Melitian Hereticks, who bring in several accusa∣tions against Athanasius. And first they frame a complaint [against him] by Ision, Eudaemon and Callinicus, who were Melitians, as if Athana∣sius had ordered the Aegyptians to pay a linnen garment [under the notion of tribute] to the Church of Alexandria. But Alypius, and Macarius, Pres∣byters of the Church of A∣lexandria, who were then accidentally at Nicomedia, extinguished this accusation, having informed the Empe∣rour, that what they re∣ported against Athanasius was false. Wherefore the Emperour by his Letters sharply reproved those that informed against him: but he advised Athanasius in a Letter to repair to him. But the Eusebian faction, be∣fore his arival, and in or∣der to their preventing of it, tack another accusation to the first, far worse than the former: as if Athana∣sius, entring into a con∣spiracy against the Empe∣rours affaires, had sent a little chest full of gold to one Philumenus. But the Em∣perour, having taken cogni∣zance hereof at Psamathia, which is the Suburbs of the City Nicomedia, and finding Athanasius innocent, dis∣missed him with honour; and wrote to the Church of A∣lexandria, that their Bishop Athanasius had been falsly accused. It would indeed have been comely and decent to have passed over in si∣lence those calumnies, which the Eusebians after∣wards framed against Athanasius, lest Christs Church should be condemned by those that do not embrace his doctrine. But in regard they have been committed to writing, and exposed to the view of all men, I therefore judged it necessary to treat of these matters as compendiously as may be, which [if particularized] would re∣quire a peculiar volume. Wherefore I will give a short account, whence both the subject of the calumny it self, and also the contrivers of the false accusation had their original. Mareotes is a region of Alexandria. There are in it a great many, and those very populous villages, and in them many and stately Churches. All these Churches are under [the jurisdiction of] the Bishop of Alexandria, and subject to his City like Parishes. In this Country of Mareotes there was a man, by name Ischyras, who had committed a fact worthy of a thousand deaths. For, whenas he had never been admitted into sacred Orders, he [ne∣vertheless] took upon himself the name of a Presby∣ter, and was so audacious as to perform the office of a Presbyter. This Ischyras therefore, detected in the commission of the foresaid crime, made his escape thence, and arriving at Nicomedia, for re∣fuge fled to the Eusebian faction. They, in regard of their hatred towards Athanasius, receive him as a Presbyter; and promise to prefer him to the dignity of a Bishoprick, if he would frame an ac∣cusation against Athanasius, they deriving a pre∣tence [for this calumny] from those stories which Ischyras had contrived. For he gave out, that he had suffered most miserably by an assault made upon him: and that Macarius running furiously [into the Oratory] as far as the Altar, overtur∣ned the Table, broke the mystical Cup, and burnt the sacred books. For this accusation (as I have said) the Eusebians promised him a Bishoprick as his reward, being sensible that this accusation against Macarius, would (together with him that was accused) overthrow Athanasius also who had sent Macarius. This accusation therefore they charged him with afterwards. But before this [calumny they framed] another stuffed with all manner of hatred and maliciousness, which we must now speak of. Having got a mans hand (whence they had it, I know not, whether they had murdered any man and cut off his hand; or whether they had cut it off from some dead body, God only knows, and they that were authours of this fact,) they produced it [pretending] it to be the hand of one Ar∣senius, a Melitian Bishop: the hand they exposed to all mens view, but kept Arse∣nius concealed. And they re∣ported that Athanasius had this hand in his custody, and made use of it in the per∣formance of some magical delusions. This therefore was the chiefest and most im∣portant point of the accusa∣tion which these Sycophants had forged [against Atha∣nasius.] But (as it usually happens in such cases) other persons accused him of other matters. For all those who had been his enemies before, did at this time most especially make use of their utmost force against him. The Emperour, having intelligence of these procee∣dings, writes to Dalmatius the Censor, his bro∣thers son, who then kept his residence at Antioch in Syria; that he should command the persons ac∣cused to be brought before him, and (after he had taken cognizance of the case) order them that were convicted to be punished. He also sent Eu∣sebius and Theognis, that Athanasius might be tried before them. When Athanasius knew that he was to be summoned to appear before the Censor, he sent into Aegypt to find out Arsenius. He had certain information that the man was con∣cealed: but he could not apprehend him because he frequently changed his lurking holes by re∣moving from one place to another. In the interim, the Emperour suppressed the tryal which should have been before the Censor, upon this account.