the stream of the Tiber, and by way of derision took him to Vigenna, and threw him into the Rhone. For it is called Vigenna, as if it were Via Gehennæ (the way to hell), because it was then the place of a curse. But the wicked spirits were there also, doing the same things in that place. Therefore, these men, not being able to bear being infested with dæmons to such a degree, removed that vessel of cursing from them, and sent it to be buried in the territory of the city of Lausanne. The men of Lausanne, as they were also greatly afflicted in consequence by such hostilities as I have already described, removed it from themselves, and threw it down a well, which was surrounded on all sides by mountains, where even to this day, according to some accounts, some diabolical machinations are seen to be boiling over.

In the scholastic histories it is said that Pilate was accused before Tiberius of the violent murder of the Innocents, and because too, in spite of the outcries of the Jews, he had placed images of the Gentile gods in the temple, and because he had appropriated to his own purposes money which had been laid up for Corban, and with it had made an aqueduct leading to his own house; and that for all these things he was exiled to Lyons, where he was born; in order that he might die to the disgrace of his nation.

CH. III.-FROM A.D. 39 TO A.D. 117.

Herod is deprived of his kingdom-Caligula-Claudius-St. Peter is made Pope-St. Mark-Guiderius and Arviragus, kings of Britain-Famine at Rome-Nero-Festus-St. James-Mary Magdalene-Simon Magus-Nero sets fire to Rome-Galba-Otho-Vitellius-Vespasian persecutes the Jews-Titus takes Jerusalem-John-Simon-Linus succeeds Peter as Pope-Arviragus dies-The Picts under Roderic arrive in Britain-The Scots-Inacus, king of Britain-Domitian-St. John is banished to Patmos Quinctilian-Clement is Pope-Trajan's reign, victories, persecutions of the Christians, and death.

A.D. 39. The emperor stripped Herod of his kingdom, and condemned him with the adulterous Herodias to eternal exile; the damsel who danced was swallowed up alive by the earth.

A.D. 40. Cæsar ordered the temple which was at Jerusalem to be profaned by the sacrifices of the Gentiles, and placed a

A.D. 44.

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statue of Jupiter there, and ordered himself to be worshipped and adored as the Lord of heaven and earth. Then, having become hated by all men, he was slain by his own guards. In his secret repositories were found two documents, in which were contained the names of picked men, who were destined to death. And there was also found there a chest full of all kinds of poisons. But by the command of his successor Claudius, they were all thrown into the sea, where they caused the death of a great many fish.

A.D. 41. Claudius, the uncle of Caligula, was raised to the empire, and reigned thirteen years and eight months.

At the beginning of his reign, Peter, who had previously governed the church at Antioch, came to Rome, and taught the saving faith to all who believed his faithful words; and there he held the episcopal chair for twenty-five years, that is to say, till the last year of the reign of Nero.

A.D. 42. Mark the Evangelist published first at Aquilia, the Gospel, which he had written at the dictation of Philip, and having ordained Hermagoras his disciple at that place, he went on to Egypt.

A.D. 43. Herod Agrippa desired to oppress some of the Church. And he slew James, the brother of John, with the sword; and seeing that what had been done in the matter of the death of James pleased the Jews, he apprehended Peter the Apostle, and threw him into prison. But the angel of the Lord released him from prison and caused him to depart in safety.

A.D. 44. Tiberius Claudius, having crossed over into Britain, which no one had ever dared to do before Julius Cæsar, and which no one had ventured to attempt since his time, landed in the city of Caerperis, which is now called Porchester. For Guiderius, king of the Britons, had disdained to pay the tribute which had now for many years been accustomed to be paid to the Romans. And Claudius, being indignant at this, determined to recover it. But Guiderius, as soon as he had heard of the arrival of Claudius, attacked the army of the Romans, and in a pitched battle compelled the Romans to flee to their ships. And Lælius Hamo, the general of the emperor's army, seeing this, threw away his own arms, and took up British arms, and began to fight as though against his own countrymen. He encourages

the Britons to pursue, promising them a speedy triumph. For he had learnt their language and their customs, because he had been brought up among the British hostages at Rome. At last, coming by degrees to where the king was, he slew him with his sword, while he was expecting no such thing. Then escaping among the enemy, he joined his own men again with his impious victory. But Arviragus, the king's brother, when he knew that he was killed, clothed himself in the royal armour as if he were Guiderius himself, and urged the Britons to persevere. At length, the Romans dividing into two parts, basely left the field to the enemy. Arviragus therefore did not desist from pursuing the enemy, until he caught them on the sea-shore, and came upon Lælius Hamo unexpectedly and slew him. And that port is to this very day called the port of Hamo, that is Hampton [Southampton].

But

In the meantime, Claudius having recruited his forces, besieged Caerperis, that is Porchester, with great vigour, and threw down the walls, and subdued the citizens. But Arviragus pursued him with a hostile army, and Claudius threw himself into Winchester; then Arviragus besieged that city, and endeavoured to take it by all sorts of machines. Claudius having thrown the gates open, came forth with his men to battle. But, before the armies closed, they sent messengers from one to the other, and made peace on these conditions, that Claudius should give his daughter in marriage to Arviragus, and that Arviragus should hold the kingdom of Britain from the Romans, subject to tribute. Arviragus agreed to this, and, by advice of his friends, made submission to Cæsar. After this, Claudius sent for his daughter, and in the meantime, by the assistance of Arviragus, he reduced the Orkney islands under his power. Then when the winter was passed, the ambassadors returned with his daughter, whose name was Gevuisa, and she was married with all due ceremony to Arviragus. But Arviragus built a city in honour of Claudius, and to preserve the recollection of such an honourable marriage, which, from his name, was called Caerglou, that is to say the city of Claudius, and it is even now called Gloucester. Then when Claudius had returned to Rome, the whole government of all the islands in the province fell into the hands of Arviragus. The same year Herod Agrippa was smitten by an angel, and swelling over his whole body, expired in a miserable

A.D. 52. VESPASIAN SENT BY CLAUDIUS TO BRITAIN.

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manner. And he was succeeded by Agrippa, his son, and remained king till the ultimate destruction of the temple.

A.D. 45. The twelfth year after the Passion of our Lord. The blessed Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven by angels. She had lived and remained in the house of the blessed Evangelist St. John, to whom Christ, when on the cross, had recommended her. And the same year, between Thera and Therasia, an island rose out of the deep, being thirty stadia

in extent.

A.D. 46. The Evangelist Mark, having strengthened the churches throughout Libya, Marmorica, Ammoniaca, Pentapolis, and Alexandria, was at last seized by the heathens, and received the crown of martyrdom at Alexandria. The same year, Paul and Barnabas, having taken upon themselves the Apostleship, preached to the Gentiles.

A.D. 47. When Cumanus was procurator of Judea, a great sedition arose at Jerusalem, in the days of unleavened bread; to such a degree that the people were crowded together at the entrance of the gates, and thirty thousand Jews are said to have been trampled under foot, and suffocated by the pressure.

A.D. 48. A census of Rome was taken under Claudius, and there were found to be six millions nine hundred and fortyfour thousand Roman citizens.

A.D. 49. Claudius, the emperor, expelled the Jews from Rome, as they behaved seditiously; a fact which is mentioned by Luke the Evangelist, in the Acts of the Apostles.

A.D. 50. The emperor was passing the tenth year of his reign. And in his time a great famine took place throughout Syria; but Helen, the queen of the Allabeni, who had been converted to the faith of Christ, supplied him most abundantly for the necessities of the Christians.

A.D. 51. There was so great a famine at Rome, that the emperor was attacked with abuse by the populace, in the middle of the forum, and was shamefully pelted with crusts of bread.

A.D. 52. Arviragus, king of Britain, arrived at such a pitch of pride, that he would not any longer be held in subjection to the Roman power. Therefore Vespasian was sent by Claudius to Britain; and when he had begun to anchor his vessels in the harbour of Sandwich, Arviragus met him, and forbade him to enter the port. But Vespasian, backing his

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sails, anchored off the coast near Totness, and besieged the city which was then called in the British language Carpenhuelgoit, but which is now called Exeter. Then, when seven days had elapsed, Arviragus arrived, and engaged the Romans in a battle; and when each army had received a great deal of damage, by the mediation of Gevuisa, the daughter of Claudius, the generals were made friends. Then Vespasian returned to Rome, and Claudius remained in Britain.

After this, Arviragus began to hold a senate, and to exhibit such proofs of honour and liberality that his fame was celebrated throughout all Europe. On which account Juvenal is related to have addressed the emperor in the following manner, speaking of Romulus, who had been taken:

"Then you will take a king, or else, perhaps,
Arviragus will fall from off the pole

Of the Britannic chariot."

A.D. 53. The Emperor Claudius disinherited his son Britannicus, making him incapable of succeeding to the Roman empire, and adopted Nero, the husband of Octavia, his daughter, as his successor. And not long after, Claudius died by poison. A.D. 54. Nero, the fifth emperor beginning from Augustus, having attained the sovereign power, reigned there ten years and eight months. He shewed himself not only the follower, but even the surpasser of all the sins and wickednesses of his uncle Caligula. In the first year of his reign, Anianus undertook the presidency over the church of Alexandria, as successor to the Evangelist St. Mark.

A.D. 55. Festus, having been appointed by Nero, succeeded Felix as procurator of Judea. By whom Paul the Apostle was sent bound to Rome, where he was detained for two years in free custody.

A.D. 56. A man of the name of Longius, who had formerly been a soldier of the governor Pilate, and who at the time of our Saviour's Passion was converted to the true faith by a miracle, and who afterwards at Cæsarea, in Cappadocia, was instructed by the Apostles, and made a bishop, finished his life by martyrdom.

A.D. 57. Paul is said to have travelled as far as Spain, and to have left Trophius at Arles, and Crescens at Vienne, who were both disciples of his, to preach the gospel in these places.