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. XIII.

Of Simon Magus, and Helena a certayne witche his yokemate.

AFter the ascention of our Sauiour into the heauens, the deuell brought forth certayne* 1.1 men vvhich called them selues gods, vvho not onely suffred no vexation of you, but at∣tayned vnto honor amongst you, by name one Simon a Samaritane, borne in the village

Gitton, vvho vnder Claudius Caesar, by the art of deuels, through vvhom he dealt: vvrought deuelish enchauntementes, esteemed, and counted in your Regall citie of Rome, for a God, and honoured of you as a God, vvith a picture betvveene tvvo bridges, vpon the riuer Tibris, hauing this Romayne superscription. Simoni deo sancto. To Simon the holy god. And in man∣ner all the Samaritanes, certayne also of other nations, doe vvorship him, acknovvledging him for the chiefe god. And together vvith him, one Helena, vvho at that tyme vvandred* 1.2 tvvo, and fro, vvith him, vvhich first of all, had her abyding in Tyrus, a citie of Phaenicia at the receyt of custome, and termed of him, the principall vnderstanding. Thus farre Iustinus. Agreeable vnto this, is that of Irenaus, in his fyrst booke agaynst Heresies, where he writeth of this man, and of his impious and damnable doctrine, which at this present to recite, I thinke superfluous: In so muche that seuerally, if any be so disposed, he may easyly vnderstande the originall, the lyues, the fonde argumentes, and the whole enterprises of the graunde heretikes of these latter tymes, whiche of purpose, are largely published in the foresayde booke of Irenaeus. This Simon we learne to haue bene the first author of all heresies, and they that of him, holde* 1.3 this heresie vnto this day, fayning through puritie of lyfe, the chast philosophie of Christians renouned among all men: put in vre agayne the pestilent superstition of pictures, from the whiche they seemed once to be free, falling prostrate before the pictures, and carued Images, of Simon & his Iil Helena (mentioned of before) worshipping them with incense, and sacrifices, and sweete odours. They haue as yet certayne more detestable secrecies, and him which at the first heareth the same, they report to become astonyed, and that there is a written oracle amonge them, whiche bringeth astonishment. True it is these men are full of astonishment, ecstasy, and meere madnes, so that not onely, they may not be committed to writing: neyther also with modesty be vttered of chaste lippes, in so much they ouerflowe in filthines, and obscenitie. And what so euer may be imagined more fowle then any filthynes it selfe: the same hath their dam∣nable heresye surpassed, who delude miserable women, pressed already with all kinde of impietye.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••in{us} Mar∣••in Apo∣
• * 1.2

  This Helen was a com∣mon harlot Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 20. cal∣leth this He∣len, Selen.
• * 1.3

  Simon the fa¦ther of here∣tickes.