MarginaliaDiuersitie commendeth the concorde of fayth. were in vnitie amōg themselues, and so be we, neither doth this difference of ceremonies any thyng hynder, but rather commendeth the concorde of fayth. And bryngeth forth the examples of the fathers, of Telesphorus, Pius, Anicetus, Soter, Eleutherius, and such other, who neither obserued the same vsage themselues, neither prescribed it to others, and yet notwithstandyng kept Christian charitie with such as came to communicate with them, not obseruyng the same forme of thynges whiche they obserued, as well appeared by Polycarpus and Anicetus, whiche although they agreed not in one vniforme custome of rites, yet refused not to cōmunicate together, the one geuyng reuerēce vnto the other. Thus the controuersie beyng taken vp betwene Irenæus & Victor, remained free to the time of Nicene Councell. Hæc ex Iren. Eusebius. And thus much concernyng the controuersie of that matter, and concernyng the doynges of Victor.

MarginaliaZephyrinus Byshop of Rome. After Victor succeeded in the sea of Rome Zephyrinus, in the dayes of the foresayd Seuerus, about the yeare of our Lord. 203.MarginaliaThe Epistles and ordinaunces of Zephyrinus suspected to be counterfet. To this Zephyrinus be ascribed two Epistles, in the first Tome of the Councels. But as I haue sayd before of the decretall Epistles of other Romane Byshops: so I say and verely suppose of this, that neither the continuance of the stile, nor the matter therin cōtained, nor the condition of the tyme, doth otherwise giue to thinke of these letters, but that they be verely bastard letters, not written by these fathers, nor in these tymes, but craftely & wickedly pact in by some, whiche to set vp the primacie of Rome, haue most pestilently abused the authoritie of these holy and auncient fathers, to deceaue the simple Churche. For who is so rude, but that in cōsideryng onely the state of those terrible tymes, maye easely vnderstād, except affectiō blind him, beside a number of other probable coniectures to leade hym, that the poore persecuted Byshops in that tyme, would haue bene glad to haue any safe couert to put their heades in: so farre was it of, that they had any lust or laysure, thē to seeke for any primacie or Patriarchshyp, or to driue all other Churches to appeale to the sea of Rome, or to exempt all Priestes from the accusation of any lay man:MarginaliaThe first Epistle of Zephyrinus to the byshops of Sicilia. as in the first Epistle of Zephyrinus is to be sene, written to the Bishops of Sicilia. And likewise the second Epistle of his, to the Byshops of the prouince of Egypt, containyng no maner of doctrine, nor consolation necessry for that tyme, but onely certaine ritual decrees to no purpose, argueth no lesse, but the sayd Epistles neither sauer of that mā, nor tast of that tyme.MarginaliaPatins of glasse borne before the Priest. Of like credite also seemeth the constitution of the Patins of glasse, which Damasus sayth that the same Zephyrinus ordained to be caried before the Priest, at the celebation of the Masse.MarginaliaThe ordinaunces of Zephyrinus of small credit. Againe Platina writeth that he ordayned the ministration of the Sacramēt to be no more vsed in vessels of wood, or of glasse, or of any other mettal, except onely siluer, gold, and tynne. &c. But how these two testimonies of Damasus and Platina ioyne together, let the reader iudge: especially seyng the same decree is referred to Vrbanus, that came after him.MarginaliaGolden chalices.
Consilium Tibertinum Rheniense. Agayne, what needed this decree of golden Chalices to be stablished afterward in the Councell of Tibur and Rhenes, if it had ben enacted before Zephyrinus? How long this Zephyrinus sat, our writers do varie. Eusebius sayth, he dyed in the raigne of Caracalla: and sat. xvij. yeares, Plantina writeth that he dyed vnder Seuerus, and sat. viij. yeares, and so sayth also Nauclerus. Damasus affirmeth that he sat. xvi. yeares and two monethes.

MarginaliaEx Florilego.
Perpetua.
Felicitas.
Reuocatus.
Saturninus.
Satyrus.
Secundulus.
Martyrs. Matthæus author of the story intituled Flores Historiarum, with other later Chronicles, maketh mencion of Perpetua, and Felicitas and Reuocatus her brother, also of Saturninus, and Satyrus brethren, and Secundulus, whiche in the persecution of this Seuerus gaue ouer their liues to Martyrdome for Christ, beyng throwen to wilde beasts, and deuoured of the same, in Carthage and in Africke, saue that Saturninus brought agayne from the beastes, was beheaded, and Sedundulus dyed in prison, about the yeare of our Lord. 202. as writeth Florilegus.

MarginaliaSeuerus warreth in Britaine. This Seuerus the presecutor raigned, as the most part of writers accorde the terme of. xviij. yeares, who about the latter tyme of his raigne, came with his armie hether into Britaine, where after many conflictes had with the Britaines, in the borders of the North,MarginaliaA wall betwene England & Scotlād builded. 132. miles in length he cast vp a ditche with a mighty walle made of earth and turues, & strong stakes, to the length of cxxxij. myles from the one side of the sea to the other, begynnyng at Tyne, and reached to the Scottish sea,MarginaliaSeuerus the persecutour slayne at Yorke.
214. which done he remoued to Yorke, and there by the breaking in of the Northern men and the Scottes, was besieged & slayne, about the yeare of our Lord. 214. leauyng behynd him two sonnes, Bassianus & Geta.MarginaliaBaßianus Emperour. Whiche Bassianus, surnamed Caracalla, after he had slayne his brother Geta, here in Britaine gouerned the Empire alone the space of. vi. yeares. After whose death, he beyng slayne also of his seruauntes (as he had slayne his brother before)MarginaliaMacrinus with his sonne Diadumenus Emperour.
An. 219. succeded Macrinus with his sonne Diadumenus to be Emperour, who after they had raigned one yeare, were both slayne of their owne people.

MarginaliaThe monstrous lyfe of Heliogabalus Emperour. After them followed Varius Heliogabalus in the Empire, rather to be called a monster, then a man, so prodigious was his life in all glotonie, filthynes, and ribaudry. Such was his pompe, that in his lampes he vsed balme, and filled his fishpondes with rosewater. To let passe his sumptuous vestures which he would not weare but onely of gold, and most costly silkes: his shoes glystering with precious stones finely engraued: He was neuer. ij. dayes serued with one kinde of meate, he neuer wore one garment twise, and likewise for his fleshly wickednes: some dayes his company was serued at meale with the braynes of Ostriges, and a straunge fowle called Phenocapterie, an other day with the toūges of Popyngeis, and other sweete singing birdes. Beyng nye to the sea, he neuer vsed fishe: in places farre distānt from the sea all his house was serued w^t most delicate fishes.MarginaliaA prodigious belygod. At one supper he was serued with. 7000. fishes, &. 5000. foules. At his remouyng in his progres, often there followed him. 600. chariotes, laden onely with baudes, cōmon harlots, and ribaudes. He sacrificed with young children, and preferred to the best aduauncementes in the common weale, most light personages, as baudes, minstrels, carters, and such like. In one word, he was an enemy to all honesty and good order. And when he was foretold by hys Sorcerers and Astronomers, that he should dye a violent death, he prouided ropes of silke to hang him selfe, swordes of gold to kill him selfe, and strong poyson in iacinctes and emeraudes to poyson him selfe, if needes he must therto be forced. Moreouer he made an high tower, hauyng the floure of bordes couered with gold plate, bordered with precious stones, from the whiche tower he would throw him selfe downe, if he should be pursued of his enemyes.MarginaliaHeliogabalus slayne of his souldiours.
Ex Eutropio. But notwithstandyng all his prouision, he was slane of the souldiours, drawen through the Citie, and cast into Tiber, after he had raigned. 2. yeares and. 8. Monethes, as witnesseth Eutropius, other say foure yeares.

MarginaliaAlexander Seuerus Emperour.
An. 224. This Heliogabalus hauyng no issue, adopted to his sonne and heyre Aurelius Alexander Seuerus, the sonne of Mammea, who entryng his raigne the yeare of our Lorde. 224. continued. xiij. yeares, well commended for vertuous, wise, gentle, liberall, and to no man hurtfull. And as he was not vnlearned him selfe, through the diligent educatiō of Mammea his mother, so he was a great fauourer of men, wise and learned. Neither did he any thyng in the cōmon weale, without the assistence of learned and sage Counsaylours.MarginaliaAgaynst corrupt Iudges. It is reported of him, to beare such stomacke agaynst corrupt Iudges, that when he chaunced to meete with any of them, by the commotion of his minde, he would cast vp choler, beyng so moued with them, that he could not speake, and was ready with his two fingers to put out their eyes. Frō his court he dismissed all superfluous and vnneedefull seruauntes,MarginaliaThe sayng of Alexander to be noted & folowed:
Idle seruauntes eate vp the bowels of the common weale. saying that he was no good pupill, which fed idle seruauntes with the bowels of his common weale.

Among his other good vertues, it appeareth also that he was frendly and fauourable vnto the Christians, as by this act may be gathered: For when the Christians had occupied a certaine publicke place in some good vse, belyke for the assemblyng and conuentyng together of the congregation, the company of the Cookes or tiplers made chalenge of that place to belong vnto thē. The matter beyng broughte before the Emperour, he iudged it more honest, the place to serue to the worshyp of God, howsoeuer it were, then to the dyrtie slooberyng of Cookes and Skullians.

MarginaliaA note worthy to be marked. By this it may be vnderstand, that in Rome no Christian Churches were erected vnto this tyme, when as yet (notwithstandyng this fauour of the Emperour) no publicke house could quietly be obtayned for the Christiās. So that by the reason hereof may appeare the decretall Epistle and ordinaunce of Pope Higynus concernyng the dedicatiō of Churches aboue menyioned, pag. 53. to be falsefied. And likewise the ordinaunce of Pius his successour, concernyng the Altare, or Superaltare, to be also false. For what Superaltare was it like they had, in the time of Higynus and Pius, when as at this tyme which was long after, no publicke place almost could be graunted them for the Christians to assemble together?

MarginaliaPlatina in vita Pontiani. Of this Alexander, Plantina writeth, that as he was a great hater of all boasters and flatterers, so he was of such prudence, that no deceite could escape him: and bryngeth in a story of one Turinus, who had gotten craftely many great bribes and giftes, in makyng the people beleue that he was of great authoritie with the Emperour, and that he could