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

THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLA∣TOR VNTO THE READER TO VTCHING THE LIFE, AND HISTORIE OF SOCRATES.

IN so much that I finde not in any one writer either auncient or other∣wise howsoeuer, a sufficient treatise or ample discourse of the life and hi∣story of Socrates Scholasticus: I thought good for the Christian rea∣ders sake to cull here and there such proofes as may bring him the better acquainted with this learned Historiographer, lest that vpon the so day ne he conceaue of him any sinister opinion or mis••••king not knowing, either who, wh•••••• or what doctrine he wrote of I do gather by his owne history that he liued in the time* 1.1 of Damasus Bishop of Rome, and florished in the tyme of 〈…〉〈…〉sto••e Bishop of Con∣stantinople, about 412. yeares after Christ. of this opinion is 〈…〉〈…〉 where he wri∣teth▪ Socrates wrote the Ecclesiasticall history vnto the tyme of Chrysastome, when as it is most like he florished him selfe▪ but his owne wordes in my iudgement are play∣ne•• where the time is exactly layd downe in this sorte: Our whole historye (sayth he) being deuided into seuen bookes, compriseth the compasso of one hundreth and for∣ty yeares, beginning at the first yeare of the two hundreth and firste Olympiade vvhen Constantine was proclaymed Emperour, & ending in the 2. yeare of the two hundreth eight & twentyeth Olympiad being the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Consulship of Theodosius the Emperour. Theodorus Zuinger calleth Socrates, Pistoriensom presbyterian, minister of Pistoria in* 1.2 Italy: and Volaterran calleth not him, but Soc••••••••s (who liued about that tyme and wrote in like sorte the Ecclesiasticall history) minister of Pistoria. I doe not see how ei∣ther of them being Grecians coulde be minister of any the latine or west Churches. Sozomenus was of Salamina an Ile hard by Athens where he wrote his historye in the Greeke tongue: Socrates was of Constantinople the which Volaterran doth confesse, nay his owne words doe testifie the same where he writeth in this sort: I of mine owne* 1.3 part (sayth Socrates) in so much I leade my life here at Constantinople, where I was borne, bredd and brought vp, no maruell though I write more at large of the famous acts done within this citye: partly seeing that I sawe most of them with mine eyes, and partly also in so much they are more famous and thought farre worthier of memory then many other Acts. Nicephorus that fabulous Historiographer doubteth not to sclaunder him with the hereticall sect of Nouatian, when as no such thinge can be ga∣thered* 1.4 by the workes of Socrates. he dreameth that in so much he had familiaritie, and commendeth diuerse of the Nouatian Bishops for many their rare and singuler ver∣tues, therefore without all peraduenture (sayth he) he was a Nouatian. I reade that O∣rigen was of a long tyme in one house together at bedd and borde with an olde here∣ticke whose name was Paulus: I see that Eusebius highly commendeth the heretick Ta∣tianus for his booke against the Gentiles, he extolleth also Bardesanes the Syrian, who was a Valentian hereticke: I finde that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria reuerenced wonderfully the person of Nepos the Chiliast, he doubted not to affirme that his soule was in rest: yet as we may in no wise call Origen an heretick for his familiaritye with Paulus: neyther Eusebius a Tatian or Valentinian for commending of Tatianus and Bardesanes, neyther Dionysius a Chiliast for extolling of Nepos, no more may we call

Socrates a Nouatian for his familiaritie with Auxanon and praysing of the Nouatians. where he commendeth the Nouatians, where he maketh report of Auxanon, where also he excuseth him selfe, his wordes are these. I haue learned moreouer (sayth Socra∣tes)* 1.5 that Eutychianus a man of syncere religion florished about that time, who though he were of the Nouatian sect, yet did he many straunge things. I will reueale him that reported me his doings, neyther will I cloke or conceale that at all, though therefore I may seeme to incurre suspicion or the reprehension of diuers persons. It was Auxa∣non a priest of the Nouatian Church. In an other place he commendeth the Nouati∣ans* 1.6 for embracing the Nicene Creede, for ioyning with the true Christians agaynst the Arian heretickes: who woulde not in like sorte commende them for the same? he sayth further that almost they had bene at vnitie with the true Catholicks, had not the fault bene in the Nouatians them selues. What other thing is this then commending of them for well doing and reprehending of them for ill doing? is he therefore to be termed a Nouatian? This Nicephorus sticked not in like sorte to call Eusebius an Arian,* 1.7 who as it is well knowen vnto the whole worlde was at the councell of Nice, wrote the creede & condemned Arius with his owne hand. sure I am of this, that toutching the history, this Nicephorus hath patched together out of Eusebius, Socrates, Euagrius & other auncient writers: if euery birde tooke her fether from him there woulde be no∣thing left of his owne parte but fables. Tritenhemius wrote reuerently of this author in this sorte: Socrates by byrth a Grecian, a learned and an eloquent man, a notable Hi∣storiographer,* 1.8 of great fame by reason of his profounde skill: wrote a volume contai∣ning the Ecclesiasticall history from the raygne of Constantinus magnus the firste Em∣perour of that name vnto the raygne of Theodosius iunior. I finde by translating of him the doctrine sounde, the stile familier, the story faythfull: in com∣mending he obserueth a meane, in reprehension modest, in con∣futation earnest and zealous in defence of the trueth: the autor him selfe learned, his iudgement graue, & his writings of great antiquitie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Socrat. lib. 6. eccl. hist. cap. 12. Volater. li 19. An∣thropolog Socrat. li. 7. cap. 47
• * 1.2

  Theodor. Zuinger. Ʋolaterr.
• * 1.3

  Socrat. li. 5. cap. 23.
• * 1.4

  Niceph. lib▪ 9. cap. 13. lib. 11. cap. 14. Euseb. lib. cap. 2. Euseb. lib. cap. 27. 28▪ Euseb. lib. cap. 23.
• * 1.5

  Socrat. li. 1. cap. 9.
• * 1.6

  Socrat. li. 2. cap. 30.
• * 1.7

  Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 5. lib. 2. cap. 17.
• * 1.8

  Tritenhe¦mius li. de eccl, scrip.