Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum vicesimum.

AURELIUS Alexander was made emperour xiij. yere; whiche was so grete a corrector of his peple that he wolde expelle from hym diverse legiones grucchenge holly; whiche was sleyne at Nicapolis in Palestyne. [The translator has evidently confused the two sentences of the original.] In the tyme of whom the sexte translacion was founde. Martinus. Urbanus the pope succeded Calixtus putte to dethe by Alexander themperour, callede Urbanus primus, by viij. yere; whiche ordeynede that the oblaciones of trewe peple sholde not be convertede otherwise then in to the uses of the churche and to the indigence of the breþer, in that thei be þe promisses of trewe peple and the price of synnes. The churche of Rome began firste to have posses|siones in his tymes, of the proventus of whom Urbanus the pope

deputede a certeyne lyffenge to the notaries and scribes whiche did write the deedes of holy seyntes. This is the bischop Urban whiche baptiȝede Valerianus the spowse of Seynte Cecily, with whom he was martiriȝate also under Aurelius Alexander. The body of whom Fabianus the pope brouȝhte to Rome and beryede hit. Whom Poncianus the pope succeded, whiche brouȝhte [folio 224a] to Sardinia suffrede passion þer. Hit is seide that a pope callede Ciriacus succeded this Poncianus by a yere, but he was not nowmbrede amonge other bischoppes, in that he wente un to Agrippina with vj. [Error of the scribe for xj.] m^l virgines whom hade baptiȝede alle|moste. For the cardinalles supposede that he hade goen with theyme for the pleasure of the flesche, and to-lefte his benefice for the luffe of theyme, whiche was martiriȝate with those virgynes afterwarde, as hit is expressede in the legendes of theyme. Maximus Iulius reignede after the dethe of Aurelius, [Maximus Iulius.]

whiche was made emperour by his hoste withowte consente of the senate, and reignede iij. yere. This emperour persuede the churche moche for Origenes; neverthelesse he was sleyne at the laste at Aquileia. Gordianus was emperour vj. yere, whiche was sleyne by Philippe, governour of the pretory, not [Gordianus.] ferre from the cite of Rome, after that he hade victory ageyne men of Parthia. Fabianus the pope succeded Ancherus as xv. yere, whiche spekenge to his frendes in traveylenge of the succession off the pope, a dovese come and sate on his hedde, seyenge that thow schalle be crownede bischoppe of Rome. Whiche electe so by the grace of God, ordeynede vij. notaries to write the gestes of martires, and also that creme scholde be blissede in the churche every yere. Novacianus, a preste of Rome, desirenge to be pope, and put from hit in the tyme of this pope, was made an heretike, denyenge mercy to synnefulle men arisenge from synne. Wherefore a cownselle was hade of lx. bischoppes. Affricanus the writer was þis

tyme, whiche movede by Heraclides bischop, whiche did write the lyfes of holy faders in a booke callede Paradisus, wente to Alexandria, where he kepede a scole of grammer after the dethe of Origenes. Coelus the duke of Colchestre did sle Asclepio|dotus in this tyme, and reignede in Briteyne as xxx^ti yere un to the tyme and commenge of Constantyne.