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 Arrius the heretyke.

ARrius lyued in the tyme of Constanti∣nus.* 1.1 He was an open reader in the scole of Alexandria in Egypte. The churches concorde was miserably spoiled wyth hys error and heresy: For he taught y^t Christ was not truely and naturallye God. But what prac∣tyse and vicious pleasauntnesse of persuasyons he dyd vse to confyrme this error, it were to longe to rehearse. Howb••it it pleased the world so wel, that great learned bishops, and neare hande the whole churche of the Easte, wyth manye also in the Weste

dyd embrace hym. Neuerthelesse in the meane sea∣son wythstode heauely this heresy two bishops of notable godlynesse. The fyrst was Alexander, who* 1.2 optayned of Constantinus to gather the councell of Nicene, wherein was condemned the heresye of Arrius. Wherfore was Arrius forsaken and ban∣nished out of the dominion. But whan Constanti∣nus was deade, a certayne preste was in fauoure wyth Constantius, whom also he committed al his counsels: the same broughte to passe wyth his per∣suasyon by the Emperoure, that Arrius beyng cal∣led agayne, was sett in hys former office. The fyre that was metely well quenched afore, began nowe agayne to burne more fearcely, insomuche that the Emperoure Constancius beganne also to embrace* 1.3 thys erroure of Arrius. Whan at the last a daye was appointed by Constantius, wherein Alexan∣der and Arrius shoulde openly reason of the scryp∣ture, concerninge this learninge, Alexander spent the whole nyghte in prayenge in the temple, pray∣enge God, that the secte of Arrius should crepe no farther. Wherfore in the morninge before the ap∣poynted houre of the disputation, whan Arrius went to the place, he beganne (as he went) to haue payne in the bellye, and went to a preuye to do hys* 1.4 easement, where he aboue all mens estimacion, dy∣ed incontinent. Howbeit whan Arrius was of this wyse deade, yet ceased not the sede of his poysoned doctrine to be sowed larger abroade, because that they that were conspyred together of this secte, be∣ganne to sprede it more vehemently. At the laste whan Alexander was deade also, Athanasius hys

successor disputed hymselfe agaynste the Arryans: but the same beynge banyshede by Constantius, he* 1.5 fled from Egypt, vntyl the citye Tryere in Germa¦ny. And though thys was a very farre flyghte, yet was the bannyshed man fayne to hyde hymselfe se∣cretly at Tryere vntyll the eyght yeare. In the meane season was that heresy fearcely growen tho¦rough out in the East churche, euen so muche, that for a season a greate part of Christen men did leane to the Arrian secte, and out of thys secte sprange by lytle and lytle, other sectes many. Fynally whan the name of Arryans was by the decrees of many councels quenched, yet was it now and than rene∣wed againe in the churche vnder other names. In one citye were sundery opinions, and diuerse sec∣tes persecuted eche other, insomuche that the one running vpon the other in theyr temples, made ry∣ots and committed man slaughter. At that tyme was the state of the church very wretched and py∣teous, the which worthely gaue an occasiō of slaun¦der, not only to the Gentyls, why they dyd not em¦brace the word of God: but dyd offende other also, that they went from the Christianity to the Idola∣try of the Heythen, among the which was also Iu∣lianus the Emperoure. In the tyme of this so mys∣cheuous* 1.6 heresy, came vp finally Mahomet, to whō by Arrius was as it were a window handsomly o∣pened: & was the forerunner of this most cruel An∣tichrist. For whan the myndes of men went astray in so great dissension of opinions, came Mahomet, & inuented very wysely the thirde way, wherwith he should heale the variete & diuersyty of errours.

For he toke awaye all disputacions, whiche thinge men dyd alowe. But hereof shall we speake after∣warde. And let thys suffise to be rehearsed of the Arryans erroure and other lyke heresyes: of the whiche we haue here made mencyon therfore, that it may be sene how greate dammages, manslaugh∣ters, seditions & ryotous heresyes do brynge both to the commune welth, and to the churche.

Marcellynus the .xxviij. byshop of Rome succe∣ded Cains.

Marcellus the xxix succeded Marcellinus. Eusebius the xxx. bysh. succeded Marcellus. Melciades the .xxxi. succeded Eusebius. Syluester the xxxij. succeded Melciades. Marcus the xxxii••. was bysh. after Syluester.

Not long before Constantinus death, was a ve∣ry* 1.7 greate comete sene certayne monethes, whiche signifyed the greate warre and commotion, that folowed after Constantinus death.

The yeare of Christe .CCC. xli••.

COnstantynus the .xxxviij. Emperoure rayg∣ned.* 1.8 xxiiij. yeares. But the father had so or∣deyned the empyre, that the thre bretheren shulde raigne together, Constantinus in Fraunce, Spayne and Germany: Constantius in the Easte, Constans in Italy and Illyrieus, But the yonger brother Constantinus, was not content wyth the dominion of his empyre, but woulde raygne alone, and wente into Italy agaynste his brother Con∣stans, trustynge to his puyssaunce, because he had valyaunt souldyours. But God suffred not thys rashnesse longe vnpunished: for thys Constanti∣nus

was slayne not longe after.* 1.9

And by this occasion optained Constans y^• whole empyre of the West, the which he gouerned lucke∣ly. Moreouer had he a captayne called Magnenti¦us* 1.10 at Ausburch, whose life he had once saued. The same slewe his most gentle mayster, and made hym selfe Emperoure, and made a settyng forth of war vpon Constantius. Constantius made hys nepheu Gallus Emperoure of the Easte, and went wyth an army agaynst the seditious captayne, and ouer∣came hym. The manslaughter in thys stryfe was so great, that as it is redde, y^• power of the empyre was so abated, that many yeares after they coulde not come to theyr former strength: because the best and chosen part of the people was so slayne, that the empire could not a great while resist and with∣stand the Barbarians. After that this manslaugh∣ter* 1.11 was done the mooste myscheuous man Mag∣nentius slew himselfe, and so punished God the de∣ath of Constans the good prince.

Iulius the fyrst of that name the .xxxiiii. bysh. of Rome came after Marcus.

But whan this Iulius was deade, was Ly∣beryus* 1.12 the .xxxv. made byshop who (because he wythstode the heresye of Arryus) was dryuen a∣waye by Constantius, and Felix was ordeyned in hys steade, who for feare of the Emperoure dys∣sembled the erroure of the Arryans. At that tyme was Conuocatyons hadde at Mylane and Ari∣mium playn contrary to the decrees of the councel of Nicene: but theyr mindes were nothing set by.

These examples wytnesse y^• the state of the church was piteous and miserable at that tyme.

The yeare of Christ .CCC. lxv.

IVlianus the Apostata or forsaker of his pro∣fession* 1.13 the .xxxix. Emperoure raygned two yeares. He was the nephew of Constantius & brother to Gallus, the which we haue spoken of be∣fore. He was of so greate learnyng, that beynge yong, he taught holy scripture openly in the church of Nicomedia: afterwarde goynge to Athenes, he learned philosophy. But whan hys brother Gal¦lus was slayn, Constantius sent hym into Fraunce and Germany, and not farre from Strasburch he vanquyshed thyrty thousande Almanes, for whych cause he was sodenly by the fauoure of the souldy∣ours* 1.14 made Emperoure at Strasburch. More∣ouer whan greate dyssensyons were amonge the Christyans, by reason of the varyetye of opinyons, for the whyche some dispayred, some dyd wholy de¦cyuer from the Christen fayth to the worshyppinge of Idols, Iulianus became an apostata also: for he was yet yonge, and vsed the company of Rhetori∣cyans and Phylosophers, whiche disputed of God after the vnderstandynge or meanynge of mans reason. Yet dyd he not persecute Christen men by open force, but he thought rather to destroye them by suttelltye. For openly he forbadde them to haue scoles, that they myght not be taughte: thynkynge (as it is in dede) that whan teachyuge were auoy∣ded, the doctrine of relygyon shulde easely go to nought. He forbadde also, that Christen men shulde

haue no authoritye to vse warrefaringe wyth the* 1.15 Romanes: that by no occasyon they might come to the gouernaunce of the commune welth. He toke the goodes of the churches with laughter, sayenge he dyd Christen men a pleasure, namely that they beynge become poore, might thesooner come to he∣uen, seynge the Gospell promyseth heauen to the poore. He dyd assault the Christian fayeth fearcely, euen with wrytinges also. Agaynst those hath Cy∣rillus the bishop of Alexandria written, whose boke* 1.16 is yet founde among the remembraunces or moni∣mentes of Ihon Reuchlin in the toune Pforsa in Germanye: not vnprofytable veryly to be redde. Gregorius Nazanzenus hath answered him also, but very easely: for he was not effectual ynough to put of those reproches, which Iulianus vsed in con¦futinge the Gospell. For he intreated moost chefest vpon that: seyng the Gospel teacheth that man ou∣ght not to reuenge, that thereby is taken awaye and forbodden ciuill vengeaunce in iudgementes, and gouernaunce of commune welthes: wythoute the which mans estates can by no meanes endure. And this same false accusation doth he treate wyth many wordes, where as yet euerye Godlye study∣ant of true godlynesse doeth knowe that the same* 1.17 vengeaunce, whiche euery office vseth, is not for∣bydden in the Gospell: but only the for••yng of pry∣uate vengeaunce, which is done withoute officers authoritye. These suttyll forged and slaunde∣rous reproches of Iulianus were very greueous to Christen men, insomuche that they prayed o∣penly against so pernisius hostilitie of the Gospell.

And therfore whan he was gone into Persya, he was slayne in a wyldernesse. It is wrytten that* 1.18 whan he was wounded, and laye vpon the ground dyenge, he shulde haue taken hys hande fulle of bloude, and castynge towarde heauen, to haue sayde: Thou Galylean hast vanquyshed at the laste▪ Meanynge Christe, whome he called a Ga∣lylean. Therfore it is come by Iulyanus vngodly∣nesse, that the Empyre is remoued and transla∣ted from the mooste noble stocke of Constanty∣nus.

The yeare of Christe .CCC. lxvii

IOuinyanus the ▪xl. Emperoure raygned se∣uen monethes. It was a noble prince of god∣lynesse.* 1.19 He called agayne the bishops that were bannyshed by Constanty••us and Iulyanus: he commaunded also the tythes to be payed to the churches. He was taken wythan ague gotten by ouermuche weerynesse of trauaylle, whereof he dyed.

The yeare of Christe .CCC. lxviii

VAlentynianus the .xli. Emperoure raygned twelue yeares. He ordeyned hys brother Valens a companion in the empyre. Valens ruled in the Easte, Valentinyanus went into the Weste, Ether of them was a Christian. Valentiny∣anus had ben a captayne of the louldyours vnder Iulianus: but he forsoke him, because he wolde not* 1.20 forsake y^e integrity or soundnesse of Christen religi¦on: beside also because he had geuen a Heithen prest a blowe, by whom he was biddē to do sacrificy with

reachynge hym water of Idolatrye, whan he ta∣ryed for the commynge of Iulyanus. But God recompensed hym afterwarde wyth the honoure where he came to, for the iniurye that Iulyanus dyd hym. He had greate warres in Germany he subdued the Saxons and Burgunnyons: For* 1.21 they also are counted amonge the Saxons, whiche aboute that tyme went by the floude Rhe••e. And though they were vanquyshed by Valentinian yet afterwarde recouerynge strenghte, they passed the Rhene, and toke in these contryes, whych yet he∣therto are called Burgundy. But of these shall we speake hereafter.

VAlens raygned after his brothers death two* 1.22 yeare. He was a defender of Arria••s heresy. But for thys vngodlynesse was he punished, whan he was ••layne by the Gotthyes by Constan∣tinople. For whan Valens beinge put to flyghte* 1.23 gat hym into a lytle towne, the Gotthyes set it on fyre, and burnt hym. Whan Valens was deade, the Gotthyes dyd muche harme to them of Con∣stantynople: but the quene Valens wedowe, ge∣uynge them large mony refrayned them from the destructyon of it.

Whan Liberius was dead, Damasus was made the xxxix. byshoppe of Rome. By this man was S. Hierome in his youth lyke a notarye.* 1.24

After Damasus was Siricius bysh. the xl.

The yeare of Christe .CCC. lxxxiii.

GRatyanus the xlii. Emperoure raygned* 1.25 after the deathe of Valens syxe yeares. This same was the eldest sonne of Valenty∣nianus,

and taken in the felowshype of the empyre, by hys fathers lyfe. But whan the father was deade, he toke for hys companyon into the empyre hys yonger brother Valentinianus. But seynge the empyre was here and there troubled by reason of many vproures, nether couldbe gouerned with∣out some sage and fortunable prince, he chose The∣odosyus for a companion in the empyre, and sente* 1.26 hym into the Easte, where he ouercame the Got∣thyes by Constantynople, and droue them out of Thracya. Gratyanus was slayne by intrappe in Fraunce of hys gouernoure Maximus, who made hymselfe Emperour by tyranny. Gratyanus was a prince excellente both in honestye and learnynge, and a true maynteyner of Christen relygyon: he sent the knowledge of his fayth in wrytyng to. S. Ambrose. Valentinianus hys brother was also slayne by a trayne of hys gouernoure Arbogastes: but Theodosyus gatheryng a greate army, ouer∣threw* 1.27 both Maximus and Arbogastes. Maxi∣mus beynge taken, was put to execucyon. Arbo∣gastes slew hymselfe. Wherfore Theodosius had the Empyre alone.

The yeare of Christe .CCC. lxxxviij.

THeodosyus the xliij. Emperour raygned af∣ter* 1.28 that Gratianus was slayn by Maximus xi. yeares. He was a spanyarde, and set all the Empyre in quyet, from Germany vntil Egipt. He was fyrst in Germany, but beynge called into Thracya by Gracyanus, afterwarde was Styl∣lico* 1.29 sent in to Germany by Theodosyus, who com¦pelled the Frankes and Saxons to kepe peace.

Besides this restored he peace also to the church:* 1.30 He gathered commune conuencyous, and willed the doctrine of relygyon to be publyshed in all con∣tryes. S. Ambrose bewayled his death, & amonge other wordes he sayeth: I loued the man whan he* 1.31 dyed: for he was more combred for the state of the churches, than for hys owne daungers. To be combred so greatly wyth cares for the relygyon, that be verily true vertues worthy for goode prin∣ces.

Anastasius the fyrst of that name the .xli. bysh. of Rome succeded Syric••us. Innocentius the fyrst of that name the xlii bysh. of Rome succeded Anastasius.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Arrius an o∣pen reader in the scole of Alexan∣dria. The doctrine of Arrius.
• * 1.2

  Alexander & byshop.
• * 1.3

  Constancius 〈…〉〈…〉 •••• Arrius.
• * 1.4

  The death of Arrius i•• an ••••ample of 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  Athanasius beynge ban∣nished, flyeth to Triere out of Egypt.
• * 1.6

  Arrius was y^c forerunner of Mahomet
• * 1.7

  •• comete was ••••ue.
• * 1.8

  Constanti∣nus. Thre brether̄ raigned toge¦ther.
• * 1.9

  An example of venge∣aunce.
• * 1.10

  Magnētius an example of an vnkind vnfaithfull and disloyal man.
• * 1.11

  Magnenti∣us slayeth himselfe.
• * 1.12

  Liberius byshop of Rome Felix bishop of Rome a dislembler.
• * 1.13

  Iulianus apostata.
• * 1.14

  Iulianus •••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Empe∣〈…〉〈…〉 at S••ras¦〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.15

  Iulianus fo〈…〉〈…〉¦badde Chri∣sten men the authoritie of warrfare.
• * 1.16

  Cyrillus & Nazanzenu•• haue answe∣red Iulia∣nus.
• * 1.17

  How venge∣aunce is for∣bodden.
• * 1.18

  The death of Iulianus is an exam∣pl〈…〉〈…〉o•• venge∣••••nce.
• * 1.19

  Io〈…〉〈…〉nus a godly Em¦peroure.
• * 1.20

  Valentinia∣nus ••••••eth a ••••••then prest a blow.
• * 1.21

  Burgunni∣ons be S••x∣o••s.
• * 1.22

  Valens •••• Arria••••.
• * 1.23

  An example of venge∣aunce.
• * 1.24

  S. Ierome was notarye to Damasus
• * 1.25

  Gratianus.
• * 1.26

  Theodosius 〈…〉〈…〉ercō〈…〉〈…〉th 〈…〉〈…〉th••es.
• * 1.27

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 & 〈…〉〈…〉tes 〈…〉〈…〉es of 〈…〉〈…〉y
• * 1.28

  Theodosius
• * 1.29

  Stillico.
• * 1.30

  The godly∣nesse of The¦odosius to∣warde the churche.
• * 1.31

  ☜