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. VII.

Howe Basiliscus fearinge him selfe in the insurrection made by the Monkes through the perswasion of Acacius, called in his former letters.

AGaine the aforesayd autor wryteth howe Acacius Bishop of Constantinople canuased the matter about, raised both Monkes and people of Constantinople against Basiliscus as one that was an hereticke: made him denye he had wrytten his letters vniuersally vnto all men, and decree that such things as he had rashly and vnaduisedly published should be called in againe, and to haue also brought to passe that the same Emperour sent euery where vnto all men contrary letters wherein he approued the councell of Chalcedon. The same Zacharie shewinge himselfe very partiall throughout his history and led very much with affection, omitted the sayde contrary letters, they were wrytten as followeth.

The repelling letters of Basiliscus the Emperour.

THe Emperours Caesars, Basiliscus and Marcus. we charge and commaunde that the Apo∣stolicke* 1.1 and true faith from the beginning hitherto retayned in the Churche, continewed vnto this our present raigne & obserued ofvs this day be embraced for euer: in it we were baptized & we beleue that the same is only to be embraced firmly & vnuiolably, being embra∣ced to be continewed throughout all the Catholicke & Apostolicke Churches vnder heauen, & no other besides this to be longer sought for. VVherefore our will is that the letters generally wrytten duringe our raygne either vnto all men or otherwise howe soeuer, or vvhat beside this hathe bene published by vs, be henceforth cancelled and abolished: that Nestorius, Eutyches with all theyr complices and euery heresie be accursed: that no councell be called together nei∣ther any decree or reasoninge of the fayth, but that suche thinges as are already in that behalfe established remaine vnuiolable: that the prouinces whereunto the seae of this royall and no∣ble citie hathe the preferringe of Byshops be restored vnto the moste reuerend and moste holy Patriarch Acacius: and that the Bishops alredy placed throughout the prouinces continewe ne∣uerthelesse in theyr proper seaes, so that there may rise thereof after theyr desease no preiudice at all vnto the prerogatiue of the holye seae of Constantinople. Laste of all let no man doubte but that this our gracious decree is of force agreable vvith the vvill of God.

Thus were these thinges brought about.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Basiliscus the vsu••pe•• is fayne by rea∣son of the commonon ••o call in his former let∣ters layde lowne in the ••. cap. of this booke.