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. XXIV. Concerning Decius, Valerianus, and Aurelianus, who ended their lives a 1.1 miserably, because of their Persecution of the Church.

I Ask Thee now, Decius! who heretofore didst insult over the Labours of the Just; who hatedst the Church; and didst inflict punish∣ments on those who had lived holily: b 1.2 what doest Thou now do, after this life? With what, and how afflictive Miseries art Thou now prest? In∣deed, that interval of time, which was between Thy Life and Death, has sufficiently demonstra∣ted * 1.3 Thine Infelicity: when, having been overthrown with Thy whole ar∣my in the Scythick Fields, Thou didst expose the Roman Empire, so highly celebrated in all places, to the contempt and scorn of the † 1.4 Goths. Thou also, Valerian! After Thou hadst declared the same Bloudiness and Cruelty towards God's Servants, hast made a manifest discovery of God's Holy and Just Judgment; being taken prisoner by the Enemy, and carried up and down in Bonds, drest in thy purple, and thine other Imperial Attire: but at length, by the c 1.5 order of Sapor King of the Persians, Thy skin was pull'd off, and preserved from corruption by salt, whereby Thou wert made an Eternal Trophy of Thine own Calamity. And Thou Aurelian! The * 1.6 chief promoter of all impieties, by how ma∣nifest a Stroke of Divine Vengeance, d 1.7 whilst raging with fury Thou ran∣nest thorow Thracia, wert▪ Thou slain in the midst of the High-way, and filledst the Tracks of the publick Road with Thine impious Bloud?

Notes

• a 1.1

  In the very Ti∣tle of the chapter there is a fault, but such a one as may easily be mended. For, instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it must be written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, miserably; as 'tis in the Fuketian Copy, and the Kings Sheets▪ Vales.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 At my peril write, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 what doest Thou now doe; in which manner I also found it mended in Moraeus's Book, at the margin. Nor is it otherwise written in the Fuke∣tian Copy. But in the Sheets 'tis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vales.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Thy suc∣cess.
• † 1.4

  Or, Geta.
• c 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In Moraeus's Book, 'tis well men∣ded, thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Further, concerning the Emperour Valerian's skin, which was flea'd off by the Persians, and ••alted; other Writers do likewise speak. Petrus Patricius mentions it, in his Excerpta Legationum, in which Authour Galerius upbraids the Persians, because they detained Valerian prisoner, he having been circumvented by fraud, to the last period of his old age; and because after his death, they most wickedly preserved his skin, and thereby fixt an immortal Brand of infamy upon his dead Body. Vales.
• * 1.6

  Or, Flame of, &c.
• d 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Geneva-men did ill in inserting the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the Books of Scaliger, Bongarsius, and Gruter; as they tell us: which particle I likewise found added in Moraeus's Copy. But, whereas that conjunction does disturb the sense, and oc∣curs not, either in the Kings Sheets, or in Stephens's Edition; I am of opinion, that 'tis to be removed. Yet the Fuketian Copy retains it. Vales.