OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

397

villages of Numidia and Mauritania, were a fe-rocious race, who had been imperfectly reducedunder the authority of the Roman laws; whowere imperfectly converted to thechristian faith;but who were actuated by a blind and furiousenthusiasm in the cause of their donatist tea-chers. They indignantly supported the exileof theirbishops, the demolitionof their churches,and the interruption of their secret assemblies.The violence of the officers of justice, w ho w’ereusually sustained by a military guard, wassometimes repelled with equal violence; andthe blood of some popular ecclesiastics, w hichhad been shed in the quarrel, inflamed theirrude followers with an eager desire of revengingthe death of these holy martyrs. By their owncruelty and rashness, the ministers of persecu-tion sometimes provoked their fate; and theguilt of an accidental tumult precipitated thecriminals into despair and rebellion. Drivenfrom their native villages, the donatist peasantsassembled in formidable gangs on the edge ofthe Getulian desert, and readily exchanged thehabits of labour for a lifeof idleness and rapine,w hich was consecrated by the name of religion,

tliage, begins the acclamations of an orthodox synod. “ Gratias Deo“ omnipotenti et Christo Jesu.. .qui imperavit religiosissimo Constant!“ imperatori, lit votnm gereret unitatis, et mitteret ministros sanctiK operis fumulos Dei Paulum et Macaritim.” Monument. Vet. adCalcem Optali, p. 313. “ Ecce mbito,” (says the donatist author of

the Passion of Marcnlua) “ de Constants regis tyrannic^ domo . . .“ pollution Maearianai persecutionis murmur increpuit, et duabus bestiia“ ad African! missis, eodcm scilicet Macario et Paulo execrandum“ prorsns ac dirum ecclesioe certamen indictum est; ut populus Cliris-“ tiamis ad unionem cum traditoribns faciendum, nudatis militum gla-“ diis et dracoimm piesintibus signis, <t tnbariim vocibus cogeretur.’*Monumeiit. p. 301.

CHAP.

XXI.