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. XX.

How Arius by the commaundement of the Emperour returned to Alexandria, whome Athana∣sius would in no wise admitt, against Athanasius Eusebius and his confederats patched di∣uers crimes, and presented them vnto the Emperour, so that in the ende a synode was summoned at Tyrus, to pacifie these quarells.

WHen that Arius had perswaded the Emperour in such sorte as we sayde before, he re∣turnes to Alexandria, but yet he could not with all his wiles treade downe the trueth, the which he had so egregiously dissembled. Athanasius would not receaue him into the church of Alexandria after his returne, for he detested him as a monster of the worlde. Arius ne∣uerthelesse whilest that he priuely sowed his pestilent opinion, goeth about to sett the whole citie on an vprore. At what time Eusebius both him selfe wrote vnto Athanasius, and procured also the Emperour to commaunde him by his letters, to condescende vnto the admission of Arius and his cōplices. Athanasius for all that, would not receaue them into the church, but wrote backe againe vnto the Emperour: that it was not lawfull for such as had made shipwracke of their faith, and had bene held for accursed of the church▪ after their returne and conuersion, to receaue their former dignities. The Emperour was in a great chafe, and conceaued great displeasure against Athana∣sius for this answere, threatninge him by his letters as followeth: In as much as thou art made priuie to our will and pleasure, see that thou make the dore vvide open to all that desire to enter into the church. For if I vnderstand, that any one (vvhich desired to be made a member of the church) hath by any meanes through thee bene hindred, or his entrāce stopped: I vvill forthwith send one of mine officers, who by authority from me, shall both depose thee of thy bishopricke, and also place an other in thy rovvme. This the Emperour wrote respecting the commoditie of the church, & the vnitie of the councell, lest that through variance it were dissolued. Eusebius then, who hated Athanasius with deadly enmitie, thought no time fitter thē that, to bring his purpose to effect (for he had the Emperour incensed against him, which was meate and drinke for Eusebius) and therefore he raysed all that troublesome sturre, to the ende he myght cause Athanasius to be deposed of his bishopricke. For he thought verylie, that if Athanasius were once remoued, Aria∣nisme then should beare away the bell. Wherefore there conspired against him at once: Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia: Theognis bishop of Nice: Maris bishop of Chalcedon: Vrsacius bishop of Singidon a citie of the vpper Pannonia: and Ʋalens bishop of Murson, a citie also in Pannonia. These men hyred certaine of the Meletian se••t, & caused diuers crimes to be layd vnto Athanasius charge. And firste of all, by the depositions of Eusion, Eudaemon, and Callinicus, that were Mele∣tian heretickes, they charge Athanasius, that he had inioyned the Aegyptians, to pay for a yearely tribute vnto the church of Alexandria, a lynen garment. But Alypius and Macarius, priests of the church of Alexandria (who then as it chaunced were at Nicomedia) confuted this sclannderous report that was layde agaynste Athanasius, and perswaded the Emperour, that all their mali∣cious tales, were manifest vntruthes. Wherefore the Emperoure wrote vnto his aduersa∣ries, and rebuked them sharply, but Athanasius he requesteth to repayre vnto him. yet agayne Eusebius together with his complices, before his comminge patched an other crime, farre more haynous then the former: that Athanasius went about trayterously to defeate the Emperoures

edicts, in sending to one Philumenus a kas••et or forsar, full of gold. The Emperour then being at Psamathia, a manour without the walls of Nicomedia, by sifting out of this matter, founde. A∣thanasius to be giltlesse and sent him away with honor, writing also to the Church of Alexandria, that their bishop was falsely accused before him. But I thinke best, and with more honesty a great deale, to passe ouer with silence, the sundry kindes of sclaunders, Eusebius together with his adhe∣rents, inuented afterwards agaynst Athanasius, lest that the Churche of God be blemished, and sclaundered of them, which haue their mindes farre estraynged from the religion & fayth in Christ Iesu. for the thinges committed to writing▪ are wont to be knowen of all, and therefore it was our part, to comprise in few words, such things as required a seuerall trac••. but neuerthelesse I thinke it my duety in fewe wordes to declare out of what fountaine, these false accusations ishued, and whence such as forged them had their originall. Mareôtes is a contrey of Alexandria, in it there are many villages, and the same well peopled: within the same also, there are many Churches, yea of greate fame, all which are vnder the Bishop of Alexandria, within the iurisdiction of his seae and bishopricke. In this Mareôtes, one Ischyras (for so they called him) practised priuely such a kinde of offence, as deserued a hundreth kindes of death, for when as he had neuer taken orders, he called him selfe a minister, and presumed to execute the function of a priest. Who when he was ta¦ken with the maner, fledd away priuely, and gott him straight to Nicomedia, to the faction of Eu∣sebius as a sure and safe refuge. They, for hatred they owed vnto Athanasius entertayned him for a priest, and promised to make him Bishop, if he would accuse Athanasius, so that hereby I meane by the false reports of Ischyras, they tooke occasion to sclaunder Athanasius. for Ischyras blased abrode, that vpon a sodaine they brake in vpon him, and dealt with him very contumeliously: that Maca∣rius beat the altar with his heeles, ouerthrewe the Lordes table, brake the holy cuppe, and burned the blessed bible. They promised him for these his malicious accusations (as I sayd before) a bi∣shoprick, for they were fully perswaded, that the crime layd to Macarius charge, was of force suffi∣cient, not onely to displace Macarius, that was accused: but also to remoue Athanasius who had sent him thither. This sclaunder was compassed against him in a while after. Afore that tyme, the complices of Eusebius, had forged agaynst him an other accusation, full of spite and cankered ma∣lice: whereof I will presently entreat. They gott I wott not where, a mans hande: whether they slewe a man, and stroke of his hande, or cut•• of the hande of a dead man, God knoweth alone, and the authors of this treachery: this hande the Bishops of Meletius sect bring forth, in the name of Arsenius, and protest that it was his hande: the hande they bring forth, but Arsenius they hidd at home. They say moreouer, that Athanasius vsed this hande to magicke, and sorcery. And although this was the chiefest thing, that was layd to Athanasius charg: yet as it falleth out in such kinde of dealing, other men charged him with other things. for they which spited him vnto the death, went then about to worke all meanes possible, to mischieue him. When these thinges were told the Em∣perour, he wrote vnto Dalmatius the Censor, who was his sisters sonne, and then abode at Antioch in Syria: that he shoulde call such as were accused before the barre: that he shoulde heare the mat∣ter, and execute the offenders. He sent thither Eusebius, and also Theognis, that Athanasius might be tryed in their presence. Athanasius being cited to appeare before the Censor, sent into Aegypt, to seeke out Arsenius, for he vnderstoode that he hidd him selfe. but he could not take him, because that he fledd from place to place. In the meane while, the Emperour cutt of the hearing of Athanasius matter before the Censor, for this cause. He called a synode of Bishops for to consecrate the tem∣ple which he had buylded at Ierusalem. The Emperour had willed the Bishops assembled at Ty∣rus, to debate together with other matters the contention raysed about Athanasius, to the ende (all quarells being remoued) they might cheerefully solemnize the consecration of the Church, and de∣dicate the same vnto God. Constantine went now on the thirtieth yeare of his raigne. The Bishops that mett from euery where at Tyrus, being cited by Dio••ysius the Senator, were in number three score. Macarius the Priest of Alexandria, being fast bounde with fetters, and bolts of yron, was brought thither by the souldiers. Athanasius would not come to Tyrus, not disinayed so much with the sclaunderous reportes that were layd to his charge (for his conscience accused him of nothing) as he feared greatly, lest that they woulde bring in some innouation, preiudiciall to the decrees of the Nicene councell. but because that the angry lynes and threatning letters of the Emperour, moued him not a litle (for he had written vnto him, that if he came not of his owne accord, he should be brought thither with a vengeance) he came of necessitie vnto the councell.

Notes

• Cap. 27. in the Greeke.
• Athanasius would not receaue Ari∣us into the church of Alexandria.
• Constantine ••••rote this to Athanasi{us}. b. ••f Alex••dria 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the behalf ••f Arius the ••ereticke, ••ho decea∣••ed thē both
• ••hanasius is ••••ely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of extor∣••n.
• ••anasius ••alsely ac∣cused of trea¦son.
• Ischyras a false minister forging or∣ders vnto him selfe.
• Athanasius is falsly char¦ged with the misdemea∣nure of his clergy.
• Athanasius is falsely ac∣cused of mu••¦th••r and ma∣gicke.
• Cap. 28. a•• ter the g••e••
• Macarius •• minister b••¦ing falsely •…•…cused by 〈…〉〈…〉 Arian & Me¦letian her•• tikes is th•• shamefull dealt wi•••• Cap. 29. after the Greeke.