Ptōchomuseion [sic]. = The poore mans librarie Rapsodiæ G.A. Bishop of Exceter vpon the first epistle of saint Peter, red publiquely in the cathedrall church of saint Paule, within the citye of London. 1560. Here are adioyned at the end of euery special treatie, certaine fruitful annotacions which may properly be called miscellanea, bicause they do entreate of diuerse and sundry matters, marked with the nombre and figures of Augrime. 2.

Spyridion. 16.

SPyridion was borne in Cyprus. He got his liuing by husbandry, & keping of cattel, and was of rude maners and condicions, but yet graue and liberal. He was a godly & holy man, and of many notable and marueilous vertues. He was at last made bishop of Tryme∣thuntis in Cyprus vnder Constantinus, of a feeder of shepe, he was a wor¦thy feeder of men (as Socrates saithe) in which office he was famous in many talents worthy of a godly pastour, as in almes to the poore, and in hospitaliti (which wer his natural vertues before his bishoprick) he was curteous, and also graue & fre in reprouing those things y^t wer not decēt as thexample of Tryphilus, bishop of Ledranum doth shew, whom other¦wise he vsed familiarlye. But in an assēble of the bishops of Cyprus when he was commaunded to make a sermon, and in the text (Tolle grabatum tuum) he chaūged this word, grabatū into a finer word (as he thought.) Spyridion reproued him sharply, asking him openly in angrye sharp words, whither he wer better thē he y^t first spak this word grabatū

I leaue to rehearse the miracles done by Spyridion vnto y^e authors which wrote of him, wher of this is one, that he tooke in snares (which could not be sene) theues, which came by night to steale shepe out of the fold, and when it was day, he chid them being taken, and loosed them, and when he had geuen them a weather, let them go.

Also, he made (as they say) his daughter Irene being dead, and in her graue, to āswer him, & shew him in what place she had hid certain gold. He wrought many other miracles, which the interpreter rehearseth.

He was present at the Synode of Nice, not being one of the least at mong the Confessours, wher he confuted a pratling and bragging Phi∣losopher in this maner. For when this Philosopher had babled many wic¦ked things against Christ and his religion, Spyridion comming vnto him said: In the name of Iesu Christ, O Philosopher heare me. Vvhich when he graunted, ther is one God (said Spyridion) the maker of heauen and earth, and of al things that are in them: he that wrought the celestiall vertues, which fashioned man out of the earth, and made al thinges vi∣sible and vnvisible: By his word and spirite heauen & earth was made, the sea spred abroad, the ayre extended, liuing things gendred, and man that great and marueilous worke was made, all thinges were made, the starres, lightes, day and night.

Vve therfore knowing this word to be the sonne of God, & god him self of the same essence with the father, we do beleue, that he was borne of the virgin, and crucified for vs, & buried and rose again. Vvhom also we beleue will geue vs after our resurrection, an other eternall life, and shalbe iudge of all men.

These words vnto the philosopher the Metaphrastes and Nicepho∣rus plainly ascribeth vnto Spyridion, how be it, it is maruail that Sozo∣menus expressed not his name, which testifieth, that this happened in the Synode of Nice, saying that they wer the woords of some of the olde men, which wer famous ther for the confession of their faith, vnles he did meane Spyridion to be the old man, who as we rede was of reuerend age & simple plainnes. Sozomenus referrith this example folowing to Spy∣ridions hospitality, wherby as I said before he was renoumed, insomuche y^t he laid vp yerely some fruits to distribute & lēd to the poore, but some do apply it, to shew, what faith & doctrine he had, the example is thys.

Ther came one vnto him vpon a time, a wayfaring man (lent drawing nere) in which he & his houshold was accustomed to fast certain daies. Vvhen Spyrion saw him to be weary, he cōmaunded his daughter forth∣with to wash the straungers fete, & to geue him meate. And whē she an¦swered that ther was no meate left, bycause the next day was to be fasted. Spyridion bad her to seeth the bacon that was in hys house.

VVhen it was sod, she layd the table for the straunger, and set vnto him the meate. Spyridion began first to eate, and badde the man to eate with him, who answered, that it was not lawful for him being a christian, to eate. Spyridion sayd: So much the lesse (O straunger) thou oughtest to abstaine, bicause thou art a Christian. For to the cleane all thinges are cleane, as Gods word doth testify.