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. XXIX.

How the Saracens vnder the raygne of Mauia their Queene, tooke one Moses a Monke, a godly & a faithfull man to their Bishop and embraced the Christian faith.

WHen the Emperour had left Antioch, the Saracens who before time were fellowes, friends, and in league with the Romaines, then first beganne to rebell: being gouerned & guyded by a woman called Mauia, (whose husband had departed this life a litle be∣fore) they tooke armour against them. Wherefore all the prouinces of the Romaine dominions that lay towards the East had then wholly bene ouerrunne by the Saracens: if the diuine proui∣dence of God had not withstoode their enterprises. The meanes were these. Moses a Saracene borne, lead in the desert the monastical trade of life: for his zeale & godlines, for his constant faith, for the straung miracles wrought by him he was famous among all men. Mauia Queene of the Saracens required of the Romaines this Moses to be her Bishop, and in so doing she woulde cast of armour and ioyne in league with them. The Romaine captaines hearing of this, thought them selues happy if peace were concluded vpon such a condition: laying all delayes aside, they bid the Queene bring her purpose to passe. Moses was taken from the wildernes and sent to Alexandria for orders. When Moses was come in the presence of Lucius who then gouerned the Churches of Alexandria, he refused his ceremonies and laying on of handes, reasoning with him in this sorte: I thinke my selfe vnworthy of the priestly order, yet if it be for the profitt of the common weale y^t I be called vnto the function, truely thou Lucius shalt neuer lay hand vpon my heade. for thy right

hand is imbrued with slaughter and bloodshed. When Lucius sayd againe that it became him not so contumeliously to reuile him, but rather to learne of him the precepts of christian religion, Mo∣ses answered: I am not come presently to reason of matters in religion, but sure I am of this that thy horrible practises against the brethren proue thee to be altogether voyd of the true principles of Christian religion. For the true Christian striketh no man, reuileth no man, fighteth with no man: for the seruant of God shoulde be no fighter. but thy deedes, in exiling of some, throwing of others to wilde beastes, burning of some others, doe crye out against thee: yet are we euer surer of the thinges we see with our eies then we heare with our eares. When Moses had vttered these and other such like sayings, his friendes brought him vnto a certaine mountaine to be made Priest of such as were there exiled. After that Moses had thus bene consecrated, the Saracen warre ended. Mauia thenceforth was in league with the Romaines, and maried her daughter to captaine Victor. Thus much of the Saracens.

Notes

• Cap. 36. in the greeke.
• Moses the Monke rea∣soned thus with Lucius the Arian Bishop.