warres and rapines of the cruell Danes, and all the land in a hurlie
burlie, he in the meane time vndertooke a long iourney, euen as farre as
Athens, and there spent many yeres in the studie of the Greeke, Chaldie,
and Arabian tongues: he there frequented all the places and schooles of the
Philosophers, and the oracle also of the Sunne, which Asculapius had built
vnto himselfe. And hauing found at length that which he had with long
trauell searched, he returned againe into Italie, and France, where for his
singular learning, he was much fauoured of the two Kings Charles and Lewes,
and in his being there, he translated into Latine the bookes of Dionysius
Areopagita concerning the Heauenly Hierarchie, which were sent from
Constantinople in the yeere 858. After this hee came backe againe into his
owne Countrey, and was schoolemaster vnto Alphred then King of England, and
his sonnes: and vpon his request, at his times of leasure, he translated
Aristotles Morals, of the Secrets of Secrets, or of the right gouernement
of Princes, out of Greeke into these three tongues, Chaldie, Arabian, and
Latine, which he did very exquisitely. At the last, being in the Abbie of
Malmesburie, whither he went for his recreation, and there according to his
manner disputing, and reading to the Students, some of them misliking and
hating him, rose against him, and slue him in the yeere of Christ, 884.

* * * * *

English men were the guard of the Emperours of Constantinople in the reigne
of Iohn the sonne of Alexius Comnenus. Malmesburiensis, Curopolata and
Camden, pag. 96.

Iam inde Anglia non minus belli gloria, quam humanitatis cultu inter
Florentissimas orbis Christiani gentes imprimis floruit. Adeo vt ad
custodiam corporis Constantinopolitanorum Imperatorum euocati fuerint
Angli. Ioannes enim Alexij Comneni filius vt refert noster Malmesburiensis,