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

Capitulum octavum.

TIBERIUS CONSTANTINUS was emperour vij. yere. This man was fulle meke, ȝiffenge grete goodes to pover men, yn so moche that he distribute to þeim grete parte of his treasure. Whiche rebukede oftymes of his wife þerfore, seide, "I truste to Godde we schalle not wante goodes if we make a treasure in hevyn." Whiche goynge in a day at Constantinopole nye to the palice imperialle, see in the pavimente of marbole a crosse graven, thenkynge hym unworthy to treyde þer on, toke hit up, and he se þer an oþer crosse under hit, whiche takynge hit up, see the thrydde, under whom he founde treasure as infinite. Iohn the pope dyede, whom Benedicte the firste

succedede iiij. yere, whiche bryngynge mony thowsande bus|chelles of whete from Egipte by schippes, relevede the cite of Rome from grete hungre when kynge Albinnus segede hyt; on the towmbe of whom hit is writen in þis wise, "Magna tuis monumenta, pater Benedicte, relinquis, Virtutum titulus et [Versus.] decus atque dolor." Marianus, libro secundo. Ceaulinus, [folio 256a] kynge of the Weste Saxons, havynge victory of the Britons in this yere, toke from theyme thre famose citees, Gloucestre, Cirencestre, and Bathancestre. Seynte Mauricius diede this tyme, havynge lxxij^ti yere in age, which didde bere the stole of Seynte Benedicte abowte his necke while that he lyffedde. Pelagius the pope succeded Benedicte x. yere.