PRISCILLIANISTS

In Ecclesiastical History, heretics of the 4th century; so named from Priscilllan, bishop of Atila in Spain, who was put to death in A.D. 382 by Maximus, tyrant of Gaul, for heresy, on the accusation of another bishop, Iihacius: one of the earliest instances of persecution 10 death for that offence. The opinions of Priscillian and his followers are said to have been Manichcenn; but it is remarkable that Snip. Severus, himself sufficiently zealous against their doctrines, admits that their persecutor Iihacius was:\ man of disreputable character, and that purity and austerity of manners were often sufficient with him to ground an accusation of Prisciilianism. This affords a [s. 1001]