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

Capitulum vicesimum tertium.

VALERIANUS, with Galienus his sonne, reignede xv. yere. This emperoure hade seyntes in so grete reverence that his

howse was supposede to be a churche. Whiche deceyvede by a wickede man hade not seyntes in honour, and didde grete per|secucion [folio 226a] to the tru peple of Criste; whiche was so destitute by the sufferaunce of God, that he taken of þe kynge of Persia and made blynde, was putte to this schamefulle servitute, that he turnenge his face to grownde and lyenge, scholde suffre the kynge of Persia to take his horse from his backe. Paulus the firste heremite wente to wildernesse, where he taryede as un|knowen by lx. yere as Seynte Ierome wryteth in vitis patrum. Stephanus was pope after Lucius thre yere; whiche ordeynede that ministres of the churche scholde not were the haloede clothes to theire exercise. Seynte Ciprian made a preste and byschoppe of Cartago, suffrede passion in the same day with Cornelius the pope, but not in the same yere. Sixtus the

pope succedede Steven, martiriȝate for the feithe of Criste, as ij. yere; whiche ordeynede masse to be seyde on an awter. After that he suffrede dethe under Decius, after the martiloge, with Felicissimus and Agapitus; for hit is raþer to ȝiffe credence to the martiloge then un to cronicles apocrifate, for this em|perour Galienus was callede Decius. This Sixtus goenge in a tyme un to Speyne, brouȝte with hym ij. of his cosynnes to Rome, Vincencius and Laurencius; Laurence taryenge with hym at Rome; and Vincencius returnede un to Speyne, whiche suffrede passion after that under Dacian the presidente. Dionisius beynge a monke was made pope, and succeded Sixtus vj. yere; whiche dividede the paresches and the churcheyardes to theym, assignenge to eiche of theym certeyne prestes. Felix the pope succedede Dionisius iiij. yere. Eugenia, Prothus, and Iacinctus suffrede dethe at Rome. Gregory Naȝanȝene was of grete fame this tyme in the londe of Grece, byschoppe of Con|stantinople.

This bischoppe thro hys preyers causede a grete water fulle of fische to be made drye thro his preyer, [Sic in MS.] for cause þer was movede grete dissencion for hit betwene ij. breþer germayne. Also when hit was so in that costes that a grete rocke or roche of the este parte and a floode of the weste parte denyede a place sufficiaunte to the edifienge of a churche, [A miracle.] thys Gregory ȝiffen to preyer in the nyȝhte, the roche was movede so ferre from the place where hit was afore, that men hade sufficiaunte space to the edificacion of the chirche. Also [folio 226b] this Gregorius entrenge in to the temple, the priste kepenge that temple cowthe not have eny answere of the ydoles; whiche preste offrenge was monyschede in his slepe that Apollo was expulsede from the churche in the entrenge of Gregory in to hit, and myȝte not returne withowte his licence. The preste herenge that folowede Gregory Naȝanȝene, and desirede to

have an epistole; whiche made an epistole to þe preste in this wyse: "Gregory to Apollo gretenge; y suffre the to returne to thy place, and do as thow was wonte." That epistole putte in the temple, Apollo ȝafe answeres. The preste perceyvenge that vertu, returnede to Gregory, preyenge hym that he myȝhte receyve the feithe of Criste, whiche was byschoppe of Constan|tinopole [Claudius.] after this Gregory. Claudius the secunde was empe|rour oon yere and certeyne monethes; whiche hade victory oon tyme of the Gothes, and diede at Smirnus. Quintilius, the [Quintilia|nus.] broþer of whom, made emperour by the cownsayle of his knyȝhtes, was sleyne in Aquileia in the xviij. day folowenge. Euticianus the pope succeded Felix sex yere. This pope beryede cccc. and lx. martirs hym selfe.