As the Council consisted chiefly of _Arians_, their great Point in view was, to extort from the _Italian_ Bishops a solemn Condemnation of _Athanasius_. [Sidenote: _The Emperor’s Edict._] This therefore was in the first place proposed in the Council; and, because the orthodox Bishops would not consent to it, an Edict was issued by the Emperor, sentencing all those to Exile who should refuse to sign the Condemnation of _Athanasius_[727]. [Sidenote: _The Pope’s Legates sign the Condemnation of_ Athanasius.] The boasted Firmness and Constancy of _Vincentius_ were not Proof against such a Trial. He did all that lay in his Power to divert the Emperor from the Execution of a Decree utterly inconsistent with the Liberty of a Council; but finding him deaf to all Remonstrances, he began to capitulate, offering to sign the Condemnation of _Athanasius_, on condition the _Eusebians_ signed that of _Arius_, and publicly abjured his Doctrine. This he thought would be some Alleviation of his Guilt, and therefore the Proposal which he had made by Word of Mouth he gave in Writing to the Heads of the _Arian_ Faction, signed by himself and his Fellow-legates. But the _Arians_, too well acquainted with their Weakness to grant them any Terms, peremptorily insisted upon their condemning _Athanasius_, and referring the Cause and Doctrine of _Arius_ to a more proper Juncture. _Vincentius_ and his Collegues, finding the Enemies of _Athanasius_ thus inflexible, and, on the other hand, determined at all Events to keep their Bishopricks, and avoid the Hardships of a painful Exile, complied at last, and _yielded to the troublesome Times_, to use their softening Expression[728]. They were the more inexcuseable, as they had before their Eyes the Example of a great Prelate, whose Constancy was proof against all the Threats and Menaces of a provoked Prince. This was the celebrated _Paulinus_ Bishop of _Treves_, who, after perusing the Formulary, drawn up by the _Eusebians_, to be signed by him and the other Bishops, rejected it with the utmost Indignation, declaring that nothing they could do should ever induce him to betray the Truth, and his own Conscience, by setting his Hand to such a scandalous Piece. The _Eusebians_ left no Art unattempted to gain him, as they had done the Pope’s Legates, but finding he was a Man of a quite different Disposition, and despairing of being ever able to prevail upon him either by Hopes or Fear, they at last had recourse to the Emperor, who, putting his Decree in Execution, sent him into Exile; and in order to tire out his Patience, ordered him to be constantly conveyed from one inhospitable Place to another. [Sidenote: _The glorious Behaviour of_ Paulinus.] But in every Place _Paulinus_ was the same, the Conscience of his suffering for the sake of Justice enabling him to bear, not only with Patience, but Chearfulness, the inexpressible Hardships he underwent[729]. He died in _Phrygia_ in the Fifth Year of his Exile[730], that is, in 358.