The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.

XVII. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. Constantins zeale against Paganism and Heresy.

3. &c. He is seduced by his Sister to favour Arius, &c. but repents.

5.6. He adorns his New Citty Constantino¦ple.

7.8. Miracles by the Holy Crosse.

9. Other acts of Constantins piety.

1. AFter S. Helena's death Constantin re∣turned into the East,* 1.2 where he ex∣press'd his zeale against Pagan Idolatry: For Eunapius a Pagan writer complains, Through the whole world the most celebrated Temples were overthrown by Constantin. He made se∣vere Lawes against Heathenish Sacrifices, men∣tion'd in Theodosius his Code.

2. Neither was he wanting to establish the Churches Peace and Vnity by publishing rigorous Edicts against Hereticks,* 1.3 Novatians, Valentinians, Marcionists, Paulians, Montanists, &c. forbidding all Assemblies among them, both publick and private: and withall exhorting them to return to the Communion of the Catho∣lick Church, that so they might be rendred par∣takers of its Sanctity: and so attain to Truth. Thus writes Eusebius, adding that hereupon many of them did acknowledge their errours, and at last joyn'd themselfves to the Chur∣ches Communion.

3. Notwithstanding being seduced by the Craft of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia the Pillar of the Arian faction,* 1.4 he began a perse∣cution against S. Athanasius, then Bishop of Alexandria. This Eusebius had cunningly insinuated himself into the affections of Constantiae the Emperours Sister, by whom at her death he was recommended to Constan∣tin, in whose mind a scruple likewise was injected by certain speeches of hers, threat∣ning a severe punishment to him after death for his severity against so many innocents, so she called the Arians. Wherupon he commanded that Arius himself should re∣turn and be received at Alexandria: For which purpose he wrote threatning letters to S. Athanasius, that he should be deposed in case he refused him. Notwithstanding being inform'd by Athanasius, that Arius did not repent of his Heresy, but was still a

profess'd Enemy of the Councill of Nicaea,* 1.5 Constātin desisted from urging his reception.

* 1.64. Afterward the Meletians accused Saint Athanasius of many crimes: but Constantin upon examination finding his innocence, quickly absolved and dimiss'd him. Yea moreover the pious Emperour turn'd his anger against him who was the cheif Ar∣chitect of all machinations against S. Atha∣nasius, to witt, Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia, as appears by his letters written to the people of that Citty and recited by Theodo∣ret,* 1.7 in which he complains how himself had been deluded by his forgeries and lyes. And on that occasion he proceeds to pronounce Sentence against the whole faction of the Arians, banishing Eusebius and severall other Bishops from their Sees.

* 1.85. But the year following, by occasion of the inauguration of his New Citty Constanti∣nople, among other Examples of his Clemen∣cy, he restored them.* 1.9 Nicephorus writes that the Citty was consecrated to our Lord and his immaculate Mother with offring the unbloody Sacrifice and prayers. Adding that Constantins Statue was erected in a publick place upon a pillar of Porphyry having in his right hand a golden Apple, on which was placed the Holy Crosse, with this Inscription, To thee, O Christ our God, I com∣mend this Citty.

* 1.106. Eusebius describing the Magnificence of Constantin in adorning this Citty with many Churches consecrated to the Holy Martyrs, saith, The Emperour intending to illustrate after an extraordinary manner the Citty called by his own name, adorn'd it with many magnificent Churches, partly in the Suburbs, and partly in the Citty it self: by which he both celebrated the Me∣mories of the Holy Martyrs, and consecrated the Citty it self to the God of Martyrs. The princi∣pall of those Martyrs are recorded to have been S. Mocius, S. Agathonicus, S. Mennas and S. Acacius.

* 1.117. Sozomen likewise, an eye witnes, espe∣cially celebrats a Church built in a place for∣merly dedicated to Vesta, which was after∣ward named Michaelium, from an apparition of that Holy Archangell. In which many Mi∣racles had been wrought by vertue of the Holy Crosse there erected: of which vertue the Authour acknowledges that himself had been partaker. Among which one speciall Miracle must not be omitted; which he re∣lates after this manner:

* 1.128. I have been informed, saith he, that a Soldier of the Emperours Guards called Probianus being afflicted with greivous torments in his feet, not only received ease in that place, but was also ho∣noured with a wonderfull & divine vision. For he having been formerly a Pagan and converted to Christianity, though he were satisfied of the truth of all other instituts of our Religion, yet he would never be perswaded that the Holy Crosse could be the cause of mankinds salvation. Being thus affe∣cted there was offred to him a Divine Vision, which set before his eyes the Image of the Crosse, which usually was sett on the Altar of that Church: and the same Vision declared to him ma∣nifestly that whatsoever thngs had been perfor∣med either by Angells or Holy men for the publick or privat proffit of men since the time that Christ was crucified, were not rightly performed but by the vertue of the saving Crosse.

9. Besides these sacred Ornaments,* 1.13 Constantin added much wealth to endow the holy Chur∣ches built by him: He likewise caused a world of Copies of the Holy Scriptures to be curious∣ly written in parchments richly adorned, which he dispersed through severall Chur∣ches in the Citty.* 1.14 He gave likewise great pri∣viledges to Physicions, Grammarians and Pro∣fessours of other Arts, by which means lear∣ning much flourish'd there. In a word he endeavour'd to make it equall in all res∣pects to Old Rome, placing there a Senat with the same honours and authority: into which many Christians were elected, as Baronius de∣clareth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  XVII. CH.
• * 1.2

  E••••ap. de vit. Philsopb. i•• Ae••. sim▪ Col. •• he••••. l. 2. de Pagan.
• * 1.3

  Eus••b. l. 〈…〉〈…〉 62.
• * 1.4

  A. D. 327.
• * 1.5

  A. D. 330.
• * 1.6

  A. D. 329. Athànas. Apo∣log. 2.
• * 1.7

  Theodor. l. i. c. 20.
• * 1.8

  A. D. 330.
• * 1.9

  Niceph. l. 8. c. 26.
• * 1.10

  Euseb. l. 4. c. 47.
• * 1.11

  Sozom. l. 2. c. 2.
• * 1.12

  Id. ibid.
• * 1.13

  Euseb. l. 4. c. 36.
• * 1.14

  Cod. Theodos. de Medicis & Profess.