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. XXXIX.

Of Chrysargyrum the tribute for baudrie which Anastasius the Emperour tooke away.

THere is besides an other worthye acte, or rather diuine, done of this Emperour in takinge awaye the tribute Chrysargyrum whiche is to be recorded of vs to the knowledge of the posteritye in time to come. And to speake thereof sufficientlye, we haue neede of Thucy∣dides tongue or some other more eloquent and copious, yet I will discourse thereof beinge not so muche incouraged wyth my simple stile and sclender wordes as wyth the noble minde of the autor, and the worthynesse of the acte. There was a wicked trybute, odious to God and man, vnseemely amonge the Barbarians them selues, and no lesse abhominable to be spoken of amonge Christians throughout the Romaine dominions, set and demaunded of the ample and renowmed common weale of Rome, not spoken of vnto the time of Anastasius, and why so, I am not able to declare, the whiche his noble and vertuous minde tooke awaye, not wythout the greate com∣mendation of all people vnder heauen. This tribute was sette (omittinge diuerse sorts of people) vpon suche as lyued by fylthye lucre and gayne, vpon naughtipackes whiche made sale of shamefastnesse, haunted brothelhouses, and prostrated them selues in blynde corners of the citye: To be short, vpon all suche as were not ashamed to committee whoredome: Who in∣iured nature not a litle, and brought the common weale to great reproche and infamy, in so muche

that the filthye gayne gotten thereby allured thereunto suche as burned wyth bruitishe luste and concupiscence, no otherwyse then a lawe or proclamation. Agayne the gatherers of this impi∣ous and abhominable tribute acrueinge by reason of suche haynous offences brought it euerye fourth yeare vnto the chiefe magistrate, so that it was thought to be one of the chiefest tributes that belonged vnto the crowne, and layde it vp in the Gardiuiance or priueye coffers. The ceas∣sers were not of the simplest sort, and meanest persons, neyther the office numbred amonge the basest in the common weale. Anastasius vnderstandinge the whole made the Senate priueye thereunto, tolde them what an haynous and an horrible acte it was, commaunded it shoulde quite be taken away, and burned the rolles whiche directed them vnto the ceassed and taxed polls. Fur∣thermore when he purposed with him selfe to offer sacrifice vnto God in rootinge out that filthe and abhomination, to thende it might be vnpossible for any after him to reuiue those olde dregges of Lecherye: He fayned him selfe to be in a greate agonye, accused him selfe of rashe dealinge, and meere madnesse, sayinge he was toe vayne glorious, and by that meanes weyed not the v∣tilitye and profitte of the common weale, in that he had taken awaye both foolishlye and wythout aduisement, so large a tribute, begonne so manye yeares agoe, and continewed so longe a time not foreseeinge the discommodityes that ensued, by reason of the wante thereof, the charges for mayntenance of soldiers, the strength of the common weale, The tribute beinge as a fortresse to defende it, the liberalitye risinge thence, and turned to vpholde the seruice of God. Laste of all makinge no man of his counsell, he proclaymed that his will was the tribute shoulde be wholly restored againe: therefore he called vnto him the olde receauers, he tolde them that he was sorye for the burninge of the recordes, that he knewe not what to doe, howe to excuse his folly, neyther what to deuise, seeinge their registeries were consumed to ashes. When as they vnfaynedlye and from the very heart bewayled their losse, and the want of the ill gotten goods which came thereby into their hands, and tolde him playnely that it was in manner vnpossible to restore the tribute againe: he requested them to doe all their indeuor, and to searche if happely they might finde a∣monge all the recordes that were in anye place preserued, the order of demaundinge the taxe and tribute. Wherefore he sent vnto euerye one of them his charges for searchinge the countreys and recordes, and commaunded that euerye deede or scrole which made mention thereof, where so e∣uer it were founde shoulde be brought vnto him, to thende this taxe might be restored agayne in suche good order that it coulde neuer fall afterwardes into decaye. Shortly after when these mes∣sengers of trust brought tydings what they had founde, Anastasius was wonderfull glad, and seemed to tickle at the heart for ioy, he reioysed in deede because now he had brought about that which troubled him so muche. What (sayth he vnto them) haue ye founde any recordes? where found ye them? be they to any purpose? doe ye thinke there are any where any more left behinde? they aunswered that their trauell had bene greate, that they rode about daye and night, that they had searched both towne and countrey, and swore by the life of the Emperour, that there was not left in al the empire of Rome, not as much as a patch of any scrole that was not brought vnto him. then the Emperour commaunded a pile to be made, all the papers, registers, recordes, bills, and baudy notes to be set thereon, and burned to ashes. when the fire had done his part, he gaue com∣maundement they should throwe water vpon the ashes, either quite to drowne them, or to driue thē away with the streame, purposing fully by this means for euer to tread vnderfoot the scroles of the baudy tribute, that neither sparcle, neither ashes, neither letter, neither any memoriall shoulde re∣maine after the firing of the records. But while we commend Anastasius so highly for banishinge this shamefull tribute, lest we seeme ignorant what diuers men of old being wedded to their owne affections haue reported of him, we thought good here to lay downe their sayinges, and conuince them with their owne words.