fion, and Conftantius of the Western. Conftantius was wife, valiant, noble, and of a publick Spirit, wholly reigning to inrich his Subjects. He would commonly fay, That it was more profitable for the State, that the whole Wealth of the Land should be difperfed into the Commons Hands, than to lie locked up in the Prince's Coffers. He was fo averfe to Superfluity, that up on extraordinary Occafions he was forc'd to borrow Plate of his Friends to furnish his Table and Cupboards. But his most excelling Virtue was, his countenancing and protecting the late perfecuted Chriftians, making his Court their Sanctuary. And to winnow the Chaff from the Wheat, The ufed Jebu's Policy, commanding all his Officers to offer Sacrifice to the Idol Gods, pretending to difcard all fuch as refused; but on the contrary, thofe that complied, he rejected with this Reflection, That he who was difloyal to his God, will never be faithful to his Prince. Whilft he ferved here in Britain, under Aurelian, he married Helena, the Daughter of Gallus or Calius, a British Prince, who was the Worker of his Converfion, and on whom he begat Conftantine the Great in Britain. Whilft he fwayed the Empire, being here in Britain, and lately returned from his Expedition against the Pits, which were Northern Britains, who continued to paint themselves after the Southern Parts were brought to more Civility, he fell fick at York, his Imperial Seat. At which Time his Son Conftantine came thither to him; the Sight of whom fo rejoyced him, that fetting himself upright in his Bed, he fpake as followeth : It Bow fufficeth, and Death is not fear- fal, feeing I shall leave my unaccom hed Actions to be performed by thee, my Son, in whofe Perfon I doubt not bat that my Memorial fhall be retained, as in a Monument of Jucceeding

A. D.

Onflantine the Great, at

310. his firft Entrance upon the Empire, purfued the Relicks of the War, which his Father Conftantius had begun against the Caledonians and other Pics. Then he undertook to tame the Tyrant Maxentius; but being doubtful what God he should call upon for Aid in this his Enterprize (for as yet he was not fully fettled in the Chriftian Faith, nor baptized) in his Meditation happening to caft up his Eyes Eaftward, he beheld in the Heavens the Sign of a Crofs, or the Form of the firit Greek Character of the Name of Chrift, prefented to his Sight, wherein were Stars (as Letters) fo placed, that this Sentence in Greek might be read, In hoc vince. This miraculous Sign, promifing Victory, was fo comfortable to Conftantine, that with great Courage he advanced towards his Enemy, bearing before him and his Army, in place of the Imperial Standard, the Form of this Vifion embroidered with Gold and Maxentius had precious Stones. framed a deceitful Bridge over Tyber, near unto, Pons Milvius, with Intent thereby to intrap Conftantines

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but

A. D.

337-361. but the Armies joining Battle, Maxentius was put to Flight, when thro' forgetful Hafte, he took over the fame Bridge, which fuddenly falling under him, he with many more were drowned, and Conftantine remained Victor. And to the End that he might with the more Facility reftrain the turbulent Perfians, he removed his Imperial Seat from Rome into the Eaft, building at Byzantium a moft magnificent City, naming it * Utor, New Rome, and, in Imitation of the A. B. of old one, he circulated feven Hills. London. Herein was built the Palace of that publick Library, wherein were contained 20,000 of the choiceft written Books, and in the Midft thereof were the Guts of a Dragon, in length 120 Feet, on which was admirably written in Letters of Gold the Iliads of Homer. But this new City quick ly loft its Name of New Rome; for Love to the Founder made it take Name from him, that is, Conftantinople. To this City Conftantine drew his Legions out of Germany, Gallia, and Britainy, which much weaken

ed this Part of the Empire, and

made Way for the Pias to infest the more civil Parts of this Ifland. He called the Council of Nice, where himfelf fate Prefident.

He died May 22, 337, whofe Body was interr'd at Conftantinople, in the Church of the Apostles which himfelf had founded.

This Chriftian Emperor would often kifs the Hollow of old Paph. nutius's Eyes, which he had loft in the former times of Perfecution, for the Sake of Christ. He ufed fuch Reverence and Attention to the Word of God preached, that many times he would ftand up all Sermontime, and when fome told him that it was to his Disparagement, he anfwered, That it was in the Service of the great God, who is no Refpecter of Perfons. He was not baptized ill A. D. 318.

337

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Onftantinus, Conftans, and Conflantius were the three Sons of Conflantine the Great, amongst whom he divided the Empire. But Conftantine the eldest, whofe Part was Britain, France, Spain, and Part of Germany, thinking himself wronged in the Divifion, fought to enlarge his own Dominions upon the Frontiers of his Brother Conftans, but was encountered and flain, when he had held his Territories the Term of three Years. * Then Conftans feized his Dominions, adding them to his own; but he, living luxurioufly, was flain by one of his Captains, and then Conftantius became fole Emperor. In whofe Time Gratianus, the Father of Valentinian the Emperor, was General of the Army in Britain, a Man fo ftrong of Limb, that no five Men could pluck a Rope out of his Hand by all their Force, whence he was furnamed Funarius, the Roper. Conftantius died of a Fever, declaring Julian his Heir.

A, D.

Ulian the Apoftate was the

Brother's Son of Conftantine the Great. He was excellently learned, and in his younger Years fo in Love with the Chriftian Religion (at least in Shew) that he took upon him the Office of a Deacon, reading in publick to the People the facred Scriptures; but by the Rhetorick of Libanius was feduced to Heathenifm, and by Degrees became a deadly Enemy to the Church of Christ. His Temperance was to Admiration, both as to his Apparel, Lodging, and Diet. He would often fay, that it was the Safety of his Life that he never had any War with his Belly. And doubtlefs he was a grand worldly Politician; for fometimes he would fide with Catholicks against the Arians, which were very numerous; yet ftill encouraging a Distance betwixt them,

that

that fo they might not hurt him, being united. To the Jews he would make large Promifes, when he forefaw they might ftand him in any ftead. Whilft Conftantius lived, he diffembled his Religion; but as foon as dead, he fet open the Temples of the Pagan Gods, repaired their Altars, and defaced the Monuments of the Chriftians. The Brazen Figure of Chrift erected at Cafarea Philippi, he caused to be broken down, inftead thereof placing his own Figure, that it might be worshipped, but it was fuddenly detroyed by Lightning.

The Chriftians he forbad the publick Schools and Study of the Arts and Tongues, jefting away the Reafon of this Injuftice with Scoffs, as he did the reft, faying, that fince Plato, Ariftotle, and Ifocrates, ador'd Mercury, and the other Gods, he held ⚫ it abfurd that the Chriftians fhould learn from their Books, whofe 'Religion they condemned and 'loathed'. When he at any time feized upon the Goods of the Chriftians (which he oftentimes did upon flight Pretences) he would fay, he did it that they might enter Heaven with the lefs Difficulty. When he had difabled the Chriftians of all Command, Civil or Martial, he said he did it because their Gospel had taken from them poteftatem gladii, the Power of the Sword. If any poor Christian defired the Redrefs of any Grievance, he would anfwer, That it was the Duty of their Profeffion to bear Injuries. But Julian entring Perfia with an Army ten Miles in Length, put the Perfians to Flight; whom purfuing, as he lifted up his Hand in Sign of Victory, he was in the very Inftant ftruck with a Javelin into the lower Lappet of his Liver. From whofe Hand this Javelin came is uncertain; fome fay it was from the Hand of a flying Perfian, others

A.D.

FL

Lavius Fovinianus, a Chri363. ftian, was chosen Emperor by the Army; and becaufe of the Diftrefs his Hoft was in for Want of Provifions, he made Peace with the Perfians for thirty Years, and fo left their Country. In his Time blazing Stars were feen at Noon-day. And the Statue of Maximinianus Cæfar let fall the Globe out of its Hand, no Force moving it. Alfo horrible Sounds and Noifes were heard in the Confiftory. Thefe were taken for ominous Signs of thofe troublous Accidents, which befel the Army in their Way homeward from Perfia. Jovinian died fuddenly of the Obstruction and Stopping of the Lungs.

A. D.

364. Flavius Valentinianus, a

Chriftian, being elected Emperor, he made Valens, his Brother, his Partner with him in the Empire. Into Britain Valentinian fent Theodofius his Lieutenant, who recovered this Province out of the Hands of their Enemies the Pitts, Saxons, and Scots, that had miferably infefted it, re-edified the Cities, repairing the Garrisons, and Castles, and fortifying the Frontiers, naming Britain, Valentia, in Honour of Valentinian the Emperor. Strange and dreadful were the Signs that in the third Year of this Emperor happened, as Earthquakes, Inundations,

and

392.

and the like; amongft which St. Hierom reports, that there rained Wool from Heaven fo perfectly good, that no better grew upon the Sheep. This Chriftian Emperor was fo difpleafed with his Brother Valens an Arian, for perfecuting the orthodox Chriftians, that he denied to afford him Help against the Goths, when they invaded his Dominions in the Eaft, faying, "That it was an impious thing to ftrengthen the Hands of a Man, who had spent his Days in warring against God and his Church'. He died of an Apoplexy; or, as fome write, of the Plague. And Valens, flying from the Goths, was in a Houfe near Adrianople burnt to Ashes.

F

Lavius Gratianus, the Son of Valentinian, fucceeded his Father, to whom was joined for Confort in the Empire his Brother Valentinian, a Child about four Years of Age. Whofe Advancement (hough done without his Allowance) he envied not, but regarded his Brother exceedingly, and brought him up with all Tendernels, forgetting the Wrong offered to himself Thedred, and his Mother Severa, for ValenA. B. of tinian's Mother's fake, whofe Name London, was Julina, a Damfel furpaffing all other Women fo far, that the Emprefs herself fell in Love with her, and could not forbear extolling her Beauty beyond Compare, in the hearing of the Emperor her Hufband; who, provoked hereby, took her alfo to Wife, by whom he had this young Valentinian, and three Daughters, albeit that his Wife Severa was yet living. In Britain, Clemens Maximus, defcended from Conftantine the Great, had fo won the ffections of the Britains, thro' his good Service done against the Picts and Scots (which laft were thole People inhabiting the Iligh lands of Scotland, and came firit out

of Ireland, planting themselves on the North Side of Clyd) that they accepted him for their Sovereign; and his Soldiers by Conftraint forced him to affume the Imperial Style, and Purple Robe. And now Maximus haftens into Gallia with the chiefeft Flower and Strength of the British Forces, against whom Gratian advanced; but after five Days skirmishing, being forfaken of his Soldiers, he was forced to fly. After which, he fent Ambrofe, Bifhop of Milan, to fue for Peace with Maximus, unto which Maximus feemed to incline; withal caufing Letters to be fent, and Reports gi ven out to foft-fpirited Gratian, that his Emprefs was upon her Journey to vifit him; which the innocent Emperor credited, and accordingly fet forward with Joy to meet her; but when he opened the Litter, therein hoping to embrace her, he was by Captain Andrigathius and his Ruffians (fent in it on Purpose) treacheroufly murthered near unto Lyons. But Theodofius, undertaking the Ufurper Maximus, vanquished his Forces, and flew him and his Son Victor. Howbeit young Valentinian was not in Safety, for by the Treafon of Captain Arbogafies, and Eugenius a Grammarian, he was frangled to Death in his Bed.

his Diftrefs, applied himself with Fafting and Tears unto the Lord of Holts who, to vindicate Theodof's righteous Caufe, fent fuch a violent Tempeft and raging Wind upon the Faces of his Enemies, that when both Armies were engaged in Fight, his Adverfaries own Darts were driven back upon themselves; whereby he obtained a moft glorious Victory. In this Battle the Ufurper Eugenius was taken, who, whilft he was craving Pardon at the Emperor's Feet, had his Head itruck off by the Soldiers; and Arbogaftes efcaping by Flight, two Days after, ran himfelf upon his own Sword.

Theodofius, thus delivered, repaired to Milan, where he fhortly after fickned unto Death, conftituting his Son Honorius Emperor of the Weft, and Arcadius of the Eaft. His Humility and Piety was fuch, that St. Ambrofe Bishop of Milan, having forbid his Entrance into the Church to communicate with other Chriftians in their Devotions (because he had rafhly punished the Inhabitants of Theffalonica for an Cffence committed by them) he accordingly fubmitted to this Cenfure, acknowledging his Offence; and for a future Prevention of the like Rafhnefs, by the Advice of St. Ambrofe, he enact ed, That thirty Days fhould pass between the Sentence of Death and Execution of the Malefactor. He was wont to fay, That be ac. counted it a greater Honour to be a Member of the Church of Chrift, than to be Head of the Roman Empire.

ferved with good Proof of their Fidelity above twenty Years fince their Entertainment by Theodofius. Thefe Goths therefore, to revenge their Wrongs, chofe for their Leader a valiant Goth, named Alaricus, who fortly proved the Scourge of Rome. With him joined the Vandals, Alans, and Swevians; all which, with great Fury, began to war in Auftria and Hungary, increafing their Powers with fuch Multitudes, that the World was amazed, and ftood in Fear. For unto thofe reforted Two hundred thousand Goths more, under the Conduct of Radagafius their King, who with united Force overran Thracia, Hungary, Austria, Sclavonia, and Dalmatia, fpoiling all in fuch manner, that Devils, and not Men, feem'd to have paffed that way. The Roman Empire thus dcclining, and the Armies in Britain fearing the Fury of the Goths, to secure themfelves the best way they could, elected an Emperor at home, one Marcus their Lieutenant; but he not fitting their Humours, they in a fhort time murthered him. In whofe ftead they enthroned one Gratian a Britain, whom within four Months they also murthered. the Death of him, they elected, for the Name Sake, one Conflantine, a common Soldier, and he paffing beyond the Seas, was very profperous for a while. His Imperial Seat he placed at Arles, feat Letters excufatory unto Honorius, pretending that the Soldiers compelled him to do what he did; which fo pleafed the Emperor, that he fent him a Purple Robe. But one Maximinus rifing against him, he was taken Prifoner, fent to Rome, and there beheaded. From that time Britain renewed her Obedience to Honorius ; and Victorinus, Lieutenant here, ofttimes reprefied the Incurfions of the Scots and Pits. Howb.it Rome

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At

was