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. XLVIII. Concerning Thalassius Bishop of Caesarea in Cap∣padocia.

ABout that very time, to wit, in Theodosius's seventeenth Consulate, Proclus the Bishop attempted a wonderfull thing, the like to which has not been performed by any of the Ancient Bishops. For Firmus Bishop of Caesarea in Cap∣padocia being dead, the Caesareans came [to Con∣stantinople,] and requ••sted they might have a Bishop. And whilest Proclus was considering whom he should preser to that See, it hapned that all the Senatours came to the Church on the Sabbath, to give him a visit, amongst whom was a 1.1 Thalassius also, a personage who had born a Praefecture over the Provinces and Cities of Illy∣ricum. But [though] (as it was reported) he had been the person pitch't upon who was a∣bout to have the Government of the Eastern parts committed to his care by the Emperour; [yet] Proclus laid his hands on him, and in∣stead of his being constituted a Praefectus Prae∣torio, made him Bishop of Caesarea. Thus suc∣cessfull and prosperous were the affairs of the Church. But I will here close my History, with my prayers [to God,] that the Churches in all places, the Cites, and Provinces may live in peace. For, as long as peace flourishes, those that are desirous to do it, will have no sub∣ject for their writing an History. For we our selves (who have performed what you enjoyned us in Seven Books, O Sacred man of God, Theodorus!) should have wanted matter for this our History, if the lovers of seditions and tu∣mults would have been quiet. This Seventh Book contains [an account of affairs transacted during] the space of two and thirty years. The whole History, which i••••••omprized in Se∣ven Books, contains the space of an hundred and fourty years. It begins from the first year of the two hundredth seventy first Olympiad, where∣in Constantine was proclaimed Emperour; and ends at the second year of the three hundredth and fifth Olympiad, whereon the Emperour Theo∣dosius bore his seventeenth Consulate.

Notes

• a 1.1

  This is the Thalas∣sius, or Thalassus, Praefectus Praetorio of Illyricum, to whom The one Law (Tit. 6. Legum Novella∣rum Theo∣dosii Junio∣ris) was directed, which is dated at Constanti∣nople, on the third of the Ides of August, in Theodo∣sius's se∣venteenth Consulate which he bore with Festus. Af∣ter this day therefore, on this ve∣ry year, Thalassius was made Bishop of Caesarea by Proclus. Which action of Proclus's Socrates does not without cause wonder at, as new, and not practised by former Bishops. Nectarius indeed, when he was Praetor of Constantinople, had been created Bishop of that City. But, the Emperour's consent had been first obtained, as Socrates has told us before. But here Proclus meerly by his own impulse, laid his hands on a Praefectus Praetorio, who by the Emperour had been de∣signed to the government of the Orientall Praefecture. Notwith∣standing, it is to be understood, that the Emperour's consent was after∣wards obtained, who approved of what Proclus had done. But, in promoting inferiour Magistrates to Ecclesiastick degrees, the Prince's consent was in no wife necessary. For the Praefectus Praetorio's ap∣probation was sufficient, under whose dispose the Presidents of Pro∣vinces were. We have an eminent instance hereof in the Life of S^t Germanus Altissiodorensis, which was written by Constantius Pres∣byter. Which Germanus being President of a Province, and Amator Bishop of Altissiodorum [a City in France, now called Auxerre] ha∣ving a mind to appoint him his successour; Amator procured the consent of Julius, Praefectus Praetorio of the Gallia's, before he at∣tempted to do that; as 'tis related in book 1, chap. 3, concerning the Life of S^t Germanus. Further, this Thalassius Bishop of Caesarea was present at the false Synod at Ephesus [convened] against Flavianus; as we are informed from the Acts of the said Synod, which are recorded in the first Action of the Chalcedon Councill. Vales.