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. XX. After what manner the Iberians were converted to the Christian Religion.

IT is now a fit opportunity to relate after what manner the Iberians were at the same time converted to Christianity. A woman who led a religious and chast life, was, by the disposal of Divine Providence, taken captive by the Iberians. These Iberians dwell neer the Euxine Sea; they are a colony of the Iberians in Spain. This ca∣ptive woman therefore, living amongst the Bar∣barians, devoted herself to a Philosophick course of life. For together with the strictest and se∣verest exercises of Chastity, she used herself to most tedious and lasting fasts, and to continued prayer. The Barbarians seeing this, were ama∣zed at the strangeness and novelty of her actions. It hapned, that * 1.1 the Kings Son, being a very young child, fell sick. The Queen, according to the custom of that Countrey, sent the child about to other women to be cured: if perchance by long experience they might know of any cure for the distemper. When the young child had been carried about by his nurse, and could find no cure from any of the women, he was at last brought to this captive woman. She in the pre∣sence of many women, applyed not any material remedy, for she had no knowledge of any such Medicines. But, having taken the child, she laid him upon her own bed, which was made of hair∣cloath, and only spake these words: Christ (said she) who healed many, shall ••lso cure this child. Having added a prayer to these words, and invoked Gods assistance, the child immediately recovered, and from that time was very well. The report hereof was noised abroad amongst the Barbarian women, it came also to the Queens ear; and the captive woman became more eminent. Not long af∣ter the Queen, being fallen into a distemper, sent for the captive woman. She having refused to go by reason of her modesty and bashfull disposition, the Queen herself was conveyed to her. The captive woman does the same that she before had done to the child. And forthwith the sick Queen recovered, and returned her thanks to the woman. But she made her this answer, it is not I that do this, but Christ, who is the Son of that God, who made the world. She therefore exhorted the Queen to call

upon him, and to acknowledge the true God. The King of the Iberians, amazed at the sudden∣ness of her recovery from the disease, having en∣quired who it was that did these cures, presented the captive woman with Gifts. She answered, that she stood not in need of wealth, for piety was her riches. But that she should accept it as the greatest present, if he would acknowledge that God who was set forth and declared by her. With this answer she returned his pre∣sents. The King treasured up her words in his breast. The next day this accident befell the King going out a hunting: There fell a mist and a thick darkness upon the tops of the mountains and forrests where he was hunting, so that their sport was grown troublesome, and the way im∣passable. The King being in a very great straight, earnestly implored [the assistance of] those Gods whom he worshipped: But finding he was never the better, at last he bethought himself of the captive-womans God, and calls upon him to be his assistant. He had no sooner prayed, but the darkness caused by the mist was dispersed. Admiring at what was done, he returned home with joy, and having told his Queen what had befallen him, he forthwith sent for the captive woman, and enquired of her who that God was, whom she worshipped. When the woman was come into his presence, she made the King of the Iberians to become a Preacher of Christ. For, having been perswaded by this devout woman to believe in Christ, he convened all the Iberians that were his Subjects; and when he had related to them all things concerning the cure of his wife and his child, and also what had befallen him in his hunting, he exhorted them to worship the God of the captive-woman. Thus therefore they both became Preachers of Christ, the King Preached to the men▪ and the Queen to the women. More∣over, the King, informed by the captive woman of the fashion of those Churches amongst the Romanes, commanded an Oratory to be built; and ordered a provision of all materials towards the building to be forthwith made. Therefore a Church was erected; and when they went about raising of the Pillars, Divine Providence attempts somewhat that might perswade the in∣habitants of that Country [to embrace] the Christian Faith. For one of the Pillars con∣tinued immoveable. No engine could be invented, that was able to stir it. But the ropes were broken, and the engines torn in pieces. The work-men therefore, desponding and quite out of heart, went away. Then was the captive womans Faith openly manifested. For she goes by night to the place without any bodies know∣ledge, and there stayed all night, spending the time in fervent prayer: and by Gods Providence the Pillar was raised, and stood fixt in the air, higher than its basis, in such a manner that it did not in the least touch its basis. Assoon as it was day, the King, a 1.2 well skilled in architecture, came to the building, and sees the Pillar hanging in the air above its own basis. Both he himself, and all his atten∣dants were amaz'd at what had happened, for a little while after in their sight the Pillar descended upon its own basis, and there stood fixt. Hereupon they all shouted, cried out that the Kings Faith was true, and celebrated the praises of the captive-womans God. After this they believed [in Christ] and raised up the rest of the Pillars with great alacrity of mind: and the whole building was in a short time perfectly finished. Afterwards an Embassie was sent from them to Constantine the Emperour, whereby they requested, that they might both in future be admitted to a confe∣deracie with the Romans, and also have a Bishop and an holy Clergy sent to them. For they pro∣tested that they did sincerely believe in Christ. This relation Rufinus says he had from b 1.3 Bacurius, who had formerly been a Prince of Iberia: but afterwards coming over to the Romans, he was c 1.4 made a captain within the limits of Palestine. At length he was advanced to the Office of a General, and did the Emperour Theodosius ex∣traordinary good service, in the d 1.5 war against Maximus the Tyrant. After this manner were the Iberians converted to the Christian Religion in the times of Constantine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Ru∣finus, book 1. chap. 10. Eccles. Hist. Rufinus does not say, that this child was the Kings Son; but, mulier quaedam par••ulum suum, &c. a certain wo∣man (say•• he) car∣ried about her son, &c.
• a 1.2

  Instead of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, well skilled in Architecture] I had rather read [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, being very anxious.] I doubt not but Socrates wrote it thus. For in Ruflnus (book 1. chap. 10. from whom Socrates borrowed this relation) the words are these; cum ecce matutinus & anxius cum suis omnibus ingre∣diens Rex, &c. when behold the King, perplexed in his mind, co∣ming in the morning with all his attendants, &c. Vales.
• b 1.3

  The Sfort. Florent. and All at. M. SS. call this persons name Bac∣curius. But in Rufinus, and others, his name is, more truly, Ba∣curius. Zo∣simus says he was born in that Armenia which borders on Iberia, and that he was a man without all malice, or deceit, very expert in Mi∣litary affairs. But Rufinus (book 1. chap. 10. and book 2. chap. 33. Eccles. Hist.) affirms he was a Prince of the Iberi; that he was a person of great fidelity, very studious of Religion and Truth: first made a Captain within the limits of Palestine; afterwards Comes of the Do∣mesticks; and lastly that he did Theodosius the Emperour great ser∣vice in his war with Eugenius. Vales. See Valesius's notes on Amm. Marcell. pag. 430, &c.
• c 1.4

  At this place Socrates mistook Rufinus's meaning. For Rufinus says that Bacurius was a Captain; Palestini limitis, of the Palestinian limit; when he told him these things. But Socrates seems to have read in Rufinus, Palestini militis ducem, that Bacurius was a Captain of the Palestinian milice. Vales.
• d 1.5

  Here also Socrates is out. For Bacurius served not Theodosius in the war against Maximus, but in that against Eugenius: as Rufinus attests, book 2. chap. 33. Eccles. Hist. and Zosimus, book 4. Vales.