which is reade in the Actes of the Apostles concerning this Aegiptian where vnder Felix it is sayd of the tribune of the souldiours that was at Ierusalem vnto Paul when the multitude of the Ievves raysed a tumulte agaynst him art thou that Aegiptian vvhich a fevv dayes agoe hast raysed vvith thee foure thousand common theeues leddest them vnto the vvildernesse and such are the thinges that happened vnder Felix CAP. XXII The going of Paul vnto Rome and his pleading there with his Martyrdome FEstus is sent by Nero to succeede Felix vnder whome Paul pleading in his owne cause is brought bound to Rome There was with him Aristarchus whome iustly in some place of his Epistles he calleth his felowe captiue and Luke when he had finished the Actes of the Apostles concluded his history here saying that Paul liued peaceably at Rome tvvo vvhole yeares and preached the vvord of God vvithout impediment The which being expired fame goeth that the Apostle after accompt made of his doctrine returned vnto the office of preaching and afterwardes when he came the seconde time vnto the city vnder the same Emperour to haue bene crowned with martyrdome Where lying in fetters he wrote the latter Epistle vnto Timothe instructing him both of the accompt of doctrine that he made in his former captiuity and also of his death approching nigh Take here of his owne testimony for thus he writeth At my former apparance none assisted me for all forsooke me I pray God that it be not laide to their charge But the Lord assisted me and strengthned me that by me the preaching should be accomplished and that all nations might heare And I vvas deliuered out of the Lyons mouth Playnly he sheweth by these wordes that he was before deliuered out of the lions mouth meaning as it appeareth Nero because of his cruelty that the preaching might be supplyed by him Neither afterwardes hath he added the like for he will deliuer me out of the lions mouth He saw in the spirite his death to drawe nigh Wherfore immediatly he sayth I haue bene deliuered out of the Lyons mouth and the Lord vvill deliuer me from euery euill vvorke and reserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome Noting his martirdome to draw nigh The which more euidently he foresheweth in the same Epistle saying For I am novv ready to be offred the time of my dissoluing is at hand In the latter epistle when he wrote he declared Luke alone to be with him but in his former apparance and pleading not one no not Luke to be with him Wherefore it is playne that Luke wrote the Actes of the Apostles vnto that time knitting vp his history with his absence from Paul These thinges haue we spoken to this end that we may warrant the martyrdome of Paul not to haue bene consummated when Luke finished his history that is when Paul came to Rome It is very like that the apologye of Paul for his doctrine might haue bene at the beginning sooner accepted when Nero was somewhat milder in affection dealing But after that he fell vnto such outragious wilfulnesse he was quicke with others for the Apostles sake CAP. XXIII Of the martyrdome of Iames called the brother of Christ. THe Ievves when their purpose fayled them in their pretended malice towards Paul after his appellation made vnto Caesar being sent from Festus vnto Rome they turne themselues agaynst Iames the brother of Christ who was placed of the Apostles Bishop of Ierusalem The like they practise against him placing him in the middest and requiring of him that in presence of all the people he would renounce the fayth of Christ When as he contrary to their expectation freely and with greater audacity then they hoped in presence of all the multitude had confessed Iesus to be the sonne of God our Sauiour and Lorde they could no longer abide his testimony for he was counted of all most iust for his excellent wisedome piety which he shewed in life Him they slewe hauing gotten opportunitie to the accomplishing of this haynous fact by the vacancy of the Regall seat For Festus gouernour of Iudaea being deade the prouince wanted a President or Procurator But how Iames was slaynt the testimonye of Clemens heretofore of vs alleadged hath largely declared that he being throwne downe from a pinacle of the temple and brayned with a fullers clubb gaue vp the ghost And Aegesippus who immediatly succeeded the Apostles repeateth the circumstance hereof exquistely in his fift booke after this maner Iames the brother of Christ tooke in hand the gouernment of the Church after the Apostles termed a iust and perfect man of all men from the tyme of our Sauiour vnto vs. For many vvere called Iameses beside him but this man vvas holy from his mothers vvombe He dranke nether vvine nor strong drinke nether â—are any liuing creature He vvas neither shauen neither anointed neither did he vse bathe Vnto him alone vvas it lavvfull to enter into the holy places he vsed no vvollen vesture but vvore a Syndone and alone frequented he the temple so that he vvas found prostrare on his knees and praying for the sinnes of the people His knees vvere after the guise of a camels knee benummed bereft of the sense of feeling by reason of his continuall kneeling in supplication to God and petitions for the people For the excellency of his righteousnesse he vvas called Iuste and Oblias vvhich soundeth by interpretatioÌ„ the bulvvarke or defence of the people in righteousnes as prophecies do go of him VVhen diuers asked him toutching the heresies among the people vvherof vve meÌ„tioned before vvhich vvas the gate or dore of Iesu he aunsvvered the same to be the Sauiour by vvhose meanes they had beleeue Iesus to be Christ But the aforesayde heresies acknovvledge neyther the resurrection nor the comming of any iudge vvhich shall revvarde to euery one according to his vvorkes For as many as beleeued they beleeued by meanes of Iames. VVhen many of the Princes vvere persvvaded there rose a tumult of the Ievves Scribes and Pharises saying It is very dangerous lest that the vvhole people looke after Iesus as though he vvere Christ and being gathered together they said to Iames vve pray thee refraine this people for they erre in Iesu as though he vvere true Christ VVe pray thee persvvade this people vvhich frequent to this feaste of the Passeouer concerning Iesu for vve all obey thee yea vve and all the people testifie of thee that thou art iust and respectest not the person of any man persvvade therefore this multitude that they erre not in Iesu For the vvhole multitude and vve obey thee stand therefore vpon the pinacle of the temple that thou mayst be seene aloft and that thy vvord may be perceaued plainly of all the people for because of this Passeouer all the tribes are mett here together vvith the Gentiles The aforesayd Scribes and Pharises placed Iames vpon the
sure the Gods are not so secure but that they disclose hurtfull persons For these men punishe such as vvil not vvorship the Gods more greuously then you doe vvhich thus vexe them and confirme the opinion vvhich they conceaue of you to be Atheists or godlesse men It is their desire in Gods quarell rather to dye then to lyue so that they become conquerers yeldinge their liues vnto the deathe rather then they obey your edictes It shall seeme very necessarye to admonishe you of the earthquakes vvhich haue and doe happen among vs that being thervvith moued ye may compare our estate vvith theirs They haue more confidence godvvardes then you haue you during the tyme of your ignorance despise other Gods contemne the religion of the immortal God banish the Christians vvhich vvorship him persecute them vnto the death In the behalfe of these men many of the prouinciall Presidentes haue vvritten heretofore vnto our father of famous memory vvhome he aunsvvered in vvriting againe that they vvere not to be longer molested vnlesse they had practised treason agaynst the Romayne empire many haue giuen notice vnto vs of the same matter vvhom vve aunsvvered as our father did before vs. If any therefore hereafter be founde thus busied in other mens affayres vve commaund that the accused be absolute free though he be founde such a one I meane faulty and that the accuser be greeuously punished This edict was proclaymed at Ephesus in the hearing of the greate assembly of Asia witnesse hereof is Meliton Bishop of Sardis which florished at y e time in his profitable Apologie for our doctrine deliuered vnto the Emperour Verus CAP. XIIII Of Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna IRenaeus reporteth that while Anicetus was Bishop of Rome Polycarpus as yet liued and came to Rome and questioned with Anicetus â–ª concerning the day of Easter An other thinge yet he reporteth of Polycarpus in his thirde booke against heresies which needefully must here be annexed Polycarpus sayth he vvas not only instructed by the Apostles and conuersant vvith many vvhich savve Christe but also of the Apostles ordayned Bishop of Smyâ—na in Asia â–ª vvhome vve in our youthe haue also seene for he lyued long and vvas very olde and at lengthe finished this lyfe vvith moste glorious â–ª and renovvned Martyrdome â–ª vvhen he had continually taught that he learned of the Apostles vvhich the Churche at this daye deliuereth for vndoubted trueth All the Churches of Asia and as many vnto this daye as succeeded him in that seae beare vvitnesse that Polycarpus vvas vvorthier of credit thâ—n Valentinus Marcion then the vvhole rabble of peruerse people For he being 〈◊〉 Rome in conference vvith Anicetus conuerted many of the foresayd Heretickes vnto the Church of God preaching the one and onely trueth receaued of the Apostles and deliuered by the Churche There be yet aliue vvhich hearde him reporting hovve that Iohn the Disciple of Christ entring into a bath at Ephesus to bayne him selfe and spying vvithin the Hereticke Cerinthus departed the bath vnbayned and sayd Let vs departe hence lest the bath fall vvherein Cerinthus the svvorne enemy of the trueth bayneth him selfe And Polycarpus on a tyme meeting Marcion face to face vvhich sayd vnto him knovve vs aunsvvered I knovve thee for the firste begotten sonne of Satan So zelous vvere the Apostles and their Disciples that they communicated not in vvorde vvith the corrupters of the trueth according vnto that of Paul eschevv him that is an Hereticke after the first and seconde admonition knovving that such a one is peruerse and condemned a sinner by the testimony of his ovvne conscience There is extant an epistle of Polycarpus vnto the Philippians very profitable for such as are carefull of their saluation vvhere they may knovve the true character of fayth and the right rule of doctrine So farre Irenaeus Polycarpus in the foresayde Epistle vnto the Philippians at this daye extant alleadgeth testimonyes out of the former Epistle of Peter When that Antoninus syrnamed Pius had ended twenty and two yeares in the Romayne Empire Marcus Aurelius Verus and Antoninus his sonne togither with Lucius his brother succeeded him CAP. XV. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and diuers other Sainctes in Smyrna vnder Verus the Emperour WHen Asia was visited with greate persecution Polycarpus was crowned with martyrdome I suppose it necessary to penne in this our historye his ende which at this daye is published in writing The Epistle is in the person of the Churche where he was President vnto the Parishes throughout Pontus signifying the circumstance about Polycarpus in this sorte The Church of God which is at Smyrna vnto the Church at Philomilium and vnto all the congregations of the holy Catholicke Church throughout Pontus mercy to you peace and the loue of God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ be multiplyed VVe haue vvritten vnto you brethren of such as suffred martyrdome and of blessed Polycarpus vvho signed and sealed this persecution vvith his ovvne bloud And before they make relation of Polycarpus they rehearse the constancy and pacience of other Martyrs saying The behoulders vvere amazed seeing the flesh of the Martyrs rent vvith scurges euen into the inner vaynes and sinovves so that the most secret entrayles of their bodies their bovvels invvard priuityes vvere piteously to be seene Behoulding againe the sharpe shells of sea fishe pimple stones stravved vnder the Martyrs backes and brused bodies vvith euery kinde of torment that could be deuised Last of all throvvn to be torne in peeces and deuoured of vvilde beastes Specially they wrote of Germanicus that he valiantly endured and ouercame through the grace of God that corporall feare of death graffed in the frayle nature of man For when as the Proconsull exhorted him to relent admonished him of his tender yeares prayed him to pitye his owne case being nowe in the flowre of his youth â–ª He without intermission entyâ—ed the beaste to deuoure him yea constrayned and compelled that with speede he might be dispatches of this wrongfull and wicked life Which patience and constancye of the blessed Marâ—â—â— â–ª and of the whole Christian nation the multitude of Inâ—â—dels behoulding sodainly began to shoâ—â—â— â—â—â—oue the vvicked seeke out Polycarpus And when there was a great tumuâ—â—e raysed by reason of this clamor a certaine Phrygian by name Quintus lately come out of Phrygia trembled at the flerâ—e rage of the terrible beasts and shrinked at the sight of their grimme visage and betrayd his owne safety with his slacknes of courage For the same epistle testifieth of him that he personally appeared together with the rest before the barre more of rashues then of any religion and being taken be publickly protested that none ought to intruâ—e him selfe amonge such men without good deuotion neither intermedle in mâ—â—â—â—â—s wherewith he hath not to doe But of these men thus much Toutching the renowned Polycarpus they write that he hearing the report of this
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
were in the councell cried in this sorte we are all of that fayth Leo the Pope beleeueth so cursed be he that deuydeth Christe that confoundeth his natures this is the fayth of Archebyshoppe Leo thus beleeueth Leo Leo and Anatolius are of this fayth VVe are all of this fayth Cyrill is of this fayth Let Cyrill neuer be forgotten Let the epistles of Cyrill be euer had in memory This is our opinion thus we both haue beleued and doe beleue Thus doth Archbishop Leo beleue thus hath he wrytteÌ„ They reasoned a while whether the epistle of Leo should be read in the ende they read it with the interpretation annexed thereunto which is extant among the actes of the councell When the reading was ended and the Byshops had cried this is the faith of the fathers this is the faith of the Apostles we are all of this faith the true professors are of this faith cursed be he which beleueth not thus Peter in the person of Leo sayde thus thus haue the Apostles taught Leo hath godly and truely taughte these things Cyrill hath taught thus Leo and Cyrill haue taught alike cursed be he which holdeth not this faith this is the true faith this is the opinion of the true professors this is the faith of the fathers why vvere not these things read in the councell of Ephesus what meant Dioscorus to conceale these things WheÌ„ the bishops had made an end of crieng in this sorte y â— records of y â— councel do declare y â— when this parcel of Leo his epistle was read It was to pay the ransome of our nature that the godheade was ioyned with the patible nature to the end one and the same mediator of God man the maÌ„ Christ Iesus the which thing was fitly applied vnto our sores maladies might dye of the one nature not of the other wheÌ„ this I say was read the bishops of IllyriuÌ„ Palaestina had doubted of the sense and meaning of the words Aetius Archdeacon of the most holy church of CoÌ„stantinople alleadged openly y â— opinion of Cyrill out of his owne words as followeth Because his proper bâ—dy through the goodnes of God as Saynct Paul wryteth tasted of death for vs all therefore is he sayd to haue dyed for vs not that he suffered death as toutching his nature for to say or thinke so is meere madnes but that in such sorte as I sayd before his flesh tasted of death Againe out of the Epistle of Leo they read thus Both natures accompanied together doth that which is proper to either of them the word bringeth to passe such things as belonge vnto the vvorde the body vvorketh such thinges as appertaineth vnto the body the one vvorketh miracles the other sustayneth reproches Againe when the Byshops of Illyrium Palaestina doubted also of this sentence the same Aetius reade the words of Cyrill as followeth Some phrases of holye Scripture whiche concerne the Lorde doe beste agree vvith his diuine nature some other vvith his humane nature and some other the middle betvvene both affirming that the sonne of God is together both God and man After all this when they doubted againe of an other parte of the aforesayd epistle of Leo the Byshop which was read in this sorte Although in very deede there is one person of God and man in the Lord Iesus Christ yet there is one thinge vvherein either of them doth participate in contumely and an other thinge vvherein they both communicate in glory It is of vs that his humanity is inferiour to the father of the father it is that his diuinity is equall vvith the father Theodoritus remeÌ„bred him selfe that Cyrill had wrytten the same thing almost in y â— same wordes when he was made man he laid not a side his propriety but continevved as he vvas and the one nature dvvelled in the other that is the diuine nature in the humane These things being expounded when the worthy Senators had demaunded if any among them doubted any further all made answere that they were fully resolued After this Atticus Byshop of Nicopolis requested they might all haue a day geuen them to deliberate to the end they might with firme and settled mindes establishe such things as were pleasing vnto God and agreable with the doctrine of the fathers he craued moreouer the epistle whiche Cyrill wrote vnto Nestorius wherein he had exhorted hym to yelde vnto the twelue poincts of the fayth that were coÌ„firmed of all the Bishops The Presidents conferred of this matter among theÌ„ selues graunted them fiue dayes to deliberate that then they should come togither with Anatolius bishop of Constantinople this being done they all agreed and sayd with one voice vve beleue thus vve all beleue thus as Leo beleueth so beleue vve there is not one of vs that doubteth we haue all subscribed Vnto these things they replied againe in this sorte It is not needefull that all should come togither but in somuch it seemeth very expedient that such as wauer are not as yet resolued may be confirmed let the most reuerende Byshop Anatolius appoint whome he shall thinke good of theÌ„ that haue already subscribed to satisfie and confirme the rest After this the councell sayd we craue of the Fathers that the Presidents and chiefe of this councell doe entreate the Emperour and the Empresse for vs we haue all done amisse let vs be pardoned The clergie of the Church of Constantinople cried fewe doe crie we heare not the wholl councell speake Then the Byshops of the East lifted theyr voyces saying let the Aegyptian be deposed And when the Bishops of Illyrium requested the same the clergy of Constantinople cried let Dioscorus be banished let the Aegyptian be exiled let the hereticke be sent avvay Christ hath depriued Dioscorus Againe the Byshops of Illyrium and such as were of theyr side cried vve haue all offended we besech you pardoÌ„ vs. Rid the councell of Dioscorus avvay vvith Dioscorus out of the Churches After they had tossed these and other such like things to and fro they rose vp The next session followinge when the Senate had reasoned among them selues about the publishing of theyr actes and decrees ConstaÌ„tinus the secretary read out of a schrole as followeth The next day after when the councell aduised them selues somwhat better we doe perceaue that they reasoned more exquisitly of the true and Catholicke faith VVherefore seeing that Flauianus the Byshop of worthy memory Eusebius the most reuerend Bishop of Dorilaeum were founde not to haue erred in the fayth after we had searched the acts and decrees of the councel also by the reporte of such as were chief in the councell and therefore vniustly to haue bene deposed for they confessed them selues fouly deceaued wrongfully to haue depriued Flauianus and Eusebius It seemeth good vnto vs no doubt God approueth the same that Dioscorus the most reuerend Bishop of AlexaÌ„dria if it so
forwardes either we geue other men leaue to commit them to letters or peraduenture we our selues seeing that in this present volume we haue promised to discourse of other matters will entreat of them in an other seuerall worke yet thus much will I now say that Tamochosroes was ouerthrowne in the front of the host not with the fortitude of the Romaine armie but with the onely pietie of the Captaine and his faith in God that Adaarmanes was foyled with plaine force of armes and after great losse of his power put to flight yea and that not onely when Alamundarus captaine of the Barbarian nation called Scenetae â–ª betrayed Mauricius in that he would not come ouer the riuer Euphrates and ayde him against Scenetae which fought against him these Scenetae are so swifte on horsebacke that they can hardly be taken yea though their passage be stopt but when it standes them vpon they farre outrunne the ennemie but also when Theodorichus Captaine of the Scythians durst not tarye within their reache but shewed them immediatly a faire paire of heeles together with his souldiers CAP. XXI Of the signes prognosticating the raigne of Mauricius THere were signes which went before and foreshewed that Mauricius should be crowned Emperour As he offered frankencense very late in the night within the chauncell of S. Maries Church which the people of Antioche doe call the temple of Iustinian the curteine or canapie was all sette on fire and therewith he fell into such a dumpe that he feared the vision exceedingly Gregorie Bishop of that Citie standing by sayd that without all peraduenture the vision was sent from aboue and foreshewed the brightnesse of glory and the great renowne that was to befall him Christ moreouer appeared towardes the East seeking vengeaunce on the ennemies In that vision also was the raigne of Mauricius plainely prognosticated for of whom I pray you sought he that vnlesse it were of the Emperour and of such a man as serued him in holinesse As I searched out the truth and certainetie of these things his parentes tolde me other things worthie of memorie and the knowledge of the posteritie in time to come His father remembred that what time Mauricius was conceaued he sawe in his sleepe a mightie Vine to burgeine out of his chamber and that there hunge thereon infinite clusters of ripe grapes Hys mother tolde that when shee was deliuered the earth breathed vppe of her selfe a redolent sauour that was straunge and varied it selfe by turnes Also that a griesly ghost commonly called a Goblin or a Hegge tombled the infant from place to place as though he would deuoure him yet had no power to hurt him Symeon likewise that dwelt in a pillour not farre from Antioche a man of great wisedome and experience sufficiently adorned with all diuine giftes gaue forth many tokens both in worde and deede which plainely declared that Mauricius would be crowned Emperour concerning which Symeon if ought seeme expedient to be wrytten the next booke shall performe it CAP. XXII The coronation of Mauricius and Augusta VVHen Tiberius was redy to yelde vp the ghost and now come vnto deathes doore he gaue vnto Mauricius who then was proclaimed Emperour his daughter Augusta in mariage the Empire for dowrie who for all that his life during the terme of his raigne was prolonged but for a short space yet because of his noble actes which conueniently may not presently be committed to wryting he left vnto the common weale both an immortall memorie of his name and a passing inheritaunce to witte Mauricius whom he proclaimed Emperour neither only this but he gaue them also his owne title for he called Mauricius Tiberius and Augusta Constantina but what famous acts they did the next booke God willing shal declare CAP. XXIII A supputation of the times from Iustinus the second Emperour of that name vnto Mauricius TO the ende we may diligently note the succesuÌ„on of the times we haue to learne that Iustinus the yonger raigned by him selfe alone twelue yeres tenne moneths and odde dayes together with Tiberius three yeres and eleuen monethes so that his whole raigne comes to sixteene yeres nine moneths and odde dayes Tiberius was Emperour by him selfe alone foure yeres with Iustinus three yeres and eleuen moneths so that if we number the yeres from Romulus vnto the raigne of Mauricius they will appeare iust according vnto the supputation which went before and this present rehearsall CAP. XXIIII Areâ—itall of such as continewed their histories one after an other from the beginning vnto his time AS touching the order and continewance of times agreeable vnto the Ecclesiasticall historie it is come to passe by the goodnesse of God that we haue it at this day compendiously deliuered vnto vs by the workes of such famous historiographers as haue wrytten the sayd historie vnto the posteritie following for Eusebius Pamphilus hath wrytten from the birthe of Christ vnto the raigne of Constantinus Magnus Socrates Theodoret and Sozomenus haue continewed the times from Constantine vnto Theodosius Iunior of which Emperours doings this woorke also of oures hath somewhat discoursed As for the diuine and prophane histories from the beginning of the world vnto this day they are orderly continewed by painfull wryters And first of all Moises beganne to wryte as it is declared of them which compiled these things together of the things that were done from the creation of the world euen as he had truely learned of God in mount Sina Againe others folowed him shewed the redy way to attaine vnto our religion and committed to wryting the actes done since his time Moreouer Iosephus wrote a very large storie full of euery kinde of good matter What fabulous things so euer are reported to haue bene done either by the Grecians or Barbarians of olde time who either were at ciuill warres within them selues or waged battaile with foraine enemies or if any other thing can be remembred since the first molde of man was cast all I say besides sundry other wryters is laid downe by Characes Theopompus and Ephorus As for the Romaine historie comprising in maner the artes of the whole world or if any other thing fell out by reason of their ciuill discord or of quarelles risen betweene them and foraine nations it is exquisitely handled by Dionysius Halicarnassaeus who began hys story from the time of the people called Aborigines and continewed it vnto the raigne of Pyrrhus king of Epitus from theÌ„ce vnto the ouerthrow of Carthage Polybius Megapolitanus hath excellently discoursed all which treatises though occasioned at diuers and sundry times Appianus with graue iudgement hath contriued into order and compacted together adding thervnto of his owne such things as were worthy of memorie after their dayes vnto his time Diodorus Siculus wrote vnto the time of Iulius Caesar Dion Cassius likewise continewed his storie vnto the raigne of Antoninus of Emesa the like matter and order hath
him selfe looke what he prophecyed euerye daye the same was wrytten seuerallye as the Prophete vttered it He preached of some certayne matter and againe when as at an other tyme he prophecyed of an other thinge it was againe wrytten And suche thinges as were spoken followed after the chapiters that went before and had theyr titles layd downe in the beginings and thus the wholl and perfect booke was made of the diuerse and sundry sermons of that Prophete By this meanes it cometh to passe that we finde in the bookes of the Prophetes the chapiter noted and applied either vnto the captiuitie in Babylon or else vnto the returne thence and anone agayne an other chapiter either toutching Christ or concerning some other matter immediatly againe of a◠other thinge and by and by afterwardes of the former watter And to speake the wholl in one worde vnlesse a man will reade them with good aduisemente and graue iudgemente he will thinke them confusely placed and out of order They wrote not one lye the Prophetes workes in this order by peeces in the temple but also the bookes of the kinges Namelye such things as were from the dayes of Saul vnto his raygne and in the tyme of Dauid what happened vnder Saul vnto the raygne of Dauid and thus they wrote the seuerall actes of euerye kinge at seuerall tymes euen as the Chronicles are layde downe in the raygne of the kinges and so of the contrarye Moses wrote the fiue bookes called Pentateuchus to witte the historie of the thinges that were done before his time from the beginninge of the worlde what happened in his tyme and what shoulde come to passe after his dayes Iesus Naue wrote his owne booke The bookes of y ◠Iudges were wrytten in the temple that is to say in the tabernacle Euen so was Ruth Solomon him selfe wrote his owne Prouerbes the Canticle of Canticles and the booke of the preacher called Ecclesiastes For when he had receaued of God the gifte of wisedome he exhorted all men to liue wisely in this world He had not the gift of prophecy We haue rehearsed before such as were inspired from aboue to prophecye of Christ Of the twelue Apostles and Euangelistes 1. Symon Peter THe firste is Simon Peter the chiefe of the Apostles He as we are geuen to vnderstande by his Epistles preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bithynia and in the ende preached at Rome where afterwardes he was crucified the thyrde Calends of Iuly vnder Nero the Emperour with his heade downewards for that was his desire and there also buried 2. Andrewe ANdrewe the brother of Simon Peter as our elders haue deliuered vnto vs preached the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto the Scythians Sogdians Sacians and in the middle Sebastopolis inhabited of wilde Aethiopians He was crucified by Aegeas kinge of the Edessaeans buried at Patris a citie in Achaia 3. Iames the sonne of Zebedaeus IAmes the sonne of Zebedie a fisherman preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto the twelue dispersed tribes He was slayne with the sworde by Herode the retrache of the Iewes in Iudaea where he is also buried 4. Iohn IOhn the brother of Iames who was also an Euangeliste whome the Lorde loued preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ in Asia The Emperour ▪ Traian exiled him into the Isle Patmos for the worde of God where he wrote also his Gospell the which afterwardes be published at Ephesus by Gaius his hoaste and Deacon of whome Paul the Apostle wryting to the Romaines hath testified saying Gaius myne hoast and of the wholl Church saluteth you After the death of Traian he returned out of the Isle Patmos and remayned at Ephesus vntill he had liued a hundred twenty yeres Which being expired he liuing as yet y ◠Lord would so haue it buried him selfe There are some which wryte that he was not banished into y ◠Isle Patmos vnder Traian but in the time of Domitian the sonne of Vespasian 5. Philip. PHilip of the city Bethsalda preached the Gospell in Phrygia he was honorably buried at Hierapolis with his daughters 6. Bartholomewe BArtholomewe preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto the Indians and deliuered vnto them the Gospell of Mathewe He rested and was buried in Albania a citie of Armenia the greate 7. Thomas THomas as it hath bene deliuered vnto vs preached the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Iesus vnto the Parthians Medes and Persians He preached also vnto the Caramans Hircans Bactrians and Magicians He rested at Calamina a citie in India beinge slayne with a darte which they call a speare or iauelin where he was also honorably buried 8. Mathewe MAthewe the Euangelist wrote the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ in the Hebrewe tongue and deliuered it vnto Iames the brother of the Lorde accordinge vnto the flesh who was Bishop of Ierusalem He dyed at Hierapolis in Parthia where he was also honorably buried 9. Simon Zelotes SImon Zelotes preached Christ throughout Mauritania Aphricke the lesse At lengthe he was crucified at Brettania slayne and buried 10. Iude the brother of Iames. IVdas the brother of Iames called also Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus preached vnto the Edessaeans and throughout all Mesopotamia He was slayne in Berytus in the time of Agbarus king of Edessa and buried very honorably 11. Simon Iudas otherwise Iames the sonne of Alphaeus SImon syrnamed Iudas who succeeded Iames in the Byshopricke of Ierusalem I take him to be Iames the sonne of Alphaeus was crucified vnder Traian and slaine in Ostracina in Aegypt whē he had liued a hundred and two yeares 12. Mathias MAthias beinge one of the seuentye Disciples was afterwardes numbered with the eleuen Apostles in y ◠rowme of Iudas the traitor He preached the Gospell in Aethiopia about y ◠hauen called Hyssus and the riuer Phasis vnto barbarous nations and rauenours of fleshe He died at Sebastopolis where he was also buried nigh the temple of Sol. Paul PAul being called of the Lorde Iesus Christ him selfe after his assumption and numbered in the Catalogue of the Apostles beganne to preache the Gospell from Ierusalem and wente on still vnto Illyricum Italy Spayne His Epistles are extant at this day ful of all heauenly wisedome He was beheaded at Rome vnder Nero the third Calendes of Iuly so died a Martyr lieth there buried with Peter the Apostle Marke the Euangelist MArke the Euangelist the first Bishop of Alexandria preached the Gospell vnto the people of Alexandria all the bordering regions frō Aegypt vnto Pentapolis In the tyme of Traiā he had a cable rope tied about his necke at Alexandria by the which he was drawen frō the place called Bucolus vnto the place called Angels where he was burned to ashes by the furious Idolatrers in the moneth of Aprill and buried at Bucolus Luke LVke the Euangeliste of the citye of Antioch
was conuersant and situate in corners of fountaynes and welspringes but of all other most populous and most religious secure as toutching daunger and of inuincible minde ayded continually by the deuine power of God at certaine secret seasons sodenly appeared the same I say being bewtified among all men by the the title and name of Christ the which one of the Prophets being astonished and fore seeing to come to passe with the single eye of the deuine spirite vttereth thus vvho hath hearde such thinges ▪ or vvho hath spoken after this maner hath the earth traueling brought forth in one day hath ere a nation spronge vp sodenly and at one time in an other place also he hath signified the same to come to passe where he sayeth They that serue me shal be called after a nevve name vvhich shal be blessed on earth Although presently we playnely appeare to be vpstarts and this name of Christians of late to haue bene notified vnto all nations yet that the life and conuersation of Christians is neither new founde neither the inuention of our owne brayne but from the auncient creation of mankinde and as I may say rectified by the naturall cogitations and wisedome of the asicient godly men we wil thus by godly examples make manifest vnto the world The nation of the Hebrevves is no new nation but famous among all people for their antiquity and knowen of al. They haue bookes and monuments in writing containing auncient men Though their nation were rare and in number few yet they excelled in piety righteousnes and al kinde of vertues some notable and excellent before the flood and after the flood others as the sonnes Nephewes of Noe as Atar Abraham in whom the children of the Hebrevves do glory as their chiefe guide and forefather if any affirme these famous men set forth by the testimony of righteousnes though not in name yet in deede to haue bene Christians he shal not erre therin * for he that vvil expresse the name of a Christian must be such a man as excelleth through the knovvledge of Christ and his doctrine in modesty and righteousnes of mind in constancy of life in vertuous fortitude in confessing of sincere piety tovvardes the one the onely vniuersall God They of olde had no lesse care of this then we nether cared they for the corporall circūcision no more do we nether for the obseruation of the Sabaoths no more do we nether for the abstinence from certaine meates the distinction of other things which Moses first of all instituted deliuered in signes figures to be obserued no more do Christians the same now but they perceaued plainely the very Christ of God to haue appeared to Abraham to haue aunswered Isaac reasoned with Israel that he commoned with Moses and afterwards with the Prophets we haue entreated before Whereby thou maist finde the godly of old to haue sorted vnto them selues the surname of Christ according vnto that of them spoken se that ye touch not my * Christs nether deale peruersly vvith my Prophets It is manifest that the same seruice of God inuented by the godly of old about the the time of Abraham and published of late vnto all the Gentils by the preaching of the doctrine of Christ is the first the eldest and the auncientest of all but if they obiect that Abraham a long time after receaued the commaundement of Circumcision yet afore the receit therof by the testimony of his faith hath bene accompted righteous the Scripture declaring thus of him Abraham beleued God it vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes he being the same before circūcision heard y ◠voyce of God which also appeared vnto him The same Christ then the worde of God promised vnto the posterity folowing that they should be iustified after the maner of Abrahams iustification saying and all the tribes of the earth shal be blessed in thee againe thou shalt be a great a populous nation all the nations on earth shal be blessed in thee this is manifest in so much that it is fulfilled in vs for he through faith in the word of God and Christ which appeared vnto him was iustified when as be forsooke the superstition of his natiue contrey and the error of his former life confessed the only God of al worshiped the same with vertuous works not with the Mosaical ceremonies of the law which afterwards ensued vnto him in this case it was sayd In thee shal al the tribes al the nations of the earth be blessed The same maner of sanctimony was seene excercised of Abraham in workes farre excelling the words vsualy receaued among the Christians alone throughout the worlde what then hindereth but that we may confesse the sole and the same conuersation of life the same maner of seruice to be common vnto vs after the time of Christ w t them which haue sincerely serued God of olde so that we shew the same to be nether new nether straunge but if it be lawful to testifie the trueth the auncientest the only and the right restauration of piety deliuered vnto vs by the doctrine of Christ of these thinges thus farre CAP. VI. Of the time of our Sauiours comming vnto the worlde NOwe that we haue conueniently proposed hitherto as by waye of preface this our Ecclesiasticall history it remayneth then that we beginne after a compendious sorte from the comming of our Sauiour Christ in the flesh that this may take effect we pray God the father of the word and the reuealed Jesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour the heauenly worde of God to be our helper and felowe laborer to the setting forth of the true declaration therof It was the two and forty yeare of the raygne of Augustus the Emperour after the subiection of Aegypt and the death of Antonius and Cleopatra where last of all the Ptolemaees in Aegypt ceased to beare rule the eyght and twentieth yeare when as our Sauiour and Lorde Jesus Christ at the time of the first taxing Cyrenius then President of Syria was borne in Bethleem a city of Iudea according vnto the prophecyes in that behalfe premised The tyme of which taxing vnder Cyrenius Flauius Iosephus an auncient historiographer among the Hebrevves maketh mention of adding thereunto an other history of the heresye of the Galilaeans which sprong vp about the same time wherof amongest vs also Luke in the Actes of the Apostles mentioneth writing thus After this maner started vp on Iudas of Galilee in the dayes of tribute drevve avvay many of the people after him he also him selfe perished and as many as obeyed him vvere scattered abrode The same doth Iosephus before mentioned in his eyghtenth booke of Antiquities confirme thus by worde Cyrenius of the number of Consuls vvhich enioyed other principalities and by the consent of all men so preuailed that he vvas thought vvorthy of the Consulship
pinacle of the temple and shouted vnto him and sayd Thou iust man at vvhose commaundement vve all are in so much that this people is seduced after Iesus vvho vvas crucified declare vnto vs vvhich is the dore of Iesus crucified And he aunsvvered vvith a lovvde voyce vvhy aske ye me of Iesus the sonne of man vvhen as he sitteth at the right hand of the great povver in heauen and shal come in the clovvdes of the aëer VVhen as he had persvvaded many so that they glorified God at the testimony of Iames and sayd Hosanna in the highest to the sonne of Dauid then the Scribes and Pharises said among them selues vve haue done very il in causing such a testimony of Iesu to be brought forth But let vs clime vp and take him to the end the people being stroken vvith feare may renounce his faith And they shouted saying O O and the iust also is seduced and they fulfilled the Scripture vvhich sayth in Esay Let vs remoue the iust for he is a stumbling blocke vnto vs. VVherfore they shall gnavve the buddes of their ovvne vvorks They climed vp threvv dovvne headlong Iustus saying let vs stone Iames Iustus And they vvent about him vvith stones for after his fall he vvas not fully dead but remembring him selfe fell on his knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgiue them for they vvote not vvhat they doe And as they vvere a stoning of him one of the Priestes the sonne of Rechab â–ª the sonne of Châ—raâ—im vvhose testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet cryed out cease vvhat do you This iust man prayeth for you And one of them that vvere present taking a fullers clubb vvith vvhich they pounce purge their clothes stroke Iustus on the heade and brayned him so he suffred martyrdome vvhome they buried in that place â–ª his piller or picture as yet remayneth hard by the temple engrauen thus This man vvas a true vvitnesse both to the Ievves and Gentiles that Iesus vvas Christ And Vespasianus immediatly hauing ouerrun Iudaea subdued the Ievves These at larg recorded by Aegesippus are correspondent with these thinges which Clemens wrote This Iames was so famous and renowmed among all for his righteousnes that the wise among the Ievves imputed the cause of this sodayne besteging of Ierusalem after his martyrdome which no doubt therfore happened vnto them to be for the presumptuous offence practised against him Iosephus sticked not to testifie the same in these wordes These thinges happened vnto the Ievves in vvay of reuenging the death of Iames the Iust vvhich vvas the brother of Iesu vvhome they cal Christ. For the levves slevve him vvhen he vvas most iust The same Iosephus describeth his death in the twentieth booke of Antiquities saying Casar hearinge the death of Festus sendeth Albiâ—us President into Iudaea But Ananus the yonger vvhome vve reported before to haue taken vpon him the high priesthoode vvas a very presumptuous and heady cockbrayne he claue vnto the sect of the Saduces vvhich vvere mercylesse in iudgment among all the Ievves as vve signified before Ananus then being such a one hauing gotten opportunity to his thinking in so much that Festus vvas deade and Albinus not yet come called vnto him a counsell commaundinge the brother of Iesu called Christ vvhose name vvas Iames vvith certayne others to be brought forth accusing them that they had transgressed the lavve and deliuered them to be stoned As many in the city as vvere iust and due obseruers of the lavve tooke this fact greeuously sending priuely vnto the King and beseeching him to vvrite vnto Ananus that thence forth he attempt not the like In so much that his former fact vvas vnaduisedly and impiously committed Certayne of them mett Albinus comminge from Alexandria and enstructed him hereof that it vvas not lavvefull for Ananus to summone a counsell contrary to his commaundement Albinus thus persvvaded vvrote fumishly vnto Ananus threatning reuengement vpon him for this fact And king Agrippa vvhen he had gouerned the high priesthoode three moneths depriued him placing in his rovvme Iesus the sonne of Damaeus Thus farre toutching Iames whose epistle that is reported to be which is the first among the vniuersall Epistles Yet haue we to vnderstande that the same is not voyde of suspicion for many of the auncient writers make no mention thereof like as neyther of that which is vnder the name of Iudas being one of the seuen called vniuersall for all this we knowe them to be publickly reade in most Churches The translator for the remouing of all suspition concerning the canonicall Epistle of Iames. TOutching this Iames whose Epistle hath bene suspected take this lesson of Ierome agaynst Heluidius disce Scripturae consuetudinem eundem hominem diuersis nominibus nuncupari learne the maner of the Scripture which calleth one and the same man after diuerse names he is called in Math. 10. Marke 3. Act. 1. Iacobus Alphaei and numbred among the 12. Apostles Though Ierome lib. 5. cap. 17. vpon the Prophet Esay call him decimum tertium Apostolum and Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus do terme him one of the 70. Disciples He is called Iacobus frater Domini Iames the brother of the Lord in Math. 13. 27. Marke 6. 15. Galat. 1. and in this present history â–ª but in what sense he might be called his brother being his mothers sisters sonne reade Ierome agaynst Heluidius which handleth that question purposely He is called Iacobus Iustus and Oblias in the former chapiter of Eusebius This history reporteth him to haue bene placed by the Apostles Bishop of Ierusalem and there to haue gouerned the Church the space of 30. yeares for oft in the Scriptures he is founde at Ierusalem as Act. 1. 15. 21. 1. Corinth 15. Galat. 1. 2. Concerning his epistle and other parcells of holy Scripture that they were not generally receaued no maruell at all considering the malice of the Deuill in obscuring those thinges which proceade from the holy Ghost Eusebius writeth that besides the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the latter of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn with the reuelation were called into controuersy so that some reiected them some cleaued vnto them tanquam certis indubitatis Scripturis as certayne and vndoubted Scriptures Ierome in Catalog Eccles Scrip of Iames writeth thus vnam tantum scripsit epistolam quae ipsa ab alio quodam sub nomine eius aedita asseritur he wrote one epistle which is thought to haue bene published by an other vnder his name if this be the whole no danger at all The Canons commonly called the Apostles Canone 84. haue decreed this of the Epistle of Iames together with the other parcells of holy Scripture that it was to be receaued for Canonicall so hath the councell of Laodicea vnder Damasus cap. 59. about the yeare of our Lord 371. And the third councell of Carthage vnder Siricius about the yeare 417. cap. 47. Innocentius the first
variance so that the dearest friendes stroue among them selues one seely soule depriuing an other of his dayly sustenance and prouision And lest the dying should be thought to vvant the theeues searched them that vvere ready to dye leste peraduenture any had hydd meate in his bosome therfore fained him selfe to dye they vvhich greedely gaped by reason of their vvant vvandred and trotted like madd dogges falling vpon dores like madd men rushinge into the same houses tvvyse and thryse in an houre as men berefte of their vvittes Necessitye made all meate that came to the teethe supplying to be eaten those thinges vvhiche vvere not commodious no not for the fylthyest brute beastes At lengthe they abstayned not from gyrdles and shoes they eate the leathren skynnes that couered their targetts Many eate chopt haye or mynced grasse that vvas vvithered other some gathered svvept and scraped dust dounge selling the least measure thereof for foure pence But vvhat should I rehearse hovve that famyne spareth not thinges that haue no life vnlesse vvith all I declare this vvorke of her vvhose like vvas neuer reported to haue bene done amonge the Gentyles nor Barbarians horrible to be spoken of but true to the hearer I of myne ovvne parte vvoulde gladly passe this calamitie vvith silence leste that I seemed to laye forthe monstrous lyes vnto the vvorlde Vnlesse I had infinite vvitnesses in this behalfe for othervvise I should recompence my contrye vvith colde thanke if I restrayned the rehearfall of such thinges as they smarted for * A certayne vvoman vvhich dvvelled beyond Iordane called Maria the daughter of Eleazar of the village Bathezor vvhich signifieth Hyssope of good kindred and great vvealth sled vvith the rest of the multitude vnto Ierusalem and there vvas besieged the rest of her substance vvhich she had procured vnto her out of the region beyonde lordane and caused to be caryed into the city the tyrantes of the contrye tooke avvay the reliques that vvere left and the prouision for foode the catchpoles rushing in dayly snatched avvay A certayn grieuous indignation inuaded this seely vvoman so that often tymes she prouoked against her selfe by rayling and scolding the cruell rauenners VVhen as none either moued vvith pity or prouoked vvith anger slevve her she labored about seeking vittailes and could no longer finde any and famine had entred into her bovvels and inner partes furious motions more then famine inflamed her mind so that she being ledd vvith the heat of anger pinching or pining necessity offred violence vnto nature for taking her sonne in her armes vvhich vvas a suckling she sayd O vvretched infant for vvhom shall I reserue thee in these vvarres in this famyne in this seditious conspiracy Among the Romaynes if so be that vve shall liue vnder them there shall be bondage this bondage hath famyne for gone these seditious persons do afflict vs more grieuously then both Passe on be thou meate vnto me a fury vnto these seditious men a fable vnto the vvorlde vvhiche yet alone hast not felt the Ievvish calamities And immediatly vvith these vvordes she slevve her childe and boyled him being boyled she eate halfe the rest she saued and hidd secretly Anone these of the conspiracy come in stamping staring threatning present death vnto her vnlesse vvith speade she bring forth vvhat meate she had prepared she aunsvvered that she reserued the better portion for them bringing forth and shevving vvith all the reliques of her litle childe A sodaine horror and traunce of trembling minde tooke them that they vvere astonied at the sight thereof But she sayd this is my naturall sonne and this is the vvorke of myne ovvne handes Eate for I haue eaten be not you more tender then a vvoman or proner to compassion then a mother If you are so godly and mislike this my sacrifice I truely haue eaten in your name and that vvhiche remayneth I reserue for my selfe vvhiche vvhen she had sayde they all trembled at this one horrible fact and scarse leauing this meate for the mother they departed vvith greate feare In a vvhile after this haynous offence vvas bruted ouer the vvhole citye so that euery man behoulding before his eyes this affliction vvas no lesse moued then if the fact had bene committed agaynst him selfe But they that vvere pressed vvith famyne desired death earnestly and happy vvere they accompted vvhome death so preuented that they neyther hearde nor savve the greate misery that happened such were the rewardes of iniquity and impiety committed by the Ievves agaynst Christ and God It shal be thought well if we adde the true prophecy of our Sauiour declaring these thinges after this maner to haue come to passe CAP. VII The prophecyes of Christ toutching the destruction of Ierusalem WOE be to them vvhich are vvith childe and geue sucke in those dayes sayth Christ but praye that your slight be neyther in vvinter nor on the Saboth daye for then shall be greate tribulation suche as vvas not from the beginning of the vvorlde vnto this tyme neyther shall be When the Historiographer had collected the number of them that perished by sword and famine he reporteth that it mounted to * a hundred ten myllions besides the seditious and theeuish reuenners betrayed on by an other and slayne after the winning of the city and yonge men of highe stature and comlynes of bodye that were reserued for their exercise in triumphe of the rest of the multitude as many as passed seuentene yeare olde they were sent bounde to druggerye in Aegypt many were sent into the prouinces that being layde on theatres subiect to the sworde and crueltye of beastes so they might perishe â–ª suche as were vnder seuentene yeare olde were brought vnto captiuitie and soulde the number of these he reporteth to haue mounted to nyne Myriades or millions these thinges happened after this manner in the seconde yeare of the raygne of Vespasian truly according vnto the foreshewed prophecye of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ which by his diuine power as if they had bene then present he foresawe and with the shedding of teares as the holy Euangelistes testifie he be wayled whiche alleadge these his wordes then vttered to Ierusalem If thou hadest knovvne sayth he these thinges vvhiche belong vnto thy peace euen at this daye thou vvouldest take hede But novve are they hidde from thine eyes for the dayes shall come vpon thee that thine enemyes also shall cast a banke about thee and compasse thee rounde and keepe thee in vvith vexation on euery side and make thee euen vvith the grounde and thy children also Then sayth he of the people there shall be greate trouble in the lande and vvrath ouer all this people and they shall fall through the edge of the svvorde and shall be ledde avvay captiue vnto all nations and Ierusalem shall be troden dovvne of the Gentyles vntill the tyme of the Gentyles be fulfilled If any will conferre the wordes of
for Christes sake shall haue fellovvship vvith the liuing God after that she had honge a longe vvhile and no beaste toutched her she is taken dovvne cast into pryson and reserued for further torment that being conquerour of many combatts she might prouide for the crooked serpent inexcusable condemnation and animate the brethren vnto chearefulnesse putting on as a smale a vveake and contemptible person the greate the strong and inuincible champion Christ Iesus obtayning through her diuerous manifolde pacience the incorruptible crovvne of glory Attalus also a famous man vvas greatly desired of the people vnto punishment vvho being ready and of a cleare conscience came forth for he vvas notably exercised in the Christian profession alvvaies a fauorer and furtherer of the trueth therefore vvhen he vvas led in compasse of the Theatre vvith a scrole before him vvherein vvas vvritten in the Romayne tongue This is Attalus the Christian and the people had raged against him the President knovving that he vvas a Romayne commaunded him to be imprisoned and closely kept vvith the other prisoners concerning vvhom he had vvritten vnto Caesar and expected an ansvvere The meane tyme passing betvvene vvas neither vayne nor frutelesse for the infinite mercy of Christ Iesus our Sauiour shined in the vvorlde through their pacience the deade by the liuing vvere reuiued the martyrs profited such as vvere no martyrs the pure virgine and mother the Churche vvas greatly comforted and cherished vvhen as she recouered and receaued for liuing such as before she had loste as vntimely birthes and dead frute for many vvhich before had faynted by their meanes vvere novv moulded borne againe stirred vp a fresh learned to protest their faith and novv being quickened and strengthened hauing tasted of him vvhich vvill not the deathe of a sinner but is mercifull vnto the penitent they come forth before the tribunall seate ready to ansvvere vnto the interrogatories of the president And because that Caesar had commaunded by vvriting that such as confessed them selues Christians shoulde be executed and such as renounced shoulde departe the frequented solemnitie vvhich by reason of the concourse of the Gentyles from euery contrey vvas about the beginning very populous he brought forth from prison the blessed confessors into the open spectacle and presence of the people to be scornfully gased vpon and vvhen he had agayne made inquisition of them as many as he founde to be priuiledged persons of Rome those he beheadded the rest he threvv to be reÌ„t a sunder torne in peeces of vvilde beastes Christ vvas greatly glorified in them vvhich at the first denyed and at last beyond all the expectation of the heathen boldely confessed their fayth They seuerally vvere examined to be set at liberty but after confession they vvere coopled to the number of the martyrs They taried vvithout vvhich neuer had grayne of fayth no feeling of the vvedding garment no sparckle of the feare of God but rather through their vvicked conuersation blasphemed the vvay of God as sonnes of perdition All the other vvere coopled to the Christian congregation at the tyme of examination Alexander a Phrygian borne professing phisicke hauing dvvelled in Fraunce many yeares a man vvell knovvne for his great zeale Godvvardes and boldenes of speach he vvas not vvithout the gracious and Apostolicke gift stoode harde by the tribunall seate and nigh the examined persons exhorting them to bouldnesse of confession by signes and tokens so that by his sorovving and sighing by his hopping and skipping to and froe he vvas discryed of the standers by and vvhen the people in compasse had taken in ill parte that they vvhich before had recanted againe did confesse vvith one consent they cry out agaynste Alexander as author thereof VVhen the President had vrged him and demaunded of him vvhat he vvas he ansvvered I am a Christian for vvhich ansvvere the President allotted him vnto the beastes of them I say to be rent in peeces and deuoured The seconde day after together vvith Attalus he is brought forthe for the President to gratifie the people deliuered him vnto the beastes to be bayted the seconde time And vvhen these had tasted of all the torments prouided for them in compasse of the scaffolde and suffred great paine in the ende they vvere put to death of vvhich number Alexander not once sighed neyther vttered any kinde of speache but invvardly from the heart talked vvith God Attalus burning in the scaulding yron chayre glovving hott so that the sauour of his broyled body filled their nostrells spake vnto the multitude in the Romayne tongue behould this is to deuoure men for vve neither deuoure men neyther commit any other haynous offence And being demaunded vvhat name God had aunsvvered God is not called after the manner of men after all these thinges vppon the last day of the spectacles Blandina together vvith Ponticus a yonge man of fifteene yeares of age vvas brought forth vvhich thing vvas dayly vsed to the ende they might behoulde the torments of the rest vvhome they compelled to svveare by their Idols names but they constantly perseuering in their sentence and contemning their Idols sett the multitude in such a rage against them that they tendered neither pitied the yeares of the yonge man nether spared the vvoman kinde but plagued them vvith all punishment possible that in compasse compelling them novv and then to svveare vvhich vvhen they coulde not bringe to passe Ponticus being succored of the sister in presence of the Paganes vvho then behelde hovve that she exhorted and confirmed the yonge man after that he had suffered all kinde of bitter torment yelded vp the ghoste last of all blessed Blandina like a noble mother hauing exhorted her children and sent them before as Conquerours vnto the Kinge pondering vvith her selfe all the punishments of her children hastened after them ioying and triumphing at her ende as if she had bene inuited and laued to a vvedding dinner and not to be cast among vvilde beastes after scurging after buckling vvith vvilde beastes after the broyling of her bodye as it vvere in a frying panne at lengthe she vvas vvrapped in a nette and tumbled before a vvilde bull vvhich tossed her vvith his hornes to and froe yet had she no feeling of all these her minde being fixed and vvholy sett vppon the conference vvhich she had vvith Christ in the ende she vvas beheaded the Pagans them selues pronouncing â–ª that neuer any vvoman vvas hearde of amonge them to haue suffred so many and so greate torments nether so did they cease from their crueltie and rage tovvardes the Christians for the sauage and barbarous Gentyles being prouoked by a furious and beastly â—iende coulde not quiet them selues but that their furious rage practised an other kinde of malicious spyte vpon the dead carkases neither vvere they pleased in that they vvere ouercome and voyde of natural feeling and sense but proceeded further like brute beastes both President and people
gallowes some as hainous offenders some other farre worse tyed to y e tree with their heads downeward and so long besett with a watch till famyne had bereued them of their liues CAP. IX The constancye of the Martyrs throughout Thebais OUr penne can not sufficiently paynt forth y e punishments and torments endured of the martyrs throughout Thebais there bodies in steade of iagged hoofes vsed heretofore had the skinne rased all of with rugged shells of sea fishe the women tyed by the one legge were lifted into the ayre and their heads downewards with a certayne engine of woode and there hanged all bare and vncouered yelding vnto the behoulders a foule a filthye a cruell and vnnaturall spectacle agayne others ended their lyues vpon boughes and branches of trees They linked together with certayne instruments the topps of the boysterous mightier boughes and tyed them vnto either of the Martyrs thighes afterwards loosing the boughes to speart spring into their growing place sodainly rent asunder the mēbers of their bodyes for which purpose they inuented this paine all these mischieues continewed not a fewe dayes or for a short space but the terme of many yeares some time more then tenne some other time more then twenty were executed one whyle not vnder thirtye an other whyle welnighe threescore agayne at an other tyme an hundreth in one daye of men women and very yonge children after the bitter taste of sundry kindes of tormentes were put to deathe We sawe our selues with our eyes being then present at the execution a greate multitude whereof some were burned others beheaded vntill the sworde became blunt and the tormentor wearyed so that others came in place and executed by turnes where we behelde also the noble cheere and countenance the diuine power and valiantnesse of mynde in such as buylded their fayth on Iesus Christ our Sauiour as soone as the sentence was pronounced and iudgement geuen vpon the former there stepped forth others and stoode at the barre protesting their fayth and publishing them selues to be Christians not fearing at all the bitternes of manifold and sundry torments but with inuincible mindes laying their whole trust and confidence vpon God ioyfully meryly and chearefully tooke the last sentence of condemnation singing Psalmes and hymnes and thankesgeuing vnto God euen to the last gaspe These were truely to be wondred at but especially such as were renowmed for ritches nobilitie honor eloquence and Philosophy yet preferred they before all these the pietie and fayth in our Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christ such a one was Philoromus gouernour of Alexandria of no small accōpt put in trust with weighty matters of the empire being garded after the Romayne dignity and honor with a troope of souldiers to his trayne was dayly sifted and examined such a one also was Phileas Bishop of the people Thmuitae a famous man for the politike gouernment of his contrey for the ouersight of the publicke lyturgies and study of Philosophy ▪ these men though they were entreated of many their kinsfolkes and otherwise their familiar friendas of many the chiefe rulers and last of all of the iudge him selfe that they woulde tender their owne case that they woulde consider of their calling that they woulde pitye their wiues and children yet could not they for all the perswasion of such great personages be brought by preferring this present life to contemne the fayth of Christ to renounce his lawes but with constant and Philosophicall myndes yea rather diuine enduring all the threats and contumelies of the iudge ended their liues with the loosing of their heades CAP. X. The testimony of Phileas toutching the constancie of the Martyrs of Alexandria and the crueltie of the enemies IN so much that we haue reported Phileas to be famous for his skill in prophane literature he shall wittnesse both of him selfe and of the Martyrdomes of his tyme at Alexandria declaring farre more diligently then we vse to doe writing vnto the Thmuitans in these wordes for as much as all these things are published in holy Scripture for paterns exāples monumēts for our learning the blessed Martyrs vvhich liued among vs lifting vp the eye of the minde and behoulding with cleare sight the vniuersall God settled their mindes to endure any kinde of death for the seruice and religion due vnto God and held fast their vocation knowing that the Lorde Iesus for our sake tooke the nature of man vpon him to the ende he might cutt of wholy all sinne and ayde vs to enter into euerlasting life for he thought no robbery to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunt and vvas founde in his shape as man he humbled him selfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse VVherefore the blessed Martyrs of God reposed Christ in their breast being desirous of more excellent giftes endured not once but some of them twise all payne punishments that could be inuented and all the threats of souldiers practised agaynst them either by word or by deede with an inuincible courage excluding feare by reason of the fulnes of loue whose manhoode and valiantnesse in all their torments what man is able with mouth to expresse and because it was permitted laweful for euery man to torment them as him pleased best some smite them with clubbes and cudgells some with sharpe twigges some with whippes some with lethern thonges some other with whipcorde the spectacle was pitiful both for the varietie of torment the and superfluity of malice some with their handes tyed behind them were stretched a long racked in euery ioynt throughout the body as they hong and laye in the racke the tormentors were commaunded to torment all their bodies ouer neyther plaguing them as theeues are commonly handled with the onely renting of their sides but they had the skinnes of their bellies and of their shinnes and of their eye lidds rased all of with rugged hoofes with the talents and clawes of wilde beastes some were seene to hange by the one hande at an hollow vaute and to endure that way farre more bitter racking of the ioyntes and members of the bodie some were tyed to pyllers and their faces wrested quite kame for to beholde them selues their feete standing them in no steede but they violently wagging by the weyght and payse of their bodies were thus greeuously tormented by reason of their stretching and squysing in bondes this they suffered not onely while they were examined and whilest the President dealt vvith them but throughout the vvhole day ▪ and vvhen that he passed from the former vnto the latter he gaue his ministers charge to ouersee them behinde if that peraduenture any of them being ouercome vvith the greeuous torments did yeald He commaunded also that if any vvere in daunger of death by reason of colde that their fetters bondes shoulde speedely be released and they to be layd
inuentions and additionâ— of torment this calamitie was extreame and out of measure cruel And when as thenceforth they dispayred of increasing their mischiefe and now were wearied with slaughter gotten their fill of bloodshed voluntarily they mittigate their rage they practise curtesy their pleasure for sooth is henceforth to punish with death no longer It is not requisite say they that the cities shoulde be stayned with blood ishuyng out of our owne bowells that the most noble empire of the Caesars should be blemished defamed with the title of crueltie y â— emperour him self being wel knowne for clemencie benignitie yea rather the gracious goodnes clemencie of the Emperours highnes is to be stretched forth and enlarged towards all men that they be no more punished with death They deemed their crueltie asswaged and the Emperours clemencie to shine in that they commaunded our eyes to be plucked out and the left legge to be vnioynted â–ª such was their clemencie and mitigated crueltie towards vs. Wherefore by reason of this cruell curteste it may not be told what number infinite multitude of men hauing their right eyes pulled out and the empty places seared with hott burning yrons their left legges sawed asunder in the hammes and seared likewise were condemned to the quarryes and mynes throughout the prouinces to the digging of mettalls not for commoditie and profits sake but for affliction and misery And besides all this they were ledd forth to sundry kindes of torments which may not be rehearsed whose valiant actes also can not be described when the holye Martyrs shined thus throughout the worlde in these their afflictions the beholders wronded at their pacience and noble courage neyther without cause for they expressed and shewed forth vnto the worlde speciall and manifest signes of the diuine and vnspeakeable power of our Sauiour working by them it were to long yea vnpossible to number them all by their names CAP. XIII Of the famous Bispops and ministers that were martyred TOutching the chiefe rulers of the Churches and them which were crowned Martyrs in the most famous cities Anthymus bishop of Nicomedia was beheaded crowned the first martyr registred in the catalogue of the Saynctes in the kingdome of Christ Of them whiche suffred at Antioch Lucianus minister of that congregation leading a vertous life preached at Nicomedia in presence of the emperour the celestiall kingdome of Christ first vnto vs in exhortatioÌ„ by way of Apology afterwards in wryting vnto the posteritie the most famous martyrs of Phaenicia were the godly pastors of the resonable flocke of Christ Tyranâ—â—â—n byshop of Tytus Zenobius minister of Sidon and Siluanus byshop of Emisa who together with others in Emisa was throwen to feede wild beasts and is receaued vnto the company of martyrs The other two both at Antioch glorified God by theyr pacient deathes Tyrannion buried in the bottome of the seae and Zenobius an excellent phisician after scurginge bitter torment died most constantly Among the martyrs in Palaestina Siluanus by shop of the Churches of Gaza was beheaded together with nyne and thirty others which were committed to the myne pitts in Phaenos In Aegypt Peleus and Nilus Aegyptian byshops were burned to ashes And here let vs remember the renowmed piller of the parishe of Caesarea Pamphilus the elder the most famous martyr of our time Whose life and noble acts we will at time conuenieÌ„t declare of them which at Alexandria throughout Aegypt The bais suffred martyrdome y â— most famous was Peter byshop of Alexandria a paterne of piety in Christ vnto the godly pastors and together with him Faustus Didius and Ammonius ministers and perfect martyrs of Christ Also Phileas Hesychius Pachymâ—us and Theodorus byshops of the churches in Aegypt and besids these infinite other famous men whose names are well knowen in the coÌ„gregations through out the region It is not our drift to describe y â— conflicts of such as striued throughout the world we leaue that for others neither exactly to paint forth vnto y â— posterity all that happened but only the things we sawe with our eyes and were done in our presence CAP. XIIII The state of the Romayne empyre before and after the persecution and of the raygne of Constantine VNto that which went before I will annexe the recantation or dissanullinge of the thinges practised against vs yea from y â— beginning of the persecution which I suppose very profitable for the reader before y â— the Romaine empire waged battell against vs in the space the emperours fauored vs maintained peace it may not sufficieÌ„tly be declared how prosperously the common wealth florished abounded with all goodnes when as the chief magistrats of the publicke weale passed the tenth the twentieth yeare in solemne feasts celebrated gratulatioÌ„s in times of most gorgeous glorious renowne with constant inâ—noueable peace â–ª wheÌ„ as there empire after this sorte encreased without offence daily was enlarged they had 〈◊〉 sooner remoued peace from amoÌ„g vs but they sturred vp such battels as cold not be reconciled â–ª not fully two yeares after this whurlyburly there was such a chaunge happened vnto the whole empire which turned all vpsid downe for no smale disease ouertooke the chief of y â— foresayd emperours bereued him of his witts wherefore together with him which was second perâ—on in honor he embraced the popular priuate life these things then being not fully ended the empire was with all deuided into two parts the which was neuer remembred to haue come to passe before that time not long after CoÌ„stantius the emperour passing all other throughout his life time in clemency goodnes towards his subiects singularly affected towards Gods word ended according vnto the lawe of nature the common raâ—e of his mortall life leauinge behind him his naturall sonne ConstaÌ„tinus emperour Caesar to supply his rowme was first referred of them into y â— number of the Gods enioying after his death all imperiall honor dignitie due to his person In his life he was the most benigne and of most bountifull suffrayghtie among all the emperours who alone of all the emperours in our time gouerned most graciously honorably during the whole terme of his raygne shewing humanity and bountifullness vnto all men no partaker by any meanes with any presumpteous sedition â—ayled against vs he garded the godly about him in security without sentence of gylt without all contumely he destroyed no churches he practised no impiety y â— might be preiudiciall vnto our religion he obtayned a blessed life and an â—nde thrise happy he beinge emperour alone ended this life both gloriously peaceably in preseâ—â—â— of his naturall some and successor who also was most prudent and religious His sonne ConstaÌ„â—â—â—â—â— beinge proclaymed full emperour and Caesar by the army and longe before by God himselfe the vniuersall kinge he came a folower of his fathers pietie in
Christian religion And such a one was 〈◊〉 â—ut Liconius while these thinges were a doynge by common consente of the potentates was also created emperour and Augustus Whiche â–ª thinge greened Maximinus very sore who vnto that tyme was alone called Caesar of all meÌ„ who also being tyrannically disposed violeÌ„tly of his owne mind inuaded the empire and intitled him selfe Augustus And being attainted of treason and founde to haue conspired the death of Constantinus and after deposition to haue aspired againe vnto the imperiall scepter dyed a moste shamefull death He was the firste whose titles pictures withall that seemed to shewe forth his honor were ouerthrowen for no other then the armes of an emperour that was moste prophane and impious CAP. XV. The dissimuled loue of Maxentius towardes the Christians his horrible offences and crueltie HIs sonne Maxentius which exercised tyranny at Rome in the beginninge of his raygne dissembled our fayth egregiously creepinge into creditt by flatteringe of the people of Rome and therefore he commaunded his communalty to cease from persecutinge of the Christians whereby he might pretende a shewe of pietie and seeme tractable more benigne theÌ„ his auncestres were before him but in processe of time he was not in dede founde the same which men tooke him for and hoped he woulde be for he fell into all kinde of enormyties omittinge no haynous offence bowe detestable and laciuious soeuer it were vnassayed committing adultery all kinde of lewde wantonnesse sendinge home againe vnto their husbande 's the louinge spouses and lawefull wiues taken from them by force when he had ignominiously abused them and these presumpteous practises he exercised not onely vpon the obscurer sort but dealt this opprobriously with the most renowmed of the Romaine senators Wherefore all both high primats and inferior people trembling for feare of him were oppressed with his intollerable tyranny yet nether by silence neither by suffring this greuous setuitude cold they be free from the bloody slaughter and embrued murther of this tyrante vpon light occasions sundry times deliuered he the people vnto the soldiers which were in compasse to be slayne and an innumerable multitude of the Romayne people in the middes of the citie he offred to the sworde and spears not of Barbarians and Scythians but of his owne proper soldiers It may not be recited what slaughter of senators he procured craftely seeking after their substance of whome an infinite number he executed for sundry causes and fayned crimes this was the drift and marke this mischiefous tyrant shotte at he applied himselfe vnto the studie of Magicall artes for inchauntement he opened and ript the bowells of burthened women great with childe he searched the entrailes of newe borne babes he slewe lyons and after a secrett maner coniured deuells and endeuored to withstande the warres then approchinge for he fully determined with himselfe to be crowned conquerour by meanes of these artes This Maxentius therefore practisinge tyrranny at Rome oppressed the commonalty with such haynous offences as may not be tolde so that they were pinched with so great penurie of necessary victaile as the like can not be remembred in this our age to haue happened at Rome CAP. XVI The cruell behauiours of Maximinus in the East and of Maxentius at Rome and other where in the west â–ª MAximinus the Casterne tyrant of a long tyme behaued himselfe to the ende he might conceale his malice against his brother and his hid friendship towards the Romaine tirant but in the ende he was espied and suffred punishmente due to his desert It was wonderfull to see howe that he committed things a like and correspondeÌ„t vnto the practises of the Romayne tyrant nay he farre passed him in malice and mischiefe The chiefest inchaunters magicians were in greatest creditte with him and because he was a man very timorous wonderfully rooted in superstition he highly esteemed of the erroneous worship of Idols and deuels without southsaingâ— answers of Oracles he durst not mone no as it is commonly sayd not the breadth of a nayle for which cause he persecuted vs without intermission and more vehemently then his auncesters before him he erected temples throughout euery citie the Idolatricall worship of longe time defaced and ouerthrowen he carefully restored agayne and published by edict that Idole priestes shoulde be ordained throughout all countreys and cities besides this he appointed in euery prouince one for high priest of such as were counted famous for politicke affaires being also able with decency to execute that function whome he furnished with a great trayne and gard of soldiers To be short he priuiledged all inchaunters recounted godly and takeÌ„ for Gods them selues with primacy dignities and chiefest prerogatiues He went on still and oppressed not on Citye or region onely but whole prouinces vnder his dominion exactinge golde and siluer and summes of money and vexed them with greuous proclamations on penaltie ensuinge after another The wealth and substance which his progenitors had gathered before he tooke in greate heapes of treasure and greate summes of money and bestowed it vpon his flatteringe parasites He was so drowned with ouer muche wine and drunkenesse that amonge his cuppes he woulde be starke madd and besides him selfe and often times beinge typsie commaunded such thinges whereof afterwards being restored to his former sobriety it repented him He gaue place to no man for surfeting and superfluitie but made him selfe ringe leader of that vice vnto all that were about him bothe Prince and people He effeminated his soldiers with all kinde of delicacy and lasciuiousnes He permitted his presidentes and captaynes to practise rauenous extorcion and poulinge of his subiectes whome he entertayned as fitte companions of his foule and shamefull tyranny To what ende shall I rehearse his vnchaste life Or recite the adulteryes he committed He colde passe no Citie where he rauished not wiues and deflowred not virgins And in these thinges he preuayled agaynst all sortes of people the Christians only excepted which contemned death and despised his tyranny The men endured burninge beheading crucifyinge rauenous deuouring of beastes drowninge in the seae mayming and broyling of the members goringe and digginge out of the eyes manglinge of the whole body moreouer famyne and imprysonment to be short they suffred euery kinde of torment for the seruice of God rather then they woulde leaue the worship of God and embrace the adoration of Idols â–ª women also not inferior to men through the power of the worde of God putt on manly courage whereof some suffred the same tormentes with men some attayned vnto the like maysteries of vertue other some drawen to be abused yelded sooner they re life vnto the death then theyr bodyes to be defiled For when as others by reason of the tyrants adultery were polluted a Christian matron of Alexandria both noble and renowmed
of the high sheepherde But if theyr mindes haue bene amazed with the threates of sundry tyrantes neither hath the worde of saluation contemned the cure of them but healinge them notably leadeth them vnto heauenly comforte saying Comfort yourselues you faint harted be strong feare not and because it behoued this wildernes wrought for God to enioy these benefits this our newe and passing Zorobabel endued with that readines of mind he is of to geue eare obeying the sayings of the prophets after that bitter captiuity and abhomination of desolation despised not this deade carcase but before all thinges pacifying God the father with prayers and supplications together with the consente of you all taking him for a helper and fellowe worker which alone quickeneth the deade raised her being fallen after that he had purged and cured the mischiefs which were wrought and gaue her a stole not wherewith she was cladd of old but that which she learned againe of holy scripture which testifieth thus And the later glory of this house shall passe the former Wherefore enlarging this quire with farre greater rowme he hath fortified the outer compasse of the whole buylding with a wall that it might be a most safe hedge of all the whole work next he hath erected a great porch reaching very high eastwardes vnto the sunne beames so that vnto them which stande a farre of without the halowed walls it yealdeth a cleare shewe of the artificiall worke contayned within them and with all turning or entising the countenance of foreyners toutching the fayth vnto the first entrance so that none passe by which is not pricked in minde first with the remembrance of the former desolation past next with the sight of this wonderfull worke vnto such as were hoped and wished for a pricke paraduenture to draw men and by the beholding thereof to entice meÌ„ to enter in them also who already are entred within the gates he suffreth not with foule and vnwashed feete to drawe nigh vnto the inner partes of the most holy places For making a separation with great distance betwene the temple it selfe the first entrance he hath bewtified this place on euery side with foure ouerthwarte porches and after the forme of a quadrangle he compassed them about one euery side with highe pillers the distance whereof he hathe shutte with latice like netts made of wood and measured after the breadeth of the place the open middle he left free that the gorgeous skie mighte be seene and that it might yeld the aere tempered with the bright beames of the sunne Hither hath he referred pleadges of holy purgations to meete welsprings lying ouer against the temple which with great plenty of water graunte licence of purifying vnto such as enter into the holy cloysteres The first exercise for such as enter yeldeth vnto euery one bewty brightnes to were the washing of their handes clensing of their body but vnto theÌ„ that desire the knowledge of the chiefe principles of our religion a fiâ—â—e mansion place to continewe Moreouer when he had wonderfully garnished the sight of these he proceeded on made the entraunces of the temple wide open as yet w t more artificiall porches wrought within side And againe he placed three gates of the one side subiecte to the sunne beames the which he made to excell w t the midd distaÌ„ce of both sids by reason of the biggnesse and breadth thereof the which also he notably sett forth with bowes of brasse linked with iron and sundry kinds of carued worke and substituted them vnto it as gardinge souldiers vnto a queene After this maner he added the same number of porches vnto the galeryes on euery side of the whole temple and ouer theÌ„ from aboue he inueÌ„ted sundry falles of greater lights vnto the whole house the setting out or fronte of theÌ„ he hath diuersly wrought ouer with carued timber But the princely pallace he hath fortified w t more precious more gorgeous stuff vsing for this more pleÌ„teous liberality of expeÌ„ces It seemeth vnto me herein a thing superflous if y â— I would describe the length breadth of this house these gorgeous ornaments the vnspeakable greatnes y â— glistering shew of the worke the height reaching vnto y â— heauens if that I would extoll with speach the precious cedre trees of Libanus hanging ouer the which holy Scripture haue not passed ouer with silence saying The trees of the Lorde vvill reioyce and the cedres of Libanus vvhich the Lord hath planted To what end shall I entreate more curiously of the most wise and chiefe deuised disposition of the building and againe of the excellent ornature of euery seuerall parte when as the testimony of the eyes them selues passeth and excludeth that knowledg which pearceth the eare But this man hauing finished the temple and the most high seates for the presidents honor againe hauinge placed the vnderseates in a passing good order and last of all the most holy place the alter beinge sett in the middest agayne he so compassed these things wyth wooden rayles wrought vp to the toppe wyth artificiall caruynge that many might not come therein yeldinge a wonderfull bewty to the beholders Nether hath he negligeÌ„tly strawed the pauement This he gorgeously bedecked with marble stone now consequently he tooke in haÌ„d the vtter partes of the temple he builded seates and goodly chapels one ether side very artificially and ioyned theÌ„ to the temples side he beat out windowes coopled them to the doores of the middle temple the which things also our Solomon an earnest maintainer of peace builder of this temple hath brought to passe for such as yet want the sacrifice sprinklings done by water and the holy ghost So that the prophecy aboue mentioned consist no longer in words but is accomplished in deede it selfe For as yet as it is most true The later glorie of this house passeth the former For it behoued and most meete it was In so much that the Lorde had bene in agony had once embraced death for her and after his passion the foule body which for her sake he putt on being translated vnto brightnes and glory and the flesh it selfe after dissolution ledd from corruption to incorruption that shee in like maner shoulde enioye the gracious goodnes of our Sauiour Although she had promisses of the Lord himselfe of farre more excelleÌ„t gifts and desireth incessantly to obtaine a greater glory of newe birth at the resurrection of the incorruptible body together with the glisteringe brightnes of the Angelicall quire aboue in the heauens pallaces of God with Iesus Christ him selfe the chiefe benefactor and Sauiour in the world to come yet in the meane space in this present life she which of old was a widowe and solitary nowe adorned by the grace of God with these flowres and become in deede like the lily according vnto the sayinge of
to rayse persecution agaynst all and had brought his purpose to passe for there was nothing to hinder him from this hainous offence vnlesse that God which fighteth for the soules of his seruaÌ„ts had speedely forestopped preuented his malicious enterprise and had brought forth with a mightie arme in defence of the quarell his seruant Constantinus a defender of all the godly as it were a great lyght in a darke and thicke mistie night CAP. IX Constantinus after that he ouer came Licinnius enioyed the empire alone fauored the Christians and restored peace GOd from aboue graunted vnto this man this deserued frute of godlinesse to wete victorie and triumphant signes againste wicked persons and brought subiect the vngracious tyrant together with all his counsellers and friends euen groueling at the feete of CoÌ„staÌ„tine For when he was fallen into extreme folly the godly emperour furtherer of christiaÌ„ religion perceauing that he was no longer to be borne withall weyed this matter wisely mingling the seueritie of iustice with the clemencie of his nature thought best with voluntarie mind to delider from iniury such as were oppressed by the tyrant And to the ende he might saue many he went about to cutt of a few hurtfull pestilent persons For when as Constantinus in times past had vsed clemencie and pitied him which was worthy of no compassion at all therby Licinnius enioyed no great commoditie for that he forsooke not his malice but rather encreased his rage againste the nations subiect vnto him for them to wete being oppressed wearied by the sauadge beast there remained no hope of saluation Wherfore the defender of pietie ioyned the hatred of the euill with the loue of goodnes together with his sonne Crispus the most clement emperour he went forth to battaile and stretched forth his helping hande vnto all that were oppressed These therefore together the father and the sonne vsing for guide and helper God the supreme king and the sonne of God the sauiour of the whole worlde hauinge both on euery side scattered the armies of the enemies of God and all the aduersaries in that conflict by the power of God eden as they wished being foyled and ouerthrowen they gott an easie and a speedy victorie Immediatly then sooner then the word vttered they which yester nyght and the day before breathed out present death and threaming thunder bolts of fiery persecution were not afterwardes remembred no not as much as once by name their tytles and honors had deserued shame and ignominie and Licinnius him selfe suffred the selfe same things a like the which he sawe with his eyes to chaunce vnto the wicked tyrantes his predecessors For be admitted no correction neither aduised him selfe by the stripes of his kinsfolkes but treadinge with them the same path of impietie is brought by iuste iudgement into the same downefall and thus was this man prostrated Constantinus then beyng renowmed for euery rare vertue and godlinesse being also chiefe conquerour together with his sonne Crispus the most godly emperour like vnto his father in all things tooke the easterne and the Romaine empire of old time one brought subiect to their peace from the East euery where throughout both parts of the world North and South euen vnto the farthest place of the VVest All the feare of them by whome they were afore time oppressed was taken away and wiped from of the face of the earth they celebrated solemne and royall feasts All was replenished with the bryght beames of ioye and gladnesse and they which afore time full sadly beheld eche other now they do it with gladsome countenance and cheerefull eyes they honored before all thinges for so they were instructed the supreme kinge next the godly emperour together with his sonnes beloued of God with daunces and hymnes throughout townes and contries Moreouer all olde iniurie was forgotten neither was there mention of any mans impietie at all but the enioyinge of present prosperitie and the expectation of goodnesse to come The constitutions of the victorious emperour full of clemencie and lawes containing manifest tokens of bountifulnesse and true pietie were euery where proclaymed Thus therefore all tyrannie beyng rooted out the empire fitte and dew for Constantinus and his sonnes was preserued firme and free from all enuye who wyping away all impietie of their predecessors in lyfe and enioying meryly all the benefits best owed from aboue haue sett forth by their lawes decreed in the behalfe of the Christians the study of vertue and loue and pietie towards God with thankfulnesse of minde The ende of the tenth booke of the Ecclesiasticall history of Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS COMPRISED IN SEVEN BOOKES BEginning where Eusebius left ending a hundreth and forty yeares after VVRITTEN in the Greeke tongue aboue a thousande yeares agoe and translated by M. H. Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers 1576. THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR VNTO THE READER TO VTCHING THE LIFE AND HISTORIE OF SOCRATES IN so much that I finde not in any one writer either auncient or otherwise howsoeuer a sufficient treatise or ample discourse of the life and history of Socrates Scholasticus I thought good for the Christian readers sake to cull here and there such proofes as may bring him the better acquainted with this learned Historiographer lest that vpon the so day ne he conceaue of him any sinister opinion or misâ—â—king not knowing either who whâ—â—â— or what doctrine he wrote of I do gather by his owne history that he liued in the time of Damasus Bishop of Rome and florished in the tyme of 〈…〉 stoâ—e Bishop of Constantinople about 412. yeares after Christ of this opinion is 〈…〉 where he writeth â–ª Socrates wrote the Ecclesiasticall history vnto the tyme of Chrysastome when as it is most like he florished him selfe â–ª but his owne wordes in my iudgement are playneâ— where the time is exactly layd downe in this sorte Our whole historye sayth he being deuided into seuen bookes compriseth the compasso of one hundreth and forty yeares beginning at the first yeare of the two hundreth and firste Olympiade vvhen Constantine was proclaymed Emperour ending in the 2. yeare of the two hundreth eight twentyeth Olympiad being the 〈◊〉 Consulship of Theodosius the Emperour Theodorus Zuinger calleth Socrates Pistoriensom presbyterian minister of Pistoria in Italy and Volaterran calleth not him but Socâ—â—â—â—s who liued about that tyme and wrote in like sorte the Ecclesiasticall history minister of Pistoria I doe not see how either of them being Grecians coulde be minister of any the latine or west Churches Sozomenus was of Salamina an I le hard by Athens where he wrote his historye in the Greeke tongue Socrates was of Constantinople the which Volaterran doth confesse nay his owne words doe testifie the same where he writeth in this sort I of mine owne part sayth Socrates in so much
the threats of Ieâ—â—â—bel For it is written howe that in those dayes the sonnes of the prophets beinge sought for hid them selues and through the helpe of Abdias â—urked in denns VVhat haue they not read these auncient stories vvhat are they ignorant also of such thinges as the Euangelists haue vvritten For the Disciples fearinge the levves stole them selues from amonge them Moreouer Paul beynge at Damascus â–ª and sought out by the gouernour of that countrey vvas lett dovvne ouer the vvall in a basket and so escaped the magistrate Seeinge that holie scripture hath thus remembred the behauiour of holie men â–ª vvhat coulourable shyfte can they finde to cloke their impudent dealinge If they charge them vvith timorous feare the fault recoyles and lighteth vpon their owne distempered brayne If they report it to be contrarie to the will of God then are they founde altogether ignorant of the vvorde of God For it is commaunded in the Lawe that sanctuaries and cities of refuge shoulde be ordayned for such as vvere pursued to death vvhere after they had sledde vnto them they might lyue in safetie Furthermore the vvorde of the father vvhich in olde tyme spake vnto Moses hath commaunded in these last dayes VVhen they shall persecute you in this cytie flye into an other And agayne VVhen you see sayeth Christ the abhomination of desolation mentioned in the Prophete Daniel standinge in the holie place he that readeth lett him vnderstande it then lette them that be in Iudaea flye vnto the mountaynes â–ª he that is on the house toppe lette him not come dovvne to take ought out of his house and lett not him that is in the fielde returne home for his raymente The vvhiche vvhen holie men had learned they framed their trade of lyfe agreeable therevnto For looke vvhatsoeuer the Lorde commaunded at that tyme the same he vttered by the mouthes of his Sainctes yea before his incarnation And this is the vvay to perfection for men to performe that in deede vvhich the Lorde commaunded in vvorde VVherefore the vvorde of God being made man for our sakes sticked not to hide him selfe as vve commonly doe vvhen he vvas sought for and agayne to flie to the ende he might auoyde the conspiracie of the Pharises vvhich persecuted him For euen as by pacient sufference of hunger and thurst and such kinde of miseries he vvoulde shevve him selfe to be true man so also by flyinge avvay from the face of the aduersary Moreouer euen from the very cradle and svvadling cloutes as soone as he had taken fleshe of the virgine being as yet but a childe he gaue charge vnto Ioseph by the Angell saying rise take the childe together vvith his mother and flie into Aegypt for it vvill come to passe that Herode vvill goe about to seeke the life of the childe Likevvise after the desease of Herode vvhen he hearde that Archelaus the sonne of Herode raygned in his steede it pleased him to goe aside into the partes of Nazareth Aftervvardes vvhen he made him selfe manifest to be God and healed the vvithered hande the Pharises vvent out and tooke councell hovve they might dispatche him but Iesus perceauinge their conspiracie conueyed him selfe from amonge them Agayne vvhen he restored Lazarus to life from that daye forth sayth the text they tooke councell hovve they might put him to death Iesus therefore after that tyme shevved not him selfe openly amonge the Ievves but departed vnto a solitary place adioyning vnto the vvildernesse Beside all this vvhen our Sauiour auoutched saying before Abraham vvas I am the Ievves tooke vp stones for to throvve at him but the Lorde hid him selfe and vvent out of the temple and passing through the middest of the thronge escaped avvay VVhen they see these examples but they seeing as it is vvritten doe not see and bethinke them selues of these presidents are they not invvardly pricked in conscience vvhen as they preâ—mue thus vnaduisedly to bolt out sentences and sit in iudgment both vpon the sayings and doings of our Sauiour To this purpose vvas that of Iesus vvho vnderstanding of the beheading of Iohn the Baptist and the burying of his body by his disciples tooke shiping weÌ„t aside into a desert place Thus the Lorde him selfe both did these thinges and taught the same I vvoulde to God these men vvoulde novv at length be ashamed of their doings and cease euen presently from sclaundering of true professors and not proceede on further in their furious disposition charging yea our Sauiour him selfe vvith timorous feare and faint corage blaspheming vvith all might the maiestie of his blessed name â–ª but no man can avvay vvith such kinde of persons that are vvholy geuen ouer vnto all vngracious behauiour it may easily be proued that they are altogether ignorant vvhat the Euangelists haue left vs in vvriting The cause that moued our Sauiour to slie and goe aside being layde dovvne in the Gospell seemed not onely to be agreeable vnto reason but vvas in very deede most true vve therefore haue to coniecture that the same by all likelyhoode happened vnto all the Sainctes of God for vvhatsoeuer thinges are vvritten to haue chaunced vnto our Sauiour after the maner of men vve haue not referre the same vnto all mankinde in so much he tooke our nature vpon him and liuely expressed in him selfe the humane affections of our fraile constitution euen as it is vvritten in the Gospell after Iohn they sought to take him but no man laide handes vpon him because that his houre vvas not as yet come Yea before this came about he sayde vnto his mother Mine houre is not as yet come He spake also vnto them that vvere called his brethren my tyme is not yet come Agayne vvhen the houre vvas come he sayd vnto his disciples sleepe on novv and take your rest beholde the houre is at hande the sonne of man shal be betrayed into the handes of sinners Therefore neyther suffred he him selfe to be taken before his tyme vvas come neyther hid he him selfe vvhen the houre vvas at hande but yelded him selfe vnto the enemie In like sorte the blessed Martyrs in the great heate and troublsome stormes of persecution vvhiche often came to passe being pursued by men fledde avvay and hid them selues in secret and solitary places but being taken they valiantly encountred vvith the aduersaries ended the combatt vvith martyrdome These were the reasons of Athanasius layd downe in his Apollogie the which he wrote in the defence of his departure from his bishopricke in the time of persecution CAP. VII Eusebius after the councell held at Alexandria was broken vp returned to Antioch where he founde the people at variance by reason that Paulinus was there chosen Bishop and when that he coulde not preuaile among them with exhort ations to peace and vnitie he gott him home to his owne bishoprick of Vercellae EVsebius Bishop of Vercellae immediatly after the dissoluing of the
goeth and rife it is in euery mans mouth that this cruell and horrible act was not longe after vnreuenged For immediatly all Phrygia was plagued with a sore and a lamentable famine so that many of the inhabitantes of that countrey were constrayned of necessitie to flie vnto Constantinople and to other prouinces for necessarie food The city of Constantinople though it find and relieue an infinite multitude of meÌ„ yet there is great plentie abundance of all things partly by reason that all necessaries are caried thither by seae and partly also that Euxinus is so nighe and conueyeth thither greate store of grayne CAP. XIIII Howe the Emperour wente to Antioch and persecuted all them that professed the fayth of one substance of his doinges at Edessa and the great constancie of a Christianwoman THe Emperour Valens weyed not at all this grieuous famine went forth on his iorney to Antioch and continewing there pursued with deadly hatred such as detested the Arian opinion He deposed of theyr churches for no other crime then because they were enemies vnto y â— Arians all that embraced the faith of one substance not onely throughout all the Easterne parts of the world but also not satisfied with this punishemente tormented them with diuerse grieuous deuises and executed a farre greater number then we spake of before with sundry kindes of death but specially with drowninge of them in the surginge waues of the sea Furthermore let vs here call to remembraunce the horrible Acte committed by him at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia There I meane in that citie there is a goodly a gorgeous temple called Sainct Thomas the Apostles where infinite troopes of men for y â— reuerent opinion conceaued of the holy place are wont to frequent Valens being desirous to see it although he knewe full well that all those flockinge assemblies detested his hereticall opinion as the reporte goeth gaue the Liuetenant a blowe with his fist because he had not scattered those conuenticles as he had charged him before When the Liuetenant for all this grieuous contuâ—ely framed himselfe with vnwillinge minde to obeye the Emperours wrath and displeasure gaue notice priuely hereof vnto them it was farre from his mind to fall a murthering of so many godly citizens that none should shewe his face in the temple that none shoulde be founde raysing of any conuenticle but not one made accompt of his aduise nether weyed of his threates for the day followinge all flocked in greate companies to the temple And while the Liuetenant hastened with greate power of armed souldieres vnto the temple to the ende he might delay the boyling heate of the Emperours stomacke which breathed out anger and displeasure a simple woman leadinge a childe in her hande all in hast brake the raye and thrust her selfe in the throng of armed souldiers to passe on her voyage The Liuetenant being moued therewith calleth the woman before him reasoneth with her in this sorte thou fond and vnfortunat woman whether runnest thou so rashly thither sayde she where others doe hasten Hast not thou hearde sayth he that the Liuetenant will execute as many as he finds there I heard it sayd she and therefore I goe thither in all the hast that I may be founde there But whither sayd he leadest thou this childe that he also sayd she may be accompted in the number of Martyrs When the Liuetenant heard this he coniectured thereafter of the rest Thereupon he got him vnto the Emperour and geueth him to vnderstand that all from the highest vnto the lowest prepared them selues to die in the quarell and in defence of their faith he aded moreouer that it was verye rashe and without all reason that so great a multitude in so shorte a space shoulde so soddainely be executed in so saying he fell a perswading of the Emperour so long vntill that his wordes preuayled the Emperour was with reason appeased Thus the Edessaeans auoyded the ouerthrowe pretended of the Emperour towardes them CAP. XV. Howe the Emperour Valens put many to death whose names beganne with TH by reason of certaine Necromancie whereunto he gaue some credit ABout that time a certaine pestilent spirite vsed the tyrannicall crueltye of the Emperour to y t satisfieng of his deuelish lust pleasing mind For he allured certain fond curious kind of people to search and sift out by Necromancie who should succeede Valens in the Empire The deuell after his wonted guise gaue no perfect and plaine but a very darke doubtfull answere vnto the coniurers that his name beganne of foure letters Th E O D which should succeede ValeÌ„s in the Empire that his name was compound The fame thereof was spred so farre that it came to the Emperours eares He as it fell out neither attributed casualties neither referred the knowledge of things to come neither admitted y â— bestowing of scepters to lie in y â— power of God whose prouidence ruleth all things but laying aside the principles of Christian religion the which colorably he pretended executed diuers whome he suspected after him should enioy y â— Emperial scepter So y t he dispatched out of the way as many as were called Theodorus Theodotus Theodosius Theodulus or after any such like names Of which nuÌ„ber was Theodosiolus a noble man y â— sonne of a Senator being brought vnto Valens from Spayne who lost his heade Many for feare chaunged their names which theyr parents had geuen them at theyr comminge into y â— world denied themselues theyr owne names being in great perill daunger of their liues But of this matter thus much shal suffice CAP. XVI After the desease of Athanasius Peter became his successor but the Arians by the commaundement of the Emperour clapte Peter in prison and placed Lucius in the Bishopricke HEre we haue to learne that while Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria liued the Emperour through the prouidence of God tempered himselfe from troubling of Alexandria Aegipt because he vnderstoode y t there was a great multitude which would liue die w t Athanasius therfore he feared if AlexaÌ„dria were set on anvprore for it is a hot a hasty kind of people lest the coÌ„mon weale should therby greatly be annoyed Athanasius in y â— end after many skirmishes endured in the quarel of the church after he had bene bishop six forty years not without great hazard of his life departed out of this world in the Consulship of Probus the second of Gratianus left behind him Peter a godly and a zealous maÌ„ to succeede him Immediatly the Arians set vp themselues they brag boast of the Emperours religion in all the hast they certifie the Emperour who then continewed at Antioch of Athanasius death Euzoius also the Arian beinge then at Antioch determined with himselfe by reason of the opportunitie of the time in all the hast to ride into Alexandria for to coÌ„firme Lucius y
the mysteries After all this in the sight of the wholl assembly the Bishop of Constātinople accompanied with his clergie gott him into the vestry where the corps of this holy Martyr aboue named was interred There is on the left hande of this coffin and chested corps as it were a litle wickett very strongly made of litle latises through the which they vse to let down a longe iron with a sponge tyed about the end they dipp and soke it round about in the dead corps after wardes pull vp the sponge all embrued with cogeled drops of blood The people seeing this worship God immediatly and magnifie his holy name There are so many drops of cōgeled blood drawen vp that they suffice the religious Emperours the wholl assembly of priests gathered ther together all the flocking multitude not onely to participate thereof them selues but also to send vnto the other faithfull throughout the world that full fayne would be partakers with them But the congeled drops continew still the same neither doth the holy blood chaunge the hewe or colour thereof at all All which things are not to be seene at any certaine speciall or appointed time but thereafter as the Bishop of that place is in life and as it agreeth with his vertues For they report when any singular man of godly disposition is chosen Bishop of that Church that then most commonly this miracle is to be seene but when a leude person is crept to enioy the rowme that these things very seldome come to passe An other thing yet I will rehearse which is stayed and hindred neither by time neither by occasion neither maketh any difference betwene faithfull and infidell but sheweth it selfe alike vnto all men When any cometh into the vestry where the coprs of this holy martyr is chested he is so rauished with such fragrant odours that all other perfumes in comparison of that seeme worth nothinge For it is like neither the sweete smelling flowres culled in the greene medowes neither any other redolēt sauor whatsoeuer neither such as is made of pleasant oyles but it is a straunge and passing all the rest breathing out of the Martyrs dead body CAP. IIII. Of the things handeled decided by the councell of Chalcedon howe after they had deposed Dioscorus b. of Alexandria they restored Theodoritus and Ibas to theyr Bishopricks IN the aforesayde place described of vs at large the Councell of Byshoppes mette together where Pascasianus and Lucentius Byshopps and Boniface a Priest legats as I sayd before of Leo Byshoppe of olde Rome Anatolius Byshopp of Constantinople Dioscorus byshopp of Alexandria Maximus byshopp of Antioch and Iuuenalis byshopp of Ierusalem with the priestes of their seuerall prouinces were present There sate with them the chiefe senators vnto whome the substitutes of Leo sayde that Dioscorus ought not to sitt with them in the councell that Leo their byshopp had charged them no lesse and if they woulde not yeelde vnto it that they woulde leaue the Churche and bidd them farewell When the Senators demaunded what crimes Dioscorus was to be charged withall their aunswere was that he who contrarye to all right and honestie playde the part of a Iudge was to ▪ abide the sentence of iudgement him selse for the censure he had pronounced of others These thinges beinge spoken and Dioscorus also beinge appointed to stande in the middest Eusebius byshopp of Dorylaeum requested that the supplication he had sent vnto the Emperour might be openly reade in their hearing and withall he added these wordes I protest vnto you that Dioscorus hath iniuried me not a litle he hath also brought our religion into great infamye he procured the death of Flautanus the byshopp and wrongfully deposed him together with me cause I beseeche you my supplication to be reade When he had made an ende of speakinge his supplication was reade contayninge suche a forme as followeth The humble supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorylaeum exhibited vnto the most vertuous Emperours requestinge he may be hearde pleadinge both for him selfe and in the behalfe of the catholicke faith IT behoueth your maiesties most noble and puisant emperours to prouide carefully for the quietnesse of all your louing subiects yet when all others sustaine iniuries euer to vphold and assist the sacred senate of priesthood and herein verily the diuine godheade which graunted vnto you the rule domination of the whole world is truely honored wherefore seing the christian faith we our selues also haue bene oppressed diuersty molested with extreme wrōg by Dioscorus the most reuerēd byshop of the most noble city of Alexandria we are come vnto your wonted clemēcy most humbly to craue iustice at your hands The occasion of our cōplaint is as followeth In the councel lately held at the famous city of Ephesus I would to God it had neuer bene called together then had it not brought into the whole world such horrible mischiefe and hurliburly the aforesaid Dioscorus who trode right reasō vnder foot who set the fear of God farre out of his sight who maintained one absurd opinion with Eutyches that vaine hereticall varlett who of a longe whyle reuealed not vnto many the venome of his cankred stomacke yet bewrayed him selfe in processe of time partly by occasion of the crimes we laide to Eutyches his charge partly also by occasion of the sentence which Flauianus the byshop of worthy memorie pronounced against him gathered together a great multitude of seditious persons raised with his money no small power laboured as muche as laye in him to ouerthrowe the catholicke religion and godly fayth of the auncient fathers and to establishe the blasphemous opinion of Eutyches the monk whose opinion was euer condēned of the holy fathers from the Apostles time vnto this day wherfore seing the haynous offences he committed both impudently to the derogation of the Christian faith vncharitably against vs be of no smal importāce we are most humbly to craue vpon our bare knees of your graces and to request that by vertue of your autority the most reuerēd byshop Dioscours may be inioyned to aunswere vnto suche crimes as we haue laid to his charge to wit vnto such practises of his records as he broughtforth against vs in the holy councell wherby we shal be able plainly to proue that he is estraunged from the catholicke faith that he maintaineth an opinion which is nothing else but blasphemy it selfe that he both deposed vs vniustly iniuried vs diuersly besides ▪ we beseeche you moreouer to vouchsafe the sending of your gracious letters vnto the holy general councel of the most godly byshops to thend both our doings his may indifferently be heard that your highnes may be certified againe of al that is handled by the councel hoping that therein we shall please our immortal head Christ Iesus If we may obtaine most holy emperours this our humble sute at your maiesties hāds we will not ceasse
neither say this or that place stoode thus before the fire consumed them CAP. XIIII Of sundry calamities that raignedin diuerse contreyes ABout the same time wheÌ„ the Scythian battaill waged w t the Romaines which inhabited the Easterne partes of the Empire waxed hotte Thracia Hellespontus and Ionia were wonderfully shaken with earthquakes no lesse were the fiftie Iles called Cyclâdes in the seae AegaeuÌ„ Cnidos in Caria Coo so that many of theyr buildings were turned downe to the ground Priscus moreouer writeth there fell at Constantinople and in Bithynia such stormes of raine and water that for the space of three or foure dayes it poured downe like wholl streames and floodes beate downe the hills and mountaynes with the violence thereof and made them playne valleyes that the villages were all on flote and in daunger of drowning that in the lake Boan not farre froÌ„ Nicomedia by reason of the filth and all kinde of baggage which the water brought thither there were seene Ilands but these things came to passe in a while after CAP. XV. The mariage of Zeno and Ariadne LEo the Emperour gaue Ariadne his daughter to Zeno made him his sonne in lawe who of a chylde was called Aricmesus yet being maried he gott that name of a noble man of Isauria that had beene of greate honor and renowme Howe this Zeno attayned vnto greate estimation vpon what occasion Leo preferred him before all other Eustathius Syrus hath left vs in writinge CAP. XVI Of Anthemius that became Emperour of Rome and also of such as succeeded him ANthemius at the request of the Romane embassadors inhabiting the west which were sent in embassie vnto Leo y â— emperour abiding at Constantinople was sent to be emperour of Rome to whome Martianus the emperour had geuen his daughter in mariage Basiliscus also the brother of Berina the wife of Leo was made captaine ouer a great armye of chosen soldiers sent against Genzerichus al which circumstances Priscus Rhetor hath exquisitly handled neither onely these things but also how Leo conspired the death of Aspar whom he him selfe had made Emperour as the reward of honor he aduaunced him vnto and slew with him also his sonnes Ardaburius whom he had made Caesar Patricius to th end he might skorne at the insolency ignorance of Aspar their father when Anthemius who gouerned the empire of Rome fiue yeare was slaiâ—e Olymbrius was by Rhecimerus proclaimed emperour after the dispatching of him Glycerius was created emperour he raigned fiue yeares was deposed by Nepos who stept in his rowme made Glycerius a Romane byshop of Salone a city in Dalmatia Orestes put Nepos beside the empire after Orestes his sonne Romulus syrnamed Augustulus was the last emperour of Rome of the thousand three hundred yeares after the raigne of Romulus when he departed this lyfe Odoacer gouerned the Romane common weale who refused the name of an emperour would haue him selfe called a king CAP. XVII The death of Leo the Emperour of yong Leo that came after him likewise of Zeno his father and successor ABout that time Leo the emperonr hauing raigned seuentene yeares deposed him self of the imperial scepter at Constantinople placed Leo that was of tender yeares the sonne of Ariadne his danghter of Zeno in the empire After him came Zeno y â— father of Leo the yonger to be emperour the sonne in law of Leo the elder this he obtained through the procurement of Berina the wife of Leo y â— elder in a while after when yong Leo had departed this life Zeno raigned alone but al what so euer he did during his raigne or what othermen did against him what thinges happened in his dayes we purpose by the help of God to discourse in the next booke following CAP. XVIII Asummarie recit all of all the acts of the councell held at Chalcedon briefely handled before by Euagrius in the 4. chapter of this 2. booke where he promised to refer the reader for further knowledge vnto the end of this 2. booke now he performeth it with a large ample discourse maruell not at all gentle reader though he repeat here certen things which he laid downe before As I finde them in the greeke so thou hast them in Englishe be beginneth thus PAscasianus and Lucentius the byshopps and Boniface the priest supplyed in this councell the absence of Leo byshopp of olde Rome Anatolius al 's byshopp of Constantinople Dioscorus byshopp of Alexandria Maximus byshopp of Antioch Iuuenalis byshopp of Ierusalem with their seuerall clergie were present at the councell There sate with them the chief senators vnto whome the substitutes of Leo sayde that Dioscorus ought not to sitt in the councell with them that Leo their byshop had charged them no lesse and if they woulde not yeelde vnto it that they woulde leaue the Churche and bidd them farewell When the Senators demaunded what crimes Dioscorus was to be charged withall their aunswere was that he who contrarye to all right and honestie playde the part of a Iudge was to abide the sentence of iudgement him selfe for the censure he had pronounced of others These thinges beinge spoken and Dioscorus also beinge appointed to stande in the middest Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum requested that the supplication he had sent vnto the Emperour might be openly reade in their hearing and withall he added these wordes I protest vnto you that Dioscorus hath iniuried me not a litle he hath also brought our religion into great infamye he procured the death of Flauianus the byshop and wrongfully deposed him together with me cause I beseeche you my supplication to be reade When he had made an ende of speakinge his supplication was reade contayninge suche a forme as followeth The humble supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum exhibited vnto the most vertuous Emperours requestinge he may be hearde pleadinge both for himselfe for the catholikefaith and for Flauianus byshop of Constantinople IT behoueth your maiesties most noble and puisant emperours to prouide carefully for the quietnesse of all your louing subiects yet when all others sustaine iniuries euer to vphold and assist the sacred senate of priesthood and herein verily the diuine godheade which graunted vnto you the rule domination of the whole world is truely honored wherfore seing the christian faith we our selues also haue bene oppressed diuersly molested with extreme wroÌ„g by Dioscorus the most reuereÌ„d byshop of the most noble city of Alexandria we are come vnto your wonted clemeÌ„cy most humbly to craue iustice at your hands The occasion of our coÌ„plaint is as followeth In the councel lately held at the famous city of Ephesus I would to God it had neuer bene called together then had it not brought into the whole world such horrible mischiefe and hurliburly the aforesaid Dioscorus who trode right reasoÌ„ vnder foot who set the fear of God farre out of his sight who
ende it might be vnpossible for any after him to reuiue those olde dregges of Lecherye He fayned him selfe to be in a greate agonye accused him selfe of rashe dealinge and meere madnesse sayinge he was toe vayne glorious and by that meanes weyed not the vtilitye and profitte of the common weale in that he had taken awaye both foolishlye and wythout aduisement so large a tribute begonne so manye yeares agoe and continewed so longe a time not foreseeinge the discommodityes that ensued by reason of the wante thereof the charges for mayntenance of soldiers the strength of the common weale The tribute beinge as a fortresse to defende it the liberalitye risinge thence and turned to vpholde the seruice of God Laste of all makinge no man of his counsell he proclaymed that his will was the tribute shoulde be wholly restored againe therefore he called vnto him the olde receauers he tolde them that he was sorye for the burninge of the recordes that he knewe not what to doe howe to excuse his folly neyther what to deuise seeinge their registeries were consumed to ashes When as they vnfaynedlye and from the very heart bewayled their losse and the want of the ill gotten goods which came thereby into their hands and tolde him playnely that it was in manner vnpossible to restore the tribute againe he requested them to doe all their indeuor and to searche if happely they might finde amonge all the recordes that were in anye place preserued the order of demaundinge the taxe and tribute Wherefore he sent vnto euerye one of them his charges for searchinge the countreys and recordes and commaunded that euerye deede or scrole which made mention thereof where so euer it were founde shoulde be brought vnto him to th ende this taxe might be restored agayne in suche good order that it coulde neuer fall afterwardes into decaye Shortly after when these messengers of trust brought tydings what they had founde Anastasius was wonderfull glad and seemed to tickle at the heart for ioy he reioysed in deede because now he had brought about that which troubled him so muche What sayth he vnto them haue ye founde any recordes where found ye them be they to any purpose doe ye thinke there are any where any more left behinde they aunswered that their trauell had bene greate that they rode about daye and night that they had searched both towne and countrey and swore by the life of the Emperour that there was not left in al the empire of Rome not as much as a patch of any scrole that was not brought vnto him then the Emperour commaunded a pile to be made all the papers registers recordes bills and baudy notes to be set thereon and burned to ashes when the fire had done his part he gaue commaundement they should throwe water vpon the ashes either quite to drowne them or to driue theÌ„ away with the streame purposing fully by this means for euer to tread vnderfoot the scroles of the baudy tribute that neither sparcle neither ashes neither letter neither any memoriall shoulde remaine after the firing of the records But while we commend Anastasius so highly for banishinge this shamefull tribute lest we seeme ignorant what diuers men of old being wedded to their owne affections haue reported of him we thought good here to lay downe their sayinges and conuince them with their owne words CAP. XL. VVhat Zosimus wrote of Chrysargyrum the shamefull tribute and of Constantinus the Emperour ZOsimus one of them that was bewitched wyth the impious rites and abhominable seruice of Paganes beinge incensed against Constantinus because he was the first Emperour whiche forsooke the detestable Idolatrye of the Gentiles and embraced Christian religion reporteth howe that the tribute Chrysargyrum was firste deuised by him and decreed it should be payde euerye fourth yeare With infinite other sclaunders he goeth about to defame the godly and noble Emperour Constantine For sayth he he deuised mischiefes against all sorts of men of what degree or callinge so euer they were that he slewe his sonne Crist us verye lamentablye that he dispatched his wyfe Fausta by shuttinge her vp iâ— a boylinge bathe that when he woulde haue had his priests to purge him by sacrisice of these horrible murthers and coulde not haue his purpose for they had aunswered plainelye it laye not in their power to clense him he lighted by chaunce vpon an Aegyptian whiche came out of Iberia and perswaded him that the Christian fayth was of force to wipe away euerye sinne were it neuer so haynous and that he embraced willingly all what so euer the Aegyptian tolde him Laste of all that he forsakinge his cuntrey religion cleaued vnto impietye as this lewde varlet reporteth but that all these reports be no other then lyes and sclaunders I will immediately declare and so muche in the meane whyle of Chrysargyrum CAP. XII An inuectiue against Zosimus the Ethnick for reuiling of Constantine and rayliage at the Christians THou saist O wicked spirit and fiende of hell that Constantine purposinge to buylde a citie comparable to Rome layde the fundation of an ample and worthye citie firste in the cuntrey of Troie and the pallace of Priamus after the stones were layde and the wall beinge erected on high to haue espyed that Byzantium was a goodlier soyle for his purpose to haue enuironed it with a wall to haue enlarged the olde and auncient citie to haue adorned it with goodly and gorgeous buylding that it seemed not much inferior to Rome which grew by a litle and a litle the space and continuance of many yeares to that perfection she is of Thou saist moreouer that he gaue to the citizens of Byzantium a measure of grame that such as departed this world at Byzantium left him great summes of golde for to build and erect his pallaces Againe thou reportest I will vse thine owne wordes that the Emperiall scepter befell vnto Constantius after the death of Constantine his father and the deceasse of his bretherne that Constantius at what time Magnentius and Bretannio rebelled endeuored to perswade Bretannto to shake of armour that wheÌ„ both armies ioyned together he made an oration and put them in remembrance of the liberality bountifulnes of his father towards them vnder whose banner they had foyled many an host and receaued of him large rewards that the soldiers immediatly after y â— hearing of his oration tooke away the princely robe from Bretannio led him like a priuate man vnto Constantius who for all thou reuilest him with his father did him no hurt at all how it can be that so liberall and so bountifull a prince coulde be so great a karle and pinche peny as to raise of his subiects so wicked a tribute I can not see That he murthered neither Fausta nor Crispus neither was instruâ—â—ed in y â— misteries of our Christian religion by any Aegyptian at all heare I beseeche thee what Eusebius syrnamed Pamphilus who liued the same time
times past made priest in that Church Anastasius byshop of that seae because Thomas had at sundry times wrought him great displeasure and vexation boxed this monke about the eares When they that were then present were sory to see this combat Thomas saide vnto them that he would take that no more at Anastasius hands and that Anastasius would neuer offer it him againe Both which fell out to be true For Anastasius within one day after departed this worlde and Thomas as he went home from Antioch left this worlde and posted to immortall blisse at the hospital in the suburbes of Daphne and was buried in the sepulchre that was prouided for straungers When they had buried one or two other dead carkasses in the same sepulchre with him God after his death wrought that great miracle his corps was cast vpermost the other carkasses were seuered and pushed farre asunder the men seeing this had the Sainct in admiration and reuealed the whole vnto Euphremius Wherefore his most holy corps was caried to Antioch with greate pompe and solemnitie and there was buried in the churhyard by occasion whereof it came to passe that the plague whiche then raigned in the citie ceassed In honor of whom the people of Antioch haue yearely kept holiday vnto this our time but now let vs returne vnto our historie CAP. XXXV Of Menas the patriarch and the miracle then wrought in the Hebrewe boye VVHen Anthimus byshop of Constantinople was deposed as I saide before Epiphanius tooke his rowme after the deceasse of Epiphanius Menas in whose time a worthie miracle was wrought succeeded him in the byshopricke There was an olde custome at Constantinople that if there remained many portions of the pure immaculate body of Christ our God yong children which went to schoole shoulde be called to eate them When it was done a certen mans childe in religion an Hebrewe or Iewe in trade of life a glasiar kept company with the other children who after y t his parents demaunded the cause that made him tarie so longe behinde tolde them plainely the matter as it was and howe that he eate for companye with the other boyes The Hebrewe hearing this boyled within for anger was all set on rage and furie he tooke the boye and threw him into the firie fornace where he vsed to make his glasse The mother missinge the childe sought him out yet coulde not finde him she went throughout the citie and to euery streete calling vpon God with deepe sighes and lamentable teares The third day after as she sate at the doore of her husbands shop being nowe pitifully wasted with weeping she gaue out sighes and withall called the boy by his name the childe knowinge the mothers voyce aunswered her out of the fornace The mother burst open the doores and in she went she was no sooner in but she espied her child in the middes of the hot burning coales yet preserued that the fire toutched him not The childe being asked whether he felt not great heate and howe it came to passe that he was not burned to ashes made aunswere sayinge A woman clad in purple came very oft vnto me reached me water to quenche the firie flames which compassed my body last of all gaue me meate as oft as I was an hungred Iustinian hearinge of this thought good that the boye with his mother shoulde be baptised and that the father which refused to become a Christian shoulde be hanged on the gallowes at a place called Sycae And so an end of that CAP. XXXVI The Bishops of the famous cities about that time liuing WHen Menas had runne the race of his mortall life Eutychius succeeded him in the Byshopricke of Constantinople after Martyrius Bishop of Ierusalem came Salustius and him succeeded Helias Peter followed Helias and after Peter Macarius crept into y ◠Byshoprick when as yet the Emperour had not geuen him his consent He was afterwards deposed for the report went of him that he defended the opinions of Origen In the seae of Alexandria when Theodosius as I sayd before was deposed Zoilus gouerned the Bishopricke and after his desease Apolinarius CAP. XXXVII Of the fist holy and generall councell and wherefore it was summoned AFter the desease of Euphraemius Domninus was chosen Bishop of Antioch Now therefore when Vigilius was Byshop of old Rome Menas at the first Bishop of newe Rome whome Eutychius succeeded Apolinarius Bishop of Alexandria Domninus Bishop of Antioch Eustochius was Bishop of Ierusalem Iustinianus summoned the fift councell vpon such an occasion as followeth When the patrons of Origens opinions preuayled in many places but speciallye at Newe Laura so did they call it Eustochius imployed his wholl care and industry to the banishing of them He made a voyage into Newe Laura droue them all out of that coaste and in so doing he seemed to put to flighte the common plague and destruction of them all They beinge scattered abroade into sundrye cuntreys perswaded many to embrace theyr opinions There fauored them Theodorus syrnamed Ascidas Bishop of Caesarea the heade citie in Cappadocia who was continewally with Iustinian one that was bothe faithfull and necessarie When this Theodorus incensed the Emperours courte and pallace againste Eustochius makinge relation vnto them as of an haynous and horrible matter Eustochius sente Rufus Abbot of Theodosius Monastery and Conon Abbot of Saba to Constantinople bothe which partly for theyr vertue and excellency and partly also for the biggenesse of theyr Monasteries were counted chiefe and principall of the Monkes which inhabited the desertes There accompanied them also other religious men not much inferiour vnto them for worthines These men as theyr speciall drifte called into controuersie the opinions of Origen the behauiour of Euagrius and Didymus But Theodorus Byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia beinge desirous to bringe them from that argumente proposed the cause of Theodorus Bishop of Mopsouestia Theodoritus and Ibas neyther did he this without the prouidence of almighty God who disposed all the circumstances so notably to the end euery prophane and wicked opinion of whether side so euer it were might be rooted out First of all when the questiō was propounded whether it were lawefull to accurse the deade or no Eutychius then presente a man very well seene in holy Scripture yet none of the famous personages or of great authority Menas was then aliue whome he succeeded in the bishopricke and at that time he sate to answere for the Bishop of Amasia when he perceaued that the councell went not a right but rather the wrōg way he tolde them plainely there was nothinge to be doubted in that question neyther any thing that required deliberation at all That kinge Iosias not onely executed the Idol Priestes then aliue but caused also the tumbes of suche as were lately deseased to be digged vp These wordes of Eutychius beinge so well applied pleased them all and satisfied them fullye Iustinianus also hearinge of this
graue censure of his preferred him to the Bishopricke of Constantinople immediatly after the death of Menas Vigilius sente his consente in wrytinge vnto the councell but came not thither him selfe When Iustinianus demaunded of the councell what they thoughte of Theodorus what they sayd to y â— things which Theodoritus had wrytten against Cyrill and to his twelue points of the faith last of all what theyr opinion was of the Epistle which Ibas wrote vnto Maris the Persian when they had read many peeces of Theodorus and Theodoritus workes and proued manifestly that Theodorus had bene lately condemned and his name wiped cleane out of the holye catalogue or registrye when they had concluded also that heretickes were to be condemned after theyr desease and with generall consente to accurse not onely Theodorus but also the wordes of Theodoritus againste the twelue pointes of the fayth layde downe by Cyrill and against the true and righte fayth together with the Epistle of Ibas vnto Maris the Persian they layde downe theyr censure in suche order as followeth Seinge our greate God and our Sauiour Christ Iesus hathe spoken as it is in the parable of the Gospell c. And a litle after VVe condemne and accurse not only all other heretickes heretofore condemned by the foure holy councells aboue mentioned and by the holy Catholicke Churche but also Theodorus Bishop of Mopsouestia with his vvicked bookes together vvith the vngodlye vvorkes of Theodoritus impugninge partelye the true fayth vvith the tvvelue poinctes of moste holye Cyrill concerninge the faith and partly also the holy councell of Ephesus and vvhat other thinges soeuer the same Theodoritus hath published in defence of Theodorus and Nestorius Moreouer vve condemne the wicked Epistle vvhiche Ibas vvrote vnto Maris the Persian When they had enterlaced certaine other things they layd downe fourteene poynâ—ts or articles of the true syncere fayth Thus haue we learned that these things were handled when bills were exhibited vnto the councell by Eulogius Conon Cyriâ—â—â—us and Parcratius the Monkes against the doctrine of Origen Adamantius and suche as embraced his errors Iustinianus asked of the councell what they minded to doe as toutchinge these thinges He annered also vnto the aforesayde the copie of one certaine bill together with the letters of Vigilius wrytten in that behalfe Whereby we may learne howe Origen endeuored to stuffe the plaine and simple doctrine of the Apostles with the tares of Gentils and Manichees to be shorte when they had cried againste Origen and againste all them that wallowed in the like error with him the controuersie was referred vnto Iustinianus by an Epistle whereof some parte was as followeth Thou most Christian Emperour that retainest the vertous minde agreable with aunciente nobility And a litle after VVe abhorre and we detest this doctrine we acknowledge not the voices of straungers and aliens vnto the Churche nay rather if there be any such founde we bind him sure with the bonde of excommunication as a thiefe or robber and banishe him the Church of God Againe after a fewe lines Your maiesty may soone vnderstande all that hitherto we haue decided by the viewe and readinge of these our actes Unto these their letters they annexed the articles whiche the Patrons of Origens errors had learned where they reuealed not only their consent but also their dissention manifold absurdites Of which articles the sift contained the blasphemy of certaine monkes inhabitinge the Monastery of Newe Laura layde downe in these wordes Theodorus called Ascidas Bishop of Caesarea sayde If the Apostles and Martyrs whiche nowe worke miracles and enioye so greate an honor be not made equall with Christ at the generall resurrection what are they restored vnto sundry other blasphemies of Didymus Euagrius and Theodorus were rehearsed by them that diligentlye collelected these thinges Within a litle while after that the councell was dissolued Eutychius byshop of Constantinople was deposed and Iohn of Sirimis a village of Cynegia borderinge vpon Antioch succeeded him in the Bishopricke CAP. XXXVIII Howe Iustinianus fallinge from the right faith affirmed that the body of Christ was in euery respect voyde of corruption THe selfe same tyme Iustinianus treadinge out of the waye of true doctrine and lightinge on suche a pathe as neyther the Apostles neyther the Fathers euer ledd him vnto fell amonge briers and brambles with the which he purposed to stuffe the Church of God yet brought he not his will about for the Lorde had fortified the high waye with such strong hedges that murtherers coulde not leape ouer as if accordinge vnto the prophecye the wall had bene throwen downe and the hedge broken Wherefore the same tyme when Iohn syrnamed Cateline was Byshop of Olde Rome after the death of Vigilius Iohn Sirimis of Constantinople Apolinarius of Alexandria Anastasius after Domninus of Theopolis otherwise called Antioch and Macarius nowe restored vnto his proper seae of Ierusalem when the councell after the depriuation of Eustochius condemned Origen Didymus and Euagrius * Iustinianus wrote an edicte where he affirmed that the bodye of the Lorde was not subiecte to death or corruption that it was voyde of suche affections as nature ingraffed and were vnblameable that the Lorde eate before his passion in suche sorte as he did after his resurrection that his moste holye bodye was nothinge altered nor chaunged for all the framinge thereof in the matrix and for all the voluntarie and naturall motions nay not chaunged no not after his resurrection vnto whiche opinions he purposed to compell bothe Priestes and Byshops to subscribe But all they made answere that they expected Anastasius the Byshop of Antiochs opinion and so posted him of for the first tyme. CAP. XXXIX Of Anastasius Archbishop of Antioch ANastasius was a man of such profound skill in holy Scripture so wary in all his doings throughout his wholl life time y â— he weyed greatly of small and light matters would in no wise be chaunged or altered in them much lesse in matters of great weight importance especially which concerned God him selfe And furthermore he so gouerned his nature that neyther for his softenes and gentlenes he woulde easily yelde vnto suche thinges as were vnreasonable neyther againe for his bluntnes and austeritie he woulde condescende where righte and reason did so require He gaue diligente eare to the recitall of graue matters and as he flowed in speach so was he acute and quickewitted in dissoluinge of doubtes and questions He woulde not once as muche as voutâ—…e the hearinge of vayne and idle matters but as for his tongue he so brydled it that he moderated his talke with reason and helde his peace where it so behoued him Iustinianus tooke him in hande with all pollicy as if he had bene to batter a well fortified holde perswadinge him selfe verely if he mighte winne him that he woulde easilye take the wholl citye yoke the true faith as it were in seruitude and