that Nectarius a noble man by office praetor of Constantinople was chosen to be byshop of that seae of a hundred and fiftie byshops which then assembled together at Constantinople partly for that and partly for other things Ambrose also lieuetenant of a prouice was made byshop of Millayne Chrisostō byshop of Constantinople descended of the senators of Antioch Thalassius Senator of Constantinople lieuetenant of Illyrium was made byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia I see that Euagrius vvho in the time of Tiberius Constantinus was Quaestor and in the time of Mauricius Tiberius was maister of the rolles together with diuers others occupied themselues about Ecclesiasticall affaires but I highly commend such as shewe forth tokens of their nobilitie by studie of vertue politicke gouernement of their countrey noble prowesse valiauntnesse of courage maintenance of the trueth and furtheraunce of the Gospell some thinke it is inough for them to bayte at the vniuersitie there steale a degree and forth with be counted gentlemen or to be in commons in one of the Innes of court where there are many wise zealous and learned gentlemen or to get into some noble mans seruice and by vertue of the cognizance to be called a maister or to purchase for a piece of money a coate armour or to begge a farme and by vertue of the valuation in the queenes bookes to become a gentleman Euery one thinkes not I am sure that these sorts of men are to be numbred among the auncient noble houses though in processe of time antiquitie seeme topreuaile very muche with suche kinde of men long possession is a great matter in lawe and an olde deede though it be forged will further the matter very much The Arcadians called them selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a progeny farre more auncient then the Moone of them Ouid writeth thus Ere Moone vvas set in skies aboue if fame doe them not faile The soile vvas calld of Arcas highe vvhose creditt must auaile But they contended for Antiquitie with the AEgyptians and to try out the trueth Psammitichus King of AEgypt did as followeth he shut vp in a certaine close lodging farre from cities and company of people two newly borne babes some say with nurces charged not to speake a worde some say amonge goates and that for the space of three whole yeares at the three years end to see what language the children would speake he caused one of his familiars sodainely to goe in among the children whiche did so and tooke one of the children by the hand which saide vnto him Becos that is in the Phrygian tongue bread the king hearing this confessed him selfe ouercome and yelded vnto his aduersaries for antiquitie thenceforth were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Suidas thinketh that the childrē being acquainted with the bleting of goats cried beck and so that it was nothing else but a iest and a deluding of the king Yet Iohn Goropius a phisicion of Antvverpe taketh the matter in earnest to th ende he might currie fauour with the Germanes he faith that the Grecians were herin fouly deceaued that beck or weck in the Germane tongue signifieth bread the AEgyptians being foyled turne them vnto the Scythians and of them likewise they were ouercome here is much a do all for gentry The AEthiopians alleage reasons for themselues and they must be heard the Brittaines can tell you they come from Troy and thence they can bring you the straighte way to Adam nexte to God and then a full point Poggius writeth that a noble man of Fraunce espied on an Italian soldiers bucklar the oxe heade ingrauen stomaked him therefore tolde him it vvas his cognizance that his house was farre more auncient and to the ende all quarells might be ended chalenged him to the fielde the Italian made litle adoe tolde him he woulde meete him on the daye appointed the noble man came with a great troupe the souldier likewise mette and ioyninge together he asked of him whye his noble bloode vvas so muche out of temper VVhen that the noble man aunsvvered that his auncetors had euer geuen the oxes head and that he and his vvould thenceforth giue it or else knovv a cause to the contrary why an please you syr saith the soldier this is no oxe head it is the head of a cowe It was about gentrie betweene Phaëton and Epaphus that moued Phaëton as the Poëts faine to craue license for one day to sitte in the chariot of Sol. for when he minded to roote out the posteritie of his aduersarie almost he set the whole world on fire Maximinus the emperour borne in a pelting village of Thracia misliking with him selfe therfore slew as many as knew his pedegree and had seene the raggs of his parents Herode burned the Genealogies of the Iewes that he might affirme him self as wel as they to haue descēded of a noble race Themistocles a bastard borne for to cloke his birth to remoue the il opinion conceaued that way entised the yong nobility of Athens to frequent Cynosarges a schole without the city where bastards did onely frequent many shifts are made Iacke would be a gentleman if he could speake frenche Amasis king of AEgypt being basely borne made his image of gold set it vp to be worshipped that the people might reuerence him the more Smerdes a sorcerer because he was in person like Smerdes the brother of Cambyses King of the Assyrians whose death Cambyses procured fearinge he woulde aspire vnto the kingdome made the worlde beleeue he was the man in deede ouercame Cambyses and was crowned King but his wife and bedfellow with clipping and other wonted familiarity felt his head found that Smerdes had no eares reuealed it abrode and so was he betrayd and deposed his kingdome Prompalus fained himselfe to be the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes A certaine AEgyptian the sonne of Protarchus the marchant called him selfe the sonne of Alexander Zebenna and the adopted sonne of Antiochus wept bitterly at the funerall of Antiochus as if he had bene his owne father Archelaus made the worlde beleeue that he was the sonne of Mithridates when Perseus the last king of the Macedonians had ended this lyfe Andristus a cuntrey fellow woulde needes perswade men that he was his sonne Equitius affirmed that without all doubt he was the sonne of Tiberius Gracchus Citharaedus endeuored to perswade the Romanes that Nero had not dispatched him self but that he was Nero. many of the aforsaid cloked their gentry fained thē selues noble mē conquered kingdoms deluded the
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
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
one hundred yeares all the progeny of Herode vvas rooted out The fift order is of high priests neither haue I omitted them seeing both the Euangelistes and the Historiographers mentioned such as vvere in the time of Christ They ende likewise with the kings of Iudaea and the destruction of Ierusalem I remember Iosephus wryteth that froÌ„ Aaron which was the first highpriest vnto the last at the ouerthrowe burning of the temple vnder Titus there were highpriests to the number of fourescore and three The sixt diuisionis of councells sometimes of the wicked as of the Pharises and heretickes some other times of the godly as of the Apostles and Apostolickmen where it appeareth manifestly vnto the wholl world that the bishop of Rome had as litle to doe therein as other bishops for Emperours princes somtimes the bishops of some prouince or other within theÌ„selues haue summoned couÌ„cells called bishops together decided such matters as were called into controuersie without the aduise of the bishop of Rome For saith Socrates the chiefest councels were summoned are vnto this day called together by the commaundement consent of the Emperours Besides all the aforesaide I haue laid downe the succession of bishops in the foure most famous churches as IerusaleÌ„ Antioch Rome AlexaÌ„dria Though other writers addict them selues wholly vnto the Catalogue of the churche of Rome omitting no not one Ioan the she Pope onely excepted Some will maruell why I preferre Ierusalem and Antioch before the seae of Rome the reason is because those churches had their bishops before the church of Rome Clemens AlexaÌ„drinus wryteth that Iames called the brother of Christ was immediately after the assumption of our Sauiour chosen bishop of Ierusalem by Peter Iames and Iohn the Apostles Againe as Luke reporteth the Antiochians were first called christians Paul Barnabas preached there one wholl yeare and if fame fayle vs not of the trueth Peter the Apostle was bishop there seuen yeares and spente seuen other about Ierusalem the Easterne contreyes afore his comminge to Rome He came to Rome the seconde yeare of Claudius the Emperour Anno Dom. 44 a great while after the seae of Ierusalem and the bishoprik of Antioch were setled Let no man muze why I lay downethese fouresâ—aes otherwise then all Chronographies in what language so euer vnto this day extant haue done I doe it not of any singularitie for these auncient Historiographers Eusebius Socrates and Euagrius haue followed the same order though other Chronologers and Chronographers haue not imitated them Last of all I haue placed the hereticks by themselues so that the reader may easily see wheÌ„ they liued who they were what they haue taught by whome they were condeÌ„ned the end of most of them as farre forth as the lines might be contriued within the colume the long tediousnes auoyded Nowe drawing towards the birth of Christ where the Chronographye beginneth I thinke best by way preface not as my principall drifte briefly to runne ouer the yeares of the world that thereby we may the sooner learne when our Sauiour Christ Iesus appeared in the flesh and first we haue to beginne from Adam The yeare of the world Adam was the first man made of the mould of the earth being a hundred thirty yeare old he begate Seth he liued in all nyne hundred and thirty yeares Genes 5. he was aliue vntill the fiftyeth and six yeare of Lamech the father of Noe and departed this life 126. yeare before Noe was borne The first age of the worlde from Adam to Noe. 130. Seth was a hundred and fiue yeare old when he begate Enos he liued in all nyne hundred and twelfe yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde on thousand forty and two after the death of Adam one hundred and twelfe yeares before Noe vvas borne 14. yeares 235. Enos was fourescore and tenne yeare olde when he begate Cainan he liued in all nine hundred and fiue yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde one thousande one hundred and fortieth yeare he liued together with Noe fourescore foure yeares 325. Cainan liued threescore and tenne yeares and begat Malalael he liued in all nine hundred and tenne yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde 1235. 395. Malalael liued threescore and fiue yeares begat Iared he liued in all eight hundred ninety and fiue yeares Genes 5. he departed this life 366. yeares before the deluge after Noe was borne 234. yeares 460. Iared liued a hundred threescore and two yeares begat Enoch he liued in all nine hundred threescore and two yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde 1422. he liued with Noe three hundred threescore and six yeares 622. Enoch liued threescore and fiue yeares begat Mathusalem he liued in all three hundred threescore and fiue yeares was translated Genes 5. he was taken vp into heauen seuen fifty yeares after the death of Adam 687. Mathusalem liued a hundred fourescore seuen yeares and begat Lamech he liued in all nyne hundred sixty nyne yeares and died in the yeare of the deluge Genes 5. 874. Lamech liued a hundred fourescore and two yeares and begatt Noe he liued in all 777. yeares died fiue yeares before the deluge Genes 5. 1056. 1556. Noe was borne in the yeare of the worlde one thousand fifty and six in the 182. yeare of his father Lamech after the death of Adam 126. after the death of Seth 14. yeares being fiue hundred yeare old he begat Sem and liued in all nine hundred and fifty yeares Genes 9. he liued with Enos 84. yeares with Cainan 179. with Iared 366. with Mathusalem 600. with Lamech 595. with Sem his sonne 448. 1656. Anno mundi 1656. The deluge drowned the whole worlde in the six hundred yeare of Noe. Genes 7 8. It was in the yeare of the worlde one thousande six hundred fifty and six for so doth Augustine write de ciuitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 20. finding fault with the error of the Septuagints whome Eusebius in his Chronicon Beda haue followed for they numbred 2262. yeares which can not be Againe Augustine de ciuitat Dei lib. 15. cap. 12. 14. misliketh very much with such as doubted whether the yeares of olde were as long as we finde them of late he proueth that there were so many houres in the day so many dayes in the weeke so many weekes in the moneth so many moneths in the yeare alike from the beginning of the worlde 1658. Sem being an hundred yeare olde begat Arphaxad the seconde yeare after the flood he liued in all six hundred yeares Genes 11. he was borne nynety and nyne yeares before the deluge he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde 2158. The second age of the world froÌ„ Noe to Abraham  Arphaxad being borne
Rome Socrat lib. 4. cap. 16. 17.   80. priests were put in a ship burned quicke by the coÌ„maundement of ValeÌ„s the Arian Emperour Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 13. Ammonius a religious man cut of his eare and fledd away because he would not be bishop Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. A councell was called at Illyrium by Valetinianus where the trueth in the blessed trinitie was confessed Theod. li. 4. ca. 7. 8. 9.    Lucius an AriaÌ„ ouer the Arians Socra li. 4. ca. 16. Antidicomarianitae were hereticks which impugned the virginitie of Marie sayinge that after the byrth of Christ Ioseph did know her August lib. de haeres Epiphan haeres 78.   Euagrius a religious man fled away because he would not be bishop Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. Ierome the learned writer whos workes are famous throughout the worlde florished about this time Ierom. catalo Ab. Tritem A councell held at Rome by Damasus and Peter b. of Alexandria wher the heresie of Apollinarius was condemned Ruff. lib. 2. cap. 2. Prayllius Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 38. Flauianus was choseÌ„ b. of Antioche and coÌ„tinewed to the time of Arcadius Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 1 Ruff. lib. 2. cap. 21.   Collyridiani were he retickes whiche worshipped the Virgine Marie Epiphanius in discoursing of this heresie inueheth agaynst images and worshipping of saincts Angells haeres 78 79. Metangismonitae were here tickes which sayd that the sonne was in the father as a lesser vessell in a greater August lib. de haeres 383. Gratianus to gether with Valentinianus the yonger succeeded ValeÌ„tinianus and Valens in the Empire Gratianus chose Theodosius Magnus a noble maÌ„ of Spayn to gouerne the Empire These three ruling at one time were godly Empetoures Ruffinus prieste of Aquileia one that was at great variance with IeroÌ„ wrote manie notable volumes he was a great traÌ„slator of Greeke wryters Gennad catalog A councell held at Aquileia condemned Palladius Secundianus the AriaÌ„s tom 1. concil    Timothe a godly man succeeded Peter in the church of Alexandria Socra lib. 5. cap. 3 8. Marinus the Arian thoughte that the father was a father wheÌ„ there was no sonne Such as were of this opinion were called Psathyrians the reasoÌ„ why is to be seene in Socrates lib. 5. cap. 22. Euthicus an EunomiaÌ„ baptised not in the trinity but in the death of Christ Socr. li. 5. c 23  Gratianus was slaine by Maximus the brittaine wheÌ„ he had liued foure and twenty yeres and raygned fifteene Valentinianus was stisled to death Augustine b. of Hippo in Aphricke wrote sundry excelleÌ„t bookes Gennadius suspecteth his opinioÌ„ toutching the resurrection of vntimely byrthes GeÌ„â—ad catalog      Seleuciani or Hermiani of one Seleucus taught that the substaÌ„ce whereof the world was made was not made of God but was coeternall with God that God maketh not the soule but Angelles of fire and spirite that euill is some tymes of God and some times of the thinge it selfe â— that Christ sitteth not in the flesh at the right hande of the Father but hath his seate in the Sunne that there was no visible paradisâ— that Baptisme is noâ— to be receaued by water that there shall bâ— no resurtectioÌ„ but thâ— daylye generation â— children August lib. â— haeres Theodosius the Emperor who of all theother was most famous throughout the worlde fell sicke and dyed wheÌ„ he had lyued 60 yeares and raygned 16. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 2. 11. 24. 25. Nectarius a man of noble linage and profounde learninge was chosen b. of Constantinople by a hundred fifty bishops Socrat lib. 5. cap. 8. This Nectarius banished confession and the shriuinge priest out of the churche and so did other Byshops because that a cestayne Deacon abused at ConstaÌ„tinople a graue mation vnder colour of confession Socrat. lib. 5 cap. 19. A councell of a hundred and fiftie bishops met at CoÌ„tantinople by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Theodosius Magnê° where they coÌ„firmed the faith of the Nicene couÌ„cell deuided patriaâ—chships decreed that no bishop shold meddle with anything out of his owne diocess and chose Nectarius b. of CoÌ„staÌ„ntinople Socras lib. 5. cap. 8.   Siricius was b. of Rome after Damasus An. Do. 387. and coÌ„tinewed 15. yeares Prosp chron Socrat lib. 7. cap. 9. This b. of Rome was the firste which decreed that priestes shold not mary Gra. Polid.  ◠Proclianits deny that Christ came in the flesh August         Patriâ—iani said that mans fleshe was not made of God but of the Deuell so that some dispatched them selues to caste of the flesh August 399. Arcadius and Honorius the sonnes of Theodosius Magnus succeeded theyr father the one in the east the other in the west When that Arcadius had raygned 13. yeares with his father Theodâ—sius Magnus and 14. after his desease he dyed leauing behinde him his sonne Iohn Chrysostome was b. of Constantinople after Nectarius anno Dom. 401. his linage and education is layde downe at large by Socrates He made Antemnes in the churche of Constantinople There was greate variance betwene him Epiphanius b. of Cyprus It was A councell held at ValeÌ„tia in FrauÌ„ce decreede in the time of Siricius b. of Rome that Prestes shoulde not marie Isid in concil  Porphyrius was b. of Antioche after Flauianus Socr. lib. 7. cap. 9   Authropomorphitae were Monkes inhabitinge the deserts of Aegypt which thoughte that God the father had a body was like maÌ„ these liued in the time of Chrysostome Anno Domini 402. they had theyr originall of one Audaeus meÌ„tioned before in the time of CoÌ„stantius Socrat. li. 6. ca. 7 hereupon it rose that God the father hathe beene painted like an olde man in a graye bearde 401. Theâ—d sius iunior of the age of eyght yeares to succeede him in the east Honorius continewed neuer theles in the west Socrat. lib. 6. ca 1. 21 lib. 7. cap. 1. Theophilus b. of Alexandria that set them by the eares He made a sermoÌ„ against all womeÌ„ was therfore by the procurement of the empresse deposed the people made suche adoe that he was called hom againe yet was he exiled afterwardes and died in banishmente anno Dom. 412. Socrat. li. 6. ca. 2. 3. 9. 14. The first couÌ„cell helde at Toledo in Spaine in the time of Arcadius decreed that priests should mary tom 1. coÌ„cil A councell helde at Burdeux in Gascoygne condemned Priscillianus the Spaniard for his heretia all opinioÌ„ Prosper châ—on There was a councel held at ChalcedoÌ„ where Chrysostome was coÌ„demued of spite and for no other crime Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 14.   Anastasiê° was b. of Rome after Siricius Anno Dom. 401. and gouerned three yeâ—es Prosp chron Socrat lib. 7. cap. 9. Theophilus was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Timothe for feare of his life he yelded vnto the heresie of the Anthropomorphits agaist which he wrot a