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. IIII.

Howe Basiliscus called Timotheus Aelurus Bishop of Alexandria home from exile and by his perswasion sent letters into euery Coast wherein he condemned the councell of Chalcedon.

THis Basiliscus (spoken of before) at the request of certaine citizēs of Alexandria that were sent vnto him, called Timothee home from exile where he had continewed eighteene yeres, Acacius then beinge Byshop of Constantinople. Timothe after his comming to Con∣stantinople perswaded Basiliscus to send letters vniuersally vnto all Priests throughout the Chur∣ches vnder heauen, and therein to accursed both the acts of the councell held at Chalcedon and the decree of Leo as toutchinge the fayth, the whiche letters were wrytten in this forme. The Em∣peroure Caesar Basiliscus, Pius, Victorious, triumphant, chiefe Lorde, perpetuall Augustus, and Marcus the moste noble Caesat, vnto Timothe the moste reuerende and moste holye

Archebishop of the noble city of Alexandria sendeth greetinge. The lawes and canons hitherto* 1.1 compiled in defense of the sincere and Apostolicke fayth, by the moste holye Emperoures our predecessors, who worshipped aright the blessed, eternall and liuinge trinity, seeinge they were godly decreed & haue euer bene foūd wholsom for the welth of the whollworld, we will neuer haue cancelled, nay rather our will is they should be published for our owne proper decrees. for we preferre piety and singular loue towards God & our Sauiour Iesus, who both made and ad∣uaunced vs to glory and renoune before all the care and trauell that is imployed in worldly af∣fayres, and we beleue verely that the fastening and knitting together of Christs flock in loue & charitie, is both a safety vnto vs our selues, and vnto all our subiectes, vnto our Empire a fun∣dation that can not be shaken and a wall that can not be battered and throwen downe, where∣fore being moued with the instinct of the holy spirit, we haue determined with our selues to of∣fer for a sacrifice vnto God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ the vniforme cōsent of the holy church as the first fruites of our raigne and Empire: and ordayned that the ground and bulwarke of the blessed life geuen vnto men, to wit, the Creede of the three hundred and eighteene holy fathers, of olde assembled together in the holy Ghoste at Nice (in the which faith bothe we and all our ancestors were baptized) shoulde onely be kept and retayned of the faythfull people through∣out all the most holy Churches of God: for in this one Creede the syncere fayth is so sufficiently decided both to the ouerthrowe of all erroneus opinions and to the establishing of concord & vnity throughout the holy Churches of God. And moreouer the canons published to the con∣firmation of the same faith, are of no lesse force & vertue. Againe we doe ratifie the faith of the hundred & fifty holy fathers, which assembled in this noble city of Constantinople & accursed the blasphemers of the holy Ghost. In like sorte we approue the acts of the councel called at E∣phesus against wicked Nestorius and such as afterwards embraced his opinion. As for such de∣crees* 1.2 as disturbe the quiet estate of the holy Churches of God & the peace of the wholl world, to wit, the decision and decree of Leo, all the canons of the councell helde at Chalcedon, what∣soeuer they desined toutching the exposition of the Creede, interpretation, doctrine and deci∣ding thereof, to the end a newefound faith might be established contrary to the Creede of the three hundred and eighteene Godly Bishops spoken of before, we ordayne and decree that the most holy Bishops both here & in euery the seuerall Churches wheresoeuer doe acurse them, & whersoeuer they are found that they be burned to ashes, for so the godly Emperours of famous memory Constantinus & Theodosius iunior who liued before our time commaunded as concer∣ning the hereticks bookes and blasphemous pamphlets. VVe will haue them so abolished that they be banished for euer out of the one & the onely Catholick, Apostolicke & faithfull church, as constitutions which derogate from the whollsome decrees of the three hundred & eighteene holy fathers whiche alwayes oughte to be of greate force and vertue, and from the canons esta∣blished in the holy Ghost of the godly Bishops at the councell of Ephesus. To be short that it be not lawefull either for Prieste or for people to transgresse that moste diuine canon of the holye creed, but that together with all the newe sanctions published in the councell of Chalcedō, the heresie also maye be rooted out, of suche as confesse not, that the onelye begotten sonne of God was cōceaued by the holy Ghost, borne of holy Mary the perpetuall virgine, and mother of God, truely incarnate and made man, but that his flesh came downe from heauen & so faine it very monstrously to be figurated in some phātasticall sorte or other: we will and commaund that euery erroneus opinion, at what time, in what sorte, or place soeuer throughout the wholl world hath bene either compassed, or thoughte vpon within, or expressed by worde without as plausible nouelty to the ouerthrowe of this holy Creed, be condemned for euer. And insomuch the Emperour is bounde of duety with diligent care to prouide that by his prouidente counsell the subiects, not only in time present, but also in time to come may enioy peace and tranquil∣lity: we doe ordayne that the most holye Bishops doe subscribe vnto these our gracious letters generally wrytten vnto all and openly proclaymed, to the end they may thereby manifestly de∣clare theyr settled mind in addicting them selues onely vnto the holy fayth of the three hundred and eighteene holy fathers, the which also the hundred & fifty Godly Bishops haue afterwards confirmed, and after that againe was ratified of the true professors and holy fathers vvhich mett at the princely citie of Ephesus. For it seemeth good vnto vs that the onely Creede of the three hundred and eighteene holy fathers as a perfect platforme of tried fayth shoulde be followed and by accursinge the actes of the Chalcedon councell which may be stumbling blockes vnto

the faithfull people, that they banishe them wholly the Churches, for canons that disturbe the wholl worlde and hinder the successe of our happy raygne. Such as after the receite of these our gracious letters, published as we perswade our selues by the prouidence of God, to the ende concorde, and vnitye, vvhich is to be desired of all men may be established in the Churches of God, doe at anytime goe about to alleadge, or name, by disputinge, teachinge or vvryting, in any tyme, forte, or place, that decree published in the councell of Chalcedon contrary to the fayth, as autors of tumultes, and dissention in the holy Churches of God and vnto all our louing subiects, & aduersaries moreouer vnto God & the safty of our scepter. we straictly charge & cō∣maūd & that according vnto the lawes made before our time by Theodosius the worthy Empe∣rour of happy memory against such frensie and madnes, presentlye annexed vnto these our gra∣cious letters, generally directed vnto all, if they be Bishops and of the clergye that they be de∣priued of theyr dignity & priesthood, if Monkes or lay men that they be exiled & punished with confiscatiō of their wholl substāce & other seuere penalties. For in so doing the holy, coessential Trinity autor and geuer of life vnto the wholl world beinge honored of vs, with such homage & seruice, not onely for the rootinge out of suche tares as we haue mentioned before, but also for the true and Apostolicke traditions toutchinge the holy creede established by vs, is like to be re∣conciled and fauorable vnto vs and vnto all our louinge subiects, to gouerne the Empire toge∣ther with vs, and to bring peace and quietnes vnto mankind,

Notes

• * 1.1

  Basiliscus the tyrant and v∣su••per of the Emperiall crowne sent these wicked letters into all churches wherein he condemneth the faith of Leo, the god¦ly bishop of Rome and the canons of the holy councel held at Chalcedō.
• * 1.2

  B〈…〉〈…〉 cō∣dēneth Leo and the coū∣cell of Chal∣cedon.