CAP. VIII.
Of the hundreth and fifty Bishops which at the commaundement of the Emperour Theodosius mette at Constantinople, theyr decrees and howe they created Nectarius Bishop of that seae.
THe Emperour without long deliberation summoned a councell of such Bishops as were of* 1.1 his faith: to the end the canons of y• Nicene councell might be confirmed and a Bishop cho∣sen of Constantinople. And in hope to reconcile the Macedonians with the Bishops which embraced the faith of one substance, he cited also the bishops of the Macedonian sect. Wherefore there met there of them which embraced the Nicene Greede: T••••otheus Bishop of Alexandria: Cyrillus Bishop of Ierusalē, who thē after his late recantation, addicted him wholly vnto the faith of one substance: Meletius who was called thither in a while before to the stalling of Gregorie Na¦zianzen: Ascholius Bishop of Thessalonica with many others, to the number of a hundreth and fifty Bishops. The chiefe of all the Macedonian Bishops was Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum and Marcianus Bishop of Lampsacum. The number of that sect came to a thirtie and six whereof the greater parte came out of Hellespontus. The councell met together in the Consulship of Euchari∣de•• and Euagrius and the moneth of Maye. The Emperour together with the Bishops of his opi∣nion first vsed all meanes possible with Eleusius and the rest of the Macedonians for to reconcile them with the catholick church: they not onely bring them in remembrance of the embassy which Eustathius together with many others did in their names to Liberius late Bishop of Rome: but al∣so that not longe before without exception they communicated throughout euery church with such as professed the fayth of one substance: and that they behaued themselues neyther godly, neyther religiously, sithence that aforetime they ratified the selfe same opinion, and faith with them, if now againe they endeuored to ouerthrow such things as they had aduisedly decreed before. for all they coulde doe, it was neyther faire meanes neyther foule meanes that woulde preuayle. They sayde flatly rather then they woulde subscribe vnto the faith of one substance, that they would hold with the Arians. When they had made this answere they left Constantinople and sent theyr letters a∣broade into euery citie that they shoulde in no wise consent vnto the fayth of the Nicene councell. The Bishops that were of the other side continewing at Constantinople cōsulted together about the election of a Bishop. For Gregorie as I sayde before had refused that seae and returned to Na∣zianzum.* 1.2 There was at that time one Nectarius of noble linage whose auncetors had bene Sena∣tors, a man he was of good life and godly conuersation, who though he were by office a Praetor, yet did the people choose him to theyr Bishop, in the ende by the consente of a hundreth and fifty Bi∣shops then presente he was stalled Bishop of Constantinople. Then was it decreed that the Bi∣shop of Constantinople should haue the next prerogatiue after the bishop of Rome, the reason was* 1.3 because that citie was called Newe Rome. Agayne they ratifie the faith of the Nicene Councell: they deuide prouinces and ordayne Patriarches: they decree that no Bishop shall leaue his owne diocesse and intermedle with foraine churches, for vnto that time by reason of the greate heat and storme of persecution it was sufferable at euery ones choice and libertie. Nectarius Bishop of Cō∣stantinople had that greate citie together with all Thracia allotted to his iurisdiction. The Patri∣arckship