office of an herald, and withall spake these woords vnto his said
sonne, and to his counsellours there about him: "Now is my death to
[Sidenote: _Tripartit. histo._]
me more welcome, and my departure hence more pleasant; I haue héere a
large epitaph and monument of buriall, to wit, mine owne sonne, and
one whome in earth I leaue to be emperour in my place, which by Gods
good helpe shall wipe away the teares of the Christians, and reuenge
the crueltie exercised by tyrants. This I reckon to chance vnto me in
stéed of most felicitie."

After this, turning himselfe to the multitude, he commanded them all
to be of good comfort, meaning those that had not forsaken true vertue
and godlinesse in Christ, which Christ he vndertooke should continue
with his sonne Constantine in all enterprises, which in warres or
otherwise he should take in hand. That deuise also is woorthie to
be had in memorie, which he put in practise in his life time, to
vnderstand what true and sincere Christians were remaining in his
court. For whereas he had béene first a persecuter, and after was
conuerted, it was a matter easie to persuade the world, that he was no
earnest Christian: and so the policie which he thought to worke, was
the sooner brought to passe, which was this.

He called togither all his officers and seruants, feining himselfe
to choose out such as would doo sacrifice to diuels, and that those
onelie should remaine with him and kéepe their office, and the rest
that refused so to doo, should be thrust out, and banished the court.
Héervpon all the courtiers diuided themselues into companies: and
when some offered willinglie to doo sacrifice, and other some boldlie
refused: the emperour marking their dealings, sharpelie rebuked those
which were so readie to dishonour the liuing God, accounting them as