The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XIV. Concerning the Morals of those that were the ene∣mies of Religion.

MAxentius (Son to this * 1.1 man,) who had possest himself of the government of Rome, at first hypocritically pretended [himself a pro∣fessour of] our faith, that he might thereby please and flatter the people of Rome. Upon this account he commanded his subjects to forbear persecuting the Christians, making a shew of piety, and [be∣ing desirous] to seem benign, and much more mild than the former Governours. But in his practises he manifested himself not to be such a manner of person, as 'twas hoped he would have proved. But, having applied himself to [the com∣mission of] all sorts of impious facts, he omitted no manner of action that was impure and libidinous. He committed adulteries and rapes of all sorts. He parted the husbands [by divorce] from their lawfull wives, whom (when he had by unclean∣ness abused) he most dishonourably sent back again to their husbands. Nor did he make it his busi∣ness to be thus injurious towards obscure persons, and those of mean quality, but towards them especially, who were advanced to the highest place of honour in the Senate of Rome; insulting over the most eminent personages. All persons there∣fore, both the vulgar, and the Magistrates, as well the honourable, as the obscure, standing in great fear of him, were sorely afflicted with his intol∣lerable tyranny. And although they were quiet, and patiently bore the austere servitude [they were opprest with;] yet none could so avoid the bloudy cruelty of the Tyrant. For, one time, upon a very trivial pretence, he delivered the people of Rome to be slain by his a 1.2 own guards. And so innumera∣ble multitudes of the Roman people (not Scythians, nor Barbarians, but his own Ci∣tizens) were killed with spears and all sorts of wea∣pons in the midst of the City. Moreover, 'tis impossible to enumerate how many slaugh∣ters were made of those that were Senatours, to the end their estates might be seized; infinite numbers of them be∣ing put to death at several times for various crimes fra∣med [against them.] At length, as the complement of his impieties, the Tyrant proceeded to [exercise] the delusions of Magick Art: sometimes ripping up wo∣men great with child; o∣ther whiles searching into the bowells of new-born infants; he also killed Lyons, and [performed] some other horrible rites, to call forth the Daemons, and repell the approaching war. For he most undoubtedly presumed, that by these perfor∣mances he should. obtain the victory. Whilst this person therefore tyrannized at Rome, 'tis im∣possible to relate what mischievous acts he per∣petrated, and [how miserably] he enslaved his Subjects: insomuch that they were reduced to such extream penury and want of necessary suste∣nance, as ('tis recorded by those of our times)

never happened at Rome, nor any where else. But Maximinus the Tyrant in the Eastern parts, ha∣ving secretly made a league with Maxentius [the Tyrant] at Rome, as being his brother in wicked∣ness, endeavoured to keep himself concealed for a long time. But being at last detected, he suffered condign punishment. It was wonderfull [to ob∣serve] how near a relation and brother-like affi∣nity in wickedness this man exprest towards the Tyrant at Rome; or rather, how far he exceeded and surpassed him in the perpetration of nefarious facts. For Inchanters and Magicians were by him promoted to the chiefest places of honour: he was exceeding timorous and superstitious, and a migh∣ty favourer of the impostures about Idols and Dae∣mons: without divinations and responses of O∣racles he presumed not to move any thing a nails breadth (as the saying is.) Upon which account he imposed a more cruel and sharper persecution upon us, than the former Emperours had done; commanding that Temples [to the Gods] should be erected in every City, and that those places dedicated to their worship, which by length of time were decayed, should with all diligence be repaired. He [constituted] priests for the Idols in every place and City; and over them he ap∣pointed a b 1.3 chief Priest of every Province, any one of those who had most wor∣thily discharged all the pub∣lick Offices in the Court [or Senate] of the City; and appointed him a milita∣ry guard [consisting of] a set number of troops. [In fine,] he freely bestow∣ed the Governments of Pro∣vinces, and chiefest places of preheminence, on all those that were impudent Sooth∣sayers, as being Religious persons, and most acceptable to the Gods. After this, he proceeded to vex and op∣press, not one City onely, or Country, but all the Pro∣vinces in general that were under his government, with exactions of Gold, Silver, and vast sums of money, with most burthensome c 1.4 im∣posts, and with various sorts of forfeitures succeeding one another. Moreover, depri∣ving the rich of their estates laid up for them by their Ancestours, he bestowed a vast treasure and heaps of money on those about him that were his flatterers. Be∣sides, he was given to ebriety and drunkenness in such an high degree, that in his cups he would rave, and be out of his wits; and in his drunken∣ness he would command such things to be done, as the next day when sober he would repent of. In sottish∣ness and luxury no man was his equal, exhibiting himself the master of debauchery both to his Princes and to his [inferiour] Subjects. He permitted his Souldiers to live effeminate lives, in all manner of deliciousness and intemperance: but he perswaded his Presidents and chief Commanders (who in a manner were his Colleagues in his Tyranny,) to break forth into extortion and covetousness to∣wards those under their jurisdiction. What need we relate those libidinous courses, in which this man indulged himself? or recount their multi∣tudes, which he vitiated by adultery? For he passed through no City [in his journey,] without com∣mitting whoredome with women, and ravishing of virgins. Moreover, these [his practises] succee∣ded according to his desire against all persons, the Christians onely excepted; who, having con∣temned death, despised that his outragious Tyran∣ny. d 1.5 For the men (having endured the fire, the sword, the being * 1.6 fastned [to wooden engines] with nails, the wild beasts, the being drowned in the depths of the Sea, the cutting off their members, the ••earings with hot irons, the pricking and digging out of their eyes, and the being maimed all over their bodies; and, besides all this, famine, the mines, and bonds;) would rather demonstrate their patient suf∣ferance under all [these tortures] for religion, than they would forsake the adoration of God, and worship Idols. Again, the women were not less corroborated by the doctrine of the divine word than the men: some of whom underwent the same combats with the men, and obtained rewards of their fortitude equal to them: others, haled away to be rav••shed, were more ready to part with their lives, than expose their bodies to be defiled. In∣deed, one onely Christian woman, the most emi∣••ent and famous of the Alexandrian women, (when the others had been vitiated by the Ty∣rant,) vanquished the dissolute and incontinent mind of Maximinus by her most valiant courage of mind. She was a woman eminent for riches, descent, and learning; but she preferred chastity before all these. When [the Tyrant] had often solicited this woman [to commit adultery with him,] he was indeed unable to kill her (who was prepared to die,) because his lust was master of his cruelty: but he punished her with exile, and deprived her of her whole estate. Infinite other women, being unable to endure the hearing of the menaces of ravishment, which the Governours of Provinces threatned them with, underwent all sorts of tortures, torments, and capital punishments. But the most admirable person above all these was that woman at Rome, the most noble and truly chastest woman of all those, whom Maxentius (the Tyrant there, whose practises were like Maximinus's) attempted to vitiate. For, as soon as she understood that the Ministers, which the Tyrant made use of for the performance of such [villanies,] had assaulted her house, (now she also was a Christian,) and that her husband, who was Prefect of the City at Rome, had by reason of his fear permitted them to take her and carry her away with them: e 1.7 having requested that a short [time] might be allowed her, as if she would have adorned her body, she went into her Chamber; and, being alone, f 1.8 sheathed a sword in her own breast. Expiring immediately here∣upon,

she left indeed her Co••ps to those that came to conduct her [to the Tyrant;] but by this act of hers (which resounds more than any voice) she has manifested to all men that now are, and shall be in future ages, that the courage of the Christians is the onely thing that is inexpugnable, and which cannot be extirpated by death. Such indeed and so great was the fertility of wickedness, produced at one and the same time; the authours of which were two Tyrants, who had divided the East and West between themselves. And now, what man is he, that, making his researches into the cause of these so great [calamities▪] will be du∣bious in affirming the persecution [raised against us] to have been [the originall of all these miseries?] Especially, [when he considers] that these migh∣ty disturbances [in the Empire] were not termi∣nated; before the Christians had the free and open profession of their Religion restored to them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  To Maxi∣mianus.
• a 1.2

  Aurelius Victor (in the life of Maxentius) says the same; adeo saevus, uti praetorianis caedem vulgi quondam annuerit; he was so cruel, that one time he connived at his Guards for killing the com∣mon people. Constantine, having vanquished Maxentius, did quite put down the Praetorian Cohorts, (i. e. those Souldiers, whose office it was to guard the Emperours body,) upon pretence of this slaughter (here mentioned) they made among the common people; but in reality, that they should not attempt any alterations in the government, nor make Emperours, as they had done Maxentius, whom they proclaimed Augustus. Moreover, Zosimus tells the same story, (here mentioned by our Eusebius) but a little otherwise. For he relates, that when the temple of the God Genius at Rome was accidentally fired, and the people flockt together to quench the fire; a Souldier, who derided this God of the Gentiles, was killed by the common peo∣ple; upon which there immedi∣ately happened so great an up∣roar amongst the Souldiers, that the whole City had been destroy∣ed, had not Maxentius intervened, Vales.
• b 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; So our Authour words it in the Greek. They were called S••cer∣dotes [i. e. chief Priests] by the Gentiles, who had the Temples of a whole Province under their care: but the Flamines [the Priests] were those, who in every Town and City took care of the performance of their Religious Rites. (See Valesius's notes on Amm. Marcellinus, Book 28. pag. 375. Moreover, Maximi∣nus must not be supposed to have been the first that instituted these chief Priests of the Provinces: for there were such Priests long be∣fore his time. But Maximinus increased their honour, and al∣lowed them a guard, i. e. Lictors and Apparitors. th••se chief Priests of the Provinces were made out of the body of the Curiales, (i. e. those that were of the Court, or Senate in every City; see Vale∣sius's notes on Amm. Marcell. B. 28. p. 374.) who had before born all publick Offices, and dis∣charged them worthily. This place [of high Priest of a Pro∣vince] was accounted so ho∣nourable, that he that bore it took place of the Magistrates, or Duumviri. See the Gesta purgat. Caeciliani, B. 9. chap. 4. These high Priests had the power of entring into the secretum of the Judges, and of being assessours with them, as appears from the Acts of Theodorus the Martyr at November 9.
• c 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Musculus tran∣slates it Statutis, Laws: Christo∣phorson, manda••is, commands: Vale∣sius, indictionibus, imposts or taxes. Our Eusebius uses the same term at chap. 8. B. 10. Where, speaking of Licinius, he says, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. he invented several sorts of Taxes against his Subjects. See book 10. chap. 8. note (d.)
• d 1.5

  See Eusebius's oration concer∣ning the praises of Constantine, c. 7. where this passage is repeated al∣most in the same words. Vales.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the term in the Greek: Valesius renders it Clavorum suffixiones▪ the being fast∣ned with nails; perhaps our Au∣thour means crucifixion.
• e 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the expression in the Greek. Some words seem to be wanting, which may be thus supplied [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, having requested a short space of time for a recess.] Eusebius used the same phrase before, when he spake of the Antiochian woman, who with the two Virgins leapt into the River. Vales.
• f 1.8

  At the margin of the Maz. and Savill M. SS. I found this Scholion written, for the explication of these words: [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. How does this man admire those women, who were the authours of their own deaths? And yes the Judgment of the Church is, not to record them amongst the number of the Martyrs, who have been their own executioners. For 'tis [an argument] of fear, rather than courage, by death to prevent the dread of punishment. But [the Church looks upon those as Martyrs,] who suppose nothing to be dreadfull upon account of the confession of Christ; but with alacrity suffer all [tortures,] that a Tyrannick and devilish subtilty can produce [against them.] The Authour of this Scholion has made a true remark, to wit, that the Church approves not of self∣murder; when men, out of a fear of death, or through desperation lay violent hands on themselves. But as often as they are d••iven to do that by the instinct of the divine spirit, which ••arely happens; then the Church approves and admires that act▪ but proposes it not for imitation. See what S^t Augustine thought concerning this matter, in his first Book. De civitate Dei, chap. 26. Vales.