A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

CHAP. I. (Book 1)

An Account of the most Considerable Transactions in the Eastern Church, during the Tenth Century.

AT the beginning of this Century, Leo the Philosopher, one of the most Learned * 1.1 Emperors the Greeks ever had, govern'd the Empire of the East. This Prince ha∣ving had three Wives successively, and no Issue Male by either of them, being desirous of a Son to succeed him, marries a fourth Wife, by name Zoe, by whom he already had a Son before the Nuptials. But a third Marriage being prohibited in the East, and Leo himself having enacted a Law against such as should contract such a * 1.2 Marriage, Nicholas the Patriarch of Constantinople, refuses to marry this Prince to this fourth Wife, deposes Presbyter Thomas who ventur'd to do it, and excommunicates the Emperor himself. Leo had recourse to the Pope for his Approbation of the Marriage; and because such successive Marriages (how often soever contracted) were tolerated in the West, he easily obtain'd from Pope Sergius the point he desired. This Pope sent his Le∣gats into the East to confirm the Marriage of Leo; but the Patriarch of Constantinople would not give the least ground, nor acknowledge the Emperor's Marriage as valid, or his Son Constantine Porphyrogenneta as lawful Heir to the Crown. The Emperor did all he could to change his Mind, but finding him fix'd in his Resolution, he banish t him in the beginning of the year 901, and plac d in his Room Euthymius, who held the Patri∣archal See of Constantinople till about the end of Leo's Reign: For Nicholas himself assures * 1.3 us, that this Prince, touch'd with the remorse of what he had done, recall d him from his Exile, and re-establish'd him a little before his Death: In which matter he is rather to be credited, than those Authors who tell us that he was recall'd by Alexander the Brother of Leo, which happen'd after the Death of this Prince, in the year 911, the time when he was declar'd Governor to Constantine Porphyrogenneta. Let it be how it will, Euthymius fell into disgrace, and was banish'd, and dy'd shortly after: And Nicholas's Interest so far pre∣vail'd, * 1.4 that after the Death of Alexander, who did not out-live his Brother above thirteen

Months, he was chosen Tutor of the Young Emperor. It was at this time, that he wrote * 1.5 a long Letter to the Pope, acquainting him of the whole Contest with the Emperor Leo about his last Marriage, and stiffly maintain'd, contrary to the Practice and Opinion of the Church of Rome, that to marry a third or fourth time was absolutely unlawful. But the Patriarch having received no answer from Rome, wrote another to Pope John, wherein he offers to observe a fair Correspondence and Union with the holy See, provided he would own that a fourth Marriage was not to be permitted to the Emperor, unless by way of In∣dulgence or Consideration of his Royal Person, and that in itself it was unlawful. The same Patriarch wrote several other Letters, viz. to Simeon Prince of Bulgaria, recom∣mending the Legats which the Pope sent him: One to the Prince of Armenia, upon the Conversion of several Armenians, who had abandoned their Errors: another to the Prince of the Saracens, to disswade him from persecuting the Christians: One wrote from the Place of his Exile to the Bishops, who had own'd Euthymius for their Patriarch; and two other Letters of Compliment, one to the Prince of Lombardy, and the other to the Prince of the Amalphitans.

The Empress Zoe, who had taken the Government into her own hands, and had ex∣pell'd * 1.6 the Patriarch Nicholas from Court in the year 914, was her self divested of her Au∣thority in the year 919, and thrust into the Monastery of Saint Euphemia, by Patricius Romanus, whom Constantine had made his Partner in the Throne. Hitherto the Clergy of Constantinople were divided into two Parties, one declaring for Nicholas, the other for Eu∣thymius; but were re-united in the year 920, and made a Treaty of Union in an Ecclesi∣astical Convocation, by which (without disanulling any thing that was past) they abso∣lutely prohibited for the future a fourth Marriage, under the pain of Excommunication to be inflicted on those who should contract such Marriage, and to be in force during the continuance of such Marriage. They likewise inflicted a Pennance of five years on such as should marry a third time being above forty years old: And a Pennance of three years on such as should re-marry after thirty years of Age, if they had any Children by their former Marriages.

By this Regulation was the Church of Constantinople restor'd to its former Quier, the Peaceable possession of which Nicholas enjoy'd to his Death, which happen'd in the year * 1.7 930. Stephen the Arch-bishop of Amasea was his Successor, who presided over this Church almost three years. After his Death the Patriarchal See of Constantinople was design'd for Theophilact the Emperor's Son; but he being under age, this Dignity was repos'd by way of Trust in the hands of one Tripho a Monk. He being once in possession refus'd to re∣sign his Place to Theophilact; but the Emperor made use of one, who cunning y pro∣cur'd a Blank Paper sign'd by the Patriarch's own hand, which he fill'd up with a Resig∣nation of the Patriarchship, as acknowledging himself unworthy of it. VVhereupon he was depos'd in a Synod held at Constantinople in the year 944, and Theophilact was consti∣tuted * 1.8 in his place. But this Man led a Life far different from what a Patriarch ought to lead, and was more taken up with his Horses and his Hounds, and other such like Diver∣sions, than with discharging the Duty of his Place. He died in the year 956 of a Drop∣sie, occasioned by a fall off his Horse, which flung him against a Wall. The Emperor constituted in his Room Polyeucta, a poor Monk, but one of extraordinary good Morals, who was Ordain'd by Basil Bishop of Caesarea, and not by Nicephorus of Heraclea, to whom that Ordination did of Right belong. The liberty which this Patriarch took of reproving the Great Men at Court, immediately drew upon him a great many Enemies, who inclin'd the Emperor to think of Deposing him. He was confirm'd in this Resolu∣tion by Theodorus of Cizica, but notwithstanding he was so bent upon it, he died without doing any thing therein. His Son Romanus, who was suppos'd to give his Father a Lift into the other world, succeeded him in the year 960, and caus'd his Son Basil to be Crown d by Polyeucta. But this young Prince and his Brother Constantine, not being of age to enter upon the Government when their Father died in the year 963, Nicephorus Phocas was proclaim'd Emperor by the Army, and Crown'd by Polyeucta. A while after * 1.9 this Patriarch had a warm debate with the Emperor: For this Emperor having marry'd Theophanes, the Widdow of Romanus, Polyeucta threaten'd to excommunicate him unless he would Renounce her: (1.) Because this was the second Marriage Nicephorus had con∣tracted, without submitting to the Pennance due to those who were Guilty of Bigamy. (2.) Because it was reported that Nicephorus had stood Godfather to one of Theophanes s Children, the Emperor propos'd this Question to the Bishops who were then in Constan∣tinople, and to the chief of his Council, who left him at his Liberty to keep Theophanes as his VVife: And Polyeucta himself did not insist any more on the Dissolution of the Marriage, after that the Emperor had assur'd him upon his Oath, that he had never stood Godfather to any of Theophanes's Children, which was confirm'd by Stylien, chief Secre∣tary of State, who made a Recantation of what he had formerly said about it. This Em∣peror began his Reign with success, and re-took a great many Provinces of Asia from the Saracens; but he loaded his People with Taxes, and seiz'd upon the Revenues of the Church to give to his Soldiers. After the Death of any Bishops he would send a Com∣missary

to seize upon their Temporalities, and prohibited the chusing any others in their stead, without his consent and orders, which was confirmed in a Synod. At the same time he would fain have had a Ratification of this Proposal,

That all Soldiers who died in the Field, should be declar'd Saints as the Martyrs were;

but the Bishops op∣pos'd it. However, they could not perswade two of their Brethren who had born Arms, and fought against the Enemy, to relinquish their Ministerial Functions; several amongst them of a more Martial Genius approving of this their Conduct. The exactions of Nice-phorus, and the bad success of his Arms in Italy, having render'd him Odious to the peo∣ple * 1.10 of Constantinople, he was kill'd in an Insurrection of them, and John, Sirnam'd Zemisces, Reign'd in his stead in the year 969. Polyeucta refus'd to Crown him, till he had banish't the Murtherers of Nicephorus, sent Theophanes from Court, and promis'd to give to the Poor, as an Expiation of his Fault, the Estate which he had when a private * 1.11 man. This was the last Action of Polyeucta, who dy'd five and thirty days after he had Crown'd this Prince, in the beginning of the year 970, having held the Patriarchal See of Constantinople fourteen Years. Basil the Monk succeeded him, who had the Go∣vernment of that Church till the Death of John Zemisces, which happen'd about the year 975 or 976, after which the two Sons of Romanus being upon the Throne, and ha∣ving re-call'd their Mother Theophanes, Basil the Patriarch was depos'd in Council, and * 1.12 Anthony Studita succeeded him. But he did not enjoy the Patriarchship long; for the year after Bardus, Sirnamed the Hard, having revolted and taken upon him the Quality and Ensigns of Emperor, Anthony of his own accord quitted his place and withdrew. The See of Constantinople became Vacant during four Years, the time he surviv'd. After his Death, Nicholas, Sirnamed Chrysoberge succeeded, who had Sisinnius for his Successor in the year 993. Basil and Constantine, who had subdued Bardus, Reign'd still as Emperors. * 1.13 Basil liv'd to the Year 1025, and his Brother Constantine liv'd three Years after him.

During this whole Century, the Greek Church, which was upon its Declension, prov∣ed very Barren, both of famous Men and good Authors. VVe find among them but very few who made it their business to compose, and their VVorks are very inconsiderable, both in respect to the Matter, and to the Manner wherein they were writ.

Simeon Metaphrastes.

ONe of those who wrote most was Simeon, Sirnam'd Metaphrastes, so call'd from * 1.14 his turning the Antient Lives of the Saints into another sort of a Stile than that wherein they were formerly written. He was an Officer in the Palace, Lord High Chan∣cellor, and flourish'd in the Tenth Century, chiefly under the Reign of Constantine Por∣phyrogenneta. For tho he had been employ d under the Reign of Leo, yet he writ no∣thing till Constantine's time, as appears by the Life of Saint Theoctista, which is his first Piece, as is observ'd in his Panegyrick written by Psellus, another Psellus than that who liv d in the time of Constantine the Iconaclast, of whom we spoke in another place. He apply'd himself to study, and enquire into the Lives of the Saints, and having made a large Collection of them, those which he did not like he undertook to make over again, not only by casting them into a different stile, but also by adding to, or substracting from them, what he thought Convenient, and running them down into the form of a Panegy∣rick rather than History. We have a great many of them of his Composing, and most under his name, as well in printed Collections as in MSS.; but they are mix'd with seve∣ral others, Compos'd by various Authors. There are some among the Anonymous which may be ascribed to him. It would be very difficult to make the distinction; had not the Inge nious Allatius given himself the trouble of doing it, with a great deal of accuracy, in his Dissertation concerning the Writings of the Simeons; wherein he gives us a Cata∣logue of the Lives of the Saints, which, in Manuscript or Print, belong properly to Metaphrastes, and which of them belong to other Authors. He reckons above an hun∣dred which are Genuin, and almost as many more that are Spurious, whose Authors are unknown; and near four hundred and fifty whose Authors he discovers. They who have the curiosity to search further into this matter, may consult Allatius himself: As for our part, we don't think it worth our while to croud such a tedious and useless Catalogue into our Work. Besides these Lives of the Saints, Metaphrastes has compos'd several Sermons on the solemn Festivals of the year, which are to be met with in Ma∣nuscripts; and a great many Hymns and Prayers which are inserted in the Ecclesiasti∣cal Writings of the Greeks. He likewise digested four and twenty Moral discourses taken from the Works of S. Basil, and Printed together with them, [and likewise publish'd by themselves in Greek at Paris, 1556.] And in the Libraries there are a great many Col∣lections of Moral Sentences taken out of S. Macarius, and an hundred one and thirty Sentences or Rules more, all compos'd by Metaphrastes. Lastly, Leo Allatius has pub∣lish'd nine Letters and several pieces of Poetry of the same Author, together with a Discourse of the Lamentation of the Virgin Mary on the Passion of our Saviour.

John Cameniates.

ABout the same time liv'd John Cameniates, Lecturer of the Church of Thessalonica, who * 1.15 wrote the History of the taking and sacking that City by the Saracens in the year 904. It was set forth by Leo Allatius in his collection of the Greek Writers.

Constantine Porphyrogenetta.

COnstantine Porphyrogenneta is reckon'd one of the Authors of this Century. He was in∣genious himself, a Lover of Learned Men, and very well vers'd in the Sciences. We * 1.16 have of his writing an History of the Image of our Saviour sent to Abgarus King of Edessa, and brought from Edessa to Constantinople in the year 944. This piece was publish'd by Father Cambefis, in his Collection of the Authors who wrote the History of Constantinople, and printed at Paris 1664. He likewise wrote the Life of his Grand-Father the Empe∣ror Basil the Macedonian; which is to be met with in the Collection of Allatius. In the year 1617 Meursius set forth several Political Treatises of this Emperors composing, viz. A Treatise concerning the Government of the Empire, directed to his Son Romanus; a Book of Institutions, two Books of the Dignities of the Eastern Empire, and seventeen Novels. He likewise compos'd several Historical and Political Pandects, extracted out of all the Historians, and rang'd under three and fifty Heads, of which we have only two re∣maining, viz. the Seven and Twentieth, which contains the Extracts of Embassies, pub∣lished in Greek by Hoeschetius, printed at Ausbourg in the Year 1603, and in Latin at Paris in the Year 1609: And the Fiftieth on the Virtues and Vices, set forth by Monsieur Henry de Valois, and printed at Paris in the Year 1634.

Hippolitus the Theban.

HIppolitus the Theban lived in the same Century. He composed a Chronicon, several Fragments whereof are to be met with in the third Tome of the Antiquities of Canisius, * 1.17 and in Monsieur Cotelier s Notes. 'Tis to this Hippolitus that we ought to attribute the small Treatise of the Twelve Apostles set forth by Father Cambefis in the Second Tome of his Additions to the Bibliotheca Patrum, [Printed at Paris in the Year 1648.]

Eutichius Patriarch of Alexandria.

EUtichius the Egyptian, of the Country call'd Said in Egypt, born in the year 876, by Pro∣fession a Physician, and Patriarch of Alexandria from the Year 933 to the Year 940, * 1.18 composed several Treatises in Arabick. Those which have been Transmitted to our times, are a Treatise of Physick, a Dispute between an Heretick and a Christian, an History of Sicily from the time of the taking of that Island by the Sarazens, and Annals from the be∣ginning of the World down to the Year 937, containing several remarkable Transactions both of Ecclesiastical and Prophane History, and which he has intituled a Methodical Dis∣position, or Composition of precious things, or the Substance, or Marrow of History. Selden in the Year 1642 printed at London, a Fragment of his Treatise concerning the Election and Ordination of the first Patriarchs of Alexandria, which Eutichius asserts had been done till Alexander's Time, by twelve Presbyters of that Church, who chose one among themselves for Patriarch, and laid their hands upon him. He likewise there maintains that there was not a Bishop in all Egypt till the time of Demetrius. This very Treatise has since that been pub∣lished entire by Selden, and printed in the Year 1658 at London, in two Volumes in 40 both in Arabick and in Latin. 'Tis full of Fables and very Vulgar Stories.

Nico of Armenia.

NIco of Armenia was very young, when without his Parents consent he shut himself up in the Monastery of the golden Rock, scituate betwen Pontus and Paphlagonia. After he had * 1.19 there led for a long time a very austere life, in the Year 961. he was sent out on a Mission by his Superior. He preached in Armenia, and in other Provinces of the East, and from thence went to the Isle of Crete, which had lately shaken off the Yoke of the Sarazens. He purg'd this Island from those Pagan superstitions which were still in use among them, and brought over a great many persons to the Faith. He retir'd afterwards to Lacedemonia, from whence he was sent for to Corinth, by his Prayers to put a stop the incursions of the

Bulgarians. He dy'd in the year 998. He is said to be the Author of a little Treatise of the Religion of the Armenians, containing an Abridgment of their Errors, which is to be seen in Latin in the Bibliotheca Patrum, together with a fragment against irregular and rash ex∣communications, where he says that they recoyl back on those persons who dart them out too rashly.

Nicephorus the Philosopher.

WE may likewise reckon among the Authors of this Century, Nicephorus the Philoso∣pher, * 1.20 who made Funeral Orations on the Death of Anthony Patriarch of A•…•…∣dria.

Moses Bar-Cephas.

LAstly, to these we may joyn Moses Bar-Cephas Bishop of Syria, who compos'd in Syriack * 1.21 a Treatise concerning Paradise, divided into three Books, set forth in Latin by Masius, Printed first at Antwerp, in the year 1569, and afterwards in the Bibliotheca Patrum▪ 'Tis a very large Commentary on what was said concerning Paradise in the Book of Gene∣sis. In the first Book he treats of the Earthly Paradise: In the second, of the Mystical Para∣dise, that is to say, of the Mystical Significations of that which is call'd the Earthly Para∣dise; and in the last he treats of the Errors of Hereticks concerning Paradise, and the Ob∣jections that may be brought to the contrary. In this last Book he maintains, that Adam was created Mortal, and that God would have render'd him immortal by his Grace, if he had not sinn'd: however, he refu••es Theodore and Nestorius, who had maintain'd that the Sin of Adam was not the Cause of the Death of Mankind.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Leo the Philosopher Emperor of the East.
• * 1.2

  The Distur∣bances which hap∣pen'd in the Eastern Church up∣on the ac∣count of Leo's 4th Marriage.
• * 1.3

  Nicholas the Patri∣arch of Constanti∣nople is banish'd.
• * 1.4

  Nicholas is re-esta∣blish'd.
• * 1.5

  The Letters of Nicholas Patriarch of Constan∣nople to the Pope and others.
• * 1.6

  The re-uni∣on of the Clergy of Constanti∣nople.
• * 1.7

  The Patri∣archs of Constanti∣nople who succeeded Nicholas.
• * 1.8

  Theophy∣lact an un∣worthy Pa∣triarch of Constanti∣nople. Pylyeucta Patriarch of Constan∣tipople.
• * 1.9

  Nicepho∣rus Phocas Emperor.
• * 1.10

  John Zē∣misces Em∣peror.
• * 1.11

  The death of Poly∣eucta. Basil put in his place.
• * 1.12

  Anthony Studita Pa∣triarch of Constanti∣nople.
• * 1.13

  Nicholas Chryso∣berge, and Sisinnius Patriarchs of Constan∣tinople.
• * 1.14

  Simeon Metaphra∣stes.
• * 1.15

  John Ca∣meniates.
• * 1.16

  Constan∣tine Por∣phyroge∣netta.
• * 1.17

  Hippolitus the The∣ban.
• * 1.18

  Eutichius Patriarch of Alexan∣dria.
• * 1.19

  Nico of Ar∣menia.
• * 1.20

  Nic••pho∣rus the Phi∣losopher.
• * 1.21

  Moses Bar-Cephas.