nfluence of the Ambrosian chants when first introduced at
Milan by the great bishop whose name they bear; there they are in use
still, in all the majestic austerity which gave them their original
power, and a great part of the Western Church uses that modification of
them which Pope Gregory introduced at Rome in the beginning of the
seventh century.

4.

Ambrose implies, in the sermon from which extracts were given above,
that a persecution, reaching even to the infliction of bodily
sufferings, was at this time exercised upon the bishops of the
Exarchate. Certainly he himself was all along in imminent peril of his
life, or of sudden removal from Milan. However, he made it a point to
frequent the public places and religious meetings as usual; and indeed
it appears that he was as safe there as at home, for he narrowly escaped
assassination from a hired ruffian of the Empress's, who made his way to
his bed-chamber for the purpose. Magical arts were also practised
against him, as a more secret and certain method of ensuring his
destruction.

I ought to have mentioned, before this, the challenge sent to him by the
Arian bishop to dispute publicly with him on the sacred doctrine in
controversy; but was unwilling to interrupt the narrative of the contest
about the Basilica. I will here translate portions of a letter sent by
him, on the occasion, to the Emperor.

"To the most gracious Emperor and most happy Augustus Valentinian,
Ambrosius Bishop,--

"Dalmatius, tribune and notary, has come to me, at your Majesty's
desire, as he assures me, to require me to choose umpires, as
Auxentius[365] has done on his part. Not that he informed me who
they were that had already been named; but merely said that the
dispute was to take place in the consistory, in your Majesty's
presence, as final arbitrator of it.

"I trust my answer will prove sufficient. No one should call me
contumacious, if I insist on what your father, of blessed memory,
not only sanctioned by word of mouth, but even by a law:--That in
cases of faith, or of ecclesiastics, the judges should be neither
inferior in function nor separate in jurisdiction--thus the
rescript runs; in other words, he would have priests decide about
priests. And this extended even to the case of allegations of wrong
conduct.

"When was it you ever heard, most gracious Emperor, that in a
question