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.

Though Maximinus went not seriously about to succoure the christians and to relent the persecution, yet it profited, & Sabinus published abroade his letters in the behalfe of the christians so that peace was restored.

THis recantation set forth by the commaundement of the emperours, was published euery where throughout Asia and all his prouinces which thing being done, Maxi∣minus the Eastern tyrant, most impious of all & chief enemy to y^• seruice of God, not pleased w^t these proclamations in steade of y^• wryttē edict, commaunded his princes by word of mouth y^• they should make league w^t the christians. And because he durst none other but obey the sentence of the higher power, he begāne to imagine howe to conceale the decree already proclaimed & to prouid lest that it were made manifest vnto the countreis of his dominiō, & by this aduise he commaunded his inferior magistrats by word & not by wryting: that henceforth they should persecute vs no more. But they certified one an other of this commaunde∣ment, & Sabinus who then among them was in highest dignity certified by epistle wrytten in the latine tongue, the seuerall presidents of the prouinces of the emperours decree by translatiō thus: The maiesty of our Lordes and most noble emperours hath decreed nowe a good while agoe* 1.1 with great care & deuotion to induce the mindes of all mortall mē vnto the holy & right trade of liuing, to the ende these also whiche haue alienated them selues from the Romaine maner, should exhibite due worship vnto the immortall gods: but the stubburnes of some, & the mind of all other most obstinate, so farre resisted, that they could be vvithdravven from theyr purpose nether by ryght nor by reason, neyther be terrified vvith any tormēt that was laied vpon them. For as much as therefore it fell out by this meanes that many putt themselues in great perill, the maiesty of our lieges, & most puysant emperours, after their noble piety (iudging it a thing farre from their most noble purpose, for such a cause to cast men into so great a daunger) gaue me in charge that with diligence I shoulde write vnto your industry. That if any of the christians be founde to vse the relligion of his owne sect, you neyther grieue nor molest him at all, neyther thinke any man for this cause worthy of punishment when as it appeareth in so long a tract of time, they can by no meanes be induced to sursease from such a pertinacy. Your industrie hath therefore to write to the liuetenāts, captaines & cōstables of euery citie & village that they passe not the bounds of this edict to presume any thing contrary to the same. The presidents through out the prouinces, hauing receaued these letters thinking this to be the true meaning of the empe¦rour, in these lettres contayned, declare forthwith by their epistles y^• emperours decree vnto y^e liue tenants, captaynes and vnto such as gouerned the common people of the countrey. Neither were they onely satisfied with the sending of letters, but rather by the deed doing it selfe to bring about the emperours will, brought forth and sett at liberty, such as they held captiues in prison for the confession of christian religion, yea releasinge them also which for punishmentes sake were com∣mitted to y^e mine pitts & digginge of mettalls, for they being deceaued thought this would please the emperour. These things being thus brought to passe, immediatly after the sonne beames of peace shined brightly as if it had bene after a darke or mysty night. Then might a man haue seene throughout euery city, congregations gathered together, often synods and there wonted meeting celebrated. At these thinges the incredulous heathen were much dismaied and wondering at the maruelous straūgnes of so great a chaūge, shouted out, that the God of the christians was y^e great* 1.2 and onely true God. Some of our men which faithfully & manfully endured the combatt of perse∣cution, enioyed againe there liberty amōg all men: but others some faynting in the faith, of abiect mindes in the storme of persecutiō, greedely hastened vnto their salue and sought of such as were

strong and sound, y^e forewardnes of health and destred the Lord to be mercifull vnto them. Againe the noble champions of godlines beinge sett at liberty from the affliction they suffred in the mine pitts returned vnto their owne home, passing throughout euery city with valiant and chearefull courage, w^t vnspeakeable ioy, and replenished with inexplicable liberty of mind. They went in y^• voyage and returne lauding God in songs & psalmes throughout y^• midd high wayes throughout the market places and frequented assemblies. There mightest thou haue seene them who a little before after most greuous punishments were fettred, and banished their natiue soyle to receaue & enioy their proper houses, w^t a cherefull and mery countenance, in so much that they which afore time cried out against vs, nowe reioyced together with vs at this wonderful sight, happening be∣yond all mans expectation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sabinus vn∣to the presi∣dēts through out the do∣minions of Maximinus.
• * 1.2

  Such as fell in persecutiō repented thē of their fall.