abusing this place of the Gospel: Quinquaginta annos nondum habes. &c. MarginaliaTertullianus.Tertullianus (whom Saynt Cyprian neuer layde oute of hys handes almost) is noted to be a Chiliaste: also to haue bene of Montanus sect. The same did hold also with Iustine, Cyprian, and other, that the Angels fell first for the concupiscence of wemen, lib. de habitu mulier. He defendeth free wyll of man after the corruption of nature, inclinyng also to the errour of them, which defend the possibilitye of keeping God his law. Concerning mariage, Vnum matrimonium (inquit) nouimus, sicut vnum deum. i. We know (sayth he) one mariage, as we know one God, condemning the second mariage. lib. de Monogam. Diuers other thinges of like absurditie in hym be noted. MarginaliaIustinus.Iustinus also semeth to haue inclined vnto the errour of the Chiliastes, of the fal of certain angles by wemē, of free wyl of man, of possibility of keeping the law and suche other. Neither was this our MarginaliaCyprian⁹.Cyprian, the great scholer of Tertullian, vtterly exempt from the blot of them, who cōtrary to the doctrine of the church, did hold with rebaptising of such, as was before baptised of heretiks. Wherof speaketh S. Austen, misliking the same errour of Cyprian, in these woordes contayned in his seconde booke, Contra Cresconium: Cypriani, inquit, laudem ego consequi non valeo, eius multis literis mea scripta non cōparo, eius ingenium diligo, eius ore delector, eius charitatē miror, eius martyrium veneror Non accipio quod de baptisandis hæreticis & schismaticis sensit. &c.  

MarginaliaContentiō betwene Cyprian & Stephanus bishop of Rome.Vppon the which matter ther was a great contētion betwene the sayd Cyprian and Stephen bishop of Rome, as partlye afore is noted. Of Austen himself likewise, of Ambrose, Hierom, Chrisostome, þ^e same may be said, that none of thē all so clearly passed away, but their peculiar faults and errours went with them, whereof it were to long, and out of our purpose at this present to entreate. And thus much concerning the storye of Cyprian the holye learned Martyr of Christ.

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MarginaliaCyprian⁹ diuers of that name.Albeit here is to be noted by the waye, touching the life and storye of Cyprian, that this Cyprian was not he, whom othe narration of Nazianzen speaketh of, (as is aboue mencioned) who from arte Magicke was conuerted to be a Christian, which Cyprian was a citizen of Antioche, and afterward bishop of the same city, and was martyred vnder Diocletian. Wher as this Cyprian was bishop of Carthage, and dyed vnder Valerianus as is sayd. &c. By the Decrees of Gracian Dist. x. Quoniam, MarginaliaDist. 10. Quoniam.it appeareth moreouer that there was also a third Cyprian, in the tyme of Iulianus the Emperour Apostata, long after both these aforenamed. For so geueth the title prefixed before the sayd Distinct. Cyprianus Iuliano Imperatori: the Distinctiō beginning. Quoniam idem mediator dei et hominum homo Christus Iesus, sic actibus propriis, et dignitatibus distinctis officia potestatis vtriusq; discernit. &c.  

Vpon the which distinction the Glose commeth in with these wordes, saying: MarginaliaGlosa ibid
A blinde glose chalēging both the swords to the Popes hand.that the popedome, and the seate imperial, haue both one beginning of one, that is, Christ: who was both Bishop, and king of kinges. And that the saide dignities be distincted, albeit the Pope notwithstanding hath both the swordes in his hand, and may exercise them both some time. And therfore although they be distincted, yet in exercise the one standeth lineallye vnder the other, so that the imperial dignity is subiect vnder the papal dignity, as the inferiour is subiect vnder the superiour: þ^t as there is one ruler ouer þ^e whole, which is God: so in the church is one Monarche, that is, the Pope, to whom the Lorde hath committed the power and lawful right both of the heauenly and terrene dominion. Hæc Glosa.

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MarginaliaA distinction of Gracian disproued.Thus much I thought here to note by the way, because this distinction is fathered vpon Cyprian, which is false, for this Cyprian was not in the tyme of Iulian, not by. 200. yeares, and so lykewise by the otherCyprian, which dyed Martyr vnder Dioclesian. Of any Cyprian besides these twoo, we reade not. Neyther is it credible, that if there were anye suche Cyprian, he woulde euer haue written of anye suche matter, of the difference and mutual neede of Christian Emperours and Christian Popes. When as that Emperour being an Apostata, neither regarded Christ, nor cared for any Pope.

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MarginaliaXixtus the second bishop of Rome martyr.About this time, & vnder the same Emperour Valerianus suffered also Xistus, or Sixtus, the seconde of that name, bishop Rome:  

who being accused of his aduersaries, to be a Christian, was brought w^t his. vj. Deacons to the place of execution, MarginaliaSixe Deacons with Xistus Martyrs.where he w^t Nemesius & other his Deacons were beheaded and suffered martyrdome. Laurence in the same tyme beyng also Deacon folowed after, complayning to Xistus, as one being greued, þ^t he might not also suffer with him, but to be secluded as the sonne from the father. To whom the byshop answering agayne, declared that wythin. iij. dayes hee should folow after. In the meane time, he willed him to go home, & to distribute his treasures, if he had ani vnto the poore. The iudge belike hearing mētion to be made of treasures to be geuen to the poore, & thinking þ^t Laurence had great store of treasure in his custody, cōmaūded him to bring the same vnto him, according as in þ^e discourse of his story here vnder writtē, more fully may appeare. Which history, because it is set foorth more at large in Prudentius, Ambrose, and other writers, & cōtaineth mo things in it worthy to be noted of þ^e Reader, we haue therfore with the more diligence here inserted the more ample description of the same, to the further admiration of his patience, and God his glorye shewed in hym.

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MarginaliaThe storye and martyrdome of Laurence.
Ex Ambros. lib. 1. offic. cap. 41.
Ex prudentio lib. Perisleph.Nowe then as order requireth, let vs enter the storye of that most constant and couragious Martyr of Christ Saint Laurence, whose woordes and woorkes deserue to be as fresh and greene in Christian hartes, as is the florishing Laurel tree. This thirsty Hart longing after the water of lyfe, desirous to passe vnto it, throughe the strayght doore of bitter death, when on a tyme he saw his vigilant Shepheard, and gracious bishop Xistus, led as an harmles lambe, of harmfull tyrants to his cruel and painful death, cried out with opē mouth & hart inuincible, saying: MarginaliaThe wordes of Laurence to Xistus.O deare father, whyther goest thou, without the company of thy dear sōne? Whither hastenest thou, O reuerende Priest, wythout thy Deacon? Neuer wast thou wont to offer Sacrifice without thy Minister. What crime is ther in me that offendeth thy fatherhood? Hast thou proued me vnnatural? Now try swete father, whether thou hast chosen a faithful Minister, or not. Deniest thou vnto him the fellowship of thy bloud, to whom thou hast committed the distribution of the Lords bloud? See that thy iudgement be not misliked, whylest thy fortitude is liked and lauded. The abasing of the Scholar, is the disgrasyng of the Maister. What? haue we not learned that worthy Maisters, haue obtayned most worthy fame, by the worthy actes of their Disciples and Scholars? Finally Abraham sacrificed his onely begotten Isaac. Stoned Stephen prepared the way to preaching Peter: euen so father, declare thy manyfold vertues by me thy sonne. Offer thou him that proferreth him selfe. Graunt that the body of thy Scholar may be sacrificed, whose mynd with good letters thou hast beautified. These wordes with teares S. Laurence vttered, not because his Mayster should suffer, but for that he might not bee suffered to taste of deathes cup, which he thirsted after.

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MarginaliaThe answer of Xistus to Laurence.Then Xistus to his sonne shaped this answer: I forsake thee not, O my sonne, I geue thee to wyt, that a sharper conflict remayneth for thee. A feeble and weake old man am I, and therfore runne the rase of a lighter and easier death. But lusty and young art thou, & more

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