haue decreed that they may weare Euen so speake barbarouse lawes nowe a dayes thus they write Iussi ê™ deberes venire wher they shulde say Iussi vt venires And he sayth here Decreuimus et coÌ„cessimus we haue decreed we haue grauÌ„ted as though these thiÌ„ges were nat than in doyng but had ben done at some other tyme. ¶ Ipse vero beatus papa suê‘ coronaÌ„ clericatê° quaÌ„ gerit ad gloriaÌ„ beatissimi Petri ipsa ex auro non est passus vn corona But y e blessed pope hiÌ„selfe dyd nat suffre to weare y e crowne of golde vpon the crowne of his clarkeshippe which he beareth to the glory honour of most blessed Peter O y e singulare excedyng folishenes of you O ConstaÌ„tine you said but euen now y t the crowne vpon y e popes heed did make for the honour of saiÌ„t Peter now you say y t it maketh nothiÌ„g at all for his honour seinge y e Siluester refuseth it And natwithstaÌ„ding y t you do prayse his so doiÌ„g yet for all y t you do byd hiÌ„ wyll hiÌ„ to weare y e crowne of golde And y e thiÌ„ge which hiÌ„selfe thiÌ„keth y t he ought nat to do y e same thiÌ„ge you say that his successours ought to do I passe ouer here y t thou callest y e shaueÌ„ crowne of his heed coronaÌ„ which is woÌ„t to be called rasura that thou callest the bisshop of Rome papaÌ„ that is to say pope whiche was nat yet at that tyme begonnen to be so called ¶ PhrigiuÌ„ vero condidissimo nitore spleÌ„diduÌ„ dnÌ„i resurrectioneÌ„ designantes eius sacratisiimo vertici manibbus nrÌ„is imposuimê° et teneÌ„tes frenuÌ„ equi pro reuereÌ„tia beati Petri apli dextratoris officiuÌ„ illi exhibuimê° statueÌ„tes eodeÌ„ phrigiooeÌ„s eius successores sigulariter vti in processionibê° ad imperu nostri imitationeÌ„ And this coyfe which by y e brightnes of the most whyte colour represeÌ„teth y e resurrection of our lorde we haue put with our handes vpon his most holy heed holding y e bridell of his horse for y e reuereÌ„ce of blessed Peter the apostle we haue done to him y e office dutie of a fotemaÌ„ decreiÌ„g ordayniÌ„g y t al his successours shal weare y e same coyfe or cal in y e ê“cessioÌ„s to y e imitatioÌ„ folowiÌ„g of our eÌ„pier Doth nat y e author fader of this fable seme nat through lacke of takyng hede vnware but euen of set purpose for the nonce to play y e false harlotte to gyue men occation on eueri syde to rebuke him He sayth here in this one the same place that by y e whyte coyfe is both the resurrection of our lorde represeÌ„ted also that in y e same is the imitatioÌ„ couÌ„terfaytiÌ„g of y e empier of Cesar which two thinges are most dyuerse dysagreiÌ„g y e one froÌ„ the other I take god to recorde I can nat fynde out or deuyse with what wordes or w t what greuousenesse or haynousnesse of wordes I mighte rebuke as it were wouÌ„de this most vngratiouse wretched knaue he doth so parbreke forth all wordes full of madnes He doth make CoÌ„staÌ„tyne nat only in office lyke to Moyses Which by y e coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„te of god dyd aparyll adourne the highest chefe preest Aaron but also he doth make hiÌ„ expouÌ„ding declariÌ„g secrete misteries which is a very herde thiÌ„g to be done euen of theÌ„ also whiche haue studied ben occupied loÌ„ge seasoÌ„ in the holy scriptures Why dydest thou nat also make CoÌ„staÌ„tine y e greattest the highest bisshoppe as many eÌ„perours haue beÌ„ in y e olde tyme y t by so moch his ornameÌ„tes might the better more esely conuenieÌ„tly be traÌ„slated to the other high bisshop the pope But thou wast ignoraÌ„te and vnskylled in y e histories of antiquite I do therfore gyue thankes to god for this cause that he hathe nat suffred so wicked and so malytiouse a mynde to be in any man saue onely in the beyng a starke fole without lernyng which appereth also euidently by that which foloweth For he bryngeth in Moyses doyng y e offyce dutye of a foteman vnto Aaron sittyng on horse backe y t nat through the myddes of the chyldren of Israell but through y e myddes of y e Chananies of the Egiptians that is to saye through the cyte of infideles where was nat so moche the empier of the worlde as was the empier of deuylles of people worshyppynge deuilles or wycked spirites ¶ Vnde vt pontificalis apex noÌ„ vilescat sed magis quam imperii terrent dignitas gliÌ„a et poteÌ„tia decoretur ecce tam palatiuÌ„ nrÌ„m quamque Ro. vrbem et oeÌ„s Italiae siue â—â—identaliuÌ„ regionuÌ„ prouincias loca ciuitates 〈…〉 poÌ„tifici et vniuersali papae Siluestro 〈…〉 reliquimê° et ab eo et successoribus eius 〈…〉 coÌ„stitutuÌ„ decriuemê° disponeÌ„das atque 〈…〉 Ro. ecclesiae ê‘maneÌ„das Wherfore that y e 〈…〉 of y e pope may nat waxe vile of small 〈…〉 but y t it may be beutifyed made honorable 〈…〉 y e dygnyte glori power of our erthely 〈…〉 here we delyuer vp do leue to the most 〈◊〉 vniuersall pope Siluester as well our 〈…〉 cyte of Rome all y e prouiÌ„ces palaces cytie â—ly or of y e west regioÌ„s And by our pragmati◠〈◊〉 or decree we haue decreed y t they shal 〈…〉 by him his successoures that they shall 〈◊〉 remaiÌ„e to y e right of the hole church of RoÌ„e 〈…〉 we haue spoken many thiÌ„ges that largely 〈…〉 of the Romaynes in the oratioÌ„ of Silueâ—â—â—â— â–ª But now here is mete place to say y t no maÌ„ 〈…〉 ben so vnwise as to wrappe in include al 〈…〉 is of the donation in one worde And it is nat 〈…〉 that he whiche before had made mention of 〈…〉 tryfell leauyng out or ouerhippyng nat 〈…〉 as the shoes the lynen clothes the ornament◠〈…〉 horses wolde nat now also reherce the 〈…〉 by name in euery one of the whiche sayd 〈…〉 eche one hathe nat nowe seuerally a king or a 〈…〉 â—ere to a kiÌ„g But this fals forger of writteâ—â—utles knewe nat which prouinces were vnder ConstaÌ„tines donation and gouernaunce and which were nat for of certaynte all were nat vnder him We do se that after AlexaÌ„dre was deed the regions eche one of them were nombred rekened in the ê‘tityon or deuisyon made by the dukes We do se that Xenophon hath named the landes the prouiÌ„ces which were either wyllyng of their owne accorde or els by conqÌ„st vnder y e empire of Cyrus We se also that Homerus maketh rehersall rekeneth vp y e name the stocke or kynred the couÌ„trey the coÌ„ditions or maners the streÌ„gth the beautie welfauerdnesse of the kynges that were of the Grekes of the barbarians He
pay to sore or greuouse tributes For what if thou do euacuate empouerishe coÌ„sume the substaunce of our coÌ„mune weale Thou hast done so what if thou dost spoyle or robbe churches Thou hast spoyled theÌ„ what if thou dost defloure virgyns defyle wyues Thou hast done it w tout fayle what if thou dost embrue the cytie with the blode of y e cytizens causiÌ„g them to make batayle warre amoÌ„g theÌ„ selfe one with another Thou hast nat fayled to do so Ought we to suffre those thiÌ„ges or els rather seyng that thou hast ceassed to be a fader to vs shal we also forget y t we be thy soÌ„nes This people called y t to them chose the pope for to be a father or if this do please delyte y e more to be a lorde or gouernour vnto theÌ„ nat to be an enemy a tyraÌ„nouse murtherer of them And thou wilt nat play y e father or the lorde gouernour but y e enemy the tourmeÌ„tour We albeit y t we myght rightfully folowe y e ensaÌ„ple of thy cruelte impiete coÌ„sydering y e extreme iniuries whiche thou doest to vs yet y t natwithstaÌ„diÌ„g for as moch as we be christen men we wyll nat Neither wyll we be reueÌ„ged vpon the with y e swerde takiÌ„g thy lyfe from the but onely disposiÌ„g the we wyll chose to vs another father or lorde The soÌ„nes may fle or roÌ„ne away from their pareÌ„tes of whoÌ„ they were begotteÌ„ if the sayde pareÌ„tes be euyll cruell And shall it nat be laufull for vs to fle froÌ„ the which art nat our very naturall father but onely a father adoptyue by electioÌ„ for y e it pleaseth vs to chose call y e thervnto whiche doest intreate vs in the worst most cruell maner facyon And medle thou take thou care for the ordryng of such thiÌ„ges which do belonge to y e offyce of a preest be nat in miÌ„de or wyll to buylde the a seate in the north and from thence to thuÌ„dre throw forthe flaming lyghteniÌ„gê vpon this people other But what nedeth me to make any mo wordes in this thiÌ„g which is most open euydent I say playnly to abyd by it nat only y t ConstaÌ„tine neuer gaue so great thinges nat onely y t the pope of Rome coulde nat prescribe in y e same thiÌ„ges but also in case that the one had gyuen the other had prescribed yet that nothynge withstaÌ„ding I saye that bothe these rightê or tytles are lost destroyed through y e abhomynable offeÌ„ces crymes of y e possessours For as moch as we do se that y e calamite decaye ruine or destruction of al Italy of many prouiÌ„ces hathe flowen out of this one fouÌ„tayne spriÌ„ge alone If the fouÌ„taine be bitter in it selfe the riuer or streame that cometh from it must nedes also be bitter if the roote be vnclene poisoned y e brauÌ„ches must nedes be lykewyse poysoned So contrary wyse agayn if y e ryuer or streme be bitter y e fouÌ„tayne or sprynge is to be stopped vp if the brauÌ„ches be vnclene vnholsome the faute cometh froÌ„ the roote Si missa saÌ„cta non est delibatio quoque abominaÌ„da est May we briÌ„ge forth allege y e onÌ„ation of the papale power for right lawe which we do se to be y e cause of so great sines of so great mischeuouse euylles of all kindes sortes wherfore I do say also do cry out with loude voyce for I wyl nat feare men putting my confydeÌ„ce truste in god that there hath ben no pope in my tyme which in his popedome hath ben either a faythfull or a wyse dispeÌ„satour which also nat only hath nat giuen meate brede to the household seruauÌ„tes of god but also hath deuoured theÌ„ The pope both him selfe maketh warre vpon people which are in quietnes peace also soweth debates striâ—fes betwen cities prices The pope bothe thristeth or gredily desyreth the ryches or goodes of other men suppeth of his own beyng as Achilles sayd against AgameÌ„non a kiÌ„ge the deuourer of the peoples substauÌ„ce The pope nat only selleth getteth lucre aduaÌ„tage by y e coÌ„mune weale which thiÌ„g neither Verres neither Catilyne nether any other robber of y e coÌ„mune weale wolde haue ben hardy or bolde to do but also he selleth y e sacrameÌ„tes the offyces of the church ye the holy ghost also which thiÌ„ge y e Symon y e inchauÌ„tour doth detestate defye And whan he is admonysshed of these thiÌ„ges rebuked therfore of certayn good meÌ„ he doth nat deny these thiÌ„ges but opeÌ„ly coÌ„fesseth knowlegeth theÌ„ ye also bosteth reioyseth therof sayeng y t it is laufull for hiÌ„ by all maner wayes meanes to extorte wrest out y e patrimony of y e churche which was gyueÌ„ by CoÌ„staÌ„tyne froÌ„ the haÌ„des of theÌ„ which violeÌ„tly do holde it in theyr possession As who shulde say that if that were recouered gotten agayn y â— than the christen religion shulde be blessed and happy and nat rather more oppressed ouerwhelmed with all synnes ryotous suê‘â—â—uitees lechery if it be possyble to be more oppressed than it is that there shall be place lefte for mo mischeuouse siÌ„nes than are alredy Therfore for the recoueryng wiÌ„nyng agayn of the other meÌ„bres partes of the donaton the money which he taketh euyll away from good men he spendeth moch worse and norissheth mayntayneth hostes and armes of horsemen fotemen which do noysaunce and hurtes to all men where as Christ in the meane seasoÌ„ dyeth in so many thousaÌ„des of poore men for lacke of foode clothyng Neither perceyueth he O pituous case whaÌ„ he laboureth to take from the seculars such thynges as appertayneh to them that they lykewyse agayne of their parte either are induced or brought in minde through the most vngratiouse exaÌ„ple of the pope or els are constrayned coÌ„pelled through necessyte albeit it is no true necessyte to take away from the ecclesyastycall persons such goodes possessions as do belonge and appertayne vnto them So than there is no relygion or holynes anywhere No vertuouse lyuyng No drede of god and which thynge also maketh me to sheuer quake now to reherce it all wicked myscheuouse synners do take the excusation of all their synnes vyces from the pope At him in his wayters on is the ensaÌ„ple of all sinne and mischef so that we may say with Esaia Paule agaynst the pope those y t be next the pope By you the name of god is blasphemed among the gentils you y t do teache other men you do not teache your selues you y t do preache teache opeÌ„ly y t no maÌ„ ought to steale or to be a thefe your selues are opeÌ„ robbers you y t do abhorre
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
our enemies beatyng tremblyng vpon y e grounde and haue nat bene afrayde with the deth of other men but haue bene redye also ourselues to dye for your sake in your cause are we all together now now thus forsaken of you we which do beare heed of fyces in Rome we whiche now haue the rule gouernauÌ„ce or in tyme to come shulde be rulers gouernours in the Cyties of Italy in the .iii. ê‘tes of FrauÌ„ce in the .ii. partes of Spayne in other prouinces are we all reuoked or called backe agayn are we al coÌ„maunded to be priuate persones without office dygnite or auctorite will you recompence vs this gret losse another way how can you be able to do it accordyng to our deseruynge accordinge to our worthynes and dygnyte whan you shall haue gyuen ones from you so great a parte of the worlde vnto another man he that before was ruler gouernour ouer an C Nations wyll you O Cesar make him gouernour ruler ouer one nation how fortuneth it that euer this thing could come into your mynde how cometh it to passe y t you haue thus sodenly forgotteÌ„ all yours that neither you haue any whit pite of your freÌ„des neither of your nere kynsmeÌ„ no neither yet of yo r own soÌ„nes wold god O Ceser so y t your dignite victory were saued that it had ben our fortune chauÌ„ce to haue ben slayne in baytayle rather thaÌ„ that we shuld euer se these thynges verely as touchyng your empyre you may do with it accordyng to your own lust pleasure so may you also with vs onely one thinge excepted in which we wyll coÌ„tinually be disobedieÌ„t eueÌ„ vnto deth that is that we wyl nat in any wise ceasse froÌ„ the honoriÌ„g of y e ydols to the greate ensample also of other men that you may know how lytell good or profyte your larges lyberalyte shal do to the Christen relygioÌ„ For if you do nat gyue y e empier to Siluester we are willyng content to be come Christen with you and many men shall take ensample of our dede to do lykewise But if you do gyue it to him nat onely we can nat fynde in oure hertes to be made christeÌ„ meÌ„ but also you shal make this name of Christ hatful detestable cursed abhominable to vs you shal make vs in suche case y t at the last you wil haue pyte both of our lyfe also of our dethe and do nat accuse vs of harde hertes and stubburnes but accuse your owne selfe Wolde nat CoÌ„stantine thinke you if he were nat meued by his own accorde and of his owne mynde free wyll at the leastwise haue ben meued and styrred with this oration except we wyll that all humanyte was plucked out from his breest by the harde rotes What if he wolde nat haue harde these men nor regarded their oration or spech were ther nat be sydes these some which wold haue repugned be agaiÌ„st this his dede both with their wordes and also with their hande power wolde the senatours and the people of Rome haue supposed that theÌ„selues ought to do nothiÌ„g in this so gret weghty a mater wolde nat they haue called to theÌ„ an oratour as Virgile saith beiÌ„ge a man of grauyte auctorite for his loue benefytes towardes his countre which shulde make this oration to CoÌ„stantine ¶ The oration of y e senatours the people of Rome made to CoÌ„staÌ„tine in which they nat only do shewe that Constantine hath no right nor auctorite to gyue the eÌ„pier from him but also that they wyll in no wise suffre it to be done that for many coÌ„syderatioÌ„s but raither flee both the receyuer him also the gyuer MOst noble Cesar if you haue no mynde or remembrauÌ„ce neither of those that be nere to you neither of your selfe so that ye wyl neither their inheritaunce to remaine hole to your sonnes neither their riches substauÌ„ce to your kynsfolke neither their honours to your freÌ„des neither y e empyre to your owne selfe yet for all that the senatours the people of Rome can nat forget or be vnmyndeful of their ryght of their dignite for how do you take vpon you so moche power as to do this of the empyre of Rome which was neuer wonne or gotteÌ„ with the effusyoÌ„ of your blode but of ours wil you cut deuide one body into ii ê‘tes wyl you of one kiÌ„gdome make two two heedes to wylles And wyll you as it were offre swerdes vnto two bretherne whiche maye stryue fyght togider for the inheritaunce We do gyue to such cyties as haue ben frendly haue done good vnto this cyte of Rome we do gyue to theÌ„ the lybertes of this cytie that they may be citezins of Rome And do you take away from vs the one halfe of the empire that it shall nat aknowlege this cytie the parent mother of it †In the hyues of bees if there be bredde two kynges or maister bees we do kyll the tone whiche is the worst of them two And do you suppose or thinke it mete in the hyue of the Romayne empire wher you are the onely and the best gouernoure another heed and gouernour to be sette and placed that the very worst and nat a profytable bee but and vnprofitable drane In this thyng we do greatly require wisdome in you most noble emperour for what shal happen or come to passe by y e reason herof if either in the tyme of your lyfe or els after your decease Barbarous nations shall make warre either agaynst this parte of the empire whiche you do alyenate and gyue from you or els agaynst the other parte whiche you do reserue and kepe styll to your self With what strength of souldiers or with what hostes or armies shall we than resyst them We can scantly withstaÌ„de them nowe with the might and power of the hole empire and shall we than be able to resyst theÌ„ Shall these two membres or partes of thempire be alwayes at vnyte and coÌ„corde togider the one with the other As we suppose this is nat possyble for as moche as Rome wyll rule and be maistresse and the other ê‘te will nat be seruauÌ„te and obey ye moreouer euen you beyng yet a lyue within shorte tyme the olde garnyson reuoked newe put in their stede and you beyng gone in to your kyngdome lyuing ferre hens and another man gouernynge rulynge here Shall nat all thynges than be chauÌ„ged newe that is to say dyuers coÌ„trary CoÌ„menly whan a kyngdome is deuyded betwene two bretherne forthwith the myndes of the people and commens are deuyded and they begynne to make warre a monge theym selues afore that they make warre agaynste their ennemyes of out natyons †Who dothe nat see that the same thinge shall happen lykewise in this empier Do you nat knowe that in olde tyme this was the
do put them in feare with warre other threttenynges that do nat gyue credence to you O good Iesu how gret is the strength howe gret is the diuinite or godly power of the trouth whiche by it selfe without any great enforcement or labour defendeth it selfe from all gyles deceytes that nat without a cause whan a great contention was rysen vp afore kyng Darius what thynge shulde be of most myght and strength and dyuerse men named dyuerse thynges at the last the vyctorie chefe price was geuyn to veryte and trouth and for as moche as now at this tyme I haue to do with prestes and nat with seculares or lay men I must reherse rather ecclesyasticall examples than seculare examples Iudas Machabeus whan by sendynge the ambassadours to Rome he had optayned a leage and amite or frendshippe of the senatours He prouyded the wordes of the leage to be grauen in brasse and to be borne to Hierusalem I passe ouer here the stony tables of the .x. coÌ„maundementes whiche god gaue to Moyses And these so royall meruaylouse strange donation of Constantine can be proued by none other maner euydence and tokens neither in golde neither in syluer neither in brasse neither in marble neither last of all in bokes but onely if we beleue this felowe in a pece of paper or parchment Ioball the fyrst inuentour of musyke as we do rede in Iosephus bycause in his tyme it was a coÌ„mune opinion lefte to theym of their forefathers that the worlde whiche was ones destroyed with water shulde agayne be destroyed with fyer He wrot his doctrine in .ii. pyllers y e one of bricke agaynst the iniurie hurt of fyer and the other of stonne agaynste the hurte of waters which piller of stone remained euyn to Iosephus tyme as he himselfe writeth to th entent that his benefyte towardes all men shulde alwayes remayne and be seen And amonge the Romayns beiÌ„g yet rude and grose whan there was yet but smalle learnyng and letters were rare and geason yet that natwithstandyng the lawes of the .xii. tables were grauen in brasse whiche were founde afterwardes safe and vnperisshed Whan the cyte was taken and set on a fyer by Frenchemen Suche is the vertue and myght of circumspecte prouidence that it is able to ouercome y e two grettest thinges in al y e worlde that is to witte diuturnite or longe contynuaunce of tyme and the vyolence of fortune And dyd Costantyne marke or seale this donation of the worlde onely with paper and ynke namely seyng that the forger of this fable who euer he was dothe make ConstaÌ„tyne in the pagyne of that priuylege sayeng these wordes that he dyd suppose that there shulde nat lacke men after his tyme whiche through wicked couetousnesse wolde breake and disanull this donation or gyfte Feare you this thynge O Constantyne and do you nat beware and prouyde lest they whiche wolde take away Rome from Syluester myght also priuely conuay awaye this dede or writte in paper What Syluester himselfe Doth he no thinge at all for himselfe Dothe he so remyt all thinges to Constantyne Is he so carelesse so slowe and so peakishe dothe he in so great a busynes no thynge prouyde for himselfe nothyng for his churche nothing for them that shulde come after his tyme Beholde here O Constantyne to what maner man you do coÌ„myt the administratyon and gouernaunce of the empier of Rome whiche slepeth in so great a mater and in the thyng wherof shulde come either so great lucre or elles so great ieoperdy and daunger For the paper wherin the priuylege is contayned ones taken away doutles the donation or gyfte can nat be proued to haue ben made in processe of tyme. The mad felowe calleth it the pagyne of the priuilege Callest thou the donation of the worlde a priuilege for it pleaseth me to rebuke him as if he were present and wylt thou that this priuilege was written in a pagine and that Constantyne vsed suche maner oration and speche if the tytle be folish and agaynst reason what maner thiÌ„ges shal we iuge the resydue to be y t do after folowe ¶ Constantinus iÌ„perator quarto die sue baptismatis priuilegium Ro. ecclesiae pontifici contulit vt in vrbe Roma sacerdotes ita hunc caput habeant sicut iudices regem CoÌ„stantyne the emperour the fourth daye after he was Christened gaue a priuylege to the bysshoppe of the churche of Rome that in the cyte of Rome the preestes shulde take hym for heed euyn so as the iuges do take the kynge These wordes be contayned in the very historye of Syluester by reason wherof it can nat be douted in what place this priuilege is sygnifyed to haue ben writen But after the maner of them whiche do deuyse and forge lyes or lesynges he began with the trouthe to th entent that he might cause men to gyue credence to the false vntrue thinges that do folowe Euen lykewise as Sinon in Virgyle sayd fyrste to Priamus these wordes Without fayle noble kyng all the trouth I shall say that I am a Greke borne I shall nat say nay And in this he sayd trouthe but afterwardes he made many false leasinges so in this place dothe our subtyle crafty Sinon which whaÌ„ he had begonne with the trouthe by by after dyd adde these wordes ¶ In eo priuilegio ita inter caetera legitur vtile iudicauimus vna cum omnibus satrapis nostris vniuerso senatu opeimatibê° etiaÌ„ cum cucto populo imperio Ro. ecclie subiacenti vt sicut beatus Petrus in terris vicariê° dei videtur esse constitutus ita pontifices ipsiê° principis Apâ—orum vicem principatus potestatem amplius quam terrenae imperialis nostrae serenitatis mansuetudo habere videtur coÌ„cessam a nobis nostroque imperio obtineant In that priuilege among other thinges thus it is redde We with all our dukes erles and with the hole senate and the optimates and with all y e people beyng subiectes vnder the empier gouernaunce of the churche of Rome haue iuged thought it profytable that lykewise as blessed Peter semeth to haue ben constituted ordayned the vicare of god here in erthe euen so the popes also being the successours of the prince of the Apostles shulde optayne and haue power dominion graunted to them of vs our empier more largely than the myldenes of our erthely eÌ„periall serenite shulde seme to haue O cursed and false wreche the same historie wherof thou takest recorde witnes telleth that it is longe tyme ere afore euer they whiche were of y e senatorie ordre wolde take vpon them y e Christen relygion that CoÌ„staÌ„tyne gaue money to poore men that he might therby prouoke them to be baptysed And sayest thou that forth with within .iiii. dayes the senate y e noble great estates with y e rulers of prouiÌ„ces as
ConstaÌ„tine so as they did Tarquine or els to kyll him so as they dyd Iulius Cesar moch more it shal be laufull for the Romaynes or the prouinces to kyll him whiche is succeded so as it is in to the roume and stede of Constantyne This thing albeit that it is true yet is it beyonde the bondes of my cause or mater And therfore I wil refrayne and rule or measure my selfe and I will inferre or conclude none other thiÌ„g at this tyme of these thinges afore reherced but only that it is peuisshnes or madnesse where the vyolence or force or armes is there any man to allege or briÌ„ge in y e right or tytle of wordes for y e same thiÌ„g which is gotteÌ„ or woÌ„neÌ„ w t warre is also lost againe w t batayle that by so moche the more seing that other straunge nations as we haue herde say of y e gothes whiche were neuer vnder thempier of Rome haue wonne Italy and many prouiÌ„ces and entred vpoÌ„ them driuyng out the olde inhabytauÌ„tes which now to be called agayne into y e seruitude iÌ„ which they were neuer before what right or equyte I beseche you is it namely these natyoÌ„s which haue coÌ„quered into the seruytude of them peradueÌ„ture which haue ben coÌ„quered At which tyme if any cyties nations as we knowe it to haue ben done in very dede beyng destituted forsaken of the emperour of Rome were coÌ„strayned at the coÌ„myng of the Barbarous pope of necâ—â—syte to chuse a king to theÌ„ selues vnder whose gouernauÌ„ce they haue goten the vyctory shulde they afterwardes depose him from his kiÌ„gedome or shulde they be wylliÌ„g desyer to haue his sonnes lyue priuate without any rule or auctorite which are worthy to be fauoured both for their fathers sake also for their own vertue manlynes that their selues might be agayne vnder y e emperour of Rome namely whan their selues shulde coÌ„tynually nede the labour dilygence of them and shulde nat hope to haue helpe or ayde froÌ„ any where els If Cesar him self or ConstaÌ„tine if he were alyue agayne or also the senate and the people of Rome wolde call the mater to the coÌ„mune iugemeÌ„t such as was some tyme the iugemente of the Amphictions in Grece lande he shulde be put backe cast forthwith at the fyrst action For that he dyd demauÌ„de clayme agayne in to the seruyce bondage those men whom he being their gouernoure had forsaken long syns and which had lyued so longe season vnder another priÌ„ce gouernour and which neuer had ben subiect to a kinge of another couÌ„trey which fynally were men borne to lybertie which were restored in to lybertie by the streÌ„gth valyauÌ„tnes bothe of mynde body So that it may cuydeÌ„tly appere if Cesar if the people of Rome be excluded froÌ„ claymiÌ„g them agayne in to subiectioÌ„s seruytude moch more than the pope is excluded froÌ„ making suche clayme And if it be laufull for other nations which were vnder Rome either to create make a kinge ouer them selues or to kepe holde a coÌ„mune welth moche more it is laufull for the people of Rome to do the same thing namely agaiÌ„st y e new strauÌ„g tyraÌ„ny of y e pope ¶ The fyâ—th priÌ„cipall parte the last of this worke â— whiche it is shewed y t the pope can nat make any pÌ„scription â—n those thiÌ„ges which he possesseth howe so ouer longe tyme he hath had them in his possessyon BIcause our aduersaryes are nowe excluded froÌ„ defeÌ„dyng of the donation of ConstaÌ„tine in as moche as there was neuer any suche donation made and though there hadde ben it shulde nowe haue ben deade through the condition and state of tymes they do runne to another kynde of defence as you wolde say forsakyng the cyte they gette them selues into a castell or fortelage which forthwith they shall be coÌ„pelled to yelde vp bycause their vytayles shall fayle them The church of Rome they saye hathe made prescription in those thiÌ„ges which it possesseth Why doth than the sayde churche requyre clayme againe those thynges which is the greater parte in whiche it selfe hathe nat made prescription in which other men hath prescribed excepte it be nat laufull for other men to do the same thynge to the pope whiche it is laufull for him to do to other men The churche of Rome you say hath prescrybed Why dothe she than gyue so greatly care and dilygence to haue her ryght tytle to ofte coÌ„firmed of the emperours why doth the sayde church than bost the donation and the confirmation of the emperours if this thynge alone that is to wit prescription were suffycient Thou doest iniury to it if thou doest nat kepe sylence of the other ryght or tytle also Why doest thou nat than kepe sylence of the one Verely bycause this alone is nat suffycieÌ„t Thou sayest y e church of Rome hath pÌ„scribed How can y e church of RoÌ„e haue made pÌ„scription wher ther is none euydeÌ„ce or certeÌ„tie of any rizyogh t title but onely a false vniust possession or els if thou dost deny y t it is a vniust possession and of yuell faith forsoth you can nat deny it to haue ben a possession of folisshe faith or credeÌ„ce Ought the ignoraÌ„ce as they cal it Facti et iuris to be holden excused iÌ„ so gret a mater so open manyfest y e ignoraÌ„ce of y e dede I call nat to knowe that ConstaÌ„tyne dyd neuer gyue Rome the prouynces wherof to be ignorauÌ„te â—s a poyntâ— of an idyate or vnlerned man nat of a pope Ignoraunce of the right I meane nat to knowe that those thiÌ„ges coulde neither be gyuen of the one parte neither bâ— receyued of the other parte wherof to be ignoraunte is a poynt of him that is scarsely a Christen man Shall than the folysshe credulyte or lyghtnes of gyueng credence cause the to haue right and tytle in those thinges which if thou haddest ben wiser shulde neuer haue ben thyne What Shalte thou nat nowe at the least wyse lose that right tytle if thou haddest any at al seing that I haue declared so playnly that it was longe of ignoraunce folysshnesse that thou dyddest possesse them And that thiÌ„g whiche ignoraunce leudly and wrongfully hath gyueÌ„ to the shall nat knowledge well and rightfully take agayn y e same a way froÌ„ the And shall nat the bonde man or prentyce retourne agayne from the uniust lorde to the right maister yeâ— peraduenture euyn with the frute and profyte whiche thou hast taken by the occupyeng and vsyng of him For if thou doest contynue holde on to possesse them yet styll now thyne ignoraunce is tourned into malyce fraude or gyle and thou arte playnly and vtterly made as they call it in latyne tonge Malae fidei possessor that is to say a possessor of euyll faith in as moch as thou knowest y
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