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. XVIII.

Howe the Emperour Theodosius duringe the time of his abode at Rome did the citie muche good by remouinge the theeuishe dennes of the bakehouses and the infamous ringing of bells at the deed doing in the stewes.

THe Emperoure Theodosius althoughe he continewed but a litle while in Italie, yet in that space did he much good vnto the Citie of Rome, partely by geuinge that which was good and takinge awaye that which was ill. For as he shewed himselfe bountifull and liberall towardes her in many thinges, so hathe he remoued two thinges whiche were greate blemishes vnto that Citie. The one was in this sorte. There was at Rome a huge and a greate house* 1.1 of aunciente buyldinge where all the breade that serued the Citie was baked. The maysters of this house the Romaynes called in theyre owne tongue Mancipes, such they were as serued all with breade by Greate, who in processe of time turned those large rowmes to dennes of theeues. For by reason the bakehouse that belonged vnto that buyldinge was vnder grounde and because that on euery side there were vittailers, tauernes and tippling houses full of harlots and naughty∣packes:* 1.2 many that resorted thither partely for foode and vittails and partly also for the satisfieng of theyr filthye luste were craftely spoyled of all they had and moste commonlye dispatched, so that their friendes could neuer heare tidinges of them againe. A certaine priuie conueyance there was deuised to throw thē downe headlong from those bawdy tauernes into the blind bakehouse, by this meanes many especially of the straūgers which inhabited Rome were cast away. For aboue they were spoyled & beneath they were made bondslaues and constrained to grind in y^t bakehouse: most of them were neuer permitted to departe but continewed their life time in drudgery making their

friends beleeue they were not in this world. It fell out that one of the Emperour Theodosius soul∣diers was throwen into this hole, being in the close bakehouse, and couldnot get licence to depart, he drewe out his dagger and slewe them which stopped his passage, the rest being afraide of their liues, let the souldier goe. The Emperour vnderstanding all the circumstance, sent for the millers and bakers, punished the maisters with extreme torment, ouerthrewe those blinde houses which were receptacles of theeues and harlots. and thus ryd he the princely citie of this one shamefull* 1.3 dealing. The other was as followeth. If a womā were taken in adulterie, the Romaines vsed such a kinde of punishment as remoued not the sinne, but encreased the vice. For they shutt her vp in narrowe stewes, and compelled her beastly without all shame to playe the harlott, yea they pro∣cured ringinge while the deede was adoing, that the neighbours might vnderstand of it, and that by the sounde of the tinglinge bells all might be made priuie to that filthie and shamefull kinde of correction. When the Emperour hearde of this horrible custome, he thought it in no wise to be winked at, but caused Sestra (for so were the stewes called) to be ouerthrowen and suppressed, and made other lawes for the correction of adulterers. Wherfore Rome by the benefit of Theodo∣sius y^• Emperour was deliuered from both these beastly and foule acts. After that he had set other things in order, he left the gouernment of that citie vnto Valentinianus, tooke thēce his voyage to∣gether with his sonne towards Constantinople, and came to his iourneys end at that time, when Tatianus and Symachus were Consuls, the tenth of Nouember.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A bake∣house vnder grounde.
• * 1.2

  Blinde ale∣houses.
• * 1.3

  Theodosius tooke awaye this filthie lawe, & sup∣pressed the stewes.