read your fidelity may proue how the aforsayd matter may exquisitly be â—ifted and ended after the rule of equity Your industry is not ignorant but that I attribute so much reuerence vnto the catholicke church that I woulde haue you suffer in any place no schisme or dissention at all The diuinity of the great God kepe you most honorable many yeares The coppy of the emperours epistle by the which he commaunded a second Synode to be summoned for the remouinge of the dissention and debate risen betwene the byshops Constantinus the emperour vnto Chrestus byshop of Syracula sendeth greeting Heretofore truely vvhen as some vvickedly peruersly vvent about to seuer themselues from the religion of the sacred and celestiall povver and from the catholicke opinion I purposing that such contentions of theyrs should be cut of haue wrytten ordained that certaine byshops shoulde be cited from Fraunce againe that they should be called from Aphricke which of the other part conteÌ„tiously stifly striue among theÌ„selues the byshop of Rome also being present to the end whatsoeuer this dissention nowe raysed seemeth to be it might in theyr presence with great industry diligence be sifted out and redressed But in so much as as it commonly cometh to passe diuerse of them being negligent forgetfull of their owne saluation the reuerence due vnto the most holy opinion ceasse not as yet to dilate theyr enmytie being altogether vnwilling to consent vnto the sentence already geueÌ„ they definitiuely affirme that few of theÌ„ brought forth theyr sentences and iudgements before they had narrowly sifted out all that was to be enquired to haue stepped forth toe swiftly to hastely toe geue iudgement of all these things this came to passe that they whose part it was to maintaine brotherly vnity concord shamefully yea vvickedly disagre amoÌ„g theÌ„ selues minister an occasioÌ„ of moccage vnto men whose minds are farre alienated from the most sacred religioÌ„ VVherefore I must be carefull that that which should voluÌ„tarily haue bene appeased after that iudgemeÌ„t was geuen nowe at length in the presence of many be ended finished Because that we haue commauÌ„ded diuerse byshops out of sundry prouinces to meete in the Calends of August at the city of Orleance we thought good to wryte vnto thee that thou takinge of the famous Latronianus liuetenant of Sicilia an ordinary vvagan together vvith some tvvo of them of the seconde order vvhome thou shalt thinke good to choose moreouer vvith three seruants vvhich shal be able to serue thee in thy iourney hasten within the compasse of the same days vnto the sayd place that by the meanes of thy faythfull industry vvith the peaceable and vniforme wisedome of the rest which there shall meete this dissention which hitherto wickedly endured with a certaine shamefull winching repininge all beinge heard which may be sayd of ether partes varyinge amonge them selues whome we haue likewise commaunded to be present may novve at length be closed vp with religion and fayth and brotherly concorde that ought to be required of vs all The almighty God kepe thee in health many yeares CAP. VI. A coppy of the Emperours epistle by the which hâ— graunted money vnto the Churches COnstantinus the emperour vnto Cecilianus byshop of Carthage sendeth greetinge In so much as it pleased vs to minister some thing for expences sake vnto some certaine ministers of the approued most holy religion throughout euery the prouinces of Aphricke Numidia Mauritania I haue sent letters vnto Vrsus the renowmed liuetenant of Aphricke signified vnto him that he shoulde cause three thousande pholes of siluer to be tolde vnto thy fidelity Therefore as soone as thou hast receaued the sayd some of money see the same distributed vnto all the aforesayd accordinge vnto our writt sent by Osius If thou perceaue ought to be wantinge so that our vvill herein tovvardes all may not be accomplished demaunde of Heraclas our tresoror as much as assuredly thou thinkest lackinge This I gaue him in charge vvhen he vvas present that if thy fidelitie required any money of him he shoulde without any more a doe deliuer the same vnto thee And for as muche as I vnderstande that some troublesome persons were disposed to peruerte by some lewde corruption the people of the most holy and Catholicke Churche I geue thee to vnderstande that I gaue forth such iniunctions in presence of Anilinius the liuetenante and Patricius the gouernoures vicegerente that amonge all other thinges they should specially haue due regarde hereof and that they should in no wise permitte such a thinge to fall out vvherefore if thou perceaue some such men to persist in this theyr folly without anymore a doe haue recourse vnto the sayde iudges and make them priuey thereof that they consider of these as I charged them vvhen they vvere present The diuinity of the great God long preserue thee CAP. VII A coppy of the epistle by the which he fraunchised the byshops from payinge taxe or tribute WE greete you most honorable Anilinus Because that diuersly it appeareth if that the religion wherein great estimation of holynes is maintained be sett at nought greate dangers vvill ensue to the publicke affayres and againe if the same be orderly handled maintained greate prosperity and speciall felicity will followe vnto the Romaine empire and the affayrs of all men the goodnes of God exhibiting the same it seemed good vnto vs that those men which labor in this godly religion with due holynes and diligent obseruatioÌ„ of this lawe shall receaue recoÌ„pence of their trauels wherefore our pleasure is that they of the prouinâ—e coÌ„mitted to thy charg which in the catholick church where Cecilianus gouerneth minister in this holy religion whome we commonly tearme clergie men be wholy free exempt from all publicke burthens lest by any error or cursed svvaâ—uinge they be withdrawen from the seruice due vnto God But rather may occupy themselues about theyr profession without any molesting at all who while they accoÌ„plishe the great ministery of the holy seruice doe seeme to profitt very much the publicke affayrs Farewell most honorable Anilinus To be short such things hath the deuine celestiall grace of our Sauiour at the appearinge thereof graunted vnto vs such greate benefits were bestowed by reason of our peace vpon all men and thus weÌ„t our affayres in ioy and solemnycies CAP. VIII The ingratitude of Licinnius towards Constantinus and his cruelty towardes the Christians The sight of these things was intollerable for y â— deuel enemy of honesty worker of malice to behold neither in like sort did y â— things which happened vnto the forsayd tyrants suffice Licinnius better to aduise him selfe Who while he enioyed a prosperous raygne the second honor next after the emperour Constantinus the greate and was hyghly reuerenced for his affinytye and kynrede with Constantinus layinge aside the example of good princes imitated the
the eight booke of Eusebius so hath Musculus to and in maner all the tenth booke he hath not once touched Ruffinus vvrote the historie of his time in tvvo bookes and erred fovvly in certen things as Socrates doeth report of him Epiphanius Scholasticus translated the Tripartite historie Ioachimus Camerarius geueth of him this iudgement Tantam deprehendi in translatione non modo barbariem sed etiaÌ„ inscitiam ac somnolentiam istius Epiphanij vt mirarer vlli Graecorum non adeo alienam linguam Latinam sed ignoratam suam esse potuisse I founde in the translation of this Epiphanius not onely such barbarous phrases but also ignoraunce and palpable errour that I can not chuse but maruell hovve any Grecian coulde be vnskilfull not so muche in the straunge Latine tongue as ignorant in his ovvne language VVolâ—gangus Musculus a learned interpretour hath translated the histories of Eusebius yet Edvvardus Godsalfus geueth of him this Censure Hic autem satis correctis exemplaribus vt credibile est destitutus innumeris locis turpissime labitur Est porro adeo obscurus vt interpres egeat interprete adeo salebrosus vt lector identidem inhaereat adeo lacunosus vt autores ipsi Graeci historiae suae sententias non fuisse expletas grauiter conquerantur This Musculus as it is very like vvanting perfect coppies erred fovvly in infinite places Moreouer he is so obscure that the Translator hath neede of an interpretour so intricate that the Reader is novve and than graueled so briefe that the Greeke autors them selues doe grieuouslie complaine that the sentences in their Histories vvere not fullie expressed Though the reporter be partiall being of a contrarie religion yet herein I finde his iudgement to be true and specially in his translation of the tenth booke of Eusebius yet not I only but others haue founde it Iacobus Grynaeus a learned man corrected many faultes explicated many places printed in the marge many notes yet after al this his labour vvhich deserueth great commendation there are founde infinite escapes and for triall thereof Ireport me vnto the Reader Christophorson as for his religion I referre it to God and to him selfe vvho by this time knovveth vvhether he did vvell or no vvas a great Clarke and a learned interpretour he hathe Translated passing vvell yet sometimes doeth he addicte him self very much to the Latine phrase and is caried avvay vvith the sound and vveight therof If anye of the former vvryters had done vvell vvhat needed the later interpretours to take so much paines I vvoulde haue all the premisses and vvhatsoeuer hath bene spoken of these Latine Translatours by me althoughe one of them chargeth an other to be taken not that I accuse them of mine ovvne heade but by beholding their doings to excuse the faultes that myghte escape in this Englishe Translation I founde the Greeke coppie of Eusebius in manie places vvonderfull crabbed his Historie is full of allegations sayings and sentences and Epistles and the selfe same autoritie oftentimes alleaged to the confirmation of sundrie matters that the vvords are short the sense obscure hard to be traÌ„slated Yet the learning of the man the autoritie of his person the Antiquitie of his time vvill cause vvhatsoeuer may be thought amisse to be vvell takeÌ„ Socrates vvho follovved Eusebius about a hundred and fortie yeares after and continevved the Historie vvrote an eloquent and an artificiall stile he vseth to alleage vvholl Epistles perfecte sentences and hath deliuered the historic very plaine His vvords are svveete his vaine pleasaunt his inuention very vvittie though the historie be large his bookes long and the labour great in vvryting of them yet vvas I very much recreated vvith the svvetenesse of the vvorke Euagrius vvho beganne vvhere Socrates left and continevved his penne vnto the ende of the first six hundred yeares after Christ is full of Dialects and therefore in Greeke not so pleasaunt as Socrates He hath many superstitious stories vvhich might very vvell haue bene spared But in perusing of him I vvould haue the reader to note the great chaunge that vvas in his time more then in the dayes of the former vvryters and therafter to consider of the times follovving the difference that is in these our dayes betvvene the Church and the Apostolicke times the encrease augmentation daily adding of ceremonies to ceremonies seruice vpon seruice vvith other Ecclesiasticall rites and decrees is not the encrease of pietie and the perfection of godlines for our Sauiour telleth vs in the Gospel that tovvards the later dayes loue shall vvaxe colde and iniquitie shall abound but the malice and spite of the Deuell vvho vvith the chaunge of time altereth as much as he may the state of the Ecclesiasticall affaires and thrusteth daily into the church one mischiefe vpon an other Moreouer Euagrius being a teÌ„porall man stuffeth his Historie vvith prophane stories of vvarres and vvarlike engines of battailes and loudshed of Barbarians and Heathen nations In describing the situation of any soyle the erection of buildings and vertues of some proper person he doth excell Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus Martyr vvhom I haue annexed vnto these former Historiographers being vvell seene in the Hebrevv tonge and a great Antiquarie vvrote briefly the liues of the Prophets Apostles and seuentie disciples of our Sauiour The faultes that are therein I attribute them rather vnto the corrupt coppies then to any vvant of knovvledge in him Such things as are to be noted in him I haue laid them in the preface before his booke After all these Translations gentle Reader not vvithstanding my great trauell studie I haue gathered a briefe Chronographie begining vvith Eusebius and ending vvith Euagrius vvhere thou maist see the yeares of the Incarnation the raigne of the Emperours the famous men and Martyrs the kings of Iudaea and highe priestes of the Ievves in Ierusalem from the birth of Christ vnto the ouerthrovve of the Citie the Councels the Bishops of Ierusalem Antioch Rome Alexandria and all the heresies vvithin the first six hundred yeares after Christ deuided into Columnes vvhere the yere of the Lord staÌ„ds right ouer against euery one The profite that riseth by reading of these histories I am not able in fevv vvords to declare â–ª besides the vvorks of the autors theÌ„ selues they haue brought forth vnto vs Sentences Epistles Orations Chapiters and bookes of auncient vvryters such as vvrote immediatly after the Apostles and are not at this day extant saue in them Namely of Papias Bishop of Hierapolis Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus Dionysius Bishop of Corinth Apollinarius Bishop of Hierapolis Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria Melito Bishop of Sardis Serapion Bishop of Antioch Irenaeus Bishop of Lions Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea Aâ—atolius Bishop of Laodicea Phileas Bishop of Thumis Alexander Bishop of Alexandria Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Theognis Bishop of Nice Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria Gregorie Bishop of Nazianzum Cyrill Bishop
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
vvere furiously prouoked prosecuting vs vvith like hatred that the Scripture might be fulfilled vvhich saith â–ª he that is vvicked let him be vvicked still and he that is iust let him vvorke righteousnes still for as many as vvere choked vp vvith the noysome stinche of the prison vvere throvvne to be deuoured of dogges charging a continual vvatch day and night that none of them shoulde be buried of vs and they gathering together the reliques of the Martyrs bodies some vndeuoured of beastes some vnburned by fire partly torne and partly burned vvith the heades and stumpes of others vncouered vvith earthe committed them for the space of many dayes vnto the custody of souldiers others fretted and â—umed snarling at them vvith the gnashing of their teeth seeking further reuengement of them others derided and skoffed them magnifying their Idolls as causers of this our calamitie And such as vvere of a milder nature and somevvhat sorovved at our suffering vehemently reuiled and sayd vvhere is their God and vvhat profited them this religion vvhich they preferred before their liues and such vvas the variable and deuelish disposition of the infidells to our great sorovve because that it vvas not lavvfully permitted for vs to bury the deade bodies of the Martyrs neither stoode the night vnto vs in any steade for that purpose nether vvoulde the keepers bovve for money neither bende at our prayer but kept the brused carkases of the Sainctes as if some great commoditie grevve vnto them by keeping them vnburyed Againe after a fewe lynes thus they write To be short after that the bodyes of the blessed Sainctes had bene euery kinde of vvay spitefully and scornfully entreated lying vvhole six dayes along vnburied at length they vvere burned to ashes the ashes also they gathered scattered in the riuer Rhodanus vvhich passed by so that no iote or relique thereof shoulde longer remaine vppon earthe this they did to the ende they might ouercome God and hinder the reuiuing of the Sainctes lest that as they sayd there shoulde be any further hope of the resurrection vvhereof say they the Christians being fully persvvaded bring amongst vs straunge nevve religion they contemne punishment hasten them selues chearefully vnto death Novv let vs see vvhether they can rise and vvhether their God can helpe and deliuer them from our handes CAP. II. How the blessed Martyrs of God recâ—â—â—ed after repâ—â—â—ance such as fell in 〈◊〉 â–ª SUch were the calamities which happened vnto the Churches of Christ vnder the sayd Emperour whereby me may 〈◊〉 by all likely hoode what befell vnto other prouinces neither shal it be amisse if out of the same epistle we alleadge farther testimony concerning the mercy and mekenesse of the foresayd Martyrs written in this manner They vvere such follovvers of Christ vvho vvhen he vvas in the forme of God thought no robbery to be equall vvith God that being sett in such a glory they suffered torments neither once nor tvvyse but often and againe being reskued from the beastes hauing the prynt of hott irons and skarres and vvoundes in their bodies neither called they them selues Martyrs neither permitted others so to terme them but if any of vs so named them in our epistles they sharply rebuked vs they attributed the name of martyrdome vvith full minde vnto Christ vvho vvas the faythfull and true Martyr the first frutes of the deade the guyde vnto life they called to minde their miserable torments vvhich ended the race and course of this life vvith blessed martyrdome and saide They novv are Martyrs vvhome Christe voutchsafed to receaue vnto him by confession and through the passage of this persecuted life to seale their martyrdome among the number of the blessed Sainctes but vve are meane and base and humble confessours they beseached the brethren vvith vvatrish eyes and vvett cheekes to pray incessantly for their happy endes they expressed liuely the povver of martyrdome vvhile they resisted the Heathens vvith libertye and boldenesse shevving their noble corage through pacience their constancy vvithout feare or trembling and being called Martyrs of the brethren refused it vvith the fulnesse of the feare of God And a litle after thus they writâ— they humbled them selues vnder the mighty hande of God by the vvhich they are novv highly exalted they rendred vnto all men an accompt in the defence of their fayth they accused none loosed all and bounde no man they prayed for their persecutors after the example of Stephan that perfect Martyr vvhich sayde Lorde lay not this sinne to their charge if he prayed for them that stoned him hovv much more for the brethren Againe a litle after they say the greatest combatt they had vvith him meaning the serpent vvas for the syncerity of loue so that the roring lyon being foyled before novv quickened and sturred vp such as he thought to haue had deuoured they shevved no insolent atrogancye tovvards them that fell but ministred vnto such as vvanted of their aboundance being affectioned vvith motherly pity and compassion tovvards them and sheading many teares vnto God the father for their sakes they craued life and he graunted it them vvhich life they communicated to their neighboures and so they passing as Conquerours in all thinges embracing peace and shevvinge the same vnto vs departed this life vvith peace and posted vnto the heauenly celestiall paradise leauing no griefe behinde them vnto the mother no sedition or vvarre vnto the brethren but ioye and peace and concorde and loue I suppose these thinges not to be vnprofitably spoken of vs toutching the loue of the blessed Martyrs towardes the brethren that fell whereby we may note the vnnaturall and mercylesse mindes of such as after these examples greeuously afflicte the members of Christ CAP. III. Of the vision that appeared vnto Attalus the Martyr in his sleepe THe same epistle of the foresayd brethren contayneth an history worthy of memory which without let of the enuious may be layd downe to the knowledge of the Reader and it is thus There vvas among them one Alcibiades vvho liued beastly and miserly feeding only on breade and vvater VVhen he had so determined vvith him selfe to liue in prison it vvas reuealed vnto Attalus after his torment on the Theatre that Alcibiades behaued not him selfe aright in that he vsed not the lavvfull creatures of God and thereby also gaue an occasion of falling vnto others hereof vvhen Alcibiades vvas persvvaded he vsed all indifferently and praysed God for they vvere not destitute of the grace of God but had the holy Ghost for their directer of these thinges thus much When as Montanus and Alcibiades and Theodotus then fresh and first of all of many throughout Phrygia were thought to be endued with the gyfte of prophecye for many other miraculous operations wrought by the diuine power of God in many places perswaded them that these had also the gifte of prophecye and because of them sedition was raysed agayne the
lines they added as followeth VVe haue cited hyther many byshops from farre to salue and cure this deadely and poysoned doctrine as Dionysius byshop of Alexandria Firmilianus byshop of Caesarea in cappadocia men blessed in the Lord whereof the one writinge hither to Antioch voutchsafed not once to salute the author of error for he wrot not to his person but to the whole congregation the coppy whereof we haue here annexed but Firmilianus came twise and condemned his straunge doctrine as we knowe very well and testifie which were present together with many other besids vs for when Paulus promised to recante this man beleeued and hopped he woulde redresse and preuent this occasioÌ„ without all contumely reproch which might redound vnto the true doctrine he differred posted ouer his opinioÌ„ from time to time being seduced no doubt by him which denied God his Lord swarued froÌ„ the faith he held at the beginning This Firmilianus in his iourney to Antioch came as farte as Tarsus hauing experimeÌ„t in Christ of his malicious spite wherwith he denied God but whilest that we assemble together whilest we summone him waite for his comming he departed this life againe of the life of Samosatenus and his conuersation they write thus in the same epistle After that he forsooke the ecclesiasticall canon he fell vnto vnlawefull forged doctrine neither is it behoueable for vs nowe to iudge of an aliene ether to descant howe at the first he was poore nothing bequeathed him of his parents that neither by art trade or exercise he attayned vnto the aboundaÌ„ce of welth which he enioyned but with lewdacts sacriledge by iniurious tyrannicall oppressioÌ„ of the brethren whom he made to tremble for feare with his guyleful gaine wilie promise of hired patronship by which subtlety deceate he gayned so much that he procured the geuers to be liberall to th end they might be deliuered from their aduersaries and so he turned godlines into gaine neyther neede vve to speake here of hovve that he being puffed vvith pride vsurped seculer dignities vvould rather be called a vvarlicke captaine then a byshope of the Churche vvalkinge stately throughout the streets and market place reading letters vvithall openly enditing maintaining about him a great troope to gard his person some going before some coming after so that our faith religion runne to great spite sclaunder and hatred by reason of his svvellinge pride hautye disdayne neither vvill vve reherse the monstrous figmentes vvhich he fayned his glorious braggs the vglesome spectacles he deuised to amaze the minds of the simpler sort he made for him self a lofty seate high throne not like the disciple of Christ but seuered in shevve title after the manner of the princes of this vvorlde smyting the thighe vvith the hand pouncinge the footestole vvith his feete If any extolled him not as the vse is vpon theatres vvith clappinge of theyr handes vvith shoutinge and hurlinge of theyr cappes if any also both of men and vvomen had not skipped to and fro vvith busie bodies vndecent obeysance if any as in the house of God had behaued themselues honestly and decently the same he checked and all to be reuiled He inueyed vvithout all reason in the open assemblyes against the expositors of holy scripture vvhich then vvere departe to rest he auaunted him selfe more like a sophister and sorcerer then a byshop the psalmes song in the Church to the laud of our Lord Iesus Christ lie remoued couÌ„ting them nevve found figments of late vvriters in stede vvvherof in the middest of the church vpon the high feast of Easter he suborned certaine vvomen vvhich sounded out sonnets to his praise the which if any now heard his heare woulde stand staringe on his head he licenced the bishops ministers of the adioyning villages cities which honored him to preache vnto the people he staggereth at confessing with vs that the sonne of God descended from heauen And that we may borowe somwhat of that which hereafter is to be spokeÌ„ of vs it shall not be barely â—…châ—d â—â—t 〈◊〉 out of the coÌ„meâ—ariâ—â— published by vs vnto the whole worlde specially where he sayth that Christ Iesus is of the earth They which sound out his coÌ„mendation extoll him among the people affirmâ— this wicked most detestable varâ—ett to be an angell that came â—…ueÌ„ neither forbiddeth he these things but staÌ„deth arrogaÌ„tly to the things spokeÌ„ of him â–ª what shall I speake of his entertainmeÌ„t of associated closly kept womeÌ„ as they of Anâ—â—oth terme 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 deacoâ— which accoÌ„pany him wherwith wâ—â—tingly he cloâ—â—th this sundry other haynous incurable well knowen offences to the ende he may withhold them also â—â—â—lty together with him in those things the which both in word deede he ofâ—â—ideth in daring not to accuse him insomuch they theÌ„ selues are gilty in their coÌ„sciences of the same crime for he enritcheth theÌ„ wherfore he is both beloued honored of theÌ„ that gape after the like gudgins we knowe beloued brethreÌ„ that a bishop and the whole order of priesthoode ought to be a paterne of good works vnto the coÌ„moÌ„ people neither are we ignoraÌ„t of this that many are falleÌ„ because of the closly kept women many againe are subiect to suspicioÌ„ slauÌ„der wherfore admitt that he coÌ„mitted no lewde wantones vvith theÌ„ yet should he haue feared the suspicioÌ„ surmise vvhich riseth therof lest that either he shold offend any or bolden any to the â—â—itatioÌ„ offâ—levvde an exaÌ„ple for hovv caÌ„ hereprehend admonâ—she an other that as it is vvâ—â—â—â—en he 〈…〉 loÌ„ger the coÌ„pany of an other vvoman that he take heede he fall not vvhich novv abstaineth from one in stede therof retaineth tvvo lustier liuelyer peeces at home if he trauell anyvvhither he leadeth theÌ„ vvith him being al set vpon the full delicate pleasure For vvhich 〈◊〉 cuÌ„stance all do sobbe sighe secretly treÌ„â—ling at his povver tyrannie dare nor accuse him but these things as vve haue sayd before are of such importaÌ„ce that they vvould cause a catholicke person vvere he neuer so deare a frende vnto vs to be sharply rebuked As for him vvhich fell from the mysterie of our faith discried the detâ—stable heresie of Artemas nothing amisse if novv at leÌ„gth vve name the father of the child we thinke him neuer able to reÌ„der accoÌ„pta of his mischeuous actes Againe about the end of the epistle they write thus vvherfore necessitie coÌ„sâ—taining vâ— so to do vve excoÌ„municated the svvorne aduersary of God vvhich yelded not a lote placed in his rovvme DoÌ„nâ—s a maÌ„ bedecked vvith allgifts required in a bishop soÌ„ne to Demâ—â—riâ—â—us of vvorthy memory the predecessor of Paulus him as vve are pesvvaded by the prouideÌ„ce of God vve ordained bishop certified you to vvrite vnto him to the
◠midd high wayes throughout the market places and frequented assemblies There mightest thou haue seene them who a little before after most greuous punishments were fettred and banished their natiue soyle to receaue enioy their proper houses w t a cherefull and mery countenance in so much that they which afore time cried out against vs nowe reioyced together with vs at this wonderful sight happening beyond all mans expectation CAP. II. Maximinus againe shewing his hatred against the christians forbiddeth the assemblies in churchyards and goeth about to banishe them Antioch THe tyrant enemy to all honesty and chiefe practiser of wicked counsell against all y ◠godly whome wee sayde to haue borne rule in the Easterne partes not well brookinge these things permoited them not to continewe in the same state no not six whole moneths wherfore he putteth in vre euery mischiuous practise to the ouerthrowe of peace and tranquillity first by a certaine pretense he goeth about to barre vs our liberty of meeting in churchyardes next by sending certaine malicious men he pricked and prouoked against vs the citizensof Antioch that they should begg of him for a great benefitt y ◠he would permitt no christian at all to dwell within his dominiōs This he assayed by y ◠aduise of others y e author of all which mischief was Theotecnus who solicited the cause and egged them of Antioch forewards a man he was of authority an inchaunter very spitefull and farre from the signification of his name who then was liuetenante of that city CAP. III. Theotecnus goeth about to mischiefe the christians he incenseth the tyrant against them and setteth vp an Idole at Antioch THis Theotecnus therefore when he had vehemently impugned vs and procured euery kind of way that the christians should diligently be sought out of their dennes and apprehended for haynous robbers and had imagined all meanes to the end we should be charged and accused and had bene the cause of death to an infinite number at length he erecteth the Idoll of Iuppiter as of the God of frendship with certains inchauntments and sorceryes and inuenteth thereunto impure ceremonyes execrable sacrifices detestable oblations causeth report to be made vnto the emperour of the straunge things the Oracle seemed to vtter This Theotecnus also being a flatterer wherwith he seemed to please y ◠emperour raysed a wicked spirit against the christiās and sayd God so commaunded that the christians should be banished out of the citie and the liberties thereof For that they were rebells and traitors to the crowne CAP. IIII. Maximinus againe raiseth persecution by his decrees WHen that Theotecnus first of all had done this of his owne accorde all the other magistrats inhabiting the cities of his dominion promulgated the like sentence when as the presidents throughout the prouinces sawe this pleased the emperour they egged the subiects also to do the like y ◠tyrant very promptly consented by his rescript vnto theyr ordinances so y t againe y e heate of persecutiō was blowen against vs that againe Idol priestes were ordained by the decree of Maximinus throughout euery city village and moreouer high priests which specially excelled in pollicies and passed others in all thinges who also were zelous folowers of their religion and bestowed greate labor about the seruice of them whome they worshiped Wherefore the emperours superstition and Idolatricall minde was againe as it were a fresh incensed against vs that I may vtter the whole in fewe words he brought all his dominiō both magistrats inferior subiects to practise euery kinde of mischiefe for his sake against vs to thinke they requited him fully and shoulde haue great fauour asmany as desired to obtaine any benefit at his hand if they oppressed vs w t slaughter executed certaine new mischiefs against vs. CAP. V. The heathens goe about to defame christian religion fayning blasphemyes against the actes of Christ and Pilate and with certaine womens confession extorted from them by the gouernour of Damascus AGaine they forge certaine actes as of Pilate and our Sauiour full of blasphemy against Christ the which by consent of the emperour they sende abrode throughout his dominions cōmaunding by their letters y ◠y ◠same throughout all places both city countrey should be expounded deliuered to y ◠youth by scholmaisters to be committed vnto memory in stead of their indited vulgars exercised discipline These things being thus brought to passe a certaine ruler of the host whome the Romaines call a captaine drewe from the markett place of Damascus in Phoenicia certaine infamous women and brought them by threates of torments to that passe that after a register or recorde was shewed they shoulde confesse them selues somtimes to haue beene christians priuey to the wicked and lasciuious actes which y ◠christians committed amonge thē selues at their solemne meeting on the sundayes what other things it pleased him they shoulde vtter to y ◠sclaunder of our religion the which words were registred copied and lent to the emperoure who also commaunded the same euery where in euery place and city to be published CAP. VI. The confusion of the captaine of Damascus the commendation of certaine martys and the places where they florished BUt this captaine in a while after procured his owne death with his proper hād suffred punishment due for his malicious deserte Then againe banishment greuous persecutiō was raised against the christians againe the presidents of seuerall prouinces beganne vtterly to rebell against vs so y ◠diuerse of them which excelled in y e doctrine of Christ Iesu bare away the ineuitable sentence of death of which number were three christians in Emisa a city of Phoenicia who of there owne accord professed christianity were deliuered to be deuoured of rauening beastes Among these also was Siluanus a byshop farre stroken in years hauing executed y ◠functiō of the ecclesiasticall ministery y ◠space of forty years full About y ◠time Petrus who notably gouerned y ◠churches of Alexandria excelling all other godly bishops for his vertous lif godly exercise of preaching for no other cause thē you heare without hope of any reward sodainly vnaduisedly by y ◠commaundement of Maximinus was beheaded together w t him after y ◠same maner many Aegyptian bishops were executed Againe Lucianus a notable man for his continency of lif for his skill in holy Scripture highly cōmended being an elder of y ◠church of Antioch was brought to Nicomedia in which city y ◠emperour thē abode after he had exhibited vnto the emperour enemy to all goodnes an Apollogie in defence of y ◠doctrine which he taught where with he bare rule was cast into prison and shortly after executed This Maximinus in shorte space exercised so great a tyranny crueltye towards vs that the later persecutiō seemed farre more greuous vnto vs
against our louig subiects whome chiefly as reasoÌ„ requireth we ought to prouide for whose substaÌ„ce was takeÌ„ away by our letters sent vnto the presideÌ„ts throughout euery prouiÌ„ce of our dominioÌ„s the last yere we haue decreed that if any were disposed to cleaue vnto such ceremonies or to addict theÌ„ selues vnto the obseruatioÌ„ of that religion it might be lawfull for theÌ„ without offeÌ„ce to follow their owne wil that they should be hiÌ„dred or forbiddeÌ„ by no maÌ„ our pleasure was moreouer that without feare suspitioÌ„ they should vse that seruice which pleased euery maÌ„ best Neuertheles you can not be ignoraÌ„t of this that certaine iudges despised our decrees made our subiects vncertaine of our edicts to haue done it of set purpose that they might the loÌ„ger abide in those rites which pleased theÌ„ better That therfore hereafter all suspicioÌ„ doubt feare may be remoued we haue decreed to publishe this edict wherby it may appeare manifest vnto all meÌ„ that it may be lawfull for theÌ„ as many as will follow that opinion religioÌ„ by this our gracious gift letters pateÌ„ts as euery one listeth is delited so to vse that religioÌ„ which him pleaseth after his owne maner to exercise the same Besides this also is permitted vnto theÌ„ that they may buyld places of praier for the lord last of al that this our gyft may be the greater we haue voutchsafed to decree that also that if any house or manours heretofore beloÌ„ging vnto the christians title by the coÌ„maundement of our auncetors haue passed vnto the crowne either presently enioyed by any citie either otherwise soulde or giuen to any man for a reward all these we haue coÌ„mauÌ„ded they should be reuoked to the auncieÌ„t right of the christiaÌ„s wherby all may haue experieÌ„ce of our pietie prouideÌ„ce in this behalfe These words of y â— tyraÌ„t not one yeare being fully past followed y e edicts which against y â— christiaÌ„s were ingrauen in pillers â–ª to whome a litle before we seemed prophane impious the plague of all mankind so y â— he forbad vs to dwell not only in y â— cities but also in y e fields yea in y e desert by y â— same maÌ„ edicts iniunctioÌ„s are decreed nowe in y e behalfe of the christians they which of late were in perill of fire sword the rauenous deuourâ—g of beasts â—oules of y e aire before y â— tyraÌ„ts face suffred all sort of paines punishmeÌ„ts miserable ends of this life as prophane impious persoÌ„s vnto theÌ„ now it is permitted opeÌ„ly to exercise vse y e christiaÌ„ religioÌ„ to buyld places for praier vnto the Lord againe y â— tyraÌ„t affirmeth this vnto theÌ„ y t they may enioy certaine rights priuiledges wheÌ„ he had proclaimed this his protestatioÌ„ therfore in y e ende he receaued this in stead of recoÌ„pence y â— enduriÌ„g y â— lesser tormeÌ„t which by right he shold haue suffred he being strickeÌ„ of God w t a sodaine plague froÌ„ aboue should die in y â— second skirmishe of y â— battaile he dyed not as captaines in warre fighting maÌ„tully in battaile for their coÌ„try for vertue their friends are commoÌ„ly woÌ„t to endure couragiously a glorious death but like an impious persoÌ„ a rebell to God his army as yet lyiÌ„g in y e field he tarying at home in secret he suffreth dew punishmeÌ„t being strokeÌ„ with a sodaine plague of God ouer all his body so y t he was vexed w t great torments griefes pyned away with huÌ„ger fell downe froÌ„ his bed his fleshe altogether wasted by inuisible fire sent from aboue so y t it consumed dropped away lost al y e fashioÌ„ of y e old forme wheÌ„ as there remained nothiÌ„g vnto him saue onely the bare bones like a paynted image dryed vp of a longe time Neyther did the beholders take his bodie for other then the sepulcher of the soule buryed in a body that was nowe dead and all together consumed When that as yet he burned more vehemently then the boyling bathes are woÌ„t out of y e inward closets of y e marow his eyes lept forth passing their bounds left him blinde but he breathing as yet in these torments making his confession vnto the Lorde called for death and at length confessing himselfe to haue suffred these thinges iustly and in steede of reuengment for the madnesse he presumed and practised against Christ Iesu gaue vp the ghost CAP. Xâ— After the death of Maximinus the Christian affaires beganne to be in better estate the executors of Maximinus tyrannie are punished Constantinus and Licinnius are proclaymed Emperours WHen Maximinus had thus departed this life who alone continewed of all the tyrants the vtter enemy to all pietie and godlines the churches through the grace of almighty God were buylded againe and erected from the fundations the Gospell of Christ Iesus shining vnto the glory of the vniversall God receaued greater libertie then aforetime but the impietie of the sworne enemies to godlinesse was subiect to extreme shame and ignominie For the sayd Maximinus was declared by publique edicts the firste most deadly enemie of all the Emperours the most impious the most ignominious and a tyrant that was abhorred before the face of God And what monument so euer of letters or proclamations stoode throughout euery citie to his or his childrens honor they were partly worne and throwen from aloft vnto the pauement partly so ouerlayd darkened with so blacke a colour that they became vnprofitable for publique sight Likewise the pictures as many as were erected to his honor being throwen downe after the same sort and defaced were sett forth to the laughter and derision of such as woulde vse them both ignominiously and contempteously Afterwardes all the ensignes also of others that were enemies to pietie and christian religion were taken downe all the persecutors as many as fauored Maximinus were executed specially such as by him were honored in the heade cyties and to the ende they might flatter him hated more deadly our doctrine and religion of which sort of people Peucetius was one whome before all other he esteemed for most honorable most reuerend and of all his friends best beloued twise and the thirde time Consull and had appointed him the chiefe gouernour in all his affaires next was Culcianus enioying the authoritie of euery degree and office who also hauinge shedde throughout Aegypt the bloode of an infinite number of Christians was of greate fame besides others not a fewe through whome chiefly the tyranny of Maximinus preuayled and tooke encrease Moreouer also bengeance lyghted vpon Theotecnus not forgetfull of the things he had committed against the Christians who because of the image idol he erected at Antioch became famous and was also made president by Maximinus Licinnius after his comming to Antioche to the ende he might finde
life musing this doubtfully with him selfe and taking his iourney with his souldiers I wott not whither a certayne vision appeared vnto him as it was straunge to beholde so in deede incredible to be spoken of about noone the day somewhat declining he sawe in the skye a lightsome piller in forme of a crosse wherein these wordes were ingrauen In this ouercome the which vision so amazed the Emperour that he mistrusting his owne sight demaunded of them that were present whether they perceaued the vision which when all with one consent had affirmed the wauering minde of the Emperour was setled with that diuine and wonderful sight The night following in his slepe he seeth Christ which sayeth thus vnto him frame vnto thy selfe the forme of a crosse after the example of the signe which appeared vnto thee and beare the same agaynst the enemies as a fitt banner or token of victory he being fully perswaded with this oracle commaundeth the victorious signe of the crosse which as yet is reserued in the pallace of the Emperour to be made and therewith proceedeth forewards in his affayres with greater courage and promptnes of minde and ioyning with the enemy right ouer against Rome about the bridge commonly called Bulbia he gott the victory for Maxentius being drowned in the riuer died it was the seuenth yeare of his raigne when y â— he ouercame Maxentius after these thinges when as Licinnius his fellow Emperour and his brother in lawe hauing maried his sister Constantia ledd his life in the East Constantinus enioying ample benefitts receaued at the handes of God shewed him selfe gratefull in offering of thankes and prayses vnto the author of all goodnes his practises were these to deliuer the Christians from persecution to call agayne the exiled vnto their natiue soyle to sett at liberty such as were in prison to restore agayne the goods confiscated to build againe the Churches that were ouerthrowen all which things he accomplished with great promptnes of minde in the meane while Diocletianus which had resigned the empire departed this life at Salon a city of Dalmatia CAP. III. How Constantinus fauoring the Christians and Licinnius persecuting them wage battell one agaynst the other COnstantinus the Emperour fixing his whole minde vpon such thinges as sett forth the glory of God behaued him selfe in all things as a Christian erecting Churches from the ground and adorning them with goodly and gorgeous consecrated monuments moreouer shutting vp the temples of the heathens purging and publishing vnto the world in the way of derision the gaye images glistering within but Licinnius famous among them for his fond opinion in gentilisme hated the Christians who for all he durst not openly persecute for feare of Constantine the Emperour yet in secrete he menaced and dispatched many Christians but in processe of time he endeuored openly to afflict them This persecution was prouincial for it was kindled there only where Licinnius made his abode after these things practising in other things also y â— part of a tirant being fully persuaded that Constantine was not ignorant here of and knowing full well y â— he was greatly offended with him for it he hasteneth to cleaâ—e him selfe flattering and fayning to ioyne with him in league of friendship binding him selfe with anoth neuer to perpetrate any tyrannicall acte and not onely swearing but with all for swearing him selfe for he ceased not from tyranny neither relented from raising against the Christians the greeuoâ—s â—â—orme of persecution he forbad the Bishops by decree that they should not conferre at all with the Gentiles to the ende the religion of the christians might nether take roote nether be raised at al. Then was the persecution riâ—e in euery mans mouth and in deepe silence secret in worde yet open in deede the persecuted members of Christ endured intollerable paine of their bodies and sustained great losse of their substance Whereby he incensed greatly the Emperour Constantine against him so that they breaking the league of fayned friendship which was betwene them became deadly foes Not long after they waged battel meting oft by sea by lande in the ende at Chrysopolis a city of Bithynia to wete at the docke or hauen of Chalcedon Licinnius was ouercome and yelded him self vnto Constantine He taketh him aliue he dealeth curteously with him he slayeth him not but enioyned him to dwell in Thessalonica and there to leade a quiet and a peaceable life it was but a small time that he liued in peace for immediately after he gathered an host of Barbarians and endeuored by fighting agayne to reuenge his former foyle the which when Constantine had vnderstoode he commaunded that he shoulde be put to death at whose commaundement he was dispatched Constantinus nowe hauing thâ— vpper hande and published Emperour King endeuoreth forthwith to amplifie the Christian affaires and that diuersly by his meanes also the Christians liued in great peace and tranquillitye but after this peace there ensued warres and deadly hatred amonge the Christians them selues what it was how it beganne and the maner of it we will declare CAP. III. The contention betwene Arius and Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and how that Alexander depriued Arius with his complices of the ministery AFter Peter Bishop of Alexandria which suffred martyrdome vnder Diocletian Achillas succeeded in the Bishopricke After Achillas Alexander in the time of the aforesayd peace was chosen Bishop who leading a quiet and a peaceable life brought the Church vnto an vnity and on a certayne time in presence of the Priestes which were vnder him and the rest of the clergy he entreateth somewhat more curiously of the holy trinitie and the vnitie to be in the trinitie Arius then being one of the Priestes placed in order vnder him a man very skilfull in the subtelties of sophisticall logick suspecting the Bishop to haue brought into the Church the erroneous doctrine of Sabellius the Aphrick being kindled with the desire of contention seâ—t him selfe opposite agaynst the opinion of Sabellius the Aphrick and as it seemed directly against the allegations of the bishop saying if the father begatt the sonne then had y â— sonne which was begotten a beginning of essence hereby it is manifest that there was a time when the sonne was not and the consequent to followe necessarily that he had his essence of nothing When he had with this straung kinde of doctrine concluded layd downe this position he prouoked many to reason hereof so that of a small sparcle a great fire was kindled for this noysome pestilence beginning from the Churches of Alexandria spredd it self throughout all Aegypt Libya the vpper Thebais yea passed moreouer through the rest of the prouinces and cities many others also embraced the pestilent opinion of Arius of which number chieâ—â—y Eusebius not he of Caesarea but an other which afore time was bishop of y â— church of Berytus but
for their sage and sober speache some for their grauitie in life and patience in aduersitie some other for their trade of liuing as meane betwene both vvere highly commended There vvere of these not a fevv vvho for their old yeares and auncient dayes vvere greatly honored other some in the flower of their youth for sharpnes of vvitt gaue a glistering shine certaine others vvere late practitioners and nouices in the ministerie vnto all vvhich the Emperour commaunded that all necessaries large and liberall foode for sustenance should dayly be ministred And so farre out of Eusebius toutching that assemblie When the Emperour had finished the triumphe solemnized in remembrance of his victorie against Licinnius he tooke his iorney vnto Nicaea Among the bishops there assembled Paphnutius bishop of the vpper Thebais and Spiridion bishop of Cyprus were recounted famous But the cause that moued vs to rehearse them hereafter shal be shewed There were present also many of the laytie which were skilfull logicians ready to defend ereother part Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia as I haue sayde before Theognis and Maris maintayned the opinion of Arius This Theognis was bishop of Nicaea and Maris bishop of Chalcedon a cytie of Bithynia Againste these Athanasius deacon of the church of Alexandria stroue manfully this Athanasius did Alexander the bishop highly esteeme and therefore there ensued greate enuie against him as hereafter shal be declared Before the bishops mett together in one place the logicians busted them selues propoundinge against diuers others certaine preambles of disputation and when diuers were thus drawen to disputation and allured as it were by bayte a lay man one of the number of confessors of a simple syncere mind sett himselfe against the Logicians and tolde them thus in playne wordes that neyther Christ neither his Apostles had deliuered vnto vs the arte of Logicke neyther vayne fallacies but an open and plaine minde to be preserued of vs with faith and good works The which when he had spoken all that were present had him in admiration and helde with his sentence Then the Logicians after they had heard the pure words of playne trueth quieted and setled them selues aright So that at length by that meanes the sturre raysed by occasion of Logicke was wholly suppressed The day after all the bishops mett in one place after them came the Emperour beinge come he standeth in the middest neither woulde he first sit downe before he had beckened to the bishops to do the same So greate a reuerence of person and shamefastnesse of minde did the Emperour shewe vnto those graue fathers After that all were silent as the opportunitie of the tyme dyd require the Emperour as he sate in his seate made an oration vnto them exhorting them to embrace vnitie of minde concorde and agreement wherein also he counselled them to remoue from their mindes all priuate malice and grudge which they dyd owe onē towardes an other For diuers of them had accused eche other and putt vp the daye before vnto the Emperour libells one against the other But he exhorted them earnesty to applye them selues vnto the purposed busynesse which was the cause of their assemblye and commaunded the libelles to be burned ioyninge withall this onely sayinge that Christ commaunded him that looketh for forgeuenesse to forgeue likewise his brother When that he had largely entreated of concord and peace to be preserued amonge them he referred vnto their discretion to discerne more exquisitely of the principles of Christian religion euen as the selfe same Eusebius reporteth in his thirde booke of the lyfe of Constantine whose allegation may presently seeme very commodious For thus he wryteth VVhen many thinges of eyther syde vvere alleadged and a greate controuersie raysed euen at the entrance into disputation the Emperour gaue pacient and peaceable eare vnto all he receaued theire positions vvith earnest and carefull studie some tymes he holpe in reasoninge ere other parte vvhen that they disputed vvith heate of contention he reconciled them by little and little he conferred vvith euery one louingly and curteously he vttered his minde in Greeke neither was he ignorant of that language his speache was both sweete and pleasaunt perswading with some pacifying some other vvith gentle vvordes praysing others for their sage sentences He ceased not to reduce them all vnto concorde vntill that he had brought them to that passe that they all became of one mind and concluded with one opinion toutching all the thinges that euer toe fore vvere called into question so that not onely there florished among thē one faith but also they agreed all together to celebrate the solempne feast of Easter at one and the same tyme throughout the vvorlde Nowe therfore the canons concluded vpon by common consent of all were ratified by the subscription of euery one and recorded for the posteritie These things hath Eusebius to like purpose rehearsed and left behinde him in writing neither haue we in this place cyted them out of season yea we haue vsed his words for witnesses and knitte them to this our historie to the ende we geue not eare vnto some which haue condemned the counsell assembled at Nice as though it had crred in the fayth againe that we creditt not Sabinus the Macedonian who called the men that mett there idiots and rude persons For this Sabinus bishop of the Macedonians which inhabit Heraclaea a citie of Thracia whilest that he gathereth into one volume those things which diuers councells and assemblies of bishops haue committed to writing he condemneth with opprobrious languages the bishops which mett at Nice for vnlearned and ignorant men not remembring that in so doing he cōdemneth Eusebius for an idiote who published the same faith with the greate tryall and experience he had therein Moreouer some things of sett purpose he ouerskippeth some other he peruerteth those thinges which seemed to make for his purpose which tended to the marke he shott at all those he culled out diligently And though he praiseth Eusebius Pamphilus for a witnesse to whome creditt may worthely begeuen and though he hyghly commende the Emperour as one that preuayled very much in the establishing of Christian religion yet for all that doth he reprehende the faith published in the councell of Nice as deliuered by such as were rude and all together vnlearned And whome he calleth a wise man and counteth a true witnesse the same mans testimonie of sett purpose doth he reiect For Eusebius reporteth that of the ministers of God which then were present some excelled for their sage and sober sentences some for their grauitie of life and that the emperour with his presence reduced them all vnto concorde and linked them together in one mind and in one opinion but of Sabinus if tyme do serue and occasion hereafter be offred we will say more The vniforme doctrine of faith agreed vpon published by open cōsent of all in the
sought out How great what horrible blasphemies God of his goodnes be mercifull vnto vs haue some vnreuerently vttered against our great sauiour against our hope and life and impudētly not only blased things cōtrary vnto the scriptures inspired from aboue the sacred faith but also affirmed they beleued the same For vvhen as three hundreth bishops and aboue men of great fame both for modestie of minde sharpnesse of witt had confirmed one the same faith which was founde to be a true faith by the trueth it selfe and playne testimonies of holie scripture sought out for the purpose Arius alone was found beyng ouercome with the power and fraude of the deuill to fall from the same and beynge prone therevnto through the peruersitie of his minde scattered and sovved first of all amongest you aftervvardes amongest vs this poysoned errour of perdition VVherefore lett vs embrace that doctrine vvhich almightie God the father of heauen hath deliuered vnto vs let vs returne vnto our dearely beloued brethren vvhome the wicked impudēt minister of Satan hath seuered asunder let vs vvith might and mayne and as commonly vve say vvith all the vaynes in our hart go home agayne vnto the generall societie and body of the church and vnto our ovvne naturall members This aboue all other things behoueth your wisdome your faith holines after the remouīg frō your minds the cākred poysō of the aduersary who set him selfe opposite against the trueth that without all delaye ye haue recourse vnto the grace and goodnes of almightie God For that which seemed good vnto the three hūdred bishops is no othervvise to be taken then for the sentence of God specially in as much as the holie Ghost vvas resiant in the mindes of so vvorthie and so notable men inspiring them vvith the deuine vvill of God him selfe VVherfore let none of you stagger at the matter let none of you make any delay at all but all ioyntly vvith most vvillinge mindes returne vnto the most perfect way of trueth that as soone as I my selfe come amōgst you I may together with you rēder dew thāks vnto the god whose eye nothīg doth escape because that he hath not onely reuealed vnto vs the true syncere faith but also geuen vnto vs most graciously the loue and charitie which vvas to be vvished of vs all God keepe and preserue you vvelbeloued brethren This the Emperour wrote vnto the people of Alexandria signifying in playne words that the finall conclusion definitiue sentēce of the faith was not layde downe vnaduisedly neither came to passe by happe hazard but after great labour industrie after diligent searching and sifting out of the trueth to haue bene published by the councell and not some thinges to haue bene handled some other things to haue bene omitted but all whatsoeuer seemed necessary to be entreated of toutching the confirmation of y ◠doctrine of faith to haue bene sufficiently discoursed neither to haue bene firste vnaduisedly decreed before all were curiously handled in so much that all what so euer seemed to breede occasion of controuersie or discord was quite plucked vp by the rootes But that I may vtter all in one word Constantine calleth the censure of the whole assembly the sentence of God him selfe neither doubted he but that so great a company of bishops was vnited linked together in one mind in one opinion by y ◠motion instinct of the holy ghost Yet for all this Sabinus who is the ringleader of the Macedonian heresie wilfully and of sett purpose impugneth these thinges yea moreouer he termeth such as mett at Nice vnlearned and doultishe idiots neither is he ashamed to charge Eusebius bishop of Caesarea with the reprochefull spot and blemishe of ignorance neither weyeth he this with him selfe that such as were present at the coūcell though they were vnlearned men as he reporteth yet being inspired from aboue endued with the grace of the spirite of God could in no wise straye from the trueth But let vs heare what the Emperour layde downe in other letters against the opinions of Arius and his complices the which also he sent abroade vnto the bishops and congregations throughout christendome An other Epistle of Constantine COnstantinus the puyssāt the mighty noble Emperour vnto the bishops pastors people whersoeuer Inasmuch as Arius traceth the stepps of detestable impious persons it is requisite that he be partaker with them of the selfe same infamie and reproche For as Porphyrius the svvorne aduersarie deadly foe of deuine seruice vvho lately published levvde cōmentaries in the cōfutation defiance of Christian religion vvas revvarded according vnto his desert and so recōpenced that within the cōpasse of these fewe yeares he was not only grieued with great reproche blemished with the shamefull spot of infamie but also his impious blasphemous works perished vtterly were abolished euen so now it seemed good vnto vs to call Arius his complices the vvicked broode of Porphyrius that looke vvhose maners they haue imitated they may enioye also the priuiledge of their name Moreouer we thought good that if there can be founde extant any worke or booke compiled by Arius the same shoulde be burned to ashes so that not only his damnable doctrine may thereby he vvholly rooted out but also that no relique thereof may remaine vnto the posteritie This also we straightly cōmaunde charge that if any man be found to hyde or conceale any booke made by Arius and not immediatly bring forth the sayd booke deliuer it vp to be burned that the sayde offender for so doing shall die the death For as soone as he is taken our pleasure is that his head be stricken of from his shoulders God keepe you in his tuition An other epistle of Constantine COnstantinus the Emperour vnto the churches throughout christēdome sendeth greeting VVhen as I perceaued by the florishing prosperous estate of the publicke weale how greatly we are beholding vnto the goodnes of almightie God conferred vpon vs I deemed that aboue all things it behoued me of dutie to foresee that in the most holy and sacred assemblies of the Catholicke church vnder heauen there shold one faith syncere loue charitie vniforme consent agreement toutching the religion seruice of almightie God vnuiolably be retayned But sithence that the same could by no other way or meanes be compassed neither in any other sure or certaine place be setled vnlesse that either all the bishops or at lestvvise the greater part of them assembled together layde downe their seuerall censures concerning the most holy religion seruice of God therfore when the greatest company that coulde be gott mette together I my selfe as one of your number vvas present vvith them Neyther tooke I in scorne vvhereat novve I greatly reioyce that I coupled my selfe vvith you in those affayres VVe proceeded so farre in the premisses and handled all thinges so exquisitely vntill
the sentence vvhich seemed gratefull and acceptable vnto God the ouerseer of all thinges for the concorde and consent in religion vvas openly pronounced so that there remayned nothinge hereafter to be concluded vpon vvhich seemed to tende or grovve either vnto discorde or disagreement toutchinge the faith VVhen as there at that tyme vve reasoned of the most sacred solemnitie and feast of Easter it seemed good by vniforme consent of all that all men in all places shoulde celebrate it vpon one and the selfe same daye for vvhat vvas there more auaylable vvhat could there be more glorious then that this feast vvhereby vve retaine and holde fast the firme hope of immortalitie shoulde after one and the same order and after the same manifest trade vvithout noueltie or alteration be obserued and first of all it seemed altogether contrary to order that in the celebration of the sayd most sacred feast we should imitate the rites maner of the Iewes who in as much as they haue defiled their hāds with an hainous offence reason it is as impure persons their minds should be helde snared in blindnesse It remayneth therefore that vve lay aside theyr custome and publishe for a remembrance vnto the posteritie in tyme to come the celebration of this feaste after a truer more syncere institution the vvhich vnto this present time from the first day of the passion we haue obserued VVherfore let vs haue nothing common with that most odious broode of the Iewes for we are taught by our sauiour to tread an other way the which we must cleaue vnto there is layde downe a race a limite both decēt and lawfull for our most sacred religion let vs ioyntly retaine this with vniforme consent most honorable brethren withdraw our selues from that despitefull nation For in very deede it is the greatest absurditie that can be for them arrogantly to vaunt that we can in no wise obserue these things without the ayde and helpe of their discipline VVhat is it whereof they are able to sauour aright who after they had put the Lord Iesus to death hauing remoued the right sense of their minde out of his quiet seate vvere caryed not vvith the vveyght of reason but vvith an intollerable vvilfulnesse of rashe enterprises vvhither so euer the frensie and madnesse that vvas ingraffed in their mindes did leade them And in this poynte it is apparent they see not the manifest trueth no maruell then they erre in many things in that they besides the appointed time for the celebration of this fest within the compasse of the selfe same yeare do celebrate a second Easter VVhat cause then shall moue vs to imitate these men vvhome vve see thus manifestly infected vvith the grieuons maladie of errour vve vvill in no vvise permit the same feast in one and the same yeare the seconde time to be solemnized If that I had bene carelesse and busyed my selfe herein nothinge at all it had bene your parte and duetie to haue imployed both your diligence and also with earnest and continewall prayer to haue craued that the right rule and synceritie of your minds should in no wise participate neither in any thing haue felowship with the vvicked vvayes of levvde persons Besides all this vve may easily perceaue hovve shamefull and detestable a thinge it is to dissent and disagree about so vveyghtie a matter and about so hygh and so religious a feaste One festiuall daye of purchased freedome to vvete of the moste blessed passion bloodsheding hath our sauiour commended vnto vs one catholicke churche he would haue to be collected of all whose mēbers though they be many in sūdry places dispersed vnder heauē yet do they knit close together in one spirite that is in the will pleasure of almighty god I would that of your wisdome holines you deepely weyed with your selues how disordered vndecent a thing it is vpō the selfe same dayes for some religiously to fast for some others ryotously to feaste it out and after Easter holidayes for some to feast and yeld them selues to fullnesse of pleasure for others to abstayne and obserue the prescribed dayes of fastinge VVherefore this is to be reformed and reduced vnto one maner and custome this as I am sure you doe all knowe very vvell is the pleasure of God him selfe And in as much as the same is ryghtly to be redressed that vve haue nothinge common vvith murtherers of fathers and such as haue putt theyr Lorde and mayster to death In as much as agayne that orderly and comelie maner retayned of all the churches throughout the vvorlde inhabiting either the VVest the South or the North and in sundrie places also of the East vvas to be obserued of vs therefore it is that presentlie all haue thought ryght vvell thereof I my selfe also haue taken vpon myne ovvne person your tractable vvisdome that looke vvhat custome soeuer vvith vniforme consent is of force in the citie of Rome in Italie Aphtick in all Aegypt Spaine Fraunce and Bryttaine Libya and all Greece in the prouince of Asia Pontus and Cilicia the same also vvith vvilling and gratefull minds should be ratified and approued of you all Considering of this carefully vvith your selues that not onely the greater number of congregations lyeth in the places before mentioned but also that it is a most godly purpose for all men ioyntly with one harte and voyce to desire that established which right and reason requireth to be done which also hath no fellowship with the damnable periurie of the despiteful Iewes but that I may vtter the whole in fewe wordes it seemed good by common assent of the whole assembly that the most sacred feaste of Easter shoulde be celebrated vpon one and the selfe same daye for it may not be that variance and dissention shoulde raygne about the celebration of so holy and so high a feast yea moreouer it is very commendable to condescend vnto this sentence which is farre from all error that doth preiudice the faith from all fellowship with shamefull sinne VVherefore the matter being brought to this passe embrace this decre with willing mindes as an heauenly most godly commaundement for whatsoeuer is decreeed in the holy councels of Bishops the same is to be attributed to the will of God VVherefore when you haue certified al our welbeloued brethren of the canons of this councel the sentence already layd downe the maner of celebrating the most holy feast it is your parte to approue the same and duely to obserue it that as soone as I can perceaue the right disposition of you all the vvhich of long tyme I haue desired I may vpon one and the selfe same daye together vvith you all solemnize this most sacred feaste and ioye for your sakes the vvhiche shall come to passe if that I may vnderstande that not onely the spite and outragious dealing of the deuill through your vvell doing ayded from aboue is vvholly put
by the way of Athanasius CAP. XII Howe that Constantine the Emperoure enlarging the city which of olde was called Byzantium tearmed it after his owne name Constantinople THe emperour after the ending of the coūcell liued in great trāquility And as soone as after the wonted guise he had celebrated the twētyth yeare of his raygne without all delay or tariance he turned himselfe wholy to the buylding of churches the which he brought to passe as well in other cyties as in that cytie the which he called after his name but of olde bore the name of Byzantium This he enlarged exceedingly he enuironed with great goodly walls he bewtified with glorious building and made her nothing inferior to the princely cytie of Rome callinge her after his name Constantinople He made moreouer a lawe that she shoulde be called the Second Rome The which lawe is ingrauen in a stony piller reserued in the publique pretory nigh the emperours knightly picture In this cytie he erected from the foūdation two churches calling y ◠one of peace the other of the Apostles He encreased not only as I sayd before christian affairs but altogether rooted out the rites of the Gentiles He caried away the images out of the Idole groues to the end they might sett out the cytie of Constantinople they were to be seene abrode in y ◠open market place He inuironed about in the open aer the threefooted trestle vpon y ◠which the priest of Apollo in Delphos was wont to receaue his oracle with a grate Peraduenture some men will count the recitall of these things altogether impertinent specialy in as much as of late in maner all men haue ether seene them with their eyes or heard of them w t theyr eares At that time y ◠christian religiō spredd it selfe farre nigh For vnder the raygne of the emperour Costantine besides the prosperous affairs of many other things the prouidence of God so prouided that the faith in Christ shoulde take great increase And although Eusebius Phamphilus hath sett forth the praises of this emperour with a large and lofty style yet in my opinion I shal nothing offend if that after my simple maner I say something to his commendation CAP. XIII Howe that Helene the emperours mother leauinge Ierusalem sought out the crosse of Christ and founde it afterwardes built there a Church HElene the emperours mother which of the village Drepane made a cyty the which afterwards the emperour called Helenopolis being warned by a vision in her sleepe tooke her iorney to Ierusalem And when as shee founde that auncient Ierusalem lyinge all wast in a heape of stones as it is in the prophet she searched diligētly for the sepulchre of Christ in the which he was layd and out of the which he rose againe and at length although with much adoe through the helpe of God she found it And why it was so harde a matter to finde I will declare in fewe words euen as they which embraced the faith of Christ highly esteemed of that sepulchre and monument after his passion so of the contrary such as abhorred christian religion heaped in that place much earth and raised great hilloks and buylded there the temple of Venus and hauinge suppressed the remembrance of the place they sette vp her Idole This haue we learned of olde to be true But when as the emperours mother was made priueye hereunto shee threwe downe the Idole she digged vp the place she caused the great heape of earthe to be hurled aside and the filth to be remoued she findes three crosses in the graue one I meane that blessed vpon the whiche Christe suffred other two on the whiche the two theeues ended their liues Together with whiche crosses the table of Pilate was founde whereupon he had wrytten with sundrye tongues and signified vnto the worlde that Christe crucified was the Kinge of the Iewes Yet because there rose some doubte whether of these three shoulde be the crosse of Christ for the which they had made this searche the emperours mother was not a litle pensiue The which sorowefull heuynes of hers Macarius byshop of Ierusalem not longe after asswaged For he made manifest by his fayth that which afore was doubtfull ambiguous He desired of God a signe and obtained his sute The signe was this there was a certaine woman of that coast which by reason of her long and greuous disease lay at the poincte of death As she was yeldinge vp of the ghost the byshop layd euery one of the crosses vpon her beinge fully perswaded that she shoulde recouer her former health if that she toutched the reuerent crosse of our Sauiour which in deed failed him not For whē as both the crosses which belonged not vnto the Lorde were layd to the woman she continewed neuerthelesse at the poinct of death but as soone as the third which in very dede was the crosse of Christ was layd vnto her although she seemed presently to leaue this world yet leaped she vp and was restored to her former health After this sorte was the crosse of Christ founde out The emperours mother buylded ouer the sepulchre a goodly and gorgeous church callinge it Nevve Ierusalem righte ouer against that old and wast Ierusalem The one halfe of the crosse she lockt vp in a siluer chest left there to be seene of suche as were desirous to beholde such monumēts the other halfe she sente to the emperour The which when he had receaued supposinge that city to be in greate safety where in it were kept compassed it with his owne picture which was sett vp in the market place at Constantinople so called of Constantinus ouer a mighty piller of redd marble Although I commit this to wryting which I haue onely learned by hearesay yet in maner all they which inhabite Constantinople affirme it to be most true Moreouer when Constantinus had receaued the nayles wherewith the naked handes of Christ were fastened to the tree for his mother had founde these also in the sepulchre of Christ and sent them vnto him he caused bitts for bridles helmets and headpeeces to be made thereof the which he wore in battaile The emperour furthermore made prouision for all suche necessaries as were required to the buyldinge of the churches and wrote vnto Macarius the bishop that with all diligence he should further the buyldinge The emperours mother as soone as she had finished the church which she called Nevve Ierusalem buylded a second nothinge inferior to the first at Bethleem in the hollowe rocke where Christ was borne accordinge vnto the flesh also a thirde vpō the mount where Christ ascended vnto y ◠father Besides she was so vertuous so meeke that she would fall downe to her prayers in the middest of the vulgare sorte of women that she woulde inuite to her table virgines which were consecrated to holy life accordinge vnto the canon of the church that she woulde bring
in meate and serue them her selfe Many things she gaue to churches and to poore people she liued godly and religiously and departed this life being fourescore yeare olde her body was brought to Constantinople called Nevve Rome and buried there with princely funerall CAP. XIIII Howe the emperour Constantine destroying the Idole groues of the Gentiles erected in sundrie places many notable Churches THe emperour after this went about to promote christian religion with greater care industrie to banish the rites ceremonies of the ethnicks to restrayne the lewde combats of fencers and sworde players and to sett vp his owne image in theyr Idolatricall temples And when as the Ethnicks affirmed that the God Serapis was he which made the riuer Nilus to ouerflowe and to water the countrey of Aegypt because that a certaine elle was brought into the temple of Serapis the emperour commaunded that elle to be conueyed into the churche of Alexandria When that it was noysed that Nilus woulde no longer ouerflowe because the God Serapis tooke greate indignation that he was thus abused the yeare followinge the riuer did not onely ouerflowe after his wonted maner and from that time forth kept his course but also thereby declared vnto the worlde that Nilus was accustomed to ouerflowe not after theire superstitious opinion but by the secret determination of the deuine prouidence Although the Sarmatians Barbarians and Gotths at the same time assayled the right of the Romayne empire yet for all that the emperours care and industry for the buyldinge of churches was not slacked but diligently with great aduise did he prouide for both For he valiantly ouercame these nations vnder the banner of the crosse which is the peculiar cognizance of christian profession so that not onely he depriued them of the tribute which the emperours of olde were wonte to pay vnto the Barbarians but also they beinge astonished at this straunge victory yelded themselues then first of all wholly to embrace christian religion by the meanes of the which Constantine had preserued himselfe Constantinus againe applied himselfe to the buyldinge of other churches and one he erected in the okegroue of Mambre where holy scripture reporteth the Angels to haue bene harbored by Abraham When that he was certified that altars were erected at that oke and that the Ethnicks offred sacrifice and incense in that place to theyr fayned Gods he sharply rebuked Eusebius bishope of Caesarea by his letters because that through his slackenes in executinge his office that wickednes was committed He commaundeth therefore the altars to be turned vpside downe and a church harde by the oke to be builded He commaundeth an other church to be builded in Heliopolis of Phoenicia and that for this cause What lawe maker the Heliopolits had of olde I am not able to saye but the lawes and customes of the cytie doe manifestly declare what kinde of man he was By the custome of their countrey they haue all women in common therefore of the children there can no certainty be had Amonge them there is no difference ether of father or sonne They geue their virgins to straungers which come amongst them to be defloured The emperour endeuored wholly to abrogat this old and rotten custome of theirs For when he had taken away this brutishe and beastly kind of behauiour he made a sacred and a seuere lawe that kindreds and families shoulde be knowen amongest thē and seuered one from the other To be short when he had buylded churches amonge them he hastened to consecrate them a bishop to ordaine the holy company of clergy men Thus the state of the Heliopolits after the remouing of theire former filth was reformed into modeste behauiour In like maner he ouerthrewe the temple of Venus in Aphaca standing at the foote of mount Libanus and rooted out al the wicked rites and ceremonies which were wont to be done there both impudently vnreuerently What shall I speake of the familiar deuell and the spirite of diuination the which he foyled in Cilicia commaunded the Idole in whose closettes he had craftely hid himselfe to be destroyed furthermore he was so feruent in promoting christian religion that when he should haue warred against the Persians he made him a tente much like the tabernacle of Moses in the desert in forme and figure resembling the churche of God and the same of a chaūgeable colored vaile the which he caried about with him that in the waste wildernesse and deserte places he mighte alwayes finde readye an holy Churche to singe hymnes and deuoutly to serue the liuinge God But the same battaile wente not forewardes the Persians feared the power of the Emperoure and so all iniuries were putte vp and peaceably ended That the Emperoure also imployed greate laboure and trauell in buyldinge townes and Cyties and that of diuerse peltinge villages he made princely Cyties for example Drepane after his mothers name and Constantia in Palaestina after the name of his sister Constantia I thinke it presently not needefull to committe in wrytinge for the posterity For it is not our drifte to declare the other famous actes of the Emperoure but onely those whiche appertaine vnto christian religion and speciallye the estate of the churches Wherefore in as much as the famous actes of the Emperoure tend to an other purpose and require a proper and a peculiar kinde of handlinge I leaue them for others whiche bothe knowe and can sufficiently discourse thereof I of mine owne parte woulde neuer haue layde penne to paper if the Church had beene at vnitie and concorde within it selfe For where there is no matter ministred to wryte there the wryter seemeth to be fond and his trauell frustrat But in as much as the subtletye of sophisters fonde quirckes and fallacies of Satan depraued in those dayes the Apostolick and syncere Character of Christian religion seuered also and as it were vnioynted the membres of Christ I thought good to saye somethinge of them whereby the ecclestastical affayrs may not fall into the dust of obliuion For the knoweledge thereof is much sett by amonge moste men and settleth for experience the minde of suche a one as is well seene therein For when any vaine controuersie riseth about the signification of a worde it teacheth him to haue a stayed heade CAP. XV. Howe that in the time of Constantine the midle Indians embraced the faith of Christ by the meanes of Aedesius and Frumentius for Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria created Frumentius byshop and sent him to preache vnto the Indians NOwe it remaineth that we declare howe and by what meanes christian religion enlarged and spredd it selfe vnder the raygne of this Emperoure For the nations which inhabited the middle India and Iberia then first of all receaued the faith of Christ and why I haue ioyned thereunto the middle India I will declare in fewe wordes When the Apostles by lot had sorted them selues to trauell vnto certaine
Many excellent notable men were then apprehended and grieuously plagued because they refused to be partakers of their communion yea after torments they were constrayned by force to communicate with them for they stretched wide open and gagged their mouthes they popped in the mysteries such as were thus handled tooke it farre more grieuous then all the other torments they trayled women children by maine force into their communion if any refused or gaynesayd their doings immediatly they were scurged after stripes imprisoned and in the ende compelled to endure more bitter torments Whereof I will alleadge one or two examples whereby the woodnes and crueltie both of Macedonius and also of others who at that time were renowmed and famous for such lewde feates may euidently appeare vnto the whole worlde Of the women that denied to communicate with them some were layd along in chestes and at the lidds their breastes sawed of some other had their papps burned with searing irons glowing hott and with egges laid therunto that were rosted so harde that they scalded for heate These newe kinde of torments neuer heard of before among Pagans Ethnicks were practised of these men which professed christianitie These things I my selfe haue heard Auxanon of whome I spake in my first booke reporte being a very old man who though he was a priest of the Nouatian Church yet suffred he very much of the Arians before he had entred into orders He reported how that together with Alexander Paphlagon who led a very straict and seuere kinde of life after the same sorte with him he was imprisoned scurged and endured many torments that Alexander after the grieuous lashes of the whipp dyed in prison and was buried nigh the sea shore on the right hand as ye goe to Byzantium hauen called Ceras by interpretation an horne where there is a Nouatian Church bearing the name of Alexander They destroyed at the commaundement of Macedonius not onely other Churches in other cities but also the Nouatian Church within the citie of Constantinople nigh the signe of the storke but why I made mention of this seuerally at this tyme as I hearde with mine owne eares of Auxanon an olde graybearde now I am about to declare By the commaundement of the Emperour and the cruelty of Macedonius it was proclaymed that the churches of such as embraced y ◠creede containing y ◠clause of one substance should be throwen downe euen to y ◠foundations this law being ioined w t y ◠violēce of Macedonius proceaded to y ◠ouerthrow also of this church such as were appoynted to bring these feates to passe busily occupied their braynes and promptly dispatched them I can not chuse but greatly maruell at the Nouatian secte to see what singuler affection they bare vnto their Churche and what charitable minde such as then were deposed by the Arians but nowe enioy their Churches in peace shewed towards them For as soone as the commissioners for the suppressing of Churches had geuen the onsett immediatly a great number of Nouatians and diuers others which maintayned the doctrine of one substance pulled downe that Church remoued it to an other place and there erected it againe The place is situate right ouer against the citie and at this day called Sycae it is the thirtenth porcion of the prouince of Cōstantinople The church was remoued in a very short space by reason that so great a multitude of people with great good will and promptnes of minde sett to their helping handes for one caryed the tyles an other the stones the thirde the timber others conueyed other stuffe into Sycae The women also and the children were a furtherance to the buylding for they thought their prayers woulde be the sooner hearde and to profitt them selues very much in that they imployed their labor and industrie to the consecration of buylding vnto the Lorde In that sorte the Church of the Nouatians was translated to Sycae but after that Constantius being dead Iulianus the Emperour commaunded that the place where the Church aforetime had bene buylded shoulde be giuen to the Nouatians The people againe in such sort as before went about the buylding of the Church and the translating of the stuffe into the place where it stoode at the first and being builded farre more gorgeous then it was at the first they called it after the name of the resurrection That Church as I sayd before was the thirde time buylded in the raigne of Iulianus At that time both the true Catholiks and the Nouatians were a like handled And because the true christians abhorred the temples where the Arians frequented they resorted together with the Nouatians vnto three other Churches for the Nouatians had so many Churches permitted them in that city and there they deuoutly serued God together litle there was to the contrary but that they had bene linked together in the bonde of vnitie and concorde had the Nouatians not refused to retayne their olde mind from the which they had fallen But as toutching other matters ech embraced other with such singuler affection entire loue that one was ready to hazard his life for the other They were molested together not onely at Constantinople but also in other cities and prouinces In a while after Eleusius who lately had bene placed Bishop of Cyzicum imitating the steppes of Macedonius armed him selfe against the Christians afflicted them euery where tormented them grieuously he made the Nouatian Church which was at Cyzicum euen with the grounde and Macedonius gaue the last stroke and finall conclusion to the haynous offences which he committed For vnderstanding that there were many both at Paphlagonia and Mantinium of the Nouatian opinion which coulde by no meanes commodiously be remoued by Ecclesiasticall authoritie he procured that foure bands of souldiers at the Emperours commaundement should be sent into Paphlagonia to the ende the inhabitants might be terrified with the great shewe of glistering armour and thereby brought to embrace the Arian heresie But such as inhabited Mantinium being kindled with an earnest zeale towards Christian religion went agaynst the souldiers with chearefull mindes and valiant courage after they had mustred together a greate host they all marched forwards to battell some had taken in their hande long hedging bills some axes some other mett by chaunce with rusty armour When they ioyned together and came to handygriping many of the Paphlagonians were beaten downe the souldiers fewe onely excepted were slaine euery one Although there be many of the Paphlagonians which presently can report y ◠same yet haue I heard it of a certaine husbandman of Paphlagonia who had bene present him selfe at the skirmishe and borne away many blowes And though Macedonius had wrought many such notable feates as he thought in the behalfe of religion where slaughter and battell and bondage and ciuill dissentions fell out yet that haynous offence of his procured vnto him and that most iustly great hatred not
an Apostata and an Atheist he of the contrary answered him opprobriously recompenced him with the like called him a blind foole and sayd vnto him farther thy God of Galilee will not restore thee thy sight agayne for Iulianus called Christ a Galilaean and all the Christians in like sort Maris a litle after answered the Emperour somewhat freely I thanke God sayth he which made me blinde lest that euer I should set mine eye vpon so vngracious a face as thine is Wherunto the Emperour made no answere but handled the Bishop roughly When he perceaued that the Christians did highly reuerence and honor such as suffered martyrdome vnder the raigne of Diocletian when he learned also for certayntie diuerse men to be so well disposed that willingly they woulde suffer martyrdome he going about to depriue the Christians of so great a benefitt deuised an other way to afflict them And although he let passe the vnsatiable tyranny practised in the tyme of Diocletian yet ceased he not altogether from persecuting In mine opinion he is a persecutor which molesteth any kinde of way such men as leade a quiet and peaceable lise Iulian in this sorte afflicted the Christans not a litle he made a lawe that the Christians shoulde not be trayned vp in prophane literature for sayth he seeing they haue the gift of vtterance so readily they shall easily be able to ouerthrowe the quicks of Logick wherewith the Gentils doe vpholde their doctrine CAP. XI Of the sturre the Emperour Iulian raysed against the Christians and what deuise he founde out to extort money from them MOreouer the Emperour Iulian gaue out a proclamation that such as would not renounce the Christian fayth shoulde warefare no longer in the Emperours pallace likewise that all shoulde prepare them selues to doe sacrifice that no Christian should beare office in the common wealth for their law sayth he forbiddeth the execution by sworde vpon such as deserued death and therefore they are not fitt to be Magistrats He allured diuers with flattery and faire offers to sacrifice but immediatly they y â— were Christians in deede they also which were thought to be no lesse made them selues manifest vnto all men as if they had shewed them selues vpon a stage for they which with harte and good will professed Christian religion threwe downe their sworde girdles signified they woulde rather suffer any kind of torment then denie their Sauiour Christ Iesus Of which number was Ionianus Valentinianus Valens who afterwards were crowned Emperours Other some that were counterfeit Christians who thought that the ritches and honor of this worlde was true felicity it selfe without any delay fell to sacrifice Of which number Ecebolius a Sophist of Constantinople was one who conforming him selfe vnto the humors disposition of the Emperours was an earnest follower of the christian faith in the time of Constantius but when Iulian succeeded him in the empire he fell to gentilitie and the idolatry of Pagans againe after the death of Iulian he became a professor of the doctrine of Christ He laye alonge at the porche of the Church and cried vnto such as came in treade me vnder foote for that I am the vnsauery salt Ecebolius as he was light and vnconstant so he continewed vnto the ende It came to passe about that tyme that the Emperour purposed to reuenge him of the Persians for the iniurie they had done him by inuading some part of the Romaine dominions and determined to take his iourney into the East through the coastes of Asia When that he pondered with him selfe howe many euills and inconueniences appertayned vnto warres what greate summes of money were needefull thereunto and howe that without it it was vnpossible to bring his purpose to effect he deuised a certaine sleyght to wring money from the Christians for he sett a great fine vpon the heades of such as woulde not sacrifice and the taxe was very grieuous and duely demaunded of the Christians so that euery one rateably was seased at a certaine summe and the Emperour him self in a short while was wonderfully enritched with the iniurious heapes of money vniustly exacted This law was of force not onely where he traueled but also in such contries as he came not neare Then did the Gentils insult ouer y â— christians the Philosophers celebrated their frequented conferences they solemnized certaine detestable rites and ceremonies they made slaughter of infants sparing no sexe they vsed their entralls for southsaying they tasted of their tender bowells These horrible practises were both at Athens at Alexandria and other places CAP. XII Howe that Athanasius was faine to flie and leaue Alexandria in the tyme of Iulian the Apostata THey forged at that time a false accusation against Athanasius and signified vnto the Emperour that he had subuerted Aegypt and the whole citie of Alexandria and that of necessitie it behoued to banishe him the citie so that by the commaundement of the Emperour the gouernour of Alexandria was sore incensed against him Athanasius vttering these wordes vnto certaine of his familiars My friendes let vs goe aside for a season this is but a litle cloude which quicâ—ly will vanish away fledd immediatly tooke shipping and sayled into Aegypt the enemy pursued after made hast to ouertake him When it was vnderstoode that the pursuers were at hand his companions gaue him counsell to flie into the desert he by following their aduise escaped the enemy for he perswaded them to turne backe and to meete the pursuers the which they did immediatly As soone as they who a litle before fledd away mett the persecutors there was nothing demaunded of them but whether they had seene Athanasius who answered againe that he hid him self in some bushe not farre from them and if they would make quicke speed they woulde be like to take him so the pursuers followed after and the farther they runne the further they raunge but they lost their labor for he escaped their handes conueyed him selfe priuely to Alexandria where he hid himselfe vntill the kindled flame of persecution was wholly quenched Such was the hurly burly after sundry stormes of persecution and manifolde vexations by the Ethnicks which happened vnto the Bishop of Alexandria Furthermore the gouernours of the prouinces supposinge nowe that it was highe tyde for them vnder coloure of the Emperoures religon to make vp theyr bagges vexed the christians farre sorer then the Emperours proclamations bare them out demaunded greater taxes then they were seassed at and sometimes tormented their bodies The Emperoure vnderstandinge of their doinges winked at them and answered the christians which complained vnto him in this sorte It is your parte when you haue iniuries offered vnto you to take it paciently for so your God commaunded you CAP. XIII Of suche as suffred Martyrdome at Meris a citie of Phrygia in the time of Iulian. THere was at Meris a citie of Phrygla a certaine gouernour
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
to bloodshed yet doubted they not to deale with the Persians who nowe were come forthe to meete them so that in the ende they putte them to flighte and wonne the fielde The Emperoure himselfe was a horsebacke at the battell to the ende he mighte animate and incourage the souldiers but trusting to much to his prosperitie and thinkinge himselfe cockesure wente into his campe without complete harnesse Therefore an arrowe beinge soddaynely shotte at him pearced throughe his arme and stucke in his ribbes whiche gaue him his deathes wounde but who did it was neuer knowen Some reporte that he was wounded by a fugitiue Persian some other that he was slayne by one of his owne souldiers whiche is rife in euerye mans mouthe yet Calistus one of the Emperours housholde garde who wrote his life in Heroycall verse and the battell whiche he gaue then vnto the Persians say the that it was a wicked fiende or Deuell that runne him throughe whiche peraduenture is fayned after the maner of Poeticall inuention and yet it may very well be true for we learne that the furies of Hell haue often times recompenced suche lewde persons with extreme punishmente But howe so euer it was euerye man knoweth that for his headye rashenesse he was subiecte to daunger for his eloquence and gifte of vtterance he was desirous of vayne glorie and for his counterfete grauitie he was contemned and derided of all men Thus he ended his life in Persia as I sayde before in his fourth Consulship the whiche he enioyed with Salustius beinge the sixt and twentieth of Iune and the thirde yeare of his raygne the seauenth yeare after he was made Caesar by Constantius the one and thirtieth yeare of his age CAP. XIX Iouianus is created Emperoure A notable confutation of Libanius the Heathen Rhetorician THe souldiers beinge doubtefull knowinge not what was best to be done the nexte day after the death of Iulian without any further deliberation they proclaime Iouianus a man of valiante and noble courage theyr Emperoure This man beinge a tribune when Iulian by proclamatioÌ„ gaue the souldiers in choice eyther to doe sacrifice or to leaue warefare chose rather to throwe awaye his swordegirdle then to satisfie the wicked and detestable edicte of the Emperoure For all that Iulian when the necessitie of the warres then in hande constrayned him retayned him in the number of his Captaines But Iouianus beinge nominated Emperoure refuseth the crowne and beinge compelled thereunto agaynste his will by the souldieres breaketh out into lowde speache sayinge In that he was a Christian he woulde not be Emperour where Ethnickes shoulde become his subiectes yet when all with one voice confessed themselues to be Christians he yelded and was crowned Emperour Beinge in Persia and sodainely put to his shiftes his souldiers also being almost famished to death vpon certaine conditions he ioyned in league with the kinge of Persia and so ended the warres The couenantes as the Romaynes thoughte were vnlaweful yet consideringe the case of that presente time they were not to be misliked For he was contente to loose the dominion of Syria and to deliuer the Persians Nisibis a citie in Mesopotamia When these tidinges were blased abroade the Christians conceaued no small ioye at the departure of Iulian the whole armie also misliked very muche with his vndiscreete and headye rashenesse and laye to his charge that the boundes of the Empire were cutte shorte For be beinge deceaued by a Persian that was a fugitiue sette afire certaine vessells vpon the seaes whiche broughte them corne and thereof it rose that the famine grieued them sore At that time Libanius the Sophist made a funerall oration where he be wayled the death of Iulian and entitled it Iuliana or the Epitaph of Iulian. In the whiche he paynted forthe his life with loftye stile in prayse of his person and to his further commendation reporteth of the bookes he had wrytten agaynste the Christians and howe that in them he had proued theyr doctrine for triflinge and ridiculous stuffe If this Rhetorician had extolled the Emperoure onely for his other Acts I would haue proceeded with silence to discourse of that which remayneth of the historie but in so muche he hath mentioned the bookes of Iulian and like a graue and wise orator inueyed bitterly againste Christian religion therefore I haue thoughte good to saye somewhat thereof and firste I will laye downe his owne wordes In the vvinter season sayth he vvhen the nights are somevvhat longe the Emperoure perusing those bookes vvhiche affirme that the man vvhose originall vvas in Palaestina is bothe God and the sonne of God confuted them vvith manye reasons and stronge argumentes and condemned them for ridiculous doctrine affirmed moreouer that the glorious religion highly esteemed of them was full of toyes and trifles vvhere he proued himselfe to be farre vviser then the olde grayberde of Tyrus VVherefore let the olde man of Tyrus he meaneth Porphyrius conceaue no displeasure at all but patientely vveye vvherein his childe doth preiudice his creditte These are the wordes of Libanius the Sophiste Truely I will saye no lesse but that he was a notable Rhetorician and I am verelye perswaded that if he had not consented vnto the Emperours religion he woulde haue had no other speache in his mouthe then the Christians haue at this day and that by all likelyhoode beinge an excellent Rhetorician he woulde haue extolled Christian religion vnto the skies For he wrote in the prayse of Constantius while he liued after his desease he wrote to his disprayse and made inuectiues agaynste him Wherefore if Porphyrius had bene Emperoure he woulde haue preferred his workes before the wrytinges of Iulian againe if Iulian had bene a Sophist as he wrote of Ecebolius in his funerall oration of Iulian he would haue called him a â—auâ—â—e Rhetorician In as muche as then he beinge of the same religion with the Emperoure beinge a Rhetorician beinge also his friende wrote his pleasure of him we also after our habilitie will fall to answere his sclaunderous workes First he sayth that in the winter season the nights beinge somwhat longe he tooke great paines in perusing the christians bookes He signifieth by taking of paines in this place that his trauell was greate in wrytinge of inuectiues as Rhetoricians doe vse when they traine vp youth to the knoweledge of their art A good while agoe he read those bookes in deede tooke greate paynes discoursed at large not as Libanius sayth with stronge argumentes but with weake in somuche they were contrarie to the trueth and endeuored skoffinge wise to refell suche thinges as of themselues were of force inoughe For whosoeuer disputeth with an other laboureth to foile his aduersarie sometime by corrupting and peruerting some other time by concealinge of the trueth Whosoeuer also he be that oweth spite and hatred vnto any man he will endeuer like a deadly enemy not onely to doe but also to speake the worste of him he
will also wreste all the mischiefe whiche the enemy deuiseth agaynst him vpon his aduersarie Their owne bookes doe manifestly declare that bothe Iulian and Porphyrius whome he calleth the gray bearde of Tyrus were raylers and skoffers For Porphyrius in his booke intitled the liues of Philosophers wrytinge of Socrates the chiefe of all the reste inueyeth against him bitterly and wryteth to his contumely raylinge speaches and farre more opprobrious languages then Melitus or Anytus who of olde sclaundered him alike euer durste to reuile Socrates with all I meane that Socrates whome the Gentils haue in greate admiration for his temperance iustice and others his vertues whome Plato the deuine Philosopher whome Xenophon with the whole Senate of Philosophers doe greately reuerence But Iulian followinge his fathers steppes in all thinges reuealed vnto the worlde that corrupte humor whiche troubled his heade wherewich he reuiled all the Emperours and Caesars that were before him in so muche that he spared not no not his deare friende the Philosopher Marcus Wherefore lette theyr wrytinges be iudge whether bothe Porphyrius and Iulian were reuilers and sclaunderers or no. Neyther haue I neede of greate and weyghtie argumentes to confirme this my assertion but the opinions of diuerse sage personages grounded vpon good coniectures the whiche I minde to alleage shall stande for sufficiente proofe What Gregorie Nazianzen hathe thoughe of Iulian lette vs first of all see out of his owne wordes For in his seconde Oration agaynst the Gentils he wryteth thus Althoughe bothe his raygne and also experience hathe taughte other men that these thinges vvere moste true in him yet perceaued I them longe a goe since the time I vvas aquaynted vvith him at Athens For he came thither vvhen the Emperesse had procured licence of the Emperoure for his voyage vvhen also his brother Gallus had conspired the deathe of Constantius the Emperoure There vvere tvvo causes that moued him to repayre vnto Athens The first tollerable the seconde of smale honestie the first to see Grece and the schooles that florished therein the seconde vvhiche vvas more secrete and knovven vnto fevve for to consulte vvith southsayers and sacrificers about his affayres in time to come because it vvas not then openly permitted for the authors of suche impiety to practise suche Deuelishe inuentions And I my selfe in coniecturinge of him at that time although I am not of the number of Propheciers vvas not much deceaued for his vvauering mind and frenticke disposition made me a Prophet good inough He vvich goeth nearest the marke by coniecture is commonly called the beste Prophere I savve not one signe in him that gaue me any hope of him that euer he woulde become an honeste man He had a runninge heade his shoulders did neuer lynne vvagginge and lay slatte or stipe vvise he had vvinkinge eyes that continevvally rolled in his heade his countenance vvas staringe he had a slidinge slippery and limpinge pace his visage vvas scornefull he had a flyringe face of his ovvne the which his immoderate laughter and continevvall skorninge did declare his maner vvas without all good order to say and vnsay his vvords came tumblinge out vvith vehemencie and stoppes the sentence broken in the middes his questions and obiections were rashe and foolish his ansvvers vvere litle better which oftentimes follovved one after the other and as there vvas litle holde of them so were they proposed vvithout order But what neede I to runne ouer all particulers I foresawe in him before he was created Emperour that which aftervvardes proued to be moste true If there were presentely in place any of my familiars vvhiche hearde me thus diuininge of him I am sure they woulde testifie this to be no othervvise then I doe reporte it in vvhose hearinge also at the foresight of these thinges I vttered these vvordes O good God vvhat a monster the Empire of Rome doth nourishe VVhen I had vttered these vvordes I desired of God that in this behalfe I might be founde a lyer For that had bene farre better then that the vvhole vvorlde shoulde haue bene visited vvith so many mischiefes then that suche a monster shoulde euer haue beene seene amonge men vvhen the like thereof had neuer bene remembred before seing there happened many deluges and floodes ouerflowing the countreys the vvhich both yong and olde at this houre doth remember great losse by fire terrible earthquakes and gapinge of the grounde and men also of a straunge shape vvere seene borne into the vvorld of mixte and compound natuers halfe man halfe beast But he purchased vnto himselfe suche an ende as his frentike disposition by all right deserued These thinges did Gregorie reporte of Iulian. Because that Porphyrius and Iulian bothe in many their rashe allegations to the sclaunder of Christian religion haue done greate iniurie to the trueth partely by peruertinge certaine places of holy Scripture partly also by reconcilinge of others after theyr owne foolishe iudgement with applyinge of them to their owne purpose many withstoode them confuted and ouerthrewe their Sophisticall positions yea aboue all the rest Origen who florished a long tyme before the raigne of Iulian sifted out such places of holy Scripture as seemed to bring the readers into doubt layd downe the obiections together with the answers satisfied the captious vayne doubts of wicked persons If Iulian and Porphyrius had diligently perused these his workes they woulde I am sure not onely haue approued the same but also applyed all theyr giftes to other matters and neuer sette theyr mindes to wryte Sophisticall fallacies full of blasphemous impietie agaynst the maiestie of God It is manifest hereby that the Emperoure vsed these cauillations amonge rude and vnlearned people and not in the hearinge of such as had learned the manifest trueth out of holy Scripture For when he had heaped together many wordes of holy Scripture whiche are necessaryly sette forthe after a common and vsuall kinde of frase to expresse the Oeconomie the order in doinge or dispensation of God in the ende he sayth thus Verely these places euery one vnlesse the sentence hath some secret or hid mystery the whiche I take to be most true contayne as farre forthe as the vvordes geue vs to vnderstande manye blasphemies against God This was one amonge other of his argumentes layde downe in his thirde booke against the Christians In his booke intitled Cynisme while he endeuoreth to instructe vs howe farre forthe it may be lawefull for vs to proceede in framinge of holy fables or diuine comedies his opinion is that in the handelinge of suche matters it behoued vs to conceale the trueth his wordes are these Nature had leuer be vnreuealed the hidde also and the intrecate essence of the Gods vvill not in any vvise suffer it selfe to be beaten vvith playne and manifeste vvordes into the defiled eares of men Wherefore the Emperoure as farre forthe as we can gather by his wordes seemeth to be of that opinion toutchinge
that sea◠departed this life all was there on an vprore about the election of a bishop and great strife there was whilest that some woulde preferre this man some other that man vnto the bishopricke The tumult beinge raysed Ambrose Liuetenant of the citie who also was a Consull fearing greatly lest that schisme woulde breéde mischiefe in y ◠citie came purposely into the church for to appease the sedition After that his presence had preuayled very much with the people after that he had geuen them many notable exhortations after he had mitigated the rage of the heady and rashe multitude all of a sodayne with one voyce and with one mouth nominated Ambrose to their byshop For in so doinge there was hope that all woulde be reconciled and that all woulde embrace one faith and opinion The bishops that were present thought veryly that the vniforme voyce of the people was the voyce of God him selfe Wherefore without any further deliberation they take Ambrose and baptize him for he was a Catechumenist and stall him bishop But when Ambrose came willingly to the baptisme yet denyed vtterly he would be bishop they make the Emperour Valentinianus priuie to their doings He wonderinge at the consent and agreement of the people supposed that which was done to be the worke of God him selfe and signified vnto the bishops that they shoulde obey the will of God who commaunded they shoulde create him bishop that God rather then men preferred him vnto this dignitie When that Ambrose was thus chosen bishop the citizens of Millayne who aforetime were at discord among them selues thenceforth embraced peace and vnitie CAP. XXVI Of the death of Valentinianus the Emperour AFter the aforesayde sturre was ended when the Sarmatians assaulted the Romaine dominions the Emperour raysed great power and made expedition against them The Barbarians vnderstanding of this and foreseeing their owne weakenes that they were not able to encounter with so great a power sent embassadours vnto the Emperour crauinge of him that he would ioyne with them in league establishe peace betwene them As soone as the embassadours had presented them selues before him and seeynge that they were but abiects and raskalls demaunded of them what be the rest of the Sarmatians such men as you are When the Embassadours had answered yea O Emperour thou seest the chiefest of the Sarmatians before thee Valentinianus was wonderfully incensed against them and brake out into vehement language that the Empire of Rome had yll lucke to fall into his handes vnder whose raygne so beggerly and so abiect a kinde of Barbarians coulde not quiete and content them selues with safetie within their owne boundes but they muste take armour rebell agaynste the Romaine Empire and so boldely proclayme open warre He strayned him selfe so muche in exclayminge agaynste them that he opened euery vayne in his bodie and brake the arteries asunder whereof there gushed out such a streame of bloode so that he dyed in the Castell commonly called Bergitium in the thirde Consulshippe of Gratianus together with Ecoetius the sixtienth of Nouember He lyued foure and fiftie yeares and raygned thirteene The sixt daye after the desease of Valentinianus the souldiers of Italie proclaymed Emperour Valentinianus the yonger so called after his fathers name who was of very tender yeares at Aconicum a citie in Italie The rest of the Emperours vnderstāding of this tooke the matter very grieuously not because Valentinianus who was y ◠ones brother the others brothers sonne was chosen Emperour but because he was appointed without their consent vnto whome it belonged to create him Emperour But both gaue their cōsents that he shoulde be Emperour and thus was Valentinianus the yonger sett in the emperiall seate of his father We haue to learne that this Valentinianus was gott vpon Iustina whome his father maryed for all that Seuera his firste wyfe was alyue and that for this cause Iustus the father of Iustina who a good while agoe in the raigne of Constantius the Emperour was Liuetenant of Picenum sawe in his sleepe that his right side was deliuered of the emperiall purple robe When that he awoke he tolde his dreame to so many that at length it came to the Emperour Constantius eare He thereby was geuen to coniecture that there shoulde one be borne of Iustus which shoulde be Emperour and therefore he sent from him that shoulde dispatche Iustus out of the waye Wherefore Iustina nowe bereaued of her father contineweth a virgine In processe of time she became acquainted with Seuera the Empresse and had often conference with her When that there grewe greate familiaritie betweene them they vsed both one hath for to bayne them selues Seuera seeyng the beautie of this virgine as she bayned her selfe was wonderfully in loue with Iustina she tolde the Emperour also what a goodly mayde she was that the daughter of Iustus passed for beautie all the women in the worlde that she her selfe though she were a woman yet was wonderfully enamored with her sweete face The Emperour printinge in his harte the wordes which seemed onely to pearce but the eare deuised with him selfe howe he myght compasse this beautifull Iustina to his wyfe not diuorcinge Seuera ▪ vpon whome he had gotten Gratianus whome also he had made Emperour a little before Wherefore he made a lawe that as many as woulde myght lawfully haue two wyues the which he proclaymed throughout euery citie When the lawe was proclaymed he tooke Iustina to his seconde wyfe vpon whome he gotte Valentinianus the yonger and three daughters Iusta Grata Galla. Of the which two lead they re lyues in virginitie the thirde Galla by name was maryed to Theodosius Magnus on whome he gotte his daughter Placidia For he gotte Arcadius and Honorius of Placidia his former wyfe But of Theodosius and his children in an other place CAP. XXVII After that Themistius the Philosopher had made an Oration in the hearinge of Valens the Emperour relented from persecuting of the Christians and howe the Gothes in the tyme of Valens embraced the Christian faith VAlens makinge his abode at Antioche although he warred but litle with forayne nations the Barbarian nations kept them selues within their boundes yet pursued he continewally such as helde the faith of One substance and ceassed not dayly to inuent newe deuises and straung torments wherewith he myght plague them ▪ vntyll that his fierce and cruell minde was somewhat mitigated with the Oration which Themistius the Philosopher pronounced before him where he admonished the Emperoure not to maruayle though the Christians varyed amonge them selues in religion that if Christianitie were compared with infinite multitudes of opinions raygninge amonge heathen philosophers sure he was that there were aboue three hundreth opinions and greate dissention about rules and preceptes wherevnto euery sect necessarily addicted them selues it woulde seeme but a very small thing and that God woulde sette forth his glorie by the diuersitie and discorde in opinions to
inhabiting Alexandria aboue y â— rest such as professed philosophie beholding the maner of the dealinge could no longer containe neither rule themselues but heaped new also farre more grieuous offences vnto the former acts of theirs being both tragicall exceeding in cruelty For all iointly ranne vpon a head they set vpon the Christians they sought to dispatch them euery kind of way the Christians went about to withstand their violence they defend themselues and so mischiefe was heaped vpon mischiefe the skirmish was so sore and the fraye continewed so longe vntill ether side was wery had their fill of bloodshed manslaughter could nowe kill no longer There died but a fewe of y â— Ethnicks yet a great number of the Christians of either side there was wounded an infinite number When all was ended the Ethnicks were wonderfully affraid of the Emperours displeasure Wherefore hauing committed such lewde acts as their horrible wickednes led them vnto and hauing quenched their boyling rage and fury with running streames of bloode and wounded bowells they runne away and hid themselues some in one place some in an other Many gaue the slip out of Alexandria beinge dispersed led their liues thenceforth in diuerse other cities of which number were Helladius Ammonius both GrammariaÌ„s whose scholer I my selfe was at CoÌ„stantinople in my youthly yeares Helladius was sayde to be the priest of Iupiter Ammonius the priest of the Ape which they worshipped for God Therefore the slaughter beinge thus ended the gouernour of Alexandria the captaine of the host came to ayd Theophilus in the ouerthrow of their temples â–ª the temples went downe the Idols of the Gods were turned into cawdrons and into other necessarie vessell for houshould stuff For the Emperour had geuen the images of the Gods throughout all the Idolatrical temples of Alexandria to the reliefe of the poore Theophilus going about to deface all the pictures of their Gods commaunded that one of some certaine God should be reserued and set vp in some publique place of the citie to the end the Ethnickes in processe of time should not be able to deny but that sometimes they worshipped such Gods I haue knowen Ammonius the grammarian to haue bene very much offended with that act to haue sayd that the religion of the Graecians sustained great iniury reproch because y â— one image was not in like sort traÌ„slated but kept of set purpose to the contumely of their religion Helladius boasted in y â— hearing of many how y â— in y â— skirmishe he slewe nine men with his owne handes These were then the broyles at Alexandria CAP. XVII Of the hieroglyphicall letters found engrauen in the temple of Serapis letters they were which yelded no sense by coniunction of syllable or knitting of sentence but were to be construed by the signification of the beastes which they resembled IN the temple of Serapis nowe ouerthroweÌ„ and rifled throughout there were found ingrauen in the stones certaine letters which they call Hieroglyphicall The maner of their ingrauinge resembled the forme of y â— crosse The which when both Christians Ethnicks beheld before them euery one applied them to his proper religion The Christians affirmed y â— the crosse was a signe or token of the passion of Christ and the proper cognizance of their professioÌ„ the Ethnicks auoutched that therein was contained somthing in coÌ„mon belonging as well to Serapis as to Christ that the signe of the crosse signified one thinge vnto the Ethnicks an other vnto the Christians While they contend thus about the interpretation of the letters many of the Ethnicks became Christians for they perceaued at length the sense and meaninge of the Hieroglyphicall letters that they prognosticated saluation the life to come The Christians perceauing that this made very much for their religion made great accompt thereof were not a litle proud of it When as by other Hieroglyphicall letters it was gathered that the temple of Serapis shoulde go to ruine when the signe of y â— crosse therein ingraueÌ„ came to light by that life to come was foreshewed many more embraced Christian religion confessed their sinnes were baptized Thus muche haue I learned of y â— crosse But verily I am not of the opinion that the Aegyptian priests foreseeing that which should come to passe of Christ should ingraue in stone the signe of the crosse for if the mysterie of Christs incarnation was hid from the begining of the world from many generations as the Apostle wryteth and concealed from the deuell the prince of all impiety howe much more from the Aegyptian priests his ministers but that in sifting out of y â— sense vnderstaÌ„ding of those characters it came to passe by the prouidence of God as in times past with the Apostle Sainct Paul For he being indued from aboue with the spirite of wisedome dealt with the Athenians in like sorte conuerted many of them vnto the faith while he read the senâ—ence that was ingrauen vpon the altare vnto the vnkowen God applied it to his purpose Vnlesse that peraduenture some man will say that the word of God wroughte so forcibly in the Aegyptian priestes as it did in Beldam and Caiphas For they were constrained against their wills to prophecy of good thinges So farre of these thinges CAP. XVIII Howe the Emperour Theodosius duringe the time of his abode at Rome did the citie muche good by remouinge the theeuishe dennes of the bakehouses and the infamous ringing of bells at the deed doing in the stewes THe Emperoure Theodosius althoughe he continewed but a litle while in Italie yet in that space did he much good vnto the Citie of Rome partely by geuinge that which was good and takinge awaye that which was ill For as he shewed himselfe bountifull and liberall towardes her in many thinges so hathe he remoued two thinges whiche were greate blemishes vnto that Citie The one was in this sorte There was at Rome a huge and a greate house of aunciente buyldinge where all the breade that serued the Citie was baked The maysters of this house the Romaynes called in they re owne tongue Mancipes such they were as serued all with breade by Greate who in processe of time turned those large rowmes to dennes of theeues For by reason the bakehouse that belonged vnto that buyldinge was vnder grounde and because that on euery side there were vittailers tauernes and tippling houses full of harlots and naughtypackes many that resorted thither partely for foode and vittails and partly also for the satisfieng of theyr filthye luste were craftely spoyled of all they had and moste commonlye dispatched so that their friendes could neuer heare tidinges of them againe A certaine priuie conueyance there was deuised to throw theÌ„ downe headlong from those bawdy tauernes into the blind bakehouse by this meanes many especially of the strauÌ„gers which inhabited Rome were cast away For aboue
euery day is extolled in manner vnto y â— skies But the ethniks fauourers fosterers of error which imploy no labour industerie for y â— sifting out of y â— trueth in God neyther to vnderstande of his care and prouidence ouer mankinde these men I saye doe abolishe both their olde decrees and their newefounde constitutions sometimes by inuentinge newe Gods one after the other some other times by consecratinge for Gods their vayne immaginations and the fonde affections of their mindes attributinge vnto them the names of Gods and to be short by fatheringe vpon the Gods the practisinge of suche thinges to th ende their intemperate desires may escape vnpunished And therefore truely it commeth to passe that he which is honored of them for their chiefe God the father to witte of God and man beinge transformed into the shape of an Egle snatched away through wantonnesse a Phrygian boye deliuered him a cuppe in rewarde of the filthie and haynous offence lycensed him for loue sake to beginne vnto him to th ende eyther of them ioyntly with the Nectar might sucke shame and reproche The same God folded himselfe in other infinitt blemishes verye odious to the seeminge of the vulgar sort of people for by takinge vpon him the forme of euerye vnreasonable creature he became both male and female and though his wombe bare no burthen yet they saye he caused by the acte of venerie that suche a thinge seemed to haue bene done by him contrarye to nature They saye that Bacchus was his sonne and that he was also Androgynus both man and woman a great sclaunder to both sexe the ringleader of dronkennesse quaffinge surfettinge vomitinge and all the mischiefe that ensueth thereof They report of this Aegiochus and thunderinge Ioue an other haynous acte that he murthered his father whiche crime ought seuerely to be punished of all the nations vnder heauen For Saturne whiche begate him to his owne destruction is saide by him to haue bene thrust out of his kingdome What shall I speake of the whoredome and leacherie that raigneth amonge the Gods where they appoint Venus Cypria begotten in the shell of a fishe to be the chiefe autor thereof whiche detesteth chastitie as an haynous and horrible offence delighteth in all leacherous and beastly actes and will be pacified with suche sacrifices with whome when Mars had committed adulterie and Vulcan her husband takinge him in his snares Mars and Venus were brought forth doinge the deede to pastime and recreate the gods Who is it that wil not contemne with laughter their Phalli Ithyphalli Phallagogia the mishapen and deformed Priapus the god Pan honored for his filthie member the mysteries celebrated in Eleusis yet to be commended for this one thinge that the sunne beholdeth not their shamefull actes for they are done in the night season but leauinge these foule sacrifices and sacrificers let vs returne where we lefte and painte forth vnto the posteritie that whiche remaineth of Theodosus raigne CAP. XII Howe Theodosius the Emperour condemned the heresie of Nestorius THeodosius laide downe a godly decree which is founde in the Code of Iustinian the thirde law of the first title where he condemned Nestorius for euer and pronounced him to be held for accursed beinge moued thereunto no doubt by the instinct of the holy ghoste for all that Nestorius him selfe bragged that the Emperour bare him entire and singuler good will For thus he writeth VVe decree moreouer that vvhosoeuer doe embrace the vvicked opinion of Nestorius and geue eare vnto his leude doctrine if they be byshops that they be banished the holy Churches if lay persons that they be accursed There are other lawes of his made in the behalfe of our religion to be sene extant whiche plainely set forth his seruent minde and earnest zeale to the furtherance of the Christian faith CAP. XIII Of Symeon a religious man whiche lyued in a pillour IN those dayes there was of greate fame and renowne one Symeon a godly man and muche spoken of he was the firste that taught to dwell in a pillour and made therein his lodginge scarse two cubitts wyde At that tyme Domnus was byshoppe of Antioch who comminge vnto Symeon wondered at his mansion and trade of life desired of him verye earnestly to vnderstande the secrecie and mysteries thereof They went both in together consecrated the immaculate bodye of Christ and became partakers of the liuely communion This Symeon being in the fleshe imitated in lyfe the trade of the Angellicall powers withdrewe him selfe from worldly affayres forced nature whiche of her selfe leaneth downewardes and followed after loftie thinges beinge placed as it were in the middest betweene heauen and earth he sought conference with God he praysed him together with the Angels he lifted the prayers of men vp from the earth vnto heauen and offered them to God he brought the goodnesse of God from heauen to earth and made the worlde partaker thereof his life is written by one whiche sawe him with his eyes also by Theodoritus byshoppe of Cyres who amonge other thinges omitted this one historie which I haue founde recorded amonge the inhabitaunts of the holye desert and learned of them for certayntie when this Symeon who liued on earth as an Angell and in the fleshe muche lyke a citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem had begonne this trade of life both straunge and suche as the worlde was not before acquainted withall the religious men of the desert sent a messenger vnto him for to demaunde of him what he meant by that newefounde and vnknowen kinde of lyfe and wherefore he forsooke the wonted trade the steppes and traces of the sainctes whiche went before and deuised to him selfe a forraine and vnknowen waye they exhorte him moreouer by their messenger to come downe from his lodging and to followe the holy fathers which were his predecessors They had moreouer commaunded their Legate that if he sawe him yelde and come downe he shoulde licence him to goe on still in his owne way they perswaded them selues that his obedience woulde declare whether God had guyded him to leade suche a life and to take vpon him in this worlde so weightie a combatt for to chastise his carcasse but if he stubburnely resisted if he were frowarde and wilfull not yeldinge with all speede vnto their counsell and aduise he shoulde pull him downe with a vengeance When the messenger came to him exhorted him as the fathers had willed and sawe that immediatly he beganne to rise yeldinge vnto their exhortation he permitted him to proceede on and continewe as he beganne sayinge vnto him as followeth be of good cheare and behaue thy selfe manfully thy mansion no doubt is ordayned of God These thinges though other writers haue omitted them yet haue I thought them worthie the penninge vnto the knowledge of the posteritie The grace of God beinge resiant in the closset of his breste was so
the mysteries After all this in the sight of the wholl assembly the Bishop of Constātinople accompanied with his clergie gott him into the vestry where the corps of this holy Martyr aboue named was interred There is on the left hande of this coffin and chested corps as it were a litle wickett very strongly made of litle latises through the which they vse to let down a longe iron with a sponge tyed about the end they dipp and soke it round about in the dead corps after wardes pull vp the sponge all embrued with cogeled drops of blood The people seeing this worship God immediatly and magnifie his holy name There are so many drops of cōgeled blood drawen vp that they suffice the religious Emperours the wholl assembly of priests gathered ther together all the flocking multitude not onely to participate thereof them selues but also to send vnto the other faithfull throughout the world that full fayne would be partakers with them But the congeled drops continew still the same neither doth the holy blood chaunge the hewe or colour thereof at all All which things are not to be seene at any certaine speciall or appointed time but thereafter as the Bishop of that place is in life and as it agreeth with his vertues For they report when any singular man of godly disposition is chosen Bishop of that Church that then most commonly this miracle is to be seene but when a leude person is crept to enioy the rowme that these things very seldome come to passe An other thing yet I will rehearse which is stayed and hindred neither by time neither by occasion neither maketh any difference betwene faithfull and infidell but sheweth it selfe alike vnto all men When any cometh into the vestry where the coprs of this holy martyr is chested he is so rauished with such fragrant odours that all other perfumes in comparison of that seeme worth nothinge For it is like neither the sweete smelling flowres culled in the greene medowes neither any other redolēt sauor whatsoeuer neither such as is made of pleasant oyles but it is a straunge and passing all the rest breathing out of the Martyrs dead body CAP. IIII. Of the things handeled decided by the councell of Chalcedon howe after they had deposed Dioscorus b. of Alexandria they restored Theodoritus and Ibas to theyr Bishopricks IN the aforesayde place described of vs at large the Councell of Byshoppes mette together where Pascasianus and Lucentius Byshopps and Boniface a Priest legats as I sayd before of Leo Byshoppe of olde Rome Anatolius Byshopp of Constantinople Dioscorus byshopp of Alexandria Maximus byshopp of Antioch and Iuuenalis byshopp of Ierusalem with the priestes of their seuerall prouinces were present There sate with them the chiefe senators vnto whome the substitutes of Leo sayde that Dioscorus ought not to sitt with them in the councell that Leo their byshopp had charged them no lesse and if they woulde not yeelde vnto it that they woulde leaue the Churche and bidd them farewell When the Senators demaunded what crimes Dioscorus was to be charged withall their aunswere was that he who contrarye to all right and honestie playde the part of a Iudge was to ▪ abide the sentence of iudgement him selse for the censure he had pronounced of others These thinges beinge spoken and Dioscorus also beinge appointed to stande in the middest Eusebius byshopp of Dorylaeum requested that the supplication he had sent vnto the Emperour might be openly reade in their hearing and withall he added these wordes I protest vnto you that Dioscorus hath iniuried me not a litle he hath also brought our religion into great infamye he procured the death of Flautanus the byshopp and wrongfully deposed him together with me cause I beseeche you my supplication to be reade When he had made an ende of speakinge his supplication was reade contayninge suche a forme as followeth The humble supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorylaeum exhibited vnto the most vertuous Emperours requestinge he may be hearde pleadinge both for him selfe and in the behalfe of the catholicke faith IT behoueth your maiesties most noble and puisant emperours to prouide carefully for the quietnesse of all your louing subiects yet when all others sustaine iniuries euer to vphold and assist the sacred senate of priesthood and herein verily the diuine godheade which graunted vnto you the rule domination of the whole world is truely honored wherefore seing the christian faith we our selues also haue bene oppressed diuersty molested with extreme wrōg by Dioscorus the most reuerēd byshop of the most noble city of Alexandria we are come vnto your wonted clemēcy most humbly to craue iustice at your hands The occasion of our cōplaint is as followeth In the councel lately held at the famous city of Ephesus I would to God it had neuer bene called together then had it not brought into the whole world such horrible mischiefe and hurliburly the aforesaid Dioscorus who trode right reasō vnder foot who set the fear of God farre out of his sight who maintained one absurd opinion with Eutyches that vaine hereticall varlett who of a longe whyle reuealed not vnto many the venome of his cankred stomacke yet bewrayed him selfe in processe of time partly by occasion of the crimes we laide to Eutyches his charge partly also by occasion of the sentence which Flauianus the byshop of worthy memorie pronounced against him gathered together a great multitude of seditious persons raised with his money no small power laboured as muche as laye in him to ouerthrowe the catholicke religion and godly fayth of the auncient fathers and to establishe the blasphemous opinion of Eutyches the monk whose opinion was euer condēned of the holy fathers from the Apostles time vnto this day wherfore seing the haynous offences he committed both impudently to the derogation of the Christian faith vncharitably against vs be of no smal importāce we are most humbly to craue vpon our bare knees of your graces and to request that by vertue of your autority the most reuerēd byshop Dioscours may be inioyned to aunswere vnto suche crimes as we haue laid to his charge to wit vnto such practises of his records as he broughtforth against vs in the holy councell wherby we shal be able plainly to proue that he is estraunged from the catholicke faith that he maintaineth an opinion which is nothing else but blasphemy it selfe that he both deposed vs vniustly iniuried vs diuersly besides ▪ we beseeche you moreouer to vouchsafe the sending of your gracious letters vnto the holy general councel of the most godly byshops to thend both our doings his may indifferently be heard that your highnes may be certified againe of al that is handled by the councel hoping that therein we shall please our immortal head Christ Iesus If we may obtaine most holy emperours this our humble sute at your maiesties hāds we will not ceasse
neither say this or that place stoode thus before the fire consumed them CAP. XIIII Of sundry calamities that raignedin diuerse contreyes ABout the same time wheÌ„ the Scythian battaill waged w t the Romaines which inhabited the Easterne partes of the Empire waxed hotte Thracia Hellespontus and Ionia were wonderfully shaken with earthquakes no lesse were the fiftie Iles called Cyclâdes in the seae AegaeuÌ„ Cnidos in Caria Coo so that many of theyr buildings were turned downe to the ground Priscus moreouer writeth there fell at Constantinople and in Bithynia such stormes of raine and water that for the space of three or foure dayes it poured downe like wholl streames and floodes beate downe the hills and mountaynes with the violence thereof and made them playne valleyes that the villages were all on flote and in daunger of drowning that in the lake Boan not farre froÌ„ Nicomedia by reason of the filth and all kinde of baggage which the water brought thither there were seene Ilands but these things came to passe in a while after CAP. XV. The mariage of Zeno and Ariadne LEo the Emperour gaue Ariadne his daughter to Zeno made him his sonne in lawe who of a chylde was called Aricmesus yet being maried he gott that name of a noble man of Isauria that had beene of greate honor and renowme Howe this Zeno attayned vnto greate estimation vpon what occasion Leo preferred him before all other Eustathius Syrus hath left vs in writinge CAP. XVI Of Anthemius that became Emperour of Rome and also of such as succeeded him ANthemius at the request of the Romane embassadors inhabiting the west which were sent in embassie vnto Leo y â— emperour abiding at Constantinople was sent to be emperour of Rome to whome Martianus the emperour had geuen his daughter in mariage Basiliscus also the brother of Berina the wife of Leo was made captaine ouer a great armye of chosen soldiers sent against Genzerichus al which circumstances Priscus Rhetor hath exquisitly handled neither onely these things but also how Leo conspired the death of Aspar whom he him selfe had made Emperour as the reward of honor he aduaunced him vnto and slew with him also his sonnes Ardaburius whom he had made Caesar Patricius to th end he might skorne at the insolency ignorance of Aspar their father when Anthemius who gouerned the empire of Rome fiue yeare was slaiâ—e Olymbrius was by Rhecimerus proclaimed emperour after the dispatching of him Glycerius was created emperour he raigned fiue yeares was deposed by Nepos who stept in his rowme made Glycerius a Romane byshop of Salone a city in Dalmatia Orestes put Nepos beside the empire after Orestes his sonne Romulus syrnamed Augustulus was the last emperour of Rome of the thousand three hundred yeares after the raigne of Romulus when he departed this lyfe Odoacer gouerned the Romane common weale who refused the name of an emperour would haue him selfe called a king CAP. XVII The death of Leo the Emperour of yong Leo that came after him likewise of Zeno his father and successor ABout that time Leo the emperonr hauing raigned seuentene yeares deposed him self of the imperial scepter at Constantinople placed Leo that was of tender yeares the sonne of Ariadne his danghter of Zeno in the empire After him came Zeno y â— father of Leo the yonger to be emperour the sonne in law of Leo the elder this he obtained through the procurement of Berina the wife of Leo y â— elder in a while after when yong Leo had departed this life Zeno raigned alone but al what so euer he did during his raigne or what othermen did against him what thinges happened in his dayes we purpose by the help of God to discourse in the next booke following CAP. XVIII Asummarie recit all of all the acts of the councell held at Chalcedon briefely handled before by Euagrius in the 4. chapter of this 2. booke where he promised to refer the reader for further knowledge vnto the end of this 2. booke now he performeth it with a large ample discourse maruell not at all gentle reader though he repeat here certen things which he laid downe before As I finde them in the greeke so thou hast them in Englishe be beginneth thus PAscasianus and Lucentius the byshopps and Boniface the priest supplyed in this councell the absence of Leo byshopp of olde Rome Anatolius al 's byshopp of Constantinople Dioscorus byshopp of Alexandria Maximus byshopp of Antioch Iuuenalis byshopp of Ierusalem with their seuerall clergie were present at the councell There sate with them the chief senators vnto whome the substitutes of Leo sayde that Dioscorus ought not to sitt in the councell with them that Leo their byshop had charged them no lesse and if they woulde not yeelde vnto it that they woulde leaue the Churche and bidd them farewell When the Senators demaunded what crimes Dioscorus was to be charged withall their aunswere was that he who contrarye to all right and honestie playde the part of a Iudge was to abide the sentence of iudgement him selfe for the censure he had pronounced of others These thinges beinge spoken and Dioscorus also beinge appointed to stande in the middest Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum requested that the supplication he had sent vnto the Emperour might be openly reade in their hearing and withall he added these wordes I protest vnto you that Dioscorus hath iniuried me not a litle he hath also brought our religion into great infamye he procured the death of Flauianus the byshop and wrongfully deposed him together with me cause I beseeche you my supplication to be reade When he had made an ende of speakinge his supplication was reade contayninge suche a forme as followeth The humble supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum exhibited vnto the most vertuous Emperours requestinge he may be hearde pleadinge both for himselfe for the catholikefaith and for Flauianus byshop of Constantinople IT behoueth your maiesties most noble and puisant emperours to prouide carefully for the quietnesse of all your louing subiects yet when all others sustaine iniuries euer to vphold and assist the sacred senate of priesthood and herein verily the diuine godheade which graunted vnto you the rule domination of the whole world is truely honored wherfore seing the christian faith we our selues also haue bene oppressed diuersly molested with extreme wroÌ„g by Dioscorus the most reuereÌ„d byshop of the most noble city of Alexandria we are come vnto your wonted clemeÌ„cy most humbly to craue iustice at your hands The occasion of our coÌ„plaint is as followeth In the councel lately held at the famous city of Ephesus I would to God it had neuer bene called together then had it not brought into the whole world such horrible mischiefe and hurliburly the aforesaid Dioscorus who trode right reasoÌ„ vnder foot who set the fear of God farre out of his sight who
ende it might be vnpossible for any after him to reuiue those olde dregges of Lecherye He fayned him selfe to be in a greate agonye accused him selfe of rashe dealinge and meere madnesse sayinge he was toe vayne glorious and by that meanes weyed not the vtilitye and profitte of the common weale in that he had taken awaye both foolishlye and wythout aduisement so large a tribute begonne so manye yeares agoe and continewed so longe a time not foreseeinge the discommodityes that ensued by reason of the wante thereof the charges for mayntenance of soldiers the strength of the common weale The tribute beinge as a fortresse to defende it the liberalitye risinge thence and turned to vpholde the seruice of God Laste of all makinge no man of his counsell he proclaymed that his will was the tribute shoulde be wholly restored againe therefore he called vnto him the olde receauers he tolde them that he was sorye for the burninge of the recordes that he knewe not what to doe howe to excuse his folly neyther what to deuise seeinge their registeries were consumed to ashes When as they vnfaynedlye and from the very heart bewayled their losse and the want of the ill gotten goods which came thereby into their hands and tolde him playnely that it was in manner vnpossible to restore the tribute againe he requested them to doe all their indeuor and to searche if happely they might finde amonge all the recordes that were in anye place preserued the order of demaundinge the taxe and tribute Wherefore he sent vnto euerye one of them his charges for searchinge the countreys and recordes and commaunded that euerye deede or scrole which made mention thereof where so euer it were founde shoulde be brought vnto him to th ende this taxe might be restored agayne in suche good order that it coulde neuer fall afterwardes into decaye Shortly after when these messengers of trust brought tydings what they had founde Anastasius was wonderfull glad and seemed to tickle at the heart for ioy he reioysed in deede because now he had brought about that which troubled him so muche What sayth he vnto them haue ye founde any recordes where found ye them be they to any purpose doe ye thinke there are any where any more left behinde they aunswered that their trauell had bene greate that they rode about daye and night that they had searched both towne and countrey and swore by the life of the Emperour that there was not left in al the empire of Rome not as much as a patch of any scrole that was not brought vnto him then the Emperour commaunded a pile to be made all the papers registers recordes bills and baudy notes to be set thereon and burned to ashes when the fire had done his part he gaue commaundement they should throwe water vpon the ashes either quite to drowne them or to driue theÌ„ away with the streame purposing fully by this means for euer to tread vnderfoot the scroles of the baudy tribute that neither sparcle neither ashes neither letter neither any memoriall shoulde remaine after the firing of the records But while we commend Anastasius so highly for banishinge this shamefull tribute lest we seeme ignorant what diuers men of old being wedded to their owne affections haue reported of him we thought good here to lay downe their sayinges and conuince them with their owne words CAP. XL. VVhat Zosimus wrote of Chrysargyrum the shamefull tribute and of Constantinus the Emperour ZOsimus one of them that was bewitched wyth the impious rites and abhominable seruice of Paganes beinge incensed against Constantinus because he was the first Emperour whiche forsooke the detestable Idolatrye of the Gentiles and embraced Christian religion reporteth howe that the tribute Chrysargyrum was firste deuised by him and decreed it should be payde euerye fourth yeare With infinite other sclaunders he goeth about to defame the godly and noble Emperour Constantine For sayth he he deuised mischiefes against all sorts of men of what degree or callinge so euer they were that he slewe his sonne Crist us verye lamentablye that he dispatched his wyfe Fausta by shuttinge her vp iâ— a boylinge bathe that when he woulde haue had his priests to purge him by sacrisice of these horrible murthers and coulde not haue his purpose for they had aunswered plainelye it laye not in their power to clense him he lighted by chaunce vpon an Aegyptian whiche came out of Iberia and perswaded him that the Christian fayth was of force to wipe away euerye sinne were it neuer so haynous and that he embraced willingly all what so euer the Aegyptian tolde him Laste of all that he forsakinge his cuntrey religion cleaued vnto impietye as this lewde varlet reporteth but that all these reports be no other then lyes and sclaunders I will immediately declare and so muche in the meane whyle of Chrysargyrum CAP. XII An inuectiue against Zosimus the Ethnick for reuiling of Constantine and rayliage at the Christians THou saist O wicked spirit and fiende of hell that Constantine purposinge to buylde a citie comparable to Rome layde the fundation of an ample and worthye citie firste in the cuntrey of Troie and the pallace of Priamus after the stones were layde and the wall beinge erected on high to haue espyed that Byzantium was a goodlier soyle for his purpose to haue enuironed it with a wall to haue enlarged the olde and auncient citie to haue adorned it with goodly and gorgeous buylding that it seemed not much inferior to Rome which grew by a litle and a litle the space and continuance of many yeares to that perfection she is of Thou saist moreouer that he gaue to the citizens of Byzantium a measure of grame that such as departed this world at Byzantium left him great summes of golde for to build and erect his pallaces Againe thou reportest I will vse thine owne wordes that the Emperiall scepter befell vnto Constantius after the death of Constantine his father and the deceasse of his bretherne that Constantius at what time Magnentius and Bretannio rebelled endeuored to perswade Bretannto to shake of armour that wheÌ„ both armies ioyned together he made an oration and put them in remembrance of the liberality bountifulnes of his father towards them vnder whose banner they had foyled many an host and receaued of him large rewards that the soldiers immediatly after y â— hearing of his oration tooke away the princely robe from Bretannio led him like a priuate man vnto Constantius who for all thou reuilest him with his father did him no hurt at all how it can be that so liberall and so bountifull a prince coulde be so great a karle and pinche peny as to raise of his subiects so wicked a tribute I can not see That he murthered neither Fausta nor Crispus neither was instruâ—â—ed in y â— misteries of our Christian religion by any Aegyptian at all heare I beseeche thee what Eusebius syrnamed Pamphilus who liued the same time
both with Constantine and Crispus and had great familiaritye with them wroâ—e of that matter As for thy selfe thou writest suche thinges thou neuer heardest of and are farre from being true for thou wrotest long after to witte in the time of Arcadius and Honorius or after their raigne Eusebius in the eyght booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth in this sort Not longe after Constantius the Emperour passinge all other throughout his life time in clemencie and goodnesse towardes his subiects singulerly affected towardes Gods worde ended according vnto the lawe of nature the common race of his mortall life leauinge behind him his naturall sonne Constantinus Emperour and Caesar to supplye his rowme A litle after His sonne Constantinus being proclaimed full Emperour and Caesar by the army and longe before by God him selfe the vniuersall king became a follower of his fathers pietie in Christian religion And about the later eude of his storie he writeth thus Constantinus the mightie puysant Emperour beinge renowmed for euery rare vertue and godlinesse together with his sonne Crispus the most godly Emperour like vnto his father in all thinges subdued the East parts of the worlde No doubt Eusebius who liued after Constantine woulde not so highly haue commended Crispus had he bene slaine of his father Againe Theodoritus writeth how Costantine about his later end was baptized at Nicomedia y â— therfore he differred it vnto y t time because he had a great desire to be baptized in Iordan But thou most wicked Zosimus reportest y t since christian religion was published throughout y â— world y â— state of y â— Romain empire decaied came to nought y â— which proceeds froÌ„ thee either of ignorance that thou hast not read ouer y â— auncient writers or of malice For the contrarye is soone proued that the Empire of Rome encreased together with our fayth Remember I besech thee howe about the time of the incarnation of our Sauiour Christ Iesus many of the Macedonians were by the Romaynes subdued Albania Iberia Colchi and the Arabians moreouer the Frenchmen the Germans the Brittanns in the hundred twenty third Olympiade after Caius Caesar had ouercome them with greate and grieuous battaills and made the fiue hundred cities which they inhabited tributaries as historiographers doe wryte vnto the Empire of Rome This Caius was the first which after the Consulls gouerned the Empire alone he made the way sure for the setting vp of the glorious Monarchie and in steede of the populare and common regiment brought into the worlde that kind of raigne No doubt it came to passe through the prouideÌ„ce of God because that the Monarchie of Christ was shortly after to take place All Iudaea besides and the bordering countreyes were annexed vnto the Empire of Rome so that the first taxing where Christ also was to be taxed then firste beganne and Bethleem likewise layde before theyr eyes howe that which of olde was prophecied of her was then fulfilled For thus had the Prophet Micheas foretold of her And thou Bethleem Iuda art not the leste amonge the Princes of Iuda for out of thee there shall come vnto me the captaine that shall gouerne my people Israel When Christ our God was borne into y â— world Aegypt was ioined vnto the Empire of Rome in the time of Augustus Caesar for theÌ„ it was that Christ appeared in the flesh who ouercame Antonius Cleopatra which afterwards dispatched theÌ„selues After their death Cornelius Gallus was by Augustus Caesar made Liuetenant of Aegypt after y t Ptolomaeees decayed he raigned ouer Aegypt What cuntreys were wonne froÌ„ the PersiaÌ„s by Ventidius Curbulon the captaine of Nero by Seuerus Traianus Carus Cassius and Odaenathus of Palmyra by Apollonius and sundry others how ofte Seleucia Ctesiphon were taken howe oft Nisibis was nowe the Romaynes anone the Persians and after what sorte Armenia with other borderinge nations became vnder the Empire of Rome thou thy selfe haste penned it as well as others And yet I had almoste forgotten what thou wrytest to haue bene done by Constantine who by meanes of our religion gouerned the Romayne dominions with valiant minde and noble prowesse also what befell vnto Iulianus nusled vp in thy wicked mysteries what wounds and skarres he left in the common weale As for the prophecies which concerne the ende of the worlde or whether it had a beginninge and whether it shal haue an ending it is an higher matter theÌ„ can sinke into thy braine Therfore let vs see if thou wilt howe the Emperours which were Ethnickes and panyms mayntayners of Idolatry Paganisme and howe of the contrary suche as cleaued vnto the Christian faith ended theyr raygne was not Cains Iulius Caesar the first Emperour slayne by conspiracy did not certen souldiers with naked swordes dispatch Caius y â— nephewe of Tiberius was not Nero murthered by one of his familier deare friends had not Galba the like end Otho Vitellius who all three raygned only sixteen moneths what shall I speake of Titus whome Domitianus poisoned for all he was his owne brother what saist thou of Commodus did not Narcissus dispatch him out of the waye what shall I speake of Pertinax and what of Inlian enioyed not both they one kinde of death what did not Antonius the sonne of Seuerus murther his brother Geta and did not Martialis requite him with the like what shall I say of Macrinus did not the souldiers handle him like a captiue about Byzantium and cruelly put him to death was not Aurelius Antoninus of Emessa murthered together w t his mother was not Alexander immediatly after hiÌ„ together w t his mother likwise put to death what shall I say of Maximinus whome his owne army dispatched Or of Gordianus who through the treason of Philip was in like sorte by his owne souldiers put to death tell me I pray thee thy selfe O Zosimus what happened vnto Philip and after him vnto Decius were they not slaine by the enemy take Gallus and Volusianus with them were they not murthered by their owne armies what of Aemilianus had not he y â— like miserable end what Valerianus was not he taken by y â— Persians in battaill led about of them in triumphe what when Galienus was slaine through treason and Carinus beheaded came not Diocletian to be Emperour whome Diocletian cutte of lest they shoulde raygne with him After these Herculius Maximianus his sonne Maxentius Licinnius dyed with contumely and shame inough But since the time the moste noble Emperour Constantine beganne to raygne since he consecrated vnto God the city he had builte and called it after his owne name looke about I pray thee and speake indifferently was there any one Emperour in that citye Iulian a man of thine owne religion and thy Emperour onely excepted that was murthered either by his owne subiect or by the enemy or any one tyrant that vanquished the Emperour Basiliscus excepted yet