VII. 5-] THE FIRST BOOK. 55 



history doth more lively set forth, than that legend tale 

 of Gregorius Magnus, bishop of Rome, who was noted 

 for the extreme envy he bare towards all heathen excel 

 lency : and yet he is reported, out of the love and estim 

 ation of Trajan s moral virtues, to have made unto God 

 passionate and fervent prayers for the delivery of his soul 

 out of hell : and to have obtained it, with a caveat that 

 he should make no more such petitions. In this prince s 

 time also the persecutions against the Christians received 

 intermission, upon the certificate of Plinius Secundus, a 

 man of excellent learning and by Trajan advanced. 



6. Adrian, his successor, was the most curious man 

 that lived, and the most universal inquirer ; insomuch as 

 it was noted for an error in his mind, that he desired to 

 comprehend all things, and not to reserve himself for the 

 worthiest things : falling into the like humour that was 

 long before noted in Philip of Macedon ; who, when he 

 would needs over-rule and put down an excellent musician 

 in an argument touching music, was well answered by 

 him again, God forbid, sir (saith he), that your fortune 

 should be so bad, as to know these things better than /. 

 It pleased God likewise to use the curiosity of this em 

 peror as an inducement to the peace of his Church in 

 those days. For having Christ in veneration, not as a 

 God or Saviour but as a wonder or novelty, and having 

 his picture in his gallery, matched with Apollonius (with 

 whom in his vain imagination he thought he had some 

 conformity), yet it served the turn to allay the bitter 

 hatred of those times against the Christian name, so as 

 the Church had peace during his time. And for his 

 government civil, although he did not attain to that of 

 Trajan s in glory of arms or perfection of justice, yet 

 in deserving of the weal of the subject he did exceed 



