[Sidenote: _The Followers of_ Ursinus _driven out of_ Rome.] _Ursinus_, and the leading Men of his Party, being driven out of the City, the Inhabitants began to enjoy their former Peace and Tranquillity. But yet his Followers continued to assemble in the Cœmeteries of the Martyrs, and even kept Possession of a Church, supposed to be that of St. _Agnes_, without the Walls[1015]. Of this _Damasus_ took care to transmit an Account to the Emperor, in a Memorial; who, fearing that, from such a Spark, the Fire might break out again, which he had been striving to extinguish, injoined _Prætextatus_ to put _Damasus_ forthwith in Possession of that Church; and, in the Execution of this Order, probably happened what we find related, perhaps with some Exaggeration, by the Two Writers I have often quoted; for they tell us, that one Day, while the Followers of _Ursinus_ were assembled, in great Numbers, in the Church of _St. Agnes_, _Damasus_, falling unexpectedly upon them with his Satellites, made a dreadful Havock of the innocent and defenceless Multitude[1016]. After this Second Massacre _Prætextatus_, to secure the Tranquillity of the City, sent several more of the Party of _Ursinus_ into Exile. _Valentinian_, however, would not consent to their being confined to any particular Place; but gave them full Liberty to live where they pleased, provided they kept out of _Rome_[1017]. The two Writers add, that the Cruelties exercised in the Church of _St. Agnes_ gave great Offence to the Bishops of _Italy_; and that _Damasus_ having invited some of them to _Rome_, to solemnize with him the Anniversary of his Consecration, he laid hold of that Opportunity to solicit them with Intreaties, nay, and to tempt them with Money, to condemn _Ursinus_; but all in vain; the Bishops equally unmoved by his Prayers and Offers, refusing, with great Firmness and Resolution, to condemn a Man whom they had not heard. _Marcellinus_ and _Faustinus_ close their Preface with a short Account of themselves, telling us, that the Presbyters of _Ursinus_’s Party were imprisoned, racked, banished, dispersed, and sent into different Countries; and that they themselves, who were of that Number, presented a Petition to the Emperors, begging them to put a Stop to so cruel a Persecution[1018]. [Sidenote: Damasus _assembles a Council at_ Rome.]