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 XXX.* 1.1

How Traian caused to cease the inquisition for Christians.

SO greate a persecution was raysed agaynst vs in sundry places, that Plinius secundus a no∣table* 1.2 President, made relation thereof vnto the Emperour, being very much moued with the number of martyrs, which suffred death for the testimony of their fayth, signifying with∣all, that they committed no haynous offence, that they transgressed no law, sauing that they rose before day, and celebrated Christ with hymnes, as God. forbidding adulteryes, & slaughter, with such other like abominable factes, conforming all thinges agreable vnto the lawes. After which reporte, it is written that Traian commaunded by edicte, that the Christian nation shoulde not be enquired for, but if happily they were founde, they ought to be punished. by which edicte, the ve∣hement heate of that greuous persecution was somewhat delayed, yet neuerthelesse, there was scope enough left for such as were willing to afflicte vs. so that in one place the people, in an other place the Princes, and rulers of the regions, layde wayte for our men, whereby seuerall persons, suffred martyrdome in their prouinces, and sundry of the faithful, sundry kindes of death, without open, or manifest persecution. which history we haue selected out of the latine Apollogye of Ter∣tullian, whereof we haue alleadged before, by interpretation thus: Although vve haue knovvne* 1.3 the inquisition directed for vs to be inhibited, it vvas by reason of Plinius secundus President of the prouince, vvhich hauing condemned some of the Christians, and depriued some others of their dignities, vvas moued vvith the greatnes of the multitude, and doubted vvhat vvas best to be done. he made the Emperour Traian priuy thereof, saying: that he founde nothinge in them that vvas impious, but that they refused the vvorshippinge of Idoles. signifyinge this vvith∣all, that the maner of the Christians vvas to ryse before daye, to celebrate Christe in Psalmes as God: and to the ende their discipline might straitly be obserued, to forbid shedding of bloude, adultery, fraude, trayterous dealing, & such like. for aunsvvere hereunto, Traian vvrote againe: that there shoulde be no inquisition for the Christians, but if they vvere mett vvith, to be puni∣shed. And thus went the affayres of the Christians then.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 33. after the greeke.
• * 1.2

  Plinius secun¦dus wrote vn¦to the Empe¦rour Traian in the behalf of the Chri∣stians.
• * 1.3

  Tertullian.