CAP. XXXIX.
How Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria reporteth the perills him selfe stoode in.
TOutching Dionysius, I wil alleadge out of his owne epistle vnto Germanus, where he of him selfe, writeth thus: I take God to vvitnesse of that I speake, and he knovveth that I lye not. •• fledde avvay not greatly regarding myne ovvne person, and yet not vvithout the vvill of God. Long before that the persecution vnder Decius preuailed, Sabinus sent the puruey∣er of corne to seeke me, for vvhose comming I remayned at home three dayes. but the searching all places, high vvayes, and floodes and fieldes, vvhere he coniectured that either I hid my selfe in, or passed by, vvas I vvott not hovv blinded, so that he founde not my house. He litle thought that I continevved at home in that heate of persecution. at length vvith greate difficultye (God no doubt disposing my departure) the fourth daye I and my children, together vvith many o∣ther brethren left the citie. and that our departure vvas caused by the diuine prouidence of God, the sequels declared, vvherein peraduenture I stoode vnto many in good steade. A litle after he reporteth the casualties which happened after his flight, in this sorte: About sunne set I vvas led by the souldiers together vvith my company, vnto Taposiris, but Timothe (as God vvould) vvas neither present, nor taken. At length vvhen he came he founde the house desolate, the seruantes keeping it, but he perceaued that vve vvere taken and gone. Agayne after a fewe lynes: And vvhat a vvonderfull chaunce vvas that? I vvill truely reporte it you: one mett Timothe by the vvay as he fledd and seeing him troubled and disquieted in minde demaunded of him the cause of his so quicke a speede, vvho forthvvith openeth vnto him the vvhole matter. the vvhich vvhen the passinger had learned, he passeth by and goeth still on his iorney, vvhich vvas to a banquet∣thig ••••idehouse (* 1.1 the maner vvas at such meetinges to vvatch all night) & being come thither, he tould the gestes at table, all that he had hearde by the vvay. They altogether headely as if it had bene a made matche, rose vp and vvith all speede pursued vs, vvith a clamorous tumult, the souldiers vvhich garded vs fledd avvay, then they fall vpon vs as vve laye in our bedds. I (God knovveth) at the first tooke them for theeues, & thought their comming vvas to robbe & spoile, as I lay in my naked bedd, I vvrapped me in the sheete & reached them the rest of my beddings. but they commaunded me to rise and quickly to departe, then vnderstanding their drift, I cryed out praying and beseaching them that they vvoulde suffer vs to be gone. If they vvould benefitt