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. XLV.

The death of Paulus the Nouatian Byshop and howe Marcianus was chosen to succeede him.

NOt long after they had interred the corps of Iohn in the Apostles church, Paulus the No∣uatian departed this life, it was in the aforesayd Consulship y^• one & twentieth of Iuly. His hearse reconciled in maner vnto y^• church all the varieng sects & opinions. For all came to∣gether to his buriall & brought his corps to y^• graue w^t singinge of psalmes. He was the man that was greatly beloued throughout his life time for his sincere and vpright behauiour. And insomuch he did a worthye acte a litle before his departure I thoughte good to penne it in this our presente historie to the profitte of the studious reader in time to come. That he vsed his wonted dyete of the Monasticall discipline all the while he was sicke, without any chaunge or alteration thereof, that he ceassed not to praye continewallye I haue determined to runne ouer with silence, leaste while I linger aboute the recitall of these I maye seeme anye kinde of waye to deface the Acte of his bothe worthye (as I sayde) of memorye and the profitte of the Reader. It was as followeth. Paulus beinge ready to departe out of this life called the Priestes within this iurisdiction before him, and sayde thus vnto them: prouide you a Bishoppe while as yet there remayneth breath in my bodye lest after my departure the Churches be sette on tumultes and dissention. When they had answered, that the election of a Bishop was in no wise to be referred vnto them (for they sayd, one of vs is of this minde, an other of that mind, and therefore it is vnpossible we should agree vpō

one man, but we would haue thee to name him whome thy pleasure is we shoulde chuse) after the hearing of their reason he replied▪ why then deliuer me this your promise in wryting, that you wil elect whome soeuer I shall nominate. When the bonde was made and subscribed vnto with theyr hands, first he lifted him selfe a litle out of his bed, nexte he wrote secretelye within the bonde vn∣knowē vnto thē that were present the name of Marcianus who was a priest, and had bene trained vp vnder him in the Monasticall discipline, but then as it fell out was not presente. Laste of all he sealed it, he willed y^• chiefe priests to doe the same, he deliuered it vnto Marcus the Nouatiā bishop of Scythia who thēwas in the citie & sayd vnto him as followeth▪ If it please God that I may reco∣ner and lengthen my dayes yet a while longer in this world, deliuer me this bond which I geue thee to keping, but if his pleasure so be that I must needes depart and finish the race of this frail & transitory life, thou shalt finde his name written in this bonde whome I haue nominated to be my successor in the bishoprick. These words were no sooner vttered but he gaue vp the Ghost. Three days after his departure out of this life the bond was opened in the presence of a great multitude, when they found that Marcianus was therein nominated, all with one consent lifted theyr voices & sayd he was a fit man for the function, and immediatly they sent to seeke him out. When they had happely met with him at Tiberiopolis a citie in Phrygia, they take him and bring him thence, in y^e end he was placed in Paulus rowme y^• one and twentieth day of the aforesaid moneth. But of these things thus much shall suffice.