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

Capitulum vicesimum quartum.

AURELIUS [Aurelianus, α., γ., and Cx.] of Denmarch [Denmark, Cx.] i-bore was emperour fyve ȝere and somwhat of monþhes; he was liche to þe [þe] om. Cx.] grete Alisaundre

oþer [oþer] or, Cx.] to Iulius. For as Alisaundre in twelve ȝere wente into Inde, and Iulius in ten ȝere overcom þe Gallus [Galles, Cx.] and þe Ger|mayns, and fauȝte foure ȝere aȝenst þe citeȝeyns, so þis in foure ȝere [he] added in Cx.] restored þe lordschipe of Rome. In his firste tyme þe estat [staat, γ.] of holy chirche gan to encrese, [encreesce, γ.] so þat a comoun [solempne, Cx.] counsaile of bisshoppes was i-made at Antiochia. In þat counsail [counceyl, Cx.] Paul [Paul] om. γ.] þe heretik was condempned; but afterward he was apeyred by counsail of [counsail of] om. Cx.] schrewes, and arered dysese and strif in holy chirche. Þis [Aurelianus, added in Cx.] overcom þe Gothes fyve siþes; þis was þe firste among þe Romayns þat usede cloþes arayed wiþ [arayed wiþ] of, Cx.] gold; he dede on his hede a dyademe arayed wiþ precious stoones; he restorede to þe peple use of swynes [swynnes, Cx.] flesch. At þe laste he com into Gallia, and martired meny holy men, and clepede þe citee Genalium by his [owne] [From α., γ., and Cx.] name Aureliam, [Aurelian, α., γ., and Cx.] and was aftir|ward i-slawe faste by Constantynnoble. After hym Tacitus regnede sixe monþes, after the whiche [whoche, γ.] he was i-slawe in Pontus; þat [þanne, α. and Cx.] aftir þat Florianus regnede þre monþes, and was i-slawe in Tharsis. After þe passioun of Euticianus,

Gayus was pope nyntene ȝere; he ordeynede degrees of ordres in holy chirche, hostiarius, lector, exorcista, and acolitus, and oþere mo, and þat no man schulde accuse þe ministres of holy chirche to fore a seculer iuge. Anatolius, bisshop of Alisaundre in Laodocia, made a book [of þe verray Ester day, and, ten bookes] [From β. and γ.] of ars metrik. [arithmetik, α. and β.] Þe heresie of the Manichies gan to springe. Manacheus was of Pers, a man of scharp witte and of straunge maneres; first he heet Manas [Manes, Cx.] ; þe Manachies haveþ [habbeþ, γ.] þat name of hym; þey telleþ þat they [þere, β.] beeþ tweie fresche worcheres [firste worcheres, α. and β.; furst worchers, γ.; fyrst werchers, Cx.] and makeres of þinges, oon of good [and anoþer of evel], [From α. and Cx.] oon of light [and] [From α. and Cx.] anoþer of derknesse. Giraldus et Gaufridus. [Alfredus, Cx.] Aboute þat tyme þe Romayns sente oon Constancius for to make Coelus kyng of Britayne sogette, and forto fonge tribut þat was i-werned. [denyed, Cx.] But Coelus was dede after þe monþe of his comynge, and Constancius hadde þe kyngdom, and wedded þis Coelus his douȝter Helene, [Helene] om. Cx.] and gat on hire þe grete Con|stantyn. Probus was emperour sixe ȝere and somwhat of

monþes; he wan Gallia þat was [þat was] om. γ.] out of men hondes of straunge naciouns, [men . . . naciouns] theyr hondes, Cx.] and restored it aȝen; he lete þe Galles and þe Pan|nonyes have use of vynes [fynes, γ.] ; and whanne he hadde i-pesed wel ny alle, [peesed wel neiȝ alle, β.; had wele nyghe sette al in pees, Cx.] he seide þat in a schort tyme me schulde have no nede [neode, γ.] to knyȝtes; and at þe laste he was i-slawe in a stryvynge [stryvenge, α.] of knyȝtes. Carus, wiþ his sones Carinus and Numerianus, was emperour two ȝere, and he was adraynt [dreynt, β.; adreynt, γ.; drowned, Cx.] in þe ryver Tigris. Also Numerianus was y-lad in a liter [lytter, Cx.] for his eme [eme] sore eyȝen, α. and β.; sore yȝen, γ.; sore eyen, Cx.] and his owne wife's fader Aprus sat in awayte [set aweyt, γ.] uppon [uppon] for, Cx.] hym, and slowȝ hym. Þanne aftir meny dayes [dawes, γ.] he was unneþe y|founde but [but] om. α. and γ.] by stenche [stynch, γ.] of þe [þe] his, Cx.] careyn. Carinus was over|come and i-slawe at Margus. Diocliciani.