The auncient ecclesiasticall histories of the first six hundred yeares after Christ, wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Cæsarea in Palæstina vvrote 10 bookes. Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople vvrote 7 bookes. Euagrius Scholasticus of Antioch vvrote 6 bookes. VVhereunto is annexed Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus, of the liues of the prophetes, apostles and 70 disciples. All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by Meredith Hanmer, Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie. Last of all herein is contayned a profitable chronographie collected by the sayd translator, the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume, with a copious index of the principall matters throughout all the histories

CAP. II.

Origen desirous of Martyrdome was in greate daunger, and beyng delyuered, he professed diuinitie at Alexandria with earnest studie, and led a maruaylous honest lyfe.

THe heate of persecution was very vehemēt, & an infinite number of persons were crowned with Martyrdome: when as Origen yet verye yonge, bare in his minde a feruent desire of Martirdome, so that he hazarded himselfe, skipped, and brake forth, and coueted volunta∣rily to be doyng in that daungerous combatt. * 1.1 Yea narrowsie did he escape, for it had coste him his life, had not the diuine and celestiall prouidence of God stayed him, by the meanes of his mo∣ther, to the further commoditie and profite of many. She at the firste entreated him with manye* 1.2 wordes to tender hir motherly affection: but perceauing him to be more vehemently incensed and kindled▪ knowing his father to be kept in close prison, and wholly minded to suffer Martyrdome, she constrayned him to remaine at home, hydinge from him all his apparrell. He then being able to do no other thinge, more prompte in minde than rype in yeares, could not reste, wrote vnto his father a letter, in the whiche he exhorteth him thus: O father, faynt not, neither imagin•• amisse

bicause of vs. Let this be the firste token of the industrie and syncere minde of Origen in his child∣hood towards christian religiō set forth in this our history▪ for he beyng of a child trained vp & ex∣ercised in holy scripture, shewed then no small signes of the doctrine of faith. his father furthered him not a little to the knowledge of them, when as besides the studie of liberall artes, he instru∣cted him in these, not as the lesser parte. For first of all before the exercise of prophane literature, he instructed him in holy Scripture, and demaunded of him daily a certaine taske, of that he lear∣ned and rehearsed. And this trade was not vnprofitable for him being a child, but he grewe therby vnto such facility and promptnes, that he contented not him selfe with the bare and casual reading of the words, but sought farther, searching the perfect and profound vnderstanding therof, so that diuers times he would set his father demaunding of him what was meant by this & that place of holy Scripture. But his father checked him to his face in outward sight, admonishing him not to search ought aboue the capacity of his yeares, & more then plaine letter gaue to vnderstand. Yet to him selfe he reioyced greatly, yelding vnto God the author of all goodnes harty thankes, for that he had made him the father of such a sonne. The report goeth that the father often vncouered the breast of his sonne in his sleepe, and solemnly kissed it as if the holy ghost had taken there the inner parte for his priuy closset, and thought him selfe happy of such an ofspringe. These and the like thinges they remember to haue happened vnto Origen, being yet a childe. When his father dyed a Martyr, he was left an orphane of the yeares of seuenteene with his mother, and other children his brethren, to the number of six, his father•• substance was confiscated to y^• Emperours treasorie, y^• want of necessaries pinched him together with his mother & brethren, he casteth his* 1.3 care vpon the diuine prouidence of God, he is receaued and refreshed of a certain matrone which was very ritch & also religious, which harbored in her house a certaine man of Antioche, an er∣rant heretike of the sect then fresh at Alexandria, one that was accepted of her, for her sonne and deare friende. Origen then of necessitie vsing his company, shewed forth manifest proofes of his cleaning fast vnto y^• right and true faith. For when as an infinite multitude not only of heretikes, but also of the true faith frequented vnto Paulus (so was he called) for he was counted a profounde and a wise man: he could not be perswaded to be present with him at prayers, but obserued the ca∣non of the Church from a childe, and detested▪ (as he witnesseth him selfe in a certaine place) the* 1.4 doctrine of heretikes. he was of his father absolutely instructed in the profane learning of y^• Gen∣tils, but after his fathers death, he applied a litle more diligently the study of rhetoricke, and ha∣uing before meanely applied humanity, now after the death of his father he so addicteth him vnto it, that in short space he got sufficiency to serue his turne, both tollerable for the time, & correspon∣dent to his yeares. for he being idle at schole (as he him selfe in a certaine place reporteth) when as none occupied the rowme of Catechizing at Alexandria, because that euery one was fayne to flye away by reason of the threatning thunderbolts of persecution, diuers of the Gentils came to him, to heare the preaching of the word of God. whereof he sayth the first to haue bene Plutarch,* 1.5 who besides that he liued well, was crowned with martyrdome. The seconde was Heraclas y^• bro∣ther of Plutarch, who after he had profited very much, and sucked at his lippes, the iuyce of chri∣stian religion and heauenly philosophy: succeeded Demetrius in the bishopricke of Alexandria. Origen went nowe on y^• eyghtenth yeare when he catechized in the schoole of Alexandria, at what time he happely prospered whilest that vnder Aquila Lieuetenant of Alexandria, in the heate of persecution he purchased vnto him selfe a famous opinion among all y^• faithful, in that he cheare∣fully embraced all the martyrs, not only of his acquaintance, but such as were vnto him vnknow∣en. he visited not only such as were fettered in deepe dungeons, & close imprisonmēt: neither only such as looked for the last sentence of execution, but after iudgment geuen & sentence pronounced he was present with the martyrs, boldly accompanying them to y^• place of execution, putting him selfe in great peril, oftentimes boldly embracing, kissing & saluting them, so that once the furious rage of the fonde multitude of the Gentiles, had stoned him to deathe if the diuine power of God, had not maruelously deliuered him. y^• same diuine & celestial grace of God at other times againe & againe, so oft as can not be told, defended him, being assaulted of the aduersaryes, because of his noble hardines & prompt mind to publish the doctrine of Christ. so extremely was he dealt with∣all of the Infidels, that souldiers were commaunded to watch his house in compasse, for the ba∣nishing of the multitude that came to be instructed of him, in the Christian faythe. The persecu∣tion daily preuailed and was so vehemently bent against him, that he could no where passe safely throughout Alexandria, but often chaūging lodging••, he was from euery where pursued, bicause

of the multitude which frequented vnto him for instructions sake. for his workes expressed moste* 1.6 notable rules of the most true & christian philosophie. they say, as he taught so he liued, and as he liued so he taught. Wherfore the diuine power of God specially preuayling with him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 infinite number were sturred vp by his zeale. when he perceaued many Disciples to frequent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to him, & that the charge of the schoole was now by Demetrius the Bishop, committed vnto him alone, he supposed the reading of humanitie to be out of season, and transformeth the schoole as altogether vnprofitable by reason of profane literature & humanitie opposite vnto sacred letters, to the exer∣cise of godly discipline. againe after good aduise taken for necessary prouision he soulde the pro∣fane writers which he had diligently perused, & lay by him, enioyning the buyer, to pay him daily* 1.7 foure halfepence of the set price, wherwith he contented him selfe. & this philosophicall trade con∣tinewed he y^• space of many yeares, cutting of from him self all occasion of youthly concupiscence▪ for throughout the whole day he tooke no small labor in this godly exercise, & the greater part of the night also he spent in meditating of holy Scripture, and in his philosophicall life, as much as lay in him, he vsed fasting, taking his reste at certayne temperate tymes of the yeare, not on his bedde, but very warely on y^• bare ground. specially aboue al other places, he supposed y^• sayings of our Sauiour in the Gospell to be obserued, which exhorted vs not to weare two coates, neyther shoes, neither to care for the time to come with a greedy, or couetous desire. for he endured colde and nakednesse more chearefully then became his yeares, & suffered such extreame neede & neces∣sitie, which greatly amazed his familier friends, & offended many that willingly woulde haue sup∣plied his want and necessity, for the paynfulnes they sawe him take, in setting forth the heauenly doctrine of Christ Iesus our Sauiour. but he being geuen to pacient sufferance, passed many yea∣res without the wearing of shoes, ioyning naked foote to bare grounde. and he is sayde moreouer for the space of many yeares, to haue abstained from wine, & other such like (necessary sustenance onely excepted) so that he ranne in great danger, lest that through weakenes of lymmes, & faynt∣nesse of body, he shoulde destroy & cast away him selfe. this philosophicall trade of life being won∣dred* 1.8 at of others, stirred vp a great many Disciples, to imitate the like trade and study. so that of the faythfull & vnfaithfull, of the learned and wise, & the same not of the meaner sort, a great num∣ber became zelous and earnest followers after his doctrine. in so much that the heauenly worde of God taking deepe roote in their faythfull mindes, florished and continewed stedfastly during the persecution of that time, so that some of them were apprehended and suffered martyrdome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 3. after the Greeke.
• * 1.2

  Origen by the meanes of his mother auoydeth greate perill. Origen be∣inge a childe, exhorteth his father to mar tyrdome. Origen of a childe brought vp in holy Scri∣ture.
• * 1.3

  A certaine Matrone of Alexandria receaueth O¦rigen with▪ his mother & brethren.
• * 1.4

  Origen ta∣keth heede of Heretikes. Tis. 3. Origen stu∣dieth rheto∣ricke.
• * 1.5

  Plutarch a martyr. Heraclas af∣ter Demetri∣us b. of Alex¦andria. Origen a ca∣techizer be∣ing 18. yeare olde. Origen corn forteth the martyrs.
• * 1.6

  Origē as he taught he li∣ued & as he hued he taught.
• * 1.7

  Origē sould his philoso∣phy bookes.
• * 1.8

  Origen had many follow¦ers.