A.D. 



c. 300. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



great, while hee remained in Britaine. Who at length 

 deceasing at Yorke, this Helena (no otherwise then Anna 

 of whom mention is made in the new Testament) con- 

 tinued a vertuous and holy widow to the end of her 

 life. 



There are some writers which doe affirme, that per- 

 secution ceased, and peace was granted to the Christian 

 Churches by her good meanes. 



After the light and knowledge of the Gospel, she 

 grewe so skilfiill in divinitie, that shee wrote and com- 

 posed divers bookes, and certaine Greeke verses also, 

 which (as Ponticus reporteth) are yet extant. Being 

 warned by some visions she went to Jerusalem, and 

 visited all the places there, which Christ had frequented. 

 She lived to the age of fourescore yeeres, and then died 

 at Rome the 15 day of August, in the yeere of our 

 redemption 337. Octavius being then king of Britaine, 

 and her sonne Constantine the Emperour then also 

 living, and her body is to this day very carefully pre- 

 served at Venice. 



The life and travels of Constantine the great, 

 Emperour and King oi Britaine. 



Lavius Constantinus cognomento Magnus 

 post Genitorem Constantium Britannorum 

 Rex, ac Romanorum Caesar Augustus, ex 

 Britannica matre in Britannia natus, & 

 in Britannia creatus Imperator, patriam 

 natalem magnifice suae glorias participem 

 fecit. Profligatis Alemanis, Hispanis, & 

 Francis, eorumque Regibus pro spectaculo bestiis objectis, 

 Galliam subjectam tenuit : Tres Helens matris avunculos 

 Britannos, Leolinum, Traherum, & Marium, quos caeteris 

 semper fidentiores habuerat in suis fortunis, Italis a 

 Maxentii tyrannide foeliciter liberatis, in Senatorum 

 ordinem Romas promovit. Innumeras in eo (ut Eutro- 

 pius habet) claruere tam animi, quam corporis virtutes, 



272 



