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. V.

Howe that Sabbatius a Iewe borne, being Priest of the Nouatian Church fell from his owne sect.

FOr all that Christ the sonne of God, bestowed the aforesayd graces and benefitts of his sin∣guler loue and goodnes towards mankinde: yet the greater part weying not thereof (more is the ptty) wallowe still in the pudle of sinne and incredulitie, neither were the Iewes onely they which made light accompt of the signes and wonders wrought among men: but others also which are proude of their rites yea and are proued to be no lesse then plaine Iewes in faith and re∣ligion. Sabbatius of whome I spake a litle before coulde not quiet him selfe with the inferior de∣gree* 1.1 of priesthoode but coueted to clime vp vnto the rowme of a Bishop: tooke occasion then of the Iewishe obseruation of the feaste of Easter, and seuered him selfe from the Nouatian Churche.

Wherefore as he frequented seuerall and priuate conuenticles from his Bishop Sisinius in a cer∣taine place of the citie called the drie Hillock, where nowe the market of Arcadius is kept, he pre∣sumed so haynous an offence that hanging might seeme to be to small a punishmēt for his labour. For on the daye appointed for the celebration of the communion as he reade a certaine peece of the Gospell which beganne with these words: The feast of sweete bread drewe nigh which is cal∣led* 1.2 Easter, he added of his owne that which was neuer founde written, neuer hearde of before in these wordes: cursed be euery one that keepeth Easter without sweete breade. Which wordes sticked in the mindes of many mē, so that diuerse of the simpler sorte of the Nouatian laiety being thus drawen from the fayth adicted them selues vnto his fonde opinion. But this his craftye and* 1.3 subtle forgery fell otherwise out then he hoped, for such as presume to corrupte the worde of God haue euer an ill ende and an vnfortunate successe. For shortly after when as he kept the feaste of Easter accordinge vnto the corrupte opinion conceaued in his mynde: when as manye flocked vnto him after the wonted maner and solemnized throughout the wholl nighte the accustomed vi∣gills, they were all sette on a furious and frentike kinde of tumulte. They imagined with them selues that they sawe Sisinius theyr Bishoppe sette vpon them with an infinite multitude of men. Wherefore the thronge beinge greate, and as it is very like in the nighte season, beinge shutte vp in a narrowe rowme smothered one an other, so that there dyed aboue threescore and tenne persons. This beinge done manye shrinked from Sabbatius but diuerse others for all that, clea∣ued earnestlye vnto the foolishe and fonde opinion they had conceaued of that celebration of Ea∣ster. But howe this Sabbatius forswore him selfe a litle while agoe, and aspired vnto the calling of a Byshop we will declare hereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sabbatius a Nouatian ••••••est.
• * 1.2

  Luck. 22.
• * 1.3

  The corrup∣ters of Gods word haue ill endes.