whose name was Amachius who commauÌ„ded that the Idolatricall temple of the Ethnicks which stood in y t citie should be set wide open that the foule heapes and filthy corners of a long time vnfrequeÌ„ted should be made cleane and fell himselfe a worshipping of the Idols Which act of his pricked not a litle in conscience the zealous christians Wherefore one Macedonius Theodulus and Tatianus beinge kindled with fetuencie of loue towardes the christian fayth coulde in no wise away with such horrible practises but in the burninge zeale of their godly inindes brake in the nighte season into the temple threwe downe theyr Idols and stamped them into pouder Whereat when the gouernoure was wonderfull wroth and purposed to execute diuerse of the citizens whiche were giltelesse and innocente persons the authors thereof presented themselues of their owne accorde before him and chose to dye themselues for the trueth rather then any other for their sakes should be depriued of their liues After they were layde in holde the gouernoure commaunded that they should cleare theÌ„selues by sacrificinge vnto the Idols and threatned them if they refused he would seuerely punishe them They beinge of a noble minde valiant courage set nought by his threats made themselues redy to suffer what tormente soeuer were layde vpon them for they counted it farre better to loose their liues then to defile their soules with those impure sacrifices The gouernour wheÌ„ he had assayd them at all kind of torments last of all set them on the gredyron caused fire to be made vnder broiled them to death And to the end they might valiantly encouÌ„ter vnder the glorious garlande of victory they reason thus with the gouernour If thou longe O Amachius after broyled meate turne vp the other side of vs least in the eatinge we seeme rawe vnto thee and the bloode runne aboute thy teeth This was the ende that these men had CAP. XIIII VVhen the Emperoure Iulian forbad the christians the studie of Prophane literature both the Apollinaruses the father and the sonne fell a wrytinge The profltte that the christians haue in prophane wryters THe lawe whiche the Emperoure made that the christians shoulde not be trained vp in the liberall sciences made bothe the Apollinariuses of whome we spake before to be of farre greater fame For either of them beinge skilfull in suche artes as directed our style and orations the father a grammarian the sonne a Rhetorician profited very much the christians and furthered at that time not a little the churche of God For the father as a profounde grammarian framed the arte of humanitie vnto the furtherance of Christian religion he turned the fiue bookes of Moses into Heroycall verse together with other bookes of the olde Testament which contayne Hystories partely in Hexameter verse and partely after the forme of comedies and tragedies with the fitte application of persons he wrote in all kinde of meter to the ende the christians shoulde not be ignorant and vnskilfull in any rare gifte that excelled among the Gentils The sonne an eloquente Rhetorician broughte the wrytinges of the Euangelistes and workes of the Apostles into Dialogues as Plato vsed amonge the Heathens Althoughe their laboure and industrie seemed auaylable and greatelye to sette forthe the seruice of God in so muche that thereby the lewde drift of the Emperoure was stopped from takinge effect yet the prouidence of God did farre exceede both their carefull studie and dashed also the Emperours wiked deuise For immediatly the Emperours lawe as hereafter it shall more manifestly appeare was abrogated and theyr workes were as muche spoken of as if they had neuer bene wrytten But here peraduenture some man will saye vnto me why then doe ye attribute bothe the aforesayde vnto the prouidence of God As toutchinge the shorteninge of the Emperoures dayes it is knowen well inoughe howe auaylable it was vnto christian religion but in that the Poâ—trye of bothe the Apollinariuses was neglected and that the christians freely applied the Philosophicall sciences of the heathens there is no man will graunte that it furthered the seruice of God and the faith of Christ For it can not be without daunger that the christians maye wade in the doctrine of Ethnickes in so muche it teacheth that there be many Gods Vnto these things which aptely may be obiected vnto vs we will presentely frame suche answers as we can The doctrine of the Gentiles is allowed neither by Christ neither by his Disciples as inspired from aboue neither altogether reiected for daungerous And I take y â— to haue come to passe not without the speciall prouidence of almightie God For there were many heathen Philosophers which were not farre from the knowledg of God such as by publique disputation confuted the Epicures and other contentious Philosophers delited with the quirckes of logicke and ouerthrewe their palpable error and ignorance And thoughe they coulde stande the fauorers of christian religion in greate steade for their furtherance of learninge yet attained they not vnto the grounde principall point of our religion insomuch they vnderstoode not the mystery of Christ which was concealed the coÌ„tinewance of many ages and generations The whiche the Apostle in his epistle vnto the Romanes sheweth plainely in these wordes The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines and iniquitie of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse For the thinge that may be knowen of God is manifest amonge theÌ„ because God hath shevved it vnto them For his inuisible thinges beinge vnderstoode by his workes are seene through the creation of the world that is both his eternall power godheade so that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God notwithstanding they glorified him not as God VVherefore they knowinge the trueth which God reuealed vnto them were worthie of death because that wheÌ„ they knewe God they glorified him not as God Therefore sithence that the Apostle forbadd not the knoweledge of the Gentils doctrine he gaue free licence and libertie vnto euery man at his choice and pleasure to wade in the vnderstandinge of them Let this suffire for one reason to the satisfiynge of the former doubts The seconde is as followeth The holy Scriptures inspired from aboue deliuer vnto vs diuine precepts and mysticall doctrine they graffe in the mindâ—s of suche as heare them true Godlines and the righte trade of liuinge they sette wyde open before such as study them the most sacred faith they teach vs no logicke wherewith we may withstand such as oppugne the trueth although the aduersaries are easiest ouerthrowen when their owne armoure and proper defence is vsed to their foyle and destruction But the christians enioyed not this benefit by the workes of bothe the Apollinariuses This was it that the Emperoure Iulian shotte at when as he made a lawe that the christians shoulde not be schooled in the doctrine of the Gentils He knewe full well that the fables contained in
and bring him before the President he as if he went about to hasten his iourney and to ioyne him a wayfaring companion with Porphyrius vnto the celestial paradise commauÌ„deth forthwith that he should be beheaded This Seleucus was borne in Cappadocia preferred to this great honor before all the youth of the Romaine bande and before them which were of great creditt and estimation among the Romaines he excelled all the rest of the souldiers in youthly fauour in strength goodly stature of body his countenance was gracious his speach amiable he passed for comely making for bigge setting for fayre liking and fit proportion of the whole body â–ª he was famous at the beginning of the persecution for his pacient suffring of stripes in the defence of the fayth and being depriued of the warlike dignitie which he enioyed became a zelous follower of the worshippers or religious men he succored and prouided with fatherly care ouersight for the fatherles the succorlesse y â— widowes and such men as were visited with greate misery affliction wherfore God being rather delited w t such like sacrifices of mercy and workes of charitye then with smokye incense and bloody oblations called him of his goodnes vnto this glorious and renowmed garland of martyrdome this was the tenth champion of the number mentioned before which suffered death in one and the selfe same daye whereby as it appeareth the great and bewtifull gate of the kingdome of heauen being sett wide open by the meanes of Pamphilus his martyrdome made an easie passage both vnto him and the others his companions to the attayning of the perfect pleasure in the celestiall paradise Theodulus also a graue and a zelous father one of Firmilianus the Presidents familie and in greater creditt with him then all the rest of his houshold partly for his whore heade and greate yeares for he was a greate graundfather and partly for the singuler good will and affection borne alwayes towards him treading the same steppes which Seleucus had done before him and committing the like crime with him is brought before his maister Firmilianus the President to pleade for him self who being incensed with greater rage towards him then the rest of y â— Martyrs deliuered him in the ende to be crucified which kind of martyrdome after the example of our Sauiour he suffered most willingly yet because there wanted one which might supplye the twelfe rowme among the Martyrs rehearsed before Iulianus came forth who comming from farre and as yet not entred into the wrastling place as soone as he had hearde by the way as he came of their death and happy endes forthwith he conueyed him straight vnto the noble spectacle and theatre of Martyrs and as soone as he sawe with his eyes the blessed bodyes of the Sainctes lying all a long vpon the grounde he was tickled with inward ioye he embraced them seuerally and saluted them after the best maner which when he had done the catchpoles and executioners apprehended him and presented him before Firmilianus who after he had executed such thinges as were correspondent vnto his cruell nature commaunded he shoulde be layde vpon a slowe and a slacke fire and so burned to death Iulianus triumphed and leapt for ioye and with a loude voyce gaue great thankes vnto God who voutch safed him worthy so greate a glory and rewarde and in the ende he was crowned with martyrdome he was by birth of Cappadocia in life and conuersation holy faythfull and very religious and besides his fame in other things he was inspired with the aboundance of the spirite of God such was the trayne of them which were tormented and by the goodnes of God crowned Martyrs in the company of Pamphilus their holy and happy carkasses were kept aboue grounde by the decree of the wicked President foure dayes and foure nightes to be deuoured of the beastes of the fielde and of the foules of the ayre but when as miraculously neyther beaste neyther byrde neyther dogge drewe nighe vnto them agayne by the grace and goodnes of Almighty God they were caried away safe and sounde and committed with solempne buriall after the christian maner vnto their still graues and resting sepulchres Furthermore when the tyranny and cruelty practised against vs was bruted abroad and rife in euery mans mouth Adrianus and Eubulus of the contrey Manganaea taking their iourney towards Caesarea for to visite the rest of the confessors were taken at the gates of the city and examined concerning y â— cause of their voyage into that contrey afterwards freely confessing the truth they were brought before Firmilianus he without any more adoe or farther deliberation after many torments and infinite stripes gaue sentence they shoulde be torne in peeces of wilde beastes within two dayes after being the fift day of the moneth Dystros about the thirde Nones of March when the citizens of Caesarea celebrated their wakes vpon the day of reuells Adrianus was throwen at the feete of a fierce lion afterwards slayne with the edge of the sworde and so dyed Eubulus the thirde day after about noone in the selfe same Nones of March being the seuenth day of the moneth Dystros when the iudge entreated him earnestly to sacrifice vnto the Idols whereby he might enioye their freedome according vnto lawe and order he preferred the glorious death for godlines sake before this frayle and transitory life after he was torne and mangled of wilde beastes he was slayne as his fellowe before him with the edge of the sworde and being the last he sealed with his bloode all the happy conflicts of the blessed Martyrs of Caesarea but it shall seeme worthy the noting â–ª if at length we remember howe after what sorte and that not long after the heauy hande of God lighted vpon those wicked Magistrates together with the tyrants them selues for Firmilianus who frowardly and contumeliously raged agaynst the Martyrs of Christ suffering extreame punishment together with the other his parteners in horrible practises ended his life with the swords â–ª And these were the martyrdomes suffered at Caesarea during the whole persecution CAP. XXX The pastors of the Churches for their negligence in executing of their office were punished from aboue The martyrdome of Peleus Nilus Patermythius the punishment of Siluanus and Iohn The beheading of Nyne and thirty Martyrs in one day WHat in the meane tyme was seene to fall out against the Presidents and pastors of churches and after what sort the iust iudgment of God reuenger of sinne in steede of shepeherds ouer sheepe and the reasonable flocke of Christ the which they shoulde haue wisely and aduisedly gouerned made them not onely keepers of Camels a kinde of beast â—oid of reason by nature crooked and ill shapen but also the Emperours horsekeepers and this he did for a punishment due vnto their deserts moreouer what contumelies what reproches what diuersity of torments they suffred of the Emperours Presidents and Magistrats at
as much as the name either of lawes or iudgements and to be short not once as much as the vewe of vertue and philosophie but liuing among beastes spent their time in wildernesse as â—â—eldish men and voyd of humanity corrupting the reasonable vnderstanding agreable with nature the reasonable seedes of mans minde with their wilful malice yelding them selues wholy to al abominations so that sometimes they infect eche other sometimes they sleye eche other sometimes they deuoure mans fleshe presuming to wage batle with God after the famous battel of the foolish Giants determining and imagining in their minde to wall heauen and earthe in one and beinge moued throughe the madnesse of their minde they went about to conquere God the gouerner of all thinges whereby they haue thus sore incensed him agaynst them selues God the duerseer and ruler of all things reuenged them with floodes and destructions of fiery flames as if they had bene a certaine wilde vmnanured thickett ouerspreadinge the whole earthe also with famyne and continuall plagues with battayle and thunderboltes from aboue he cut them of and subdued that seuere and most bitter maladye of their soules by restrayning them with more sharpe punishments imprisonments When malice was now flowen vnto the brimme and had ouercast al with the couer thereof ouershadowing ouerdarkening the mindes of mortall men as it were a certaine soking slumber of drunkennesse that first begotten wisedome of God and the same worde that was in the beginning with God by his superabundant louing kindnes appeared vnto the inhabiters on earth sometimes by vision of Angels sometimes by him selfe as the helping power of God vnto some one or other of the auncient worshippers of God in no other forme or figure then of man for otherwise their capacity could not haue comprised the same After that now by them the seede of piety was sowen scattered amiddes the multitude of men and the whole nations which from the Hebrewes linealy descended had now purposed to preferre godlines vpon earth he deliuered vnto them of olde by his seruant Moses after strait institutions certayne figures and formes of a miâ—ticall Sabaoth and circumcision and entrances vnto other spiritual contemplations but not the perfect playne mysteries thereof When as the law was published and set forth as a sweete 〈…〉 vnto all men then many of the Gentils through the law makers euery where yea and philosophers changed their rude brutish and sauage senses vnto meeke and milde natures so that thereby there ensued amongest them perfect peace familiarity and frendshipithen againe to al men and to the Gentils throughout al the worlde as it were now in this behalfe holpen and fit to receaue the knowledge of his father the same schoolemaster of vertue his fathers minister in al goodnes the deuine and celestiall worde of God through man with corporall substance not different from ours shewed him selfe about the beginning of the Romaine empire wrought and suffred such thinges as were consonant with holy Scripture which foreshewed there shoulde be borne such a one as shoulde be both God and man a mighty worker of miracles an instructor of the Gentiles in his fathers piety and that his wonderfull birth shoulde be declared his new doctrine his wonderfull workes besides this the maner of his death his resurrection from the dead and aboue all his diuine restitution into the heauens The Prophet Daniel beholdinge his kingdome in the spirit to be in the latter age of the worlde whereas otherwhere deuinely yet here more after the maner of man describeth the vision of God I beheld sayth he vntill the thrones vvere placed and the auâ—â—â—ent of dayes sate theron his garments vvere as the vvhite snovve the heares of his heade as pure vvoll his throne a flame of fire his chariots burning fire a fyry streame slyded before his face a thousande thousandes ministred vnto him the iudgement vvas set the bookes vvere opened c. Againe And againe after this I behelde sayth he and beholde one comminge in the cloudes like the Sonne of man and he came still vnto the auncient of dayes he vvas brought â—â—â—ore him and to him vvas geuen principalitie honour and rule and al people tribes and to 〈…〉 shall serue him his povver is an euerlasting povver vvhiche shall not paâ—â—e his kingdome 〈…〉 neuer be destroyed These thinges truely may be referred to none other then in out 〈…〉 God that was the word being in the beginning with the father and named 〈…〉 reason of his incarnation in the latter tinâ—es 〈◊〉 â—â—eause we haue in out 〈…〉 propheticall expositions touching our Lord 〈…〉 Christ and therin hath 〈…〉 thinges which concerne him at this present we wylbe content with the premises CAP. IIII. That Iesus and the very name of Christ from the beginning was both knowen and honored among the deuine Prophets that Christ was both a King an highpriest and a Prophet THat the name both of Iesus and also of Christ among the holy prophets of old was honored nowe is it time to declare Moses first of all knowing the name of Christ to be of great reuerence glorious deliuering types of heauenly things pledges mistical formes according vnto y â— commaundement prescribed saying vnto him See thou doe all thinges after the fashion that vvas shevved thee in the mount Naming man as he lawfully might an highpriest of God called the same Christ and to this dignitie of highe priesthood althoughe by a certayne prerogatiue excelling all others among men yet because of honor and glory he put to the name of Christ So then he deemed Christ to be a certayne deuine thyng The same Moses also when being inspired with the holy Ghost he had wel forseene the name of Iesu iudged the same worthy of singuler prerogatiue for this name of Iesu appeared not manifest among men afore it was knowen by Moses and this name he gaue to him first and to him alone whom he knew very wel by tipe figuratiue signe to receaue the vniuersal principality after his death His successor therfore before that time called not Iesu but otherwise to weete Ause He called Iesu the which name his parents had geuen him therby attributing to that name singuler honor farr passing al princely scepters because that the same Iesus Naue was to beare the figure of our Sauiour also alone after Moses to accomplish the figuratiue seruice committed vnto him and thought worthy to beginne the true and most sincere worship Moses to these two men after him thus surpassing all people in vertue and honor attributed for great honor the name of our sauiour Iesus Christ to the one as highe priest to the other as principal ruler after him After this y â— prophets playnely haue prophecied namely of Christ of the peeuishe practise of the Iewishe people agaynst him of the calling of the Gentils by him Ieremie thus sayde The spirite before our face
Iosep bell Iud. lib. 6. cap. 1. 2. Their estate was miserable the famyne lamentable the slaughter out of all measure such as came out of the city were hanged on gibbetts such as fledde away were taken of the fugitiues tvvo thousand had their bowels ript to see whether they had swalowed vp any golde lib. 6. cap. 15. report came vnto Titus that from the 14. of Aprill vntill the 14. of Iune there were brought out at one gate of the city fiftene thousande one hundred and foure score Ievves which dyed of famine bell Iud. lib. 6. cap. vlt. The temple is sett on fire the priestes the women and children with other people which hid them selues in vautts in walls and in corners of the temple which also were burnt to ashes came to six thousande lib 7. cap. 11. Titus tooke the citye the souldiours killed vntill they were weary Titus commaunded all that wore armour to be slayne such as were olde weake and feeeble the souldiours dispatched the yong the lusty and profitable they shutt vp in a certayne place of the temple for further consideration Many were solde for a smale price there were many to be solde but few to bye all the theeues robbers and seditious persons within the city he commaunded forth with to be dispatched the chosen yong men of goodly bodyes and tall stature he reserued for triumphe seuentene thousand of elderly yeares he sent bound to Aegypt for slauery druggery â–ª many others through out the prouinces he allotted for spectacles and teeth of wild beastes â–ª as many as were vnder sixtene yeres â–ª of age were solde â–ª of such as were shutt vp in the temple for further consideration during the time of this deliberation and disposed order there dyed tvvelue thousande of famine Iosep bell Iud. lib. 7. cap. 15. 16. The number of the captiues during the tyme of the warres mounted to foure score and seuentene thousande The number of all that dyed during the siedge within Ierusalem came to tenne hundred thousande no maruell at all that the city could comprise so many for at the feast of the Passeouer Cestius being Lieuetenant of Iudaea sent Neroworde that the high priestes had numbred at his request all that came to offer which came to seuen and tvventy hundred thousande lib. 7. cap. 17. and suche was the wofull and miserable ende of the Iewes Iosephus moreouer lib. 7. bell Iud. cap. 18. writeth of Ierusalem that it was taken at sondry tymes before his wordes be these Ierusalem vvas taken the 2. yeare of the raigne of Vespasian the 8. day of September it vvas taken fiue tymes before then agayne destroyed Asochaeus King of the Aegyptians after him Antiochus then Pompeius after these Herode and Sosius tooke the city and kept it â–ª and before that tyme the King of Babylon by conquest destroyed it a thousande three hundred three score yeares eyght moneths and six dayes after the building thereof The first founder of this city vvas the most potent Prince of the Chananits called after his contrey language The iust king â–ª for such a one he vvas in deede â–ª therfore he first ordayned a priesthood vnto God and hauing first buylded the temple he termed the city Ierusalem vvhich afore vvas called Solyma Leobius King of the Ievves hauing vanquished the Chananits deliuered the city to be inhabited of his ovvne people the vvhich vvas ouerthrovvne by the Babylonians foure hundred three score foure yeares and three monethes after From Leobius the King vvhich vvas the first Ievve that raygned in it vnto the ouerthrovv vnder Titus there vvere one thousande one hundred seuenty and seuen yeares Yet for all that neyther did antiquity preuayle neyther great riches profit neyther the fame dispersed throughout the whole worlde fauour them neyther the great glory they put in their religion helpe them at all that the city shoulde not perishe Discite iustitiam moniti non temnere Christum CAP. IX Of Iosephus and his commentaries in the ninth and tenth chapiters folowing BEsides all this I thinke it good not to be ignorant of Iosephus him selfe that hath stoode vs in so great steade for the furnishing of this our present historye whence and of what kindred he came which circumstance he him selfe sheweth saying thus Iosephus the sonne of Mattathias a priest of Ierusalem vvhich him selfe also at the first impugned the Romaynes and vvas necessarily present at the finall ende of their vvofull miseryes because of the Ievves of that tyme. This man was famous not onely among his owne nation but also among the Romaynes so that at Rome he was thought worthy the honor of a grauen picture and the bookes which diligently he wrote were thought worthy of the publike librarye He wrote tvventy bookes of Iudaicall Antiquities he testifieth him selfe therefore worthy of creditt that he gathered in seuen bookes the Romayne vvarres of his tyme and published it both in the Greeke and Hebrewe tongues Certayne others worthy the reading passe vnder his name for example Tvvo volumes of the Antiquitie of the Ievvish nation where he aunswereth Apion Grammaticus and certayne others which at that tyme impugned the Ievves and endeuored to disgrace the natiue lawe of the Iewishe nation In the first he layeth downe the number of the bookes of the olde testament deliuered by tradition and receaued without gainfaying of the Ievves saying as foloweth CAP. X. How Iosephus mentioned the bookes of the old testament and diuers of his owne THe bookes of the holy Scripture sayth he are not innumerable amongst vs disagreeing dissenting one from an other but only xxij contayning the circumstances of all times and vvorthy of creditt fiue of these are Moses vvorkes contayning the lavves the state of man continevved vnto his death the tyme of them contayneth litle lesse then three thousand yeares The Prophetes vvhich liued after Moses comprised in thirtene bookes the famous actes of their tymes from the death of Moses to Artaxerxes vvho after the death of Xerxes vvas king of Persia The other foure containe Hymnes vnto God and admonitions for the amendment of mans life From Artaxerxes vnto our tymes there are continuall bookes yet not of such creditt as the former in so much there is not diligently layd dovvne a continuall succession of the Prophets It is very apparent vvhat affection vve beare vnto our Scriptures because there is novv so much time past and yet none of vs dare presume either to adde any thinge thereto or to diminish anything therefro or to alter any thinge thereof this is engrassed in the sevves from their youth vp that they persvvade them selues this doctrine to be the vvritinges of God and to perseuere in the same and vvillingly if necessity so constrayne to dye in the quarrell these wordes I haue thought commodiously to haue bene by vs alleadged out of his commentaryes this writer hath published one other and no simple volume of the rule of reason whiche some haue fathered vppon
labour and industry Then shevved they him their hands for testimony that they labored them selues and the hardnes of their bodies and the hard bravvne of their handes grovven by continuall labour and vvhen as they vvere asked of Christ and his kingdome vvhat maner vvhen and vvhere it should appeare they aunsvvered that his kingedome vvas neither vvorldly nor earthly but caelestiall and Angelicall and that it shoulde be at the consummation of the vvorlde vvhen that he comming in glory shall iudge the quicke and the dead and revvarde euery man according vnto his vvorkes After they had thus aunsvvered the report goeth that Domitian condemned them not but despised them as vile and base creatures let them goe free stayed by his edict the persecution then raysed against the church VVhen they vvere gone it is sayde that they vvere rulers ouer Churches in so much that in the ende they vvere martyres and of the line of our Lorde and aftervvardes peace ensuing the report goeth that they liued vntill the raigne of Traian So farre Aegesippus Tertullian also reporteth the like of Domitian Domitian sayth he some time assayed the like practise being a portion of Neroes cruelty but he hauing some humane sense as I suppose forthvvith relented calling home agayne such as he had exiled CAP. XVIII Nerua succeedeth Domitian and Traian succeedeth Nerua in the empire Cerdo succeedeth Abilius in the Churche of Alexandria AFter that Domitianus had raygned fiftene yeares and Nerua had succeeded him the Historiographers of that tyme do write that the Romayne Senate decreed that the honors exhibited vnto Domitian shoulde cease and such as were iniuriously exiled shoulde returne vnto their natiue soyle and receaue their substance agayne it is also amonge the auncient traditions that then Iohn the Apostle returned from banishment and dwelt agayne at Ephesus When Nerua had raigned a litle aboue a yeare Traian succeeded him In the first yeare of whose raigne Cerdo succeeded Abilius which was Bishop of Alexandria the space of thirtene yeares This is the thirde after Anianus of that Churche CAP. XIX The succession of the first Bishops in three Churches Rome Antioch Alexandria AT that tyme Clemens ruled the Churche of Rome beinge the thirde Bishop after Paul Peter the first was Linus the seconde Anacletus And of them which gouerned the church of Antioche the first was knowne to be Euodius the second Ignatius likewise Simeon at the same tyme the seconde after the brother of our Sauiour gouerned the churche of Ierusalem CAP. XX. An history of Iohn the Apostle and a yong theefe conuerted by him AS yet the Apostle and Euangelist whome the Lorde loued remayned aliue in Asia who after the death of Domitian being returned from the I le Patmos gouerned the Churches there in Asia And that he liued at that time the confirmation of two witnesses shall suffice They are worthy of creditt such as haue gouerned the Churche with sounde doctrine These are Irenaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus the former in his seconde booke agaynst the heresies writeth thus All the Elders beare vvitnes vvhich liued together vvith Iohn the Disciple of our Sauiour in Asia that he deliuered these thinges he endured vvith them vnto the tyme of Traian â–ª also in the thirde of his sayde argument he declareth the same in these wordes The churche of the Ephesians planted by Paul confirmed by Iohn vvhich remayned there vntill the tyme of Traian is a true testimony of this Apostolicke tradition Clemens with all signifieth the tyme and also a very necessary historye is by him adioyned for suche as are recreated with honest and profitable thinges whereof also one Sozomenus in his history hath made mention at large in his commentaryes if thou reade it thou shalt finde thus written Heare a fable and yet no fable but a true tale reported of Iohn the Apostle deliuered vnto vs and committed to memory after the desease of the tyrant VVhen he had returned to Ephesus out of the I le Patmos being requested vvent vnto the contreyes adioyning partly to consecrate Bishops partly to set in order vvhole Churches and partly to chuse by lott vnto the Ecclesiasticall function of them vvhome the holy Ghost had assigned VVhen he vvas come vnto a certayn city not farre distant the name vvherof diuers doe expresse and among other thinges had recreated the brethren beholding a yong man of a goodly bodye a gracious face and seruente minde he turned his face vnto him that vvas appointed chiefe ouer all the Bishops and sayd I commend this yonge man vnto thy custody vvith an earnest desire as Christ and the Churche beare me vvitnes VVhen he had receaued his charge and promised diligence therein he spake and protested vnto him the selfe same the second time Aftervvardes he returned to Ephesus but the elder taking the yong man that vvas deliuered vnto him brought him vp at home ceased not cherished him still and in processe of time baptized him he came at length to be so diligent seruiceable that he made him a liuery garment or scrole signed vvith his masters seale of Armes but this yonge man became dissolute out of season perniciously accompanyed him selfe vvith them of his ovvne yeares idle dissolute and acquainted vvith ill behauiour first they bringe him to sumptuous banquetts next they guyde him in the night to steale and to robbe after this they require that he consent vnto the committing of a greater offence but he acquainting him selfe by a litle and a litle through the greatnes of his capacitye much like a horse of a hardned mouth fierce strong and hardy forsaking the right vvay vvith the biting of the bridle bringeth him selfe vnto a bottomlesse pitt of all misorder and outrage At length despayring of the saluation that commeth of God being past all hope of grace â–ª he practised no toye nor trifle once being ouer the shoes he proceeded forvvardes and tooke the like lott vvith the reste of his companions takinge vnto him companions and a rout of theues being gathered together he became a most violent captayne of theeues vvholy bent to slaughter murther extreame cruelty In the meane vvhile necessitye so constrayning the Bishops sent for Iohn he vvhen he had ended and finished the cause of his comming goe to sayth he O Byshop restore vnto vs thy charge vvhiche I and Christ haue committed vnto thy custody the churche vvhereof thou art heade bearing vvitnes the Byshop at the first vvas amazed supposing some deceite to be vvrought toutching money vvhich he had not receaued yet vvas he not able to aunsvvere them for that he had it not neyther to mistrust Iohn but vvhen Iohn had sayd I require the yong man and the soule of our brother then the elder looking dovvne vvith a heauy countenance sobbing and sighing sayde he is deade to vvhome Iohn spake hovve and vvhat kinde of death vvhich aunsvvered he is dead to God for he is become vvicked and pernicious and
intitled a key an other of the deuell an other of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn and of God incarnate last of all a booke dedicated vnto Antoninus In his booke of Easter he declareth the time when he wrote it begining thus In the time of Seruilius Paulus proconsul of Asia vvhat time Sagaris suffred martyrdome and the great sturre vvas moued at Laodicea tourchinge the Sabaoth vvhich then by reason of the time fell out these thinges vvere vvrytten of this booke Clemens Alexandrinus made mention in a seuerall tracte which he wrote of Easter and purposely as he testifieth himselfe by occasion of Melito his booke In his Apology vnto the Emperour he reporteth the thinges practised against the Christians wryting thus The godly people grened by reason of nevve edictes published throughout Asia and before neuer practised novve suffer persecution for impudent Sycophantes greedy gapers after other mens goods hauing gotten occasion through those proclamations openly robb and spoile day and night such as committee no trespasse at all And after a fewe lynes he sayth If this be done through your procuremēt let it stand for good for the Emperour that is iuste neuer putteth in practise any vniust thing vve vvillingly vvill beare avvay the honor of this death yet this onely vve hūbly craue of your highnes that you after notice and tryall had of the authors of this contention doe iustly geue sentence vvhether they are vvorthy of death punishment or of lif and quietnesse but if this be not your maiesties pleasure and the nevve edicte proceed not from your povver and authoritie vvhich vvere not seemely to be sett forthe agaynst barbarian enemies the rather vve pray you that you despise vs not vvhich are greued and oppressed vvith this common and shamefull spoyle Agayne to these he addeth The philosophie novve in aestimation amongest vs first florished among the Barbarians for vvhen as it florished vnder the great dominion of Augustus your forefather of famous memorie it fell out to be a most fortunate successe vnto your empire For thence forvvardes vnto this daye the Romaine empire increased and enlarged it selfe vvith greate glorie vvhose successor novve you are greatly beloued and haue bene long vvished for and vvilbe together vvith your sonne continually prayed for retaine therefore this religion vvhich encreased vvith the empire vvhich began vvith Augustus vvhich vvas reuerenced of your auncetors before all other religions This vvas a greate argument of a good beginning for since that our doctrine florished together vvith the happie beginning empire no misfortune befell vnto it from the raygne of Augustus vnto this daye but of the contrary all prosperous and gloriouse and gladsome as euery man vvished him selfe Onely of all others Nero Domitian through the persvvasion of certaine enuious dispitefull persons vvere disposed to bring our doctrine into hatred From vvhome this sclaunder of flattering persons raised against the Christians sprong vp after a brutishe maner or custome but your godly auncetors corrected their blinde ignorance and rebuked oftentimes by their epistles their sundry rashe enterprises Of vvhich number Adrianus your graundefather is knovven to haue vvritten both vnto Fundanus Proconsul and President of Asia and to manie others And your father yours I saye in that you gouerned all thinges together vvith him vvrote vnto the cities in our behalfe and vnto the Larissaeans Thessalonians Athenians and to all the Grecians that they should innouate nothing nether practise any thing preiudiciall vnto the Christians but of you vve are fully persvvaded to obtaine our humble petitions in that your opinion and sentence is correspondent vnto that of your predecessors yea and that more gracious and farre more religious Thus as ye reade he wrote in the aforesayde booke And in his Proeme to his annotations of the olde Testamente he reciteth the cataloge of the bookes of the olde Testament then certeine canonicall the whiche necessarilie we haue annexed writinge thus Meliton vnto the brother Onesimus sendeth greeting VVhereas oftentimes you beinge inflamed vvith earnest zeale tovvardes our doctrine haue requested of me to select certaine annotations out of the lavve and prophets concerning our Sauiour and our vvhole religion and againe to certifie you of the summe of the bookes contained in the olde testament according vnto their number and order of placinge novve at length I beinge mindefull heretofore also of your petitions haue bene carefull to performe that you looke for knovving your endeuer your care and industrie in setting forth the doctrine of faith marching forvvards vvith loue tovvards God and care of euerlasting saluation vvhich you preferre before all other thinges VVhen that I traueled into the east and vvas there vvhere these thinges vvere both preached and put in practise I compiled into order the bookes of the olde testament suche as vvere vvell knovven and sent them vnto you vvhose names are these The fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomium Then Iesus Naue the Iudges the booke of Ruth foure bookes of kinges tvvo of Cronicles the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbes of Solomon the booke of VVisdome Ecclesiastes the Canticles Iob Esay and Ieremie the Prophets on booke of the tvvelue prophets Daniel Ezechiel Esdras vpon the vvhich vve haue vvritten six bookes of commentaries Thus farre Meliton CAP. XXVI Of the writings of Apollinarius and Musanus ALthoughe there were many volumes written by Apollinarius yet these onely came to our handes A booke vnto the foresaide Emperour fiue bookes against the gentiles 2. bokes of the trueth 2 bookes againste the Ievves and suche bookes as afterwardes he wrote against the Phrygian heresie whiche not longe after waxed stale then firste buddinge out when as Montanus together with his false prophetisses ministred principles of Apostasie so farre of him Musanus also spoken of before wrote a certaine excellent booke intituled Vnto the brethren lately fallen into the heresie of the Encratits which then newely had sprong and molested mankinde with a strange and perniciouse kinde of false doctrine the autor whereof is sayde to bee Tatianus CAP. XXVII Of Tatianus and his heresie WE meane that Tatianus whose testimony a litle before we haue alleaged toutchinge the renoumed Iustinus whome also we haue reported to haue bene the Martyrs disciple The same dothe Irenaeus declare in his first booke against heresies wryting of him and his heresie thus Out of the schole of Saturninus and Marcion sprange the Hereticks vvhome they call Encratits that is to say continent persons vvho taught that mariadg vvas to be abhorred contemning the auncient shape and molde of man framed of God and so by sequel reprehending him that made the generation of man and vvoman Againe they haue commaunded abstinence from liuing creatures for so they call them shevving themselues vngratefull tovvards God vvhich made all thinges for the vse of man They deny that the first man vvas saued and this blasphemie lately spronge vp Tatianus beinge originall
as were present affirmed that he had sacrificed departed with silence one being halfe dead was borne away being throwen of them for dead the same was tormēted with bondes reckned among the sacrificers an other lifted his voyce protested that he had not yelded at all the same was beaten on the mouth constrayned to kepe silence by the force of many hands which stopped his breath violētly excluded him when he had not sacrificed at al. so it pleased them well if at least wise they might seeme to bring their purpose to effect but for all their mischieuous deuises the blessed martyrs of God only bare away y ◠victory againe y ◠seuēteenth day of y ◠moneth Dius after the Romaynes the fifteenth of the Calendes of December Alphaeus and Zachaeus after they had bene lashed with whipps mangled with rasors after racking and greuous tormentes therein after sundry questions demaunded of them after they had layen in y ◠stocks many dayes and many nights their feet stretched foure spaces asunder last of all whē they had freely confessed and boldely pronounced that there was but one onely God one kinge captaine ouer all Iesus Christ as if herein they had vttered blasphemy or treason they were in like maner beheaded euen as the martyr mētioned a litle before Moreouer the history toutching Romanus y ◠martyr who suffred the same day at Antioch is worthie of memory He was borne in Palaestina he was deacon and exorcist of the church of Caesarea as it fell out being in Antioch at the ruyne and desolation of y ◠churches beholding with his eyes great multituds both of men women and children flocking vnto the altars and offering sacrifices to the Idols supposed it was his duety in no wise to winck thereat wherefore he being moued with singular zeale of the spirit of God drewe nigh vnto them exclaimed against them and sharpely rebuked them Who for so bold an enterprise was apprehended shewed him selfe a valiāt witnes or testifier if then there was any such in the world of the trueth in Christ For when the iudge threatned him death with flashing fire that consumeth to ashes he of the contrary embraced his offer most willingly with cherefull countenance and gladsome courage and with all is brought vnto the place of execution Being bounde to the stake while the officers threwe fagotts about him and such as were appointed to kindle the fire wayted for the emperours watch worde pleasure who then was presente he shouted vnto them from the stake where I pray you is the fire The whiche he had no sooner spoken but the Emperour called him vnto him to the ende he shoulde suffer a newe and straūge kinde of torment to wete that his tongue might be plucked out of his mouth the which he constantly endured and thereby declared at large howe that the deuine power and grace of God neuer fayleth them which suffer for godlines sake but alwayes ether easeth their labours slaketh theyr griefs or els graunteth courage and might to endure paciently vnto the ende This blessed sainct as soone as he had vnderstoode of their newe deuised torment beinge valiantly disposed neuer staggered thereat but voluntarily put out his tongue yelded the same which was fully instructed in the word of God vnto the tormentors hands After which tormēt he was clapt in prison and there plagued alonge time at length when the twentieth yeare of the Emperours raygne was nowe expired at what time a generall pardon was proclaimed y t all prisoners should be sett at liberty he alone lying in the stockes and his feete stretched fiue spaces asunder had his necke compassed with a haulter and thus in prison stifled to death so that hereby according vnto his desire he was crowned with martyrdome This man although he suffred out of the bounds of his natiue soyle yet being a Palaestinian by birth is worthy to be canonized amōg the martyrs of Palaestina Such were the tragicall affayrs of the church in Palaestina the first yeare of the persecution which was chiefly bent against y ◠presidents of our doctrine byshops of y ◠church of God CAP. XXI Of the martyrs which suffred in Caesarea the seconde yeare of the persecution vnder Diocletian and of the alteration of the Empire THe second yeare nowe being come when the persecution raised against vs waxed hott the proclamations of the Emperours where it was generally cōmaunded that both mē women children throughout euery citie and village should be constrained to sacrifice offer incense to Idols were newly come to the hands of Vrbanus then lyuetenant of y ◠prouince Timotheus of Gaza in Palaestina after infinite torments the which he endured laste of all being boūd to the stake enuironed with slacke slowe fire gaue forth a worthy triall of his zeale godwards through pacient sufferance in all the bitter punishments laid vpon him and in the end bare away the garlande of victory vsually graunted to all y ◠valiant champions which wrastle for piety the seruice of God At y ◠same time Agapius Thecla also which liued in this our age she wed y ◠worthy constancy of their noble minds when as at y ◠cōmaundement of the iudge they were throwen at the feete of wild beasts to be ether deuoured or torne in peeces What man is he that ether beholdinge with his eyes the thinges which ensued will not fall into admiration or lendinge onely the bare eare vnto the recitall of them will not be astonied thereat For when as the Ethniks solemnized their publick feastes and celebrated their wonted spectacles amongst other their mery newes gladsome wishes it was commonly noyced abrode that the christians lately condemned to wild beasts made all the sport and finished the solemnity This report being farre and nigh and euery where bruted abrode yonge striplings to the number of six whereof one was of Pontus by name Timolaus the second of Tripolis a citie in Phaenicia called Dionysius the third by name Romulus subdeacon of the church of Diospolis the fourth Pausis the fift Alexander bothe Aegyptians the sixt Alexander of the same name with him that went before of the citie of Gaza ioyning handes and hartes together signifiyng thereby the feruent loue they owed to martyrdome went with speede vnto Vrbanus who a litle before had let loose the raueninge beastes to rent the christiās in peeces and frely protested the christian faith declaring by this their promptnes and willing minds as it were absolutely furnished to giue the onsett of what aduenture soeuer that suche as glory in the title worshipp and seruice of the great God creator of the whole world haue not to tremble at y ◠fierce rage of furious and sauadge beastes Wherevpon both the president and the people fell into great admiration and the confessors were forth with clapt in prison Not longe
when as in steede of his proper name he had named himselfe vnto him after some Prophet or other for this was their maner in steede of the Idolatrous names which their parents had geuen them to chose them newe names they called them selues after the name of Elias Ieremias Esay Samuel and Daniel and expressed not onely in worde but in workes them selues the very true God of Israel hidd from the Iewes according vnto the proper etymologie of their names Firmilianus hearing such an appellation of the Martyr weyed not at all the sense and signification of the worde but secondarily asketh of him what contreyman he was he satisfying the interrogatorie geueth a flâ—t name vnto the former aunswere that his contrey was Ierusalem meaning in very deede the selfe same wherof Paul spake that Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all agayne in an other place ye are come vnto the mount Sion and to the citye of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem for it was this that the Martyr vnderstoode Firmilianus being earthly minded enquireth earnestly and curiously where this city was in what contrey it lay and with all tormented him greeuously to the ende he shoulde confesse the trueth â–ª this Martyr hauing his handes wrested and tyed behinde him his feete with certayne newe and straunge kinde of engines stretched asunder auoutched constantly that he had told him the trueth Afterwards when the iudge demaunded of him againe what he was and where that city was situated made answere that it was a contrey which onely belonged vnto the godly that none other shoulde be partaker thereof saue the godly alone and that it was situate eastward where the sunne in the morning spreddeth abroad the bright beames of his light In vttering these wordes he entred into so diuine a cogitation within him selfe that he forgot the tormentors which layd him on on euery side and seemed to perceaue no sense or feeling of the payne and punishment as if he had bene a ghost without fleshe bloode or bone The iudge casting doubts with him selfe and greatly disquieted in minde thought the Christians would bring to passe that the city mentioned by the Martyr should rebell and become enemy vnto the Romaynes he began to search and diligently to inquire where that region by report eastward should be â–ª last of all when he sawe this yong man after bitter and greeuous torments with immutable constancy to perseuere stedfast in his former saying he gaue sentence that his head should be striken of from his shoulders â–ª such was the mortal race of this miserable life which this blessed Martyr did runne The rest of his companions after the like torments ended their liues with the laying of their heads vpon the blocke In the ende Firmilianus although in maner weryed and frustrated of his purpose yet satisfied to the full with these infinite torments and their terrible execution turned him selfe vnto Pamphilus and his companions And although he had experience sufficient heretofore of their inuincible constancy in the defence of their fayth yet agayne he demaundeth whether at length they would obey and yelde vnto him when he was resolued of their definite sentence and last answere which tended to martyrdome he gaue sentence they should be tormented and punished alike with the former martyrs which being done a yong man one of the seruants of Pamphilus so well brought by instructed that he might very well seeme worthy the discipline and education of so worthy a man as soone as he perceaued that sentence was past vpon his maister crieth out in the middest of the throng and requesteth that his maisters carkasse together with his companions after the breath were departed their body might quietly be buried in their graues The Iudge being affectioned not like vnto man but to a beast or if there be any other thing more sauadg tendered not at all y â— yong mans youthly yeares but forth w t demaundeth of him whether he were a christian who when that he affirmed plainly that he was boyled with anger as if his hart had bene stickt w t a knife charged the tormentors they shoulde laye on him the weyght of their handes and the might of their strength after that he was inioyned to sacrifice and had refused the Iudge commaunded that without all compassion he should be scourged vnto the bare bone the inner and secret bowells not as if he were man couered with flesh and compassed in a skinne but a picture made of stone or wood or some other senselesse metall In which kinde of torment continewed a long time when the iudge perceaued that he vttered no language neither gaue forth to vnderstand y â— he felt any paine sawe that his body being in maner senselesse spent with lashes consumed away he tormented him in vayne he continewed still in that his hard and stony hart voyde of all humanitie and decreed forthwith that his body should be burned by a litle and a litle with a slowe and slacke fire This yong man being the last of them which afore the martyrdome of Pamphilus who was his maister according vnto the fleshe entred into this dangerous skirmishe departed this life before him because that the tormentors which executed the rest seemed to be very slow Then might a man haue seene Porphyrius for that was the yong mans name after triall in euery kinde of exercise earnestly and wholy bent with a wonderful desire as the maner is of men to obtayne the valiant sacred victory his body be poudred with dust yet gracious in face and countenance hastening to the place of execution for al his affections with vpright and noble courage replenished no doubt with the spirite of God attyred in the philosophicall habit after his wonted guyse to wete wearing a garment after the maner of a cloke which couered only his shoulders telling his familiars with signes tokens w t a modest mild spirite what his wil was to be done continewing still yea when he was bounde to the stake his glorious gladsome countenance moreouer when the fire flashed about with great distance and waxed extreame hott in compasse of him ye might haue seene him with his breath on eyther side drawing the flame vnto him and after these wordes when as the flame first of all toutched his bodye which with loude voyce he sounded out Iesus thou sonne of God succor and helpe me to haue suffred constantly without any murmuring at al all those maruelous and extreame torments euen to the last gaspe such was the affliction of Porphyrius whose ende Seleucus a confessor and a souldier signified vnto Pamphilus â–ª who as the author of such a message deserued was without delay thought worthy to take the same chaunce together with those Martyrs for as soone as he had certified him of Porphyrius death and taken his leaue and farewell of one of the Martyrs certaine souldiers laye handes vpon him
phrase correspoÌ„dent vnto y â— capacitie both of learned and vnlearned readers Wherefore entring to discourse of him we purpose to proceede in this order after our preamble hath vsed a litle digressioÌ„ fet a small coÌ„passe for to lay downe his kinred his nurture the maner how he attained vnto y â— emperiall crowne Constantinus y â— Emperour who chauÌ„ged y â— name of ByzantiuÌ„ termed it CoÌ„stantinople had two brethren of one father but by diuers mothers the one was Dalmatius y â— other Costantius Dalmatius had a sonne of his owne name Constatius also had two soÌ„nes Gallus Iulianus When as after the death of CoÌ„stantinopls fosider y â— yoÌ„ger Dalmatius had ben staine of y â— souldiers these orphanes likewise bereaued of their naturall father escaped narowly the vnlucky successe of Dalmatius for they had bene cut of dispatched had not sicknesse diseases as it was thought incurable saued Gallus life youthly age of eight yeare old preserued Iulianus aliue kept him from y â— tyraÌ„ts clawes But after y t the Emperour was appeased his furie withdrawen froÌ„ raging against theÌ„ Gallus was trained vp vnder schoolemaisters at Ephesus in Ionia where their auncetors had left either of theÌ„ great legacies Iulianus also being come to y â— stature of a spriÌ„gall gaue him selfe to learniÌ„g in y â— cathedrall church of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople where was a free schoole he went in simple meane attire was taught of Macedonius y â— Cunuch he learned graÌ„mer of Nicocles y â— Laconian Rhetorike of Ecebolius y â— sophist who theÌ„ was a ChristiaÌ„ The Emperour ConstaÌ„tius prouided very well lest y â— by hauiÌ„g an ethnike to his maister for Iulianus was a ChristiaÌ„ froÌ„ his cradell he should fall to y â— superstitious idolatry of pagaÌ„s WheÌ„ he had profited very much in good discipline godly literature y â— fame weÌ„t of him amoÌ„g y t people y t he was a man both able fit to gouerne beare office in the coÌ„mon wealth The which thing afterwards being then rife in euery mans mouth disquieted y â— Emperour not a litle Wherfore he caused him to be remoued from y â— princely citie of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople into Nicomedia charged him not to treade in y â— schoole of Iabanius y â— Syrian Sophist Iabanius then was expelled by y â— schoolemaisters of ConstaÌ„tinople kept a schoole at Nicomedia who powred out y â— poison of his caÌ„kred stomake displeasure coÌ„ceaued agaiÌ„st y â— schoolemaisters in a certaine booke which he published agaiÌ„st theÌ„ though Iulianus was therfore forbiddeÌ„ to frequent Libanis lessoÌ„s because he professed paganisme and heathenishe literature yet for all that was he so in loue with his works that he procured them vnto him secretly and by stelth and perused them with greate labor and diligence When he had taken good successe and great profit in Rhetorike it fell out that Maximus the philosopher not the Byzantian the father of Eucleides but the Ephesian came to Nicomedia â–ª whome the Emperour Valentinianus afterwardes founde to be a coniurer and recompenced him with present death â–ª but that as I sayde before fell afterwards At that time there was no cause that draue him thither but the fame of Iulian. Of this man it was that Iulian learned the precepts of philosophie but as for religion he had such a maister as inflamed his minde to aspire vnto the imperiall scepter When these thinges came to the Emperours eares Iulian nowe muzinge betwene hope and fearefull hatred howe he myght be voyde of suspition who of late had bene a true Christian but nowe an hypocriticall dissembler shaued him selfe and counterfayted a monkishe life For all that priuely he applyed heathenishe and philosophicall discipline but openly he read holy scripture so that he was made reader in the church of Nicomedia Thus craftely vnder cloke of religion did he appease the furious rage of the Emperour incensed agaynst him These things did he of feare yet not dispayring of hope for he sticked not to tell diuers of his familiar friends that it woulde be a happie worlde if he were made Emperour When it went thus with him Gallus his brother was created Caesar who taking his iourney into the East came by Nicomedia for to see him After that Gallus in a while after was slayne immediatly from that time forth Iuliamus was had in greate suspicion of the Emperour and therevpon commaunded that he shoulde be straightly looked vnto he espying fitt opportunitie to escape his keepers conueyed him selfe away and saued his life At length Eusebia y â— Empresse finding him by chaunce lurking in some secret and obscure place intreated the Emperour in his behalfe that he would not onely doe him no harme but also graunt him his lawfull fauour for to repaire to Athens for further knowledge in philosophie To be short he sent for him made him Caesar gaue him his sister Helen to wife and sent him into Fraunce for to wage battaile with y â— barbarian nations which rebelled agaynste their Christian Emperour For the Barbarians whome the Emperour Constantius had hyred a litle before to geue battaile vnto Magnentius the tyraÌ„t when as they preuayled nothing against him they fell a ransacking and spoyling of the cities within the Romaine dominions and because Iulian had but a greene head and of no great yeares the Emperour gaue him charge to enterprise nothing without the aduise and counsell of his sage expert captaines When y â— they hauing this large commission waxed negligent so y â— the Barbarians had the vpper hand Iulianus permitted the captaines to banquet to take their pastime pleasure layd downe a sett and certaine reward for euery Barbarian that was slayne whereby he did the more incourage the souldiers By this meanes it fell out that the power of the Barbarians came to nought and that he him selfe was greatly beloued of his souldiers The fame goeth that as he entred into a certaine towne a greene garland hanging by a corde betwene pillours wherewith commonly they are wont to trimme their houses and sett forth the beautie of their cities fell vpon his head and sitted him very well insomuch that all the people then present gaue a great shout thereat â–ª for it was thought that the falling garland prognosticated vnto him the glory of the imperiall seepter following after Some say that Constantius sent him against the Barbarians hoping that in skirmishing with them he shoulde there be dispatched â–ª but whether they report truely or no I knowe not For after that he had maryed him to his sister if then he shoulde pretende him friendship and practise mischiefe towards him what other thing were that then to procure vengeance to lyght vpon his owne pate but whether it be thus or otherwise lett euery man iudge as he thinkes best When Iulian had signified vnto the Emperour the carelesse and sâ—outhfull disposition and negligence of
and decreed that in handling the diuinitie of God there should thenceforth no mentioÌ„ be made of these words affirming y â— the word essence was not founde in holie scripture and that the Apostle in deliueringe the grounde of doctrine was constrayued of necessitie to vse the word substance But they decreed farther that in an other sense to the end the opinion of Sabellius might be rooted out these words were to be admitted lest that through the want of proper wordes we should be compelled to imagine the thinge of three names to be as one but that the seuerall names of the blessed Trinitie signifie and sett forth God to subsist by him selfe in proper substance These were the things decided in that Councell I see nothinge to the contrarie but that presently also we may laye downe what we learned and read of the wordes essence and substance Such as laboured in Greece to sett forth the sage doctrine of the Grecians gaue vs to vnderstande that the worde Essence was diuersly to be taken and had many significations but of the word Substance they made no mention at all nay Irenaeus Grammâ—ticus in his Atticke Dictionarie termeth it a barbarous worde He sayeth moreouer that it can not be founde in any auncient writer and if that perchaunce we lyght vpon it that it was neuer meant in the sense we take it That Sophocles in his Tragedie of Phoenix taketh Hypostasis for wyles or conspiracie and Menander for sauce and resignifyed also lâ—es or dregges of wyne For though the auncient Philosophers haue not vsed this worde yet we see that the later wryters haue taken it very oft for Essence But we haue spoken before that the definition of Essence was deliuered to haue diuers significations If that Essence may be comprised by definition howe when we entreate of God which is incomprehensible can we properly vse this boyced Euagrius in his booke intituled The Mooke exhorteth vs to refrayne from rashe and vnaduised reasoninge of the God head he forbyddeth the definition of the diuinitie of God because it is a simple thinge For definitions sayeth he are alwayes of concâ—eâ—â— and compound things not of the abstract and simple His wordes are these Euery proposition as the Logicians doe vvrite hath eyther Genus of vvhome it may be verifyed oâ— Species or Differentia or Proprium or Accidens or that vvhich dependeth of these But in the handlinge of the blessed Trinitie none of all thâ—se is to be required because it can not be layde dovvne neyther expressed by vvordes therefore it is not to be defined but reuerently to be runne ouer vvith silence So farre presently out of Euagrius but here after more at large We of our owne parte although we steme to haue digressed yet in so much these things appertayne vnto the discourse of our present argument 〈◊〉 haue thought good to lay them downe here CAP. VI. The Apollogie of Athanasius in defence of his flyght in the tyme of persecution AThanasius at that very tyme read in the hearinge of such as were present an Apollogie the which he had written a litle before in his owne defence when as by reason of the armed souldiers that besett the churche of Alexandria and sought his lyfe â–ª he was fayne to leaue all and runne away Whereof I haue thought good at this present to alleadge some such parcell as may seeme to brynge most profitt vnto the louing reader leauinge the whole discourse beynge somewhat ouer longe vnto the labour and industrie of the paynefull students Beholde â—ayth Athanasius the lewde practises of vvicked persons Although they are priuie vnto these haynous offences yet for all that they are nothinge ashamed of the contumelyes an dâ—â—uell tyrannle they exercised against vs but charge vs in their opinion vvith a foule spott and blemishe of infamie for escapinge the handes of cutthrotes and bloodâ—uckers yea they beshrevve them selues that they dispatched vs not out of the vvay Moreouer to the ende they may stayne my credite and aestimation they fall to accuse me for faint courage and timorous disposition being forgetfull that vvhilest they blased these thinges to my dispraise they turned the shame to light vpon their ovvne pates For if it be a discredite to slie the handes of the tyrant hovve much more to persecute meÌ„ vnto the death He that flieth seeketh meanes to saue his life but he that persecuteth goeth about to procure the others death That vve shoulde flie in such cases the scriptures are on our side but in thurstinge after the bloode of our brother the commaundement is broken and the author thereof is founde chiefe cause of the flight If they blame any man for geuinge them the slippe they are vvorthie of farre greater shame and reprehension For lett them ceasse from persecutinge and threatninge of death then vvill the other remaine still and not runne avvay But their spite and malice hath no ende they doe nought else â—aue deuise feates to bringe men vnto destruction yea vvhen they knovve full vvell that the flight of the persecuted is a foule shame vnto the persecutours For no man flieth the gentle and meeke but rather the cruell and vvicked man They that vvere greeued and farre indetted vnto others gaue Saul the slippe and fledde vnto Dauid VVherefore these men goe about to dispatche such as conuey them selues out of their vvay lest the levvdnesse of Bishops be manifestly knovven vvithout doubte herein they seeme to be starke blinde For looke hovve euident the flyght is farre more apparent vvyll theyr slaughter and banishmentes seeme vnto the vvorlde If they murther men death no doubt lifteth her voyce and soundeth out their crueltie if they fall a banishinge of them therein they sett vp monuments to the remembrance of their vvicked doinges Had they bene in theyr ryght vvitts they might haue easilie perceaned their ovvne follie and them selues ouerthrovven in their ovvne deuises But in that they are bereaued of their vvittes and beside them selues they fall a persecutinge of others and vvhile they endeuour to mischiefe others they perceaue not their ovvne malice and impietie If they reprochefully charge them which hide them selues from such as seeke their liues and accuse them for strenge the handes of the persecutor what haue they to say I beseche you vvhen they heare that Iacob fledd from the face of his brother Esau and that Moses for feare of Pharao â–ª conueyed him selfe to Madian VVhat haue these contentious quarellers to saye vnto Dauid vvho fledd from Saul vvhich sent of his garde out of his house to slaye him hid him selfe in a caue counterfeited his person vntill that subtly he had past Abimelech the priest and auoyded their layinge of vvaite for him VVhat ansvvere can these rashe bablers geueâ— vvhen they see that the greate prophete Elias vvho so deuoutly called vpon the name of God and raysed the dead vvas faine to hide him selfe from Achaab and runne away because of
slept fevve houres my maner is to leane vnto a vvall and so take a nappe A certaine Monke vnderstandinge of his fathers death tolde him that brought him the tydinges thus Holde thy peace friende vtter no such blasphemie for my father is immortall A certaine brother soulde the nevve I estament beynge his onely booke and gaue the money for to releeue the poore and vttered a vvorthie sayinge vvithall I haue soulde the same booke vvhich sayeth Sell all that thou hast and geue to the poore There is a certayne Isle not farre from Alexandria northvvarde situated ouer the brooke of Marie vvhere there dvvelled a Monke of the sect of Gnostici a notable man he sayde that all vvhatsoeuer the Monkes dyd vvere done for fiue causes for God for nature for custome for necessitie and for handie vvorke At an other tyme he sayde that naturally there vvas but one vertue yet because of the povvers and facultyes of the soule vvhere her seate resteth the same one vvas deuided into sundrye partes and members The lyght of the Sunne sayeth he vvanteth forme and fygure yet by reason of the vvindovves and chinkes through the vvhich it pearceth it is sayde to haue a figure It is reported of him that vnto an other Monke he sayde thus I doe therefore cutte of all occasion and baytes of fleshly pleasure to the ende I may expell euery humour that tendeth to heate of anger I am veryly persvvaded that this heate of Anger contendeth for pleasure disquieteth the quiete disposition of my minde and bereaueth my vnderstandinge of her force An other fatherly olde man sayde That loue or charitie could neuer hoord or lay vp great store of meate and money Agayne he sayde that to his knovvledge the deuell neuer deceaued him tvvise in one thinge These amonge other thinges hath Euagrius remembred in his booke intituled The trade of lyfe vvhich consisteth of practise In his booke called Gnosticus he writeth thus That there are foure vertues and so many offices or functions belonginge vnto them vve haue learned of Gregorie the Iust Prudencie Fortitude Temperance and Iustice The office of Prudencie is to contemplate those faculties that appertaine vnto the minde these he affirmed to proceede of vvisdome vvithout intermedlinge vvith vvordes The office of Fortitude is firmely to persist in the trueth and though therefore thou suffer grieuous torment yet it is thy part neuer to yeelde vnto falsehoode The office of Temperance is to receaue seedes of the highest and supreme husbandman and to put him by that poppeth in any other seede Last of all the office of Iustice is to render an accompt of euery thinge vvorthely he sayde that this vertue acknovvledged some things obscurely signified other thinges darkely explicated some things openly to the profit of the ignorant and vnlearned Basilius of Cappadocia the pyller of trueth sayde that the knovvledge vvhich one man learneth of an other is made perfect by continuall vse and exercise but that which through the grace of God is ingraffed in the minde of man is made absolute by iustice gentlenes and charitie And that they vvhich are subiect vnto perturbation may be partakers of the former but of the later they only which are purged of all such heat motion who also while they pray vnto God do behold the proper peculier light of the mind shining to the cōfort of their soules Blessed Athanasius likewise the light mirror of all Aegypt sayth that Moses was cōmaūded to set the table northward let thē therfore which are in contemplation remember alwaies who the aduersarie is which assaulteth them and see that they endure manfully all temptations and that they refreshe relieue cheerefully all such as frequent vnto them Serapion bishop of Thmuis spake much like an Angell that the minde vvhich feedeth vpon spirituall knovvledge muste throughly and vvholly be clensed that the parts of the minde vvhich boyle vvith fierie heate of furious rage must be cured with loue and brotherly charitie and that the levvde motion and lust of the fleshe beyng crept into the inner closett of the minde is to be suppressed vvith continencie Didymus that great doctor and beholder of heauenly things vvas accustomed to say Ponder vvith thy selfe alvvayes the praecepts of the prouidence and iudgement of almightie God endeuour to retayne in thy memorie the summe of them for many doe erre therein the praecepts of iudgement thou shalt easily discerne in the varietie of bodies and in the alteration of all the creatures vnder heauen the praecepts of prouidence thou shalt perceaue in those meanes vvhereby vve are drawen from vice and ignorance vnto vertue and knowledge These thinges haue we borowed out of Euagrius bookes and alleaged here for the profit of the studious reader An other monke there was a very notable man his name was Ammonius who by chaunce being at Rome together with Athanasius was nothing curious he desired to see nothing of all the gaye and gorgeous buyldinge of the citie saue the temple of Peter and Paul The same man being vrged with a byshopricke fledd away secretly cutt of his ryght eare that the deformitie of his bodie myght be a canonicall impediment so that he shoulde not be chosen byshop Afterwardes when that Euagrius beynge chosen bishop by Theophilus byshop of Alexandria had runne awaye without mayming any part of his bodie and by chaunce mett Ammonius whome he merely taunted for committing so haynous an offence in cuttinge of his eare and that he shoulde answere for it before God Ammonius made answere And doest thou thinke Euagrius to escape punishment for that of selfeloue thou hast shut vp thy mouth and vsed not the gift and grace which God hath geuen thee There were at that tyme sundry other rare and singular men of those religious houses to rehearse all woulde be very longe insomuch that if we shoulde runne ouer their seuerall liues and the straunge miracles wrought by them by reason of their singular vertue and holinesse we shoulde farre digresse from our former discourse Wherefore if any man be desirous to knowe further of the acts to vnderstand more of their trade of lyfe to learne their profitable sayinges and sentences to be instructed howe they stroue with beasts and ouercame them lett him reade the booke of Palladius the monke who was the disciple of Euagrius the which he wrote onely of them For all that appertayned vnto them is fully layde downe there where also there is a discourse of the women which leade the like trade of lyfe with the aforesayde holie men Euagrius and Palladius florished in a while after the death of Valens But nowe let vs returne thither where we left CAP. XIX Of the religious men that were exiled and howe that God wrought miracles by them and drewe all men vnto him WHen the Emperour Valens had proclaimed against all them that maintayned the faith of One substance throughout Alexandria and all Aegypt that they should
was greately furthered by them as by two greate lightes it is our parte to say somewhat of them If in case that any will compare Basilius with Gregorie and with longe discourse conferre the life and learninge of the one with the other it will be longe ere he shal be able to discerne whether to preferre of them both They were both equally matched for right trade of life for both kinde of knowledge diuine and prophane Beynge yonge men in the floure of their youth they hearde at Athens the famous Rhetoricians Hymerius and Proaeresius afterwardes at Antioche in Syria they frequented the schoole of Libanius in the ende they excelled in Rhetoricke When they were thought worthie men to deliuer vnto the worlde the preceptes of philosophie and were entreated of many to take that function vpon them when as also others perswaded with them to become Orators they sett nought by both those trades they despised the maner aâ—d guise of Rhetoricians and gaue them selues vnto solitary and monasticall life Wherefore as soone as they had sufficiently profited in philosophie vnder a certaine reader who then was a professor at Antioche they prouided for theÌ„ selues the coÌ„mentaries of Origen who then was famous throughout the worlde and learned out of them to expounde and interprete the holy and sacred scripture beynge exercised in them they valiantly encountred with the Arians And when as the Arians alleaged out of Origen for the confirmation of their hereticall opinion they refuted their ignorance and shewed by plaine demonstrations that they vnderstoode not the minde and meaning of Origen For Eunomius a fauourer of that sect and as many Arians as were of greatest reputation and accompted the profoundest clerkes in respect of all the rest when they disputed with Gregorie and Basil proued them selues starke fooles and vnlearned persons Basil first of all being ordained Deacon of Meletius bishop of Antioche afterwards bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia where he was borne gaue him selfe wholly to the furtherance and profit of the churche of God When he feared greately lest the newe deuise of Arius brayne would creepe throughout the prouinces of Pontus he got him into those parts in all the hast and ordained there the exercise of monasticall life instructed men in his opinion and confirmed the waueringe minde of weakelinges in the faith Gregorie also being made bishop of Nazianzum a meane citie of Cappadocia wherof his father had bene bishop before him did y â— like vnto Basils doings As he passed throughout y t cities he coÌ„firmed y â— faynt weake in the faith by oft visiting of Constantinople he setled with his graue lessons and great learning the minds of all them that embraced the faith of One substance Wherefore in a short while after he was by the voyces and consent of many bishops chosen bishop of Constantinople When the fame of them both was â—lased so farre that it came to the Emperour Valens eares in all the hast he gaue forth commaundement that Basil shoulde be brought from Caesarea before him to Antioche He was no sooner come but the Emperour charged he should be brought before the tribunall seate of the president When the President demaunded of him why and wherefore he liked no better of the Emperours religion Basil vnfaynedly and freely spake his minde of the Emperours opinion yet highly coÌ„mended the faith of One substance When the President threatned him w t present death I would to God sayth Basil it woulde fall out so well of my side that I might leaue this carcasse of mine in the quarell of Christ in the defence of my head and captaine WheÌ„ the President aduised him againe and againe to remember him selfe better the report goeth that Basil sayde vnto him As I am today so shalt thou find me tomorow but I pray God thou alter not thy minde Then lay Basil in prison that whole daye In a whyle after the Emperour Valens sonne by name Galates of youthly and tender yeares fell to so daungerous a disease that the phisicions gaue him vp and despaired of his recouery whose mother Dominica the Empresse tolde her husband the Emperour that the same nyght she was wonderfully disquieted in hir sleepe with vglesome shapes dreadfull visions of deuells and wicked spirites that the child was visited with sicknesse because of the coÌ„tumelie and reproche he had done vnto Basil the bishop The Emperour marking diligently the words of his wife muzed a while pondered them w t him selfe at length resolued him selfe what was to be done sent for Basil and because he would know y â— trueth reasoned thus with him If thy faith and opinion be true pray that my sonne die not of this disease Then Basil answered If thou wilt promise mee to beleue as I doe and if thou wilt bringe the churche vnto vnitie and concord thy childe no doubt shall lyue When the Emperour woulde not agree vnto this let God sayeth Basil deale with the childe as pleaseth him Immediatly after this conference Basil was sette at libertie and forthwith the child dyed Thus much haue we runne ouer of both these mens doings They both left behinde them vnto the posteritie many notable bookes wherof Ruffinus reporteth him selfe to haue translated some into the Latine tongue Basil had two brethren Peter and Gregorie Peter lead the solitarie life after the example of Basil Gregorie was a teacher and finished after the desease of his brother the CoÌ„mentaries which Basil had left vnperfect vpon the Six dayes vvorks The same Gregorie preached at Constantinople a funerall sermon vpon the death of Meletius bishop of Antioch There are extant many other notable orations and sermons of his CAP. XXII Of Gregorie byshop of Neocaesarea INsomuch that many are deceaued partly because of the name and partly because of the works attributed vnto Gregorie we haue to learne that there was an other Gregorie borne in Neocaesarea a citie of Pontus who was the disciple of Origen and farre more auncient then the former men we spake of euen now This Gregorie is much spoken of not onely at Athens and at Berytus but throughout Pontus and in maner throughout the whole world As soone as he had left the famous schoole of Athens he gaue him selfe at Berytus vnto the study of the ciuill lawes hearinge there that Origen professed diuinitie at Caesarea got him thither in all the hast When he had bene the auditor of the heauenly doctrine of holy scripture made no accoÌ„pt of the Romaine lawes but leaned thenceforth vnto that Wherfore hauing learned of him the true philosophie at y â— commauÌ„dement of his parents he returned vnto his natiue contrey Beinge a laye man he wrought many miracles he cured the sicke he chased deuells away by his epistles he conuerted the gentils and Ethnicks vnto the faith not only with words but w t deedes of far greater force PaÌ„philus Martyr made mention of him in his bookes written in the defence of
demaunded of him the like he sayd It is no hard matter to bereaue a man of his life but when he is gone there is no man be he neuer so sory for him that can restore him to life againe saue God alone He was alwaies of y ◠mind that if any cōmitted treason he would not suffer him to go as farre as the gates of the citie towardes the place of execution but of his clemencie he called him backe againe The same man againe when he published spectacles on a certaine time at Constantinople w t the bickering and fighting of beasts in cōpasse of the theatre and the people shouted vnto him requiring that one of the strōgest men should be turned vnto the sauadge beast which rainged about his answere was in this sort Doe not you know that we can not away with cruell spectacles When the people hearde this they learned thenceforth to refraine from cruell showes Moreouer he was so religious that he honored all the priests of God but specially such as he knew did excell in godlenesse The report goeth that he made searche for the sackcloth which the bishop of Chebrū wore that died at Constantinople aud being found they say he more it how homely soeuer it was thinking verely to gett vnto him selfe thereby some of the deade mans holinesse As he soleminzed on a certaine tempestuous and stormie tyme of the yeare the people requiringe the same the vsuall and wonted spectacles and showes in the place called Circus enuironed with a wall and galeries round about when the rowme was full of people and the tempest waxed sore there fell vpon them sodainly a great cloude of snow then the Emperour renealed vnto the worlde what affection and zeale he bare towards God he willed the bedells in his name to say thus vnto the people It is far better for vs to lay aside these sowes and pastime and with one voyce to fall a praying vnto God that he will deliuer vs out of this present storme The words were no sooner spokē but all ioyntly fell downe to the ground and poured out earnest zealous praiers vnto God so y ◠the whole citie was become like one church The Emperour him selfe in the middest of the assembly arrayed in cōmon vsuall attire began the hymnes neither failed he of his purpose For the wether became faire againe the great derth and scarsitie was turned by the goodnes of God into plenty and abūdance of all things If warres at any time were proclaimed he followed the example of Dauid he made God his refuge perswading him self for certaine that God ruled and gouerned all battails and by the meanes of prayer he obtayned euer a prosperous successe CAP. XXIII Of Iohn who after the desease of the Emperour Honorius playd the tyrant at Rome how God deliuered him through the prayers of Theodosius into the hands of the Romaine souldiers OCcasion is presently ministred to discourse howe Theodosius being ayded frō aboue foyled the rebell and tyrant Iohn immediatly after the Persian battaile the desease of Honoritu in y ◠cōsulship of Asclepiodotus Marianus y ◠15. of August In mine opiniō y ◠acts of those dayes are worthy y ◠writig such they are as of right should be recorded to y ◠knowledge of the posterity in time to come For the like thigs which hapned vnto the Hebrewes vnder Moses as they passed through the red sea new befell vnto the emperours captaines being set against y ◠tyrāt the which I mind briefly to rūne ouer leauīg y ◠large discourse because it requireth a seuerall volume vnto others Although Theodosius knew that Honorius y ◠Emperour had departed this life yet cōcealed he his death frō others so y ◠an other deuise which hereafter shal be spokē of begutled many therin He sent priuely a souldier vnto Salonae a city of Dalmatia to geue warnig y ◠if any nouelty were attēpted in y ◠west parts of the world there should be such preparatiò as might quickly suppresse y ◠authors therof Whē he had brought y ◠about he opened vnto all men y ◠death of his vncle In y ◠meane while Iohānes one of y ◠Emperours chiefe secretaries being not of setled disposition to beare y ◠saile bāner of prosperity chalēged the empire sēt embassabours vnto y ◠emperour Theodosius requiring him to proclaime him emperour Theodosius tooke his legats layd thē in hold sēt vnto Iohn Ardaburius y ◠captaine who of late had behaued him self valiātly in y ◠battaile agaīst the Persians he cōming to Salonae sailed into Aquileia whence as it is thought he tooke a wrōg course the chaunce was as followeth Being in the surging waues of y ◠maine seae y ◠winde blewe against him brought him ere he was ware into y ◠tyrāts clawes The tyrant laying hand on him was now in good hope y ◠Theodosius would be brought of necessitie if he tendered y ◠life of his captaine Ardaburius to create proclaime him Emperour whē these thīgs came to light both Theodosius him selfe his army also which marched forwardes against y ◠rebell were wonderfull sory lest Ardaburius should take any harme at y ◠tyrāts hāds Aspar also y ◠sōne of Ardaburius seing both his father taken captiue also hearing for certainty y ◠an infinite power of Barbariās wēt to ayde the rebell knewe not what to doe he was at his wittes ende To be short y ◠prayers of y ◠godly Emperour thē also proued thē selues againe to be very effectuall for an Angell of God in y ◠forme of a shepherd guided Aspar on his iourney led his army by a lake adioyning vnto Rauēna for there it was that the tyrant kept captaine Ardaburius in hold which way as fame goeth there was neuer man y ◠found passage But God opened a way vnto Aspar where as it is thought others coulde not goe He led then his armie through the lake which then as it fell out was dryed vp by the handy worke of God he rushed in at the gates of the citie which lay wide open dispatched the tyrāt At what time the most godly Emperour vnderstanding of the tyrāts death as he celebrated those showes and spectacles in Circus made manifest his singular zeale pietie godwards for thus he spake vnto the people Let vs geue ouer this vaine pastime and pleasure let vs rather repaire vnto the church and serue God deuoutly pouring vnto God zealous prayers yelding vnto him harty thankes who with his owne hande hath bereaued the tyrant of his life He had no sooner made an end of speaking but ther gaue ouer their spectacles and showes they set all at nought they passed throughout the theater sounding out thanks geuing with one voyce together with the Emperour they went straight to the church and spent there the whole day so that
of Iulian. pag. 310. 311. the Ievves vvere banished Alexandria pag. 382. 383. the Ievves crucified a boy and vvere punished for it pa. 384. 385. the Ievves in Creta vvere deceaued by a deuell pa. 398. 399. Ignatius b. of Antioch vvas torne in peeces of vvilde beasts at Rome pa. 47. 54. 55. the Images of SimoÌ„ Magus Helena the witch pa. 27. the Image of Christ pa. 132. the Images of the Apostles pa. 132. the Indians receaue the fayth pa. 240. Ingenuus a confessor pa. 116. Innocentius b. of Rome pa. 381. Ioath the Prophet and his life pa. 522. Ioel the Prophet and his life pa. 526. Iohn Baptist vvas beheaded of Herode the Tetrarch pa. 14. 15. his life pa. 531. Iohn the Apostle preached in Asia and dyed at Ephesus pag. 36. 53. 93. he was banished into the Isle Patmos in the time of Domitian page 46. He came from exile in the time of Nerua pag. 47. He conuerted a thiefe pag. 48. 49. His Gospell and Epistles pag. 49. 50. He detested the presence of Cerinthus the hereticke pa. 64 He raised one from death to life page 90. His life pag. 532. Iohn the elder and his tombe pag. 56. 57. Iohn the 7 B. of Ierusalem pag. 59. Iohn a blinde man of singuler memorie and rare giftes in preachinge pag. 173. Iohn Chrysostome B. of Constantinople pa. 361 362. 363. 371. 375. 376. Iohn a rebell and his execution pag. 390. Ionas the prophete and his life pag. 526. Ioseph the carpenter is both the sonne of Heli the sonne of Iacob pag. 10. 11. Ioseph the 14 B. of Ierusalem pag. 59. Iosephus a Ievve vvrote of Iudas gaulonits page 9. Of the miserable end of Herode pa. 12. He geueth a testimony of Iohn Baptist of Christ page 14. Of the sedition betvvene Ievves and Grecians at Alexandria pag. 21. Of the crueltye of Pilate page 22. Of the miserable ende of Herode Agrigppa page 23. The calamity of the Ievves page 31. 32. 35. That IerusaleÌ„ was plagued for the death of Iames. p. 34. The destruction of Ierusalem and miserie of the Ievves pag. 38. 39. 40. His opinion of the wicked Iewes pag. 39. Of the signes foreshewing the destruction pag. 41. 42. His workes are to be seene pag. 44. 45. Iosua sawe Christ pag. 4. Iouianus was proclaimed Emperour page 312. His death pag. 317. Irenaeus B. of Lions is alleaged page 27. 46. 48. 51. 52. 55. 62. 63. 69. 72. 83. 90. 91. He was a Chiliast pag. 57. He is commended page 82. His workes page 84. 94. In his youth he sawe Polycarpus page 91. He reprehended Victor B. of Rome pag. 93. Irenaeus Gramaticus wrote an Atticke Dictionarie pag. 301. Irene the daughter of Spiridion pag. 234. Ischyras forged vnto him selfe letters of orders â–ª pag. 247. Ischyrion for the fayth was beaten to death with a cudgell pag. 117. Isdigerdes king of Persia pag. 380. 385. 422. Isidorus vvas burned for the faith pag. 116. Isidorus a peleusian pag. 420. Ismael the highpriest of the Iewes was deposed pag. 14. Iudas Gaulonites an hereticke â–ª pag. 9. Iudas a Galilaean pag. 9 Iudas the brother of Christ pag. 47. Iude and his Epistle pag. 34. 50. Iude the 15 B. of Ierusalem pag. 59. Iude a learned wryter and his bookes pag. 101. Iudges ruled Israel pag. 9. Iulianus B. of Alexandria pag. 85. Iulianus B. of Ierusalem pag. 86. Iulianus was burned for the fayth pag. 116. 171. Iulian is made Caesar pag. 278. He is proclaimed Emperour pag. 295. He fell into Apostasie page 297. His miserable end pag. 311. His phisiognomie pag. 313. Iulius B. of Rome pag. 258. 259. 268. 269. Iuppiter Philius an Idol pag. 175. Iustinus martyr florished a litle after the Apostles He is alleaged pag. 26. 27. 51. 61. 62. 63. 68. VVhat moued hiÌ„ to become a ChristiaÌ„ pa. 61. His Martyrdome pa. 67. 68. His works pa. 69. Iustinus the Emperour pag. 471. Iustinus the second Emperour of that name pag. 490. His end â–ª pag. 496. Iustinianus the Emperour page 474. His herosie and death pag. 488. 489. Iustus the 4 B. of Ierusalem pag. 54. 59. Iustus B. of Alexandria pag. 59. Iuuenalis B. of Ierusalem pag. 396. L. LEo B. of Rome pag. 426. Leo the Emperour pag. 433. His death 438. Leonides the Father of Origen was beheaded for the fayth pa. 96. Leontius an Arian B. of Antioch page 273. Leui the twelfâ— B. of Ierusalem pag. 59. Libanius the Sophist pa. 295. 309. His inconstaÌ„cie coÌ„futatioÌ„ of him pa. 312. 313. 314. 315. Liberius B. of Rome pag. 278. 324. Licinius the Emperours raygne cruelty and end pag. 153. 216. Linus vvas B. of Rome tvvelue yeares pa. 36. 37. 46. 47. 83. Longinus a rebell vvas beheaded pag. 465. Lucas a captaine of the Ievves pag. 58. Lucianus minister of Antioch vvas martyred pa. 153. Lucianus vvrote an Apollogie and vvas martyred â–ª pag. 176. Lucifor a godly B. of Caralitanum pag. 300. Luciferian heresie of Lucifer the B. vvhiche fell through impatientie pag. 304. 343. Lucius a Martyr pa. 69. Lucius B. of Rome pag. 125. Lucius a godly B. of Adrianopolis was imprisoned and choked vp vvith stinch â–ª pag. 273. Luke the Euangeliste vvrote a Gospell and the acts pa. 37. He is said to haue traÌ„slated the Epistle vnto the Hebrevves from Hebrevve into Greeke his life pa. 533. Lupus Presidente of Aegypt plagued the Ievves pa. 58. Lycus an hereticke pa. 86. Lysanias the tetraâ—che and the sonne of Herode pa. 13. 14. M. MAcar was burned for the fayth pa. 116. Macarius b. of Ierusalem pa. 235. Macarius a Monke pa. 330. 331. Macedonius an Arian b. of Constantinople pa. 258. 260. 261. 273. 285. he vvas deposed and so raysed a secte after his name pa. 293. Macedonian heresie pa. 305. Macedonius b. of Mopsuestia pa. 262. Macedonius the Martyr vvas broiled to death pa. 307. Machaerous the prison vvhere Iohn the baptiste vvas beheaded pa. 15. Macrinus vvas Emperour after Caracalla page 108. his end pa. 469. Magnentius a tyrante dieth miserablye â–ª pa. 272. 278. Malachias the Prophete and his life pa. 530. Malchion confuted Samosatenus heresie page 139. Malchus a Christian vvas torne in peeces of vvild beastes pa. 131. Mamaea a Godly Empresse the mother of AlexaÌ„der the Emperour sent for Origen pa. 108. Mambre the oke groue where Christ talked vvith Abraham pa. 3. Manca the hereticke whereof the Maniches are called and his heresie pa. 142. 242. his miserable end pa. 245. Manichaeus looke Manes Marathonius an old hereticke pa. 293. Marcella a woman vvas burned for the fayth pa. 98. 99. Martianus an hereticke pa. 103. Marcion an hereticke pa. 62. 70. 74. 86. Marcellinus b. of Rome pa. 142. Marcellus b. of Aneyra in Galatia fell to the heresie of Samosatenus pa. 251. 264. Marcus Turbo ouerthrewe the Ievves in battaill pag. 58. Marcus Aurelius Verus looke Verus the Emperour pag. 53. Marcus Aurelius had rayne through the prayers of the Christians He fauored the Christians His Epistles are
pa. 23. 32. 33. 35. 46. 47 â–ª 53. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 72. 73. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80 81. 96. 97. 98. 99. 101. 111. 114. 115. 116. 117. 128. 129. 130. 131. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 159. 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 175. 176. 273. 274. 284. 285. 298. 305. 306. 307. 310. 319. 320. 322. 326. 327. 328. 329. 332. 333. 386. 476. 493. 519. Persia receaued the faith pa. 38. Pertinax the Emperour and his end pa. 469. Peter the Apostle was imprisoned by Herode Agrippa and deliuered by an Angel pag. 23. he met SimoÌ„ Magus at Rome in the time of Claudius pag. 27. he was crucified at Rome about his later time after he had preached in other contreyes pa. 35. 36. 519. his workes pa. 36. he was maried and his vvife martyred pag. 52. Peter b. of Alexandria was beheaded page 144. 153. 176. Peter the Emperour Diocletians page after sundry tormentes was broyled to death pa. 148. Peter the successor of Athanasius in the seae of Alexandria pa. 328. 340. Petirus a monke pa. 330. Petrus Apselamus was burned for the fayth pag. 168. Peucetius a persecutinge Magistrate is executed pa. 183. Pharises and theyr heresie pag. 70. Phileas b. of Thmuis vvas beheaded pag. 150. Philetus b. of Antioch pa. 108. Philip the tetrarch pa. 13. 14. Philip one of the seuen Deacons preached in Samaria baptised Simon Magus the Eunuch pa. 19. 20. Philip the Apostle rested at Hierapolis pa. 53. 93 his martyrdome pag. 519. his life pa. 532. Philip the 9 b. of Ierusalem pa. 59. Philip b. of Gortyna wrote against Marcion pa. 71. 72. Philip was Emperour after Gordianus a Christian pa. 112. his end pa. 469. Philip a Priest of Sida wrote a booke to the confutatioÌ„ of Iulian the Apostata intitled it the Christian historie pa. 392. Philo Iudaeus a man of greate fame was sente in Embassie from the lewes of Alexandria vnto the Emperour Caligula pa. 21. he is alleaged pa. 22. 28. 29. he talked with Peter the Apostle at Rome pa. 28. his workes pa. 30. 31. Philoromus gouernour of Alexandria was beheaded for the faith pa. 150. Philosophie is studied and commended pag. 105 106. 107. 308. 309. Philumena an hereticke the Prophetesse yoke mate of Apelles pa. 86. Photinus b. of Sirmium and his heresie pag. 262. 264. 274. 275. 277. 323. Pictures of Simon Magus and Helena the vvitch pag. 27. Pierius a minister of Alexandria pag. 144. Pilate was made President of Iudaea the 12 yere of Tiberius pag. 13. he certified Tiberius that our Sauiour was risen from the dead pag. 20. he plagued the Ievves pag. 22. he slevve him selfe pa. 22. 23. Pinytus b. of Creta pag. 70. Pinytus b. of the people Gâ—o sij pa. 71. Pionius was burned for the faith pag. 67. Pior a Monke pag. 329. Pius vvas b. of Rome 15 yeares pag. 62. 83. Placitus b. of Antioch pa. 256. a Plague in Alexandria pa. 134. 135. a Plague throughout the vvorld pa. 182. a Plague in the time of Maximinus pa. 178. Plinius Secundus a Liuetenant vvas sorie that the Christians vvere persecuted vvrote therof vnto Traian pag. 54. Plutarchus a Martyr pa. 97. 98. Pneumatomachoi and their heresie pa. 293. Polybius b. of Tralleis pa. 55. Polybius an historiographer pa. 501. Polycarpus b. of Smyrna wrote an Epistle vnto the Philippians page 54. 55. 64. 93. he was at Rome with Anicetus pa. 63. he met MarcioÌ„ in the face pag. 64. his Martyrdome pag. 64. 65. 66. 67. Polycrates b. of Ephesus wrote vnto Victor b. of Rome pa. 53. 92. 93. Pompei besieged Ierusalem and sent Aristobulus captiue to Rome pa. 9. Pontianus b. of Rome pa. 108. Ponticus a yonge man of 15. yeare old was martyred pa. 80. Pontinus an hereticke pag. 86. Pontius a learned man pa. 103. Porphyrius an Atheist wrote against the Christians and disputed vvith Origen pag. 106. 229. Porphyrius the SeruaÌ„t of Pamphilus martyr vvas burned for the faith pa. 170. Potamiaena a virgine was burned for the faith p. 98. 99. Pothinus b. of Lions is tormented put in prison and their dieth pa. 78. Primus was b. of Alexandria 12 yeares pag. 58. 59. Primus b. of Corinth pag. 70. Priscilla the Prophetesse of Montanus pa. 86. 89. 90. Priscus a Christian was torne in peeces of wilde beasts pa. 131. Priscus Rhetor an historiographer pa. 502. Probus was Emperour after Auâ—â—lianus â–ª pa. 141. Proclus a Cataphrygian hereticke page 35. 53. 108. Procopius was beheaded for the faith pag. 159. Procopius a tyrant dieth miserably pag. 320. Procopius Rhetor an historiographer pag. 502. Promus was beheaded for the fayth pag. 168. the Prophetes sawe God vvith the clensed eye of the mind pag. 3. Prophecy was in the Churche after Christ page 69. 82. 83. 88. 89. Proterius the godly b. of Alexandria vvas cruelly slaine pa. 433. Protogenes a godly b. of Sardice pag. 265. Psathyriani and theyr opinion pag. 357. Ptolomaeus a Martyr pag. 68. 69. Ptolomaeus a confessor pag. 116. Publius b. of Athens and a Martyr pag. 71. Publius b. of Ierusalem pag. 85. Q. Quadratus had the gift of Prophecy pag. 55. he vvrote an Apollogie of the Christian fayth vnto Adrian pag. 58. 59. 88. 89. Quadratus b. of Athens pa. 71. Quinta a vvomaÌ„ after torment is stoned to death pag. 115. Quintus fell in persecution pag. 64. R. REpentance of a thiefe pag. 49. Rhais a vvoman vvas burned for the faith pag. 98. Rhodion the disciple of Tatianus a learned vvriter pag. 86. Rome is called Babylon pag. 28. Romanus had his tongue pulled out aftervvardes stifled to death pag. 159. 160. Romulus Subdeacon of Diospolis was beheaded for the faith pag. 160. Rufus a Disciple pa. 55. Ruffus a Liuetenant of Iudaea destroyed the Ievves in Ierusalem pag. 59. Rugas a rebell was slayne with a thunderbolt pa. 400. S. SAbellius heresie pag. 126. 264. Sabinus a President of Maximinus the persecutor pag. 174. Sabinus a Macedonian hereticke pag. 224. 229. 260. Saduces and their heresie pa. 70. reade the Chro. Sagaris a martyr pag. 72. 93. Salome the â—ister of Herode pag. 13. Samaritans their heresy pa. 70. reade the Chro. Samosatenus the hereticke looke Paulus Samosatenus Samuel the Prophet and his life pag. 521. Sanctus Deacon of Vienna vvas beheaded pag. 76. 77. 78. Saracens receaued the Christian faith pag. 339. Saturnilians vvere heretickes pag. 70. Saturninus of Antioch an hereticke pag. 60. 74. Sclaunders raised vpon the godly pag. 60. 69. 76 77. 102. 116. 176. 177. 246. 247. 248. 250. 26â— 272. 369. 504. 505. Scriptures looke Canonicall Scripture Secundus b. of Ptolomais an Aâ—ian pa. 224. 227. Sedition in Alexandria pa. 135. Seianus vexed the Ievves pa. 22. Seleucus vvas beheaded for the fayth pa. 170. Semeia the prophet and his life pa. 5â—2 Sennecas the tenth bishop of Ierusalem pag. 59. Septuagints translation of the old Testament pa. 84. 105.
the hereticke corrupted Anthimus Byshoppe of Constantinople and Theodosius Byshop of Alexandria but the Emperour deposed them and placed other in theyr rowmes THere are extant Epistles which Seuerus wrote vnto Iustinianus the Emperour and Theodora his wife where we may learne howe that at the firste when he fled from the Byshopricke of Antioch he went not straight to Constantinople but in a good while after that beinge at Constantinople he conferred with Anthimus found him of his owne opinion and perswaded him to leaue his Byshopricke He wrote of the same matter vnto Theodosius Byshop of Alexandria where he glorieth that as I sayd before he had perswaded Anthimus to make more accompt of that opinion then of worldly honor and Bishoplicke dignity There are moreouer to be seene toutching that matter the Epistles of Anthimus vnto Theodosius and of Theodosius againe vnto Seuerus and Anthimus all which I purposely doe omitte lest I seeme to stuffe this present volume with toe many such allegations leauinge them for suche as are desirous to sifte them out them selues Bothe these Byshops when they had withstoode the Emperours edictes and reiected the canons of the Chalcedon councell were deposed of theyr Byshoprickes in the seae of Alexandria Zoilus did succeede and Epiphanius in the Byshopricke of Constantinople to the end from thence forth the councell of Chalcedon mighte openly be preached in all Churches and that none durst be so bold as to accurse it and if any were found of the contrary opinion they were by all meanes possible to be perswaded For Iustinianus published an edicte where he accursed bothe Seuerus and as many as helde with him and enioyned greate penalties for such as maintayned theyr opinion to this ends that from that tyme for the there mighte no dissention take roote in any of all the Churches throughout the worlde but that the Patriarchs of euery prouince mighte hold together and the Byshops of euery city obey theyr Archebyshops and that the foure councells the firste helde at Nice the councell of Constantinople the firste helde at Ephesus and the councell of Chalcedon shoulde be preached in the Churches There was a fifte councell summoned by the commaundemente of Iustinian whereof what shall seeme conuenient I will declare when occasion shall serue In the meane space we haue seuerally to discourse of the worthy actes done about those tymes CAP. XII Of Cabades kinge of Persia and his sonne Chosroes out of Procopius history PRocopius Rhetor who penned the life of Belissarius wryteth that Cabades king of Persia purposed to bequeath the kingdome vnto Chosroes his yongest sonne and that he tooke councell howe he mighte procure the Emperour of Rome to adopte him hoping by that meanes to assure him of the regall Scepter But when he coulde by no meanes bring his purpose about Proclus one that was alwayes conuersante with Iustinian and by office his Quaestor was the cause that there rose greater enmytye betwene the Romaynes and Persians then euer was before Furthermore the sayde Procopius discourseth at large of the Romayne and Persian affayres of the bloodye battaills that were betwene them when Belissarius was captayne of the Easterne power And firste he reporteth howe the Romaynes had the victorye at Daras and Nisibis what tyme Belissarius and Hermogenes were chiefe ouer the Romayne Armyes Vnto these he annexeth the state of Armenia and the mischiefe whiche Alamundarus captaine of the Barbarians called Scenetae wrought in the borders of the Romane Empire how he tooke Timostratus the brother of Russinus aliue together with his soldtours and afterwardes tooke for them a great raunsome and let them goe CAP. XIII Of Alamundarus and Azerethus and the sedition at Constantinople where the people had this watchword Nica that is ouercome THe aforesaid author handleth very learnedly how Alamundarus spoken of before and Azerethus inuaded the marches of the Romaine dominions how as they returned into their countrey Belissarius was compelled of his armie to ioyne with them a litle before Easter day beside Euphrates how the Romaine power for not following Belissarius counsell was vtterly foyled and how Russinus and Hermogenes concluded a perpetuall league with the Persians so that he moueth the reader very much Immediatly he entreateth of the popular sedition raised at Constantinople called Nica by interpretation ouercome For that was the watchword which they had chosen to discerne and know their friend from their foe In which insurrection Hypatius and Pompeius were of the people constrained to rebell yet after the rebelles were ouercome Iustiman commaunded they two should be beheaded and throwne into the sea Procopius wryteth that in that skirmish there were staine thirtie thousand persons CAP. XIIII Of Honorichus king of the Vandals and the Christians whose tongues he caused to be pulled out AGain the said author cōmitting to letters the historie of the Vandals reporteth such stories as are worthy of memorie and the printing in Marble the which I am now about to declare Honorichus the successor of Genzerichus in the kingdom being an Arian hereticke raised great persecution against the Christians which inhabited Libya For such as maintained the sound and sincere faith he compelled to embrace the Arian heresie and such as would not yeelde he burned to ashes and executed with sundrie kindes of lamentable death pulling out from some their tongues Of which number after their flight to Constatinople Procopius sayth he sawe certen of them with his owne eyes and that they spake as if they had had no such mischaunce and for all their tougues were pluckt vp by the rotes yet talked they very plaine and distinctly which was very straunge and in maner incredible Of these kinde of people there is mention made in the Edict of Iustinus two of them sayth Procopius lost their speach for immediatly after they went about to talke to women their voyce was taken from them and the Martyrs gift remained no longer wyth them CAP. XV. Of Cabaon captaine of the Maurusians ANother myracle besides the aforesayd worthy the admiration is remembred of him to haue bene wrought by the power of our Sauiour among men who though they were such men as were not of one opinion with vs yet led they a godly life He sayeth that Cabaon was gouernour of the Maurusians inhabiting about Tripolis This Cabaon I wil vse the proper wordes of Procopius who orderly discoursed heereof as soone as he perceaued that the Vandals tooke armour against him did as followeth First he commaunded all the subiectes within his dominions to refraine from all vnrighteousnes to abstaine from such meates which prouoked to sensualitie and specially to forgoe the companie of women Next he made two trenches pitching in the one his owne tent and pauillion with all his men In the other he shutte vppe the women threatning that who so euer repaired vnto the womens trench should die the death Afterwardes he sent to Carthage a skoutwatch commaunding that as soone as the Vandals made
expedition and prosaned any Christian temple worthy of honour and reuerence they should marke well what was done and them selues after the Vandals departure purge and rid away the filth with reuerence of those temples the report is moreouer he should say that he knew not the God of the Christians yet that it was very like if he was so mightie as Fame went of him he would be reuenged on them that contumeliously dealt with him and that he woulde ayde and assiste his ser uauntes and such as honored his blessed name The skoutwatch comming to Carthage labored to knowe throughely the Vandals expedition And when the Vandals marched towardes Tripolis the espies came draglinge after in beggers weede and base attyre The Vandals euen the firste daye spoyled the Temples of the Christians filled them with horses and other beastes lefte no beastlinesse or contumelye vnpractised tooke theyr fill of sensualitye and intemperancie laide the priests in hold scurged theyr sids rent theyr backes with the lashe of the whip made many of them to serue them and become theyr drudges After theyr remouinge Cabaons skoutwatch did as they were commaunded For they fell a purginge of the temples they caried out the dunge they lighted all the tapers they honored the Priests they behaued themselues honestly last of all they gaue money vnto the poore which sate about those temples This beinge done they trudged after the Vandals in all that voyage as the Vandals continewed in theyr haynous actes no lesse did they in theyr humanitye and Godlie deedes Comminge nighe to Tripolis the espies preuented them with all speede they tell Cabaon what bothe the Vandals and them selues had done as toutchinge the Christians temples and that the enemye was at hande Cabaon hearinge this made readye for battaill in the whiche many of the Vandals were slayne many taken by the enemy very fewe returned backe to bringe tidings of the battaill Thus did the Maurusians plague Thrasymundus who after he had raigned ouer the Vandals seuen and twentye yeares departed this life CAP. XVI Howe Belissarius made expedition against the Vandals and ouerthrewe them THe same wryter declareth that Iustinianus had compassion on the Christiās that were thus lamentably afflicted in those cuntreis and proclaimed warres against y ◠Vandals yet chaūged his minde by the perswasion of Iohn Maister of the haule after this againe that he was admonished by a vision to take that voyage in hande that by reuenginge the iniuries whiche the Christians sustained he shoulde vtterly foyle the Vandals Beinge animated with this vision the seuenth yeare of his raigne he sente Belissarius vnto Carthage to geue the Vandals battaill The Admiralls ship appointed for Belissarius was brought to shore ouer against the pallace about the Calendes of Iuly Epiphanius Bishop of Constantinople prayed as the manner was baptised certaine of the souldiers laste of all broughte them to the Admiralls shippe Moreouer the sayd author reporteth certaine thinges toutchinge Cyprian the Martyr whiche necessarily muste be enterlaced in this our historie he wryteth thus All the people of Carthage euery one doe honor the moste holye martyr Cyprian and haue dedicated vnto him a worthye temple without the walls of the citye vpon the seae shore and besides other godlye reuerence they yearely kepe holy daye in remembrance of him whiche they call Cypriana The Mariners called the tempest which commonly rose about the tyme when the Libyans tooke this to their holyday Cyprians showers The Vandals in the tyme of Honorichus tooke by force this Temple from the Christians thruste out the Priestes very contumeliously and thenceforth gaue it vnto the Ariās to enioy as theyr owne VVhen the Libyans cōceaued no small sorowe were in great heauines therefore the reporte goeth that Cyprian appeared vnto them in their sleepe and sayde the Christians ought not to be sory at all or pensiue therefore that after a fewe yeares he would be reuenged of them for that iniurie whiche prophecie tooke place in the tyme of Belissarius for the same Cyprian and martyr foretold that after the nyntieth and fifteyeare when Carthage was taken and ransacked of the Vandals it shoulde be conquered by Belissarius the Romayne captaine the Vandals vtterly foyled the Arian opinion rooted out of Libya and the Christians restored vnto theyr temples CAP. XVII Of the spoyle which Belissarius broughte out of Aphricke to Constantinople BElissarius the valiaunte captaine after his retourne to Constantinople and the victorye he gotte of the Vandals ledde about the Citye the spoyle and captiues and Gelimeres him selfe captayne of the Vandals rode aboute Circus in Triumphe with greate pompe and admiration Of these spoyles there were very precious monuments to wit of Genzerichus who had rifled as I sayd before the palace of Rome when as Eudoxia wife to Valentinianus Emperour of the Romaines inhabiting the West dominions of the worlde lost her husband through the treason of Maximinus was her selfe very contumeltously defloured sente for Genzerichus and promised to deliuer the citye into his handes Then came Genzerichus set Rome on fire and broughte Eudoxia with her daughters into Vandalia At the same time together with other monumentes he tooke away such thinges as Titus the sonne of Vespasian after the winning of Ierusalem had caried to Rome that is to say such monumēts as Solomon had cōsecrated vnto God whome he honored greatly All which Iustinianus sent backe againe to Ierusalē for to set forth the seruice of christ our God and there in verely as it was very meete he did God good seruice seinge they were consecrated to him before Procopius remembreth that then also Gelimeres fell prostrate vpon y ◠ground before Iustinianus the Emperour where he sate behelde all that was done and repeated in his mother tongue that diuine sentence of Solomon Vanity of vanities and all is but vanity CAP. XVIII Of the Phoenicians who fledde from the face of Iosue the sonne of Naue Of Theodorichus the Gotth and the thinges from his raygne at Rome vnto the time of Iustinianus and howe Rome was againe recouered by the Romaynes PRocopius wryteth of an other thinge worthye the memorye and of greate admiration whiche was not wrytten before his time He sayth that the Maurusians a Libyan nation were driuen out of Palaestina and came to Libya that these were the Gergesits Iebusits with other natiōs whome holy Scripture testisieth to haue bene ouercome by Iosue the sonne of Naue that it may be iustified for trueth by the epigramme he sawe with his owne eyes engrauen in Phoenician letters harde by a fonte where there stoode two pillours of white stone The wordes were these VVe are they whiche fled from the face of Iosue the robber the sonne of Naue Thus it came to passe that these thinges were forgotten when Libya the seconde time was subdued of the Romaynes and payed yearely tribute as in tymes paste It is reported that Iustinianus repayred againe a hūored fifty