the things that vvere rightly and reuerently decided but especially to intermedle vvith the canons of the Nicene Councell so exquisitely handled so throughly sifted out by the ayde succour of your father of famous memory the Emperous Constantine the sage doctrine graue censures of vvhich councell pearced the eares hath bene prīted in the minds of all people by whose only force it came to passe that the heresie of Arius was foyled ouerthrowen by whose meanes also not only this but all other rotten heresies whatsoeuer are rooted out VVhat may well be added therevnto it is doubtfull to take any thinge therefro is daungerous If ere other be permitted there vvill ensue there of such libertie that euery one vvill sovv such levvde doctrine as pleaseth him best VVherfore Vrsacius and Valens beyng of late infected vvith the pestilent here sie of Arius and therefore iustly banished our communion they did not onely repent them of their fond dealing their conscience yelding manifest testimonie accusing thē of the same to the end they might againe be made partakers of the same communion but also as their ovvne vvrytinges doe beare vvittnesse they craued pardon vvith humble and earnest petitions so that in the ende all theyr levvde behauiour all their corrupt learning was forgeuen forgotten these things were done at what time the councell of Mediolanū was held in the presence of certaine priests of Rome But when we call to remembrance how that Constantine the Prince worthy of noble praise among all posterity imployed great labor industry for the curious sifting true knowledge of the Nicene Creede it seemed vnto vs a thinge contrary to all reason for to renewe any thinge thereof or to innouate any thing preiudicial to the same after his desease who first was baptized then departed this life now resteth in ioy to make light accompt of so many blesled confessors martyrs who framed furthered this doctrine vvho also according vnto the auncient purpose of the catholick church were so perswaded persisted in the same vnto their liues end VVhose faith God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ hath cōtinewed vnto the yeares of your imperiall raigne by whose helpe your kingdome is enlarged your self become Lord of all these our coūtries dominions vnder heauen But of the contrary those miserable men bewitched mindes caried away with a furious kind of motion haue gone about to proclayme them selues authors preachers of wicked doctrine vnder colour of well doing to ouerthrowe the right sincerity of the trueth For as soone as the coūcel at your cōmaundement met together they laid wide open their cōcealed fraude couered deceat as soone as also they perceaued Germanius Auxentius Caius who had brought discord dissentiō into the church of god to be in all respects like affectioned with thē they assayed through wiles wilful assēblies to establish some nouelty whose doctrine opiniō though but one in name yet in number it farie exceeded the heape of all blasphemies But when as they sawe they would not cleaue vnto their opinion neither condescend vnto their lewde practises they transported them selues into our side as if they had determined to subscribe vnto the contrary doctrine but not long after their cankred minds were knowē well mough VVherfore that the quiet estate of the church may not be tossed with such waues of troublsome dissētion that all be not set on tumults vprores it seemed very necessary vnto vs to ratifie the decrees confirmed of olde inuiolably to conserue them to forbid these men our cōmunion For this cause haue we sent legats with our letters vnto your maiesty of whome you may vnderstand the mind meaning of the coūcell whome also we haue charged first of all to proue the manifest trueth by autority testimony of old aūciēt lawes wisely decreed to opē vnto your indifferēt censure iust sentēce not as Vrsacius Valens affirmed that quietnes shoulde ensure if the canons lavvfully decreed and aduisedly decided shoulde be ouerthrovven hovv can they pleade for peace which haue pearced through and broke asunder the bonde of vnitie but that discorde and debate shoulde rise thereof not onely in other cities but also in the Churche of Rome VVherefore vve humbly request your maiestie of your gracious fauour and vvonted clemency to accept this our message that you permitt no noueltie to creepe into the church of god to the cōtumelie of such as already are departed this life but that you graunt vs licence and your lavvfull fauour firmely to perseuere in those thinges vvhich our auncetors haue decreed in as much as it is euident vnto all men that vvhatsoeuer they did it vvas throughe vvell aduised councell prudent consideration and the ayde of the holy Ghost for the innouations of these men doe graffe in the mindes of the faythfull incredulitie in the mindes of the vnfaythfull crueltie Also vve humbly request your highnes that the Bishops vvhich vvander in farre and foraine regions grieuously afflicted by reason of great yeares and the misery of vvant and necessitie may by your safe conduyte returne home from exile to the ende the Churches remayne not desolate destitute of their Bishops being thus farre asunder last of all our humble sute is vnto your maiestie that nothing be either diminished or added vnto the old aūcient decrees but that all whatsoeuer haue bene obserued vnto this day through the godly procuremēt of your father may henceforth be of force strength vertue that hereafter there may rise no molestation vnto vs about those things that you suffer vs not to be banished our churches but that bishops may be resiant with their slocke that they may enioy peace tranquillity for prayers deuout seruice of God that they may pray cōtinewally for the preseruation of your healthe your empyre and prosperous estate the which God of his goodnes long continewe Our legats wil enforme you of the subscriptions the bishops names they are also of learning sufficient to let you vnderstand by testimonies of holy Scripture all the circumstances of the decrees These things y ◠councell wrot sent vnto y ◠Emperour by certaine bishops but Vrsacius Valens preuenting their comming reuiled discredited y ◠councell w t the emperour shewing vnto him a patched forme of faith which they had brought in their pocket y ◠Emperour in so much he was afore time infected w t y ◠Arian opinion began wonderfully to stomacke y ◠councel to aduaūce into honor estimation Vrsacius Valens Wherfore y ◠bishops y ◠were sent by y ◠councel wayted very long about his court yet coulde they get no answere of him At length by other messengers the Emperour wrote vnto the councell in this maner The epistle of Constantius vnto the councell assembled at Ariminum Constantius the mighty and triumphant Augustus vnto
Iulianus was chosen Bishop ouer the Churches of Alexandria after that Agrippinus had gouerned there twelue yeares There moderated there at that tyme the schole of the faythfull a famous learned man called Pantaenus for that of olde exercise and disputation in holy Scripture florished among them instituted as we are giuen to vnderstande by such men as excelled in eloquence and studye of holy Scripture it is written that amonge them which then liued this Pantaenus was in great estimation brought vp among the secte of Philosophers called Stoickes he is sayd to haue shewed such promptnes of a willing minde towards the publishing of the doctrine of Christ that he became a preacher of the Gospell vnto the Easterne Gentiles and was sent as farre as India there were I say there were then many Euangelistes prepared for this purpose to promote to plant the heauenly word with godly zeale after the guyse of the Apostles of these Pantaenus being one is sayd to haue come into India where he founde the Gospell of Matthewe written in the Hebrewe tongue kept of such as knewe Christ preached there before his comming by Bartholomewe one of the Apostles and as they reporte reserued there vnto this daye This Pantaenus then after he had done many notable thinges gouerned the Church of Alexandria where by rote and by writing he published much precious doctrine CAP. X. Of Clemens Alexandrinus TOgether also at that time was Clemens founde at Alexandria well exercised in holy Scripture of the same name with him which of old was byshop of Rome and disciple of the Apostles and namely in his bookes intitled Hypotyposeon he maketh mention of Pantaenus by the name of his master I suppose him to haue meante the same in his first booke intitled Stromatôn when he recited the moste renowmed and famous men of the Apostolicke succession whome he embraced saying If it be best to confesse the trueth this present taicte of mine is not made for any ostentation but for a monumente graffed in minde or rather a medicene to expell the forgetfulnes of mine olde age that it may be vnto me a simple resemblance or a sleyght kinde of portracture of those notable and liuely men vvhome sometimes I harde vvith mine eares of vvhich both sayinges and sainctes on vvas of Grece an Ionicke an other of great Grece one of Caelosyria an other of Aegypte some from the east vvhereof one vvas an Assyrian an other of Palaestina of the Hebrevve bloode he vvhich is last in order of name vvas the first in renovvned vertue I remained in Aegyptshiftinge out such thinges as lay in secrett vvheÌ„ I founde him these haue obserued the right tradition of true doctrine vvhich before they had receaued of Peter Iames Iohn Paul holy Apostles as a sonne of the father yet very fevve like theyr fathers God no doubt disposing that those fatherly Apostolicke seedes should by them be layed vp and reserued for vs. CAP. XI Of the byshopes of Ierusalem AT this time was Narcissus byshop of Ierusalem a man very famous the fifteeneth in succession from the ouerthrowe of the Ievves vnder Adrian from which time we haue signified before the Churche after the Ievves to haue bene gouerned by the Gentiles and the first byshop of them to haue bene Marcus next him was Cassianus after him Publius after Publius Maximus after Maximus Iulianus after Iulianus Caius after Caius Symachus after Symachus an other Caius after him an other Iulianus him succeeded Capito after him Valens after Valens Dolichianus after all Narcissus the thirtieth in succession from the Apostles CAP. XII Of Rhodon and the repugnancy which he founde in the heresie of Marcion ABout the same time florished one Rhodon an Asian sometime at Rome by his owne report the disciple of Tatianus who wrote many bookes and together with others impugned the heresie of Marcion he paynteth this heresie in his time to haue bene seuered into sundry sectes the Authors of which schisme and their false positions seuerally inuented he hath sharply and in fewe wordes reprehended heare him if you please writing thus VVherefore they varied among themselues coursing an vnconstant sentence of that crue vvas Apelles pretending a politicall kinde of conuersation and sadde grauitie confessing one beginning and saying that prophecyes are of a contrary spirite fully crediting the sentences and deuelishe doctrine of a mayde called Philumaena others some as the rouer Marcion haue layde dovvne tvvo beginninges of vvhich opinion are Pontinus and Basilicus these follovving Lycus of Pontus not perceauing the right distinction of thinges no more did he runne headelong out of the vvay and published barely and nakedly vvithout shevv or proofe of reason tvvo principall beginnings â–ª againe others some falling farre vvorse haue dreamed not onely of tvvo but of three natures vvhose author and ringeleader is Synerus by the report of them vvhich fauour his doctrine The same Rhodon writeth that he had conference with Apelles saying by reasoninge vvith this olde Apelles I tooke him vvith many falsehoodes vvhereupon he sayd that no man vvas to be examined of his doctrine but euery man to continevve quietly as he beleued he pronounced saluation for such as beleued in Christ crucified so that they vvere founde exercised in good vvorkes his doctrine of the God of all thinges vvas maruelous darke and obscure he confessed on beginning agreeable vvith our doctrine after he had layde downe his whole opinion he sayth VVhen I demaunded of him hovv prouest thou this hovve canst thou affirme that there is one beginning tell vs. he made ansvvere that he misliked vvith the prophecies them selues for that they vttered no trueth but varied among them selues that they vvere false and contrary to them selues hovv that there vvas one beginning he sayd He knevve not but yet he vvas so persvvaded aftervvards I charged him to tell me the trueth he svvare he sayd the trueth neither knevve he hovv there vvas one God vnbegotten yet beleued he the same I truly condemned him vvith laughter for that he called him self a doctor and coulde not confirme his doctrine In the same booke Rhodon speaking to Calliston confesseth him self at Rome to haue bene the disciple of Tatianus he reporteth that Tatianus wrote a booke of Problemes Wherefore when as Tatianus promised to sifte out the darke speaches and hidd mysteries of holy Scripture Rhodon promised also in a peculiar volume to publish the resolutions of his Problemes his commentaries vpon the six dayes vvorkes are at this day extant but Apelles wrote infinite tractes impiously agaynst the lawe of Moses reusâ—ing in most of them the holy Scriptures very paynfull and earnest in the reprehension and as he thought in the ouerthrowe of them of these thinges thus farre CAP. XIII Of the false prophets in Phrygia and foule schisme raysed at Rome by Florinus and Blastus THat sworne enemy of the Church of God hater of all honesty embracer of all spite malice omitting no
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
and by him are all thinges no maruell at all in that they falsely reported the sonne not fully and perfectly to knovve the Father for vvhen they had once determined vvith them selues to vvarre agaynste Christ they vtterly reiected the vvordes of our Lorde vvhere he sayth as the Father knoweth me sayth the sonne so doe I knowe the Father if the Father knovveth the sonne vnperfectly then is it manifest that the sonne knovveth the Father vnperfectly also but if this be impiety and open blasphemye and that the Father knovveth the sonne perfectly and fully then doth it follovve that euen as the Father knovveth his ovvne vvorde so the vvorde knovveth his ovvne father vvhose vvorde he is but vvhen as at sundrye tymes vve conuinced them vvith allegations and expositions out of the sacred and heauenly Scriptures for all that they agayne chaunged them selues like vnto the chaungling diuerously bespotted beaste Chamaeleon vvresting vvith all might possible to light vpon their owne pates the saying of the wise man VVhen the vngodly person commeth to extreame impietie then he disdayneth and though many heresies sprange before their tyme vvhiche exceeding out of measure in impudencye fell out at length for all that into extreame follye yet these men vvhich endeuer vvithal their gloses to take avvay the diuinity of the vvord dravving nerer vnto the time of Antichrist doe in manner declare those heresies in comparison of the impitie of their blasphemous opinion to be in the right trueth VVherefore they vvere excommunicated banished the church and pronounced to be held of all men for accursed And though vve tooke theyr fall heauyly specialy because that sometime they supped the svvete ioyce of the ecclesiasticall doctrine and novve are fallen from the same yet vve maruell not greatly at thē For the like happened heretofore not only to Hymenaeus Philetus but also before them vnto Iudas vvhich vvas the disciple of our Sauiour aftervvardes a traytor and an Apostata Neither are vve here of ignorant or vnmindefull For our Sauiour hath forewarned take heede lest any deceaue you For many vvill come in my name saying I am and the time is novve at hand And they wil deceaue many goe not after thē Paul vvhē he had learned these things of our Sauiour wrote that in the latter times some shall fall from the sounde fayth and shall geue eare vnto spirites of error doctrines of deuells oppugning the trueth Novve therefore in as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath commaunded the same and signified the same also vnto men by his Apostle and vve truely hearing their impiety vvith our eares not vvithout iuste cause haue as vve sayd before pronounced this kind of men for accursed and proclaimed openly that they are cut of from the Catholick church farre frō the right fayth And vve haue certified your holynes wel beloued and most reuerende brethren vvhich are ioyned vvith vs in the same fellovvship of the publique ministery that if peraduenture some of them ouerboldly presume to presente themselues before you ye geue no heede vnto them neyther be persvvaded by Eusebius neyther by any other vvhosoeuer that shall vvrite vnto you in they re behalfe For it behoueth vs that be christians to eschevve all such as open theyr mouthes agaynst Christ and suche as are alienated in minde from him as enemyes of God and rotten sheepe corrupting the sense of mans mind and that vve bid not such kinde of men as Saynct Iohn hath commaunded no not so much as God speede lest that vve become partakers of they re offences Salute them vvhich are amonge you bretherne the bretherne vvith vs salute you also When Alexander had wrytten these letters vnto the byshops euery where throughout the seuerall cities this pestilence infection hereby was the more scattered abrode because that these vnto whome these letters were directed beganne to burne amonge themselues with the sparcles of contention and discorde For some condescended and subscribed vnto the letters some others with all might impugned them But specially amonge all the rest Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia was prouoked to the schisme and dissention for that Alexander had often in his letters charged him by name And at that time Eusebius was able to do much because that the emperour then made his abode at Nicomedia where Diocletian a litle before had buylded a princely pallace For which cause many byshops fauored the opinion of Eusebius But he seased not to wryte vnto Alexander that he woulde lette passe the controuersie raysed betwene them that he woulde admitte againe Arius and his adherentes into the churche and others also throughout the cities he exhorted that they shoulde by no meanes condescende vnto the drifte of Alexander whereby theyr rose euery where no smale tumult For then a man might haue seene not onely the presidentes and chiefe rulers of the churches inueying one against an other with spitefull and opprobrious tearmes but also the laye multitude seuered a sunder into two partes the one fauoring the one side the other the other side Wherefore the case became so haynous and shamefull and into so lamentable a plighte that the christian religion was openly derided of all men euen in the publique theatres and solemne spectacles The inhabitors of Alexandria contended very childishely yea without all modestie about the chiefe poinctes of christian religion they sente also legates and embassadours vnto the byshops throughout the other prouinces who seueringe themselues vnto eyther side raysed the like contention The Meletians who not longe before were cutt of from the churche ioyned themselues with the Arians I thinke it expedient to note what kinde of men they are Meletius byshop of a certaine citie in Aegypte besides sundrye other causes specially for that in the tyme of persecution he had renounced the fayth and sacrificed to Idols was depriued of his byshoricke by Peter byshop of Alexandria which suffred Martyrdome vnder Diocletian Who beinge depriued and fauored of many for all his fonde doinges became the ringeleader of the heresie amonge them who in Aegypt of him vnto this present daye are called Meletians and hauinge no iuste cause or cloke to defende his doinges in that he presumed to separate himselfe from the churche made a sleeuelesse answere sayinge that he was greatly iniuryed wherefore he brake out into raylinge speaches and reuiled Peter And as soone as Peter in that heate of persecution had ended his life with Martyrdome he posted ouer his opprobrious tearmes and rayling speaches to the paintinge of Achillas who succeeded Peter in the seae of Alexandria And last of all he leueled the pearcinge dartes of spitefull language at Alexander who after the death of Achillas was there placed byshop While this tumulte and dissention was tossed to and froe the opinion of Arius was called into controuersie then Meletius with his complices tooke part with Arius and together with him conspired against the byshop But they vnto whome the
a newe kinde of tormeÌ„t neuer heard of before Theyr backs and sides were so scurged and rente with palme twigges newely pluckt of the trees hauinge on their prickinge knobs So that diuers because of the stumpes that stucke in the fleshe of their backes were constrained often times to repayre vnto surgions others some not able to endure suche terrible payne dyed of their wounds As many of the men as remained yet aliue together with the virgins were exiled and ledde by the souldiers to Oasis The deade carkasses not yet fully colde were denied the friendes of the deseased being throwen here and there and lying vnburied for that liked them best the souldiers hidde them as if they had bene neither culpable neither fauty in committinge suche horrible crimes This did they hauing their mindes ouershadowed with the furious rage of frentike heresie And when as the deare friendes and familiars of the deade reioyced at the bold protestation of their faith yet sorowed because their carkasses were not couered with earth the sauadge impietie and beastlye cruelty of these souldiers reuealed it selfe with greater shame and infamie Moreouer they banishe forthwith certaine Bishops of Aegypt and Libya namely Ammon Thmuis Gaius Philon Hermes Plinius Psenosiris Nilammon Agathon Anagamphus Marcus Dracontius Adelphius Athenodorus a seconde Ammon and of the priestes they banished Hierax and Dioscorus These beinge bereaued of their natiue soyle they handled so roughly that some of them dyed by the waye some other in exile neuer returninge againe They put to death aboue thirty Bishops They followed the sâ—eppes of wicked Achaab imploying all their care and industrie for the rootinge out of the trueth from of the face of the earth These were y â— practises of Georgius at Alexandria by the reporte of Athanasius The Emperoure marched forewardes with his hoste to Illyrium for thither of necessity was he constrained to goe and there it was that Bretanion was proclaimed Emperor As soone as he came to Sirmium truce beinge made he came to parlee with Bretanion In the meane while he endeuored to winne againe the souldiers which had refused him for their Emperoure after he had so done they proclaimed Constantius alone both their Augustus their kinge Emperoure In this their proclamation there was no mention of Bretanion who seinge himselfe betrayed fell downe prostrate at the Emperoures feete and craued for mercy Constantius taking from him his princely scepter and purple robe lifted him vp by the hande very curteously and exhorted him after the callinge of a priuate man to leade a quiet and peceable life He sayde moreouer that it was fitter for an olde man suche as he was to embrace a trade of life that were voyde of all trouble care theÌ„ to gape after a vaine title of honor full of disquietnes molestatioÌ„ Thus it fared with Bretanion in the ende The Emperoure commaunded that all his charges shoulde be geuen him of the publique tribute afterwardes he wrote vnto him sundry letters to Prousa a citie in Bithynia where he made his abode signifyinge what singular pleasure he had done vnto him in riddinge him from cares troubles shewinge also what miserie oftentimes befalleth to raigne and gouernement and that of his owne parte he had dealte vnaduisedly in not geuing to him selfe that which he graunted to an other So farre of these thinges CAP. XXIIII Of Photinus the hereticke THe Emperoure at that time made Gallus his cosingermaine Caesar he gaue him his owne title or name and sente him to Antioch in Syria for to keepe those partes of the Empire whiche reached into the Easte When he came to Antioch there appeared in the East the signe or cognizance of our Sauiour for a pillour resembling the forme of a crosse was seene in the aer bringing great admiration to the beholders He sent his other captaines with great power to wage battaile with Magnentius he himselfe remayned at Sirmium harkening to the ende In the meane while Photinus the superintendent of that church wente about openly to publish a selfe opinion inuented of his owne braine and because there was great tumult and much trouble risen thereof the Emperoure commaunded a councell to be summoned at Sirmium Of the Bshops of the East there came thither Marcus Bishop of Arethusa Georgius Bishop of AlexaÌ„dria whome the Arians after they had deposed Gregorius as I sayd before placed there Basilius who was Bishop of Ancyra after the depriuation of Marcellus Pancratius Bishop of Peleusium Hypatiaâ—us Bishop of Heraclea Out of the Weste there mette them Valens Bishop of Mursa and Osius Bishop of Corduba a citie of Spayne who then beinge of greate fame was forced to come vnto the councell These Bishops assembled at Sirmium after the consulship of Sergius and Nigrianus in which yeare by reason of the warres and ciuill dissentions there was none that could execute the function of a Consull they deposed forthwith the hereticke Photinus of his Bishopricke for he maintained the lewde opinion of Sabellius the Aphricke and Paulus Samosatenus Whiche Acte of theirs was approued of all men bothe at that presente and also in times followinge to haue bene done accordinge vnto right and reason CAP. XXV VVhat formes of fayth were layde downe at the councell of Sirmium in presence of Constantius the Emperoure THese Bishops continewinge a while at Sirmium decided other thinges For they wente about to abrogate their old Creeds and to establishe newe formes of faith one was exhibited in the Greeke tonge by Marcus Bishop of Arethusa â–ª two others in the Latine tongue agreeing neither in word neither in composition neither in sense neither in sentence either with theÌ„selues or with that which the Bshop of Arethusa wrote in Greeke One of the Latine formes I will here lay downe immediatly after the Greeke forme of Marcus The other afterwards rehearsed at Sirmium I will referre to his proper plate Yet haue we to vnderstand that both were translated into y â— Greeke The forme which Marcus wrote was as followeth VVe beleue in one God the father almightie creator and maker of all thinges Of whome all fatherhood is named in heauen and in earth And in his onely begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christ begotten of the father before all worldes God of God light of light â–ª by whome all things were made bothe in heaueÌ„ in earth be they visible or inuisible things â–ª who is the word the wisedom the true light the life who in the later dayes was incamate for our sakes borne of the holy virgine crucified died rose againe the third day froÌ„ the dead ascended into heaueÌ„ sitteth at the right hand of the father shall come againe at the end of the world to iudge both the quick the dead to rewarde euery one accordinge vnto his workes whose kingdome shall haue no ende but contineweth for euer euer For he shall sit at the right hand of the father not onely
once be remembred y t the church of God should no longer be troubled with y â— interpretatioÌ„ thereof and y â— for two causes first because y â— Scriptures of God made no mention thereof secondarily because that the interpretatioÌ„ thereof exceeded the sense aud capacitie of man for y â— holy Scriptures testisted that no man was able to set forth the generation of the sonne in these wordes His generation who shal be able to declare For it is most true that the father alone knoweth howe he begat the sonne againe y â— sonne alone knoweth howe he was begotten of y â— father They sayd no maÌ„ doubted but that the father was greater in honor dignitie diuinitie and fatherly title and that by the testimony of the sonne himselfe where he sayth The father which sent me is greater then I. They sayd moreouer this was Catholicke neither vnknowen vnto any that there were two persons the father and the sonne the father greater the sonne subiect together with all other things which the father made subiect vnto him the father to be without beginning inuisible immortall impatible the sonne to be begotten of the father God of God light of light and that no man as I sayde before was able to rehearse his generation saue the father alone the sonne our lorde and God to become incarnat to haue taken a body vpon him that is man euen as partly he shewed vnto the Angels and partly all the Scriptures doe informe vs of him but especially the Apostle the preacher of the Gentiles that Christ tooke manhood of the virgine Mary according vnto the which he suffred They sayd it was the principle ground of our whole faith alwayes to holdfast the faith in the trinitie as we read in the Gospell Goe teach all nations baptizinge them in the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost The number of the trinitie is absolute perfect The comforter the holy Ghost sent by the sonne came according vnto promise for to sanctifie and lead the Apostles and all the faithfull They goe about to perswade Photinus after his depriuatioÌ„ to condescend and to subscribe vnto these thinges promising to restore him vnto his Bishopricke againe if he would recant and renounce the selfe opinion he had inuented of his owne braine and thenceforth promise to cleaue vnto their doctrine He refused the coÌ„ditions and prouoked them to disputation A certaine day was appointed for conference the Emperoure commaundeth the Bishops theÌ„ present to be at it there came thither also at the request of y â— Emperour not a fewe councellers The assembly being met Basilius who theÌ„ was Bishop of Ancyra tooke Photinus in hand the notaries penned all they spake While they reasoned one with an other the disputation waxed hot and in the end Photinus had the foile was condemned to vanishment From that time forth he liued in exile and wrote in the Greeke and Latine tonge for he was well seene in both a boke against all heresies endeuoringe therein to publishe his owne opinion So farre of Photinus We haue yet to vnderstand that the Bishops assembled at Sirmium misliked theÌ„selues with the forme of faith laid downe in the Latine tonge for after the publishing thereof they espied contradictories therein Wherefore they went about in all the hast to call in all the coppies and when as diuers were concealed the Emperour by his edicte gaue charge that all should be broughte in and such as hid theÌ„ shoulde be punished Yet were there no threats or cruelty that coulde recouer the thinges once blased abroad because they had runne through many hands CAP. XXVI Of Osius Bishop of Corduba WHereas we haue made mention a â—itle before of Osius Bishop of Corduba that he was constrained to shewe himselfe at the councell of Sirmium I thinke it requisite nowe to say somwhat of that matter Although in a while before through the lewd practises of the Arians he had bene in exile yet then at the sute and procuremeÌ„t of the Bishops which assembled at Sirmium it tell out that the Emperoure cited him purposinge with himselfe to perswade him or by foule meanes to constraine him to be of the same opinion with the assembled Bishops and in so doinge their faith shoulde seeme to cary with it greate force and creditte To this ende he was drawen against his will as I sayd before vnto the councel But when as this olde father woulde in no wise subscribe vnto their faith they scurged his sides and set his members vpon the racke So that in the end by compulsion he gaue his assent subscribed vnto the formes of faith which then were published These were the Acâ—es at Sirmium and thus were they ended CAP. XXVII Magnentius the tyrant is ouercome and dieth miserably the Iewes inhabiting Diocaesarea rebell against the Romaines and are soiled Gallus rebelleth and is put to death COnstantius the Emperoure remayned at Sirmium waytinge what ende the battell waged with Magnentius should haue But Magnentius as soone as he tooke the princely citie of Rome he executeth many of the Senators he dispatcheth not a fewe of the common multitude When the captaines of Constantius had gathered a great army of Romaine souldiers they marched towards him he theÌ„ left Rome got him to Fraunce There were many skirmishes one while this side an other while that side had the vpper hand At length Magnentius was ouercome at the castell of Mursa in Fraunce in he got him and kept it a while where such a straunge thing as followeth is reported to haue come to passe Magnentius going about to animate his souldiers nowe altogether discouraged with the foile ouerthrowe they had takeÌ„ got him vp into an highe seate The souldiers after the accustomed honor done vnto the Emperours mindinge to sounde fortunate successe vnto Magnentius by force as it were their lippes wagging before their minds they turne their good wishes vnto ConstaÌ„tius for they all with one mouth proclaimed not MagneÌ„tius but Constantius Augustus Magnentius supposinge this to be a signe of misfortune conueyed himselfe forthwith out of the castell fled into the furthest partes of Fraunce The captaines of Constantius pursued after him earnestly Againe they pitched their caÌ„pe at a place called Miltoseleucus where Magnentius being ouerthrowen ranne away alone and got him to Lions a citie of Fraunce three dayes iorney from the castell of Mursa Magnentius comming to Lions first of all he slewe his mother next his brother whome he had created Caesar last of all he became his owne murtherer This was done the sixt Consulship of Constantius the seconde of Constantius Gallus the fiftenth day of August Not long after Decenius an other brother of Magnentius hanged himselfe And although Magnentius the tyrant had such an ende yet the common wealth was not without great trouble tumults For immediatly there stept vp an other tyrant whose name
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
Nyssa a citie also in Cappadocia vnto Otreius Bishop of Meletina a citie of Armenia Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Optimus Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia tooke the Patriarckshippe of Asia The prouince of Aegypt fell vnto Timothee bishop of Alexandria Pelagius Bishop of Laodicea Diodorus Bishop of Tarsus are appointed ouer the Easterne diocesse reseruing the prerogatiue of honor vnto the churche of Antioch the which thē presently they graunted vnto Meletius They decreed moreouer that if necessity did so require that a prouincial synode should determine prouinciall affaires The Emperour gaue his assent vnto all the aforesayd and thus the councell was dissolued CAP. IX Howe the Emperour Theodosius caused the corps of Paulus late Bishop of Constantinople to be brought from exile with great honor at what time Meletius Bishop of Antioch departed this life ABout that time the corps of Paulus the Bishop whome as I said before Philip the Emperours Liuetenant throught the procurement of Macedonius sent to exile vnto Cucusum a citie of Armenia there stifled to death was conueyed by the Emperours commaundemēt from Ancyra to Cōstantinople and there receaued with great honor in the church which beareth his name vnto this day the which church was vnto that time frequented of the Macedonians who seuered themselues from the Arians but then were thrust out by the Emperour because they refused to be of his faith opinion At that time Meletius Bishop of Antioch fell sicke died Gregorie the brother of Basil preached at his funerall His corps was caried of his friends into Antioch there interred Againe the fauorers of Meletius would not be vnder Paulinus iurisdiction but chose Flauianus to their bishop in the rowme of Meletius Whereupon the people again were at discorde and fell to raising of tumults and dissentiō And because of that the church of Antioch was deuided againe not about the faith but about their fond contention in choosinge of Bishops CAP. X. Howe the Emperour when his sonne Arcadius was created Augustus summoned together a Synode of all sectes and opinions He banished all heretickes the Nouatians onely excepted because they embraced the fayth of one substance WHen the Arians were banished the churches the flame of tumult and schisme flashed about in euery congregation I can not chuse but wonder at the Emperours aduise and pollicy therein For he suffred not this seditiō to raigne very long throughout y ◠cities but with speede he summoned a councell charging that all sects opiniōs whatsoeuer should meet together supposinge verily that by conference and communication had betwene them selues they would at length be brought to establish one faith and opinion The which drift and good meaning of his as I suppose was cause directer of all his prosperous successes For then it fel out through the prouidence procurement of almighty God that all the Barbarians were at peace within his dominions rebelled not at all but yelded themselues vnto the Emperiall seepter for example Athanarichus the valiaunt captaine of the Gotthes came in withall his power shortly after died at Constantinople The Emperour created Arcadius his sonne Augustus in y ◠seconde Consulship of Merogandus the first of Saturninus the sixteenth of Ianuarie shortly after all bishops of euery sect out of all prouinces came thither in y ◠sayd Cōsulship but the moneth of Iune The Emperour sent for Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople reasoned with him howe he might rid y ◠Christiā religiō of y ◠discorde dissention howe it were possible to reduce y ◠church vnto vnitie he sayd further that y ◠controuersies quarells which molested y ◠quiete state of y ◠church rent asunder y ◠membres of Christ were to be sifted out y ◠punishments to light vpō their pates y ◠were founde the authors of schisme and disturbers of peace quietnes Nectarius hearing of this was wonderfull sadd pensiue he called vnto him Agelius the Nouatiā Bishop who embraced together w t him y ◠faith of one substāce opened vnto him y ◠mind purpose of y ◠Emperour He although otherwise a rare singuler man yet was he no body in controuersies of religion disputation of ecclesiasticall matters but appointed Sisinius a reader of his church to reason with them in his steade Sisinius an eloquent man well experienced in all thinges askilfull interpretor of holy Scripture a notable Philosopher knowinge full well that disputations woulde not onely not reconcile schismes but also fire the slymie matter of contention raygning in the rotten bowells of heretickes therefore he aduised Nectarius in this sorte that it was not best to deale with them logicall wise with the frubushinge of schoole pointes but to lay flat before them the formes of faith established by our auncetors he knewe of a surety that the Elders had taken heede lest they should assigne vnto the sonne of God a begininge of essence because they were of the opinion that the sonne of God was coeternall with the father and that the Emperour shoulde demaunde of the ringleaders of the hereticks whether they made any accompt of those aunciente fathers who gouerned the church godly and prudentely before the schisme and diuision or whether they condemned thē as aliens and farre estraunged frō the Christian faith If they reiect them then let them boldely pronounce them accursed if they presume so bolde an enterprise then will the common people crie out against them This beinge done the trueth after such triall no doubt will preuayle If they reiect not the auncient fathers thē let vs alleadge theyr workes and wrytinges and confirme the matter in controuersie out of them Nectarius beinge thus counselled by Sisinius gotte him with speede vnto the Emperoures pallace made the Emperour priuey vnto these circumstances He thinketh well of the aduise and compasseth the matter circumspectly At the first he concealed his drift required of them to tell him whether they esteemed and allowed of the fathers which gouerned the churche before the diuision or no When as they confessed as much in effect and sayd that they highly reuerenced them for their maisters the Emperoure demaunded of them againe whether they woulde be tried by theyr testimonies toutchinge the true and right faith the sectes and factious Bishoppes together with the Logicians then presente for they had broughte with them many well prepared for disputation hearinge this knewe not what answer to make They were deuided amonge themselues while that some helde with the Emperoure and some other affirmed that it was altogether contrarye to their mind and purpose for y ◠diuerse opinion they conceaued of the aunciēt fathers distracted their mindes one from the other So that not onely the opinion was diuerse among contrary sects but such as were of one opiniō were deuided among themselues Wherefore theyr linked malice was no otherwise then the confuse language of those auncient Giaunts and the turret
of theyr spitefull muention was turned downe to the ground When the Emperour vnderstoode of their manifolde dissentioÌ„ that they buylded not vpon y â— auncient fathers exposition of the faith but trusted to their sophisticall quirckes of Logicke dealt an other way with them bad euery sect lay downe theyr faith and opinion in wrytinge Then the principall of euery secte tooke penne in hande and wrote his opinion There was a daye appointed for the purpose All the Bishoppes beinge called mette at the Emperours pallace There came thither Nectarius and Agelius fauoringe the faith of one substance Demophilus of the Arians Eunomius himselfe in the name of the other Eunomians and Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum for the Macedonians First of all the Emperour saluteth them rurteously next he receaued euery ones wryting then he went a side lockt in himselfe sell downe vpon his knees and prayed vnto God that he woulde asist him in the choice and reuealing of the trueth Last of all hauing perused euery ones opinion he condemned and tore in peeces all such Creedes as derogated from the vnitie which is in the blessed Trinitie he allowed highly commended onely of all the rest the Creede containing the clause of one substance This was the cause that the Nouatians were fauored and thenceforth suffred to celebrate their woÌ„ted assemblies within the walles of the citie The Emperoure wonderinge at their consente and harmonie toutching y â— faith made a lawe that they should enioy their owne churches w t securitie and y â— their churches should haue such priuiledgs as the other churches of the same opinion faith were wont to haue The Bishops of other sectes because there raigned amonge themselues mutuall discorde and dissentioÌ„ they were set at nought of the people committed to their owne charge Who though at their departure they were all soroweful pensiue yet fell they a coÌ„forting of their charge by letters exthorting them not to shrinke at all from them because many had left them and fell to embracinge the faith of one substance For many were called but fewe chosen This they vttered not when y â— greatest parte of the people cleaued vnto the higher power and zealously embraced their faith Yet for all this were not they which held the faith of one substance voyd of disturbance and molestation For the controuersie that sell out in the churche of Antioch deuided such as were of the councell into two factions for the Aegyptians Arabians Cyprians held together thought good to remoue Flauianus out of the Bishops seae of Antioch but the Palaestinians PhoeniciaÌ„s Syrians tooke his parte The issue end of this controuersie I will lay downe in an other place CAP. XI Howe that Maximus the tyrant through wiles sleâ—e the Emperour Gratian. And howe that Iustina the Empresse the mother of Valentinianus the yonger left persecutinge of Ambrose Bishop of Myllainâ— because she feared Maximus the tyrant WHen the councell was helde at Constantinople we haue learned such a broyle as followeth to haue bene in the Weste partes of the worlde Maximus a Brittaine tooke armour against the Empire of Rome and conspired the death of Gratian who nowe was weakened together with his power by reason of the battail he waged with the Germanes Probus sometimes a Consul was chiefe gouernour of Italy during the nonage of Valentinianus who w t great prudence ruled the common weale Iustina Valentinianus the Emperours mother being infected with the silch of Arianisme while her husbande liued coulde no kinde of way molest such as embraced the faith of one substaÌ„ce yet after his deseasse remouing to Mediolanum and her sonne being of tender yeares she raised such tumults against Ambrose the Bishop that in the end he was exiled But when the people for the singuler loue and affection they bare vnto Ambrose with stoode her act and hindred their force that went about to conueye him to exile tydings came y â— Gratianus through the wiles sleight of Maximus the tyraÌ„t was put to death Andragathius the captaine of Maximus hidinge himselfe in a chariot resemblinge the forme of a licter borne of mules gaue his souldiers charge to signifie vnto the Emperours gard y â— the Empresse rode therein weÌ„t to meet y â— Emperour who passed ouer Rhodanus a flood y â— runneth by Lions a citie of Fraunce The Emperour thinkinge verily that his wife was there in deede aboyded not the conspiracie but fell vnawares into the enemies hand as a blind maÌ„ falleth into y â— ditch For Andragathius lighted downe out of y â— chariot slewe Gratianus presently He died in the Consulship of Merogandus Saturninus after he had raigned fifteen yeares liued foure twenty The which newes cooled y â— heat of y â— Emperours mother kindled agayust Ambrose Wherefore Valentinianus y â— time constrayuâ—ng him thereunto receaued Maximus with unwilling mind to be his fellowe Emperour Probus y â— gouernour of Italy fearing y â— power of Maximus determined with himselfe to remoue into y â— East with all speed he left Italy and hasteninge towardes Illyrium made his abode at Thessalonica a citie of Macedonia CAP. XII Theodosius the Emperour left Arcadius his sonne and Emperour at Constantinople went towards Millayne to wage battail with Maximus the Bryttaine THeodosius the Emperour for y â— aforesaid cause was wonderfull sory he gathered greate power to go against the tyrant feared greatly lest Maximus would coÌ„spire the death of Valeutinianus y â— yonger Then came also legats from y â— Persians to conclude peace betwene theÌ„ the Emperour it was the very same time y â— his sonne Honorius was borne by his wife Placilla y â— Empresse in y â— consulship of Richomelianus Clearchus the neenth of September A litle before wheÌ„ y â— aforesaid men were consuls Agelius y â— Nouatian bishop finished the mortal race of his naturall life The yeare following being the first coÌ„sulship of Arcadius Augustur Vadon after y â— Timotheus bishop of Alexandria departed this life Theophilus succeeded him in the bishoprick The second yeare wheÌ„ Demophilus the Arian bishop had chaunged this life y â— Arians sent for Marinus out of Thracia a man of their owne crue appointed him their bishop Marinus in whose time y â— AriaÌ„s were deuided among theÌ„selues as it shal be shewed hereafter liued not many dayes after wherefore they call Dorotheus out of Antioch in Syria assigne him their bishop The Emperoure leauing his sonne Arcadius at ConstaÌ„tinople marched forewards to geue battail vnto Maximus As he came to Thessalonica he found the souldiers of Valentinianus all dismayed quite discouraged because y â— necessitie had constrained them to take the tyrant Maximus for an Emperour Theodosius shewed himselfe openly to seeme of nere nother side For wheÌ„ Maximus had sent embassadours vnto him he neither receaued neither reiected theÌ„ yet was he sory y â— the Empire of Rome
to cleaue vnto his side He sent vnto the religious houses of the desert that they shoulde obey neither Dioscorus neither his brethren in so much their opinion was that God had no body For God saith he as holy scripture doth witnesse hath eyes eares handes and feete euen as men haue Dioscorus and his followeres sayth he are of a wicked opinion they denye with Origen that God hath eyes eares feete and handes With this subtle and crafty sleighte he allured to his side many of the religious men so that there rose much adoe and great dissention among them Such as were not be witched but guided themselues aright cleaued vnto the opinion of Dioscorus and Origen but the simpler sort which in deede were the greater number being kindled with the firie flame of contention and set against their brethrē fell for altogether from their sound opinion Wherfore they were deuided reuiled eche other for lewde impious persons The cōfederats of Theophilus called their brethren Origenists wicked men againe the complices of Theophilus were called Anthropomorphits by interpretation such as attribute to God the forme of man so that there rose no small bickering among the monkes nay it fell out to be a deadly battaile Theophilus perceauinge that his fetches framed at length after his will went with great power towards the mount Nitria where their religious houses stoode and ayded the monkes both against Dioscorus and also against his brethren The religious men being beset with great daunger had much adoe to saue their liues CAP. VIII Of the conuenticles hymnes which both the Arians and the professors of one substance songe ◠the night season their skirmishing also how the singing of Antemnes was first ordayned by Ignatius the disciple of Saint Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle IOhn bishop of Constantinople was altogether ignorant of the aforesayd great sturre contention raysed in the deserts of Aegypt he was a man that excelled in those dayes for the gift of vtterance he was also of great estimation He him selfe augmēted euening prayer I meane such seruice as vsually is sayd in the night and that vpon such an occasion as followeth The Arians as we sayd before had their conuenticles without y ◠walls of the citie in the suburbs Wherfore when the festiuall meeting throughout euery weeke was come I meane the Saturday and the Sunday vpon which dayes the Christians are wont solemnly to assemble in the church they I meane the Arians gathering thē selues together in the porche of y ◠citie gates songe interchaungeably such songes as they had made them selues and sauoured of the Arian opinion and this they did almost throughout the whole night First of all they were wont at the dawning of the daye to goe out at the gates and to singe Antemne wise such lewde songs through the midds of the citie vntill they came to the place of their assembled congregation But in so much they ceassed not to sounde out contumelious sentences agaynst such as fauored the faith of One substance for among diuers others this was one Where be these felowes which affirme three to be but one power Iohn fearinge lest any of the simpler sorte shoulde be snared and lest these opprobrious rymes woulde be stumblinge blockes and occasions to fall from the faith ordayned of the contrary certaine of his owne people which in like sort shoulde occupie them selues in the nyght in singinge of hymnes partly for to quell the insolencie of the Arians partly also for to confirme their owne side in the faith And for all the meaninge of Iohn was good and his dryft auaylable yet the ende proued very troublesome and perillous For when the hymnes extolled the faith of One substance and purchased greate maiestie and reuerence because of the melodious concent and sweete harmonie in the nyght season for there were siluer candlesticks after the maner of crosses deuised for the bearinge of the tapers and waxe candels all which Eudoxia the Empresse founde vnto them the Arians flocked together burned with emulation and for to reuenge them selues sett vpon their aduersaries And because that a little before their side had preuayled and gott the vpper hande they were then swollen with pride and egerly bent to take armour and made no accompt at all of such as fauoured the faith of One substance Wherefore without further deliberation on a certaine night they made an vprore In this skirmishe Briso an Eunuch of the Empresse and a fauourer of the hymnes that were song in the commendation of the clause Of one substance was taken in the forehead with a stone diuers of the common sort were slayne of ether side The Emperour vnderstandinge of this sturre was wonderfully incensed gaue the Arians strayght commaundement they should openly singe no more hymnes These things were then in this sort Now let vs record whence the hymnes that are songe interchaungeably in the church commonly called Antemnes had their originall Ignatius bishop Antioche in Syria the thirde bishop by succession from Peter the Apostle who was conuersant and had great familiaritie with the Apostles saw a vision of Angells which extolled the blessed Trinitie with hymnes that were songe interchaungeably and deliuered vnto the church of Antioche the order and maner of singing expressed in the vision thereof it came to passe that euery church receaued the same tradition So much of Antemnes CAP. IX Of the Monkes that were called longe and howe that about them Theophilus bishop of Alexandria pursued Iohn byshop of Constantinople with deadly hatred and fought to depose him howe Epiphanius bishop of Cyprus being wonne through the wiles of Theophilus called a Councell at Cyprus condemned the workes of Origen and reprehended Iohn for perusinge of them SHortly after the Monkes left the desert and came together with Dioscorus and his brethren vnto Constantinople There came thither also with them Isidorus the great friend somtime of Theophilus but then his deadly foe so became vpon such an occasion as followeth Theophilus conceauing great displeasure against one Peter head priest in the church of Alexandria determined to banishe him the churche he charged him that he had receaued into the communion a woman of the hereticall sect of the Manichees before he had conuerted her But when Peter auoutched that he both withdrewe her from that hereticall opinion and admitted her also into the churche with the consent of Theophilus makinge him priuye therevnto Theophilus stomaked the dealing as if Peter had done it in spite of him For he sayde that he knewe nothing of it Wherfore Peter called Isidorus to witnesse that Theophilus the bishop knewe of the womans admission Isidorus then was at the princely citie of Rome for Theophilus had sent him vnto Damasus bishop of Rome for to reconcile vnto him Flauianus bishop of Antioche For as many as were of Meletius side fell from Flauianus because he kept not his othe as we sayde before Isidorus
dissention to embrace peace and vnity â–ª of the same matter also he wrote vnto Peter Byshop of Alexandria CAP. XXII Of the schisme raised at Alexandria and in sundrie other places toutching the councell of Chalcedon WHen the schisme waxed hotte and the sedition grieuous within the citie of Alexandria Peter perswaded certaine Byshops and gouernours of monasteries to communicate with him There he condemned and accursed the decrees of Leo the actes of the Chalcedon councell and suche as woulde not receaue the bookes of Dioscorus and Timothee Manye others he banished their monasteries when he could not allure them to his hereticall opinion wherfore Nephalius tooke his voyage to Constantinople reuealed the wholl vnto Zeno who therefore was wonderfull sorie and sent thither Cosmas one of his garde for to threaten and rebuke Peter verie sharpely partly for coutemninge the Epistle of Zeno intitled of concorde and partly also because that through his rough dealinge so great a sedition was raysed But when Cosmas could preuaile in nothinge saue onely that the expulsed monks were restored by his meanes vnto their monasteries backe againe he got him to the Emperour Wherefore the Emperour the seconde time sent Arsenius lieuetenant of Aegypt and captaine of the garrison amongest them who together with Nephalius went straighte to Alexandria entreated them to keepe the peace but when he could not obtaine his purpose he sent some of them to Constantinople And for al there was great reasoninge in the presence of Zeno about the councell of Chalcedon yet was there nothinge concluded for neither did Zeno wholly cleaue vnto it CAP. XXIII Of Phranitas and Euphemius Byshops of Constantinople Athanasius and Iohn Byshops of Alexandria Palladius and Flauianus of Antioch with others ABout that time when Acacius Byshop of Constantinâ—â—â— had finished the mortall race of his naturall life Phranitas was chosen to succeede him in the Byshopricke He wrote letters of amitie vnto Peter but Peter aunswered him againe and inueyed bitterly against the councell of Chalcedon This Phranitas continewed Byshop no longer then foure moneths but he died and left Euphemius to succeede him When Peter wrote vnto him also letters of amitie and Euphemius perceaued that in them he accursed the councell of Chalcedon he was all out of quiet and woulde in no wise communicate with Peter Both their Epistles are extant Phranitas vnto Peter and Peter vnto Phranitas the whiche I will omitte because they are longe and tedious When Euphemius and Peter contended among them selues and while they purposed to call synods together one against the other it fell out that Peter departed this life in whose rowme Athanasius succeeded which laboured with all might to reconcile suche as were at discorde and dissention but he could not preuaile because their mindes were so drawen into diuers and different opinions The same Athanasius wrote afterwardes letters of amitie vnto Palladius the successor of Peter in the byshopricke of Antioch specially concerning the councell of Chalcedon So did Iohn the successor of Athanasius in the seae of Alexandria Moreouer when Palladius Byshop of Antioch had departed this life Flauianus succeeded him and sent Solomon priest of Antioch to Alexandria with letters of amitie vnto Iohn requiringe an aunswere by the same messenger After the deceasse of Iohn an other Iohn succeeded him in the byshopricke of Alexandria These things continewed in this sort the raigne of Anastasius for he deposed Enphemius of his byshopricke yet was I fayne here to rehearse them in order for the playner deliuerance and better vnderstanding of the storye CAP. XXIIII How Armatus cosen to Berina the Empresse was put to death KEno through the procurement of Ilus dispatched out of the way Armatus the cosin of Berina the Empresse whom Basiliscus sometime had made captaine against him yet he wonne him to his side made him in steade of his enemy his companion and created his sonne Basiliscus Caesar at Nice notwithstandinge these great benefites he got him to Constantinople and conspired the death of Armatus his sonne Basiliscus in steade of Caesar he made priest who afterwardes was preferred to be Byshop CAP. XXV The death of Theodorichus the Scythian which tooke armour against Zeno. ABout that time Theodorichus a Scythian borne prepared him selfe to geue Zeno the Emperour battaile he raised a wonderfull great army in Thracia and marched forwardes towardes Constantinople he destroyed all the countrey before him vnto the entry of Pontus and verily he had taken Constantinople had not some of his dearest friendes bene displeased with him and conspired how to bereaue him of his life he himselfe beinge geuen to vnderstande of the hatred that was borne vnto him gaue backe yet not longe after he dyed but what kinde of death I am now about to declare There honge on high before his campe after the Barbarian maner a speare cleft in the ende He beinge desirous to reuiue his spirites and exercise his body commaunded they shoulde bringe him a horse In all the hast as he was in other thinges altogether impatient vp he gets him the horse beinge vnbroken and fierce praunced about fette diuers carrieres ere Theodorichus coulde settle him selfe in his sadle he fanned the aer with his forefeet and stood bolt vpright onely vpon the hinder feete so that Theodorichus had muche adoe to struggle with him yet durst he not pull the bridle lest he fell vpon him neyther was he fast on his horse but was tossed to and froe so that the point of the speare whiche honge ouer his heade toutched him and at length stucke in his riâ—bes that he was daungerously wounded thereupon he was constrained to keepe his bedde and shortly after dyed CAP. XXVI How Martianus raised battaile against Zeno and what became 〈◊〉 him â—n the ende AFter the death of Theodorichus Martianus the sonne of Anthemius Emperour sometime of Rome and allyed vnto 〈◊〉 the Emperour rebelled against Zeno. â–ª He had maried Leontiâ— the yonger daughter of Leo and fell to practise tyrannye When they had fought in the pallace and many fallen of both sides Martianus foyled his aduersaries and had taken the pallace had not he posted his deuise ouer vnto the nexte daye and let slippe the opportunitie that was geuen him Occasion is a slipperie thinge beinge once past perhaps it will not come againe beinge gone out of our hande it flyeth with the aer â–ª laugheth the pursuers to scorne and bids fooles farewell For he that will not when he may when he will he shall haue nay Poets and Paynters the fathers of glosses and vizards vse to portract the forepart of the heade with a bushe of heare and to leaue behinde the bald skull geuinge vs very wittily to vnderstand that while occasion or opportunity is behinde it can not be helde for there is no heare to take holde of but while it is in the forehead it flyeth away makes of the pursuer a foole Whiche verily happened vnto
not truly borne but phantastically Euseb li. 7. cap. 30. Socrates lib. 1. ca. 17. sayth of him that at the fâ—sthe was called Cubricê° afterwards chauÌ„ging his name he went into Persia founde the bookes of Buddas and published them in his owne name he taughte that there were manye Gods that the sunne was to be worshipped that there was fatall destenie that the soules wente from one body into another The king of Persia his son fel sick Manes through sorceâ—y tooke vpoÌ„ him to cuâ—e him killed him The king caused him to be clapt in prison but he brake prison fled into Mesopotamia ther was he takeÌ„ and flayd aliue his skinne filled with chaff and hanged at the gates of the citie 310. ConstaÌ„tinus Magnus the sonne of Constantius borne in Brytayne was there proclamed Emperour after the desease of his father He maketh Licinius who maried his sister his felowe Emperour At the same time Maxentius played the tyrant at Rome and Maximinus in the East He sawe in the aër the signe of the crosse he fully perswaded him selfe to fight agaiÌ„st the tyrants and in the behalfe of Christian religion Pamphilus martyr suffered vnder Maximus Ierom There was a couÌ„cel helde at Neo caesarea where among other things it was decreed that none should be made priest before he were 30. yeares olde tom 1. concil   Marcellus was b. of RoÌ„e after Marcellinus a very short whyle some take hiÌ„ for the former and so it may be for Euseb made no mention of him yet in Damas Pont. I find that he gouerned 5. yeares Achillas was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Peter Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. Hierax taught in Aegypt that there was no resurrection he abhorred mariage he sayd the children that dyed before the yeares of discretion were daÌ„ned he thought that Melchisedech was the holy ghost Epiphan haeres 67. 311. Suidas sayth that from Christ vnto Constantinus Magnus there are 318. yeres the which is true after Eusebius computation if we take the time after the ouerthrowe of the tyrants when heru led alone  Antonie the Monke florished in the dayes of CoÌ„stantine he wrote seuen epistles the which are at this daye to be seene he liued 100. 5. yeares Ierom catalog Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 17. A councell was called by Constantine at Rome in the time of Miltiades to reforme the variaÌ„ce betwen Caecilianus b. of Carthage and his colleges Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Macarius was b. of Ierusalem after Hermon he was the meanes with Helena that the crosse of Christ was founde there he was at the councel of Nice Constantinus Magnus wrot vnto him sundry epistles Socrat lib. 1. cap. 6. 9. Vitalis was b. of Antioch after Tyranus Eusebius a Grecian b. of Rome after Marcellus 1. yeare 7. moneths Euseb chro tom 1. concil Alexander was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Achil las by preachinge of the trinitie somewhat curiously he gaue occasioÌ„ to Arius one of his clergie to fall from the faith Socrat lib. 1. cap. 3. He was at the councel of Nice Meletius b. of some citie in Aegypt sacrificed to Idols in the time of the persecution vnder Diocletian and was deposed by Peter b. of Alexandria he rayled at Peter after his death he reuiled Achillas laste of all he fell to backbiting of Alexander to take part with the AriaÌ„s the true churche was called the Catholike churche but he called his church the churche of martyrs the Councell of Nice condemned him toke from him all authoritie that belonged to a bishop and there vpon the Meletians were deuided from the church Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. 6. Ephiphan haeres 68.   Ammon a monke yet maried Didymus Arsenius Pior Isidorus Pambo Petirus Macarius Euagrius were famous about that time Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. Osius b. of Corduba in Spayne a graue father was sent by ConstaÌ„tine to reconcile Alexander and Arius he was at the councell of Nice the Arians in the councell of Siâ—miuÌ„ scurged his bare sides because he woulde not subscribe vnto theyr hereticall opinions Socrat lib. 1. ca. 4. 5. 9. li. 2. cap. 26. Constantine called a councell at Orleance to remoue the dissention risen betwene Byshops Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Alexander b. of Alexandria called there a councell of many bishops where he condemned Arius accursed his heresie writinge vnto the bishops throughoute christendome what opinions he held Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3.   Meltiades was b. of RoÌ„e after Eusebiê° in the time of CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus ann Dom. 312. coÌ„tinewed 6. yeres Euseb chron eccle hist lib. 10. ca. 5.         Siluester was b. of Rome after Meltiades an Dom. 314. continewed 20. yeares Euse chron WheÌ„ Constantine offred him a goldeÌ„ scepter he refused it as a thiÌ„g not fitte for the priestly function Sabell   330. He â—oyled Maxentius vpoÌ„ the riuer Tiberis Liâ—â—â—ê° ouercame Maximinê° theyâ—oyntly published edicts in the behalf of the christians In the end â—iâ—imus rebelled against him ConstaÌ„tinus ouercame him ruled alone restored peace vnto the whole worlde gaue money vnto the church deliuered the bishops from paying taxe or tribute he wrote vnto Paphnutius b. of the vpper Thebais had one of his eyes pulled out in the tyme of persecution Constantine was woÌ„t to kisse the emptie place he was presente at the councell of Nice and turned the wholl assemblie from separating maried priestes froÌ„ theyr wiues Socrat lib. 1. ca. 5. 8 Spiridion a man of great fame in in those dayes was at the councell of Nice though he were a bishoppe yet kept he sheepe in the fieldes Athanasius being a yong man was at the couÌ„cell of Nice looke more of him in the colume of the bishops of AlexaÌ„dria A generall couÌ„cell was called at Nice in Bithynia of 318. bishops by CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus as Nicephorus sayeth the 20. yere of Constantine an Dom. 328. some saye 326. some other 324 in the tyme of Siluester b. of Rome where they coÌ„demned Arius debated the coÌ„trouersie of Easter layde downe the forme of faith coÌ„monly called the Nicene Creede ratified the clause of one substance and wrote vnto the churche of Alexandria that they had deposed Arius Socra lib. 1. cap. 5. 6.  Philogonus was b. of Antioch after Vitalis dyed a martyr Nicephor  Athanasius was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Alexander and the breaking vp of the Nicen councell beinge a heathen boye he played the parte of a Christian bishop in a certeÌ„ play which prognosticated he woulde proue a no table man being deacon he weÌ„t to the councel of Nice and disputed against the Arians Socrat lib. 1. cap. 5. 11. being byshop the Arians falsly accused him of bribery treason that he sent of his clergie into Mareôtes which beate the altare with theyr feete ouerthrew the Lords tablebrake the holy cup and burned the bible they accused hiÌ„ of murther magick and to answere vnto those crimes he was