Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol.…Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol.…

Imperator Caesar, Gaius, Valerius, Maximinus, Germanicus, Pius, Fortunatus, Augustus. It is necessary that we always carefully provide and see unto, the benefit and commodity of such as be our subjects, & to exhibit such things unto them, whereby they may best obtain the same. But we suppose that there are none of you so ignorant, but know and understand what things make best for the profit & commodity of the common weal, & best please every mans disposition. But it is meet and convenient that every man have recourse to that which they have seen done before their eyes, and that all sorts of men consider the same, & bear it in their minds. When therefore, and that before this time it came unto our knowledge: upon the occasion that Dioclesianus, and Maximinianus, our progenitors of famous memory, commanded the assemblies and meetings of the Christians to be cut of, there were many of them spoiled and robbed of our Officials: which thing we also perceive is now put in practise against our subjects, that they in like case may be spoiled of their goods and substance, which thing chiefly to prevent, is our only endeavour. By our letters sent to the governors of every province the year past, we ordained that if any man were disposed to lean unto the Christian religion, that he might without any injury done unto him, accomplish his desire, neither to be of any man either let or molested: and that he might without any fear or suspicion, do whatsoever he therein thought good. But now also we understand that there be certain judges which have neglected▪ our commandment, and have put our subjects in doubt, whether that hath ben our pleasure or not, which thing they did, that such men might be the better advised, how they entered into such religion: wherein they followed their own fantasy. To the intent therefore that after this, all suspicion, doubt, and fear may be taken away: we have thought good to publish this our edict, whereby it may be made manifest to every man, that it shall be lawful for all such as will follow that religion, by the benefit of this our grant and letters patents, to use what religion they like best. And also hereby we grant unto them licence to build them Oratories or Temples.¹

Imperator Caesar, Gaius, Valerius, Maximinus, Germanicus, Pius, Fortunatus, Augustus. It is necessary that we alwaies carefully prouide and see vnto, the benefite and commoditie of such as be our subiects, & to exhibit such things vnto them, wherby they may best obtaine the same. But we suppose that there are none of you so ignorant, but knowe and vnderstand what things make best for the profite & commoditie of the common weale, & best please euery mans disposition. But it is meete and conuenient that euery man haue recourse to that which they haue sene done before their eyes, and that all sortes of men consider the same, & beare it in their mindes. When therfore, and that before this time it came vnto our knowledge: vpon the occasion that Dioclesianus, and Maximinianus, our progenitours of famous memorie, commaunded the assemblies and meetings of the Christians to be cut of, there were many of them spoyled and robbed of our Officials: which thing we also perceiue is now put in practise against our subiects, that they in like case may be spoyled of their goods and substance, which thing chiefly to preuent, is our onely indeuour. By our letters sent to the gouernours of euery prouince the yere past, we ordeined that if any man were disposed to leane vnto the Christian religion, that he might without any iniury done vnto him, accomplish his desire, neither to be of any man either let or molested: and that he might without any feare or suspition, do whatsoeuer he therein thought good. But now also we vnderstand that there be certaine iudges which haue neglected our commandemēt, and haue put our subiects in doubt, whether that hath ben our pleasure or not, which thing they did, that such men might be the better aduised, how they entred into such religion: wherein they followed their owne phantasie. To the entent therfore that after this, all suspition, doubt, and feare may be taken away: we haue thought good to publish this our edict, whereby it may be made manifest to euery man, that it shalbe lawfull for all such as will follow that religion, by the benefit of this our graunt and letters patents, to vse what religion they like best. And also hereby we graunt vnto them licence to build them Oratories or Temples.