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. XIX. After what manner the Innermost Indian Nations were in the times of Constantine converted to Christianity.

NOw therefore we must record, how the Chri∣stian Religion was propagated in the times of this Emperour. For the innermost Indians, and the Iberians did then first embrace the Christian Faith. But we will briefly explain, what we mean by the addition of this term, the Innermost. When the Apostles about to take their journey to the Heathens, in order to their preaching to them, had by lot divided them amongst themselves, a 1.1 Thomas received the Apo∣stolate of the Parthians. To Matthew was allotted Ae∣thiopia. Bartholomew had that India assign'd to him which lyes upon the con∣fines of Aethiopia. But this innermost India which is in∣habited by several barbarous Nations, who make use of different languages, was not enlightned with the doctrine of Christianity, before the times of Constantine. What was the cause of their embracing the Christian Religion, I come now to relate. One Meropius, a Philo∣sopher, by birth a Tyrian, made it his business to see the Country of the Indians, emulating herein b 1.2 Metrodorus the Philosopher, who a little before him had travelled over that same Country. Meropius therefore taking along with him two youths that were related to him, who were in no wise unskilled in the Greek language, arrived in this Countrey in a Ship. And having seen what he desired, in order to his procuring▪ necessary provi∣sions, he put to land at a place which had a safe com∣modious harbour. It hap∣ned, that a little before [his arival there] the league betwixt the Romans and Indians had been broken. The Indians therefore took the Philosopher, and those that were in the Ship with him, and put them all to death, except his two young kinsmen. Having saved the lives of the two youths, out of a compassion to their age, they presented them to the King of the In∣dians. He, much pleased with the young mens lookes, made the one of them, whose name was Aedesius, the Cup bearer of his Table: to the other, whose name was Fru∣mentius, he * 1.3 committed the custody of his accounts and evidences royal. Not long after this, the King dying (having left behind him a Son to be his successour, who was a minor, and his wife,) gave these two young men their liberty. But the Queen, seeing her Son left in his minority, spoke to these two persons to take care of him, till such time as he should come to maturity of age. The young men, in obedience to the Queen, un∣dertake the management of the Kings business. But Frumentius was the chief person in managing the affairs of State. And he was very earnest in

enquiring of the Roman Merchants who then came to trade in that country, whether there were any that embraced Christianity to be found a∣mongst them. Having found some, and informed them who he was, he exhorted them to make choice of c 1.4 some private meeting places for the performance of prayers therein, after the manner of Christians. Afterwards, within some short interval of time he built an oratory▪ and they▪ having instructed some Indians in the principles of Christianity, brought them to prayers with them. But afterwards, when the young King came to a maturity of age, Frumentius resigning to him the administration of the affairs of the Kingdom, which he had well managed, petitioned for leave to return into his own Countrey. And though the King and his mother entreated him to stay, yet they could not perswade him, but being de∣sirous to see his own Countrey, he, together with Aedesius, returned home. Aedesius hastened to Tyre to see his Parents and Kindred: but Fru∣mentius arriving at Alexandria, related the whole story to Athanasius, d 1.5 who was then newly dig∣nified with that Bishoprick; informing him of the circumstances of his travells, and that there was good grounds to hope that the Indians would embrace Christianity: [He also desired him] that he would send a Bishop and a Clergy thither, and that he ought in no wise to neglect those tha•• might be brought unto salvation. Athanasius having taken into consideration what was most expedient to be done, entreated Frumentius him∣self to take upon him the Bishoprick, telling him that there was no man better quallified for it than he. Which was done. e 1.6 Frumentius therefore, dignified with an Episcopate, returns again to the Indians Country, and there became a preacher of the Christian Religion; he founded many ora∣tories, and being vouchsafed [the assistance of] divine grace, he wrought many miracles, and cured many mens bodies together with their souls. These things Rufinus says he heard from Aedesius's own mouth, who was afterwards dig∣nified with a Presbytership in the Church of Tyre.

Notes

• a 1.1

  See book 3. chap. 1. of Eu∣sebius's Ecclesiastick History: to which add this place of an anony∣mous Author out of the second Homily upon Matthew. Denique cum post resurrectionem Domin•• Thomas Apostolus isset in Provin∣ciam i••••am, ad••••ncti sunt ••i: & baptisati ab eo, sacti sunt adjutores praedicationis illius: meaning the Persian Magi. Vales.
• b 1.2

  This is Metrodorus the Philo∣sopher, whom Je∣rome has mentioned in his Chro∣nicon; who, returning from his travails in India, presented Con∣stantine with many gemms and pea••ls, and feigned that many more of greater value were taken from him by Sapor King of the Persians: which lie of his was the occasion of the Persian war, as Am. Marcellinus attests, book 25. pag. 295. Edit. Vales. See Vale∣sius's notes on Amm. Mar••••ll. pag. 304.
• * 1.3

  Rationes suas scriniaque com∣mi••it; so Rufinus (from whom Socrates translated this story al∣most word for word) describes this young mans Office; book 1. chap. 9. Hist. Ecclesiast.
• c 1.4

  Transla∣tours un∣derstood not this place. For Muscu∣lus renders it thus. Ut separatis lo∣cis uteren∣tur, that they should make use of separate places. Chri∣stophorson thus, ut lo∣ca sepera∣tim ••ibi su∣merent, that they should take to themselves places seve∣rally. In this chapter Socrates has tran∣slated Ru∣sinus (book 1. chap. 9. Ecclesiast. Hist.) al∣most word for word; and calls those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which Rufinus had termed Conventicula. Now Conventicula are properly private places wherein Collects, or short prayers are made; and from these places Churches are distinguished, which belong to the right of the publick, and are not in the power of any private person. Vales.
• d 1.5

  Rufinus says the same: Tum vero Athanasius (nam is nuper sacerdotium susceperat,) i. e. But then Athanasius (for he had a little before undertaken the Episcopate, &c.) But if we consider the matter more attentively, these things cannot be. For Meropius the Philoso∣pher is said to have travelled into India, in imitation of the Phi∣losopher Metrodorus, who had taken a view of that Country before him. But Metrodorus, returned not from his Indian journey before the year of Christ 325. For at his return from India he presented the Emperour Constantine with gifts which he had received from the King of the Indians, as we remarked before in note (b.) in this chapter. Which must necessarily happen after the conquest of Licinius. For then Constantine first received the Empire of the East. Now Licinius was vanquished at the latter end of the year of Christ 324. Meropius therefore, in regard, following Metrodorus's example, he attempted to travell over India, must have undertaken this journey some years after him. Let us then suppose, that Meropius went into India in the year of our Lord 327. On the year following, when he should have returned into his own Country, he was slain by the Barbarians. And Aedesius and Frumentius, being as yet youths, were presented to the Indian King; and one of them was made his Cup-bearer; the other was set over his Acts and evidences Royal. In which Offices both continued to the Kings death. Now, suppose they served the King three years. After this the Indian King dies, leaving his Son very young. But the Queen his mother entreated Aedesius and Frumentius to undertake the Government of the Kingdome, till her Son were of age. Let us also allow that the Kings Son was about eight years old when his father died. In as much as Frumentius returned not to Alexandria till the young King was grown a man, it is wholly requisite that he should have managed the affairs of the Kingdom at least ten years. So Fru∣mentius returned to Alexandria about the year of our Lord 341; in which year Athanasius was not newly made Bishop, but had held that Bishopricck above fifteen years. From what we have said 'tis apparent, that this conversion of the Indians by Frumentius hap∣ned in the Reign of Constantius, not of Constantine, as Rufinus, and others that follow him, have related. Vales.
• e 1.6

  Athanasius speaks of this Frumentius, in his Apologetick to the Emperour Constantius. And a little after mentions Constantius's Epistle to Aizanas and Sazanas the Kings of Auxumis, wherein he commands them to send Frumentius (whom Athanasius had or∣dained Bishop of Auxumis) to Alexandria, to George Bishop of that City, that he might receive from him the doctrine of the true Faith, Whence it appears, that Frumentius was at that time but newly or∣dained by Athanasius. Now this Epistle was written in the year of Christ 356. Baronius, (in his Annotations on the Roman Marty∣rology.) says that this Frumentius Bishop of Auxumis must be diffe∣renced from the other Frumentius Bishop of the Indians. But I do assert, that he that was Bishop of Auxumis, and he that is stiled the Bishop of the Indians, is one and the same Frumentius. For Auxu∣mis is the Metropolis of Aethiopia. Now the Aethiopians are by the ancients usually confounded with the Indians. So Philostorgius calls the Homeritae (who were the Auxumites neighbours) Indians. Also, the Aethiopians who are now called Abyssines, call themselves Indians, and do acknowledge Frumentius to have been the Apostle of their Nation; as Lucas Holsteinius attests in his notes on Baronius's Martyrology, which were lately published at Rome. Vales.