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Eutropius

(fl. 2nd half C4)

Secretary at Constantinople; pagan historian; compiled Breviarium historiae Romanae

He is mentioned by Foxe: 1570, pp. 83, 105, 107, 108, 115, 139; 1576, pp. 57, 75, 76, 82, 102; 1583, pp. 57, 74, 75, 76, 82, 101.

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MaximinusOfficer

Minor officer under Constantius and Maximinus Daia

Maximinus attempted to prevent publication of the decree stopping the persecution of Christians. 1570, p. 116; 1576, p. 83; 1583, p. 82.

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Pencetius and Quintianus

C4 persecutors in the east under Galerius

They are mentioned by Foxe: 1570, p. 115; 1576, p. 82; 1583, p. 82.

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Sabinus

High official under Constantius and Maximinus Daia

Sabinus ensured that the decree ending the persecution of Christians was published. 1570, p. 115; 1576, p. 83; 1583, p. 82.

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Theotechnus

Persecutor in the east under Galerius C4

Theotechnus worked to destroy the reputation of the Christians in Athens and then erected an image of Jupiter that was made to appear to demand the banishment of the Christians. 1570, p. 116; 1576, p. 83; 1583, pp. 82-83.

With this Constantius was ioyned (as hath bene aforesayd) Galerius Maximinus,MarginaliaMaximinus an enemy to the Christians. a man as Eutropius affirmeth, very ciuill and a passing good souldior: Furthermore, a fauourer of wise and learned men, of a quiet disposition, not rigorous, but in his dronkennesse, wherof he would soone after repent him, as Victor writeth. whether he meaneth Maximinus the father, or Maximinus his sonne, it is vncertayne. But Eusebius farre otherwise describeth the conditions of him in his viij. booke, and first chapter. For he sayth he was of a tyrannicall disposition: The fearefullest man that might be, and curious in all magicall superstition, in so much that without the diuinati?s and aunsweres of diuels he durst do nothing at al, & therefore he gaue great offices and dignityes to enchaunters. Furthermore that he was an exactor and extortioner of the Citizens, liberall to those that were flatterers, geuen to surfeting and riote, a great drinker of wine, and in his furious drounkennesse most like a mad man, a Ribaud, an adulterer, which came to no City but he rauished virgins & defiled mens wiues.MarginaliaThe wickednes of Maximinus described. To conclude he was so great an idolater, that he built vp Temples in euery City, and repayred those that were fallen in great decay: and he chose out the most worthiest of his politicall Magistrates to be the idols priestes, and deuised that they should execute that their office with great authority and dignity, and also with warlike pompe. But to Christian piety and religion he was most incensiue, and in the East Churches exercised cruel persecution, and vsed as executioners of the same, Pencetius, Quintianus, and Theotechnus beside others.

Notwithstanding he was at length reuoked from his cruelty by the iust iudgem?t and punishment of God.MarginaliaA terrible plague sent by God to Maximinus. For he was sodenly vexed with a fatall disease most filthy and desperate, which disease to describe was very straunge, taking the first beginning in his flesh outwardly, fr? thence it proceeded more and more to the inward parts of his body. For in the priuy members of his body ther happened vnto him a suddayne putrificati? and after in the bottome of the same a botchy corrupt bile, with a Fistula, c?suming & eating vp his entrals, out of the which came swarming forth an innumerable multitude of lice, with such a pestiferous stinche that no man coulde abide him, and so muche more, for that all the grosenesse of his body by aboundance of meat before he fell sick, was turned also into a fat: which fat now putrified, and stincking was so vgsome and horrible, that none that came to him coulde abide the sight thereof. MarginaliaMaximinus killeth hys phisitions. By reason whereof, the Phisitions which had him in cure, some of th? not able to abide the intollerable stinch were commaunded to be slayne. Other some because they could not heale him being so swollen and past hope of cure were also cruelly put to death. At length being put in remembraunce that his disease was sent of God, he began to forethinke the wickednesse that he had done agaynst the sayntes of God, and so comming agayne to himselfe, first confesseth vnto god all his offences, then calling them vnto him which were about him, forthwith commaunded all men, to cease from the persecution of the Christians. Requiring moreouer that they should set vp his Imperiall proclamati?s, for the restoring and reedyfiyng of their t?ples, and that they would obtayne this of the Christians, in their assembles (which without all feare and doubt they might be bolde to make) that they would deuoutly pray to theyr God for the Emperour. Then forthwith was the persecution stayed, and the Imperiall proclamations in euery City were set vp, contayning the retraction or countermaund of those thinges which agaynst the Christians were before decreed, the copy whereof ensueth.

MarginaliaMaximinus countermaund in the behalfe of the Christians. Amongst other thinges which for the benefite and c?modity of the common weale we established, we c?maunded to reforme all thinges according to the auncient lawes and publicke discipline of the Romaines, and also to vse this pollicy, that the Christians which had forsaken the religion of their forefathers should be brought agayne to the right way. For such ph?tasticall singularity was amongst them, that those thinges which their elders had receiued and allowed, they reiected and disallowed, deuising euery man such lawes as they thought good, and obserued the same, assembling in diuers places great multitudes of people.

Therefore when our foresaid decree was proclaymed, many there were that felt the penalty therof, and many being troubled therefore suffered many kindes of death. And because we see yet that there be many which perseuere in the same, which neither geue due worship vnto the Celestiall Gods neither receiue the God of the Christians, we hauing respect to our accustomed benignitie, wherewith we are wont to shew fauour vnto all men, thinke good in this cause also to extend our clemencye, that the Christians may be agayne tollerated, and appoynt them places where againe they may meet together, so that they doe nothing contrary to publick order and discipline By an other Epistle we meane to prescribe vnto the iudges, what shal be conuenient for them to do. Wherefore according as this our bountifull clemencie deserueth, let them make intercession to God for our health, common weale, and for themselus, that in all places the state of the common weale may be preserued, and that they themselues may be able safely to liue within their bondes. Euseb. lib. 8. cap. vltimo.MarginaliaEuseb. lib. 8. cap. vlt.

But one of his inferior officers whose name was also Maximinus, was not well pleased when this counterma?d was Published throughout all Asia, and the Prouinces where he had to do. Yet he being qualified by this example that it was not conuenient for him to repugn the pleasure of those Princes which had the chiefe authority as Constantius and Maximinus, set forth of himselfe no edict touching the same: but commaunded his officers in the presence of others, that they should somewhat stay from the persecution of the Christians: of which commaundement of the inferiour Maximinus, each of them gaue intelligence vnto their fellowes by their letters. MarginaliaSabinus in the fauour of the christians publisheth the decree. But Sabinus which then amongst them all, had the chiefest office and dignitie: to the substitutes of euery countrey, wrote by his letters the Emperours pleasure in this wise.

The maiestie of our most gracious and Soueraigne Lordes the Emperours, hath lately decreed with speciall diligence and deuoti?, to induce all men to an vniforme life, so that they which seemed to dissent from the Romaine custome by a straunge maner of liuing, shoulde exhibite to the immortall Gods their due and proper worshipp, but the wilfull and obstinate minde of diuers so much, and so c?tinually resisted the same, that by no lawfull meanes they might be reuoked from their purpose, neither made afraid by any terror or punishment. Because therefore it so came to passe, that by this meanes many put themselues in perill and ieoperdy: The maiestie of our soueraigne Lordes the Emperours according to their noble pietie, considering that it was far from the meaning of their princely maiesties that suche thinges should be, whereby so many men and muche people should be, destroyd, gaue me in charge that with diligence I shoulde write vnto you, that if any of the Christians from henceforth fortune to be taken in the exercise of their religion, that in no wise you molest the same, neither for that cause you doe iudge any man worthy of punishment: for that in all this time it hath euidentlye appeared that by no meanes they might be allured from such wilfulnesse. It is therefore requisite that your wisdome write vnto the Questors, Captaynes, and Constables of euery City and village, that they may know it not to be lawfull for them, or any of them, to do contrary to the prescript of this commaundement, neither that they presume to attempt the same. Euseb. lib. 9. cap. 1.

MarginaliaEuseb. lib. 9. Cap. 1.

The gouernours therefore of euery prouince, supposing this to be the determinate pleasure (and not fayned) of the Emperour, did first aduertise thereof, the rusticall & Pagan multitude:MarginaliaPersecution ceaseth for a time. After that they released and set at libertye all suche prisoners as were condempned to the mettall mines, & to perpetuall imprisonm?t for their fayth, thinking therby (where in deed they were deceiued) that the doing thereof would well please the Emperor. This therfore seemed to them as vnlooked for, and as light to trauellers in a darcke night. They gather themselues together in euery City, they call their Synodes and counsels, & much maruell at the sodden chaunge and alteration. MarginaliaThe infidels acknowledge the God of the Christians. The Infidels themselues extoll the onely and true God of the christians. The Christians receiue agayne all their former libertie, and such as fell away before in the tyme of persecution, repent themselues and after penaunce done, they returned agayne to the congregation. Nowe the Christians reioyced in euery Citty, praysing God with hymnes and Psalmes. Eusebius ibidem. This was a maruailous sodaine alteration of the Church, from a most vnhappy state to a better, but scarce suffered Maximinus the Tyraunt the same vj. monethes vnuiolated to continue.MarginaliaOne alteration vpon an other. For whatsoeuer seemed to make for the subuersion of the same peace (yet scarcely hatched) that did he onely meditate. And first of all he tooke from the Christians all libertie and leaue for them to assemble and congregate in churchyardes vnder a certayne coulour. After that he sent certayne Miscreants vnto the Athenians, to sollicite them agaynst the Christians, and to prouoke them to aske of him as a recompence and great reward, that he would not suffer any Christian to inhabite in their countrey: and amongest them was one Theotechnus, a most wicked miscreant, an inchaunter, and a most deadly enemy agaynst the Christians. He first made the way whereby the Christians were put out of credite, and accused to the Emperour, to which fraud also he erected a certayne Idoll of Iupiter to be worshipped of the inchaunters and coniurers, and mingled the same worship with ceremonies, full of deceiueable witchcraft.MarginaliaThe deuelish practise of Theotechnus. Lastly, he caused the same Idoll to geue this sound out of hys