The Brutish Thunderbolt, Declaration 1 · Part 24
By this compariſon it is euident, by what deceit, and how wicked policies the papacie did vſe to obtaine that higheſt lordſhip of Italie. For as the true emperor Conſtantine l. ſcripturae, 14. c. de fide inſtru.ſaith in Iuſtinian, Diuers writings, and ſuch as diſcredit one another, can hauehave no l. ſi is qui 13. § vtrum, D. de rebus dubijs. l. vbi pugnam. 188. D. de reg. iur.ſtrength: ſéeing that two ſpéeches containing contrarie things cannot bée true. Therefore ſo often as there be manie inſtruments of one and the ſame act, they muſt agrée togither in as many words: though an error in ſome little mark be tollerable, as if L be written for C. * But an l. Sempronius, 47. D. de leg. 2.error in the note of the nūber is one thing, & the diuerſitie in the things themſelues is another thing, as in this place, where in one inſtrument there be only certaine places néere to Rome named, in the other beſides the greateſt part of Italie, there is mention made of Sicilia, Sardinia, and Corcyra: in which caſe bicauſe they be diuers donations, there were diuers inſtruments required *. Finally, if Conſtantine l. ſancimus, 34. §. ſi quis autem, C. de dona. l. quingenta, 12. D. de probat.had giuen to the papacie the empire of the weſt, ſo long before, what new right could the pope get by this new donation of Ludouike? Séeing that as it is commonly ſaid, There is no getting of that which is l. 4. C. de contrah. emp.a mans owne. Fiftly, bicauſe the popes in another place alſo ſpake things contrarie one to another touching this ſame matter. For in the ſame decrée of Gratian *, there 12 q. 1. c. futuram.is extant the teſtimonie of pope Melchias, who held the popes ſea before Sylueſter, where euen then, I ſay, before the papacie of Sylueſter he maketh mention of this donation of Conſtantine, made euen before his papacie, in theſe words: He gaue very great gifts, and he built the frame of the temple of the first ſea of S. Peter: ſo that he forſooke his imperiall ſeat, and he gaue it to S. Peter and his ſucceſſors that it might profit them. For if Conſtantine made that gift before the times of Melchias, what argument or ſubſtance can this fable of Sylueſter hauehave, who affirmeth that Conſtantine was both baptized by him, and alſo that he gaue him ſo great an empire?
But now we muſt come néerer to the very inſtrument of the donation, and to the words of the hiſtoriographer. For who will thinke it to be a thing like to be true, that a dreame was offered by God to a man that was not onelyonly a painim, and a worſhipper of idols, but alſo to a moſt cruell perſecutor of Chriſtian religion? Or if it had béene offered, who can beléeue that God would not rather hauehave done that by ſome angell, according to the old and perpetuall cuſtome (as the ſcripture doth witnes) than by the apoſtles that were dead? Finally, it is follie to beléeue any thing of dreames without the authoritie of the ſcripture. Wherefore no man ought to doubt, but that this inſtrument came out of the ſame ſhop, whence innumerable other ſuch inuentions, fictions, and lies of the papacie came, ſuch as is that in Antoninus: As Dominick was at Rome, and made Par. 3. tit. 14. §. 3.his praier in the cathedrall church of S. Peter for the preſeruation and dilating of his order, the hand of the Lord was vponupon him, and he ſaw the glorious princes Peter and Paul comming to him: of whom Peter ſeemed to deliuer him a ſtaffe and Paul a booke ſaieng: Go, preach: bicauſe thou art choſen of God for this miniſterie. Or that other of pope Stephen the ſecond, in Reginon in his chronicle, anno 753. where pope Stephen, to whom Pipinus gaue the Exarchate of Italie (as I ſaid a little before) writeth, that As he ſlept in the monasterie of S. Dionyſius in the ſtreete of Paris (theſe be his words) vnderunder the bels, he ſaw before the altar S. Peter, and the teacher of the Gentils Paul: whom he knew by their ſcars: for S. Dionyſius was ſlenderer and taller: and that The Lord Peter ſaid, This our brother deſireth to be healed, and that S. Paul anſwered, He ſhall be healed euen now. And that hee drew neere, and laid his hand on the brest of the Lord Dionyſius friendly, and that S. Peter ſaid merily to the Lord Dionyſius: Thy grace is his health. And that by and by the Lord Dionyſius holding in his hand a cenſar and palme, ſaid to the priest and deacon, Begin to pope Stephen, Peace be with thee brother: Feare not: ariſe vp whole. And by and by, ſaith he, I was healed: and I would hauehave fulfilled that which was commanded me: and thoſe that were there ſaid that I was mad, and ſo foorth. Which things are ſo fooliſh and blockiſh, that it ſéemeth that pope Stephen ſought by that inuention to be laughed at. But we are to praiſe God that he hath ſuffered ſo great wickednes to befall blockeheads onelyonly. But moreouer that is not to be omitted touching the ſéeing of the apoſtles Peter and Paul in a dreame, which we read in the booke of the Conformities. Fol. 51.As S. Francis went to Rome, he was ſwéetly imbraced of the holie apoſtles Peter and Paul, and there Peter and Paul being requeſted by Francis did obtaine of Chriſt the confirmation of the rule of the Minorits.
The ſeuenth, bicauſe it is not likely that Conſtantine the great was ſicke of the leproſie, foraſmuch as neither Euſebius who wrote his life in fiue bookes carefully, as I hauehave already ſaid, neither Zoſimus, who for hatred of religion doth raile vponupon Conſtantine ſo much as euer he can, neither Paulus Diaconus, neither any other maketh any mention of that diſeaſe: to omit the argument of Baptiſt Mantuan *, who de patient. 1. cap. 30. Plin. lib. 21. cap. 1.after he had taught out of Plinie * that that kind of diſeaſe was long ago extinguiſhed in Italie, he inferreth thus: If therefore in the time of Plinie who floriſhed vnderunder Veſpaſian, this diſeaſe was now extinguiſhed in Italie, it is not likely that Conſtantine had it, who reigned long time after.
The eight, bicauſe there is a wicked inuention and lie added afterward in that place, and ſuch as the eares and minds of Chriſtians doe loath, that Conſtantine whiles he was in the font baptized by the pope, ſaw the hand of God ſent down from heauen vponupon his bodie, which clenſed him from his leproſie. Being put into the font, ſaith he, I ſaw an hand with mine owne eies touching me out of heauen, vnderunder which I knew I was cleanſed from leproſie. For who ſéeth not that this inuention is of the ſame ſort, whereof thoſe be, which we read euerywhere in the booke of the Conformities of Francis, or in the life of Dominick?
The ninth, bicauſe it is not likely that pope Sylueſter and his deacons would be ſo improuident, that they would baptize Conſtantine a moſt deadly enimie to Chriſtians, and eſpecially to the church of Rome, ſo ſoone and ſuddenly after he had told them his dreame, and would not firſt teach him the myſteries of Chriſt and religion, as they vſe to do to thoſe whom they catechize. Moreouer, Zoſimus an enimie to Chriſtian religion, as I ſaid, reporteth that he was taught that religion by a certaine Spaniard, and learned how great the force therof was in blotting out mens ſinnes: and that then he baniſhed out of his court ſoothſaiers, and flamines, and other prieſts of the Romiſh ſuperſtitions.
The tenth, bicauſe principall authors and hiſtoriographers do witnes, that Conſtantine onelyonly a little before his death, and in the yéere of his age 65. was baptized, and that not at Rome, neither yet by Sylueſter the pope, who was dead almoſt fiue yéeres before, but at Nicomedia, by Euſebius of Nicomedia, in a great aſſemblie of biſhops. Thus writeth Euſebius in his fourth booke of his life. Hierome in his Chronicles. Rufinus in his firſt booke and eleuenth chapter. Socrates in his firſt book chapter 39. Theodoret in his firſt booke chapter 31. Ambroſe in his booke of the death of Theodoſius. Neither muſt we giuegive credence to Nicephorus, who in his ſeuenth booke & 35. chapter, when he writeth that he was baptized at Rome, addeth afterward that he followeth the church of Rome therein as his authour. Eſpeciallie ſéeing Vincentius in his 24. booke of hiſtories, feared not to write according to S. Hierome, that Conſtantine did truellie murder his wife Fauſta, and his ſon Criſpus, and that in the later end of his life, he was baptized by Euſebius biſhop of Nicomedia.
The eleuenth bicauſe it is not likelie, if Conſtantine had appointed to cure his diſeaſe with the warme blood of infants, either that he would hauehave their throtes cut openlie by the prieſts of the Capitolium, or that he néeded ſo much blood that a whole ceſterne might be filled therewith.
No more credible is that, that Conſtantine did ſo long oppugne chriſtian religion, but that he had hard ſomwhat of Peter and Paul, moſt famous Apoſtles of Chriſt: and that he was not ſo vnſkilfull in chriſtian affaires, that after he was raiſed out of that dreame he ſhould aſke of Silueſter what gods they were, that were called Peter and Paul: for though he had learned nothing ſaue the viſion only, it is not likely that Peter & Paul did boaſt themſelues before him for gods.
The thirtéenth, bicauſe it had bin a wicked thing to hauehave acknowledged that he had receiued the benefite of his health, rather at the hands of Peter who was Gods meſſenger, than from God himſelfe, from whom Peter was ſent to him. Secondly to Peter alone, rather than to Peter & Paul iointly. For he vſeth theſe words: And by the benefits of the ſame Peter I felt the health of my bodie returne most fully and perfectly.
Alſo that is more abſurde that is written, that Conſtantine hauing fiue ſons, did notwithstanding according to the ſentence of all his dukes (which word is altogither new, geaſon, and vnuſed in the lawes and moniments of the emperors of Rome) and of his whole ſenate and nobles, and of all the people that was in ſubiection to the Romane empire, gaue halfe his empire to a ſeelie poore priest: ſéeing al men know, that the ſenate of Rome retained their countrey ſuperſtitions, not onelyonly at that time, but alſo vntill the empire of Valentinian: which we vnderſtand by the epiſtle of Simmachus, writtē to the emperors Valentinian, Theodoſius and Arcadius *, wherein in the Lib. 10. Epist. 54.name of the ſenate of Rome he praieth them that ſuperſtition and worſhipping of Idols may be reſtored againe in the citie of Rome: whom S. Ambroſe in two epiſtles written to the ſame emperor Valentinian, and Aurelius Prudentius, in godly and fine verſes anſwereth.
As abſurd is it, and altogither vnméete for a chriſtian biſhop, which followeth, that Conſtantine did not onelyonly giuegive power equall with his imperiall power to pope Sylueſter, but alſo greater principalitie of power, than ſaith he, our princely ſoueraigntie is knowne of all men to hauehave. And ſhortlie after. Giuing him power and dignitie of glorie, ſtrength, efficacie, and honor imperiall. Touching which matter, and the ambition of the popes, it is woorth the paines to heare the iudgement of Barnard abbat of Clareuall, written to Eugenius the pope, in his ſecond booke of conſideration. Learne, ſaith he, by the example of the prophets to ſit as chiefe, not ſo much to beare rule, as to do that which time requireth. Learne that thou hast need of a weedhook, not of a ſcepter, that thou maist do the worke of a prophet. Alſo, Admit, thou doſt take theſe things thy ſelf by ſom other meanes, yet not by apostolike right. For Peter could not giuegive thee that he had not: that he had he gaue, carefulnes for the churches. Did he giuegive lordſhip? Heare what he ſaith: Not as ouer Gods heritage, but being a patterne to the flock. And leaſt thou think it to be ſpoken onelyonly in humilitie, and not in truth, it is the voice of the Lord in the Goſpell: The kings of the nations reign ouer thē, but you ſhal not do ſo. It is plain, the apoſtles are forbidden lordſhip. Therfore go thou: & vſurpe greedilie to thy ſelfe either lording it apostleſhip, or being apostolike lordſhip. Thou art flatlie forbidden to do either. If thou wilt hauehave both togither, thou ſhalt looſe both.
No more tollerable is it that he addeth, that he giueth to the pope of Rome principalitie ouer foure principall ſeas, of Antiochia, Alexandria, Conſtantinople and Hieruſalem. Wherein we finde not onelyonly manifeſt, but alſo ridiculous falſehoode. Firſt, bicauſe there was not as yet anie Conſtantinople: which began to be builded afterward in the tenth yéere of the empire of Conſtantine, as Nicephorus witneſſeth *, Lib. 8. cap. 4.and all the citizens were for the moſt part giuen to idolatrie at that time. So far off is it, that there was there either any church or any mother-citie of the churches, or prerogatiue.
Alſo that is leſſe tollerable that followeth, that the pope of Rome is placed ouer all churches in the whole world. For I omit that which we ſhewed in another place, that this is a moſt true & moſt certain mark of antichriſt, whē any man taketh to himſelfe principality ouer al churches. But we plainly ſée notorious madnes of the popes in this place, which alſo we touched briefly in another place, ſéeing they auouch out of this inſtrument, that they had that principalitie by the gift of Conſtantine, which notwithſtanding in infinite other places they boaſt they had immediately from Chriſt himſelf. For, as all men know, that which is euerie mans owne, cannot be his own by many cauſes, for as much as lordſhip or maſterſhip commeth not by manie cauſes, but onelyonly by one *. And it is ridiculous that they bring l. …. §. ex pluribus. D de acq. poſſ. 18.in Conſtantine boaſting thus of himſelfe, That, In building the church of Rome, he bare vp vponupon his owne ſhoulders twelue baskets of earth, being equall in number to the twelue Apoſtles. For ſéeing that he doth ſo often giuegive greater honor to Peter alone than iointlie to all the other eleuen, did not the reaſon of the proportion require, that he ſhould carrie vp more baſkets full of earth in honor of him alone, than of all the reſt?
And no leſſe ridiculous is that which he addeth afterward, that, For continuing thoſe lights which did burne in that temple, he gaue not onelyonly lands and poſſeſſions, but alſo he gaue thereto his libertie, that is his right & power, in the eaſt, weſt, north and ſouth climate; namelie in Iudea, Aſia, Thracia, Graecia, Africa, Italie, and in diuers Iles: that they may be diſpoſed by the hands of S. Syluester, and of all his ſucceſſors. Theſe things writeth the pope in as manie words and ſillables: wherby we may vnderſtand, that thoſe tapers and lights were woonderfull déere: for maintaining wherof the tributes and yéerly reuenues of the whole world, and ſpecially of fower parts thereof muſt be giuen. And not onelyonly ſo, but alſo bicauſe the faithfulnes of treaſurers is ſomtime had in ſuſpicion in ſuch a caſe, it is reported that Conſtantine appointed that when hée was dead, the gouernment and diſpenſation of thoſe reuenues ſhould be committed to the popes themſelues. So that it ſéemeth that it cannot eaſily be iudged, whether the impudencie of the popes that ſéeke to inforce vponupon vsus theſe old wiues fables, or the madnes of thoſe men, if euer they beléeued an old wiues fable ſo fooliſh, was greater.
Furthermore, as ridiculous and falſe is that which followeth, touching the tenne gifts which the pope ſaith were beſtowed vponupon him by Conſtantine. The firſt, the Lateran pallace. 2. the crowne of gold. 3. the miter. 4. the imperiall collar. 5. the purple robe. 6. the ſcarlet cote. 7. the imperiall attire. 8. pompe of horſemen going before him. 9. the imperial ſcepter. 10. al inſignes, banners, and ſtanderds. Therefore admit that Peter the apoſtle was in times paſt ſhriueled, old, clad in a patched cote like a fiſherman: his vicar will now wander throughout the whole world in broidered garments, clad in princely apparell, enuironed with a troupe of footemen and horſemen, with a fower ſquare traine, with pompe and great preparation. How much better is the ſtate of the chiefe vicar of the chiefe of the apoſtles, than of the chiefe apoſtle himſelfe? O almighty God, how great is thy clemency, gentlenes, patience, which doſt ſo long ſuffer that filth and brothelhouſe, to mocke thy Chriſt ſo fréely? O miſerable kings and princes, which do ſo long licke the fowle and filthie flowres of that whoore! O good Ieſus, how great difference was there betwéene that thy ſhow and ſhape, and the pride of that cruell and vile tyrant! There was, ſaith Eſaias, no beautie in Christ, no comlines. When we ſaw him, we turned away our eies and countenance. An abiect, and contemned of men, full of ſorrowes, troubled with continuall diſeaſes, hiding away his face from vsus. So deſpiſed, that he is counted as nothing. And will anie man woonder that the pope durſt boaſt, that Conſtantine called him God? For in this diſtinction 96, c. ſatis. he writeth thus: It is ſufficiently prooued, that the pope can neither be bound nor looſed at all by the ſecular power, who, as appéereth, was called of the godly prince Conſtantine, God, ſéeing it is manifeſt that euen God cannot be iudged of men. But it is woorth the paines to heare the iudgement of the doctor Bernard touching all this kind of pompe, who in his fourth booke of conſideration, writeth to pope Eugenius in theſe words: It is not knowne that Peter at any time came foorth bedeckt either with pearles or ſilke: he was not couered with gold, not carried on a white horſe, not garded with ſoldiers, neither inuironed with ministers making a blundering about him. Without theſe he both beleeued that the holeſome commandement might well be fulfilled. If thou louelove me, feede my ſheepe. Alſo in another place: Conſider before all things that the holie church of Rome ouer which thou art placed by God, is the mother, not the mistreſſe or ladie of churches: and thou thy ſelfe art not the lord of the biſhops, but one of them. Thus ſaith Bernard: but what will we ſay of the clauſe following? where Conſtantine after that princely inueſting of pope Sylueſter, addeth, that he held the popes bridle with his hand, For reuerence of S. Peter, and that he ſerued him as an apparitor. Wo, wo to that bewitching whoore, whoſe filthie flowers ſo great princes do ſo licouriſhly licke ſo long. For pope Stephen the ſecond ſuffered king Pipinus to giuegive him this ſelfe ſame honor néer to Paris. Alexander the third would hauehave had the emperor Friderike to hauehave done the like, ſo that it is not without cauſe that S. Hierom in the prolog of the holie Ghoſt, doth in plaine words call Rome Babylon, and that purple whoore, which is deſcribed in the Reuelation. But let vsus againe heare the iudgement of the foreſaide Bernard touching all this kind, who writeth thus: They go honored for the goods of the Lord, VponUpon the Cantic. ſer. 33.which Lord they do not honor. Thence commeth that whooriſh glistering which thou ſeest daily, that ſtagelike apparell, that princely preparation, thence is that gold in his bridle, ſadle, and ſpurs, and his ſpurs ſhine brighter than the altars. Thence are his gorgious tables, and coſtly meates, and cups. Thence come banqueting and droonkennes. Thence are the lute, harpe, and pipe. Thence are the ouerflowing winepreſſes, and full ſellers, one filling another. Thence are the fats of ſpices and ointments, thence are the ſtrouting pouches. Fie for ſhame! Prouoſts of churches, deanes, archdeacons, biſhops, archbiſhops will be and are ſuch. For theſe things do not giuegive place to that buſines that walketh by darke: and by and by after: FOR HE IS ANTICHRIST. Did euer either Luther, or any other ſuch as did inueigh againſt the papacie, bring foorth any more plaine or vehement thing to accuſe the pope of Rome of the crime of Antichriſtianiſme?
But let vsus hold on. For this ſéemeth not ynough for the purple whoore: for in the verſe following ſhe maketh Conſtantine ſay thus: We giuegive the clerks that ſerue the church of Rome the ſame glorie, and power, and preeminence, which our most honorable ſenate hath: and we decree that the clergie of the church of Rome be worſhipped, euen as the imperiall armie. Therefore the cardinals and other clerks truſting to this libertie, will héereafter go either to preach the Goſpell, or to ſing and ſay their maſſes furniſhed and armed with breſt-plates, helmets, tergats, ſwords, & with other weapons. OnelyOnly ſo? Yea (ſaith he) as the emperor his power is adorned with diuers offices of chamberlaines, door-keepers, and garders, ſo we wil hauehave the holie church of Rome garded and adorned, and that they ride vponupon horſes most white, and that like as our ſenate vſeth ſhooes with latchets: * ſo let them be clad in most white linnen. Is there any of ſo great a number of the Senators of the king of France, who when he remembreth the humilitie and modeſtie of Chriſt and his apoſtles, doth not with all praiers deteſt this pride and hautines of the popes?
Moreouer he ſaith, that if the pope will chooſe any of Conſtantines ſenators into the order of the clergie, let them not proudly refuſe that honor. With a miſchiefe, what tyrannous barbariſme is this, that it is lawful for any college of clerks to chooſe at their pleaſure any one of the order of the ſenators, whom they will alſo make a clerke or munke againſt his will?
He procéedeth: and that the lawiers may remember that a doubled ſpéech hath greater force, he ſaith again, that he giueth both his pallace, and citie of Rome, and the prouinces, places, and cities of all Italie, and of the weſt countries, to all the popes of Rome, vntil the end of the world. Moreouer, he adioineth the forme of his grant and deliuery, that he may afterward tranſlate himſelfe vntounto the Eaſt countries, hauing left the empire of the Weſt in the popes poſſeſſion, and that he may place the ſea of his empire in Bizantia: adding moreouer a very fit cauſe: Bicauſe, ſaith he, it is an vnmeet thing, that an earthly king ſhould beare rule in that countrie, where the head of Christian religion, and the principalitie of priests is placed by the king of heauen. He did excellently make himſelfe the beginning of this ſentence: for in the time of Conſtantine, that is, two hundred yéeres before Iuſtinian, the deliuerance of the emptie poſſeſſion was requiſite to make a donation: but there be many other things that do diſturbe the matter. Firſt bicauſe if Conſtantine gaue to Sylueſter the emptie poſſeſſion of that countrie, he could not afterward in his will leaue it to his ſonne Conſtantius: ſéeing the alienation of any thing made among thoſe that are aliue, doth leaue no place for making anie will l. 6. c. de test. l. ſequens. 52. D. de leg. 2.thereof *. But if the donation were made after that diuiſion made among his ſons, it was plainly void, and of none effect: bicauſe the diuiſion that a father maketh among his ſonnes, hath the force of a teſtament, l pen. & l. vlt. C. fam. exciſc. cum ſimilibus.and therefore of a laſt will. Secondly, with what godlines could Conſtantine who had thrée ſonnes and two daughters, do ſo great iniurie to his children, as to depriue them of halfe their inheritance, and to giuegive the ſame to a ſtranger eſpecially to a wretch and vile perſon? For that is a pretie ſaieng of Auguſtine: Whoſoeuer he be that will diſinherit his ſonne, and make the church his heire, let him ſeek another to take it than Augustine. Where alſo the fact of that 17. q. vlt. c. vlt.biſhop is cōmended, who reſtored al again to a certaine teſtator, who hauing no children left his goods to the church, & then afterward had children contrarie to his hope and expectation. Which ſelfe ſame thing is ſet downe, 13. q. 2. c. ſi quis iraſcitur. But nothing is ſo ridiculous, as is that reaſon of his purpoſe, which the counterfet Conſtantine addeth: That it is vnmeet, that in the ſame citie wherein a prieſt ſitteth as chiefe, the emperor ſhould hauehave the ſea of his empire. Wo to thy head moſt holie hangman. For what ſhall we ſay of Salomon, of Aza, of Iozia, and other godlie kings of the Iſraelites, who placed the ſea of their kingdome at Ieruſalem? What of Theodoſius, who had his at Mediolanum? But that we may not go far for examples, what ſhall we ſay of Conſtantius ſonne to Conſtantinus, who according to his fathers teſtament did not onelyonly exerciſe his empire and iuriſdiction at Rome, but alſo he put from the popedome, and thruſt out of Rome pope Liberius for taking vponupon him the defence of Anaſtaſius a biſhop a certaine magician & ſacrilegious perſon? as Theodoricus, Zozomenus, and Ammian. Marcellin. lib. 15, hauehave left it written. But now let vsus returne to our purpoſe, for laſt of all there is a fearfull decrée ſet downe: If any, ſaith he, of our ſucceſſors ſhall be a violater or contemner, let him be ſubiect to eternall damnation, being inſnarled, and let him burne in the neathermost hell with the diuell and the wicked. But Conſtantine brought this curſe firſt vponupon himſelfe: who (as we ſaid euen now) in his laſt wil gaue the empire of the Weſt to his eldeſt ſon: finally, he was bound with the ſame curſe, whoſoeuer poſſeſſed as his owne either the Weſt, or any part of the Weſt, either by the name of king, or duke, or by any other name. And by this reaſon there hath béene none that hath béene king either of France or Spain héertofore, that burneth not in the neathermoſt hel with the diuell and all the wicked.
And now can we find any ſo ignorant of the Latin toong, that ſéeth not, that the maner of ſpéech which the writer of the ſame inſtrument vſeth, is far vnlike to the cuſtome of that age? Which part of reprehenſion Platina did not omit in that Sylueſter. But Laurentius Valla a man of moſt ſharpe iudgement in this kinde did more at large proſecute it. Whereto we will adioine this one thing: if anie man conſider the maner of phraſe wherein the lawes of Conſtantine are written in the booke of Theodoſianus, and Iuſtinian: he ſhal ſoone perceiue without any great ado, that this inſtrument came out of the ſame ſhop which we ſhewed before, out of the Conformities of Francis, or out of the life of Dominick. And we muſt not paſſe ouer with ſilence another coſoning knacke of a certain latter pope (of Leo the 10. as it ſéemeth) who to the end he might with ſome color couer that corruptiō of ſpéech & baſenes of ſtile, he heaped falſehood vponupon falſehood. For he ſuborned a certaine hungrie Grecian called Bartholomew Picernus, and afterward Auguſtine Steuchus the maiſter of his librarie, to ſaie, that they found in I cannot tell what librarie of the popes, that inſtrument written in the Gréeke toong, and that then they tranſlated it ſomwhat more fitly into the Latine toong. Which inuention Gregorie the 13. hath now of late confirmed in the laſt edition of the decrée of Gratian. But all the lawes of Conſtantine are extant in the foreſaid bookes of Theodoſianus and Iuſtinian, written in the Latin toong: though they were publiſhed both at Conſtantinople, and in a citie of the Grecians, and among the Grecians. Furthermore Euſebius, in his thirde booke of the life of Conſtantinus, hath recorded, that he ſpake in Latine in the Nicene ſynode. And in the ſecond booke he witneſſeth, that he turned into Gréek, his epiſtles and decrées which were written in Latine: ſo that ſom man may ſuſpect, that either he neuer wrote that inſtrument in Gréeke, or, if he wrote it both in Gréeke and Latine, that ſurelie he did not vſe that Beotian and fooliſh kind of phraſe. But now it ſéemeth that we hauehave ſpoken ſufficiently of the falſehoode and wicked inuention of the popes touching the donation of Conſtantine: ſo that al men may plainly ſée, that the whole papacie, which reſted onelyonly vponupon this foundation, cannot ſtand any longer, foraſmuch as the foundation is taken away.