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. I.

The wickednesse of Decius and Gallus the Emperours, the death of Origen.

NOwe takinge in hande the seuenth booke of the ecclesiasticall historye the great Dionysius byshop of Alexandria, who partely by his commentaries and partely by his Epistles, described all the seuerall actes of his time, shall stande vs in good steede. Here hence will I beginne this present booke▪ * 1.1 when Decius had not raygned full two years, he was slayne together with his sonnes, whome Gal∣lus succeeded: at what time Origen of the age of threscore & nine yeares departed this life. but of the foresayd Gallus, Dionysius wrote vnto Hermammon in this manner: Neyther did Gallus perceaue the implety of Decius neyther did he foresee what seduced him, but stumbled at the same stone which laye right before his eyes, who when the emperiall scepter prosperous¦ly befell vnto him, and his affayrs went luckely forvvardes, chaced awaye the holy men which prayed for peace and his prosperous estate, and so he banished together vvith them the prayers continually powred vnto God for him. And this much of him.

The translator vnto the reader.

IN so much that Ensebius throughout his sixt booke almost in euery chapiter hath wrytten at large of the famous clarke and greate doctor of Alexandria, by name Origen, and nowe also in the begin∣ninge of his seuenth booke reporteth of his ende and that in fewe wordes: I thought good for the rea∣ders sake, for the more absolute and perfect deliuer a•••••• of the story, and for the further knowledge of his ende: to annexe here vnto, a worthie history out of Suydas a greeke writer, who liued about a thousande years agoe, toutching the thinges which happened vnto Origen a litle before his death, his wordes are these.

The life of Origen out of Suydas.

Origen is sayd to haue suffred much afliction for Christs sake, being famous, eloquent, and* 2.1 trayned in the Church euen from his youth vp: but through enuy he was brought before the ru∣lers & magistrats, & through the despitefull subtlely & crafty ••nu••tion of Satan, he was brought into great sclaunder, & blemish of infamy. A man (they say) the authors of iniquitie deuised to* 2.2 vvorke the feat, as much to saye they prepared an Aethiopian or foule blacke moore beastly for to abuse his body. but he not able to avvaye neyther vvillinge to here so horrible an Acte, brake out into lovvd speach, and exclaymed at both the thinges vvhich vvere giuen him in choyce, ra¦ther then the one that he vvoulde doe the other, in the end he consented to sacrifice. vvherefore vvhē they had put fr••kensence in his hand they threwe it into the fire vpō the altar. by this mea∣nes he was by the iudges put frō martyrdome & also banished the church. whē he had thus done he was so ashamed that he left Alexandria, and gott him to Iudaea: being come to Ierusalem & well knowē for his learned expositions & gift of vtterāce, he was entreated of the priests to be∣stowe a sermon vpon the people in the church & open assembly, for he was then a minister: af∣ter great entreaty & in manner constrayned by the priests, he ••ofe vp, tooke the bible, opened it* 2.3 & happened vpō this parcell of Scripture: vnto the vngodly, said God, why dost thou preach my lawes, & takest my couenaunt in thy mouth? when he had thus read he clasped the booke, fare downe, and burst out into teares together with all the audience which wept with him, he liued vnto the time of Gallus and Volusianus that is vntill he was threscore and nine yeare olde, he re∣steth at Tyrus where he is also buried. So farre Suydas.

The translator vnto the reader.

I Haue thought good also, he••r•• to laye downe his lamention, the which Origen himselfe 〈…〉〈…〉 Greeke tongue with his owne hand, when as after his faule and the deniall of his Mayster Christ Iesus he wandred to a••••••••oe with great greefe and torment of conscience, the which Saynct 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••r••n∣lated into latine and is founde extant amonge the workes of Origen▪ he lamented as foloweth.

The lamention of Origen.* 3.1

In the bitter afliction and griefe of minde I goe about to speake vnto them vvhich herafter shal reade me thus confusely & vvithout order, furiously disposed to sit vpon the tribunal seate of Christ together vvith the saincts in heauen. & hovv can I speake vvhen as the tongue is tied & the lipps dare not once moue or vvagg? the tongue doth not his office, the throte is dammed v••, all the senses and instruments are polluted vvith iniquitie▪ but I vvill procede on▪ and first I v••••l faule to the ground on my bare knees and make myne humble supplicatiō vnto all the sainctes* 3.2 and blessed of God▪ that they vvill helpe me, seely vvretche, vvhich dare not by reason of the superfluytie of my sinne craue ought at the handes of God. O ye sayncts and blessed of God vvith vvatrishe eyes and vvet•• cheekes soken in dolor and payne I beseeche you to faule dovvne before the mercy seate of God for me miserable sinner. VVo is me because of the sorovv of my harte: vvo is me that my soule is thus aflicted•••• vvo is me that am compassed thus on euery side and shutt vp in my sinne, and that there is no health in me. vvo is me o Mother that euer thou broughtest me forth, for a skilfull lavvyer to be ouerthrovven in his vnrighteous dealinge▪ for a religious man to faule into extreme impietie▪ vvo is me o Mother vvhich broughtest me forth a righteous man to be cōuersant in vnrighteousnes▪ ••n heire of the kingdom of God but novv an inheritor of the kingdom of the deuell: a perfect man yet a priest found vvallovving in impiety: a man beautified vvith honor and dignities yet in the ende blemished vvith shame and ignomi¦nie: a man besett vvith many euells and choked vp vvith infamous doinges. vvo is me o Mother vvhich broughtest me forth as an highe and a lofty turrett, yet suddenly turned dovvne to the grounde: as a fruitefull tree yet quickely vvithered: as a burninge light, yet forthvvith dar∣ned: as a runninge fountayne yet by and by driyed vp. VVo is me that euer I vvas bedec∣ked vvith all giftes and graces and novve seeme pitifully depriued of all. But vvho vvill mini∣ster moysture vnto the temples of my heade, and vvho vvill geue streames of teares vnto myne eyes, that I may bevvayle my selfe in this my sorovvfull plight? A lasse o priesthoode hovve shall I bevvayle thee? A lasse o mynistery hovve shall I lament thee? O all you my friendes tender my case, pitie my person, in that I am daungerously vvounded. pitie me o all ye my friendes in that I am novve become an abiect person. pitie me o ye my friendes in that I am novve vvith sorovve come to nought. pitie me o ye my friendes in that I haue novve troden vnder foote the seale and cony••ance of my profession, and ioyned in league vvith the deuell. pitie me o ye my friendes in that I am reiected and cast avvaye from the face of God, it is for my levvde life that I am thus polluted and noted vvith open shame. Bevvayle me vvhome the Angells haue bevvayled: bevvayle me vvhome all the saynctes haue bevvayled: bevvaile me vvhome euery man hath bevvayled: bevvayle me o all ye the nations vnder heauen in that I am fallen from my glorie. the Lorde made and ingraffed me a frutefull vine, but insteede of pleasaunt clustered grappes I brought forth prickinge thornes. bevvayle me also for that in steede of grapes I brought forth brambles▪ but let the vvellspringes of teares be stirred vp, and lett my cheekes be vvatered, let them flovve vpon the earth and moysten it, for that I am soken in sinne and borne in my inquities. I see my priesthoode lament ouer me, I see all ioy sorovvinge ouer me, I see the spider ouer my seate buyldinge vvith cobvveb, I see and beholde my selfe all sorovvfull and pensiue, euery crea∣ture sorovveth at my case, for that I vvas vvonte heretofore to poure out prayses vnto God for them all. Alasse vvhat haue I felt, and hovve am I fallen? Alasse hovve am I thus come to nought? there is no sorovve comparable to my sorovve, there is no afliction that exceadeth my afliction, there is no bitternes that passeth my bitternes, there is no lamentation more la∣mentable then mine, nether is there sinne greater then my sinne, and there is no salue for me. VVhere is that good shepherd of the soules? VVhere is he that vvent dovvne from Ierusalem

to Iericho, vvhich also salued and cured him that vvas vvounded of the theeues? seke me out o Lorde vvhich am fallen from the higher Ierusalem, vvhich haue broken the vovve I made in baptisme, vvhich haue profaned my cony••ance in that I dealt iniuriously vvith thy blessed name. Alasse that euer I vvas doctor, and novve occupie not the rovvme of a disci∣ple. Thou knovvest o Lorde that I fell agaynst my vvill, vvhen as I vvent about to lighten others, I darkened my selfe: vvhen I endeuored to bringe others▪ from death to life, I brought my selfe from life to deathe: vvhen I mynded to▪ presente others before God, I presented my selfe before the deuell: VVhen I desired to be founde a friende and a fauorer of godlynes, I vvas founde a foe and a furtherer of iniquitie: vvhen that I sett my selfe agaynst the assem∣blyes of the vvicked and reproued theyr doinges, there founde I shame and the moste pesti∣lent vvounde of the deuell. vvhen that I vvas ignorant and vnskilfull in the diuerous slaygh∣tes of striuers vvhich commonly entrappe men, I allured and exhorted them to the knovve∣ledge of the Sonne of God. vvherefore after muche siftinge▪ they promised me (vnhappie man) crafty conueyances to auoyde the subtletye of Satan. But after that I departed from* 3.3 them, the deuell in the same night transformed into an Angell of light, reasoned vvith me sayinge: vvhen thou art vp in the morninge goe on, and persvvade them and bringe them vnto God if they demaunde ought of thee. If in case they condescende and harken vnto thee, doe it and ceasse not, staggeringe nothinge at the matter to the ende many may be saued. And agayne the deuell goinge before to prepare the vvaye, vvhetted theyr vvitts to deuise mischief agaynst me seely vvretch, he sovved in theyr mindes hypocrisie, dissimulation and deceate. but I o vnhappie creature skippinge out of my bedd at the davveninge of the daye, colde not fi∣nishe my vvonted deuotion, neyther accomplishe my vsuall prayer, but vvishinge that all men might be saued and come vnto the knovveledge of the trueth, folded and vvrapped my selfe in the snares of the deuell. I gott me vnto the vvicked I required of them to performe the coue∣nantes made the night before (I seely soule not knovveing of any thinge) and vve came vnto the baptisme. O blinded heart hovve didest thou not remember? O foolishe mynde hovve didest thou not bethinke thy selfe? O vvittlesse brayne hovve didest thou not vnderstande? O thou sense of vnderstandinge vvhere didest thou sleepe? but it vvas the deuell vvhich prouo∣ked thee to slumbre and slepe and in the end slevve thy vnhappy and vvretched soule. he bound my mightie men and spoyled me of my knovvledge. he bound my mightie men & vvounded me. I ansvvered but in a vvorde & became reprochefully defamed. I spake vvithout malice yet felt I spite. the deuell raysed an assembly about me and pronounced agaynst me that vniuste sentence, Origen (sayth he) hathe sacrificed. O thou deuell vvhat hast thou done vnto me? O thou deuell hovve hast thou vvounded me? I bevvayled sometime the fall of Sampson, but novve haue I felt farre vvorse my selfe, I bevvayled heretofore the fall of Solomon, yet novve am I fallen farre vvorse my selfe. I haue bevvayled heretofore the state of all sinners, yet novve haue I plunged in them all. Sampson had the heare of his heade clypt and cropt of, but the crovvne of glorie is fallen from of my heade. Sampson lost the carnall eyes of his body, but my spirituall eyes are digged out. it vvas the vvilyenesse of a vvoman that brought him to his confusion, but it vvas myne ovvne tongue that brought me to this sinfull fall. And euen as he vvanted after the losse of his earthly possession: So my tongue, hauinge bolted out this vvicked sayinge, depriued me of the spirituall giftes, vvhich sometime haue flovved vvith heauenly ritches. And euen as he beinge seuered from the Israelites and cleauinge vn∣to forayners endured these thinges: so I goinge about to saue notorious sinners, brought my selfe captiue vnto captiues, and the bondeslaue of sinne. Alasse my Churche liueth, yet am I a vviddovver. Alasse my sonnes be aliue yet am I barren. Alasse euery creature reioyceth, and I alone forsaken and sorovvfull. Alasse o Church vvherein I vvas gladsome. Alasse o seate vvherein I sate full mery. Alasse o spirite vvhich heretofore camest dovvne vpon me, vvhy hast thou forsaken me? I am forsaken and become desolate because of the corruption and filth of mine iniquitie. bevvayle me that am depriued of all goodnes. bevvayle me o ye blessed people of God vvhich am banished from God. bevvayle him that is bereued of the* 3.4 holye Ghost. bevvayle me that am thrust out of the vvedding chamber of Christ. bevvayle me vvho once vvas thought vvorthye the kingdome of God, novve altogether vnvvorthye. bevvayle me that am abhorred of the Angels, & seuered from the saincts of God. bevvayle me for that I am condemned to eternall punishments. bevvayle me for that I am here on earth,

and novve tormented vvith the pricke of conscience. I doe feare death because it is vvicked. I doe feare the dreadfull day of iudgement for that I am damned for euer. I doe feare the pu∣nishment for that it is eternall. I doe feare the Angelles vvhich ourseethe punishment be∣cause they are voyde of mercy. I do feare out of measure all the tormentes, and vvhat I shall doe I vvott not, beinge thus on euery side besett vvith misery. If there be any man vvhich can, I beseche him novve assiste me vvith his earnest prayers and vvith his sorovvfull tea∣res. For novve it behoues me to shed infinite teares for my greate sinne. vvho knovveth vvhe∣ther the Lorde vvill haue mercye vpon me, vvhether he vvill pitie my fall, vvhether he vvill tender my person, vvhether he vvilbe moued vvith my desolation, vvhether he vvill shevve mercie vnto me, vvhether he vvill haue respecte vnto mine humilitie and encline his tender compassion tovvards me? but I vvill prostrate my selfe before the thrasholds and porches of the Churche, that I may entreate all people both small and greate, and I vvill saye vnto them: trample and treade me vnderfoote, vvhiche am the foolishe salte, the vnsauery salte, treade me vvhiche haue no taste or relishe of God, treade me vvhiche am fitte for nothinge. Novve let the Elders mourne, for that the staffe vvhereto they leaned is broken. Novve lett the yong men mourne, for that their schoolemayster is fallen. * 3.5 Novve let the virgines mourne, for that the aduauncer thereof is defyled. Novve let the Priestes mourne, for that their pa∣trone and defender is shamefully fallen. Novve let all the Clergye mourne, for that their Prieste is fallen from the faythe. Vvo is me that I fell so levvdely. VVo is me that I fell moste daungerously, and can not rise againe. Asist me o holy spirite and geue me grace to re∣pente. Let the fountaynes of teares be opened and gushe out into streames to see if that per∣aduenture I may haue the grace vvorthely and throughly to repente, and to vvype out of the booke of the conscience the accusation printed agaynst me. But thou o Lord thinke not vpon polluted lippes, neyther weye thou the tongue that hathe vttered levvde thinges: but ac∣cept thou repentance, afliction and bitter teares, the dolour of the harte and the heauy∣nesse of the soule, and haue mercy vpon me, and rayse me vp from out of the mire of cor∣ruption, for the puddle thereof hathe euen choked me vp. VVo is me that somtime vvas a pearle glisteringe in the golden garlande of glorye, but novve throvven into the dust and trode in the myre of contempte. VVo is me that the salte of God novve lyeth in the dung hill, but hovve greate streames of lamentation shall vvype and purifie myne humble harte? novve I vvill adresse my selfe and turne my talke vnto God. vvhy hast thou lysted me vp and cast* 3.6 me dovvne? For as thou haste exalted me vvith the deuine vvorde of thy heauenly vvise∣dome, so me thinkes I sticke in the depth of sinne vvhich my selfe haue vvrought. I had not committed this impietie vnlesse thou hadest vvithdravven thy hande from me. But it is thy pleasure o Lorde vvhich art good to doe all thinges graciously, and I of the other side* 3.7 beinge a foole haue foolishlye fallen. But vvhy o Lorde haste thou shutt my mouth by thy holy Prophete Dauid? haue I bene the first that sinned? Or am I the first that fell? vvhy hast thou thus foresaken me, being desolate and reiected, and banished me from amonge thy saynctes, and astonyed me to preache thy lavves? vvhat man is he borne of a vvoman that sinned not? VVhat man is he that euer vvas conuersant here vpon earthe and did no iniquitie? This I say because thou haste thus forsaken me. Dauid himselfe first, vvho* 3.8 shutt vp my mouth, sinned toe bad in thy sight, yet after his repentance thou receauedst* 3.9 him in mercye. Likevvise saincte Peter the piller of trueth after his fall vvyped avvaye that bitter passion vvith salte teares, sleyinge sinne and purginge avvaye the venoume of the serpent, not continevveinge longe in the puddle of infidelitie. But they of fauour vvere thought vvorthie of mercy, and this I speake to the ende these thinges may take effect. vvo is me that I fell thus moste vvickedly. vvo is me that my aduenture in these thinges vvas so vnfortunate. but novve I humbly beseche thee o Lorde, in as much as I haue felt farre vvorse, Call me backe o Lorde for that I treade a moste perilous and ruy∣nous vvaye. Graunte me that good guide and teacher the holy Ghost, that I be not made a prickinge hedgehogge and become an habitation for deuells, but that I maye treade vnder foote the deuell vvhich trode me, and ouercomminge his sleyghtes be restored agayne to the former health and saluation. Remember not o Lord the iniquitie of thine humble suter, vvho sometime haue celebrated vnto thee, the function of priesthood. remember not o Lord the iniquity of me vvho made aunsvvere vvith vvicked language. Novve o all you vvhich

behold my vvounde tremble for feare, and take heede that ye slumber not, neither fall into the like crime: but come ioyntly vvhich haue the same measure of faith, let vs assemble together, & rent our hartes and prouoke streames of teares to gushe out of the temples of our heades. For vvhen these runne and flovve vpon the face of the earth, there vvill follovve remission of sinnes, the paynes vvyll be auoyded and the tormentes shall not be felt. I mourne & am sorie from the hart roote (O ye my frendes) that euer I fell from aloft. I haue fallen, and am brused, there is no health in me. let the Angels lament ouer me bicause of this my daungerous fall. let the garlands & crovvnes of the saincts lament ouer me, for that I am seuered from amōg their blessed assem∣blies. let blessed Aaron lament ouer me his p••••esthoode. let the holy church lament ouer me, for that I am ruynously decayed. Let all people lamente ouer me, for that I haue my deathes vvounde. I see the cloudes in the skie shadovving the lyght from me, and the sonne hydinge his bryght beames. But novve you do all see and perceaue, the prophet Dauid hath shutte the dore of my mouth. I vvas constrayned of the holie byshops to breake out into some vvordes of ex∣hortation, and takinge the booke of Psalmes in my hande I prayed and opened: and I lyghted vpon that sentence the vvhiche I am ashamed to repeate, yet compelled to pronounce: Vntò* 3.10 the vngodly sayde God: vvhy doest thou preache my lavves, and takest my couenaunt in thy mouth? But bevvayle me and lament this my bytter sorovve. bevvayle me vvhich am in like case vvith the reprobate levves. For that vvhiche vvas sayde vnto them by the Prophet, novve soun∣deth alike in myne eares. Vvhat shall I do that am thus besette vvith many mischiefes. alasse o death vvhy doest thou linger? to vvete: that thou mayest spite and beare me malice. O Satan vvhat mischiefe hast thou vvrought vnto me? hovve hast thou pearced my breast vvith thy poy∣soned darte? thinkest thou that my ruyne vvyll auayle thee any thinge at all? thinkest thou to procure vnto thy selfe ease and reste, vvhyle that I am greeuously tormented? vvho is able to si∣gnifie vnto me vvhether my sinnes be vvyped and done avvay? vvhether that I haue escaped the paynes vvhich greatly I feared? VVho is able to signifie vnto me vvhether agayne I shalbe coo∣pled and made companion vvith the saincts? O ye the saincts of God for that I am not vvorthie to heare the message of thē that bring such tidinges (but presuming farre vvorse practises) haue hearde the terrible threates of the Euangelistes. alasse ô the boosome of Abraham the vvhich I* 3.11 am depriued of▪ alasse that I became partaker vvith the ritche man of his condemnation in the horrible pitte, and partner of his thurst, in the bitter place, full of all sorovve & heauinesse. alasse ô father Abraham entreate for me that I be not cutt of from thy coasts, the vvhich I haue greatly longed after, yet not vvorthely because of my great sinne. But ô Lorde I fall dovvne before thy mercie seate, haue mercie vpon me vvhich mourne thus out of measure, vvhich haue greatly of∣fended, vvhich haue shed many salt and bitter teares, vvhose miserable case euery creature hath lamented. VVhy hast thou broken dovvne my hedge & strong holdes, the vvilde bore out of the* 3.12 vvood hath destroyed me & the vvilde beaste of the fielde hath eaten me vp. rydde me o Lorde from the roaring Lion, the vvhole assemblie of saincts doth make intercession vnto thee for me vvhich am an vnprofitable seruant, the vvhole quire of Angels do entreate thee for me vvhiche* 3.13 haue greeuously offended: that thou vvilt shevv mercy vnto the vvādering sheepe, vvhich is sub∣iect to the renting teeth of t•…•… ••uenous VVolfe. saue me o Lord out of his mouth. suffer me not to become the sacrifice of sinne, but let dovvne vpon me thy holyspirite, that vvith his firie coū∣tenance he may put to flight the crooked fiende of the deuell: that I may be brought vvhome* 3.14 againe vnto thy vvisdome: that the bill of sinne vvritten agaynste me be blotted out: that my la∣mentation may ceasse in the euening & receaue loye in the morning. let my sackcloth be rented asunder, gyrde me vvith ioye & gladnes. let me be receaued againe into the ioye of my God. let me be thought vvorthye of his kingdome, through the prayers and intercession of the sainctes, through the earnest petitions of the church, vvhich sorovveth ouer me & humbleth her selfe vnto Iesus Christ, to vvhome vvith the father and the holie ghost be all glorie and honor for euer and euer. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 1. in the greeke. Gallus ••••••a∣••••d Empe∣rour Anno Domini. 255. Origē dieth. Dionysius. b. of Alexan∣dria in his epistle to Hermammō.
• * 2.1

  Suydas in the life of Ori∣gen.
• * 2.2

  The choyce was that e∣ther a blacke moore shoulde play the Sodomite with him, or he himselfe shoulde sacri¦fice vnto I∣dols.
• * 2.3

  Psal. 50.
• * 3.1

  The lamen∣tation of O∣rigen.
• * 3.2

  He calleth vpon the saynctes in the same sense as he doth in this sorowe∣full plight vpon all o∣ther creature vnder heauē.
• * 3.3

  The pollicie of Satan was to haue Ori∣gen to con∣firme the christians at the time of sacrifice not to the ende they might be sa∣ued (as his pretēse was) but that O∣rigen might be takē with the manner and present∣ly constray∣ned ether to sacrifice or deny his mai¦ster which fel out in the ende. It seemeth by this, that some promi∣sed Origen they vvoulde be baptized but when it came to the pinch they made him to sacrifice.
• * 3.4

  Origen be∣wayleth his excommuni∣cation.
• * 3.5

  Origen gel∣ded himselfe to embrace virginitie therefore iustely maye he be termed an aduancer: in the ende he did sacri∣fice and com¦mitted whor dome with the deuell then was he defiled.
• * 3.6

  Psal. 102.
• * 3.7

  Psal. 50.
• * 3.8

  Psal. 51.
• * 3.9

  Math. 26.
• * 3.10

  Psal. 50.
• * 3.11

  Luc. 16.
• * 3.12

  Psal. 80.
• * 3.13

  Luc. 15.
• * 3.14

  Psal. 30.