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 emperour as it were [as it were] om. Cx.] þrittene ȝere; þis was so cruel [cruwel, β. and γ.] in correctiouns of þe lawe of chivalrie, þat he un|dede [undide, β.] hole legiouns þat made grucchynge [grutchyng, Cx.] and strif; his assessour was oon [Vulpianus] [From Cx.] a connynge man of lawe; he was i-slawe at August [Magust, α.; Magunst, β.; Ma|gonst, γ.; Magounce, Cx., et infra.] in Almayne in stryvynge of knyȝtes: in his tyme þe sixte translacioun was i-founde of holy writt at Nicapolus [Nicapolis, β. and γ.; Nyca|polis, Cx.] in Palestina. Marcianus. [Marcus, Cx.] Calixtus þe pope was i-martired in Alisaundre his tyme, and þe first Urban was pope after hym as it were [as it were] om. Cx.] eyȝte ȝere; he ordeynede þat þe offrynges of Cristene men schulde [be, added in α., γ., and Cx.] non oþir wyse be y-spend [spent, Cx.] but in use of holy chirche, þat he knowlechede verrailiche his synne, [þat . . . synne] om. α., β., γ., and Cx.] and in help of nedy [neody, γ.] [Cristen] [From γ.] men, ffor þey beeþ þe avowes [afowes, γ.; vowes, Cx.] of Cristen men and þe prys of synne. In his tyme þe chirche of Rome bygan first to have londes and rentes, and wiþ þe profit [prouffyt, Cx.] þerof he fonde notaries and clerkes to write þe lyvynge

and dedes of holy seyntes; to forehonde [to fore this tyme, Cx.] holy chirche lyvede as þe apostles, and feng [fond, γ.; receyved, Cx.] onliche money to þe use of needy [neody, γ.] Cristen men. Þis is þat Urban þat cristned [folled, β.; follede, γ.] Valerianus þe spouse of Seint Cecily, [Cecil, β.] and was at þe laste i-martred wiþ hem [hym, Cx.] in Aurelius his tyme. After hym Poncianus was pope as it were [as it were] om. Cx.] fyve ȝere, and at þe laste he was i-brouȝt and i|martired at Sardinia, [Sardina, α.] and aftirward pope [pope] om. Cx.] Fabyan brouȝte his body to Rome, and buriede it þere. Me seiþ þat oon Siriacus [Sciriacus, γ.] was pope after þis Poncianus oon ȝere, but for [for] bycause, Cx.] he resignede þe poperiche [poperych, γ.; papacye, Cx.] aȝenst þe wille of þe clergy, and oon Antherus was y-made pope, and also [also] om. Cx.] for he wente to Agrippina [whiche nowe is called Coleyn, added in Cx.] wiþ en|leven þowsand maydons þat [þat] whom, Cx.] he hadde i-cristened [y-folled, β.] wel nygh alle, he is nouȝt y-sette in þe book of rekenynge of bisshoppis. [bishoppes] popes, Cx.] Þe cardynales trowede [trowide, β.] þat he lefte þe poperiche nouȝt for devocioun, but for likynge of þe [þe] om. Cx.] maydens, [noþeles he was clene mayde [and, added in γ.] i-martred wiþ þe same maydenes]. [From α., γ., and Cx.: γ. adds: "as hyt ys y-write in þe legende of þe same maydons."] After þat Aurelius

was i-slawe at Mangounst, [Magust, β.; Magonst, γ.] Maximius [Maximinus, α. and Cx.] Iulius was i-made emperour by þe oost wiþoute auctorite of þe senatoures, and was emperour þre ȝere; he pursewed [persywed, γ.; poursiewed, Cx.] holy chirche specialliche for Origenes, and he was i-slawe at þe laste in Aquilia. Gor|dianus was emperour sixte [sixe, α.; six, Cx.] ȝere, and was y-slawe of oon Phelip, prefecte of þe pretorie, nouȝt fer from Rome, after þat Gordianus hadde overcome þe Parthes. Fabyan was pope after Antherus as it were [as it were] om. Cx.] fiftene ȝere. Whanne þe pope was deed, þis passed by þe way, and talkede wiþ his frendes of þe chesynge [cheosyng, γ.] of a newe pope, þanne a colvere [dowve, Cx.] com sodeynliche and sat [saat, γ.] on his heed, and seide, "Þou schalt be y-crowned bisshop at [of, Cx.] Rome;" and so he was i-chose by Goddes or|dynaunce, and ordeyned sevene notaries to write þe dedes of holy martires; and he ordeynede þat every ȝere crisme and oyle schulde be i-halowed [halewide, β.] in holy chirche; and he was i-mar|tired at þe laste in Decius his tyme. In þis popes tyme oon Navacius, a preost of Rome, desired to be pope, and bycam an heretyk, [erretik, β.] and denyede [denyȝede, α.] þat a synful man myȝte be saved; þerfore was y-made a counsail of sixty bisshoppes. Þat tyme was

Affricanus þe writere in his floures. [flouring, Cx.] Heraclides þe bisshop wil [wol, γ.] mene, [will mene] sayth, Cx.] þat [he] [From β.] wroot þe lyves of holy fadris in a book þat hatte Paradisus. Affricanus, þe writer of stories, [þe writer of stories] om. α., γ., and Cx.] was i-prayed and wente to Alexandria, and occupiede þe maister his [his] om. Cx.] chayer after Origenes. Also þat tyme Coelus, duke of Colchestre, slouȝ Asclepiodotus, and regnede in Bretayne as it were [as it were] om. Cx.] þritty ȝere, anon to þe comynge of Constancius.