CAP. X.* 1.1
Of Seuerianus and Antiochus the Syrians: howe, and vpon what occasion they fell from Iohn.
AN other thinge gaue occasion to encrease the hatred and ill will owed vnto Iohn, in suche sort as followeth. There were two bishops by byrth Syrians, which florished at one tyme, the ones name was Seuerianus, the other Antiochus: the one was bishop of Gabale in Syria, the other of Ptolemais in Phoenicia, both excelled in the gift of vtterāce, but Seuerianus although he were learned, yet pronounced he not the Greeke tōgue distinetly neither skilfully, for he spake* 1.2 Greeke as a Grecian, yet pronounced it like a Syrian. Antiochus cōming from Ptolemais to Cō∣stantinople, continewed there a while, and preached with great diligēce: after that therby he had got vnto him selfe good store of money, he returned home to his owne church. Seuerianus hearing that Antiochus had got much money by preachinge at Constantinople, was very desirous to doe the like him selfe. He exercised him selfe diligently, he patched together a great companie of boo∣some sermons, and came to Constantinople. Being there friendly & louingly entertained of Iohn, he applied him selfe craftely for a while to please Iohn, and gott greate fauour by flatterie. He was much set by, and in great estimation: and as he was highly cōmended for preaching, so in like ma∣ner purchased he vnto him selfe great credit with the chiefe magistrates and wt the Emperour. In the meane space because that the bishop of Ephesus was departed this life, Iohn of necessitie was cōstrained to take his voyage into Ephesus for to chuse there a bishop. After his comming thither when that some would haue this man, & some that man preferred to the rowme, and thervpon fell to bitter words & contention, whilest that euery one would haue his friend aduaunced to the digni∣tie: Iohn perceauing that they were all set on tumults, and that by no meanes they would be ruled* 1.3 by him, endeuoured to ende the quarell without offending of either side. He assigned one Heracli∣des a deacon of his church, yet borne in Cyprus, to be bishop. With that both parts were pleased, and gaue ouer contention. Iohn was faine for this matter to continewe a greate while at Ephesus. In his absence Seuerianus had brought his auditors at Constantinople to beare him farre better good will then euer they did before, neyther was Iohn ignorant of this, for it was tolde him quick∣ly. When Serapion, of whome I spake before, had signified vnto Iohn, that Seuerianus had deui∣ded the churches, he forthwith was kyndled with the flame of contention. Wherefore when as he had not fully ended all such thinges as he determined with him selfe (for he had depriued ••oth the Nouatians, and such as celebrated the feast of Easter the fourteenth day of the moneth, of ma∣ny churches) he returned to Constantinople, and applyed him selfe after his vsuall maner vnto the ouersight of the ecclesiasticall affayres. The insolent disdayne and hautie stomacke of Se∣rapion was intollerable, for he bouldened him selfe vpon Iohn, and inueyed contumeliously without all modestie and shamefastnesse agaynste all men, which turned to the encrease of the spite and hatred borne vnto Iohn. Moreouer when Seuerianus on a certaine tyme came to the place* 1.4 where Serapion sate: Serapion gaue him not the honor and reuerence dewe vnto a bishop, neyther rose vp, in so doing he declared that he regarded not the person of Seuerianus. This contempt and disdayne of Serapion was not taken paciently of Seuerianus, for he exclaimed against him in these wordes: If Serapion dyeth a Christian, then was Christ neuer incarnate. Serapion tooke this as a fitte occasion ministred vnto him, made Iohn to become his foe, whilest that he concealed the firste sentence, to wete, If Serapion dyeth a Christian, and repeated the later, to wete, that Christ was neuer incarnate, affirming y• he heard it of Seuerianus owne mouth. And to the end he woulde iustifie the reporte, he brought forth men of his owne degree and callinge to testifie that they