The estate of the Church with the discourse of times, from the apostles vntill this present: also of the liues of all the emperours, popes of Rome, and Turkes: as also of the Kings of Fraunce, England, Scotland, Spaine, Portugall, Denmarke, &c. With all the memorable accidents of their times. Translated out of French into English by Simon Patrike, Gentleman.

Councells held at this time.

1. In Aquilege where S. Ambrose assisted against Palla∣dius, and Secondianus, Arrians.

2. In Valentia in Dalphine, wherein it was ordained that Bi∣gami might not be consecrated.

3. In Laodicea, whereof is before spoken, &c.

4. At Rome, against Apollinaris. Hist. Trip. lib. 9 chap. 16. Ʋalentinian, of the age of 55. yeares, died of a flux of bloud of a veyne breaking.

He raigned 17. yeares, 6. with Gratian, and 11. after, his body was carried to be buried at Constantinople. S. Aurel. Vict. and Pomp. Before his death he againe declared his sonne Gra∣iian Emperour.

Procopius the Tyrant vanquished by Ʋalens, was taken, and hauing his two feete bound vnto two trees and let goe, they tore him in peeces. Naucle.

Ʋalens gaue a blowe vnto the Gouernour of the Towne of Edesse in Mesapotamia, because hee had not chased away the Christians which daily assembled in ths Temple of S. Thomas. It grieued him to put the Emperours commaundement in ex∣ecution, and to cause such a multitude to die: wherefore he se∣cretly sent thē word that they would assemble no more there. But leauing his counsell, and searing nothing the Emperours E∣dict, the next morning all assembled in the said place, as they accustomed to doo. So then as the Prouost of the Towne, with a great company of souldiers, went to the said Temple to put in execution Valens his commaund: hee encountred a woman who ranne with a litle childe of hers to the assembly of the faithfull; to whom he said, Whether runnest thou? Thi∣ther

said she whether all others haste to goe. How said hee?* 1.1* 1.2 hast thou not heard that the Prouost goeth thither to sley all he findes there? I vnderstand it said she, and therfore do I make so much haste to be with them. And whither leadest thou that litle childe? That he may also receiue the Crowne of Martyr∣dome quoth she. When the said Prouost vnderstood these things, and the courage of the Christians which ran thither, he returned towards the Emperor Valens, & shewed him this sto∣rie, how they were ready to endure death for their faith; & that he thought it very vnreasonable to sley so great a multitude of people. Vpon these words Ʋalens moderated his anger. So∣crat. lib. 1. cap. 18. Theo. lib. 4. cap. 17. Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 18.

Affrates a very olde Monke, departed from Antioch, being sent into exile. Ʋalens seeing him from his Pallace said to him; whither goest thou? I goe said he, to pray for thine Empire. Thou shouldest haue done that in thy house said Valens. Yea, answered Affrates if thou wouldest permit it, and so did I when Christs sheepe were in peace.

Ʋalens in the end fought vnluckily against the Gothes, Ʋis∣coths, Huns, and Scyths, who hauing passed Danubia, ran vpon Hungaria, Epire, and Thessalia, endammaging much the coun∣trey, and burning certaine Townes. He was ouercome, and fly∣ing, was wounded with a Dart, and so fell from his horse, and was put in a litle strawe-house to be healed. Alanus the Victor pursued him, & the house whereinto he went was burnt, none knowing he was retired thither. This was the reward of his tirannie and crueltie against the faithfull.* 1.3 And this came to him three yeares after the death of his brother, hauing raigned fourteene yeares.

This battaile was the beginning of great warre that the Ro∣mane Empire after sustained.

Gratian sonne of Valentinian, raigned eight yeares, with his [ 380] Vncle Valens three, and with Theodosius 4. But his true King∣dome began after the death of Valens, the yeare of our Lord, 380. Hee reuoked from Exile the Catholique Bishoppes,

and put backe the Arrians. He made Valentinian his litle bro∣ther on the fathers side, his companion of the Empire. Hauing called Theodosius out of Spaine, hee gaue him part of the East Empire, establishing him as a Ram-part against the Gothes and Huns, which occupied Thrace and Daceas as their heredi∣tary countreys. Theodosius handled them hardly. At his com∣ming he obtained a great victorie against the Almaines. But as he cherished too much some of those barbarous Nations, which hee caused to come with him hyring them with Gold: his owne souldiers bare him euill will; insomuch that Maximus was chosen Emperour in England, and passing into Fraunce with the Romane Army, ouercame Gratian at Paris, who fled to Lions, where he was taken and killed trayterously by Andro∣gius. See Pomp. Laet. Aurel. Vict. Bapt. Egn. lib. 1. Paul. Diac. lib. 1. and Oros. lib. 7. chap. 33.

Theodosius began his true Kingdome after the death of Gratian, the yeare 386. He was of the line of Traian, who was also sent by the Emperor Nerua to help the Common-wealth, Theodosius maintained and amplified the Empire: hee put to flight the Huns and Gothes in diuers battailes, which came ve∣ry farre into the Empire: hee also graunted peace to the Persians.

[ 372] Valentinian the second of that name, the brother of the a∣foresaid Gratian on his fathers side, being chased from Italie by Maximus, with Iustin his mother Arrian which had wrought great troubles to Ambrose, fled into the East towards Theodo∣sius, who receiued him and gaue him part of the Empire: after hauing shewed him his fault, and that because he rebelled a∣gainst religion, and persecuted the Catholiques, he fel into this perill.

Valentinian was strangled seuen yeares at Ʋienna in Fraunce by his Chamberlaines, at the suggestion of Eugenius, and of Arbogastes: So that it seemed he had strangled himselfe. Theo∣dosius tarried not long before hee ouercame Maximus vsurper of the Gaulois, and Victor his sonne, and Androgius their Coro∣nell, which caused Gratian to die. Auenging the death of Ʋa∣lentinian: he ouercame Eugenius the Tyrant, and Arbogastes

his companion in a notable victorie:* 1.4 For the time, the windes, the snowe and hayle ranged themselues on his side, who had fewe people in respect of the Armie of Eugenius. Claudians Latine verses with exclamation witnesse it saying: O wel∣beloued of God, who gaue thee a winter armed for thy suc∣cessors, and made come to thy wages the Tempests and the windes, &c.

The said Iustin hauing drawne into her errour Ʋalentinian her sonne, sought also to haue deceiued Ambrose, but in vaine. One day she sent a sort of souldiers to enuiron the Temple to make Ambrose come out: who spake to them and said: hee would not so easily forsake his place, and that to wolues hee would not expose the sheepfolde, nor the Temple to blasphe∣mers. And that if they determined to sley him, let them do it within the temple, and so should death please him. Theodo. li. 5. chap. 13.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gratian.
• * 1.2

  The constan∣cie of the faithfull.
• * 1.3

  The death of Valens.
• * 1.4

  Damasus.