sure the Gods are not so secure but that they disclose hurtfull persons For these men punishe such as vvil not vvorship the Gods more greuously then you doe vvhich thus vexe them and confirme the opinion vvhich they conceaue of you to be Atheists or godlesse men It is their desire in Gods quarell rather to dye then to lyue so that they become conquerers yeldinge their liues vnto the deathe rather then they obey your edictes It shall seeme very necessarye to admonishe you of the earthquakes vvhich haue and doe happen among vs that being thervvith moued ye may compare our estate vvith theirs They haue more confidence godvvardes then you haue you during the tyme of your ignorance despise other Gods contemne the religion of the immortal God banish the Christians vvhich vvorship him persecute them vnto the death In the behalfe of these men many of the prouinciall Presidentes haue vvritten heretofore vnto our father of famous memory vvhome he aunsvvered in vvriting againe that they vvere not to be longer molested vnlesse they had practised treason agaynst the Romayne empire many haue giuen notice vnto vs of the same matter vvhom vve aunsvvered as our father did before vs. If any therefore hereafter be founde thus busied in other mens affayres vve commaund that the accused be absolute free though he be founde such a one I meane faulty and that the accuser be greeuously punished This edict was proclaymed at Ephesus in the hearing of the greate assembly of Asia witnesse hereof is Meliton Bishop of Sardis which florished at y e time in his profitable Apologie for our doctrine deliuered vnto the Emperour Verus CAP. XIIII Of Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna IRenaeus reporteth that while Anicetus was Bishop of Rome Polycarpus as yet liued and came to Rome and questioned with Anicetus â–ª concerning the day of Easter An other thinge yet he reporteth of Polycarpus in his thirde booke against heresies which needefully must here be annexed Polycarpus sayth he vvas not only instructed by the Apostles and conuersant vvith many vvhich savve Christe but also of the Apostles ordayned Bishop of Smyâ—na in Asia â–ª vvhome vve in our youthe haue also seene for he lyued long and vvas very olde and at lengthe finished this lyfe vvith moste glorious â–ª and renovvned Martyrdome â–ª vvhen he had continually taught that he learned of the Apostles vvhich the Churche at this daye deliuereth for vndoubted trueth All the Churches of Asia and as many vnto this daye as succeeded him in that seae beare vvitnesse that Polycarpus vvas vvorthier of credit thâ—n Valentinus Marcion then the vvhole rabble of peruerse people For he being 〈◊〉 Rome in conference vvith Anicetus conuerted many of the foresayd Heretickes vnto the Church of God preaching the one and onely trueth receaued of the Apostles and deliuered by the Churche There be yet aliue vvhich hearde him reporting hovve that Iohn the Disciple of Christ entring into a bath at Ephesus to bayne him selfe and spying vvithin the Hereticke Cerinthus departed the bath vnbayned and sayd Let vs departe hence lest the bath fall vvherein Cerinthus the svvorne enemy of the trueth bayneth him selfe And Polycarpus on a tyme meeting Marcion face to face vvhich sayd vnto him knovve vs aunsvvered I knovve thee for the firste begotten sonne of Satan So zelous vvere the Apostles and their Disciples that they communicated not in vvorde vvith the corrupters of the trueth according vnto that of Paul eschevv him that is an Hereticke after the first and seconde admonition knovving that such a one is peruerse and condemned a sinner by the testimony of his ovvne conscience There is extant an epistle of Polycarpus vnto the Philippians very profitable for such as are carefull of their saluation vvhere they may knovve the true character of fayth and the right rule of doctrine So farre Irenaeus Polycarpus in the foresayde Epistle vnto the Philippians at this daye extant alleadgeth testimonyes out of the former Epistle of Peter When that Antoninus syrnamed Pius had ended twenty and two yeares in the Romayne Empire Marcus Aurelius Verus and Antoninus his sonne togither with Lucius his brother succeeded him CAP. XV. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and diuers other Sainctes in Smyrna vnder Verus the Emperour WHen Asia was visited with greate persecution Polycarpus was crowned with martyrdome I suppose it necessary to penne in this our historye his ende which at this daye is published in writing The Epistle is in the person of the Churche where he was President vnto the Parishes throughout Pontus signifying the circumstance about Polycarpus in this sorte The Church of God which is at Smyrna vnto the Church at Philomilium and vnto all the congregations of the holy Catholicke Church throughout Pontus mercy to you peace and the loue of God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ be multiplyed VVe haue vvritten vnto you brethren of such as suffred martyrdome and of blessed Polycarpus vvho signed and sealed this persecution vvith his ovvne bloud And before they make relation of Polycarpus they rehearse the constancy and pacience of other Martyrs saying The behoulders vvere amazed seeing the flesh of the Martyrs rent vvith scurges euen into the inner vaynes and sinovves so that the most secret entrayles of their bodies their bovvels invvard priuityes vvere piteously to be seene Behoulding againe the sharpe shells of sea fishe pimple stones stravved vnder the Martyrs backes and brused bodies vvith euery kinde of torment that could be deuised Last of all throvvn to be torne in peeces and deuoured of vvilde beastes Specially they wrote of Germanicus that he valiantly endured and ouercame through the grace of God that corporall feare of death graffed in the frayle nature of man For when as the Proconsull exhorted him to relent admonished him of his tender yeares prayed him to pitye his owne case being nowe in the flowre of his youth â–ª He without intermission entyâ—ed the beaste to deuoure him yea constrayned and compelled that with speede he might be dispatches of this wrongfull and wicked life Which patience and constancye of the blessed Marâ—â—â— â–ª and of the whole Christian nation the multitude of Inâ—â—dels behoulding sodainly began to shoâ—â—â— â—â—â—oue the vvicked seeke out Polycarpus And when there was a great tumuâ—â—e raysed by reason of this clamor a certaine Phrygian by name Quintus lately come out of Phrygia trembled at the flerâ—e rage of the terrible beasts and shrinked at the sight of their grimme visage and betrayd his owne safety with his slacknes of courage For the same epistle testifieth of him that he personally appeared together with the rest before the barre more of rashues then of any religion and being taken be publickly protested that none ought to intruâ—e him selfe amonge such men without good deuotion neither intermedle in mâ—â—â—â—â—s wherewith he hath not to doe But of these men thus much Toutching the renowned Polycarpus they write that he hearing the report of this
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
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
for Christes sake shall haue fellovvship vvith the liuing God after that she had honge a longe vvhile and no beaste toutched her she is taken dovvne cast into pryson and reserued for further torment that being conquerour of many combatts she might prouide for the crooked serpent inexcusable condemnation and animate the brethren vnto chearefulnesse putting on as a smale a vveake and contemptible person the greate the strong and inuincible champion Christ Iesus obtayning through her diuerous manifolde pacience the incorruptible crovvne of glory Attalus also a famous man vvas greatly desired of the people vnto punishment vvho being ready and of a cleare conscience came forth for he vvas notably exercised in the Christian profession alvvaies a fauorer and furtherer of the trueth therefore vvhen he vvas led in compasse of the Theatre vvith a scrole before him vvherein vvas vvritten in the Romayne tongue This is Attalus the Christian and the people had raged against him the President knovving that he vvas a Romayne commaunded him to be imprisoned and closely kept vvith the other prisoners concerning vvhom he had vvritten vnto Caesar and expected an ansvvere The meane tyme passing betvvene vvas neither vayne nor frutelesse for the infinite mercy of Christ Iesus our Sauiour shined in the vvorlde through their pacience the deade by the liuing vvere reuiued the martyrs profited such as vvere no martyrs the pure virgine and mother the Churche vvas greatly comforted and cherished vvhen as she recouered and receaued for liuing such as before she had loste as vntimely birthes and dead frute for many vvhich before had faynted by their meanes vvere novv moulded borne againe stirred vp a fresh learned to protest their faith and novv being quickened and strengthened hauing tasted of him vvhich vvill not the deathe of a sinner but is mercifull vnto the penitent they come forth before the tribunall seate ready to ansvvere vnto the interrogatories of the president And because that Caesar had commaunded by vvriting that such as confessed them selues Christians shoulde be executed and such as renounced shoulde departe the frequented solemnitie vvhich by reason of the concourse of the Gentyles from euery contrey vvas about the beginning very populous he brought forth from prison the blessed confessors into the open spectacle and presence of the people to be scornfully gased vpon and vvhen he had agayne made inquisition of them as many as he founde to be priuiledged persons of Rome those he beheadded the rest he threvv to be reÌ„t a sunder torne in peeces of vvilde beastes Christ vvas greatly glorified in them vvhich at the first denyed and at last beyond all the expectation of the heathen boldely confessed their fayth They seuerally vvere examined to be set at liberty but after confession they vvere coopled to the number of the martyrs They taried vvithout vvhich neuer had grayne of fayth no feeling of the vvedding garment no sparckle of the feare of God but rather through their vvicked conuersation blasphemed the vvay of God as sonnes of perdition All the other vvere coopled to the Christian congregation at the tyme of examination Alexander a Phrygian borne professing phisicke hauing dvvelled in Fraunce many yeares a man vvell knovvne for his great zeale Godvvardes and boldenes of speach he vvas not vvithout the gracious and Apostolicke gift stoode harde by the tribunall seate and nigh the examined persons exhorting them to bouldnesse of confession by signes and tokens so that by his sorovving and sighing by his hopping and skipping to and froe he vvas discryed of the standers by and vvhen the people in compasse had taken in ill parte that they vvhich before had recanted againe did confesse vvith one consent they cry out agaynste Alexander as author thereof VVhen the President had vrged him and demaunded of him vvhat he vvas he ansvvered I am a Christian for vvhich ansvvere the President allotted him vnto the beastes of them I say to be rent in peeces and deuoured The seconde day after together vvith Attalus he is brought forthe for the President to gratifie the people deliuered him vnto the beastes to be bayted the seconde time And vvhen these had tasted of all the torments prouided for them in compasse of the scaffolde and suffred great paine in the ende they vvere put to death of vvhich number Alexander not once sighed neyther vttered any kinde of speache but invvardly from the heart talked vvith God Attalus burning in the scaulding yron chayre glovving hott so that the sauour of his broyled body filled their nostrells spake vnto the multitude in the Romayne tongue behould this is to deuoure men for vve neither deuoure men neyther commit any other haynous offence And being demaunded vvhat name God had aunsvvered God is not called after the manner of men after all these thinges vppon the last day of the spectacles Blandina together vvith Ponticus a yonge man of fifteene yeares of age vvas brought forth vvhich thing vvas dayly vsed to the ende they might behoulde the torments of the rest vvhome they compelled to svveare by their Idols names but they constantly perseuering in their sentence and contemning their Idols sett the multitude in such a rage against them that they tendered neither pitied the yeares of the yonge man nether spared the vvoman kinde but plagued them vvith all punishment possible that in compasse compelling them novv and then to svveare vvhich vvhen they coulde not bringe to passe Ponticus being succored of the sister in presence of the Paganes vvho then behelde hovve that she exhorted and confirmed the yonge man after that he had suffered all kinde of bitter torment yelded vp the ghoste last of all blessed Blandina like a noble mother hauing exhorted her children and sent them before as Conquerours vnto the Kinge pondering vvith her selfe all the punishments of her children hastened after them ioying and triumphing at her ende as if she had bene inuited and laued to a vvedding dinner and not to be cast among vvilde beastes after scurging after buckling vvith vvilde beastes after the broyling of her bodye as it vvere in a frying panne at lengthe she vvas vvrapped in a nette and tumbled before a vvilde bull vvhich tossed her vvith his hornes to and froe yet had she no feeling of all these her minde being fixed and vvholy sett vppon the conference vvhich she had vvith Christ in the ende she vvas beheaded the Pagans them selues pronouncing â–ª that neuer any vvoman vvas hearde of amonge them to haue suffred so many and so greate torments nether so did they cease from their crueltie and rage tovvardes the Christians for the sauage and barbarous Gentyles being prouoked by a furious and beastly â—iende coulde not quiet them selues but that their furious rage practised an other kinde of malicious spyte vpon the dead carkases neither vvere they pleased in that they vvere ouercome and voyde of natural feeling and sense but proceeded further like brute beastes both President and people
spoken he vvas speachelesse agayne The boye ranne vnto the Priest it vvas night the Priest vvas sicke and could not come vvith him And because I gaue commaundement sayth Dionysius that such as vvere aboute to dye if humbly they requested shoulde be admitted to the ende they being strengthened in faith might departe in peace he deliuered vnto the boy a litle of the Eucharist commaunded him to crimble or soke it and so droppe it by a litle a little into the olde mans mouth the boy returneth and bringes vvith him the Eucharist vvhen he vvas hard by before he came in Serapion sayd comest thou my sonne the priest caÌ„not come vvhy then dispatch thou that vvhich he commaunded thee to doe and lett me departe the boy immixed or loked the eucharist and vvith all lett it by droppe meale into the old mans mouth vvhereof vvhen he had tasted a litle forth vvith gaue vp the Ghost â–ª is it not manifest that this olde man vvas so longe helde backe vntill he vvere absolued and loosed from the linke of sinne by confessing in the presence of many the fault he had committed Thus farre Dionysius CAP. XLIIII The epistle of Dionysius byshop of Alexandria vnto Nouatus NOwe let vs see what he wrote vnto Nouatus who at that time molested the Churche of Rome Because that he pretended the cause of his fall and the occasion why he embraced that Apostasie and schisme to rise through the perswasion of certaine brethren as if he were thereunto compelled by them Marke howe he wryteth vnto him Dionysius vnto the brother Nouatus sendeth greeting If thou vvast constrayned against thy vvill as thou sayest thou vvilt declare the same if thou returne vvillingly â–ª thou shouldest haue suffred anything rather then to rent a sunder the church of God neither is this martyrdome vvhich is suffred for not seueringe and deuidinge the Church of lesse glorie then that vvhich is tollerated for denyall of sacrifice vnto deuels â–ª yea in my iudgement it is offarre greater glorye For in the one martyrdom is suffred for one soule in the other for the vniuersall church but if thou ether persvvad the brethren or constraine them to returne to vnitie this notable fact vvilbe farre greater then the fault that vvent before the one vvill not be imputed the other vvilbe comended If thou canst not persvvade the rebellious and disobedient saue at leaste vvise thine ovvne soule I desire thy health in the Lord and thy embracing of peace vnitie Thus he wrote to Nouatus CAP. XLV The catalogue of Dionysius Alexandrinus Epistles concerning repentance HE wrote an Epistle of repentance vnto the bretherne throughout Aegypt where he layeth downe his censure of such as fell and describeth meanes to correct vices of the same matter there is extant an epistle of his vnto Conon byshop of Hermopolis and an exhortation vnto his flocke of Alexandria among these there is an other wryten vnto Origen of martyrdome likewise he wrote of repentance vnto the brethern of Laodicea whose byshop was Thelymidres to the bretherne throughout Armenia whose byshop was Meruzanes Moreouer he wrote vnto Cornelius byshop of Rome approuinge his epistle against Nouatus where he reporteth that he was called of Elenus byshop of Tarsus in Cilicia and other his companions Firmilianus byshop of Cappadocia and Theoctistus byshop of Palaestina to meete them at the synode held at Antioch where diuerse went about to establish the schisme of Nouatus he addeth besides howe he signified Fabius there to haue deseased and Demetrianus to haue succeded him byshop of Antioch He wrot of the byshop of Ierusalem these wordes The renovvmed Alexander dyed in pryson There is extaÌ„t an other epistle of Dionysius vnto the Romayns deliuered by Hippolytus againe he wrote an other of peace and repentance an other vnto the confessors which cleaued vnto the opinion of Nouatus Againe other two epistles vnto such as were conuerted vnto the churche and to many others he wrote very profitable tractes for the studious readers to peruse The ende of the sixt booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALAESTINA CAP. I. The wickednesse of Decius and Gallus the Emperours the death of Origen NOwe takinge in hande the seuenth booke of the ecclesiasticall historye the great Dionysius byshop of Alexandria who partely by his commentaries and partely by his Epistles described all the seuerall actes of his time shall stande vs in good steede Here hence will I beginne this present booke â–ª when Decius had not raygned full two years he was slayne together with his sonnes whome Gallus succeeded at what time Origen of the age of threscore nine yeares departed this life but of the foresayd Gallus Dionysius wrote vnto Hermammon in this manner Neyther did Gallus perceaue the implety of Decius neyther did he foresee what seduced him but stumbled at the same stone which laye right before his eyes who when the emperiall scepter prosperously befell vnto him and his affayrs went luckely forvvardes chaced awaye the holy men which prayed for peace and his prosperous estate and so he banished together vvith them the prayers continually powred vnto God for him And this much of him The translator vnto the reader IN so much that Ensebius throughout his sixt booke almost in euery chapiter hath wrytten at large of the famous clarke and greate doctor of Alexandria by name Origen and nowe also in the beginninge of his seuenth booke reporteth of his ende and that in fewe wordes I thought good for the readers sake for the more absolute and perfect deliuer aâ—â—â— of the story and for the further knowledge of his ende to annexe here vnto a worthie history out of Suydas a greeke writer who liued about a thousande years agoe toutching the thinges which happened vnto Origen a litle before his death his wordes are these The life of Origen out of Suydas Origen is sayd to haue suffred much afliction for Christs sake being famous eloquent and trayned in the Church euen from his youth vp but through enuy he was brought before the rulers magistrats through the despitefull subtlely crafty â—nuâ—tion of Satan he was brought into great sclaunder blemish of infamy A man they say the authors of iniquitie deuised to vvorke the feat as much to saye they prepared an Aethiopian or foule blacke moore beastly for to abuse his body but he not able to avvaye neyther vvillinge to here so horrible an Acte brake out into lovvd speach and exclaymed at both the thinges vvhich vvere giuen him in choyce rather then the one that he vvoulde doe the other in the end he consented to sacrifice vvherefore vvheÌ„ they had put frâ—kensence in his hand they threwe it into the fire vpoÌ„ the altar by this meanes he was by the iudges put froÌ„ martyrdome also banished the church wheÌ„ he had thus done he was so ashamed that
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
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
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
for all that he thrust Zeno beside the Emperiall scepter he was ouercome of him againe and lost his head As for Valens that persecuted the Christians I wil yeld take him to thee thou speakest of none other Let no man take this our discourse for impertinent stuffe or bayne digressiō it is both profitable for the reader and agreeable with our purpose because the heathenish historiographers of spite and malice haue endeuored to corrupt the true histories And nowe let vs returne vnto the rest of Anastasius raygne CAP. XLII Of Chrysotelia a kind of tribute deuised by Anastasius EUen as the acts mentioned before were nobly done of Anastasius and agreeable with the maiesty of an Emperour so there ensued immediatly after other doinges of his which darkned the commendation and renowne of the former For he deuised the tribute called Chrysotelia He made marchandise of the souldiers stipend and wages not without greate domage vnto the cōmon weale He tooke away from the courts and places of iudgement their tribute and reuenewes appoynted throughout euery city suche as they call Proctors or Attorneys through the procurment as they say of Marinus Syrus the chiefe Magistrate called Presidente of the haule Thereof it came to passe that the greater part of the tribute and reuenewes was lost the worship and honor of cities decayed For vnto that time y ◠names of the Senatours or Aldermen were matriculated and euery city counted of the benchers as of a Senate CAP. XLIII The rebellion and tyranny of Vitalianus VItalianus a Thracian rebelled against Anastasius ouerranne Thracia Mydia as farre as Odyssus and Anchialus marched towardes Constantinople with a greate multitude of people which had no certaine dwelling but roged about and lay in the fleldes the Emperour sent Hypatius to geue him battail But Hypatius being betrayed of his owne souldiers taken aliue and ransomed with a greate summe of money Cyrillus made expedition agayust him fought a daūgerous and a doubtfull fielde so that many beganne to flee Agayne when Cyrillus by pursuing after the enemy calling agayne his owne souldiers seemed to haue the vpper hand Vitalianus turned him vnto Cyrill and as the souldiers recoyled of spite he tooke him in Odyssus Last of all be inuaded the wholl cuntrey vnto Sycae destroying with sword and consuming with fire all that lay in his way purposing fully to take Constantinople and to be crowned Emperour As he pitched his campe in Sycae Marinus Syrus mentioned before went from the Emperour with a great nauy to geue him battaill Wherefore whē theyr armies came nigh together the ones front was towards Sycae the others towards Constantinople First that for a while they sturre not next they skirmish and florish vpon the water no otherwise then daliaunce In the ende they close theyr nauies fought a sore battaill about Bytharia where Vitalianus hauing lost the greater parte of his power was altogether discouraged and tooke his flight Away went his souldiers with all speede so that the day after there coulde not one of the souldiers be seene either passing ouer the seaes or wandering about the city The reporte goeth that Vitalianus abode a while in Anchialus and there liued quietly Furthermore an other sorte of Barbarians who likewise liued abroade cut ouer the seae and inuaded Pylas a city in Cappadocia About the same time Rhodos on a certaine night now the third time was shaken with a wonderfull great earthquake and in manner all ouerthrowen CAP. XLIIII VVhen Anastasius would haue had this clause who was crucified for our sakes added to the hymne called Trisagium the people were on an vprore so that he sent vnto them he would be no longer theyr Emperour the people with that were appeased Not long after Anastasius died ABout that time there was among the citizens of Constantinople a sore tumult and sediciō because the Emperour had added vnto theyr Trisagium who was crucified for our sakes as if the interlacinge of that clause had bene an ouerthrowe vnto Christian religion The captayne and ringeleader of this hurlyburly was Macedonius with the Priests of his diocesse as Seuerus wryting vnto Sotericus doth remember This Seuerus was not then made priest but liued in the Emperours pallace being not expulsed his monastery with the reste as I sayde before I take that Macedonius was banished not onely for the crimes he was falsely charged withall but also for this present sedition And when the people were furiously disposed because of the former clause not onely the nobility were in great daūger of theyr liues but also many goodly buyldings were set on fire The people in theyr rage founde a certaine Monke a rude and simple fellowe in the house of Marinus Syrus firste they strike his heade of his shoulders sayinge that through his procurement the aforesayde clause was interlaced afterwardes they tyed him to a longe poll and lifted him on high with great shoutinge in derision of him here is he that conspired againste the Trinitye The slame of sedition did so flash about and theyr behauiour was so outragious that the Emperour for sorowe wist not what to doe he threwe aside the Emperiall scepter came vnto the theatre sente the bedells about to proclaime that with good will he woulde be Emperour no longer that many in no wise were to be preferred to that rowme for y ◠place allowed but of one which was to succeede him in the Empire The people hearing of this chaunged theyr minds vpō a suddayne requested Anastasius to take the crowne and in so doing they woulde be quiete Anastasius shortely after this sturre departed this life when he had bene Emperour of Rome twentye seuen yeares three moneths and so many dayes The ende of the thirde booke of Euagrius Scholasticus THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF EVAGRIVS SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. Of Iustinus the first Emperour of that name WHen Anastasius had chaunged the worse for the better life as I sayd before Iustinus a Thracian the nynth day of the moneth Panemus called of the Romaines Iulie the fiue hundredth threescore and sixte yeare after that the city of Antioch was so called tooke the gouernemēt of the Empire and was proclaimed Emperour by the pretoriā souldiers whose captaine he had bene what time he was maister of the hauliers He came vnlooked for vnto this Emperiall dignity for there liued thē many worthy personages of Anastasius alliance flowing in all welth and felicity and of that great power which accustometh to aduance and preferre men to that great honor and royalty CAP. II. Of Amantius the Eunuch and Theocritus and howe Iustinus put them to death ABout that time Amantius a man of greate power and chiefe of the Emperours chamber seing that no eunuch could be Emperour wished that Theocritus his sworne brother might attayne vnto y ◠Emperiall robe Wherfore he called Iustinus deliuered him a great summe of money bad him distribute it amonge such as he thought coulde doe
forwardes either we geue other men leaue to commit them to letters or peraduenture we our selues seeing that in this present volume we haue promised to discourse of other matters will entreat of them in an other seuerall worke yet thus much will I now say that Tamochosroes was ouerthrowne in the front of the host not with the fortitude of the Romaine armie but with the onely pietie of the Captaine and his faith in God that Adaarmanes was foyled with plaine force of armes and after great losse of his power put to flight yea and that not onely when Alamundarus captaine of the Barbarian nation called Scenetae â–ª betrayed Mauricius in that he would not come ouer the riuer Euphrates and ayde him against Scenetae which fought against him these Scenetae are so swifte on horsebacke that they can hardly be taken yea though their passage be stopt but when it standes them vpon they farre outrunne the ennemie but also when Theodorichus Captaine of the Scythians durst not tarye within their reache but shewed them immediatly a faire paire of heeles together with his souldiers CAP. XXI Of the signes prognosticating the raigne of Mauricius THere were signes which went before and foreshewed that Mauricius should be crowned Emperour As he offered frankencense very late in the night within the chauncell of S. Maries Church which the people of Antioche doe call the temple of Iustinian the curteine or canapie was all sette on fire and therewith he fell into such a dumpe that he feared the vision exceedingly Gregorie Bishop of that Citie standing by sayd that without all peraduenture the vision was sent from aboue and foreshewed the brightnesse of glory and the great renowne that was to befall him Christ moreouer appeared towardes the East seeking vengeaunce on the ennemies In that vision also was the raigne of Mauricius plainely prognosticated for of whom I pray you sought he that vnlesse it were of the Emperour and of such a man as serued him in holinesse As I searched out the truth and certainetie of these things his parentes tolde me other things worthie of memorie and the knowledge of the posteritie in time to come His father remembred that what time Mauricius was conceaued he sawe in his sleepe a mightie Vine to burgeine out of his chamber and that there hunge thereon infinite clusters of ripe grapes Hys mother tolde that when shee was deliuered the earth breathed vppe of her selfe a redolent sauour that was straunge and varied it selfe by turnes Also that a griesly ghost commonly called a Goblin or a Hegge tombled the infant from place to place as though he would deuoure him yet had no power to hurt him Symeon likewise that dwelt in a pillour not farre from Antioche a man of great wisedome and experience sufficiently adorned with all diuine giftes gaue forth many tokens both in worde and deede which plainely declared that Mauricius would be crowned Emperour concerning which Symeon if ought seeme expedient to be wrytten the next booke shall performe it CAP. XXII The coronation of Mauricius and Augusta VVHen Tiberius was redy to yelde vp the ghost and now come vnto deathes doore he gaue vnto Mauricius who then was proclaimed Emperour his daughter Augusta in mariage the Empire for dowrie who for all that his life during the terme of his raigne was prolonged but for a short space yet because of his noble actes which conueniently may not presently be committed to wryting he left vnto the common weale both an immortall memorie of his name and a passing inheritaunce to witte Mauricius whom he proclaimed Emperour neither only this but he gaue them also his owne title for he called Mauricius Tiberius and Augusta Constantina but what famous acts they did the next booke God willing shal declare CAP. XXIII A supputation of the times from Iustinus the second Emperour of that name vnto Mauricius TO the ende we may diligently note the succesuÌ„on of the times we haue to learne that Iustinus the yonger raigned by him selfe alone twelue yeres tenne moneths and odde dayes together with Tiberius three yeres and eleuen monethes so that his whole raigne comes to sixteene yeres nine moneths and odde dayes Tiberius was Emperour by him selfe alone foure yeres with Iustinus three yeres and eleuen moneths so that if we number the yeres from Romulus vnto the raigne of Mauricius they will appeare iust according vnto the supputation which went before and this present rehearsall CAP. XXIIII Areâ—itall of such as continewed their histories one after an other from the beginning vnto his time AS touching the order and continewance of times agreeable vnto the Ecclesiasticall historie it is come to passe by the goodnesse of God that we haue it at this day compendiously deliuered vnto vs by the workes of such famous historiographers as haue wrytten the sayd historie vnto the posteritie following for Eusebius Pamphilus hath wrytten from the birthe of Christ vnto the raigne of Constantinus Magnus Socrates Theodoret and Sozomenus haue continewed the times from Constantine vnto Theodosius Iunior of which Emperours doings this woorke also of oures hath somewhat discoursed As for the diuine and prophane histories from the beginning of the world vnto this day they are orderly continewed by painfull wryters And first of all Moises beganne to wryte as it is declared of them which compiled these things together of the things that were done from the creation of the world euen as he had truely learned of God in mount Sina Againe others folowed him shewed the redy way to attaine vnto our religion and committed to wryting the actes done since his time Moreouer Iosephus wrote a very large storie full of euery kinde of good matter What fabulous things so euer are reported to haue bene done either by the Grecians or Barbarians of olde time who either were at ciuill warres within them selues or waged battaile with foraine enemies or if any other thing can be remembred since the first molde of man was cast all I say besides sundry other wryters is laid downe by Characes Theopompus and Ephorus As for the Romaine historie comprising in maner the artes of the whole world or if any other thing fell out by reason of their ciuill discord or of quarelles risen betweene them and foraine nations it is exquisitely handled by Dionysius Halicarnassaeus who began hys story from the time of the people called Aborigines and continewed it vnto the raigne of Pyrrhus king of Epitus from theÌ„ce vnto the ouerthrow of Carthage Polybius Megapolitanus hath excellently discoursed all which treatises though occasioned at diuers and sundry times Appianus with graue iudgement hath contriued into order and compacted together adding thervnto of his owne such things as were worthy of memorie after their dayes vnto his time Diodorus Siculus wrote vnto the time of Iulius Caesar Dion Cassius likewise continewed his storie vnto the raigne of Antoninus of Emesa the like matter and order hath
Herodian in maner folowed ending with the death of Maximus Nicostratus also a Rhetorician of Trapezus began with the raigne of Philip the successor of Gordianus and wrote vnto Odaenatus of Palmyra and the ignominious expedition of Valerianus against the Persians Of the same things entreated Dexippus at large beginning with the raigne of the Macedonians and ending with the Imperie of Claudius the successor of Galienus the said author laid downe the warres of the Carpians and of other Barbarians in Hellada Thracia and Ionia Eusebius continewed his storie from Octauianus the Emperours raigne vnto the time of Traian Marcus and the death of Carus Arianus and Asinius Quadratus wrote somewhat also of those times The times folowing reaching vnto the raigne of Arcadius and Honorius the Emperours Zosimus hath prosecuted and of the things which happened since their times Priscus Rhetor with others hath discoursed All which hystories Eustathius of Epiphania hath briefly runne ouer but very excellently and deuided the whole into two volumes The first containeth the Actes from the beginning of the world vnto the destruction of Troie and the Pallace of Priamus the second contineweth the story from that time vnto the twelfe yeare of Anastasius the Emperours raigne There beganne Procopius Rhetor and ended with the dayes of Iustinian What happened since vnto these our dayes although Agathius Rhetor and Iohn both my felow Citezen and kinsman haue orderly wrytten of vnto the time when Chosroes the yonger both fledde vnto the Romaines and also was restored vnto his kingdom by Mauricius who went not therein faintly to worke but courageously as it became an Emperour and brought Chosroes into his kingdom with great treasure and armed souldiers yet haue they not as yet published their hystories Of whom hereafter by the grace of God we minde to speake as occasion shall serue The ende of the fift booke of Euagrius Scholasticus THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF EVAGRIVS SCHOLASTICVS CAP. 1. The solemne mariage of Mauricius and Augusta MAuricius being crowned Emperour first of all made preparation for the solemnitie of his mariage next celebrated such rites as became the Emperiall scepter and coupled vnto him in mariage Augusta otherwise called Constantina with great pompe and royaltie last of all made sumptuous feasts costly bankets with great glory and renowne Theosebia and y ◠Empresse came to this solenme mariage with a portly traine and rich presents The one brought with her not only the father and the mother of Mauricius which was neuer seene to haue happened to any Emperour before for to honor the mariage with their comely horenesse and reuerend wrincles but also his brethern of goodly stature proportion to set forth that royall solemnitie the other presented a garment all cloth of gold garnished with purple and pearles of India she brought also crownes couered wyth gold and precious stones of diuers sorts and sundry colours together w t all the nobilitie as well such as were renowmed for Martiall prowesse as they that were made of for their honourable order of the haule and pallace all they bare in their handes burninge torches stoode verye maiestically in the sight of all men vpholding the glory of that gorgeous spectacle so that there was neuer sene among men a more excellent a more roial shew Plutarchus Chaeroneus saith Damophilus a Romaine historiographer said very well that the puisance prosperous successe the fauor fortune of Rome ioined hands together but I had rather say that true piety felicity so met together in Mauricius alone that true piety forced felicity to be present would in no wise suffer her to be foyled ouerthrowen These things being finished Mauricius couered not onely his head with the crowne clad not onely his body in purple but also his minde with precious ornamēts for in maner he alone of all the Emperours fell a gouerning of his owne person and so became an Emperour in deede first he droue from his minde the popular state of affections next placinge the order of his peeres and nobilitie in the seate of reason he made him selfe a liuely paterne of vertue for his subiects to immitate and followe after Neither doe I report this of him to th ende I might sooth him with faire words and flattery to what purpose I beseech you should I doe so seeing he knoweth not of the things which I doe write but because the gifts which God hath so boūtifully bestowed vpon him and the affaires which at sundrye times enioyed suche prosperous successes doe manifestly proue it to be most true All which will we nill we we must confesse and acknowledge to be the goodnesse of God CAP. II. Of Alamundarus the Saracen and his sonne Naamanes THis Emperour besides all other men was carefull ouer suche as had bene attainted of high treason that none of them should be executed and therefore he beheaded not Alamundarus captaine of the Scenetae in Arabia who as I mentioned before had betrayed him but was driuen out of one onely Isle with his wife and certen children and banished for punishment into Sicilia And moreouer Naamanes his sonne who wrought infinite mischiefs against the common weale who had destroyed the two Phoenicias and Palaestina who last of all subdued the same regions with the helpe of the Barbarians rounde about him yea at what time his father Alamundarus was taken when all men craued his heade he kept him onely in free ward and enioyned him no other punishment the like clemencie he shewed to infinit other persons the which seuerally shal be spoken of when fit occasion is ministred CAP. III. Of Iohn and Philippicus Romaine captaynes and their doinges IOhn a Thracian borne was sent by Mauricius to guyde the Easterne armie who preuailinge but ill fauoredly in some battails in some others againe patching that which was a discredit vnto him before did as trueth is nothing that deserued any great commendation Next after him Philippicus one that was allied vnto y ◠emperour for he had maried one of the sisters made a voyage into foraine countreis destroied all that lay before him took great spoile and slew many of the nobles and peeres of Nisibis and of others on this side of the riuer Tigris he fought hand to hand with the Persians and geuing them a wonderfull sore battail he ouerthrew many that were of the chiefest of Persia and tooke many aliue a band also of speare men which fled into an hill lying very commodious for them he took not but let them go vntoutched which promised him they would send to their king with all speede to perswade him to peace Other noble acts did he while he led the Romaine power he brought the soldiers from riot and pleasure acquainted them with temperancie and diligent seruice All which circumstances we geue other men leaue if them please that either haue written or are about to write so farre to wade in