The thre bokes of cronicles, whyche Iohn Carion (a man syngularly well sene in the mathematycall sciences) gathered wyth great diligence of the beste authours that haue written in Hebrue, Greke or Latine Whervnto is added an appendix, conteynyng all such notable thynges as be mentyoned in cronicles to haue chaunced in sundry partes of the worlde from the yeare of Christ. 1532. to thys present yeare of. 1550. Gathered by Iohn Funcke of Nurenborough. Whyche was neuer afore prynted in Englysh. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.

Of the Manicheis the heretykes.

STrayghte waye after the Gospell was preached, rose sectes and dissensyous a∣mong Christen men. But I am not min¦ded to rehearse y^• erronious opinions of euery one in this treatise: I wyll only recyte the moost greatest, which haue infect and troubled ma∣ny and greate cityes and contryes wyth theyr ve∣n••m: that the reader maye knowe, nothynge to be* 1.1 more venimous in this commune lyfe of man, than false doctrine: and that all heretikes are desyrous of vproure, nether couet ought els, but that they maye defende and spreade abrode theyr erroure by vprour and commune ryot. For Sathan their che∣fe doer, is both a lyar and manslayer. Ether of thē truely is euident in all scismatickes, which both te∣ache false, and are wonte to rayse manslaughter through sedysyon and per••urbatyon of commune welthes.* 1.2

In the tyme of Aurelyanus beganne fyrst the Manycheis, and one Manes borne in Persya was begynner of them. Thyssame spred hys venim a∣brod largely, fyrst by y^• Arabians, afterward in Afri¦ca: the which went so spedely on, that it coulde not* 1.3 be swaged the space of two hundreth yeares af∣terwarde▪ The chefe of theyr doctryne was: that

ther were two goddes▪ the one good the other euel, and both lyke euerlastynge. This doctrine semed vnto mans reason alowable. For seynge God is good by nature, and that in the meane season the euell hath such power: it is necessary there be also a peculiar God▪ which is author and doer of euels, equall to the other God wyth power and euerla∣styngnesse. Besyde these had they other opinions that they taught, namely, that Christe was no true God: nether receaued they the bokes of the Apost∣les, but fayned there seuerall doctrines, the which they called Christes Gospel also: they boasted also of seuerall illuminations of heauen, and sayde they gaue the holy ghost. They ordeyned sundrye cere∣monies: they vsed also choyse of meates: they for∣badde wedlocke▪ sayenge that thereby is optayned the holy ghost. They taught also to reiect ciuil po∣wer. For matrimony and gouernaunce of commun¦welth they sayde to haue theyr ofspringe from the euell God, and not to be ordeined of the good God. Thomas Monetarius or mynter at Thuringen* 1.4 was playnly fallē into the same heresy in our daies.

The yeare of Christ .CC. lxxx.

TAcitus y^• .xxxij. Emperour raigned vi. mone∣thes.* 1.5 Probus y^• .xxxiii. Emperour ruled syxe* 1.6 yeares and foure monethes. Thissame is rekened among the most worthiest princes: he was chosen by the souldiours and confirmed by the Senate. He was the cause that peace was made both in the lower and hygher Germany. He ouercame y^• Fran¦kes & them of Thuringen▪ & in the histories of thys Emperour is the fyrst mencion made of the nacio•• of Thuringen.

Felix the .xxv. bysh. of Rome succeded Dionis••us. Eutichianus the .xxvi. succeded Felix.

Caius the .xxvij. succeded Eutichianus in the by∣shopryke.

The yeare of Christ .CC. lxxxvii

LArus the .xxxiiij. Emperoure raygned two* 1.7 yeare. He made hys sonnes Carinus and Nu¦merianus emperours wyth hym. Numeria∣nus was excellent in honestye and learninge. But Carinus was equall wyth Nero for his wicked∣nesse.

The yeare of Christ .CC. lxxxviij.

DIocletianus the .xxxv. Emperoure raygned* 1.8 twenty yeare, He was a prince of rype wyse∣dome, and garnished wyth manye noble de∣des. He restored Egypt to the Empyre. But he was a very fearce enemy to Christes religion. For be endeuoured to restore the olde state of the em∣pyre and olde fashyon of the commune welth: And for as muche as he dyd all thynges by the iudge∣ment of reason, he woulde not suffre the opinions of religion that were disagreynge. And whan he perceaued that in so greate trouble of warres he coulde not entertayne alone the largenesse of so great an empyre: besydes that, that it had oft fortu¦ned, other to couet the empyre by vproure, and to ben made Emperours, he willingly willed Maxi∣mianus* 1.9 to raygne wyth hym, and to be of lyke po∣wer, and the same warred in Gallia.

As for these two were a lyke called Augusti in the empire. These two Augusti chose other two▪ which

were not egall of power, but were as successors: nether were they called Augusti, but Cesares. Diocletianus chose Galerius, Maximianus chose Constantius. But ether of them both Diocletia∣nus and Maximianus were called Augustus. Afterwarde layenge aparte the gouernaunce of the empyre, they returned both to the quietnesse of a pryuate lyfe. But Maximianus woulde fayne haue returned to the gouernaunce, that by the∣same occasion, he myght haue promoted hys sonne Maxentius to the gouernaunce: and for that cause* 1.10 dyd Constancius hys brother in lawe cause hym to be slayn. Communely doth it so befal, that whan great empyres shall decaye, all shalbe fyrste fylled wyth vproures and inwarde debates, the whyche thys example doth wytnesse. Diocletianus lyued manye yeares priuate or withoute rule: at the last dyd he slaye hym selfe, whan he was afearde for Li¦cinius and Constantinus, whyche suspected hym that he woulde take Maxentius theyr enemyes parte.

The yeare of Christ .CCC. viij.

COnstantius the .xxxvi. Emperoure wyth Ga∣lerius Maximinus, and was ether of them* 1.11 Emperoure wyth greate prayse. After Dio∣cletianus death, raygned Constantius foure yea∣res. The contryes of Fraunce and Germany were subiect to hym, and he set them at quiet. He ouer∣came* 1.12 the Frankes and Almaynes. For of thys wise is Germany diuided: The Frankes toke that part of Germany to them, which is about y^e Rene: They that be called Alemanni are y^e hygher Germanes.

Constantius dyed in England, in whose stead was ordeined for to rule the empyre Constantinus hys sonne.

The yeare of Christ .iij. C. xij.

COnstantinus the .xxxvij. Emperoure raigned thyrty yeares. He restored the empyre to his* 1.13 former rest and tranquillitye. For whan Ma∣xentius had cruelly vsed tyranny at Rome, beynge ouercome by Constantinus, he was in a flyghte drouned in the ryuer Tybur, and receaued wor∣thy punishment for hys tyranny, the whyche he v∣sed both agaynst other men, and speciallye agaynst* 1.14 Christen men. And so dyd Constantinus and Lici∣nius gouerne the empyre together certayne yeres wyth greate concorde, and Constantinus wedded hys syster to Licinius. But we see somtyme to be∣fall in a great empyre such causes, wherin two doo* 1.15 seldom agree. It is saide, that the cause of the disa∣gremente betwene Constantinus and Licinius shoulde thence haue spronge that Licinius shoulde haue ben enemy to the Christians, and to haue oft required Constantinus to enterprise such thynges nomore.

Finallye Constantinus beynge compelled wyth great necessitye ouercame Licinius: howbeit left him alyue, vpon this condicion, that he layenge awaye the rule of the empyre, should lyue pryuate∣ly. Wherfore Constantinus gouerned the empyre afterwarde alone, and broughte all thynges into peace and honeste lawes. The emperour was the fyrst that openly knowledged the name of Christe.

Nether is it to be doubted, but that he was a true* 1.16 godly prynce: for he had the holy Gospell in such re¦uerence, that to the open wytnesse of hys fayeth, he caused the boke of y^e Gospel to be boren alway open∣ly before hym. He commaunded also bokes of the Bible to be written at his owne coste, and caused them to be sent into all contryes here and ther. He brought to passe, that the holy and profytable coun¦cell of Nicene was gathered, that so in hys tyme, he might set the state of the churche in a quietnesse. These finally are actes worthye for a good prince, which deserue a farre greater prayse, than that it is sayde he haue geuen to the bishop of Rome ma∣ny gyftes. Although the good Emperoure is wor∣thy to be praysed for that, that he gaue almesses & benefyces to mainteyn Euangelycall doctryne and ministers of the churche. But that Constantinus should haue be so liberall toward the byshop of Ro∣me, that he shoulde haue geuen hym for his vse the citye of Rome, and the halfe part of the empyre, as some do fable: no historyes that be alowed do wyt∣nesse the same.

The city Constantinopolis was builded by this* 1.17 Emperour and hath the name of him, whan before the citye of marchaundise that was in that place, was called B••zantium. The see of the empyre was* 1.18 afterward brought to Constantinople, as the histo¦ries folowinge do testifye.

Moreouer seing it is▪ no doubt that this prince is one, and that of the chefest of those princes, which God hath garnished wyth great vertues, we shall worthely recyte the ofspringe of hys kynrede, that

it maye be knowen, those most great and noble ver¦tues to be syngularly geuen of God to greate and noble families or houses.

Claudius the Emperour of most commenda∣ble name, had two brethren, Quintilius and Cris∣pus. Claudia the doughter of Crispus was wed∣ded to the noble prince Eutropius. And these are* 1.19 the ofspringe of Constantinus kynred.

• Eutropius a chefe go∣uernour at Rome.
• Claudia the brothers doughter of Claudius

Constantius the Emperour had

• Helena: her sonne was Constantinus y^e greate, hys wyfe was Fausta the doughter of Maxi∣mianus, whose chylde∣ren were Constantius, Constantinus and Con¦stans.
• Theodora the stepe∣doughter of Maximi¦anus: her sonne was Constantinus, & the∣same had sonnes, Gal∣lus and Iulianus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heretykes are b••gyn∣••ers of vp∣roure▪
• * 1.2

  Manichei the heretikes Manes born in Persia.
• * 1.3

  The doctrine of the Ma∣nicheis▪
• * 1.4

  Thomas Monetarius
• * 1.5

  Tacitus. ••••••bus▪
• * 1.6

  ☞
• * 1.7

  Larus.
• * 1.8

  Diocletia∣nus.
• * 1.9

  Maximia∣nus.
• * 1.10

  Maxentius Constantius
• * 1.11

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.12

  The 〈…〉〈…〉n of Germany
• * 1.13

  Cōstantinus
• * 1.14

  Maxentius drowned in the Tybur.
• * 1.15

  The cause of disagrement betwen Con¦stantinus & Licinius.
• * 1.16

  The e••de∣••our of Con¦stantinus to kepe the Go¦spell▪ The duety of a Christen prince. The coun∣cel of Nicea called 〈…〉〈…〉i 〈…〉〈…〉 Nice∣〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.17

  Constanti∣〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.18

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.19

  The aunce∣ters of Con∣stantinus.