in quoquo conuelli Wherfore afore the lyuyng god which hath coÌ„maunded vs to reygne afore his terrible dredfull iugement we obtest require all our successours the eÌ„perours all the optimates the dukes erls also the most noble senatours all the people in the hole worlde which now are or herafter shall be that none of theÌ„ all any maner way infriÌ„ge or breake this oure priuylege or minysshe it in anye poynte How resonable howe deuoute godly an adiuration is this euen moche lyke as if the wolfe shulde obtest besech other wolues the shepeherds by his owne innoceÌ„cie fidelyte that y e fermer sorte that is to wit the wolues wyll nat attempte nor enterprise to take away that the latter sorte that is to wit the shepeherdes wyll nat go aboute to aske requyre agaiÌ„e the shepe whiche he hath takeÌ„ hath deuyded among his sonnes and his frendes Why are you so greatly afrayde O Constantyne If that whiche you do be of god it can nat be dyssolued or fordone But if it be nat of god youre worke or dede shall now staÌ„de But I se perceyue right well you dyd coueyte to couÌ„terfeyte y e wordes of the apocalipse where it is sayde I testify to him that hereth all the wordes of y e prophecie of this boke if any maÌ„ shall adde or put to any thing to these god shal adde or put vnto him y e plages written in thys boke And if any man shal minissh any thing of y e wordes of the prophecie of this boke god shall take away his ê‘te out of y e boke of lyfe out of y e holy cyte But you neuer red y e Apocalipse wherfore these were nat your wordes ¶ Si quis auteÌ„ quod non credimê° in hoc temerator extiterit aeternis coÌ„deÌ„nationibê° subiaceat coÌ„deÌ„natus et sanctos dei apostolos PetruÌ„ PauluÌ„ sibi in praesenti in futura vita sentiat contrarios Atque in inferno inferiori scêª concrematus cuÌ„ diabolo oiÌ„bus deficiat impits But if any man which thinge we do nat suppose shall breake or violate this priuilege let him lye condeÌ„ned vnder euerlastyng condeÌ„nations let him finde fele the holy Apostles of god Peter Paule enemyes to hiÌ„ both in this ê‘seÌ„te lyfe in the lyfe to come And beyng brente in the depest hell let him dye eternally banisshed be he for euermore from the syght of god with the deuyll all wycked persons This fearfull senteÌ„ce coÌ„mination it nat wonte to be vsed of any Caesar or seculare prince but of the prestes of the false goddes in olde tyme now of the ecclesiastical persons These ar nat therfore the wordes of Constantine but of some folyshe clerke which wotteth neither what he speaketh neither how he speketh but which beyng fatte and well fedde in the myddes of his surfettyng in the great heate of wyne belcheth forth suche sentences suche wordes as these are which lyght nat vpon any other man but are tourned agayn vpon him y e speketh theÌ„ Fyrste he sayth Eternis condeÌ„nationibê° subiaceat let hiÌ„ be subiected to euerlastyng coÌ„deÌ„nations Afterwardes as if more might be put to for y e augmeÌ„tatioÌ„ thereof he coueteth to adde other thiÌ„ges And after y e eternal paines he ioyneth to y e paines of this pÌ„sente lyfe And whaÌ„ he hath put vs in feare w t y e coÌ„deÌ„natioÌ„ of god yet afterwardes as if this were a gretter thiÌ„ge he maketh vs afraide w t y e hatred euyll wyll of Peter to whoÌ„ wherfor he doth ioine Paul or why hiÌ„ alone I can nat tell Agayn after his olde letharge and maner of forgettynge hym selfe he retourneth agayn to the euerlasting paines as if he had nat spokeÌ„ of theÌ„ before But if these were the threttes and execrations or cursynges of CoÌ„stantyne I wolde curse him agayn as beyng a tyrante and the destroyer of my coÌ„mune weale after the maner of the Romains I wolde threten him that I my selfe wolde be reuenged on him But now who regardeth or setteth any whitte by the execration or curse of the most couetouse felow and which after the maner of stage players countrefayteth and fayneth wordes and wolde make other men afrayde vnder the person of Constantyne This is euen properly to be an hypocryte if we set the oute and consyder well the signifycation of this greke worde hypochrita vnder the ê‘sone of another man to hyde thyne owne ¶ Huius vero impertalis decreti paginam proprus manibus roborantes suê‘ veneraÌ„duÌ„ corpus beati Petri posuimus And we haue streÌ„gthyng fortifyeng the pagyne of this eÌ„periall decree with our owne handes haue layde it vpon the worshipfull corps or bodye of the blessed Peter Was it paper or parchemeÌ„t this pagine wherin these thinges were written How be it a pagine we do cal the one syde of a lefe as a quayer of .x. leues hath .xx. pagines or sydes O thynge which neuer was herde which is vnbeleueable whaÌ„ I was a very yonge man I remeÌ„bre that I demaunded of a certayn persone who hadde written the boke of Iob and whan he hadde made answere that Iob him selfe hadde written it than I sayde to him agayne Howe coulde he than make mention of his owne deth whiche thynge may be sayde also of many other bokes wherof to speke here is no conuenient place for how can y e thynge be truly tolde of any man which thinge is nat yet done or how can y e thynge be coÌ„tayned w t in y e writte which thing as he him self coÌ„fesseth was done after y e burial if I may so say of y e writ This is none other thinge but to say y t the pagine of y e priuilege was dead ye buried afore y t it was borne yet that it dyd neuer retourne after his deth and burial namely seyng that it was roborated and strengthed afore that it was written and that nat with one hande but with both the handes of Cesar And what meanest thou whan thou sayst roboratyng strengthyng was it strengthed with the hande wryttynge of Cesar hiÌ„selfe or els was it sealed with his signet This was a great strengthyng doutles and moche greatter than if he hadde grauen it in tables of brasse But yet neded it nat to wryte them in brasse seyng that the paper was layde vpon the body of blessed Peter why spekest thou here no worde of Paule which lyeth buryed with Peter and they both togeder myght better and more safely kepe it than the body of the one of them alone you see here the craftes and malycious subteltie of this our most wicked and gylefull Synon Because the donation of Constantyne can nat be euydently proued therfore he sayde that the priuilege is nat wrytten in tables of brasse but of paper and it lyeth buried and hydde with the body of
by many ambassadours seÌ„te to Astulphus had requyred y t the places shulde be restored to y e emperiall diction or dominion Astulphus wolde nat in any wise coÌ„sent so to do Steuen weÌ„t to Pipine anoynted him his two soÌ„nes kynges There was also an ambassadour of y e emperours seÌ„te with y e same Steuen they optayned gotte grauÌ„t of Pipine that he shulde briÌ„ge Astulphus in miÌ„de to restore y e places to the empier Pipine seÌ„te ambassadours to Astulphe but all that auayled nat Wherfore bycause he coulde nat by that meane optayne of Astulphe y t restytution shulde be made he made promise to Steuen y t him selfe wold by force of armes take them from Astulphe that he wolde gyue theÌ„ to saiÌ„te Peter Whan y e emê‘ours ambassadour had herde this he retourned home agayn Pipin ê‘fourmed fulfylled those thynges whiche he had ê“mysed and the fourme and maner of this donation or gyfte is coÌ„tayned in y e actes of y e aforsaid Steuen also the ê‘ticulare names of all y e thynges whiche were geueÌ„ zacharie the pope did traÌ„slate the monarchie or kyngdome of FrauÌ„ce vnto Pipin deposiÌ„g fyrst puttyng downe Hilderike the kynge whereof it is redde in the .xv. cause y e .vi. question Alins c. in y e glose VenerabileÌ„ By the reason herof I suppose y e Pipin from theÌ„ce forth did fauour the apostolike see Afterwardes Desiderius kynge of LoÌ„bardie warme recouered agayn by force of armes those cyties or some of theÌ„ in the tyme of Adrian Adrian the pope seÌ„dyng many embasadours vnto hiÌ„ required demauÌ„ded agayn of him the right of saint Peter but he could nat optayne Than Charlemayne of whom Adrian desired ayde and socour recouered the cyties gaue theÌ„ agayn to saint Peter by a soleÌ„pne gyfte or grauÌ„te which is contayned in the actes of the sayd Adrian pope By these thynges it is euydeÌ„te y t ConstaÌ„tine dyd nat gyue the empier to the pope by the duke dome of Rauenna the cyte of Rome the west whereof we do rede that contynually euyn vntil y e times aforesayd the emperours did with full ryght possesse Rome Rauenna Marchia with many other places euyn so as they had before And this is proued by the texte in the .xcvi. distiÌ„ction Bene quideÌ„ c. where it is spokeÌ„ of Patritius which was gouernour or captayne in the name of kyng Adoacre in the lxiii distiÌ„ction Agatho c. And in the xcvi distiÌ„ction CuÌ„ ad veruÌ„ c. And we do rede also that y e popes of Rome did confesse the emê‘ours to be lordes for Agatho the pope writeth vnto ConstaÌ„tine the emê‘our which gathered or asseÌ„bled the vi synode foloweth many yeres after the fyrste of that name how the cyte of Rome is the seruyle cyte of the emperour And Boniface the pope writeth to Honorius y e emê‘our that him selfe ought to gouerne the benefice of the church of Rome in spiritual thiÌ„ges but the emperour ought to gouerne the teÌ„poral thynges in the ende he saith that Rome is the cyte of his mansuetude or mildenes This texte is red in the xCi distiÌ„cion Ecclesiae c. And that I may speke brefly I neuer red the coÌ„trary in any place but y e euermore vntyll the tyme of the aforesayde Pipine the emperour remayned in possession of the places afore named Neither coulde I yet any where rede y t euer any of the popes presumed to haue any ryght or tytle by y e name of saiÌ„t Peter in the sayd places vntill the tyme of Steuen y e .ii. pope of that name These thynges I beleue to be true nat withstaÌ„dyng y e famouse opinion of the contrary which is redde in Palea the xcvi distiÌ„tion ConstaÌ„tinê° c for without doute if that wrytyng had nat beÌ„ apochriphe Gratianus shulde haue fouÌ„de it in the olde bokes collections of the canones but because he dyd nat fynde it therfore he did nat put it theri wherfore those thynges whiche he hath added afterwardes he put that fayned scripture for chaffe euyn so as we do finde many other thiÌ„ges of the apocriphe writyngê to be writteÌ„ in our bokes I haue also fouÌ„de this writiÌ„g set forth of lenght in a certayn boke which coÌ„tayneth moche more than that which is put in the decrees in the place afore alledged whan I had dilygeÌ„tly examined it I fouÌ„de of y e selfe same scripture many manyfeste euideÌ„t argumeÌ„tes tokeÌ„s of the forgynge falsehed of the same whiche nowe to reherce here it shulde be bothe tedyouse also vnprofytable This also is to be marked y t the aforsayd writyng CoÌ„statinê° c. which is had in the xcvi distiÌ„ction is extract drawen out of the legeÌ„de of saint Siluester he whiche dyd put y e texte in y e decree grouÌ„deth the auctorite of it vpoÌ„ the approbation alowyng of Galasius in the Sinode I pray you loke vpon that approbation in the xv distinction Sancta Romana c. it shal be fouÌ„de of small streÌ„gth for he saith that the author therof is vnknoweÌ„ yet y t nat w tstandyng that it is redde among catholyke meÌ„ therfore that it may be redde what maner apê“bation this is euery maÌ„ may considre for there are many histories of saint Siluester One in y e which this is nat fouÌ„de which histori Damasus the pope made Another whose authour is nat knoweÌ„ which the texte saith nat to be true but that it may be redde neither sayth y e texte yet y t this thinge is coÌ„tayned therin Also y e olde auncieÌ„t bokes of y e decrees hath nat y t text but only vnto y e ê‘agraffe Itâ—Ì„ decreta romanorum poÌ„tificuÌ„ c. iÌ„clusiuely And so this ê‘agraffe of y e histori of Sil. is nat fouÌ„de in those bokes Also y e fifth vniuersal Synode which maketh meÌ„tion of y e apê“bate bokes of al lerned authors of y e approued scriptures moreouer y e Synode of Martin y e pope which was made agaynst y e assertioÌ„ of theÌ„ which said y t there was but one wyl in Christ y t is to wit agaiÌ„st Paulus Sergius renuyng y e approued scriptures as I my self haue seen maketh no meÌ„tioÌ„ of these histories neither yet any other apê“ued author or such as is accoÌ„pted for a true author y t euer I sawe maketh any meÌ„tion of theÌ„ I haue redde iÌ„ Vincent in y e xxiiii boke of histories in the ende after the miÌ„de of saynt Ierome y e CoÌ„staÌ„tine cruelly dyd slee his wyfe Fausta his soÌ„ne Crispus And that at y e later eÌ„de of his lyfe after y t he had ben baptyzed of Eusebius bysshop of Nichomedia he declyned to y e heresie of y e Arrians froÌ„ which tyme as saynt Ierome saith spoylyng robbrie
lyberte whom trouthe accompanyeng hath ben her selfe also greatly profytable to the men of your tyme for where tyranny is there can be no peace bycause there is no fydelyte or trustines neither can there be any iustyce or ryghtuousnesse for as moche as euery man hathe nat that whiche is his owne and bycause tyrantes done oppresse the lawes Neither it is laufull there to say the trouthe by cause there is no lyberte But nowe we ben very free at lyberte in dede bycause we haue peace whiche we hauyng shall haue and vse also the studies of peace So than this tranquilyte which coulde nat be had in the tyme of Iulius the author of warres we wyll nowe vse vnder you the restorer renewer of peace that we may rest quietly in the studie of good letters †Therfore nowe let it come forth to lyght if any thiÌ„g hath ben long tyme hidde and let euery thinge come forthe so moche the more boldly by how moch it is more truly more sincerely faithfully written of whiche sorte is this boke whiche other popes therfore haue nat suffred bycause they wolde nat here y e trouth but you shall therfore loue it bycause you haue now afore begon to vs of y e cuppe of trouth for what pertayneth y t to you beyng a pope of better coÌ„sience y t they sayd this boke to haue ben writteÌ„ agaynst y e dygnite of y e ecclesyasticall estat or y t they sayd y t it did speke yuel rayled agaiÌ„st popes for verely neither they were popes whiche fayned forged the donation of CoÌ„stantyne bycause they were nat pastors or herdesmen Neither it was a churche whiche receyued and admytted it bycause it was nat a congregation of faythfull christen men for if they had ben herdesmen they wolde haue fedde the shepe of Christ and nat haue inuaded deuoured them And if it had ben a church truly it wolde haue called people to lyfe lyberte nat haue drawen violently empiers and nations vnder yoke and boÌ„dage For thus speketh the church Come to me all you y t do lust desyre after me be you fulfylled of my generatioÌ„s Certainly she fylleth I meane the church whomsoeuer she hath receyued but that congregation of wicked men dyd emptie and make bare those whom they receyued Moreouer Christ badde his vicars Be good herdesmen and nat rauenouse and gredy deuouryng woolues For he sayde in this wise to Peter Peter louest thou me If thou doest Fede my shepe He sayd Fede my shepe and nat deuour my people euen so as thou woldest deuour the substance of a lofe of breed And whan he called them to the apostleshyppe he sayd I shall make you fysshers of men that is to say I shall make you that by preachyng and good ensamples gyuing you shal allure and drawe vnto the trouthe such men as done erre wandre from they fayth whiche thing bycause you do folowe most blessed father we are gladde and do greatly reioyce that this ordre is retourned agayne to their offyce and dutie through your causyng bringing it to passe by the reason that Peace that lybertie that iustyce and verite by your meanes are called and brought agayne for what more mery voyce or what more swete or more pleasaunt worde myght be herde than this I meane the restoryng of peace So than with lytell busynesse that is to wit with one lytell worde sette forth you haue taken away the great indygnation from the myndes of men you haue pacifyed and layd the vehement and houge passyons and vnquietnesse of mennes myndes and haue disapoynted and put by mischeues and dystructions and haue ceassed all wranglyng and stryfes where than it shulde haue coÌ„e to passe if these cogitatioÌ„s of men had happened vpon an euyll pope that we wolde by force and violence haue takyn awaye many thynges nowe by you it is brought to passe that quietly restyng we do optayne all thiÌ„ges without any trouble or busynesse do you se O Leo a very pope in dede what maner one I do iuge this your dede to be we may nowe thanke your goodnesse for the receyte of that thing which els was to haue ben pursued after and purchased with warre fyghting wherfore nowe lette certaine persones ceasse to feare lest you wyll be displeased and miscoÌ„tent if this boke be publysshed and sentte abrode agayne by cause those peruerse and prepostrouse popes that haue ben afore you haue forbydden that any man shulde haue it in his hande for you are in no poynte agreynge or lyke to them bycause they in no poynte dyd agre with Christ for they vnder gylefull and colouraâ—ie deceite haue drawen to themselues the seculare and worldly empiers But you in the syncere and pure brightnesse of trouthe haue opened an heuenly dominatyon that is to wytte the kyngdome of peace So than by your meane Christyan verite begynneth to reuyue and quicken agayne which where as she hathe ben of longe tyme oppressed nowe taketh herte and stomake agayne and she which hathe ben many a day in captyuite and thraldome nowe delyuered and brought out agayn from that prison derkenesse deserueth to se lyght agayne vpon trust and boldnesse wherof Valla encoraged dare now ryse agayne from dethe and present hiÌ„selfe in to the eares and syght of men and that so moche the rather also bycause he hath ben in olde tyme in high fauour and loue with your auncestres of whom as you haue receyued taken this vertue as it were by inherytauÌ„ce euyn so lykewise in other vertues you do nat swarue or go out of kynde from them for lykewise as in erudicyon and lernyng you do resemble that exellently lerned Politian your maister and techer euyn so in coÌ„dicyons maners you aâ— nothyng vnlyke to your great grauÌ„dfathers grauÌ„dfather Cosmus Medices And lykewise as this was his chefe praise y t althogh he alone might haue done all thinges in his cyte yet he wolde nat do al that he might Euyn so let this be your laude that wher as you might raigne and rule as an Emperour you had leauer kepe and saue as a pastor or herdesman But in Cosmus this was principally worthy meruayle and prayse that he beyng him selfe nat lerned yet dyd he loue lerned men had them in honour causing them to besought forth and brought to him from all places on euery side and socouryng them with his helpe and also with his goodes But Laurence your father both loued learned men and also was himself for his lerning worthy to be accompted amonge the cheyfe lerned men of his tyme. †O than this is an happie family and kynred which hathe ben ordained of god to the helping promotyng and fortheryng of good lernyng for what other stocke or kinred is there to whom els we be beholden and whom ought we to thanke as being the causers of the prosperite and coÌ„modites of this our time By whose
also of y e other emperours almost euery one after him in ordre of which coynes I haue my self many in myne own haÌ„des coÌ„munely hauyng vnder the Image of the crosse this subscription Concordia orbis A thausande such ioynes shulde there be fouÌ„de also of the popes if euer you had ben the chefe gouernours rulers of Rome wherof now there is none fouÌ„de neither of golde neither of syluer neither is it reported or sayd y t euer any maÌ„ hath seen any suche yet coude it nat be otherwise chosen but y e nedely he must haue had at y t time his ê“pre coyne who so euer helde thaÌ„ theÌ„pier of Rome at y e leste wise vnder the image of our sauiour or els of Peter Oh y e ignorance folysshnes of men do you nat se if the donation of CoÌ„staÌ„tyne be true y t no thyng at al is lefte to y e emperours De latino loquor Lo I pray you what maner eÌ„perour what maner kynge of the Romaynes shall he be whose kyngdom if any maÌ„ had had nothing els besyde he shuld haue vtterly nothyng at al wherfore if it be euydeÌ„t as it is y t Siluester had neuer possession y t is to say y e CoÌ„staÌ„tine did neuer giue or delyuer possession it foloweth also vndoutedly y e CoÌ„stantine neuer gaue as I haue sayd so moche as right or title to possesse theÌ„ excepte you do say y t the right was geuyn but the possessyon nat delyuered for some cause or consyderation ye I wysse he gaue that thynge which he knewe shulde nat come to passe He gaue that which he could nat delyuer He gaue that which he knewe was nat possyble to come into the haÌ„des of him to whom it was gyuen afore that it shulde be destroied He gaue a gyfte which shulde neuer be of strengthe or stande in any stede or at the least nat afore .v. C. yeres were expired To speke this or thinke it is playne madnesse But now it is tyme lest I be made to longe tediouse seyng that we haue cutte mangled the cause of our aduersarys to giue it his dedly wouÌ„de to kyl it with one stroke ¶ The thyrde princypall parte of this oration in which the author sheweth that Constantine was become Christen afore that Siluester was pope that those gyftes whiche ConstaÌ„tine gaue were gyuen to the pope nexte after Siluester which same also were but meane or small thinges no more than suffycient to the popes sustentation EVery hystorie almost which is worthy the name of an historie telleth and maketh mention that ConstaÌ„tine euyn whan he was a childe became ChristeÌ„ with his father ConstaÌ„tius y e long tyme afore that Siluester was pope as Eusebius y e writer of the ecclesiasticall historie whome Rufyne a man right exellently lerned hath traÌ„slated into the latyne tonge and hathe also added two bokes of his owne tyme which were bothe of them welnere in CoÌ„stantines tyme. Besydes this we haue also y e testimonie witnesse of y e pope of Rome whiche nat onely was present at the doyng of these thinges but also bare a great rule in the same beyng also nat a witnesse but the author or doer nat y e teller or rehercer of another maÌ„nes busynes but of his owne He whome I do meane is Melchiades y e pope nexte afore Siluester which saith in this wise The church was come euyn vnto this poynt now y t nat only people natioÌ„s but also the princes of Rome whiche helde thempier of the worlde dyd come together to the faith of Christ and to the sacramentes of the faith Among whom the most deuoute man Constantine fyrst of all other openly gettyng the faith belefe of the trouth gaue lycence through out all y e worlde to as many as were vnder his dominion and gouernaunce nat onely to be made Christen men but also to buylde churches and he ordayned landes to be gyuen And to be short the afore rehersed emperoure gaue exceding gret giftes and he began first the buyldinge of the churche of saynt Peter in so moche that he did forsake his emperiall seate or place and graunted it to the vse and behofe of blessed Peter his successours Lo here Melchiades maketh mention of nothyng that was gyuen by ConstaÌ„tine but onely the palace of Laterane and certayne other laÌ„des of whiche Gregorie very ofte maketh meÌ„tion in his regestre Where than are they nowe whiche do nat suffre it to be doubted whether the donation of ConstaÌ„tine be of value and strengthe or nat seyng that the sayde donation or gyfte bothe was made afore Syluesters tyme and was also of priuate thinges onely which thyng although it is playne euident ynough yet that nat withstanding we must somwhat dispute reson of that priuilege which these folyssh felowes are wonte to alledge and bring forth ¶ The fourth priÌ„cipall ê‘te of this oration in which the author sheweth it to be vntruly sayde that the copye or example of this donation is founde in the decrees or elles taken out of the historie of saynt Syluester and also declareth what folysshe what impossyble what barbarous and what repugnauÌ„t contrary thiÌ„ges with other vnresonablenes is coÌ„tayned in the sayde copie besydes this he maketh mention of the fayned or friuolouse donation of certayn other emperours And laste of al he sheweth that in case it were so that Syluester or any other pope had at any tyme possessed these thiÌ„ges yet being ones put out of possessyoÌ„ so long coÌ„tinuiÌ„g dispossessed as they haue done they caÌ„ nat now after so long space of tyme clayme theÌ„ agayn neither by the lawe of god nor man c. ANd fyrst of all to begyne with nat onely that felowe which wolde fayne seme to be Gratian whiche added certayn thynges to the worke of Gracian is to be repreued of lewde vnshamfastnes but also they are to be reproued of ignoraunce and folyshenes which do wene or suppose that the pagine of the priuilege is contayned in Gratians worke whiche thynge neyther any lerned man dyd euer suppose agayn it is nat founde in the moste auncyeÌ„t and eldest bokes of the decrees if in any place Gratian shuld haue made mention of this thiÌ„ge he shuld haue done it nat in this place where they do put it interrupting and breking of the ordre and contexte of his oration and speche but rather in that place where he speketh of the paction couenaunte of Ludouyke Besydes this there are two thousaÌ„d places in the decrees whiche do proue this place nat to be true of the whiche that place is one where the afore rehersed wordes of Melchiades are alleged Some men do say that he whiche added this chapitour to the decrees was called Palea either for that this was his very right name or els bycause these thinges whiche he dyd adde or put to of his own if they be
coÌ„payred to Gratiane are iuged to be as it were chaffe nere to the corne But how so euer the trouthe is concerning this it is a very great shame an vnshamely thinge to beleue that collector gatherer of the decrees either dyd nat know these thinges whiche haue ben added put to syns of Palea or els dyd set gretly by them and accompe and take them for true thinges This is well than we are sufficed we haue the victory our owne purpose First that Gratiane doth nat saye this thiÌ„ge so as they belyed him but moreouer he denyeth it and preueth it false and vntrue as easily it maye be perceyued by a thousand places and mo Secondarelye that they do alledge for theym selues one man alone and that suche one as is vnknowen and of none auctorite a tryfler and so folysshe also that he hath added certayne thynges of his owne faynyng to the sayd Gratiane whiche can nat agree with the other sayinges of the same Gratian is this than this authour that you bryng forth do you vse the testimonie of him alone Do you recite a folyshe writtyng of him in paper for the confyrmation of so gret a matter agaiÌ„st six hundred kynges of proffes But I loked for it that you shulde haue shewed lytell Images of golde tytles wrytynges in marble and a thousand authours But you do say that Palea him selfe bryngeth forth the author and sheweth the very fountayne of the historie and calleth to witnesse Gelasius the pope with many other bisshoppes Of the historie sayth he of Siluester whiche blessed Gelasius in the counsell of .lxx. bysshoppes reporteth to be redde of Catholyke men and saith that many churches doth folow this same maner accordyng to the olde auncieÌ„t vsage in y e which historie it is redde Constantyne c. And a gret deale before where mention is made of bokes whiche are to be redde which nat to be redde he hath sayd also we do know that the actes of saynte Siluester the bysshoppe are redde of many catholyke men in the cyte of Rome al be it that we do nat know y e name of him that wrote them and the churches accordynge to the olde vsage do folowe the same Oh here is a wonderfull authorite a meruaylouse testimonie and recorde a stronge inuincyble probation I graunt you this that Gelasius sayd this where he speaketh of the councel of .lxx. bysshoppes dyd he therfore say that the pagine or copie of the preuilege is redde in the lyfe or actes of saynte Siluester and that at Rome the auctorite of whiche churche many other churches do folowe whiche thynge I do nat denye but I graunt confesse and knowlege ye and I do offre my self to be a wytnesse therof with Gelasius but what caÌ„ this thynge profyght or auayle you but onely that it myght appere that you wolde haue lyed in alledgynge and bryngynge forth witnesses and recordes His name is nat knowen which added this to y e decrees yet he alone doth say this thynge his name is nat knowen which wrote y e historie of Siluester and yet he alone is brought forth and that falsly for a wytnesse and a recorde And do you good and wyse men iuge this to be sufficient ye and more than sufficient to the testimonie and witnessyng of so greate a matter But consyder now and se how great difference there is betwene your iugemente and myne I truly al though this priuylege were contayned in y e historie of Syluester wolde nat for all that thynke that it were to be accompted and taken for true For as moche as that historie is none historie but a fayned and a shamlese lyeng tale as I shall shewe and declare herafter and also seing that none other maÌ„ namely beyng of any auctorite dothe make any mention of this priuylege And Iacobus Voraginensis whiche bare great fauour and loue to the clergie as beyng himselfe an arche bisshoppe yet in his stori of saiÌ„tes lyues and of the actes of holy men speketh nat one worde of the donation of Constantine but passeth it ouer with sylence as beyng but a lyeng fable and nat worthy to be put among y e actes of Syluester in whiche dede he gyueth in a maner sentence against them if any wolde haue put these thinges in writyng But I wyll drawe that falsyfier and forger of writtes and very chaffe in dede and nat whete in to iugement writhyng his necke whether he wyll or nat What sayst thou false forger of writyngê How fortuneth it or wherof is it longe that we do nat rede this priuylege among the actes and dedes of Siluester I suppose this is a gesone boke and harde to be founde and there is but very few that haue it and it is kept secretly euen lykewise as the Regester or Kalender bokes of the Romaynes were kepte in the olde tyme of the bisshoppes and as the bokes of Sibillee were kepte of the .x. men and it is written in the language of the Grekes of the Iewes or of the Caldayes Gelasius recordeth that it is redde of many Catholyke men Iacobus Voraginensis maketh mention of it We also haue sene a thousand copies of it and that written in the olde tyme and they are red almoste in euery Cathedrall churche vpon saynt Siluesters day and yet no maÌ„ sayth that euer he redde therin this that thou forgest and ymaginest No man that euer he hath seen no man that euer he dreamed of any suche thynges It is paraueÌ„ture some other certayn historie whiche other historie shall that be I know none other historie neither I do iuge that thou doste meane of any other historie than this for thou spekest of that historie which Gelasius sayth redde ofte in many chuches but in this historie we do nat fynde the priuylege if thaÌ„ it be nat redde in the lyfe of Siluester why dost thou say that it is redde there why durst thou be so bolde to bourde in so great a matter and to mocke and deceyue the couetouse desyre of lyght and folysshe personnes But I am a fole whiche do rather rebuke his boldnesse than the peuysshnesse of theym whiche gaue credence to him yf any man amonge the Grekes amonge the Hebrues ye amonge the Barbarians shulde say this thinge is founde written wolde you nat bydde him name the author and the booke to be brought forth and the place to be expowned declared of some faythfull exposytour er euer you wolde gyue credence to it Nowe mention is made of your owne language of a booke most coÌ„munely knowen and yet you do nat make inquisytion or any serche of so vnbeleuable a dede or els whan you do nat fynde it writteÌ„ yet you ar so light of credeÌ„ce geuyng y t you do accoÌ„pt it for writteÌ„ for true thiÌ„kyng this title to be suffycient you make great trouble busynesse in the worlde and as though there were no doute in it at all you
I myght to hyde and couer in their offences and trespasses But let vs procede holde on to speke boldely in as moche as this cause can nat otherwise be pleaded Thoughe I do grauÌ„t that the popes did verily so beleue that they dyd it nat of a crafty malicious purpose What marueyle is it if they dyd beleue these thynges wherin so great lucre aduantage is pleasaunt lykyng to theÌ„ seyng that throughe excedynge folysshnesse lacke of knowlege they do beleue many thynges wherin no lucâ—s at all is shewed Do we nat at Ara Celi in so exellent a temple in the moste worshipfull and holy place see a paynted table of Sybill and Octauian as they say by the auctorite and coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Innocentius the thirde writyng these wordes Which also lefte in writyng of the decay ruyne or fall of the teÌ„ple of Peace about the tyme of the byrth of the sauiour y t is to say whaÌ„ the virgin brought forth childe Whiche thynges apê‘tayne more to the distructyon of faith for that they ar false and vntrue than to the establysshing of it bicause they ar marueylous woÌ„derfull thiÌ„ges Dare the vicar of truth for the apperauÌ„ce of trouth godlynesse beholde to make lyes wyttyngly to bynde him selfe to so great synne why Doth he nat lye Ye moreouer dothe he nat se whan he doth this that he disagreeth varieth froÌ„ most holy men I passe ouer other Doth nat saynt Ierome vse the testimony witnesse of Varro that ther were ten Sibels whiche worke Varro made afore Augustus his tyme. And the same Ierome writeth in this wyse of the teÌ„ple of Peace Vespasianus Titus after that the teÌ„ple of Peace was edifyed buylded at Rome they dyd coÌ„secrate the vessels of the teÌ„ple al the gyftes offriÌ„ges in the temple of the same place which thinges the Greke the Romayne history telleth reherseth And this vnlerned felow alone wold that more credeÌ„ce shulde be gyuen to his peuissh lytel boke the same also barbarously writteÌ„ than to the most faithfull true histories of the most wise men that wrot in y e olde tyme. Bycause I haue made meÌ„tion somewhat of Ieronimy I can nat suffre this coÌ„tumely done to him to be passed ouer with syleÌ„ce At Rome by the auctorite coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of the pope is shewed a certayne boke of the Byble as it were a relyque of some sainte with tapers alwayes lyghted which they say to haue beÌ„ written with saiÌ„t Ieronimes owne haÌ„de Wilte thou aske by what euydeÌ„t tokeÌ„ they know that Bycause ther is as Vergil saith MultuÌ„ pictaâ— vestis et auriâ—i Moch of paynted garmeÌ„tes of golde And the very thiÌ„g selfe sheweth rather that it was nat writteÌ„ with sainte Ieroms owne haÌ„de WhaÌ„ I had loked somewhat more dilygeÌ„tly in this boke I fouÌ„de that it was writteÌ„ by the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of a kiÌ„ge Robert as I wene with y e haÌ„de of of an vnlerned man moche lyke hervnto is it albeit there ar a thousande suche maner thynges at Rome that among the holy relykes there is shewed in a certayne table y t ymage or portrature of Peter Paule whiche Syluester shewed to ConstaÌ„tyne after that he had ben monysshed taught of the same Apostels in his slepe for the coÌ„fyrmation of the visyon that he had sene I do nat say this bicause I do deny y t those ymages or purtatures be the true ymages pictures of the aforenamed apostles and wolde god that the epistle which was sente urthe name of Lentulus of the ymage of Christe were as true whiche doutles hath beÌ„ no lesse â—eudly forged thaÌ„ this false priuilege which we haue coÌ„futed but for y e that Siluester did neuer shewe that table to ConstaÌ„tine In which thinge I can nat fynde in myne herte to kepe within me the great meruaylyng of my mynde For I wyll dispute reason somewhat of the tale whiche is forged of Siluester And bycause both al our questyoÌ„ depeÌ„deth herof and also seyng that I do speke to the popes of Rome it shall be most semely accordyng for me to speake of a pope of Rome that by this one ensample a coÌ„iecture may easely be taken of other thinges And amonge many other fonde folyes madde trifles which are tolde reherted therin I wyll touche that onely of the dragon to th entent that I may euydently cause you to knowe that ConstaÌ„tine was nat full of leprie For the actes of Siluester or the historie of hiÌ„ as the interpretour witnesseth was made by one Eusebius a certayne man of Grecelande whiche nation hath alwayes be greatly gyuen to lyeng as Iuuenale reporteth of theÌ„ sayeng in his checkiÌ„g satyre Ouicquid Graecia meÌ„dax audet in historia .i. What so euer thynge the lyeng Grekes dare be bolde to do in writiÌ„g of histories From whence dyd that dragon come Dragons are nat gendred at Rome Which also had that dragon his poyson Pestiferouse and venemouse dragons are sayde to be onelye in Affrike by the reason of the excedyng and outragiouse heate of y e region Besydes this whence coulde he haue so moche habundance plentie of venome poyson that he might enfecte and corrupt with pestylence so large a cytie namely seynge that hym selfe laye downe in so depe a denne or dongion that men wente downe in to it by an hundred and fyftie steppes or stayres Serpentes onely the Basilyske or Cocodrise excepted do poyson kyll men nat with their breth but with their byting Neither Cato whan he fledde from Cesar with so great an hoste of men whyles he iornayed through the myddes of Aphricke sondes and slepte there sawe any of his coÌ„pany kylled or destroyed with the venemouse breathing of any serpentes Neither the peoples of that couÌ„trey do fele any corruption or infection of the ayre through that cause And if we do gyue any credence to poetes fables bothe Chimera the monstre and Hydra and Cerberus the mastyffe of hell were sene and touched coÌ„munely without any harme or hurte taken therby Agayne why wolde nat the Romayns rather haue kylled hym Thou wilte peraduenture say bycause they were nat able But yet Regulus slewe a moche gretter serpente in Affrike at the banke of the ryuer Bragadra And it was no mastry to haue kylled this dragon if they had done no more but onely haue closed or stopped vp the mouth of the caue or denne What wolde they nat do so I suppose they dyd worshippe hiÌ„ for a god euyn so as the Babylonians dyd worshippe another dragon Why than wolde natre Syluester rather haue slayne this dragon so as it is sayd that Daniell did in the olde tyme Why wolde he nat haue bounde him with an hempen threde and haue destroyed y e house for euer But the forger of this tale wolde nat that the dragoÌ„ shulde be kylled lest men might playnly deme iuge
The order of his processe in this oratioÌ„ the deuisyon of his worke The authors sheweth it to be nothyng lykely that any prince beynge in his ryghte mynde wolde of him self be wyllyng to giue from him selfe so great thynges as are fayned in the priuiledge to haue beÌ„ geuen of Constantyne Of all thiÌ„ges princes desire most to enlarge their dominion empire and the coÌ„trary they moste hate The insaciable ambicyon of great Alexander Rede Plutarche in the lyfe of Alexander Mani coÌ„siderations why Constantyne wolde nat gyue from hym the best parte of the Empire All power auctorite is the gyfte of god Rede the .v. chapit of the iiii bokes of Kynges DanÌ„ 14. 〈◊〉 the .xiiii chapit of the prophete Daniel how he slewe the dragon whiche the people of â—â—â—â—lon dyd worshippe without swerde or â—taâ—fe 3. ReguÌ„ 12 ExaÌ„ple hereof you may fiÌ„de of Hieroboam in the third boke of Kynges xii chapit somwhat nere to the eÌ„de of the same chapit 3. ReguÌ„ 12 Rede in the third boke of Kynges the xii cha The kynsfolke freÌ„des Enedos 1 A symilytude taken of bees Of the diuysyon of thempire iÌ„ twayne shal ensue many incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces finally the decay of it Rede the .xxii chapit of Leuitici 4. Reg. â— Rede the iiii boke of kynges the .v chapit Actes 20. Math. 10 1. CorÌ„ 9. Rede in Deute the .x. and the xviii cha in the boke of noumbres the xviii cha Math. 6. Math. 6. Math. 10 Mark 10 Mark 10 IohnÌ„ 13. 1. Tim. 6. Riches is poâ—son to men of the churche Actes 6. 2. Tim. 2. Nume 3. Rede in the boke of Leuitici the .x. cha Rede in the boke of Numeri Hiere 48 IohnÌ„ 10. IohnÌ„ 18. Christes kiÌ„gdome is nat of this world Math. 4. IohnÌ„ 6. Christ fledde whan the people wolde haue made him Kynge euer them Math. â—â— 1. Reg. 8. Deut. 24. Math. 19 .1 CorÌ„ 6. Math 17 Esaie 56. Mark 11. IohnÌ„ 12. Mat 26. Math. 16 The power of ecclesiasticall persons whiche was geueÌ„ to them by Christ is the power of the keyes SpiritualmeÌ„ nat contente with the power of the keâ—es desyre worldly Kyngdomes of the deuyll Math. Luke 4. Ephes 6. Math. 11. Math. 22 To how many ê‘tes they are iniurious which beleue the donation of Constantyne to be true A bytter mocke Eutropiê° Iulianê° apostata Iouiane theÌ„perour nexte successour to Iuliane the Apostata Constantyne was made Christen of a chylde long afore that Siluester was pope Eusebius the author of the ecclesiasticall historie Melchiades pope nexte afore Syluester The pagine of the donation is nat fouÌ„de in the olde decrees collected by Gratian Palea in latin sygnifyeth chaffe The historye of Siluester is but a fayned and a lyyng historye Iacobus voragineÌ„sis the writter of saâ—â—es lyues A bytter Irome Rede in .iiii. chapt of the thirde boke of Esdras in the Bible 1. Macabeorum 8 Exodi 24 Iobal his polytike deuise for the ê‘petual pÌ„seruation of the crafte fyrste by him inueÌ„ted that 〈◊〉 to witte Musike The lawes of the .xii. tables were grauen in brasse An apostrophe or tournynge of the speche to CoÌ„stantyne Eneidos secundo Sinon Howe greate the auctorite of the senate was Lactance firmiane wrote so eloquently that saynt Iherome calleth him â—luuiuÌ„ Tulliane eloquentlye the flowynge ryuer of Tullys eloqueÌ„ce Apocalipsis the .v. cha Banna Concubitoribus Psalmo lxxx Roma i. All other byshoppes take exaÌ„ple of mischeuouse vices at the pope of Rome Mathu xxiii Nume xvi Exodi xxviii xxix A diademe is of cloth or els of sylke Constantyne was nat a kyng neither dyd he weare any crowne Imperator PhrigiuÌ„ Phrigio Lorum Math â—â— IohnÌ„ 9. what purpura betokeneth Signa Banna Patriciê° An ironie Mat xxi To folowe Christ in pouertye humblenes is accompted folishenes of the clergye nowe a dayes Vdones The secularyte of the clergye is odible bothe to god and man Gene. 14 Psal 20. Leuiticis Exodi 28 Xenophon Homer Rede in the boke of Iosue from the xiii chap. of the .xix. inclusiuelye Math 24 Rede the last chap. of the fyrste boke of kynges the xii chap. of the thirde boke An abusioÌ„ to the wordes of Gamaliel in the .v. chap. of the actes Apocalipse the last chap. Lethargus to a disease makyng men to be meruailouse slepie and also forgerfull Hypocrita simulator mimus A fayner or contre fayter Pagina The boke or historie of Iob was nat written by Iob hiÌ„ selfe An Ironi Accursâ—us 4 Reg 13. Iosephê° libro nono cha 11. Do tibi epistolaÌ„ Do ad te epistolaÌ„ It is an excedyng shame to gyue more credeÌ„ce to any man than we do gyue to the trouth selfe Popes folyshe and ignoraunte Ierome A boke of the bible is kept shewed for a relique at rome as though it had beÌ„ written with saynt Iheromes owne haÌ„de whiche was written of an vnterned man The epistle of Lentidus coÌ„cerning the ymage of christe is a false forged thiÌ„ge The confutation of that fained tale of the dragon which is redde in the lyfe of saint Siluester who was the author of salt Siluesters lyfe The histories of the Grekes ar corrupted with lyes SerpeÌ„tes ar noysome nat with theyr brethe but with their bitynge onely the cocodrice except Cato Marcus Tiliê° Regulus DanÌ„ 14. In the prologe afore the boke of Daniel The naratioÌ„ of hell is nat in the hebrus bokes An irony Rede plutarche in the lyues of Alexdre Scipio The ChristeÌ„ verite nedeth nat any help of vntruethe of falshed it is stronge ynough of it selfe alone Libro quinto titulo serto de piâ—tate erga patriaÌ„ ch v. c.xxxviii Libro primo titulo octauo de miraculis chap. xciiii Titus Liuiê° disagreeth froÌ„ Valeriê° Maximus Titus liuius Titus liuius Terentiê° Varro Thre diuerse histories writen by thre soÌ„drie authors of the pyt called Lacus curtius Libro primo chap. xcviii Luke 17. Roma 10 It is saydâ— that Eusebius a Geccian is the auctor of saint Siluesters lyfe Constantyne was neuer meseld so as they do faine The tale of the waspes in vespasianes nose of the forgge wherof Nero was delyuered ar fals forged â–ª tales The excediÌ„g ignoraunce of the popes Cephas Metropolitanus Patriarcha Papa Fides orthodoxa An irony Stephen the second translated the empier from the Grekz to the frenche men The pope the eÌ„perour deuided the eÌ„pier betwen them two alone Achilles and Patroclus In decretis distinctione lxiii Ego Ludouicus c. Ludouike the emperour called Iewes the mylde The pope is stroÌ„ger in batayle thaÌ„ the emperour The pope hath made emperours vpoÌ„ certayn condicions couenauntes Sigismunde the emperour brought iÌ„ his extreme age to excedynge gret pouerte Popes do no thyngs for nought Sigismunde ere he coude be crowned at Rome was fayne to confyrme the danation of CoÌ„stantine Marke well this geare howe well it standeth together The coronation of themperour ought to appartayne to the people of Rome
which 〈◊〉 the pope chalengeth to hiÌ„ selfe onely He is no very emperoure also he is forsworne that goeth nat about to recouer the cite of Rome from the pope The emê‘ors in olde tyme wer nat sworne solempnely to the pope as they are now a dayes what Augustus signifieth why the emperours were called Augusti Augustê° how the pope might be called Augustus The worst pope did moste defeÌ„de the donation of CoÌ„stantyne Nota. Boniface the viii an vngratiouse a myscheuouse pope al set vpon worldly pride had a myscheuouse eÌ„de as the cronicles do testifye Bened. 12 Clement pope It is agaynst humanite and coÌ„trary to the nature of maÌ„ to exercyse violente rule ouer other of his owne hinde Mayster Fabius Foure causes warrior warres are made moste communely Tarquin the proude the laste kynge of the Romains of Iulyus Cesar Rede suetonius in the lyfe of hym Rede the prouerbe Amphictiones Prescription is whan any maÌ„ hath had possession of house or landes so longe tyme as any man alyue caÌ„ remembre as by the space of an c. yeres or more Malae fidei possessio Stulfae fidei possessio Ignorantia facti Ignorantia Iuris Nota. Prescription is made only of dumbe vnresonable thynges Popes wyll trye their ryght by warre nat by the lawe The fraude crafte of pope Boniface the ix nat inferiour in wickednes to Boniface the viii Tarquin A propre semely acte for a pope to do Innocentius the vii was driuen out of Rome Eugenius the iiii of that name was fame â—o diâ—gyse hiÌ„ selfe in a monkes coule so to saue the water of Tybiâ— the Romayns shoâ—â—â—g â—â—â—owyng stones after him Titus flaminius The pope studieth as moche as he can to brynge all men into boÌ„ndage thraldome 3. ReguÌ„ 2 The Roma is haue farre gretter cause to rebelle agaynst the pope than the Israelytes had agaynste Roboam Esaie 14. The fountaineâ— and originall cause of the ruine and decaye of Italye Iacobi .3 Psal 117 Mat. 24 Lucae 12. The pope soweth the sede of discorde debate Are nat these very apoâ—toâ—â— call vertues The pope selleth all thynges the comune weale the sacramentes the ecclesiasticall offyces yee the holy ghoste to for money The goodes which the pope getteth sinfully and vngratiously he spendeth more vngratiously wickedly Esaie 36. At the pope his folowers do all abominable sinners fetche the ensample also the excusatioÌ„ of their wretched noughty lyfe Roma 2. Ouer moche welth abouÌ„daunce of ryches destroied the valiauntnes of the Romayns 3. ReguÌ„ 11 Siluester and the other holy popes were but small possessioners Pope Leo the .9 Our popes of late tyme â—â—dy to be as â—erre excellent in wickednes folye as the old popes were excellent 〈◊〉 vertue wyâ—dome O the charitable and godlye wisshe of Valla. Ephes 6. The donatioÌ„ of Constantyne is nat fouÌ„de iÌ„ any auteÌ„tical bokes or in any approued histories Damasus 〈◊〉 pope at 〈◊〉 Iheromes â—â—â—queste dydâ— write the actes of his predecessours â–ª Astulphus kiÌ„ge of Lombardye Steuen the .ii anoynted pipin the kynge of Fraunce Pope zachari the fyrst deposed Hilderike the kynge of FrauÌ„ceâ— traÌ„slated the sayd kyngdome to Pipin froÌ„ the 〈…〉 Adrianâ— Charlemayn recouered the cyties agayn whiche Desiderius with helde gaue therin to the pope Places in the popes lawe that make plaiÌ„ly against the donation of CoÌ„staÌ„tine Rede that texte Cum ad verum Agatho the fyrste ConstaÌ„tine the iiii assembled the vi synode at CoÌ„staÌ„tinople of ccixxx bysshoppes Bonifac. 1 The emperours were alwayes in possession of 〈◊〉 these thynges neither dyd the popes euer make any clayme to anâ— percels of the afore â—he timâ— of Pipin and pope Steuen the seconde GratiaÌ„ knew no thynge of the donation of CoÌ„staÌ„tine therfore it is nat put in the olde decrees of his collection The chapi in the decrees CoÌ„staÌ„tinê° c. is takeÌ„ of the legeÌ„de of saiÌ„t Siluester A goodly and a worshipfull approbation There aâ— many sondrye 〈◊〉 of saint Siluester Pope Martin 1 Paulus Sergius heretikes VinceÌ„tâ—ê° Constantine â–ª as saint Ierome sayth 〈◊〉 his wyâ—◠〈…〉 dayes 〈…〉 Melchiades predecessour to Siluester Constanly was Chriâ—t iÌ„ Melchiaâ— his tyme â—â—â—ter the myn of saynt Augustyne Leo the .viii. restored to Otto all the landes which Pipin Charles Roberto had gyuen to the church Rome Lewes y e mylde