he restoration of peace and universal freedom. The throne of
that virtuous, though feeble monarch, was usurped by his cousin Gelimer,
a zealous Arian: but the Vandal kingdom, before he could enjoy or abuse
his power, was subverted by the arms of Belisarius; and the orthodox
party retaliated the injuries which they had endured. [90]

[Footnote 89: Such are the contemporary complaints of Sidonius, bishop
of Clermont (l. vii. c. 6, p. 182, &c., edit. Sirmond.) Gregory of Tours
who quotes this Epistle, (l. ii. c. 25, in tom. ii. p. 174,) extorts an
unwarrantable assertion, that of the nine vacancies in Aquitain, some
had been produced by episcopal martyrdoms]

[Footnote 90: The original monuments of the Vandal persecution are
preserved in the five books of the history of Victor Vitensis, (de
Persecutione Vandalica,) a bishop who was exiled by Hunneric; in the
life of St. Fulgentius, who was distinguished in the persecution of
Thrasimund (in Biblioth. Max. Patrum, tom. ix. p. 4-16;) and in the
first book of the Vandalic War, by the impartial Procopius, (c. 7, 8,
p. 196, 197, 198, 199.) Dom Ruinart, the last editor of Victor, has
illustrated the whole subject with a copious and learned apparatus of
notes and supplement (Paris, 1694.)] The passionate declamations of the
Catholics, the sole historians of this persecution, cannot afford
any distinct series of causes and events; any impartial view of the
characters, or counsels; but the most remarkable circumstances that
deserve either credit or notice, may be referred to the following heads;
I. In the original law, which is still extant, [91] Hunneric expressly
declares, (and the declaration appears to be correct,) that he had
faithfully transcribed the regulations and penalties of the Imperial
edicts, against the heretical congregations, the clergy, and the people,
who dissented from the established religion. If the rights of conscience
had been understood, the Catholics must have condemned their past
conduct or acquiesced in their actual suffering. But they still
persisted to refuse the indulgence which they claimed. While they
trembled under the lash of persecution, they praised the laudable
severity of Hunneric himself, who burnt or banished great numbers
of Manichaeans; [92] and they rejected, with horror, the ignominious
compromise, that the disciples of Arius and of Athanasius should enjoy a
reciprocal and similar toleration in the territories of the Romans, and
in those