The Brutish Thunderbolt, Declaration 1 · Part 23
The crime of Forgerie.
IT reſteth that we ſpeake of that crime, which we ranged in the laſt place, ſo briefly as we can: namely, of forgerie, or of falſe and corrupt writings. And wée hauehave very many teſtimonies euerie where of this wickednes, and eſpecially out of the pontificall decrée of Gratian, which is full of ſuch corruptions and forgeries. Wherof we will onelyonly ſet downe a few, as for examples ſake, and firſt of al that inſtrument of the donation of Conſtantine, wherein the pope affirmeth that that emperor gaue him, the citie of Rome, and alſo Italie, Sicilia, Sardinia, Spaine, Germanie, and Britaine *: and more fully and at large in Dist. 96. c. Constantinus.Bartholomew Picerne, and Auguſtine Steuche, which affirmed that that inſtrument was found at Rome in the popes librarie, written in Gréeke, and they publiſhed it being tranſlated into Latine. For this is the ſumme thereof: The emperor Conſtantine being an enimie to Chriſtians, and infected with the diſeaſe of leproſie, being in a dreame admoniſhed by Peter and Paul the Apoſtles, that he ſhould commit himſelfe to pope Sylueſter pope of Rome to be clenſed, being foorthwith baptiſed & healed by him, for recompence of ſo great a benefit, he gaue the ſame Sylueſter and his ſucceſſors the citie of Rome, and al the empire of the weſt: alſo his crowne of gold and ſcepter, and the other inſignes of the empire, that the pope of Rome might hauehave greater dignitie, than the emperor himſelfe. Alſo he wiſheth to his ſucceſſors till the end of the world, that they might burne in the lower hell with the diuel and the wicked, vnleſſe they confirme and kéep that donation. Giuen at Rome the third before the Calends of Aprill. Conſtantino A. quater & Gallicano Coſs. Therefore we will prooue by very many arguments, that this inſtrument whereby alone the lordſhip of the popes is vpholden, is falſe, feigned, forged, and cogd in by ſom od pope, euen as the book of the Conformities. The firſt argument is this: That ſéeing there be ſo many hiſtoriographers that wrote the facts of Conſtantine; yet there is no plentifull author that maketh mention of ſo great, ſo bountifull, and of ſo inofficious prodigalitie: amongſt theſe Euſebius who wrote fiue bookes of his life. Alſo Socrates, Theodorit, Euagrius, Rufinus, Eutropius, Paulus Diaconus, Oroſius, Beda, Zonaras, Nicephorus: who, it is not likely, would hauehave paſſed ouer ſo great a matter with ſo great ſilence, if that donation had béene true. Moreouer, the popes of Rome themſelues, who hauehave oftentimes & greatly contended with other biſhops about their power and honor, yet in proſecuting their title, and in publiſhing their inſtruments, they are neuer read to hauehave ſpoken any word of that inſtrument. The ſecond, bicauſe many patrones and defenders of the popes lordſhip do witnes, that all that chapter is wanting in the ancient copies of the decrée of Gratian: and amongſt theſe Antoninus of Florence a biſhop, in the 8. title, and firſt chapter of the firſt hiſtoricall part, and Volateranus where he ſpeaketh of Conſtantine. That chapter, ſaith Antoninus, is not in the ancient decrees. Therefore we are not very ſure what and how much Constantine gaue. But Nicolas Cuſanus in his third booke of the concord of Catholikes, ſaith: Without doubt if that instrument had not been apocryphal, Gratianus would hauehave found it in the old copies, and collections of canons, and bicauſe he found it not, he ſet it not downe. Moreouer Eneas Syluius (he that after he was made pope, was called pope Pius) doth in a certaine dialog which he wrote being as yet cardinall, manifeſtlie conuince that inſtrument of forgerie: and he calleth them blockiſh pelting lawyers, which tooke ſo great paines in diſputing whether that donation be of force, which was neuer made.
The third, bicauſe Euſebius in his 4. booke of the life of Conſtantine hath recorded, that a little before his death, he made this diuiſion of his empire amongſt his ſonnes, he aſſigned to the eldeſt the weſt, to the ſecond the eaſt, to the third, the countrie lieng betwéene. Alſo Socrates. Foraſmuch, ſaith he, as he had three ſonnes, he Hist. eccle. 3. cap. vlt.appointed that euerie one of them ſhould be parteners in his empire. The eldest ſonne being called Constantine after his owne name, of the west parts. The ſecond being called Constantius after his grandfather, did he appoint in the east. And the yoongest named Constans, did he ordaine in the middle region. Alſo, Sextus Aurelius victor ſaith. The gouernment of the Romane empire was brought vntounto three, Conſtantinus, Constantius, and Constans ſonnes of Constantine. All theſe had theſe parts to gouerne. Alſo, Zoſimus. His children ſaith he, hauing gotten the ſucceſſion in the empire did Lib. hist. pr. 2.diuide the nations among them. And Conſtantinus indeed being the eldeſt togither with the yoongest named Conſtans, got al that is beyond the Alpes, and Italie, and Illyricum. Now let vsus conſider the hiſtorie of later times. For as al Chronicle writers do witneſſe, the empire not onelyonly of Italie, but alſo of Rome continued in the gouernment of Conſtantine his ſucceſſours, an hundred and fortie yéeres, vntill the yéere of Chriſt 401. at what time that empire of the weſt began to be troubled with the Gothi, Franci, Alani, Burgundi, Vandales: yet it did alwaies continue vnderunder the dominion of the Romane emperors, vntill the time of the emeperor Auguſtulus, whom Odo king of the Goths droue out of Italie, hauing gotten the citie of Rome, anno. 476. at which time the Romane empire failed in the weſt, the Barbarians raigning both at Rome and alſo in Italy. For the princelie name of the Romanes continued in the power of the poſteritie & ſucceſſors of Odiacrus 325. yéeres. Therfore we may ſée in Caſſiodorus verie many letters of Theodoricus the king, written partlie to the ſenate of Rome, and partly to the people of Rome in the kings name, and by his authoritie: ſo that none can doubt but that both Italie, and the citie of Rome it ſelfe, did continue vnderunder the dominion of the Gothes, and not vnderunder the lordſhip of anie pope: vntill ſuch time as the Gothes being driuen out of Italie by the emperor of Conſtantinople, they began to ſende preſidents into that prouince: which were called Exarchi: who though they had their abode at Rauenna, yet they bare rule in Italie many yéeres. Againe the Longobardi, whoſe reigne began in the yéere 568. kept all Italie, beſides the citie of Rome, two hundred and ſixe yéeres, that is vntill the yéere 744. all which things are gathered out of the writings of Procopius, Iornand, Marcellinus, Paulus Diaconus, and others: ſo that eueryevery man may plainely ſée, that that is falſe which the popes do hold, that their ancetors had their lordſhip either in Italie or in the citie of Rome by the gift of Conſtantine: ſéeing that lordſhip began only in the eight hundred yéere of our ſaluation by Chriſt, by the liberalitie of Pipinus and Charles the great, who gaue the Exarchate which they tooke from the Longobards togither with the citie of Rome, to pope Stephen the ſecond: as Platina, Volateranus, and all other do witneſſe, but eſpeciallie Sabellicus, who beſides the reſt writeth, Ennead. 8. li. 8.that Conſtantine the fourth, the emperour of the eaſt, ſent ambaſſadours vntounto Pipinus into Italie, to intreat him to reſtore to their emperor, Rauenna, and the reſt of the places of the Exarchate which were belonging to the empire (ſo ſaith Sabellicus) and not to the pope. And that Pipinus made anſwere that he went to war neither for Constantine, neither yet for any man, ſaue onelyonly for the church of Rome, and that for that end and purpoſe he had put on armes, that he might ſaue the Apostolike ſea from the iniurie of all mortall men: and that he might bring in ſubiection to the church of Rome, Rauenna and whatſoeuer the Longobards had ſubdued by force and weapon. So that the Grecian Orators returned home hauing vnended their matter. Thus writeth Sabellicus. But Platina ſaith that the Exarchate was taken from Aſtulphus a Longobard, and was giuen to pope Stephen anno 756. and alſo that he gaue the name of emperor to Charles the great, ſonne of Pipinus, which the emperors of the Eaſt did hardly maintaine in thoſe times, that is, anno 801. touching which matter Albertus Krantzius writeth thus: Some do attribute to In Saxon. lib. 2 c. 1.Constantine the great that donation of Italie that was made to the church of Rome, of Italie and Germany, and I wot not of what prouinces: to which let them looke. It was Charles who with the victorie of the Longobards enriched the church of Rome; wheras long before both the Goths had giuen ſomwhat in their time, and the kings of the Longobards ſomwhat alſo.
The fourth, bicauſe the popes themſelues ſpeake contraries touching this donation, and alſo ſuch things as do greatly diſagrée among themſelues. For ſéeing that in this place (that is, in d. c. Conſtantinus, diſt. 96.) they confeſſe that they receiued the Roman kingdome, and that of Italie, and of all the Weſt, from Conſtantine, and in the yéere of Chriſt, 338. they do notwithſtanding in another place commend Ludouicus Pius ſonne of Charles the great as the author of this benefit of theirs, out of the yéere of Chriſt, 835. The impudencie of which falſehood and forgerie that it may the better appéere, we will compare two inſtruments of that donation togither, the which the popes and canoniſts hauehave publiſhed for vsus. For Volateranus ſaith thus: The maister of the librarie Lib. Georg. 3.ſaith much of the godlines of Ludouicus Pius toward the popes of Rome, reckoning vp the cities which he gaue them. I likewiſe hauehave written out a copie out of the copie of the old booke, which is at this day kept in the vatican library, where his donation is recorded.
The edition of the inſtrument by Volaterane.
I Ludouike Emperor do grant to S. Peter the chiefe of the Apoſtles, and by thee to thy vicar the Lord Paſchalis the chiefe biſhop, and to his ſucceſſors for euer, the citie of Rome, with the iuriſdiction thereof, and with all the lands about it, cities, hauens, and places lieng neere to the ſea of Hetruria. Finally, in it the old middle earth city Balneoregium, Viterbium, Saona, Populonia, Roſells, Peruſium, Mathuranum, Sutrium, Campania toward Nepe, Auania, Signia, Ferrentine, Alanum, Patricum, Fruſinonum, with all the townes and villages there about: and alſo the whole exarchate of Rauenna, like as our father of godlie memorie Charles, and alſo Pipinus our grādfather (let the reader note that heere is not a word of Conſtantine) did of late grant it to S. Peter. Namely, Rauenna, Bonicum, Aemilia, the common place of the people, the common place of Iulius, Fauentia, Imola, Romania, Ferraria, Comadum, Adria, Seruia. In March, Piſaurus, Fanus, Senogallia, Ancona, Oximum, Numana, Eſium, Forum Sempronij, Feretrum, Vrbinum, the territorie of Valne, Callium, Luceoli, Eugubium. In Campania Sorum, Aquinum, Arpinum, Thranum, Capua, alſo the patrimonies appertaining to our dominion, that of Beneuenta, Salernita, that of the lower and higher Calabria, and the dukedom of Naples. Moreouer, Spoletinum, Tuderotreculum, Haruia, and the rest of that dominion. Alſo the ilands of the lower ſea Corſica, Sardinia, Cicilia, all which our grandfather of godlie memorie, named Pipinus, and alſo Charles the emperor our father, hauehave by their writing granted to S. Peter and his ſucceſſors, by Athenius and Mainardus the abbats being ſent willingly for this purpoſe: and we alſo do allow and grant the ſame. Furthermore we will that the Councell of Rome hauehave power to chooſe the pope, ſo it be done without diſcord, & afterward after the conſecratiō there be ambaſſadors ſent to vsus & our ſucceſſors the kings of France to make & procure louelove & amity: as the cuſtom was in the time of the L. Charles our gret grandfather, & of Pipinus our grandfather, & laſt of al of Charles our father. Therfor we confirme this our wil by writing and oth, and we hauehave ſent it by our ambaſſador S. R. E. Theodor, to the L. Paſchalis, & I hauehave ſubſcribed it with mine own hand, I LVDOVIKE. Alſo his three ſons ſubſcribed, ten biſhops, eight abbats, fifteen earls, the keper of the library, the Manſionarie & one porter▪ the yeere frō the incarnation was, 835.
The decretall edition of the inſtrument.
I Ludouike Emperor of Rome Auguſtus, do appoint and grant by this couenant of our confirmation, to S Peter the chief of the Apostles, and by thee to thy vicar the Lord Paſchalis, the chiefe biſhop, and to his ſucceſſors for euer, like as from our predeceſſors vntill now yee hauehave kept them in your power & dominion, and hauehave diſpoſed them, the citie of Rome with the dukedome therof, and the ſuburbs, and with al little villages, and hilliſh territories thereof, and the ſea ſhores, and hauens, or with all cities, castels, towns, and villages, in the parts of Tuſcane. Alſo when by the calling of the Lord the biſhop of this most holie ſea ſhall depart this life, let no man of our kingdome either French man or Longobard out of any part that is vnderunder our dominion, hauehave leaue to meet against the Romās either priuatly or publikely, or to make an election: and moreouer, let no man preſume to do any euil in the cities or territories belonging to the power of S. Peter the Apostle: but let the Romans with al reuerence, and without all molestatiō bury their pope honorably: & let it be lawfull without any doubt or contradiction to conſecrate him after the canonicall order, whom all the Romanes by the inſpiration of God, and interceſſion of S. Peter, ſhall with one Councell and conſent without any promiſe, chooſe to the order of the popedome: and when he ſhall be conſecrated, let ambaſſadours bee ſent to vsus or our ſucceſſours the kings of the Frenchmen, that they may conclude friendſhip, louelove, and peace betweene vsus and him.