THE AVNCIENT ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIES OF THE FIRST SIX HVNDRED YEARES AFTER CHRIST , wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned Historiographers , Eusebius , Socrates , and Euagrius . EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina wrote 10 bookes . SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS of Constantinople wrote 7 bookes . EVAGRIVS SCHOLASTICVS of Antioch wrote 6 bookes . Whereunto is annexed DOROTHEVS Bishop of Tyrus , of the liues of the Prophetes , Apostles and 70 Disciples . All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by MEREDITH HANMER , Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie . Last of all herein is contayned a profitable CHRONOGRAPHIE collected by the sayd Translator , the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume , with a copious INDEX of the Principall matters throughout all the Histories .

Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers by Ludgate . 1577.

THE holy Apostle and Euangelist , Sainct Iohn , one that leaned on our Sauiours breaste ( right honorable Ladie ) when he sawe a noble woman whome he tearmeth a Lady , walking in the way of trueth , and willingly embracing the gladsome tidmges of the Gospell , reioyced exceedingly and wrote vnto her an Epistle wherein he commendeth her vertues , exhorting her to obserue the olde commaundement of louing one an other , and to take heede of deceauers : though in all poynctes I am founde farre inferior , nay in nothing comparable at all vnto the blessed Apostle , yet your honors vertues doe counteruaile , or rather surpasse the other Ladies Godlinesse , seeinge the seede of Christianity was in her but newely sowen , and true zeale of religion firmely rooted these many yeares in your Ladiships mind . Notwithstanding my inferior condition , be it lawfull ( though not of worthinesse , at least wise of fauour ) for me to imitate the blessed Apostle , & to wryte vnto your honor , not any exhortation of myne owne ( whiche peraduenture woulde be very simple ) but the exhortation of the Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour , the martyrdomes of Saynctes and such as serued God in trueth and vpright conuersation , the inuincible courage and constancie of zealous Christians , the Godly sayinges and sentences of true professors , the wise and politicke gouernemente of common weales by Catholicke Emperours and Christian princes , the carefull ouersight of the flocke of Christ by reuerend Bishops and learned Prelats , the confutation and ouerthrowe of heretickes with the confirmation of the trueth by holy councells and sacred assemblies , and to say the wholl in one worde , as the principall drifte of myne Epistle , to presente vnto your Ladiship these auncient Ecclesiasticall Historiographers , to wit , Eusebius , Socrates , Euagrius , & Dorotheus . Whose histories are so replenished with such godly doctrine , that I may very well say of their all , as a learned wryter reporteth of Eusebius , that they are able to perswade any man be his mind neuer so farre alienated from the trueth , to become a zealous Christian . Wherefore my good Lady seeing that as Plato sayth running witts are delighted with poetrie , as Aristotle wryteth , effeminate persons are rauished with musicke , and as Socrates telleth vs histories agree beste with staide heades : I present vnto your honor these histories agreeing very well with your disposition , and beinge the frutes of my trauell and studie . Ruffinus sayth , that he wrote his historie to delight the reader , to occupie the time , and to remoue the remembrance of the calamities ( meaning the persecution ) which then lately had happened . As for Christian pleasure and Godly delightes , what can be more pleasaunt then the reading of the Ecclesiasticall histories ? toutching the time , I knowe it full well you spende it as it beseemeth your calling , to speake of calamitie ( vnlesse we beholde the miserie and lamentable estate of other Realmes and dominions ) presentlye there is geuen no suche occasion , for it can not be remembred that the subiectes within this realme of Englande had the Gospell so freely preached , Clerkes so profoundely learned , Nobility so wise and politicke , all successes so prosperous , as in this happie raygne of our most vertuous & noble Princesse Queene Elizabeth , and therefore are we greatly bounde to praise God for it . Yet if ye call to memorie the corruption of late dayes , the blindnes of such as woulde be called Gods people , the lamentable persecution of the English Church , then may ye reade them after calamitie . But notwithstandinge the premises it is not my drifte to salue such sores , neither to prouide medicens for such Maladies . God of his prouidence hath continewally bene so carefull ouer his Church that his seruants were neuer left desolate . Though Elias complayned that he was left alone , yet were there thousandes which bowed not their knees to Baal . S. Paul telleth vs there is of Israel a remnant left . Our Sauiour speaking of his Church though it be not of the greatest multitudes yet is it accordinge vnto his Epitheton a litle flocke . And sure I am there may be found a righteous Abraham in Chaldaea , a iust Lot in Sodome , a godly Daniel in Babylon , a deuout Tobias in Niniue , a paciente Iob in Husse , and a zealous Nehemias in Damasco . There is found wheate among tares , graine in the huske , corne among chaffe , a kearnel within the shale , marrow within the bone , a pearle within the cockle , and a rose amonge the thornes . There was a Ionathas in the court of Saul to fauour Dauid , there was an Obadia in the Court of Achab to entertayne the Prophets , there was an Abedmelech in the Court of Sedechias to entreate for Ieremie , and in the Court of Diocletian there were many yonge Gentlemen , namely Petrus , Dorotheus , Gorgonius with many others which embraced the Christians & suffred death for the testimony of Christ , as your honor may reade in these Ecclesiastical histories , which I haue not therfore commended vnto you for the remembrance of any calamitie at all . But as for the Court of our most gracious Queene ( a sight both ioyfull and comfortable ) where there resortes so many learned Clerkes , so many Godly persons , so many graue Matrons , so many vertuous Ladies , so many honorable personages , hauinge so noble a heade to gouerne them all : There the Christian is no Phoenix , the godly is no blacke swanne , for the Gospell is freely preached , and the professors thereof had in honor and estimation . Wherefore in so godly a place , to be so vertuously disposed at vacant times , as to reade these auncient histories , wil be a commendation vnto your honor , an encrease of knowledge , a confirmation of the faith , a maintenance of zeale , and a liuely beholdinge of Christ Iesus in his members . Here you may see the modesty and shamefastnes of Christian maydens , the constancie of zealous women , the chast mindes of graue Matrons , the godly disposition & wise gouernment of Queenes and Empresses . Heere your Ladiship shall finde zealous prayers , sorowefull lamentations , godly Epistles , Christian decrees & constitutions . The father admonishing the sonne , the mother her daughter , the Bishop his clergie , the Prince his subiectes , one Christian confirming an other , and God exhortinge vs all . Many nowe adayes had rather reade the stories of Kinge Arthur : The monstrous fables of Garagantua : the Pallace of pleasure : the Dial of Princes , where there is much good matter : the Monke of Burie full of good stories : Pierce ploweman : the tales of Chaucer where there is excellent wit , great reading and good decorum obserued , the life of Marcus Aurelius where there are many good Morall precepts : the familiar and golden Epistles of Antonie Gwevarra where there is both golden witt & good penning : the pilgremage of Princes well penned and Clerckly handeled : Reinard the Fox : Beuis of Hampton : the hundred mery tales : skoggan : Fortunatus : with many other infortunate treatises and amorous toies wrytten in Englishe , Latine , Frenche , Italian , Spanishe , but as for bookes of diuinitie , to edifie the soule , and instructe the inwarde man , it is the least part of their care , nay they will flatly answere it belongeth not to theyr calling to occupie their heades with any such kinde of matters , It is to be wished , if not all , at leaste wise that some part of the time which is spente in readinge of suche bookes ( althoughe many of them contayne notable matter ) were bestowed in reading of holy Scripture or other such wrytinges as dispose the mind to spirituall contemplation . I am fully perswaded that your Ladiship readeth no vayne bookes , I haue seene the experience of your vertuous disposition my selfe and knowen it nowe of a long time . Wherefore seeinge you haue obtained honor with them that be present , fame for the time to come , riches for your posterity , an estate for your successors reputation among straungers , credit amongest your owne , gladnesse for your friends and that which passeth all , a sure affiance in the goodnesse of God : thinke it not amisse seeing it agreeth with my vocation , as I beganne with the Apostle that I nowe ende with exhorting of your Ladiship to goe on still in well doinge , and with requestinge of your honor louingly to accept the thankefull remembrance of the benefits which I haue receaued at your handes . Let your vertuous disposition and right honorable callinge be a protection and defence that these auncient histories be not blemished in the handes of Zoylous Sycophants , which as Socrates sayth , being obscure persons , and such as haue no pith or substance in them , go about most commonly to purchase vnto them selues fame and credit by dispraising of others . God send your Ladiship many ioyfull yeares . From London the first of September . 1576.

AS I am geuen to vnderstande ( good Christian reader ) there haue bene diuers which attempted to translate these auncient Ecclesiastical histories , yet haue geuen ouer their purpose , partly being discouraged with the diuersitie and corruption of Greeke copies , and partly being dismayed with the crookednes of Eusebius stile , which is by reason of his vnperfect allegations , and last of all , beinge whollie ouercome with the tedious studie and infinite toyle and labour . The occasion that moued me to take so great an enterprise in hand was , that I read them in Greeke vnto an honorable Ladie of this lande , and hauing some leasure besides the lecture and other exercises agreeable vnto my calling , I thought good to turne the priuate commoditie vnto a publique profite , and to make the Christian reader of this my natiue countrey partaker also of these learned , zealous , and pleasaunt histories . When I tooke penne in hande , and considered with my selfe all the circumstances of these Histories , and founde in them certen things which the autors peraduenture might haue left vnwritten , but the interpretor in no wise vntranslated : I remembred the saying of Augustine , Diuinitatis est non errare , It belongeth to the Diuinitie , or to God him selfe not to erre , and that these Historiographers were but men , yet rare and singuler persons . Daily experience teacheth vs there is no garden without some weeds , no medow without some vnsauerie floures , no forest without some vnfrutefull trees , no countrey without some barren land , no wheate without some tares , no day without a cloude , no writer without some blemish , or that escapeth the reprehension of all men . I am sure there is no reader so foolish as to builde vpon the antiquitie and autoritie of these histories as if they were holy scripture , there is an historicall Faith which is not in the compasse of our Creede , and if you happen to light vpon any storie that sauoureth of superstition , or that seemeth vnpossible , penes autorem sit fides , referre it to the autor , take it as cheape as ye finde it , remember that the holy Ghost sayth , omnis homo mendax . if so , peraduenture the reader to , then let the one beare with the other . Where the places did require , lest the reader shoulde be snared in errour , I haue laide downe Censures of an other letter then the texte is of , where the autor was obscure , I haue opened him with notes in the marge , where I founde the storie vnperfect , I haue noted it with a starre , and signified withall what my penne directed me vnto . Manie Latine writers haue imployed great diligence and labour about these Greeke Historiographers , one translating one peece , an other an other peece , one interpreting one of the autors , an other translating almost all , one perusing , an other correcting . Ierome turned Eusebius into Latine , but it is not extant . Ruffinus tooke vpon him to translate Eusebius . Of him Ierome wryteth in Ierom● Ruffinus this sort : Ecclesiasticam pulchre Eusebius historiam texuit , quid ergo de interprete sentiendum , liberum sit iam cuique iudicium . Eusebius hath very well compiled the Ecclesiasticall historie , but as for the interpreter , euery man hath to thinke of him what himlist . Beatus Rhenanus , a man of great iudgement , saith thus of Ruffinus . In libris à se versis parum laudis meruit , quod ex industria non verba vel sensum autoris quem vertendum susceperit appendat , sed vel minus vel plusculum tanquam paraphrases , non velut interpres pro sua libidine plerumque referat . Ruffinus deserued but small praise for his translations , because of purpose he tooke no heede vnto the wordes and meaning of the autor which he tooke vpon him to translate , but interpreted for the most parte at his pleasure , by adding and diminishing , more like a Paraphrast then a translator . I finde by perusing of him that he vttered in few words , which Eusebius wrote at large : that he is tedious where Eusebius is brief : that he is obscure where Eusebius is plaine : that he hath omitted where Eusebius is darke , words and sentences and pages , and Epistles , and in maner wholl bookes . Half the eight booke of Eusebius ( so hath Musculus to ) and in maner all the tenth booke , he hath not once touched . Ruffinus wrote the historie of his time in two bookes , and erred fowly in certen things , as Socrates doeth report of him . Epiphanius Scholasticus translated the Tripartite historie . Ioachimus Camerarius geueth of him this iudgement . Tantam deprehendi in translatione non modo barbariem sed etiam inscitiam ac somnolentiam istius Epiphanij , vt mirarer vlli Graecorum non adeo alienam linguam Latinam , sed ignoratam suam esse potuisse . I founde in the translation of this Epiphanius , not onely such barbarous phrases , but also ignoraunce and palpable errour , that I can not chuse but maruell , howe any Grecian coulde be vnskilfull , not so muche in the straunge Latine tongue , as ignorant in his owne language . Wolfgangus Musculus a learned interpretour , hath translated the histories of Eusebius , yet Edwardus Godsalfus geueth of him this Censure . Hic autem satis correctis exemplaribus , vt credibile est destitutus innumeris locis turpissime labitur . Est porro adeo obscurus vt interpres egeat interprete , adeo salebrosus vt lector identidem inhaereat , adeo lacunosus vt autores ipsi Graeci historiae suae sententias non fuisse expletas grauiter conquerantur . This Musculus as it is very like , wanting perfect coppies , erred fowly in infinite places . Moreouer , he is so obscure that the Translator hath neede of an interpretour , so intricate that the Reader is nowe and than graueled , so briefe that the Greeke autors them selues doe grieuouslie complaine , that the sentences in their Histories were not fullie expressed . Though the reporter be partiall being of a contrarie religion , yet herein I finde his iudgement to be true , and specially in his translation of the tenth booke of Eusebius . yet not I only , but others haue founde it . Iacobus Grynaeus a learned man , corrected many faultes , explicated many places , printed in the marge many notes , yet after al this his labour which deserueth great commendation , there are founde infinite escapes , and for triall thereof , Ireport me vnto the Reader . Christophorson ( as for his religion I referre it to God and to him selfe , who by this time knoweth whether he did well or no ) was a great Clarke , and a learned interpretour , he hathe Translated passing well , yet sometimes doeth he addicte him self very much to the Latine phrase , and is caried away with the sound and weight therof . If anye of the former wryters had done well , what needed the later interpretours to take so much paines ? I woulde haue all the premisses , and whatsoeuer hath bene spoken of these Latine Translatours by me ( althoughe one of them chargeth an other ) to be taken , not that I accuse them of mine owne heade , but by beholding their doings , to excuse the faultes that myghte escape in this Englishe Translation . I founde the Greeke coppie of Eusebius in manie places wonderfull crabbed , his Historie is full of allegations , sayings and sentences , and Epistles , and the selfe same autoritie oftentimes alleaged to the confirmation of sundrie matters , that the words are short , the sense obscure & hard to be translated . Yet the learning of the man , the autoritie of his person , & the Antiquitie of his time will cause whatsoeuer may be thought amisse to be well taken . Socrates who followed Eusebius about a hundred and fortie yeares after , and continewed the Historie , wrote an eloquent and an artificiall stile , he vseth to alleage wholl Epistles , perfecte sentences , and hath deliuered the historic very plaine . His words are sweete , his vaine pleasaunt , & his inuention very wittie . though the historie be large , his bookes long , and the labour great in wryting of them , yet was I very much recreated with the swetenesse of the worke . Euagrius , who beganne where Socrates left , and continewed his penne vnto the ende of the first six hundred yeares after Christ , is full of Dialects , and therefore in Greeke not so pleasaunt as Socrates . He hath many superstitious stories which might very well haue bene spared . But in perusing of him I would haue the reader to note the great chaunge that was in his time more then in the dayes of the former wryters , and therafter to consider of the times following , the difference that is in these our dayes betwene the Church and the Apostolicke times . the encrease , augmentation , & daily adding of ceremonies to ceremonies , seruice vpon seruice , with other Ecclesiasticall rites and decrees , is not the encrease of pietie and the perfection of godlines , for our Sauiour telleth vs in the Gospel , that towards the later dayes loue shall waxe colde , and iniquitie shall abound : but the malice and spite of the Deuell , who with the chaunge of time , altereth ( as much as he may ) the state of the Ecclesiasticall affaires , and thrusteth daily into the church one mischiefe vpon an other . Moreouer Euagrius being a temporall man , stuffeth his Historie with prophane stories of warres and warlike engines , of battailes and loudshed , of Barbarians and Heathen nations . In describing the situation of any soyle , the erection of buildings , and vertues of some proper person , he doth excell . Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus & Martyr , whom I haue annexed vnto these former Historiographers , being well seene in the Hebrew tonge , and a great Antiquarie , wrote briefly the liues of the Prophets , Apostles , and seuentie disciples of our Sauiour . The faultes that are therein , I attribute them rather vnto the corrupt coppies , then to any want of knowledge in him . Such things as are to be noted in him , I haue laid them in the preface before his booke . After all these Translations ( gentle Reader ) not withstanding my great trauell & studie , I haue gathered a briefe Chronographie , begining with Eusebius , and ending with Euagrius , where thou maist see the yeares of the Incarnation , the raigne of the Emperours , the famous men and Martyrs , the kings of Iudaea , and highe priestes of the Iewes in Ierusalem , from the birth of Christ vnto the ouerthrowe of the Citie , the Councels , the Bishops of Ierusalem , Antioch , Rome , Alexandria , and all the heresies within the first six hundred yeares after Christ , deuided into Columnes , where the yere of the Lord stands right ouer against euery one . The profite that riseth by reading of these histories , I am not able in few words to declare , besides the works of the autors them selues , they haue brought forth vnto vs Sentences , Epistles , Orations , Chapiters and bookes of auncient wryters , such as wrote immediatly after the Apostles , and are not at this day extant saue in them . Namely of Papias Bishop of Hierapolis , Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna , Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus , Dionysius Bishop of Corinth , Apollinarius Bishop of Hierapolis , Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria , Melito Bishop of Sardis , Serapion Bishop of Antioch , Irenaeus Bishop of Lions , Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem , Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea , Anatolius Bishop of Laodicea , Phileas Bishop of Thumis , Alexander Bishop of Alexandria , Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia , Theognis Bishop of Nice , Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria , Gregorie Bishop of Nazianzum , Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria , Eusebius Bishop of Dorilaeum , Peter Bishop of Alexandria , Gregorie B. of Antioch . Of Gaius , Cornelius , Iulius , Liberius , Bishops of Rome . Of the Councels , as the Synode in Palaestina and Antioch , the Councel of Nice , Ariminum , Ephesus , Chalcedon and Constantinople . Of learned writers as , Quadratus , Rhodon , Africanus , Miltiades , Apollonius , Maximus , Macarius , Origen , Euagrius , and Symeon . If we be disposed to see the Emperours , their Decrees , Epistles , Constitutions and Edicts , we may soone finde them euen from Iulius Caesar the first , vnto Mauricius the last , within the first sixe hundred yeres , namely Augustus , Tiberius , Caligula , Claudius , Nero , Galba , Otho , Vitellius , Vespasian Titus , Domitian , Nerua , Traian , Adrianus , Antoninus Pius , Verus , Comodus , Pertinax , Didius Iulianus , Seuerus , Caracalla , Macrinus , Heliogabalus , Alexander Maximinus , Gordianus , Philip , Decius , Gallus , Aemilianus , Valerianus , Claudius Quintilius , Aurelianus , Tacitus , Florianus , Carus , Diocletian and Maximianus , Constantius and Maximinus , Constantinus Magnus and Licinius , Constantinus the yonger , Constantius and Constans , Iulian the Apostata , Iouian , Valentinianus and Valens , Gratian , Valentinianus the yonger , and Theodosius Magnus , Arcadius and Honorius , Theodosius iunior , Martianus , Leo , Zeno , Anastasius , Iustinus , Iustinianus ; Iustinus the 2. Tiberius and Mauricius . We may see the Bishops howe they gouerned , Ministers how they taught , Synodes what they decreed , Ceremonies how they crept into the Church , Heresies how they rose and were rooted out . If we stande vpon the Theater of Martyrs , and there beholde the valiant wrastlers , and inuincible champions of Christ Iesu , how can we chuse but be rauished with zeale when we see the professors of the truth torne in peeces of wilde beastes , crucified , beheaded , stoned , stifled , beaten to death with cudgels , fried to the bones , slaine aliue , burned to ashes , hanged on gibbettes , drowned , brained , scurged , maimed , quartered , their neckes broken , their legges sawed of , their tongues cutte , their eyes pulled out and the emptie place seared with scalding iron , the wrapping of them in oxe hides with dogges and snakes and drowned in the sea , the inioyning of them to kill one an other , the gelding of Christians , the paring of their flesh with sharpe rasors , the renting of their sides with the lashe of the whip , the pricking of their vaines with bodkins , and famishing of them to death in deepe and noysome dungeons . It is a wonder to see the zeale of their prayers , their charitie towards all men , their constancie in torment , and their confidence in Christ Iesus . These be they whome S. Iohn in his Apocalypse sawe in a vision vnder the altare , that were Martyred for the word of God and the testimonie of Christ Iesus , which cried with a loud voyce , saying : Howe long tariest thou Lord , holy and true , to iudge and to auenge our bloude , on them that dwell on the earth . And long white garments were geuen vnto euery one of them , and it was sayd vnto them , that they should rest yet for a litle season , vntill their felowe seruaunts and their brethern that should be killed as they were , were fulfilled . The Angell telleth him who they were that were arayed in long white garmentes , and whence they came , saying : these are they which came out of great tribulation , and haue washed their long robes , and made them white by the bloude of the Lambe , therfore are they in the presence of the throne of God , and serue him day and night in his temple : and he that sitteth in the throne will dwell among them . They shall hunger no more , neither thurst , and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes . Very comfortable wordes . But the executioners , the tyrantes , and tormentours hearts were so hardened , that neither voyces from aboue , nor signes in the aer threatning vengeance and the wrath of God to light vpon them , neither the swetting of stones , nor the monsters that the earth brought forth could mollifie their stonie mindes . The sea ouerflowed the land , the earth opened and left daungerous gulphes , Earthquakes ouerthrewe their Townes and Cities , fire burned their houses , yet woulde they not leaue of their furie . They were as S. Paul sayeth , turned into a reprobate sense , they left no villanie vnpractised , in the ende many of them fell into frensie and madnes , they ranne them selues vpon naked swordes , they brake their owne neckes , they hanged them selues , they tumbled them selues headlong into riuers , they cutte their owne throtes , and diuersly dispatched them selues . This is the viall full of the wrathe of God , which the Angell in the reuelation powred vpon the waters , and the voyce that folowed after may very well be spoken of them : O Lord which art and wast , thou art righteous and holy , because thou hast geuen such iudgements , for they haue shed out the bloud of Saincts and Prophets , and therefore hast thou geuen them bloud to drinke , for they haue deserued it . The aforesaid Martyrs gaue forth godly sayings , diuine precepts for the posteritie , they sealed their doctrine with their owne bloude , they spared not their liues vnto the death , they are gone before , they shewed vs the way to follow after , these ( good Christian reader ) with other things are to be seene throughout these Histories . The Chapiters in the Greeke were in many places very small , if I shoulde haue followed the Greeke diuision , then had I left much wast paper , I haue sometimes ioyned two or three together , some other times taken them as they lay , yet where I altered the diuision , I noted in the marge the number of the Greeke Chapiters . There is no raigne of any Emperour , no storie almost worthie the noting , but thou hast in the marge the yeare of the Lord for the better vnderstanding therof . Whatsoeuer I found in the Greeke , were it good or bad , that haue I faithfullie without any parcialitie at all laide downe in English . Wherfore if ought be well done , geue the praise vnto God . let the paines be mine , and the profit the Readers .