CAP. XIIII.* 1.1
Howe the Emperour wente to Antioch and persecuted all them that professed the fayth of one substance: of his doinges at Edessa and the great constancie of a Christianwoman.
THe Emperour Ʋalens weyed not at all this grieuous famine, went forth on his iorney to Antioch: and continewing there pursued with deadly hatred such as detested the Arian opi∣nion. He deposed of theyr churches for no other crime then because they were enemies vnto y• Arians, all that embraced the faith of one substance, not onely throughout all the Easterne parts of the world: but also not satisfied with this punishemente, tormented them with diuerse grieuous deuises and executed a farre greater number then we spake of before, with sundry kindes of death but specially with drowninge of them in the surginge waues of the sea. * 1.2 Furthermore let vs here call to remembraunce, the horrible Acte committed by him at Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia. There I meane in that citie there is a goodly & a gorgeous temple called Sainct Thomas the A∣postles, where infinite troopes of men for y• reuerent opinion conceaued of the holy place are wont to frequent. Valens being desirous to see it, although he knewe full well that all those flockinge as∣semblies detested his hereticall opinion: as the reporte goeth, gaue the Liuetenant a blowe with his fist because he had not scattered those conuenticles as he had charged him before. When the Liuetenant for all this grieuous contu••ely framed himselfe with vnwillinge minde to obeye the Emperours wrath and displeasure: gaue notice priuely hereof vnto them (it was farre from his mind to fall a murthering of so many godly citizens) that none should shewe his face in the temple that none shoulde be founde raysing of any conuenticle: but not one made accompt of his aduise ne∣ther weyed of his threates, for the day followinge all flocked in greate companies to the temple. And while the Liuetenant hastened with greate power of armed souldieres vnto the temple, to the ende he might delay the boyling heate of the Emperours stomacke which breathed out anger and displeasure: a simple woman leadinge a childe in her hande all in hast brake the raye and thrust her selfe in the throng of armed souldiers to passe on her voyage. The Liuetenant being moued therewith calleth the woman before him, reasoneth with her in this sorte: thou fond and vnfortunat woman, whether runnest thou so rashly? thither (sayde she) where others doe hasten. Hast not thou hearde (sayth he) that the Liuetenant will execute as many as he finds there? I heard it (sayd she)* 1.3 and therefore I goe thither in all the hast that I may be founde there. But whither (sayd he) lea∣dest thou this childe? that he also (sayd she) may be accompted in the number of Martyrs. When the Liuetenant heard this he coniectured thereafter of the rest. Thereupon he got him vnto the Emperour, and geueth him to vnderstand that all from the highest vnto the lowest prepared them selues to die in the quarell and in defence of their faith: he aded moreouer that it was verye rashe and without all reason that so great a multitude in so shorte a space shoulde so soddainely be execu∣ted, in so saying he fell a perswading of the Emperour so long vntill that his wordes preuayled, & the Emperour was with reason appeased. Thus the Edessaeans auoyded the ouerthrowe preten∣ded of the Emperour towardes them.