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. XVII.

Of the thinges which Peter Bishop of Alexandria wrote vnto Acacius who maintayned the councell of Chalcedon.

THe aforesayd Peter being a wauering person and a time seruer continewed not longe in one mind: but nowe accursed the councell of Chalcedon and anone recanted him of his folly ap∣prouing in all poynts the same councell. Wherefore he wrote vnto Acacius Bishop of Cō∣stantinople in manner as followeth. The most high God recōpence your holynes for your great* 1.1 trauell and carefulnes, who not only your selfe many yeares agoe haue kept the faith of the holy fathers but also confirmed the same by continewall preaching & publique sermons. For the cō∣firmation of which faith we see that the creede of the three hundred and eighteene holy fathers hath very well bene framed, in it we were baptized, in it we haue beleued, & nowe doe beleue: the whiche faith also was confirmed by a hundred and fiftye godlye Bishops in the councell of Constantinople. wherefore you leade all men cōtinewally as a guide: you bring the holy church of God into vnity: last of all you perswade vs with inuincible arguments that nothinge was de∣creed in the most holy & generall councell of Chalcedon preiudiciall vnto these canons of the fathers, but that such things as of old were established by the holy fathers in the councel of Ni∣ce, were confirmed in this councell with vniforme consent of all. we of our owne part seing we saw therein nothing innouated as toutching the faith, haue cōsented therūto of our own accord & beleued the same. Yet are we not ignorāt that there are certē mōkes which enuie at our bro∣therly* 1.2 loue & amity, which blase in your hearing sclaūderous reports that can not I am sure so easily displease your holynes: first of all howe we should translate into an other place the corps of the most holy and our most reuerend father Timothee the Archbishop, which (as they say) is neyther acceptable vnto God, neyther agreable vvith the lawes. Agayne they gette them vn∣to the seconde crime, the which as it is forged, so is it farre more haynous then the other. For howe can it be that we should accurse the councell of Chalcedon, seing we confirme the same

by our beliefe? your holinesse I am sure is not ignorant how both people and monks contende here with vs, who can first deuise any fonde noueltie, they determined to fall againe from the Church, together with certaine other lewd persons, and to draw the people after them. VVher∣fore beinge holpen with your prayers, we haue deuised these letters, as a salue for this mischief, which derogate nothing at all from the councell of Chalcedon, fully satisfyinge our selues that there was no noueltie established therein. This haue we done moreouer, partly for to perswade the simpler sort of men, & partly also for their sakes which remaine here with vs, that they may haue somewhat for them selues to stoppe the aduersaties mouth with all: and by imployinge in this behalfe our continuall trauell and industrye, we haue suppressed in short space the furi∣ous disposition of the people. I woulde haue your holinesse yet to learne one thinge more, howe the monks ceasse not at this houre to sowe tares among the wheate, how they linked vnto them* 1.3 certaine men whiche neuer liued in the monasteries as instruments of their wicked practises: howe they rogue about and spred false rumors, both against vs and the quiet state of Christes Churche: howe they suffer vs to doe nothinge decently as the canons of the holy and catho∣licke Churche of Christ doe require, but rather bringe to passe that the people will sooner con∣trole vs then be commaunded of vs, naye all their doinge is detestable in the sight of God and man. I hope your holinesse will signifie all the aforesayde vnto our most holy Lorde the Empe∣rour, and bringe to passe that his highnesse may decree in this behalfe suche thinges as may be for the Ecclesiasticall peace and tranquillitie, agreeable with the will of God, and the Empe∣rours industrie, to thend all men may conforme them selues thereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Peter b. of A¦lexādria flat∣••ereth Aca∣••ius b. of Cō¦••tantinople ••ith this epi∣stle.
• * 1.2

  Idle Monkes ••••t men to∣gether by ••e eares.
• * 1.3

  The idle monks sow∣ed tares a∣monge the wheat as the enemy did in the gospell.