the ende euery one myght therefore the more stande in awe of his maiestie because it was not easie for euery one to knowe him perfectly Although he beganne to be somewhat the meeker after these and other such like perswasions which the philosopher vsed yet layde he not aside all his venemous spyte and anger for in steede of death he punished the cleargie men with exile and banishment so longe vntyll that his mischieuous enterprise was stopped vpon such occasion as followeth The Barbarians inhabitinge beyonde Istrum commonly called Gotthes by reason of ciuill warres were deuided into two partes the one syde was lead by Phritigernes the other by Athanarichus When that Athanarichus seemed to gett the vpper hande Phritigernes fledde for ayde agaynste the enemie vnto the Romaines Valens the Emperour vnderstandinge of this commaunded the souldiers of Thracia to ayde the one side agaynste the other The souldiers puttinge the enemie to flyght foyled Athanarichus and gott the victorie Which was a cause that many of the Barbarian nations receaued the faith of Christ For Phritigernes to requite the Emperoure for the curtesie shewed vnto him embraced his religion and perswaded his subiects to the same Wherefore many Gotthes who then addicâ—ed them selues into the Arian opinion partly for to feede the Emperours vayne and fully to please him neuer left it vnto this daye Then also Vlphilas byshop of the Gotthes founde out the Gotthicke letters and as soone as he had translated holye scripture into that tongue he determined with him selfe that the Barbarians shoulde learne the blessed worde of God Immediatly after that Vlphilas had instructed in the Christian religion as well the faction of Athanarichus as the followers of Phritigernes Athanarichus tormented grieuously many that professed the Christian faith as if his countrey lawes and ordinances had bene corrupted by their meanes so that diuers Barbarians of the Arian sect then suffred Martyrdome Arius because he coulde not withstande the erroure of Sabellius the Aprick fell from the right faith saying that the sonne of God was but lately created but these men receauing the Christian faith with simplicitie of minde sticked not to spende their liues in the quarrell Thus much of the Gothes conuerted as afore vnto the faith of Christ CAP. XXVIII How the Gothes being driuen out of their owne contrey fled vnto the Romaine dominions who being entertayned of the Emperour fell out to be the ouerthrowe of the empire and the destruction of the Emperour him selfe howe the warrs with the Gothes wrought quietnes to the true Christians IN a short while after the aforesayd Barbarians being reconciled and at one amonge them selues were ouercome by other Barbarians their owne neighboures called Hunni and driuen out of their owne contrey so that they were faine to flie vnto the Romaine empire they crooched vnto the Romaines they protested loyaltie and subiection Valens vnderstanding of this not soreseeing what was like to ensue thereof commaunded they shoulde curteously be entertayned herein onely shewed him selfe clement Wherefore he appointed them certaine contreyes of Thracia to inhabite and thought him selfe happy for their comming he thought to haue of them at hande alwayes ready an exercised army and speedy host against the enemy Moreouer that the Barbarian watch woulde be a greater terror vnto the aduersary then the Romaine souldier Thenceforth be neglected the trayning of Romaine souldiers in feates of armes he set at nought olde wether beaten warriers valiant and couragious captaines In steede of the souldiers which were mustered and pricked throughout euery village of the seuerall prouinces he required money commaunding that for euery souldier they shoulde pay fourescore crownes This he did when that he had first released them of their tribute This was the originall cause that y e Romaine affayres prospered not in a long time after For the Barbarians now possessing Thracia and enioying with ease and security the Romaine prouince were immoderatly puft vp and swollen with prosperitie they tooke armour against the Romaines which had bene their deare friendes and benefitted them diuersly they beganne to ouerrunne and destroy all the contreyes about Thracia When Valens hearde of this it was high time for him to leaue exiling of the true christians and to turne him self vnto these rebells Now mused he and cast doubts with him selfe immediatly he left Antioch and got him to Constantinople By this meanes the heate of persecution kindled against the Christians was wholly quenched Then also died Euzoius the Arian Bishop of Antioch the fift Consulship of Valens the first of Valentinianus the yonger in whose rowme Dorotheus succeeded CAP. XXIX How the Saracens vnder the raygne of Mauia their Queene tooke one Moses a Monke a godly a faithfull man to their Bishop and embraced the Christian faith WHen the Emperour had left Antioch the Saracens who before time were fellowes friends and in league with the Romaines then first beganne to rebell being gouerned guyded by a woman called Mauia whose husband had departed this life a litle before they tooke armour against them Wherefore all the prouinces of the Romaine dominions that lay towards the East had then wholly bene ouerrunne by the Saracens if the diuine prouidence of God had not withstoode their enterprises The meanes were these Moses a Saracene borne lead in the desert the monastical trade of life for his zeale godlines for his constant faith for the straung miracles wrought by him he was famous among all men Mauia Queene of the Saracens required of the Romaines this Moses to be her Bishop and in so doing she woulde cast of armour and ioyne in league with them The Romaine captaines hearing of this thought them selues happy if peace were concluded vpon such a condition laying all delayes aside they bid the Queene bring her purpose to passe Moses was taken from the wildernes and sent to Alexandria for orders When Moses was come in the presence of Lucius who then gouerned the Churches of Alexandria he refused his ceremonies and laying on of handes reasoning with him in this sorte I thinke my selfe vnworthy of the priestly order yet if it be for the profitt of the common weale y t I be called vnto the function truely thou Lucius shalt neuer lay hand vpon my heade for thy right hand is imbrued with slaughter and bloodshed When Lucius sayd againe that it became him not so contumeliously to reuile him but rather to learne of him the precepts of christian religion Moses answered I am not come presently to reason of matters in religion but sure I am of this that thy horrible practises against the brethren proue thee to be altogether voyd of the true principles of Christian religion For the true Christian striketh no man reuileth no man fighteth with no man for the seruant of God shoulde be no fighter but thy deedes in exiling of some throwing of others to wilde beastes burning of some others doe crye out against thee
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
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
of the high sheepherde But if theyr mindes haue bene amazed with the threates of sundry tyrantes neither hath the worde of saluation contemned the cure of them but healinge them notably leadeth them vnto heauenly comforte saying Comfort yourselues you faint harted be strong feare not and because it behoued this wildernes wrought for God to enioy these benefits this our newe and passing Zorobabel endued with that readines of mind he is of to geue eare obeying the sayings of the prophets after that bitter captiuity and abhomination of desolation despised not this deade carcase but before all thinges pacifying God the father with prayers and supplications together with the consente of you all taking him for a helper and fellowe worker which alone quickeneth the deade raised her being fallen after that he had purged and cured the mischiefs which were wrought and gaue her a stole not wherewith she was cladd of old but that which she learned againe of holy scripture which testifieth thus And the later glory of this house shall passe the former Wherefore enlarging this quire with farre greater rowme he hath fortified the outer compasse of the whole buylding with a wall that it might be a most safe hedge of all the whole work next he hath erected a great porch reaching very high eastwardes vnto the sunne beames so that vnto them which stande a farre of without the halowed walls it yealdeth a cleare shewe of the artificiall worke contayned within them and with all turning or entising the countenance of foreyners toutching the fayth vnto the first entrance so that none passe by which is not pricked in minde first with the remembrance of the former desolation past next with the sight of this wonderfull worke vnto such as were hoped and wished for a pricke paraduenture to draw men and by the beholding thereof to entice meÌ„ to enter in them also who already are entred within the gates he suffreth not with foule and vnwashed feete to drawe nigh vnto the inner partes of the most holy places For making a separation with great distance betwene the temple it selfe the first entrance he hath bewtified this place on euery side with foure ouerthwarte porches and after the forme of a quadrangle he compassed them about one euery side with highe pillers the distance whereof he hathe shutte with latice like netts made of wood and measured after the breadeth of the place the open middle he left free that the gorgeous skie mighte be seene and that it might yeld the aere tempered with the bright beames of the sunne Hither hath he referred pleadges of holy purgations to meete welsprings lying ouer against the temple which with great plenty of water graunte licence of purifying vnto such as enter into the holy cloysteres The first exercise for such as enter yeldeth vnto euery one bewty brightnes to were the washing of their handes clensing of their body but vnto theÌ„ that desire the knowledge of the chiefe principles of our religion a fiâ—â—e mansion place to continewe Moreouer when he had wonderfully garnished the sight of these he proceeded on made the entraunces of the temple wide open as yet w t more artificiall porches wrought within side And againe he placed three gates of the one side subiecte to the sunne beames the which he made to excell w t the midd distaÌ„ce of both sids by reason of the biggnesse and breadth thereof the which also he notably sett forth with bowes of brasse linked with iron and sundry kinds of carued worke and substituted them vnto it as gardinge souldiers vnto a queene After this maner he added the same number of porches vnto the galeryes on euery side of the whole temple and ouer theÌ„ from aboue he inueÌ„ted sundry falles of greater lights vnto the whole house the setting out or fronte of theÌ„ he hath diuersly wrought ouer with carued timber But the princely pallace he hath fortified w t more precious more gorgeous stuff vsing for this more pleÌ„teous liberality of expeÌ„ces It seemeth vnto me herein a thing superflous if y â— I would describe the length breadth of this house these gorgeous ornaments the vnspeakable greatnes y â— glistering shew of the worke the height reaching vnto y â— heauens if that I would extoll with speach the precious cedre trees of Libanus hanging ouer the which holy Scripture haue not passed ouer with silence saying The trees of the Lorde vvill reioyce and the cedres of Libanus vvhich the Lord hath planted To what end shall I entreate more curiously of the most wise and chiefe deuised disposition of the building and againe of the excellent ornature of euery seuerall parte when as the testimony of the eyes them selues passeth and excludeth that knowledg which pearceth the eare But this man hauing finished the temple and the most high seates for the presidents honor againe hauinge placed the vnderseates in a passing good order and last of all the most holy place the alter beinge sett in the middest agayne he so compassed these things wyth wooden rayles wrought vp to the toppe wyth artificiall caruynge that many might not come therein yeldinge a wonderfull bewty to the beholders Nether hath he negligeÌ„tly strawed the pauement This he gorgeously bedecked with marble stone now consequently he tooke in haÌ„d the vtter partes of the temple he builded seates and goodly chapels one ether side very artificially and ioyned theÌ„ to the temples side he beat out windowes coopled them to the doores of the middle temple the which things also our Solomon an earnest maintainer of peace builder of this temple hath brought to passe for such as yet want the sacrifice sprinklings done by water and the holy ghost So that the prophecy aboue mentioned consist no longer in words but is accomplished in deede it selfe For as yet as it is most true The later glorie of this house passeth the former For it behoued and most meete it was In so much that the Lorde had bene in agony had once embraced death for her and after his passion the foule body which for her sake he putt on being translated vnto brightnes and glory and the flesh it selfe after dissolution ledd from corruption to incorruption that shee in like maner shoulde enioye the gracious goodnes of our Sauiour Although she had promisses of the Lord himselfe of farre more excelleÌ„t gifts and desireth incessantly to obtaine a greater glory of newe birth at the resurrection of the incorruptible body together with the glisteringe brightnes of the Angelicall quire aboue in the heauens pallaces of God with Iesus Christ him selfe the chiefe benefactor and Sauiour in the world to come yet in the meane space in this present life she which of old was a widowe and solitary nowe adorned by the grace of God with these flowres and become in deede like the lily according vnto the sayinge of
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
kinge went a hunting suche a thing happened The hilles and forest where his game laye were ouercast with darke cloudes and thicke mist the game was vncertaine and doubtfull the waye stopt and intricate the kinge beinge at his witts ende not knowinge what was best in this case to be done called earnestly vpon the Gods whiche he accustomed to serue But when his calling vpon them stoode him in no steede it came to his mind to thinke vpon the God of the captiue woman vnto him then he turneth and crieth for helpe As soone then as he had prayed vnto him the cloude was dissolued the miste scattered it selfe and vanished awaye The Kinge wondered returned whome ioyfullye and tolde his wife all that had happened Immediatly he sendes for the captiue woman when shee came he demaunded of her what God it was whome she serued She so instructed the Iberian Kinge that he published abrode the praises of Christ By the meanes of this deuoute woman he embraced the â—ayth of Christe he made proclamation that all his subiectes shoulde come together To them he rehearsed the manner of his sonnes curinge the healinge of his wife and what happened vnto him as he wente a huntinge He exhorted them to serue the God of the captiue woman They preache Christe to bothe sex the Kinge to men and the Queene to women As soone as he had learned of the captiue woman the forme and fashion of Churches whiche the Romaynes vsed he caused a Church to be buylded and gaue charge that with all speede prouision should be made for buyldinge To be shorte the house of prayer is erected As soone as they wente aboute to lifte vp the pillours the wisedome of God euen in the worke it selfe setled the mindes of the people and drewe them to Christe It fell out that one of the pillours remayned immoueable and colde by no deuise be remoued the ropes breake and the engines cracke in peeces The workemen despaire and returne euery man to his home Then the fayth of the captiue woman made it selfe manifest For in the night season when no man perceaued she came vnto the place and continewed in prayer all night longe by the deuine prouidence of God the pilloure is winded vp in the ayer ouer the foundacion and there hangeth leuell wise without ether proppe or butresse At the breakinge of the daye the Kinge beinge a carefull man not forgetfull of his busines came to see the buylding and behouldeth the pillour hanginge in the aer leuell ouer his place He wondereth at the sighte and all that sawe it were astonished In a litle space after before their faces the pilloure came downe and fastened it selfe in his proper place Whereupon they all showted the kings faith is helde for true the God of the captiue woman was extolled with prayses Thenceforth they stagger not at all but with chearefull mindes they rayse the rest of the pilloures and in a while after they finishe the buyldinge After this they sende Embassadors vnto Constantine requestinge league thenceforthe to be concluded betwene them and the Romaynes they craue a Byshope and Clergie men to instructe them they protest they re syncere and vnfayned beleefe in Christe Ruffinus reporteth that he learned these thinges of â—acurius who sometime gouerned the Iberians afterwardes comminge vnto the Romaynes was made captaine ouer theire souldiers in Palaestina In his later dayes he stood the Emperour Theodosius in great steede in the battaile which he gaue to Maximus the tyrants Thus did the Iberians receaue the christian fayth in the dayes of Constantine the Emperoure CAP. XVII Of Antonie the monke and Manes the hereticke and his originall THe same time liued Antonie the monke in the desertes of Aegypte But in as muche as Athanasius Byshope of Alexandria hathe lately sette forth in a seuerall volume intitled of his life his maners and conuersation howe openly he buckled with deuells howe he ouerreached their sleyghtes and subtle combates and wroughte many maruelous and straunge miracles I thinke it superfluous of my parte to entreate thereof The dayes of Constantine haue yelded greate plenty of rare and singular men but amonge the good wheate tares are accustomed to growe and the spite of Satan is the sworne enemy of prosperous affaires For a litle before the raygne of Constantine a counterfette religion no other in shewe then the seruice of paganes mingled it selfe with the true and christian religion no otherwise then false prophets are wont to rise amonge the true prophets of God and false Apostles among the zealous Apostles of Christ Then went Manichaeus about couertly to conuey into the Church of God the doctrine of Empedocles the heathen philosopher of whome Eusebius Pamphilus made mention in the 7. booke of his ecclesiasticall history yet not exquisitely handlinge his doinges Wherefore looke what he omitted that I suppose necessary to be supplied of vs for so we shall soone learne bothe who and what this Manichaeus was and also by what meanes he presumed to practise suche lewde enterprises A certaine Saracen of Scythia had to his wife a captiue borne in the vpper Thebais for whose sake he settled him selfe to dwell in Aegypte And beinge well seene in the discipline of the Aegyptians he endeuored to sowe among the doctrine of Christ the opinions of Empedocles and Pythagoras That there were two natures as Empedocles dreamed one good an other bad the bad enmytie the good vnitie This Scythian had to his disciple one Buddas who afore that tyme was called Terebynthus whiche wente to the coastes of Babylon inhabited of Persians and there published of himselfe manye false wonders that he was borne of a virgine that he was bred and brought vp in the montaynes after this he wrote foure bookes one of Mysteries the seconde he entitled The Gospell The thirde Thesaurus The fourth A summarye He fayned on a time that he woulde worke certaine feates and offer sacrifice but he beinge an highe the deuell threwe him downe so that he brake his necke and dyed miserablye His hoastesse buried him tooke all that he had and boughte therewith a ladde of seauen yeares olde whose name was Cubricus This woman after that shee had made him a free denzion and trained him vp in learninge not longe after dyeth and gaue him by legacie all the goodes of Terebynthus the bookes also whiche he had wrytten beinge the Scythians disciple Whiche thinges when this free denized Cubricus had gotten he conueyed him selfe forthewith into Persia He chaungeth his name and in steede of Cubricus he calls him selfe Manes The bookes of Buddas otherwise called Terebynthus he setteth abroade as his owne doeinges vnto suche as were snared with his follye The titles of the bookes â—arelye gaue a showe or colour of christian religion but in trueth it selfe the doctrine tasted and sauored of paganisine For Manes as he was in deede a wicked man taught the worlde to serue many gods he commaunded the sonne
endeuored with all might possible to ouerthrow for when he tooke vpon him the patronship of that councels decrees he supposed it was his bounden duety to foresee lest the canons and decrees of that councell shoulde any kinde of way be impayred Wherefore being now busied with this controuersie he layd aside the quirks of logicke and fledd for ayde and asistance vnto Almighty God he gaue him selfe to continewal fasting and left no prayer vnrepeated such a kind of seruice deuotion he solemply embraced He got him into the Church of Peace for so they called the Church he locked in him selfe and finished such kinde of seruice as pleased him best he gott him to the Altare and downe he fell on his bare knees before the communion table praying vnto God w t teares that trickled downe his cheekes in which kinde of order he continewed many dayes and many nights He called for helpe at the handes of God and his petition was graunted His prayer was thus Graunt I besech thee o Lorde sayth he that if the opinion of Arius be true I my selfe may neuer see the ende of this sett disputation but if the fayth which I holde be true that Arius the author of all this mischiefe may receaue due punishment for his impious deserte This was the zealous prayer of Alexander The Emperour being desirous to knowe the minde and disposition of Arius sent for him to his pallace demaundes of him whether he woulde subscribe vnto the Canons of the Nicene councell He without any more adoe very cheerefully putts to his hande When as for all that he dalyed both craftely and lewdely with the decrees of that councell The Emperour maruelling at this put him to his othe he falsely and faynedly sware also The crafty â—uglinge which he vsed to bleare their eyes in subscribing as I haue hearde was this Arius wrote his opinion in a peece of paper of his owne the same he caryeth vnder his arme comming to the booke he takes his othe that he veryly beleeued as he had written This which I write of him I haue hearde to be moste true But I gather playnly that he sware after his subscription out of the Emperours letters The Emperour beleeuing verily that he dealt playnely commaundes Alexander Bishop of Constantinople to receaue him to the communion It was vpon a saturday the day after Arius looked to be receaued into the Church and communion of the faythfull â–ª but vâ—ngeance lighted forthwith vpon his lewde and bolde enterprises When he had taken his leaue and departed out of the Emperours hall he passed through the middes of the citie with great pompe and pontificality compassed with the faction and trayne of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia that wayted vpon him As soone as he came nigh Constantines market for so was the place called where there stoode a piller of redd marble sodaine feare of the haynous faules he had committed tooke Arius and withall he felt a greate laske Syrs sayth Arius is there any draught or iakes nigh when they tolde him that there was one in the backe side of Constantines market he gott him thither straight The mans harte was in his heeles he looked pitiously together with his excrements he voydeth his gutts a greate streame of bloode followeth after the sclender and small bowells slyde out bloode together with the splene and liuer gusheth out â–ª immediatly he dieth like a dogge Those iakes are to be seene vnto this day at Constantinople behinde as I sayd before Constantines markett and the porch shambles All passengers as many I say as goe by are wonte to pointe at the place with the finger to the ende they may call to remembrance and in no wise forgett the miserable ende of Arius that died in those iakes This being done terror astonishment amazed the mindes of Eusebius his confederats that followed him The report thereof was bruted abroad not onely throughout the whole citie but in maner as I may say throughout the whole world The Emperour by this meanes cleaued the more vnto christian religion and sayd that the Nicene Creede was ratified and confirmed to be true by the testimony of God him selfe and reioyced exceedingly at the thinges which then came to passe His three sonnes he made Caesars seuerally one after an other euery tenth yeare of his raygne His eldest sonne whom after his owne name he called Constantine the tenth yeare of his raygne he made Emperour ouer the westerne partes of the empire the seconde sonne whome after his graundfathers name he called Constantius the twentieth yeare of his raygne he made Emperour ouer the Easterne partes of the empire The third and yongest of all called Constans he consecrated Emperour the thirtieth yeare of his raygne CAP. XXVI The sicknes the Baptisme the death and funerall of Constantinus magnus THe yeare after Constantine the Emperour being threescore and fiue yeare olde fell sicke and leauing Constantinople sayled to Helenopolis vsing for his healthe the hott baths that were nighe the towne When that he sickned more and more he differred bayning of him selfe left Helenopolis and gott him straight to Nicomedia â–ª Abiding there in a certayne manour without the towne walls he was baptized in the fayth of Christ In the which baptisme he greatly reioyced made his last will testament appoynted his three sonnes heyres of the empire distributed to theÌ„ their seuerall inheritances as he had in his healths time he bequetheth to Rome and to Constantinople many famous monuments he putteth the Priest by whose meanes Arius was called from exile of whome we spake a litle before in trust with his testament charging him to deliuer it to no mans hand saue to his sonne Constantius whome he had made Emperour of the East His will being made and his life lasting a fewe dayes after he died At his death there was none of his sonnes present Wherefore there was a Post sent into the East for to signifie vnto his sonne Constantius the deathe of his father * The Emperours corps his familiares and dearest friendes chested in a coffin of golde and carryed it to Constantinople there they sett it in an high lodging of the pallace doing thereunto great honor and solemnitie vntill that one of his sonnes was come When that Constantius was now come from the East they sett forth the corps with a princely funerall and buried it in the Apostles Churche for so was it called the which Church Constantine buylded lest that the Emperours and Priestes shoulde be bereued of the Apostles reliques The Emperour Constantine liued threescore and fiue yeares he raygned 31. and died the two and twentieth day of May Felicianus and Tatianus being Consuls the second yeare of the two hundreth seuenty and eyght Olympiade This booke compriseth the historie of one and thirtie yeares The ende of the first booke of Socrates THE SECONDE BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. The proeme where
before of Spaine could in no wise brooke that Paulus and Athanasius should be absent the Easterne bishops forthwith depart and cōming to Philippi a citie in Thracia they assemble a priuate coūcell among thē selues beginne thenceforth openly to accurse the creede cōtaining the claule of One substance to sowe abrode in writing their opinion that the sonne was not of one substance w t the father But the assembly of bishops which cōtinewed at Sardice first cōdemned them which fled from the hearing of their cause next deposed from their dignities the accusers of Athanasius afterwards ratified the creede of the Nicene coūcell abrogated the hereticall opinion which said that the sonne was of a different substance from the father last of all sett forth more plainely the clause of One substance for they wrote letters therof sent them throughout the whole world Both sides were pleased with their owne doings and euery one seemed to him selfe to haue done right well the bishops of the East because the Westerne bishops had receaued such as they had deposed the byshops of the West because the Easterne bishops being deposers of others had departed before y ◠hearing of their cause the one for that they mayntained the Nicene creede the other for that they went about to condemne it Their bishoprickes are restored to Paulus and Athanasius likewise to Marcellus bishop of Ancyra in the lesser Galatia who a litle before as we sayd in our first booke was deposed who also then endeuoured with all might to disproue and confute the sentence pronounced against him saying that the phrase and maner of speach which he vsed in his booke was not vnderstoode and therefore to haue bene suspected by them as if he mayntayned the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus Yet we may not forget that Eusebius Pamphilus wrote three bookes to the confutation of the booke of Marcellus where he citeth the words of Marcellus and refuteth them plainly declaring that Marcellus no otherwise then Sabellius the Aphrick Paulus Samosatenus thought that the Lorde Iesus was but onely man CAP. XVII An Apologie or defence in the behalfe of Eusebius Pamphilus that he was no Arian as diuers malicious persons wrote of him BEcause that diuers haue bruted abroade sclaunderous reports of Eusebius Pamphilus affirming that in his workes he sauoured of the heresie of Arius I thinke it not amisse presently to laye downe in fewe wordes what of trueth we may thinke of him Firste of all he was both present at the Councell of Nice and subscribed vnto the clause of One substance In his thirde booke of the lyfe of Constantine he hath these wordes of that Councelll The Emperoure dealt so farre vvith them for the reducinge of them vnto concorde and vnitie that he lefte them not vntyll he had brought them to be of one mynde and of one opinion toutchinge all that afore tyme vvas called into controuersie so that vvith one voyce they all embraced the fayth decided in the Councell of Nice If Eusebius then mentioninge the Councell summoned at Nice doth saye that all quarells and questions were there ended and that all were of one minde and of one opinion howe is it that some dare presume to charge him with the spotte of Arianisme The Arians them selues also are foulie deceaued if they take him for a fauourer of their opinion But some man peraduenture wyll saye that he seemed to smell of Arianisme in that he vsed often tymes in his bookes this phrase By Christ. Whome I answere that not onely he but also other ecclesiasticall writers yea and the Apostle him selfe who was neuer once suspected to be the author of any lewde opinion vsed this phrase before them which wrote such kinde of speache and sundrie other sortes of sentences for the liuely settinge forth and expressinge of the order and maner of our sauiours humanitie But what Eusebius thought when Arius taught that the lonne was a creature and to be accompted as one of the other creatures nowe vnderstande for in his first booke agaynst Marcellus he writeth thus He alone and none other is both called and is in deede the onely begotten sonne of God VVherefore they are vvorthy of reprehension vvhich are not ashamed to call him a creature and to say that he beganne of nothinge as other creatures did Hovve shall he be the sonne or after vvhat sort may he be called the onely begotten of God vvhen as he hath as they say the same nature vvith other creatures and is become one of the vulgare sort of men to wete hauinge the like beginninge vvith them and beyng made partaker vvith them of the creation vvhich is of nothinge But the holie scriptures Ivvis teache vs no such thinges of him And agayne a litle after he sayeth VVhosoeuer then sayeth that the sonne vvas begotten of nothinge or that the principall creature beganne of nothing he attributeth vnto him vnaduisedly the onely name of the sonne but in very deede and in trueth he denyeth him to be the sonne For he that is begotten of nothinge can in no vvyse be the true sonne of God no more can any other thinge that hath the lyke beginninge But the sonne of God truely begotten of the father him selfe is to be termed the onely begotten and the vvelbeloued of the father and so he shall be God For vvhat other thinge is the budde or branche of God then that vvhich resembleth the begetter The kinge is sayde to buylde or make a cytie but not to begette a cytie and so he is sayde to begette a sonne but not to buylde or make a sonne In respect of the vvorke he vvrought he is not called a Father but a cunninge vvorkeman and in respect of the sonne he begatte he is not called a vvorkeman but a father VVherefore the God of all vniuersalitie is worthely to be called the father of the sonne yet the framer and maker of the worlde Although it be once found written in a certaine place of holie scripture The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his workes yet as I am minded immediatly to interpret it behoueth vs to skanne narowly and to sift out with diligence the sense vnderstanding thereof not after the maner of Marcellus with one word to shake the chiefe principles of christian religion These many other such like reasons hath Eusebius alleaged in his first booke against Marcellus to y ◠cōfutation of his opinion In his third booke he hath expounded how this word Made or created is to be vnderstood as followeth These things being after this sort it remaineth that we cōsider of this sentence The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his works which is no otherwise to be taken then the other thinges we expoūded before For in case he say that he is made he sayth it not as if he became something of nothing or that he
phrase correspoÌ„dent vnto y â— capacitie both of learned and vnlearned readers Wherefore entring to discourse of him we purpose to proceede in this order after our preamble hath vsed a litle digressioÌ„ fet a small coÌ„passe for to lay downe his kinred his nurture the maner how he attained vnto y â— emperiall crowne Constantinus y â— Emperour who chauÌ„ged y â— name of ByzantiuÌ„ termed it CoÌ„stantinople had two brethren of one father but by diuers mothers the one was Dalmatius y â— other Costantius Dalmatius had a sonne of his owne name Constatius also had two soÌ„nes Gallus Iulianus When as after the death of CoÌ„stantinopls fosider y â— yoÌ„ger Dalmatius had ben staine of y â— souldiers these orphanes likewise bereaued of their naturall father escaped narowly the vnlucky successe of Dalmatius for they had bene cut of dispatched had not sicknesse diseases as it was thought incurable saued Gallus life youthly age of eight yeare old preserued Iulianus aliue kept him from y â— tyraÌ„ts clawes But after y t the Emperour was appeased his furie withdrawen froÌ„ raging against theÌ„ Gallus was trained vp vnder schoolemaisters at Ephesus in Ionia where their auncetors had left either of theÌ„ great legacies Iulianus also being come to y â— stature of a spriÌ„gall gaue him selfe to learniÌ„g in y â— cathedrall church of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople where was a free schoole he went in simple meane attire was taught of Macedonius y â— Cunuch he learned graÌ„mer of Nicocles y â— Laconian Rhetorike of Ecebolius y â— sophist who theÌ„ was a ChristiaÌ„ The Emperour ConstaÌ„tius prouided very well lest y â— by hauiÌ„g an ethnike to his maister for Iulianus was a ChristiaÌ„ froÌ„ his cradell he should fall to y â— superstitious idolatry of pagaÌ„s WheÌ„ he had profited very much in good discipline godly literature y â— fame weÌ„t of him amoÌ„g y t people y t he was a man both able fit to gouerne beare office in the coÌ„mon wealth The which thing afterwards being then rife in euery mans mouth disquieted y â— Emperour not a litle Wherfore he caused him to be remoued from y â— princely citie of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople into Nicomedia charged him not to treade in y â— schoole of Iabanius y â— Syrian Sophist Iabanius then was expelled by y â— schoolemaisters of ConstaÌ„tinople kept a schoole at Nicomedia who powred out y â— poison of his caÌ„kred stomake displeasure coÌ„ceaued agaiÌ„st y â— schoolemaisters in a certaine booke which he published agaiÌ„st theÌ„ though Iulianus was therfore forbiddeÌ„ to frequent Libanis lessoÌ„s because he professed paganisme and heathenishe literature yet for all that was he so in loue with his works that he procured them vnto him secretly and by stelth and perused them with greate labor and diligence When he had taken good successe and great profit in Rhetorike it fell out that Maximus the philosopher not the Byzantian the father of Eucleides but the Ephesian came to Nicomedia â–ª whome the Emperour Valentinianus afterwardes founde to be a coniurer and recompenced him with present death â–ª but that as I sayde before fell afterwards At that time there was no cause that draue him thither but the fame of Iulian. Of this man it was that Iulian learned the precepts of philosophie but as for religion he had such a maister as inflamed his minde to aspire vnto the imperiall scepter When these thinges came to the Emperours eares Iulian nowe muzinge betwene hope and fearefull hatred howe he myght be voyde of suspition who of late had bene a true Christian but nowe an hypocriticall dissembler shaued him selfe and counterfayted a monkishe life For all that priuely he applyed heathenishe and philosophicall discipline but openly he read holy scripture so that he was made reader in the church of Nicomedia Thus craftely vnder cloke of religion did he appease the furious rage of the Emperour incensed agaynst him These things did he of feare yet not dispayring of hope for he sticked not to tell diuers of his familiar friends that it woulde be a happie worlde if he were made Emperour When it went thus with him Gallus his brother was created Caesar who taking his iourney into the East came by Nicomedia for to see him After that Gallus in a while after was slayne immediatly from that time forth Iuliamus was had in greate suspicion of the Emperour and therevpon commaunded that he shoulde be straightly looked vnto he espying fitt opportunitie to escape his keepers conueyed him selfe away and saued his life At length Eusebia y â— Empresse finding him by chaunce lurking in some secret and obscure place intreated the Emperour in his behalfe that he would not onely doe him no harme but also graunt him his lawfull fauour for to repaire to Athens for further knowledge in philosophie To be short he sent for him made him Caesar gaue him his sister Helen to wife and sent him into Fraunce for to wage battaile with y â— barbarian nations which rebelled agaynste their Christian Emperour For the Barbarians whome the Emperour Constantius had hyred a litle before to geue battaile vnto Magnentius the tyraÌ„t when as they preuayled nothing against him they fell a ransacking and spoyling of the cities within the Romaine dominions and because Iulian had but a greene head and of no great yeares the Emperour gaue him charge to enterprise nothing without the aduise and counsell of his sage expert captaines When y â— they hauing this large commission waxed negligent so y â— the Barbarians had the vpper hand Iulianus permitted the captaines to banquet to take their pastime pleasure layd downe a sett and certaine reward for euery Barbarian that was slayne whereby he did the more incourage the souldiers By this meanes it fell out that the power of the Barbarians came to nought and that he him selfe was greatly beloued of his souldiers The fame goeth that as he entred into a certaine towne a greene garland hanging by a corde betwene pillours wherewith commonly they are wont to trimme their houses and sett forth the beautie of their cities fell vpon his head and sitted him very well insomuch that all the people then present gaue a great shout thereat â–ª for it was thought that the falling garland prognosticated vnto him the glory of the imperiall seepter following after Some say that Constantius sent him against the Barbarians hoping that in skirmishing with them he shoulde there be dispatched â–ª but whether they report truely or no I knowe not For after that he had maryed him to his sister if then he shoulde pretende him friendship and practise mischiefe towards him what other thing were that then to procure vengeance to lyght vpon his owne pate but whether it be thus or otherwise lett euery man iudge as he thinkes best When Iulian had signified vnto the Emperour the carelesse and sâ—outhfull disposition and negligence of
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
goeth and rife it is in euery mans mouth that this cruell and horrible act was not longe after vnreuenged For immediatly all Phrygia was plagued with a sore and a lamentable famine so that many of the inhabitantes of that countrey were constrayned of necessitie to flie vnto Constantinople and to other prouinces for necessarie food The city of Constantinople though it find and relieue an infinite multitude of meÌ„ yet there is great plentie abundance of all things partly by reason that all necessaries are caried thither by seae and partly also that Euxinus is so nighe and conueyeth thither greate store of grayne CAP. XIIII Howe the Emperour wente to Antioch and persecuted all them that professed the fayth of one substance of his doinges at Edessa and the great constancie of a Christianwoman THe Emperour Valens weyed not at all this grieuous famine went forth on his iorney to Antioch and continewing there pursued with deadly hatred such as detested the Arian opinion He deposed of theyr churches for no other crime then because they were enemies vnto y â— Arians all that embraced the faith of one substance not onely throughout all the Easterne parts of the world but also not satisfied with this punishemente tormented them with diuerse grieuous deuises and executed a farre greater number then we spake of before with sundry kindes of death but specially with drowninge of them in the surginge waues of the sea Furthermore let vs here call to remembraunce the horrible Acte committed by him at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia There I meane in that citie there is a goodly a gorgeous temple called Sainct Thomas the Apostles where infinite troopes of men for y â— reuerent opinion conceaued of the holy place are wont to frequent Valens being desirous to see it although he knewe full well that all those flockinge assemblies detested his hereticall opinion as the reporte goeth gaue the Liuetenant a blowe with his fist because he had not scattered those conuenticles as he had charged him before When the Liuetenant for all this grieuous contuâ—ely framed himselfe with vnwillinge minde to obeye the Emperours wrath and displeasure gaue notice priuely hereof vnto them it was farre from his mind to fall a murthering of so many godly citizens that none should shewe his face in the temple that none shoulde be founde raysing of any conuenticle but not one made accompt of his aduise nether weyed of his threates for the day followinge all flocked in greate companies to the temple And while the Liuetenant hastened with greate power of armed souldieres vnto the temple to the ende he might delay the boyling heate of the Emperours stomacke which breathed out anger and displeasure a simple woman leadinge a childe in her hande all in hast brake the raye and thrust her selfe in the throng of armed souldiers to passe on her voyage The Liuetenant being moued therewith calleth the woman before him reasoneth with her in this sorte thou fond and vnfortunat woman whether runnest thou so rashly thither sayde she where others doe hasten Hast not thou hearde sayth he that the Liuetenant will execute as many as he finds there I heard it sayd she and therefore I goe thither in all the hast that I may be founde there But whither sayd he leadest thou this childe that he also sayd she may be accompted in the number of Martyrs When the Liuetenant heard this he coniectured thereafter of the rest Thereupon he got him vnto the Emperour and geueth him to vnderstand that all from the highest vnto the lowest prepared them selues to die in the quarell and in defence of their faith he aded moreouer that it was verye rashe and without all reason that so great a multitude in so shorte a space shoulde so soddainely be executed in so saying he fell a perswading of the Emperour so long vntill that his wordes preuayled the Emperour was with reason appeased Thus the Edessaeans auoyded the ouerthrowe pretended of the Emperour towardes them CAP. XV. Howe the Emperour Valens put many to death whose names beganne with TH by reason of certaine Necromancie whereunto he gaue some credit ABout that time a certaine pestilent spirite vsed the tyrannicall crueltye of the Emperour to y t satisfieng of his deuelish lust pleasing mind For he allured certain fond curious kind of people to search and sift out by Necromancie who should succeede Valens in the Empire The deuell after his wonted guise gaue no perfect and plaine but a very darke doubtfull answere vnto the coniurers that his name beganne of foure letters Th E O D which should succeede ValeÌ„s in the Empire that his name was compound The fame thereof was spred so farre that it came to the Emperours eares He as it fell out neither attributed casualties neither referred the knowledge of things to come neither admitted y â— bestowing of scepters to lie in y â— power of God whose prouidence ruleth all things but laying aside the principles of Christian religion the which colorably he pretended executed diuers whome he suspected after him should enioy y â— Emperial scepter So y t he dispatched out of the way as many as were called Theodorus Theodotus Theodosius Theodulus or after any such like names Of which nuÌ„ber was Theodosiolus a noble man y â— sonne of a Senator being brought vnto Valens from Spayne who lost his heade Many for feare chaunged their names which theyr parents had geuen them at theyr comminge into y â— world denied themselues theyr owne names being in great perill daunger of their liues But of this matter thus much shal suffice CAP. XVI After the desease of Athanasius Peter became his successor but the Arians by the commaundement of the Emperour clapte Peter in prison and placed Lucius in the Bishopricke HEre we haue to learne that while Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria liued the Emperour through the prouidence of God tempered himselfe from troubling of Alexandria Aegipt because he vnderstoode y t there was a great multitude which would liue die w t Athanasius therfore he feared if AlexaÌ„dria were set on anvprore for it is a hot a hasty kind of people lest the coÌ„mon weale should therby greatly be annoyed Athanasius in y â— end after many skirmishes endured in the quarel of the church after he had bene bishop six forty years not without great hazard of his life departed out of this world in the Consulship of Probus the second of Gratianus left behind him Peter a godly and a zealous maÌ„ to succeede him Immediatly the Arians set vp themselues they brag boast of the Emperours religion in all the hast they certifie the Emperour who then continewed at Antioch of Athanasius death Euzoius also the Arian beinge then at Antioch determined with himselfe by reason of the opportunitie of the time in all the hast to ride into Alexandria for to coÌ„firme Lucius y
went about but aboue all others he vsed the aduise of Troilus the Sophist a man very wise of great experience and singuler pollicie he was nothing inferior to Anthemius and therefore Anthemius retayned him of his counsell in all his affayres CAP. II. Of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople WHen the Emperour Theodosius went on the eyght yeare of his age the thirde yeare of Atticus bishop of Constantinoples consecration the which he enioyed with great commendation was expired a man he was as I sayd before of meane learning yet in life godly and of great wisedome and therfore the Churches in those dayes encreased and florished exceedingly He reconciled not onely such as were fauorers of his owne faith but also made the hereticks to haue his wisedome in admiration whome he would in no wise molest but after that he had ratled them againe he woulde shewe him selfe louing and amiable towards them He was a painfull student for he bestowed great labour he spent the greater part of the night in reading ouer the works of auncient wryters in so doing there was no grounde of philosophy no quirck in sopistrie that coulde blanke or astonish him He was gentle and curteous vnto such as conferred with him and with the sorowfull he seemed to sorowe him selfe In fewe wordes he became as the Apostle writeth all vnto all men First as soone as he was made Priest the sermons which with great labour he framed together he learned out of the booke and pronounced in the Churche In processe of tyme by dayly exercise and greate diligence he so boldned him selfe that he preached ex tempore his maner of teaching was very plaine his Sermons were so simple that the auditors thought them not worthy the bearing away neyther the writing in paper to the knowledge of the posterity following Thus much of his conditions behauiour learning and gift of vtterance now to the history of that tyme. CAP. III. Of Theodosius and Agapetus Bishops of Synada THeodosius Bishop of Synada a citie of Phrygia pacatiana was a sore scurge vnto the here ticks for in that citie there were many of the Macedonian sect he banished them not onely the towne but also the contrey Neyther did he this according vnto the rule of the Catholicke Church which accustometh not to persecute men neyther with zeale of the right and sincere fayth but in hope of fifthy suere and foule gayne for to wringe money from the hereticks Wherefore there was no way that might grieue the Macedonians left vnassayed he mayntayned his owne clergie against them there was no deuise but he practised for to afflict them with he sticked not to bring them in fetters to holde vp their handes at the barre but aboue all others he plagued their Bishop Agapetus with sundry griefes and vexations And when as he perceaued that the chiefe Magistrats within that prouince were not of autoritie sufficient and that their commission ertended not to the punishment of the Macedonians he gott him in all the hast to Constantinople and sued out a commaundement of the Lieuetenant of that prouince for the sharpe correction of them Whilest that Theodosius the Bishop made friends at Constantinople for the furtherance of his sute Agapetus whome I tearmed the Macedonian Bishop was conuerted and fell to embrace the right and sound faith For after he had assembled together all the clergie and layty within his iurisdiction he perswaded them to receaue the faith of one substance This being done he went with speede together with a great multitude nay with the whole citie into the church where after prayers and solemne seruice he gott him into the seate of Theodosius Immediatly after the linking of the people together in the bonde of loue and vnitie thenceforth he maintayned the faith of one substance so that he obtayned the gouernment of the Churches belonging vnto the diocesse and citte of Synada Shortly after Theodosius came home to Synada and brought with him autoritie from the Lieuetenant whereof he bragged not a litle and being ignorant of all the thinges that were done in his absence straight way he gott him into the Church there he founde but small welcome for the dores were made fast against him and after that he vnderstoode of their dealing againe he posteth to Constantinople There he be wayled his state before Atticus the Bishop and openeth vnto him how that he was iniuriously thrust beside his bishoprick Atticus vnderstanding that all fell out to the great profitt and furtherance of the Church of God beganne to pacifie him with milde and curteous languages exhorting him thenceforth to embrace a quiet life voyd of all trouble and molestation and not to preferre his owne priuate gaine and lucre before the profit and commoditie of the whole Church he wrote moreouer vnto Agapetus willing him to enioy the bishoprick and not to feare at all the displeasure of Theodosius CAP. IIII. Howe a lame Iewe being baptized of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople recouered againe his lymmes EVen as the aforesayde circumstance which fell out in the florishing dayes of Atticus was a great furtherance to the church of God so likewise miracles with the gift of healing which raygned in those times turned to the glory of God and the profitt of his people for a certayne Iewe being helde the space of many yeares with a paulsey was faine to keepe his bed and hauing tried all the salues and medicens all the practises and prayers of the Iewes was not a iote the better at length he fled for refuge vnto the baptisme ministred in the Churche of Christ perswading him selfe for suertie that by the meanes of this being the true phisicke of the soule he might recouer the former healthe of his bodye Atticus was immediatly made priuey vnto this his deuoute minde and godly disposition he instructed the Iewe in the principles and articles of Christian religion he layd before him the hope that was to be had in Christ Iesu he bidds that Iewe bed and all shoulde be brought vnto the font and place appoynted for the ministration of baptisme This Iewe being grieuously taken w t the paulsey was no sooner baptised in the faith of Christ and taken out of the font but his disease left him so that he recouered his former health This gift of healing being wrought by the power of Christ preuayled in the worlde amonge the men of these our dayes Many of the Gentils hearing the fame of this miraculous power receaued the faith and were baptized but the Ievves for all they sought after signes and wonders yet could they not with signes be brought to embrace the Christian faith CAP. V. Howe that Sabbatius a Iewe borne being Priest of the Nouatian Church fell from his owne sect FOr all that Christ the sonne of God bestowed the aforesayd graces and benefitts of his singuler loue and goodnes towards mankinde yet the greater part weying not thereof more is the ptty wallowe still in
longer refer the sentence vvhich is to be giuen of me vnto the most puisant emperours let me haue iustice it appertaineth vnto thē to deale vvith me according vnto their pleasure take these mine aduises as proceeding from a fatherly affection vnto you as my louing sonne If you presently take the matter in dugin as you haue heretofore go on a gods name if reason can not bridle your rage Thus doubted not Nestorius w t letters as with fist foote to kick aswel against y ◠emperours as their magistrates to reuile them all to nought neither could he be brought to modest behauiour for all his woe misery his ende departure out of this life I learned of a certē writer to haue bene as followeth to wit his tongue to haue bene eaten vp of worms and so by the iust iudgement of God to haue passed from these bodely to ghostly from these temporall to eternall punishments CAP. VIII How Maximianus succeeded Nestorius in the seae of Constantinople after him Proclus and after Proclus Flauianus WHen wicked Nestorius had departed this life Maximianus succeeded him in the byshoprick of the famous citie of Constantinople in whose dayes the Church of God enioyed peace and tranquility After his deceasse Proclus gouerned the seae who when he had runne the race of his mortall lyfe left the rowme vnto Flanianus CAP. IX Of Eutyches the infortunate hereticke how he was deposed of Flauianus byshop of Constantinople and of the councell which assembled there and deposed him IN the dayes of Flauianus the poysoned heresie of Eutyches sprang vp whiche caused a prouinciall councell to be summoned at Constantinople where Eusebius byshop of Dorylaeum being an eloquent Rhetorician called for the records and first of all conuinced the blasphemie of Nestorius When Eutyches was sent for and come he was founde in reasoninge to maintaine the aforesaide error for I confesse saith he that our Lorde consisted of two natures before the diuinitie was coopled with the humanitie but after the vnitinge of them I affirme that he had but one nature he sayd moreouer that the bodie of the Lord was not of the same substance with ours Wherefore he was vnministred yet at his humble sute vnto Theodosus he reported that Flauianus had forged records against him the first councell of Constantinople was called together of the borderinge byshopps to sitte vpon that matter where not onely the councell but also diuers other byshopps sifted out the doinges of Flauianus there the records beinge founde true were confirmed and a seconde councell summoned to meete at Ephesus CAP. X. How by the meanes of Dioscorus byshop of Alexandria and Chrysaphius it came to passe that a wicked councell was called together at Ephesus where Eutyches the hereticke was restored to his former degree DIoscorus who succeded Cyrill in the byshopricke of Alexandria was appointed moderator of this councell Chrysaphius gouernour of the pallace had craftely brought this about to th ende the hatred owed vnto Flauianus might be set on fire thither also came Iuuenalis byshop of Ierusalem who some time gouerned the seae of Ephesus together with many priests of his traine Domnus who succeeded Iohn in the Churche of Antioch met them Iulius also the substitute of Leo byshop of olde Rome besides these Flauianus was present together with his prouince Theodosius commaunded Elpidius as followeth such as in times past gaue sentence of Eutyches the most vertuous Abbot good leaue haue they to be present at the councell but let them be quiet and their voyces suspended my will is that they waite for the generall and common sentence of the most holy fathers seeing that such things as were afore time decided by them are now called into controuersie to be short Dioscorus together with such byshops as were of his opinion in this councell restored Eutyches into his former dignitie as it appeareth more at large in the actes of the sayde councell As for Flauianus Eusebius byshop of Dorylaeum they were deposed of their byshopricks the same councell excommunitated also and depriued Ibas byshop of Edessa Daniel byshop of Carra Irenaeus byshop of Tyrus and Aquilinus byshop of Biblus They layde downe moreouer certaine decrees against Sophronius byshop of Constantinople they remoued Theodoritus byshop of Cyrestes and Domnus byshop of Antioch of whom what became afterwards I doe not learne and thus was the second councell of Ephesus broken vp CAP. XI The Apologie of Euagrius touching the varietie of opinions among the Christians and of the ridiculous vanitie of the heathen godds I Would haue none of al the ethniks which dote ouer their idolatricall seruice to deride vs christians because the latter byshops haue abrogated the sentence of their predecessors and seme alwayes to add some thing vnto the forme of our faith for we of our part though we sifte out with great care the long sufferance of God which may neither in worde be expressed neither in deede be found out yet are we so affectionated though we leane either to this side or to y ◠side y t we always honor it extol it aboue al other things Neither was there any one of al the heretickes among the christians that of set purpose at any time would vtter blasphemy fal of his owne accord to reuile the maiesty of God but rather perswaded him self in auoutching this or that opinion that therein he was of a sounder doctrine then the fathers that went before him As touching the ground principles of Christian religion whiche alwayes ought vnuiolably be retained we are all of one opinion for the godhead which we adore is the trinitie the persons whom we so highly praise are in vnity the word of God also was begotten before y ◠fundations of the world were laid we beleeue that in these latter dayes he tooke flesh because of the fauour and compassion he had on the worke of his owne hand If in case that any nouelty be founde out as touchinge other matters they come to passe freely of mans owne accorde seeing it pleaseth God so to dispose of thē and to graunt them liberty to thinke as it pleaseth them best to the ende the holy Catholicke and Apostolicke Churche may reforme what is found amisse determine of both sides guyd vnto the true godlines and direct her selfe according vnto the plaine character of sound and sincere doctrine And therfore it was said of the Apostle It must nedes be that heresies doe raigne among you that they vvhich are perfect amonge you may be knovven Herein verily we haue to wonder at the secret wisedome of God which sayth thus vnto S. Paule My strength is made perfect in vveakenesse For looke what the things be which deuide the members of the Churche of God euen out of the same sound doctrine is culled out void of al reprehension polished more curiously laid vp more safely the Catholicke church encreaseth therby more more
a perfect knowledg of the faith also vnto a sure cōfirmation of the same ▪ for it instructeth vs most exquisitly in such things as we must necessarily know of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost and setteth forth after the plainest maner the incarnation of our Lord Iesus for them that with faith wil embrace it but seeing that certen leud godles persons endeuoring with their erronious opinions to root out true religiō haue brought into the world many vaine fantasies of their idle braines of which number some were not affraid to corrupt the true vnderstanding the mistery of the manhood our Lord Iesus toke for our sakes to deny the mother or bearing of God which is attributed vnto the virgine Mary other some fained very fondly that the diuinity the humanity consisted of one nature confoūding both with a certē imaginatiue cōmixitō of natures affirming with horrible blasphemy that in the said confusion the diuine nature of the onely begotten was patible therefore this great general coūcel presētly assēbled together being desirous with al might to stop euery gapp to cutt of all occasion of deuelishe deuices wrought to the ouerthrowe of the trueth decreeth that the faith which we receiued of the fathers is inuiolably to be retained and therefore commaundeth aboue all other formes of fayth that the creede deliuered vnto vs of three hundred and eighteene godly fathers is firmely to be beleeued moreouer to th ende the enemies of the holy Ghoste may vtterly be foyled it ratifieth the doctrine aftervvardes established touching the substance of the holy Ghost by a hundred and fifty godly byshopps whiche mett at the princely citye of Constantinople the which essence those fathers made manifeste vnto the whole world not by adding anything of their owne as if the canons of the Nicene coūcell were vnperfect but that they might declare by manifest testimonies of holy scripture what their owne opinion was of the holy ghost against such as denied the godhead thereof furthermore to the confutation of suche as doubted not to peruert the mysterie of our Lords incarnation assirming both impiously and blasphemously that he which was borne of the holy virgine was but onely man this holy councell approueth the synodicall Epistles of holy Cyrill byshopp of Alexandria written vnto Nestorius and to the byshops of the East churches partly to refell the mad and franticke opinion of Nestorius and partly also for to instruct such as are godly disposed and labour to attaine vnto the true vnderstandinge of the holye creede Againe this councell annexeth thereunto not without good consideration the Epistle of Leo the most holy archebyshop of old Rome which he wrote vnto Flauianus the most holy archebyshopp for the remouinge and rooting out of the Churche of God the fanaticall opinion of Eutyches as a worthie tract agreeing with the consession of Peter that great Apostle and as it were a stronge pillour and fortresse to vpholde the true and sincere doctrine against all erronious opinions for he valiantly encountreth with such as endeuored to deuide the mystery of the incarnation into two sonnes he excommunicateth suche as dare presume to saye that the diuinitie of the onely begotten is patible he manfully withstandeth suche as confounde or make a commixtion of both the natures in Christe he ratleth sickebraines and frentike fooles who affirme that the shape of a seruant which he tooke of vs was of a celestiall or some other kinde of substance last of all he accurseth suche as vaynely haue fayned that before the couplinge of the natures there vvere tvvo but after the vnitynge of them that there vvas but one onely nature in the Lorde VVherefore treadinge one trace and immitatinge the fayth of the holy Fathers vvhiche vvent before vs vve consesse one and the same sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe and vvith one generall consent vve saye that he is perfecte God and perfecte man true God and true man of a reasonable soule and humane fleshe subsistinge of one substance vvyth the father according vnto his diuinitye but of one substance with vs according vnto his humanitye like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted begotten of the father before all worlds according vnto his godhead but borne in these later dayes for our sakes and for our saluation of the virgine mary the mother of God according vnto his manhood one the same Iesus Christ the sonne the Lord the onely begotten of two natures knowen without confounding of thē without mutation without diuision without separation the distinctiō of natures not remoued for all the vniting of them but the proprietie of both natures vvholly retayned and coupled together in one person or as the Grecians say in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not seuered parted into tvvo persons but one and the selfe same onely begotten sonne God the vvorde and the Lorde Iesus Christe euen as the Prophetts of olde and Christe him selfe aftervvardes haue instructed vs of him and the same hath the faith of the fathers deliuered vnto vs. Seeinge we haue sifted out the trueth of these thinges with great care and diligence the sacred and generall councell hath decreed that it shall be lavvfull for no man eyther to alleage or to vvrite or to frame or to beleeue or to teache any other fayth Moreouer this councell commaundeth suche as presume to deuise any other fayth or to bringe forth or to teache or to publishe any other creede vnto suche as turne eyther from paganisme or from Iudaisme or from any other secte whatsoeuer vnto the knowledge of the trueth if they be byshops that they be deposed of their byshoplike dignities if priests that they be vnministred if monks and lay people that they shoulde be accursed After the reading of these decrees Martianus the Emperour who was present at the councell of Chalcedon who made there also an Oration returned to Constantinople Iuuenalis and Maximus Theodoritus and Ibas who had bene deposed were restored to their byshopricks other thinges there were handled by the councell the whiche shall be layde downe as I saide before in the ende of this hooke They decreed besides all the aforesaide that the byshopps seae of New Rome that is of Constantinople because she enioyed the second honor after Olde Rome shoulde be chiefe and in honor aboue all other cities CAP. V. Of the sedition raysed at Alexandria about the election of Proterius and in like sort at Ierusalem AFter that Dioscorus was exiled into Gangrena a citie of Paphlagonia Proterius by the generall consent of the councell was chosen byshopp of Alexandria Beinge stalled in the seae there rose amonge the people through heate of contention a wonderfull great tumult vprore for as it falleth out in such hurliburlies some would needs cal home Dioscorus some others very earnestly cleaued vnto Proterius so that there ensued thereof great slaughter and bloodshed for Priscus the
cities of whiche number some had bene vtterly destroyed some other for the most parte gone to ruyne that he set them foorthe with such maiestie with such ornamentes and with such workemanship both of publique and priuate buyldinge inuironinge them with stronge walls and other goodly buylding wherewith cities are adorned and the diuine Godheade honored in his throne of maiestye laste of all with so many conduites partely for profitte and partely for showe whereof some were then firste erected and some other repayred that nothinge could posibly be done more excellente Nowe I come to discourse of the affayres in Italie whereof some parte is artificially handeled by Procopius Rhetor. As soone as Theodorichus mentioned before tooke Rome vanquished Odoacer the tyrante gouerned the Romayne Empire for a while and departed this life Amalasuntha his wife gouerned the common weale in steede of Astalarichus her sonne whome Theodorichus begate vpon her and so ruled the Empire with such circumspection that in her doinges she seemed rather a man then a woman She firste of all perswaded Iustinianus to be so willing to warre with the Gotths and sent Embassadours vnto him toutching the conspiracye that was wroughte agaynste her But when Astalarichus being of very tender yeares departed this life Theodatus the kinsman of Theodorichus obtayned the Westerne Empire He at the comminge of Belissarius into the Weste deliuered vp the crowne for he had more minde to studye then skill to wage battaill At that time also Vittiges a valiaunte man was captayne of the Romayne power in the Weste dominions Yet we haue to learne by the historye of Procopius that when Belissarius came to Italye Vittiges lefte Rome that Belissarius came with his armye into the citye of Rome that the Romaynes opened theyr gates and receaued him moste willingelye for Siluerius the Byshop had broughte this to passe and had sente as toutching that matter Fidelius the Surueior of Astalarichus vnto Belissarius Wherefore the citie was yelded vnto Belissarius without shedinge one drope of bloode and Rome agayne was subdued by the Romaynes threescore yeares after the Gotths had taken it the nynth of Apellaeus after the Romaynes December and the eleuenth yeare of Iustinianus raygne Procopius wryteth moreouer howe that after all this when the Gotths besieged Rome a freshe Belissarius suspectinge Siluerius the Byshop of treason banished him into Greece and placed Vigilius in his rowme CAP. XIX Of the people Eruli how they receaued the Christian fayth in the time of Iustinian ABout the same time sayth Procopius Eruli who in the tyme of Anastasius the Emperour passed ouer the riuer Danubius beinge curteouslye entreated of Iustinian and rewarded with greate summes of moneye receaued euerye one from the highest to the lowest the Christian religion and chaunged theyr brutishe and barbarous trade of life for modeste and ciuill behauiour CAP. XX. Howe the Gotthes wonne Rome and Belissarius the seconde time recouered it VHe aforesayde author declareth that after the returne of Belissarius into Constantinople w t Vittiges the spoyle he caried out of Rome Totilas became Emperour and the city againe was subdued of the Gotths that Belissarius the second time came to Italy recouered Rome gaue the Medes battaill and was sent for by the Emperour to Constantinople CAP. XXI Howe the people Abasgi about that time receaued the faith IT is recorded moreouer by the same writer that the people Abasgi being brought vnto a more ciuill kinde of life receaued about that very time the Christian faith that Iustinianus the Emperour sente vnto them one Euphrata an Abasgian borne and of the courte Eunuches for to charge them that none of all that nation should offer violence to nature and gelde him selfe For the Emperours chamberlaines whome commonlye we call Eunuches were oftentimes taken of that nation Then also Iustinianus the Emperour erected a Temple vnto the Mother of God amonge the people Abasgi and ordayned them Priestes of whome they were throughly instructed in the principles of Christian religion CAP. XXII Of the people which inhabite Tanais howe then they became Christians and of the earthquakes in Greece Boetia and Achaia THe aforesayd historiographer hath wrytten y ◠the nation dwelling about Tanais the inhabitants of that region doe call the riuer that rumeth out of the fenne of Maeotis into Pontus Euxinus Tanais requested Iustinianus to sende them a Byshop that Iustinianus was very carefull of theyr sute and sente them a Bishop with harte and good will He declareth moreouer and that in good order howe the Gotths in the time of Iustinian brake out of the fenne of Maeotis into the Romayne dominions that there happened straunge earthquakes in Greece Boetia Achaia and the cuntreys about Crisaeus hauen that many regions were destroyed cities ouerthrowen chinkinge and gapinge of the earth whiche gulphes in some places closed together and in some other places continewed so still CAP. XXIII The expedition captaine Narsis made into Italie and his piety Godwardes PRocopius discourseth howe Iustinian sent captaine Narsis into Italy howe he ouercame Totilas afterwards Teias and howe Rome was now taken the fift time It was reported moreouer by suche as accompanied Narsis in that voyage howe that when he prayed vnto God and offered vnto him his bounden duetye and seruice the virgine Marie the Mother of God appeared vnto him prescribed the tyme when he shoulde deale with the enemye and that he should not girde him selfe to battaill before he had a signe geuen him from heauen Many other actes worthy of memory were done by this Narsis For he wonne Buselinus and Syndualdus and subdued many other cuntreys reaching vnto the Ocean sea Which things Agathius Rhetor hath wrytten of and be not as yet come into our handes CAP. XXIIII Howe Chosroes fretting with enuie at the prosperous affaires of Iustinianus tooke armour against the Romaynes destroyed many cities and among others great Antioch IT is layde downe in wrytinge by the same Procopius that Chosroes hearinge of the prosperous successes which befell vnto the Empire of Rome bothe in Libya and Italie fretted within him selfe for enuye and charged the Emperour that he had done certaine thinges contrary vnto the couenantes agreed vpon betwene them and therefore that theyr 〈◊〉 was broken that Iustinianus at the firste sente Embassadours vnto Chosroes entreatinge him not to breake the perpetuall league that was concluded neyther to dissolue that linke of loue and peace that was knit betwene bothe cuntreys but if there were any rashe enterprise committed or any quarelous occasion geuen it mighte friendely and louingely be put vp That Chosroes of spite and malice whiche boyled within his breste woulde by no meanes be broughte to any good order but gathered a greate armye and assaulted the marches of the Romayne dominions in the thirteenth yeare of Iustinianus raygne He wryteth moreouer howe that Chosroes tooke Surus a citye vpon the shore of Euphrates who couenantinge with them one way dealte with them an
pa. 164. Auxentius an Arian b. of Millane pa. 337. Azarias the prophet and his life pa. 523. B. BAbilas b. of Antioch died in prison pag. 111. 114. Babilas the martyr pa. 309. 310. Bachilides a godly minister pa. 71. Banchillus b. of Corinth pa. 92. Bararanes king of persia pa. 386. 422. Barcabus a prophet of the hereticke Basilides pa. 60. Barcoph a prophet of the hereticke Basilides pa. 60. Barchochebas a blinde guide of the Iewes pa. 59. 61. Bardesanes a Syrian and his bookes pa. 74. Barnabas one of the 70. disciples pa. 15. 19. his martyrdome pa. 519. Barsabas one of the 70. disciples pag. 15. he was also called Iustus Ioseph he dranke poyson yet did it not hurt him pa. 57. Barsanaphius a monke pa. 485. Bartholomevve the Apostle preached in India page 85. his martyrdome pa. 519. his life pa. 532. Baruch the prophet and his life pa. 530. Basilides the hereticke wrote 24. books vpon the Gospel pa. 60. 70 Basilides a soldier was beheaded for the fayth pa. 98. 99. Basilicus an hereticke pa. 86. Basiliscus a tyrant and his ende pa. 453. Basilius b. of Ancyra coÌ„futed Photinus the hereticke pa. 277. Basilius magnus b. of Caesarea in Cappadocia pa. 322. 334. 335. Belissarius a Romaine captaine pa. 477. Beniamin the 6. b. of Ierusalem pa. 59. Beryllus Byshop of Bostra in Arabia fell to heresie and was confuted by Origen page 108. 112. Biblis a woman was piteously tormented for the faith pa. 77. Bishops honored pa. 145. Bishops persecuted pa. 146. Blandina a woman of a wonderfull patience is martyred pa. 77. 78. 79. 80. Blastus an hereticke pa. 86. 90. Books of the olde and new Testament looke Canonicall scripture Books of holy scripture burned pa. 146. Bonifacius b. of Rome pa. 381. Bretanion a tyrant and his foile pa. 272. 274. Buddas an heretick his miserable end pa. 242. Burgonians receaue the faith pa. 393. 394. C. CAiphas an high prieste of the Iewes pa. 14. Caius Iulius Caesar howe he died pa. 469. Caius Caligula was Emperour afrer Tiberius pa. 21. he called him selfe a God he plagued the Iewes and raigned not 4. yeres pa. 21. 22. 23. his end pa. 469. Caius b. of Ierusalem pa. 86. Candidus wrote learned books pa. 94. Calistus b. of Rome 5. yeares pa. 108. Canonicall scriptures pa. 36. 45. 49. 50. 73. 84. 104. 109. 110. 137. 138. Capito b. of Ierusalem pa. 86. Caricus a learned man pa. 103. Carpocrates an hereticke pa. 60. 70. Carpus a martyr pa. 67. Carterius a schismaticke pa. 358. Carterius a monke pa. 362. Carus with Carinus and Numerianus was Emperour after Probus pa. 141. Cassianus b. of Ierusalem pa. 85. Cassius b. of Tyrus pa. 92. Cataphrygian heresie looke Montanus and his opinion Cecilianus b. of Carthage pa. 204. 205. Celadion b. of Alexandria pa. 62. Celestinus b. of Rome pa. 38. Cephas one of the 70. disciples pa. 15. 16. Cerdo b. of Alexandria pa. 47. Cerdon an hereticke pa. 62. Cerinthus and his heresie pa. 51. 52. 137. Characes an historiographer pa. 501. Chaeremon b. of Nilus fled with his wife into the desert pa. 117. Chiliastae and their heresie pa. 136. 137. Chosroes king of Persia pa. 509. Chrestus b. of Syracusa pa. 205. Christ is to be vnderstood two wayes pa. 3. Christ appeared to Abraham and conferred vvith him pa. 3. 8. 264. Christ appeared to Iacob pa. 4. 8. Christ appeared to Iosua pa. 4. Christe appeared in the forme of man and why after that sort pa. 5. Christ vvhat time he was borne in the fleshe pa. 5. 8. 9. Christ was a king an high priest and a Prophet pa. 6. 7. Christ tooke a reasonable soule pa. 300. Christ suffred not the 7. yeare of Tiberius as some did write pa. 13. Christ being 30. yeare olde began to preach and vvas baptized pa. 14. Christ preached not foure yeares pa. 14. Christ chose 12. Apostles and seuentie Disciples pa. 14. Christ vvrote an epistle vnto Agbarus gouernour of Edessa pa. 16. Christian religion is not nevve and straunge pa. 3. 7. 8. Christian behauiour pa. 54. Christians in deede and the definition of a true Christian pa. 8. Chrysostome looke Iohn Chrysostome Clarus b. of Ptolomais pa. 92. Claudius was Emperour after Caligula raigned 13. yeares pa. 23. 31. Claudius 2. was Emperour after Galienus tvvo yeares pa. 139. Claudian the Poet vvhen he florished pa. 422. Clemens Alexandrinus is alleaged pa. 15. 19. 23 28. 33. 52. 85. he vvas the master of Origen pa. 100. his workes pa. 103. Clemens the thirde bishop of Rome vvas Sainct Paules fellovve labourer pag. 37. 46. 47. he preached 9. yeares pag. 54. he is sayde to haue translated the Epistle vnto the Hebrevves from Hebrevve into Greeke pag. 56. counterfeyt vvorkes are fathered vpon him pag. 56. his Epistle vvas reade in the Churche pag. 71. Cleobius an heretick pa. 70. Comodus vvas Emperour after Antoninus Verus and raigned 13. yeares pa. 85. 94. his end pa. 469. Confession the original thereof and the rooting of it out of the Church pa. 351. Confessors pa. 81. Confirmation after baptisme by the hands of the bishop pa. 119. Conon b. of Hermopolis pa. 120. Constantius the father of Constantinus Magnus his raigne and end pa. 153. 158. Constantinus Magnus was proclaimed Emperour pa. 153. hovv he became a Christian pa. 215. 216. his death and funerall pa. 252. 253. Constantinus the yonger was Emperour pa. 252. 254. his death pa. 255. 272. Constantius the sonne of Constantinus Magnus pa. 252. he vvas an Arian pa. 254. his death pa. 295. Constans the Emperour pa. 252. 267. his death pa. 272. Coration a Chiliast vvas conuerted by Dionysius b. of Alexandria pa. 136. Cornelius the centurion is conuerted pa. 21. Cornelius the 4. b. of Antioch pa. 70. Cornelius b. of Rome pa. 114. 118. the Councel of Nice pag. 222. 223. 224. 225. 226. 227. the Councel of Antioch pa. 244. the Councel of Tyrus pa. 247. 249. the CouÌ„cel of AriaÌ„s met at Antioch pa. 256. 257. the Councel of Sardice pa. 265. the Councel of Ierusalem pa. 271. the Councel of Alexandria pa. 272 the Councel of Sirmium pa. 275. the Councel of Millane pa. 279. the Councel of Ariminum pa. 280. 282. 283. the Councel of Seleucia pa. 287. 288. 289. the Councel of Arians at CoÌ„stantinople pa. 291. the Councel of Arians at Antioch pa. 293. the Councell of Alexandria called the 2. pa. 300. 301. the Councel of Antioch called the 2. pa. 316. 317. the Councel of Lampsacum pa. 319. the Councel of Sicilia pa. 325. the Councel of Constantinople summoned by Theodosius magnus pa. 344. the Councell of Angaris pa. 352. the Councel of Cyprus pa. 368. the Councel of Ephesus pa. 3â—â— 41â— 413. the Councel of Ephesus called the 2. pa. 417. the Councel of Chalcedon pag. 420. 426. 427. 428. 429. 430. 438. c. the Councel of Constantinople in the time of Iustinian pa. 487. 488. the CouÌ„cells were summoned by the Emperours pa. 341. the
was Siluanus and molested the quiet estat of the coÌ„mon weale in Fraunce but the captaines of Constantius dispatched him quickely out of the way when these things were come to an end there rose other ciuill warres in the East for the Ievves inhabiting Diocaesarea in Palaestina tooke armour against the Romaines and inuaded the bordering regions But Gallus called also Constantius whome the Emperour Constantius had made Caesar and sente him into the Easte came thither with great power ouer came the Iewes in battell and made the citie Diocaesarea euen with the ground When Gallus had brought these thinges to passe being swollen and puffed vp with the pride of good successe and prosperous affaires could no longer containe himselfe within his bounds but forthwith beinge inflamed with tyrannicall motion turned his minde against Constantius so that Constantius not long after espied him out and perceaued his drift He had executed of his owne absolute authoritie Domitianus who was president of the East and the greate treasurer not making the Emperoure priuey vnto his doings Wherefore Constantius was sore incensed against him He being wonderfully affrayd yet of force came vnto him Constantius hearing of his comminge y â— he was nowe in the Westerne partes of his dominions to wete in the He Flauona caused his head to be taken of his shoulders In a litle while after he appointed Iulianus y â— brother of Gallus Caesar sent him into Fraunce against y â— Barbarians Gallus whose name was also Constantius ended his life the seauenth Consulship of Constantius and the third of his owne Iulianus the yeare following was created Caesar â–ª in the Consulship of Arbition and Lollianus the sixte of Nouember But of Iulianus we will discourse in the third booke Constantius beinge rid of these present mischiefs turned himselfe to wage battell with the church of God Remouinge from Sirmium vnto the princely citie of Rome â–ª he called together a councell and commaunded diuers Bishops out of the East to repaire with all speed into Italy and that the Bishops of the Weste shoulde meete them there In the meane space while they trauell into Italy it fell out that Iulius Bishop of Rome after he had gouerned that churche fiftene yeares departed this life and Liberius succeded him in the Bishopricke CAP. XXVIII Of the heretike Aetius the Syrian the mayster of Eunomius AT Antioche in Syria there stept vp an other hereticke founder of a straunge and forayne opinion whose name was Aetius called also the Atheist He although he maintayned the same things and vpheld the selfe same opinion with Arius yet seuered he him selfe from y e Arians because they admitted Arius into the communion For Arius as I sayd before meant one thing with in and vttered an other thing without being at Nice he allowed subscribed vnto the forme of faith layd downe by the councell deceaued the Emperour which raigned theÌ„ with his fraude subtltie This was y e cause that made Aetius seuer him selfe from the Arian sect vntil that tyme Aetius was knowen not onely for an hereticke but also for a greate patron of the pestilent doctrine of Arius When he had gott some smacke of learninge at Alexandria he left that citie and went to Antioch in Syria where he had bene borne and there was he made Deacon of Leontius theÌ„ bishop of Antioch In a short while after he was able to amaze such as reasoned with him with his subtle quirkes of sophistrie This did he by the meanes of Aristotls Elenches for so is the booke intituled for whylest he disputed vnwittingly coulde he frame such captious and sophisticall propositions as his owne capacitie coulde not dissolue the reason was because he had not learned Aristotls dryft of cunninge and learne â–ª Logicians For Aristotle agaynste the sophisters who then derided and abused philosophie wrote such a kinde of reasoninge for the whetting of yonge mens witts displaying their behauiour and ouerthrowinge their sophisticall fallacies with wittie reasons and well couched subtilities The Academikes that comment vpon Plato and Plotinus works doe mislyke very much with such thinges as Aristotle hath so argutely and subtly written but Aetius not procuring vnto him a maister that was an Academicke cleaued vnto these captious subtle fallacies Wherfore he could not deuise how to vnderstand that there was an vnbegotten birth or how to imagine y â— the begotten could be coeternall with the begetter so barraine a brayne had he of his owne and so ignorant and vnskilfull was he in holy scripture for he had nothing in him saue a subtle kind of reasoning quarellous and contentious languages such as may easily be found in the 〈◊〉 ignorant vnlearned he had read ouer the auncient writers such as published commentaries vpon holy scriptures and condemned Clemens Aphricanus and Origen sage men of singular learning for vnlearned persons the epistles which of set purpose he had patched and stuffed with litigious triflles sophisticall conclusions the same he sent vnto the Emperour Constantius and to sundry others And therefore was he called the Atheist And although he affirmed the selfe same thinges with Arius yet of his owne crue not attayning vnto his intricate and captious maner of reasoning was he counted for an Arian hereticke Wherefore being excommunicated out of the church yet woulde he seeme as though of his owne accord he had seuered him selfe from their communion Of him therefore as originall of this errour the Aetians had their appellation but now are they called Eunomians For in a litle while after Eunomius his scribe who sucked of his filthy sinke of hereticall doctrine became a ringleader to this sect But of Eunomius in an other place CAP. XXIX Of the Councells held at Mediolanum and Ariminum with the Creedes then concluded vpon BY that time there met in Italie not very many bishops out of the East for heauie age long iourneyes were letts so that they coulde not come but out of the West there came aboue the number of three hundred bishops The Emperours ediâ—â— was proclaimed that the councell should be held at Mediolanum When the bishops of the East came thither first of all they require that sentence by their generall consent should be pronounced agaynst Athanasius thinking verily thereby to stoppe all gappes from goinge or returninge of him any more to Alexandria After that Paulinus bishop of Triuere in Fraunce Dionysius bishop of Alba an heade citie of Italy and Eusebius byshop of Vercellae a cytie of the Lygurian Italians had perceaued that the byshops of the East bent all their myght to enact a decree agaynst Athanasius for no other purpose but to ouerthrowe the true faith they stoode vp and cryed out that in so doing the christian religion should be cancelled by the meanes of their deceatfull fraudulent treachery that the crymes layd to Athanasius his charge were false reports meere sclauÌ„ders and y â— they had
inueÌ„ted such things to deface the true and catholicke faith When they had ended these lowde speaches the Councell brake vp The Emperour vnderstaÌ„ding of this coÌ„mauÌ„ded them forthwith to exile banishmeÌ„t determineth w t him selfe to summone a generall couÌ„cell to y â— end after citing of all the easterne bishops into the west contries he might if it were possible bring them all to embrace vnitie and concorde But after better aduisement taken with him selfe he sawe it was a very hard matter to compasse by reason of the farre contries and longe iourney and therefore he commaunded the Councell shoulde be deuided into two partes the bishops then present to assemble at Ariminum a citie of Italie the bishops of the East to meete at Nicomedia a ritie in Bithynia But his purpose tooke no prosperous successe for nere nother of y â— Councells agreed â–ª within them selues both was deuided into sundry factions For neither could the bishops which mett at AriminuÌ„ in Italy agree amonge them selues neyther the bishops of the East among them selues for they raysed a newe schisme at Seleucia a citie of Isauria but howe all this came to passe I will hereafter rehearse in processe of our discourse if that first I say somewhat of Eudoxius In the very same time Leontius â–ª who preferred Actius the hereticke to the degree of Deaconship hauing departed this lyfe Eudoxius bishop of Germanicia a citie of Syria then beyng at Rome thought it high time for him to returne into the East he dealeth doubly with the Emperour forlicence to depart with speede alleadginge for him selfe that the citie of Germanicia stoode in greate neede of his helpe and ghostly counsell The Emperour litle thinkinge what fetches he had in his heade gaue him his pasport He through the sute and furtherance of the Emperours chamberlaynes left his owne citie and crept through wyle and subtletie into the byshopricke of Antioche he endeuoureth to restore Actius agayne into the church and goeth about to summone a Councell of byshops and to make him Deacon agayne But his lewde dryft was longe in brynginge about because the hatred owed vnto Actius was of more force to repell him then the hartie good wyll and furtherance Eudoxius vsed to restore him but of this we neede no more wordes Of them which assembled at Ariminum the Easterne byshops not mentioninge the businesse aboute Athanasius signified that the cause of their comminge was to discourse of other matters Vrsacius and Valens who at the firste were Arians and afterwards exhibited a recantation vnto the byshop of Rome subscribing as I sayd before vnto the clause of One substance stoode them in great stead for these two continewally cleaued vnto the stronger and the surer side There came also to take their part Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius In the assembly of bishops then present when diuers men would haue diuers things enacted Vrsacius Vales affirmed y â— all formes of faith layd downe in times past were thenceforth to be caÌ„celled that y â— new forme of faith published a litle before at y â— councell of SirmiuÌ„ was to be coÌ„firmed When they had so sayd they gaue forth a shete of paper which they had in their haÌ„ds to be read The second creede written before at Sirmium suppressed there as I sayd before read also at AriminuÌ„ translated out of the Latine into y â— Greeke toÌ„gue was layd downe in these words This Catholick faith was published at SirmiuÌ„ in the presence of Costantius our liege lord Flauius Eusebius Hypatius renowmed consuls the eleuenth Kalends of Iune VVe beleue in one onely true God the father almightie creator and maker of all things in one onely begotten sonne of God who was before all worlds before all beginninges before all tymes that may be imagined and begotten of God the father vvithout any passion before all comprehensible knowledge by vvhome both the vvorld and all things were made one only begotten begotten of the father alone God of God like vnto the father which begatt him according vnto the scriptures vvhose generation no man hath knovven saue the father vvhich begatt him him vve knovve his onely begotten sonne to haue come dovvne from heauen at the fathers becke to banishe and vvype avvay synne to haue bene borne of the Virgine Marie to haue bene conuersant vvith the disciples to haue fulfilled according vnto his fathers will all his message to haue bene crucified to haue suffred died to haue descended into hell and there to haue disposed all things at whose sight the porters of hell gates trembled to haue risen againe the third day againe to haue accoÌ„panied with his disciples after 40. dates were expired to haue ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the father and shall come againe at the last day with the glory of his father to reward euery one according vnto his workes And we beleue in the holy ghost whome the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ him selfe promised to send mankind the coÌ„forter as it is written I go vnto my father I will pray my father to send you an other comforter the spirite of trueth he shall take of myne and shall teache leade you in all things The word Substance being simply layd downe of the fathers vnknowen of the ignoraÌ„t people geuing vnto many great cause of offence insomuch it is not founde in holie scripture vve haue thought good to abandone it and henceforth speakinge of God to make no mention of the vvorde Substance because the sacred scriptures haue not once remembred the substance of the Sonne or of the holie ghost VVe say that the sonne is like the father in all things that because the word of God hath affirmed taught it vs. WheÌ„ these things were read such as were not pleased with the circumstances and contents therof rose vp and sayde We came not hither as though we wanted faith and beleese for we retayne that faith which we learned from the beginning but we are come to withstand nouelties if ought be practised preiudiciall vnto y â— same If those thiÌ„gs which you haue now read neither sauor neither rend to y â— establishing of noueltie accurse renounce the heresie of Arius in such wise as the old auncient canon of the church hath banished all hereticall blasphemous doctrine It is apparent vnto the whole world what tumults troubles the blaspemous opinioÌ„ of Arius hath raysed euen vnto this day in the church of God This offer was not accepted of Vrsacius Valens Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius thervpon the bond of vnitie retained in the church of God was broken asunder For these men cleaued vnto such things as the councell of AriminuÌ„ had decreed y â— other confirmed the canons of the Nicene Councell derided y â— contents of the creede y â— was read in their presence but specially Athanasius so y â—
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