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. XII. Concerning Chrysanthus Bishop of the Novatianists at Constantinople.

AFter Sisinnius's death, Chrysanthus was by force made Bishop. He was the son of that * 1.1 Marcianus, who had been Bishop of the Novati∣anists before Sisinnius. From his younger years he had had a Military Employ in the Pallace; after∣wards, in the Reign of Theodosius the Great, he was made Consularis of Italy, and after that Vicarius of the Britannick Islands; for his management of both which charges he was much admired. Being grown elderly, he returned to Constantinople; and desiring to be made Praefect of that City, he was against his will compelled to take the Bishoprick. For Sisinnius having mentioned him at the time of his death, as a fit person for the Bishoprick; the Novatian people, with whom Sisinnius's words were a Law, attempted to draw him by force, even against his will. But when Chrysan∣thus fled, Sabbatius supposing an opportune sea∣son was offered him, wherein he might be made possessour of the Churches, gets himself ordained Bishop by some obscure [Prelates] and slights the oath which he had bound himself in. Amongst those who ordained Sabbatius Bishop, Hermo∣genes was one, who had been Excommunicated and cursed by Sabbatius, for his blasphemous books. But Sabbatius's design proved unsuc∣cessfull to him. For the people hating * 1.2 his un∣reasonable ambition, (because a 1.3 he did all things with a design of getting into the Bishoprick,) made it their whole business to find out Chrysanthus. Whom they found absconding in Bithynia, whence they brought him by force, and preferred him to the Bishoprick. He was a person of as great prudence and modesty, as any man was: and by his means the Church of the Novatianists at Con∣stantinople was preserved and increased. He was the first person who distributed Gold * 1.4 of his own to the poor. He received nothing from the Churches, save only b 1.5 two Loaves of the Blessed Bread every Sunday. Moreover, he was so carefull about his Church, that he took c 1.6 Ablabius the eloquentest Oratour of his own time, from Troïlus the Sophista's School, and or∣dained him Presbyter. Whose elegant and acute Sermons are now extant. But Ablabius was afterwards constituted Bishop of the No∣vatianists Church at Nicaea, in which City he taught Rhetorick at the same time also.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See book 5. chap. 2••.
• * 1.2

  Or, his immora∣lity.
• a 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This expression is not in my judg∣ment good Greek. Nicephorus in regard he liked it not, altered it thus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he moved every rope to get into the Bishoprick. But in my mind, this place in Socrates is to be thus restored: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because he did all things with a design of getting into the Bishoprick. Vales.
• * 1.4

  '〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Mus∣culus ren∣ders it per singulas do∣mos, from house to house. Gry∣naeus and Curterius, de suis ip∣sius ••or••u∣nis, of his own estate. Valesius, ex propria pe∣cunia, of his own money.
• b 1.5

  The Loaves which the Faith∣full offered for a sacrifice, were termed the Loaves of Benediction. For so Dionysius Exiguus renders the 59^th Canon of the Laodicean Councill. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, That the Bread of Benediction ought not to be offered in Lent, except on the Sabbath and on Sunday only. Of these Loaves some were taken for the Eucharist: the rest were allotted for the food of the Clergy by the Bishop; who also took some of them himself, as much as he would, as we are informed from this place. You must note further, that Socrates says 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the Churches. For the Bishop, according to his own arbitrement, disposed of the oblations of all the Churches, which were under his own jurisdiction. See Gelasius's Decretalls, cap. 27. Vales.
• c 1.6

  '〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. S^r Henry Savil from Christophorson's book, at the margin of his own copy, hath mended it thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Which reading Christophorson has followed. But in my judgment, it must be thus written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The best Oratour of his own time, &c. The Schollars of the Sophists, who learned Rhetorick were heretofore termed Rhetoricians. Notwithstanding, all the Sophists Schollars had not that appellation, but the eminentest of them only, who being initiated by a certain Rite, wore a Rhetorician's Pallium, which was red or s••arl••t-coloured. We are informed hereof by Cyril∣lus in his Lexicon: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ that is, Pallium's were certain Cloaks. Some [were worn] by Rhetoricians: which were red and scarl••t-coloured▪ others, by Philosophers, which were of a dark-colour. This was the Badge, worn by them daily. By what Rite Rhetoricians were wont to be made at Athens, Olympiadorus (in excerptis Hi∣storiarum apud Photium,) Gregory Nazianzen, and Eunapius do de∣clare. Vales.