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. LI. That Constantine, when he was a youth, heard that the just men were the Christians, from him that had written the [Edicts] concerning the Persecution.

I Now † 1.1 appeal to Thee, Most high God! [Thou knowest,] that being then a 1.2 very young I heard, how He, who at that time held the chief∣est

place amongst the Roman Emperours, (a per∣son wretched, truly miserable, * 1.3 imposed upon by the errour of his mind;) with a great deal of curiosity enquired of those that were his Guards, who those just men were [that lived] upon the earth: and, that one of the Sacrificers about him made answer, that they were the Christians. The Emperour, b 1.4 having devoured this answer like some honey, unsheathed the Swords, * 1.5 pre∣pared to punish Crimes, against an un∣blamable Sanctity. Immediately there∣fore he wrote Edicts of Bloud c 1.6 with bloudy points of Swords (as I may say;) and ordered his judges to d 1.7 stretch that subtilty implanted on them by nature, to an invention of Acuter punish∣ments.

Notes

• † 1.1

  Or, Call upon.
• a 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In the Greek Title of this chapter, 'tis truer written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a youth. For Constantine was not then a child, when, as an Hostage, he resided at Diocletian's Court. For, he was delivered by his Father Constantius to Diocletian, on the year of Christ 291; after Constantius had been made Caesar by Diocletian. At which time Constantine was about 15 years old. For he dyed on the year of Christ 337, in the 62 year of his age. Vales.
• * 1.3

  Or, De∣ceived in mind by errour.
• b 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In the Fuk. and Savil. Mana∣scripts the reading is truer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and 'tis the same in the King's Copy. Vales.
• * 1.5

  Or, In∣vented.
• c 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. He alludes to the point of an instrument to write with. Constantine expresses himself with much of Eloquence, in saying, that those Laws concerning the Persecution of the Chri∣stians, were written with the bloudy points of Swords. So some of the Ancients tell us, that Dr••co's Laws were written with bloud, not with ink. Vales.
• d 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to produce. I had rather say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to stretch; which is an usual expression with Eusebius. Vales.