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. XVI.

The cruell behauiours of Maximinus in the East and of Maxentius at* 1.1 Rome and other where in the west▪

MAximinus the Casterne tyrant of a long tyme behaued himselfe to the ende he might con∣ceale* 1.2 his malice against his brother and his hid friendship towards the Romaine tirant, but in the ende he was espied and suffred punishmente due to his desert. It was won∣derfull to see howe that he committed things a like and correspondēt vnto the practises of the Ro¦mayne* 1.3 tyrant, nay he farre passed him in malice and mischiefe. The chiefest inchaunters & magi∣cians were in greatest creditte with him, and because he was a man very timorous & wonderfully rooted in superstition, he highly esteemed of the erroneous worship of Idols and deuels. without southsaing•• & answers of Oracles he durst not mone, no, as it is commonly sayd, not the breadth* 1.4 of a nayle, for which cause he persecuted vs without intermission and more vehemently then his auncesters before him. he erected temples throughout euery citie, the Idolatricall worship of* 1.5 longe time defaced and ouerthrowen he carefully restored agayne, and published by edict that I∣dole priestes shoulde be ordained, throughout all countreys and cities. besides this he appointed* 1.6 in euery prouince one for high priest of such as were counted famous for politicke affaires being

also able with decency to execute that function, whome he furnished with a great trayne and gard of soldiers. To be short he priuiledged all inchaunters, recounted godly and takē for Gods them selues, with primacy, dignities, and chiefest prerogatiues. He went on still and oppressed, not on* 1.7 Citye or region onely, but whole prouinces vnder his dominion, exactinge golde and siluer and summes of money, and vexed them with greuous proclamations, on penaltie ensuinge after ano∣ther. The wealth and substance which his progenitors had gathered before he tooke in greate* 1.8 heapes of treasure and greate summes of money and bestowed it vpon his flatteringe parasites. He was so drowned with ouer muche wine and drunkenesse that amonge his cuppes he woulde* 1.9 be starke madd and besides him selfe, and often times beinge typsie commaunded such thinges, whereof afterwards being restored to his former sobriety it repented him. He gaue place to no man for surfeting and superfluitie, but made him selfe ringe leader of that vice, vnto all that were* 1.10 about him bothe Prince and people. He effeminated his soldiers with all kinde of delicacy and lasciuiousnes. He permitted his presidentes and captaynes to practise rauenous extorcion, and poulinge of his subiectes, whome he entertayned as fitte companions of his foule and shame∣full tyranny. To what ende shall I rehearse his vnchaste life? Or recite the adulteryes he com∣mitted? He colde passe no Citie where he rauished not wiues, and deflowred not virgins. And in* 1.11 these thinges he preuayled agaynst all sortes of people the Christians only excepted which con∣temned death and despised his tyranny. The men endured burninge, beheading, crucifyinge, ra∣uenous deuouring of beastes, drowninge in the seae, mayming and broyling of the members, go∣ringe and digginge out of the eyes, manglinge of the whole body, moreouer famyne and impry∣sonment, to be short they suffred euery kinde of torment for the seruice of God, rather then they woulde leaue the worship of God, and embrace the adoration of Idols▪ women also not inferior to men through the power of the worde of God, putt on manly courage, whereof some suffred the same tormentes with men, some attayned vnto the like maysteries of vertue, other some dra∣wen to be abused, yelded sooner theyre life vnto the death then theyr bodyes to be defiled. For when as others by reason of the tyrants adultery were polluted a Christian matron of Alexan∣dria,* 1.12 both noble and renowmed alone ouer came the lecherous and lasciuious mynde of Maxi∣minus with the presence of her manly courage. This woman for many▪ thinges was highly estee∣med, for ritches, for kindred, for learninge, yet preferred she chastitie before all. Whome when he had earnestly entreated, yet coulde not finde in his harte to putt her to death which otherwise was already prepared to dye, being moued more with lust then with anger, exiled and depriued her also of all her substance. And infinitie other matrons not abydinge, no not the hearinge of the threats of abusinge theyr bodies, done by the presidents of euery particular nation, endured all kinde of punishments, torments and deadly paynes. These are in deede to be wondred at, but in greater admiratiō, is that most noble & most chast matron of Rome to be had in respect of all the rest, agaynst whome the Romayne tyrant Maxentius, (liuely resemblinge Maximinus) went* 1.13 about to rage. When that she vnderstoode the ministers of tyrannicall lust to be at hand, and her husbande (she beinge a Christian) though he were a Romayne magistrate, to be in holde a∣monge them, and for feare of execution to haue consented therevnto she craued a little leasure, as if she went to trime her selfe, and entting into her chamber and there beinge alone she runne vpon a naked sworde and dispatched her selfe, so imediatly by her death she bequeathed her carkasse vn to the tyrantes baudes, and by this acte of hers, soundinge and pearcinge more then any shrill voyce, shee pronounced and printed in the mindes of all mortall men both presente and to come: that amonge the Christians alone vertue can with no money be ouercome, neither be destroyed with any kinde of death. This so great a burthen of impietie was brought into the worlde at one, and the same time by two tyrants which helde East and west. If any seeke out the cause of these so* 1.14 great mischieues, who will doubt to assigne the persecution raysed agaynst vs for cause thereof, specially in as much as this confusion finished not before the Christian liberty was first restored. for during the tearme of these tenne yeares persecutiō, there wanted them nothing, which might tende to mutuall hatred, or ciuill dissention. The sea was besett with shippes, and therefore in∣nauigable, neyther was it possible from any place, for any man to arriue and take lande, but he shoulde he sifted with all kinde of punishments, his sides scourged, and himselfe tried with sundry torments, whether he were not sent from the enemy as a spie, & in the end he was either hanged or burned. morouer there were prepared for the purpose, targets, brest plats, dartes, spears, with other warlicke armour, galeyes also and other ordinance for shipps, were heaped in euery place,

neyther wayted any man for any other then dayly inuasion by the enemy. after these thinges en∣sued famine & pestilence, of the which we will entreat hereafter when fit oportunity is ministred.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 15. in. ••••e Greeke.
• * 1.2

  Maximinus ••pocrisie
• * 1.3

  Superstition.
• * 1.4

  Persecution.
• * 1.5

  •…•…latrie.
• * 1.6

  •…•…haunte∣•…•…t.
• * 1.7

  Oppression.
• * 1.8

  Prodigality.
• * 1.9

  D••sikenesse.
• * 1.10

  Surfetinge.
• * 1.11

  Lechery. The tyrant colde not o∣uercome the Christians.
• * 1.12

  A chast ma∣tron of Ale∣xandria con∣founded the tyrant where fore she was exiled and her goods confiscated.
• * 1.13

  A matron of Rome slewe her selfe ra∣ther then Ma∣xētius should abuse her.
• * 1.14

  The cause of the worldes calamities was the per∣secution of the christi••s▪