Capitulum xxxvjm.
After þe dethe of þis*. [MS. þes III] worscheppeful kyng*. [MS. kyngis] Constantyn and his holy Moder, seynt Elene aforseyde, þer began aȝene a newe persecucioun of heresye aȝens þe cristen feiþ, and also a persecucioun of dethe aȝens hem þat wolde mayntene þe cristen feiþ and þe lawe of crist. and in þis persecucioun þe grekys, þowe hit so were þat þei had many worschippeful doctours and bisshoppes of þe same contrey of greke borne, ȝit þei forsoke þe lawe of holy chirche and þe feiþ and chose hem a patriark by hem-self, to whom þei obeye ȝit in to þis day, as we do to þe Pope. and in þis persecucioun þe bodyes and þe Reliqes of þe [supplied by ed.] .iij. holy kyngis were put at no reuerence but vttirlich set at nouȝt. and so þe*. [MS. þes]sarȝyns and turkys in þis tyme wonne with strong bataiƚƚ þe londys of grece and of armenye and destruyed a gret partie of þes londis. // And þan come a Emperour of Rome þe wich was cleped Mauricius, and þis Mauricius þorwe helpe of hem of Melane recouered alle þes londys aȝene: and as hit is seyde among men þere in þat contrey, þorwe counseiƚƚ of þe same Emperour þes iij. kynges bodyes were translat in to Melane. // fferthermore hit is redde in diuers bokys in þat contrey þat þere was a Emperour of grece wich Page 136 was cleped Emanuel, and þis Emperour sent a Religious man þe wich was cleped Eustorgius in to Melane on a certeyn message: and þan þis religious man asked of þe Emperour to haue þes .iij. bodyes of þes .iij. kyngis. and bicause þat þe Emperour louyd weƚƚ þis man, and also he was a religious and a wyse man, þe Emperour graunted to hym þes bodys of þes .iij. kyngis. and so þis Eustorgius sent þes .iij. bodyes in to Melane, and leyde hem þerin*. [ r. þere] yn a feyre chirche þe wich is cleped þe frere precheours, with alle solempnite and worschippe. and þere oure lord ihesu crist þorwe þe merytes of þes .iij. kyngis wrouȝt many myracles.
