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.

The PREFACE.

WE have finished the task enjoyned by You (most Sacred man of God Theodorus!) in the sive foregoing Books; wherein, according to our best ability, we have com∣prized the History of the Church from the times of Constantine. But you must know, that we have not been curious about our Stile; for we considered, that should we have been carefull about an Elegancy of expression, we might peradventure have mist of our design. Besides, could we have accomplished [our design,] yet we were altogether unable to write such things, as are extant in the Composures of Ancient Historians; whereby any one of them might suppose himself able either to amplifie, or disimprove Transactions. Further, such a Stile would in no wise have edified the Many and the Simpler sort of persons; who are desirous of

knowing affairs only, not of admiring the Stile for its elegant composure. That therefore our work might not be unusefull to both these sorts of persons; to the Learned, because 'tis unworthy of being compared with the Elegant Stile of Ancient Writers; and to the unlearned, in regard they cannot attain to [the knowledge of] affairs, being concealed by a pride and over-elegancy of Expression: We have designedly made use of such a Stile, * 1.1 as seems indeed to be lower and more mean, but is notwithstanding plainer and more perspicuous.

But, before we begin our Sixth Book, we must give this premonition: In regard we undertake [the writing a Narrative] of the affairs which have hapned in our own age; we are afraid, lest we should seem to record such things as will displease many persons: a 1.2 either because (according to the proverb,) Truth is bitter: or in regard we mention not their names, whom [all men] have a great love for, with an Encomium: or [Lastly] because we extoll not their Actions. The Zeal••ts of our Religion will con∣demn us, because we do not give the Bishops the Title of Most dear to God, or Most Holy, or such like. Others also will sometimes make curious remarks, because we term not the Emperours Most Divine, and Lords; nor [do give them] those other titles which are usually attributed to them. But, in as much as I am able to prove and demonstrate from the Testimony of Ancient Writers, that a b 1.3 Servant amongst them did usually call his Master by his proper name, and made no account of his Dignity [or Title,] by reason of the urgency of affairs; and in as much as [my indeavour is] to obey the Laws of History, which do require a sincere, pure, and true Narrative of Transactions, free from all manner of Masks and Covers; I will in future proceed in the same Narration; Recording those things which either I my self saw, or could learn from those who had seen them; and making a judgment of the Truth from their not varying in their Relations, who told me them. But, my La∣bour in discovering the Truth hath been great, in regard many, and those different persons gave me an account of affairs; some of whom affirming they were present at the transacting of these things; and others asserting they knew them better than any other persons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or, as seems in∣deed to be plainer and more perspi∣cuous, but is notwith∣standing lower and more mean.
• a 1.2

  This whole clause [ei∣ther because (according to the pro∣verb,) truth is bitter] is in my judgment to be ex∣punged, in regard it disturbs the sense. Or, if it has a place here, it must be put at the close of the period, after these words [extoll not their actions.] If this dis∣pleases any one; 'twill be sufficient, to expunge the parcticle [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, either,] and put this clause to the head of that fol∣lowing. Vales.
• b 1.3

  To wit, in the Comoedies of Menander, and others. You may see the same in Plautus's and Terentius's Latine Comoedies; wherein the Servants do usually call their Masters barely by their names. Vales.