_Maximus_, surnamed the _Cynic_, because he had from his Youth professed the Philosophy, and wore the Habit, of that Sect, was a Man of a most infamous Character, and had been publicly whipt in _Egypt_, his native Country, and confined to the City of _Oasis_, for Crimes not to be mentioned[1175]. Being released from his Banishment, he wandered all over the East, and was every where equally abhorred and detested on account of his matchless Impudence and scandalous Manners[1176]. At last he repaired to _Constantinople_, where he had not been long, when, by one of the boldest Attempts mentioned in History, he caused himself to be installed and ordained Bishop of that City: for the Doors of the Church being broken open in the Dead of the Night, by a Band of _Egyptian_ Mariners, he was placed on the Episcopal Chair in the profane Dress of a _Cynic_, by some Bishops whom his Friends had sent out of _Egypt_ for that Purpose. But the People, and some of the Clergy, in the adjoining Houses, being alarmed at the Noise, and crouding to see what occasioned it, _Maximus_ and his unhallowed Crew thought fit to withdraw, and complete the Ceremony in a Place better adapted to such a Scene of Profaneness, the House of a Player on the Flute[1177]. _Maximus_, thus ordained, in equal Defiance of the Imperial Laws and Canons of the Church, had the Assurance to claim the See of _Constantinople_ as his Right, and to protest against the Election of _Gregory Nazianzen_, and likewise of _Nectarius_, who was chosen upon the Resignation of _Gregory_, tho’ they had both been named to that Dignity by the Council of _Constantinople_, that is, by all the Eastern Bishops. But no Regard being had to his Protest, nay, his Ordination being declared null by the Council, and he driven out of the City by the Populace, and rejected with Indignation by the Emperor, he had recourse to the Bishops of the Vicariate of _Italy_, then assembled in Council with _Ambrose_ Bishop of _Milan_ at their Head, as I have observed above. [Sidenote: _He is acknowleged by_ Ambrose, _and the_ Italian _Bishops_.] These giving an intire Credit to the Accounts of the lying and deceitful _Cynic_, as they were quite unacquainted with what had passed in the East, not only admitted him to their Communion, but, without farther Inquiry or Examination, acknowleged him for lawful Bishop of _Constantinople_, and writ the above-mentioned Letter to _Theodosius_ in his Behalf[1178]. We must not confound this Council with that of _Aquileia_, as I find most Writers have done: for the latter was composed of almost all the Western Bishops under _Valerian_ Bishop of the Place; whereas the Council I am now speaking of, consisted only of the Bishops of the Vicariate of _Italy_, under the Bishop of _Milan_ their Metropolitan. It is surprising that _Ambrose_, and the other Bishops of that Council, should not have been better informed with respect to the Ordination of _Maximus_, since _Acholius_ Bishop of