the matter Yet such a Booke I neuer saw to this day neither can I learne that any other hath seene the same But more hereof to speake fitter occasion will be offered hereafter And if I liue to see such a Booke extant it shall not God willing be long vnanswered Thirdly that I prooued it in the Tryall euen in this very Chapter to be a very rotten Ragge of the New religion And this I did performe in that place many wayes First by the expresse wordes of Syluester Pryeras a man so profound and learned that hee was by the Papistes surnamed Absolutus Theologus who constantly affirmeth that the Popes Pardons were neuer knowne to vs neither by the Scriptures nor yet by the auncient Fathers but onely by the late Writers Loe the Popes Pardons are so new that neither the Holy Scriptures nor yet the old Fathers knew them but the late Writers onely Ergo they must needes be Ragges of a New Religion How can the Fryer denie this withoutblushing His owne conscience accuseth him Hee can not tell doubtles what in the world to say or thinke Hee seeth euidently that Poperie is prooued the New Religion Hee perceiueth right well that hee is not able with all the helpe of his best friendes to defend the Pope from vtter shame Secondly by the flat testimonie of the Popish canonized Saint Antoninus sometime Archbyshop of the famous Citie of Florence who deliuereth the selfe same Doctrine that Syluester did Thirdly by the Doctrine of Petrus Lombardus their famous Maister of Sentences who though he with great diligence collected into one Volume all the worthy Sentences of the old Fathers could neuer for all that find the Popes Pardons or any mention thereof in any of their Writinges For as Syluester and Antoninus truely write the Old Writers were not acquainted with any such thing Fourthly by the free confession of M. Fisher that famous Popish so supposed Martir sometime Byshop of Rochester in noble England who in his Answere to M. Luthers Articles was enforced to admit the Newnes of the Popes Pardons To all which and much more plainely set downe in the Tryall our Iesuite sayth not one word Hee was so frighted forsooth with the Conclusion that hee durst not once touch the Premisses but passing them ouer in deepe silence hee curâ—alleth the Ergo and seuereth it from the Consequent because it did connotate plainely lay open to the Reader that the Premisses went before I wish the Reader to peruse the Tryall that so hee may see the coozening trickes of the proud Fryer Marke the Complement following The Complement of this Chapter FOr the better instruction of the Christian Reader and the vtter confusion of our Fryer and of all other Fryers Jesuites and Iesuited Popelinges let vs seriously ponder and constantly remember that there be two kindes of Pardons Th' one De pamtentijs iniunctis th' other Dâ—remissione peccatorum Concerning the former kinde which were onely relaxations or mittigations of Discipline and Canonicall Penance inioyned by the Church I graunt very willingly that in the primatiue and auncient succeding Churches they were very frequent and vsuall For in those dayes and ages such as were notorious offendours and had giuen publike scandall to the Church were enioyned by the Church to doe publique penaunce for their publique faultes before they could be admitted into the Church againe Which godly Discipline is this day obserued God be thanked for it in all particular Churches throughout this Realme of noble England Yea in the auncient Churches many yeares of penaunce or publique exercises of humiliation were ordained for euery publique grieuous Offence Wherevpon it came that when many penitent persons gaue euident signes of true internall remorse for their former scandalous conuersation then the Church thought good to giue to such penitent persons some relaxation of their so inioyned publique penaunce Which kind of Pardons the famous Councell of Nice of Arles of Ancyra and others did vsually giue to penitent persons Of which manner of pardoning the auncient Fathers Tertullianus Cyprianus Jrenaeus Eusebius Sozomenus and others doe often make relation But concerning the latter kind of late Popish Pardons that is of applying to whom they list and when they list aswell to the liuing as to the dead the Merites of Christ and of his Saintes as condigne satisfaction for their Sinnes no Scripture no Councell no Father no auncient approoued Historiographer maketh any mention at all Which trueth I haue so plainely prooued in my Booke of Motiues as no Papist in Europe is able to answere the same The Booke hath been extant in print now 15. whole yeares and to this day no answere though often promised will appeare But let our Iesuite proceed in his wonted maner B. C. I will adde one testimonie more of our Enemies the Waldenses who appeared to the world about the yeare 1270. as testifieth Claudius Cussordius and Guido one of whose Hereâ—â—es was against the Popes Pardons as is most certaine and Kemnitius confesseth which argueth that Parâ—ons were long in vse before the yeare 1300. And therefore be it knowen to Bell that he hath runge out a notorious vntrueth T. B. I answeare first that Waldenses appeared to the world one hundred yeares before the time our Fryer nameth viz. about the yeare 1169. and so hath hee in this poynt runge one notorious vntrueth though but a very small one in respect of his other manifold and most impudent lyes Secondly that Chemnitius doth not confesse as our Fryer impudently affirmeth But wisemen may and will beleeue him at leasure seeing hee referreth them for the proofe to his inuisible Booke The dolefull Knell For I protest to all the world that I can neither see it nor find out any man who hath seene that same Booke And therefore I haue great reason to thinke that no such Booke is extant in deed especially because the Iesuites haue long sithence and many times affirmed both in wordes and writinges that my Motiues and Suruay were answered which for all that was such a notorious lye as the sayd Bookes remayne to this day vnanswered insomuch as some of their dearest and most deuoted vassals are ashamed of their sylence in that behalfe and beginne to stagger and to doubt of the Popish Fayth and Religion My Motiues were printed in the yeare 1593. And my Suruay of Poperie in the yeare 1596. So as the Jesuites haue had the former in their handes now 15. yeares fully compleate and the latter 12. yeares with the vantage of a large assisse But more of this subiect in the 9. Chapter following God willing toward the end of the same Thirdly that our Fryers two Witnesses Guide and Cussordius are in honestie and credite comparable to himselfe base fellowes men of no reputation Knightes of the Post who will say or sweare any thing for the Popes pleasure Fourthly that where our Fryer sayth without
my Bookes as against that Church which so aboundeth with Errours Heresies and Superstitions as I know not when and where to finde the like no not among Ethnicks Publicans Turkes Iewes or Saracens Instruction 2. There are many sectes of Fryers this day in the Church of Rome the Benedictiues began in the yeare 527-after Christ. The Carthusians began in the yeare 1084. after Christ. How this Sect had the first originall it is worthy the Reader should yeeld his due attention this is the trueth of the Storie While one Bruno was the reader of Philosophy at Paris that famous Citie in France a friend of his being a man of good carriage honest externall conuersation departed out of this life this friend lying dead vpon the Coffin in the Church soundeth out these wordes in the eares of the sayd Bruno I am damned by the iust iudgement of God With this wonderment the sayd Bruno was so terrified that hee knew no way how to be saued but by inuenting the sect of the Carthusians Behold heere the subtiltie of the Diuell who neuer wanteth meanes how to set vp Superstition and Idolatrie for if the Story be true as it is most true if many famous Popish Historiographers be not notorious lyers then doubles the Diuell was the author of the voyce as which brought foorth the spirit of Pride not the spirit of Humilitie I prooue it because this Bruno who had vowed perpetuall obedience to his superiour could not now be content to continue a Monke amongst the Benedictiues but hee must be the Lord Abbot of a new Sect For since the Sect of the Benedictes was the ready way to Heauen as late vp-start Poperie taught him it followeth of necessitie that either he condemned his owne Religion and consequently his owne if not the Diuels inuention or else my consequence perforce must be admitted And heere I note by the way the formall deformitie of all the Sectes in Poperie to weet that the Papistes ascribe Merite and saluation to the same and so Poperie is the New religion Instruction 3. The aforenamed Benedictiue-Monkes in a short time began to be dissolute and so to be deuided into many new Sectes Some were called Cluniacenses some Camaldnenses some Vallisumbrenses some Montoliuotenses some Grandimontenses some Cistertienses some Syluestrenses All which beeing most variable in life manners and obseruations will for all that be reputed right Benedictiues Euen so forsooth as our late Popes or Byshops of Rome must needes be S. Peters successors though as like to him as Yorke is like foule Sutton This sect of the Benedictiues farre altered from the first institution was reformed in the yeare 1335. for as Polydorus that famous Popish writer reporteth Monkes doe not long continue in the due obseruation of their Monasticall institution Instruction 4. The Sect called Pramonstratensis began in the yeare 1119. the first Author thereof was one Norbertus by name Who doubles either condemned the former Sectes at the least of imperfection or else was puffed vp with the spirit of Pride as were his fraterculi before him Instruction 5. The Sect of the Carmelites began in the yeare 1170. It was inuented by one Almericus the Byshop of Antioch The Sect of the Dominicans began in the yeare 1198. The sect of the Franciscans began in the yeare 1206. The Sect of the Iesuates began in the yeare 1371. The Sect of the Iesuites that cursed crew began in the yeare 1540. after Christ the Author of this Sect was one Ignatius Loyola a Souldier and a Spaniard borne This Sect as it was the last hatched so doth it in pontificall Pride surpasse all the rest It is by them selues tearmed Ordo sodalitatis Iesu the very name expressing their proud and hautie mindes For no name of so manie Sectes afore them nor any other appellation could content them vnlesse they were tearmed the Fellowes and Companions of our Lord Iesus Their deare breathren the Seminarie-Priestes tell them roundly euen in printed Bookes published to the view of the whole world that they are notorious Lyars cruell Tyrantes arrant Traytours mercilesse Murtherers right Machiuels Scribes and Pharises Gypsees Firebrands of sedition that they ride like Earles in Coaches with many Seruants attending on them that they must haue their Chambers perfumed that Gentlewomen must pull off their Bootes that they trowle vp and downe from good cheere to good cheere that they are Thieues that they threatē a conquest of noble England that they promise to restore men to their Liuinges that will take part with them against their naturall Soueraigne in briefe that they are the wickedst men vpon earth All which much other like stuffe the Reader may finde at large in the Anatomie of Popish tyranny Instruction 6. The name Pope was common to all Byshops euery where for more then 528. yeares after Christ. The Byshops of Rome Sozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus more then 417. yeares after Christ could alleadge no better groundes or reasons for their now falsely vsurped Primacie then that only which the Nicene Councell had allotted to them For which cause the aforenamed Popes falsified the Canons of that most famous Synode as S. Augustine and hundreds of Byshops with him in the Africane Councell assembled freely and roundly told Pope Celestine in their Epistle directed to him exhorting him to surcease from such proud challenges and calling his falsely pretended soueraigntie Fumosum typhū seculi smokely statelines of the world The aforenamed Popes feigned certaine false Canons to haue been made by the Fathers of the famous Nicene Councell by the which as they reported a supereminent power and iurisdiction was graunted to the Byshops of Rome ouer and aboue all other Byshops in the Christian world Whereas the true Canons of that holy Synode did confine allot and limit the iurisdiction of the Byshops of Rome euen as it did allot limit and confine the iurisdiction of other Byshops else where The Fathers of the African Councell sent this way that way and euery way to search and finde out the true copies of the Canons of the Councell of Nice yea to the Churches of the East to the Byshops of Antioch of Alexandria But when all was done that possibly they could performe the Byshops of Rome could no where ground stablish their fondly imagined prerogatiues saue onely vpon false and counterfeit Canons vntruly fathered vpon the Nicene Synode Instruction 7. The Emperours successiuely following Constantine worthily surnamed the Great graunted great priuiledges to the Church and Byshops of Rome which excellencie priuiledges prerogatiues the Bishops of Rome cunningly procured by a counterfait and falsely forged donation of Constantine the great for the late Emperours giuing credite to the counterfeit donation yeelded vp their lawfull Segnories royall Soueraignties and regall Prerogatiues to the Byshops of Rome supposing they had only restored to them that which was wrongfully
Councels and of the whole World but hee calleth not other Byshoppes Popes or Fathers but his Breathren or Sonnes as is apparant out of an Epistle of Pope Damasus to the Easterne Byshops recited by Theodoretus and in the Epistle of the Councell of Chalcedon to Pope Leo. T. B. I answere first that as our Jesuite began with notorious lying so hee continueth heere and in euery place to the end of his Pamphlet For the Councell of Chalcedon sayth not as our Jesuite with lying lippes auoucheth no no not the Councell but Bonifacius a Priest of Rome sent by Leo to the Councell a sworne vassall to the Pope and such a one as durst not but say what the Pope had enioyned him sayth so These are the expresse wordes Bonifacius presbyter sedis apostolicae vicarius dixit beatâ—ssimus et apostolicus vir Papa inter caetera hoc nobis mandauit Bonifacius Priest the Popes deputie sayd the most blessed and apostolicke man the Pope among other things gaue vs this commandement Secondly that our Jesuite sayth truly though meaning nothing lesse when he telleth vs that it is sayd out of the Councell For most true it it that it is so out of the Councell that it neuer came into the same The Popes Vicar indeed would gladly haue aduanced the Pope but the Councell made no reckoning of his proud and arrogant words Thirdly that the Iesuite still lyeth when hee impudently auoucheth as his wonted manner is that the Councell called Leo Pope of the whole Church For the wordes which our Fryer fathereth vpon the Councell are onely the wordes of Lucentius the Popes deputie but not the wordes of the Councell The Fathers of the Councell contemned the arrogant speaches of this Lucentius as they did the other of Bonifacius afore Fourthly that our Jesuite impudently most shamefully belyeth Liberatus as who hath no such loftie wordes in the behalfe of Leo but barely and nakedly calleth him Pope and who is so farre from tearming him Pope ouer the Church of the whole world that hee flatly affirmeth the contrarie in sundry other Chapters In one place hee hath these wordes Lectus est tomus papae Leonis ad memoratum flauianum contra dogma Eutychis directus The Tombe of Pope Leo was read which he directed to Flauianus against the opinion of Eutyches In an other place thus Legati sedis apostolicae ab ipso concilio fugientes retulerunt Papae Leoni iniquitates Dioscori The Messengers of the apostolicke Sea fleeing from the Councell shewed Pope Leo the wickednesse of Dioscorus In an other place thus Seâ—â—rus Antiochenus iam fuerat condemnatus et Anthinus Constantinopolitanus ab Agapeto Papa Romano et Menna Constantinopolitano et libellis datis aduersus â—os Imperatori Iustiniano Seuerus of Antioch was condemned and Anthinus of Constantinople of Agapetus the Pope of Rome and Menna of Constantinople and Libels were presented to the Emperour Iustinian against them Many like places I could easily alleadge out of the Breuiarie of Liberatus but one for many may suffice which cutteth the Popes head and necke from the shoulders These are the expresse wordes Sed fortissimus Leo anciens legatoruÌ„ suoruÌ„ suggestioneÌ„ et Theodoritâ— quaerelas suscipiens litteris suis TheodosiuÌ„ Imperatorem et Pulcheriam Augustam petit vt fieret intra Itaham generale conciliuÌ„ et aboleretur error fidei per violentiam dioscorj factus But couragious Leo hearing the suggestion of his Messengers and receiuing the complaintes of Theodoritus directing his Letters to the Emperour Theodosius and Pulcheria the Empresse desireth them that a generall Councell might be gathered within Italy and the errour of fayth abolished which Dioscorus by violence had set abroach Thus writeth Liberatus whom our Fryer relyeth vpon as one of his chiefest Patrons Out of whole wordes I obserue first that the Pope is tearmed plaine Leo without eyther welt or gard Secondly that the Pope could not gather a Councell in Italy but onely requested the Emperour to doe it Thirdly that the Emperour of the East had still the chiefe soueraigntie of Rome all Italy euen 457. yeares after Christ. And consequently that the late Byshops of Rome do most shamefully abuse the world when they impudently auouch that the Emperour Constantine the great gaue to Syluester the Byshop of Rome his golden Crowne dignitie title and interest both of Rome Italy the whole Western partes For the Councell of Chalcedon was holden in the yeare 457. after Christ which was about 130. yeares after the falsely pretended donation of Constantine and his departure to Constantinople from the citie of Rome But hereof more at large in the next Chapter now following Fiftly that the Iesuite egregiously belyeth both Damasus that good Byshop of Rome and Theodoretus that graue and learned writer for no such thing can be found in Theodorete in the place quoted by the Jesuite These wordes are all that the Jesuite can truly father vpon Theodorete which how farre they are from his notorious lye let the indifferent Reader iudge Confessio catholicae fidej quaÌ„ Papa Damasus misiâ— Paulino episcopo Thessalonicae in Macedonia The confession of the Catholicke fayth which Pope Damasus sent to Paulinus the Byshop of Thessalonica in Macedonia Heere is not one word of any Supremacie of the Byshop of Rome Nay the same Theodorete euen in the Epistle next and immediately aforegoing confoundeth the Jesuite and striketh him starke dead these are the expresse wordes Dominis reuerendissimis et pijssimis fratribus ac collegis Damaso Ambrosio Brittonj Valeriano Acholio Auemiâ— Basilio et caeteris sanctis episcopis in magna vrbe Roma coactis synodus sancta episcoporuÌ„ orthodoxoruÌ„ qui conuenere in magna vrbe Constantinopolj in domino salutem To the most reuerend Fathers our most holy breathren and fellowes Damasus Ambrosius Britto Valerianus Acholius Auemius Basiâ—ius and to all the rest of the holy Byshops assembled in the great Cittie of Rome the holy Synode of Catholique Byshoppes assembled in the great Citie of Constantinople send greeting in our Lord. Thus writeth Theodoretus Out of whose narration I obserue first that a whole Synode of Catholique Byshops assembled in the famous Cittie of Constantinople wrote to an other Synode of holy Byshops assembled in the great citie of Rome Secondly that the Byshops of Constantinople Synode called the Byshops at Rome assembled their Fellowes and did not ascribe any other name or title to Damasus then the Byshop of Rome Thirdly that if any such soueraigntie as our Jesuite fondly imagineth had been due to the Byshop of Rome then doubtles so many so learned and so holy Fathers assembled at Constantinople would haue giuen the Byshop of Rome his due title and not haue called him barely their Fellow as they did the rest Sixtly that the Epistle our Jesuite fathereth vpon the Councell of Chalcedon is cousen germaine to the counterfait Donation of Constantine of which
I deny the graunt If of the Latine I willingly agree therevnto For who knoweth not that the Latine Emperour came freely though falsely to the Empire by Pope Stephans gyft who depriued the Greeke Emperour for that he did not succour Italy and placed a Latine in his stead so as the Emperour receiued more of the Pope then the Pope of the Emperour His second place is comprized in these wordes Ego Ludouicus Imperator Romanus Augustus statuo et concedo per hoc pactum confirmationis nostrae tibi beato Petro principi Apostolorum et per te Vicario tuo domino paschali summo pontifici et successoribus eius in perpetuuÌ„ sicut a praedecessoribus nostris vsque nunc in vestra potestate et ditione tenuistis RomanaÌ„ ciuitateÌ„ cum ducatu suo et suburbanis atque viculis omnibus et territorijs eius montanis et maritimis littoribus et portubus seu cunctis Ciuitatibus Castellis Oppidis ac Villis in Tusciae partibus tu ne Ludouice cum paschale pacisceris si tua id est Imperij Romani sunt ista cur alteri concedis si ipsius et ab ipso possidentur quid attinet te illa confirmare Sequitur merito pactum appellas quasi quandam collusioneÌ„ sed quid faciam inquies repetam armis quae Papa occupat at ipse iam factus est me potentioâ— repetamiure at ius meum tantum est quantum ille voluerit Non enim haereditario nomine ad Imperium veni sed pacto vt si Imperator esse volo haec et haec inuicem Papae promittam Sequitur Sigismundus cum Romam verisset vt pro Imperatore Romanorum coronaretur non aliter a Papa coronari potuit quam vt Constantini donationem ratam haberet eademque omnia de integro donaret quid magis centrarium quam pro Imperatore coronari qui Romae ipsi renunciasset et coronari ab illo quem et coÌ„fitcatur et quantum in se est dominum Romani Imperij faciat Acratam habere donationem quae vera si sit nihil Imperatori de imperio reliqui fiat Quod vt arbitror nec pucri fecissent Quo minus mirum si Papa sibi arrogat Caesaris coronationeÌ„ quae populi Romani esse deberet si tu Papa et potes Graecum Imperatorem priuare Italia prouincijsque occidentis et Latinum Imper facis cur pactionibus vteris Cur bonae Caesaris partiris Cur in te imperium transfers Quare sciat quisquis est Imperator Ro. me iudice se non esse nec Augustum nec Caesarem nec Imperatorem nisi Romae imperium teneat et nisi operam det vt vrbeÌ„ Romam recuperet plane esse periuruÌ„ nam Caesares illi priores quorum primus fuit Constantinus non adigebantur iusiuranduÌ„ interponere quo nunc Caesares obstringuntur sed quantum humana ope praestari potest nihil imminuturos esse de amplitudine imperij Romani eamque sedulo adaucturos I Lodowicke Emperour of Rome Augustus do decree graunt by this couenant of our Confirmation to thee S. Peter Prince of the Apostles and by thee to thy Vicar Lord Paschall the high Priest and to his successours for euer as you haue holden them of our predecessours vntill this day in your power and dominion the Citie of Rome with her Dukedome Suburbes Streetes Territories Mountaines Marishes Shores Portes and all Cities Castles Townes and Villages in the coastes of Thusâ—a Doest thou Lodowicke couenant with Paschall If these thinges be thine that is pertaine to the Empire why doest thou giue them to an other If they be his and he haue them in possession to what end must thou confirme the same Thou truly calles it a Couenant as it were a Collusion But thou wilt say What shall I doe Shall I by force require the thinges which the Pope hath in possession But hee is now become stronger then my selfe Shall I demaund them as my right But my right is onely that which hee will affoord mee for I came not to the Empire by right of inheritaunce but by pact and couenant so as I can not be Emperour vnlesse I will giue the Pope what hee desireth Sigismundus comming to Rome there to be crowned Emperour of the Romans could not be crowned of the Pope but vpon this condition that he would confirme Constantines Donation and giue all the same things anew What is more contrary then that hee should be crowned Emperour who had renounced Rome nay be crowned of him whom he both confesseth and as much as in him lyeth maketh the Lord of the Romane Empire And should in like manner confirme that Donation which if it be true no part of the Empire shall remaine in the Emperours hand Which thing I thinke children would not haue done Wherefore it is lesse to be admired if the Pope challenge to himselfe the Crowning of Caesar which of right pertaineth to the people of Rome If thou be Pope and canst depriue the Greeke Emperour of Jtaly and of the Westerne Prouinces and makest a Latine Emperour why doest thou vse Couenantes Why doest thou deuide Caesars right Why doest thou translate and giue away the Empire from thy selfe Wherefore let him know whosoeuer is the Romane Emperour that if I be iudge he neither is Augustus nor Caesar nor Emperour vnlesse he hold keepe the Empire of Rome as also that he is periured vnlesse he employ his best endeauour to recouer the Citie of Rome againe For the former Caesars of whom Constantine was the chiefe were not vrged to take that Oath which this day is imposed vpon the Caesars but no way to diminish the amplitude of the Romane Empire and as much as mans power can effect to enlarge the same His third place is conteyned in these words Vt quisque pessimus est summorum Pontificum ita maximè defendendae huic Donationi incuÌ„bit qualis Bonifacius octauus qui Celestinum tubis parieti insertis decepit hic et de donatione Constantini scribit et regem Franciae priuauit regnuÌ„que ipsum quasi donationem Constantini exequi vellet Ecclesiae Rom. fuisse et esse subiectum indigauit Quod statim successores eius Benedictus et Clemens vt improbum et iniustum reuocarunt Verum quid sibi vult ista vestra Pontifices Rom. sollicitudo quod a singulis Imperatoribus donationem Constantinj exigitis confirmari nisi quod iurj diffiditis vestro Sed laterem lauatis vt dicitur nam neque illa vnquam fuit et quodnon est confirmarj non potest et quicquid denant Caesares deceptj exemplo Constantinj faciunt et donare Jmperium nequeunt The more wicked euery Pope is the more he employeth himselfe to defend this Donation Such was Bonifacius the eight who deceiued Celestine with Trumpets placed in the wall This man writeth of the Donation of Constantine and hee depriued the King of France and iudged his
inferioris gradus Clericos siue ipsos Episcopos suis Metropolitanis apertissimè commiserunt Prudentissimè N. iustissimèque prouiderunt quaecūque negocia in suis locis vbi orta sunt finienda nec vnicuique Prouinciae gratiam sancti spiritus defuturam qua aequitas a Christi sacerdotibus et prudenter videatur et constantissimè teneatur maximè quia vnicuique concessum est si iudicio offensus fuerit cognitorum ad concilia suae Prouinciae vel etiam vniuersale prouocare Nisi forte quisquam est qui credat vnicuilibet posse Deum nostrum examinis inspirare iustitiā et innumerabilibus congregatis in concilium sacerdotibus denegare Aut quomodo ipsum transmarinū iudicium ratum erit ad quod testiū necessariae personae vel propter sexus vel propter senectutis infirmitatem vel multis alijs intercurrentibus impedimentis adduci non poterunt Nam vt aliqui tanquam a tuae sanctitatis latere mittantur nulla inuenimus patrum Synodo constitutum Quia illud quod pridem per eundem Coepiscopum nostrum Faustinum tanquam ex parte Niceni concilij ex inde transmisistis in verioribus concilijs quae accipiuntur Nicena a sancto Cyrillo Coepiscopo nostro Alexandrinae Ecclesiae et a venerabili Attico Constantinopolitano antistite ex authentico missis quae etiam ante hoc per Innocentium Presbyterem et Marcellum subdiaconum per quos ad nos ab eis directa sunt venerabilis memoriae Bonifacio Episcopo praedecessori vestro a nobis trāsmissa sūt in quibus tale aliquid nō potuimus reperire Therefore due salutation premised wee heartily desire that hencefoorth you doe not easily receiue those that come from hence vnto your eares neither hereafter receiue into your communion such as be excomunicated by vs For this also is decreed by the Nicene Councell as your reuerence will easily perceiue For although it seeme there to be decreed onely of the Lay people or Clerkes of the inferiour order how much more doth the holy Councell intend it of the Byshops themselues least such as be suspended in their owne Prouince from the Communion should hastily abruptly or vnduely be by you restored to the same Let your holynes reiect the impious refuges of Priestes other inferiour Clarkes as it becommeth you because no Decree of the Fathers doth spoyle the Aphrican Church of this libertie and the Decrees of the Nicene Councell haue most plainely referred not onely Clarkes of inferiour degree but also the Byshops them-selues to their Metropolitanes For they haue most prudently and most iustly prouided that all businesses whatsoeuer shall be there ended where they began neither the grace of the holy spirit to be wanting to euery Prouince by which equitie among Christes Priestes may both prudently be foreseene and most constantly obserued especially because euery one hath freedome if iudgement giuen offende him to appeale either to a prouinciall or generall Councell vnlesse perhappes any be of this minde that God will inspire the iustice of examination to euery one at his pleasure and deny the same to a multitude of Priestes assembled togeather in Councell Or how shall iudgement beyonde the Sea be approoued where meete and necessarie witnesses can not be present either by reason of the sexe or through the infirmitie of old age or by many other intercurring impedimentes For that any should be sent from your Holynesse we finde it not defined by the Fathers in any Synode at all For that which you lately sent by Faustinus our fellow-Byshop as on the behalfe of the Nicene Councell in the true Councelles receiued from Nice sent authentically from S. Cyrill our fellow-Byshoppe of the Church of Alexandria and from venerable Atticus the Prelate of Constantinople which also we sent formerly to Byshop Boniface of venerable memorie your predecessour by Jnnocentius Priest and Marcellus Subdeacon by whom they were directed from them to vs we can not find any such thing Thus wrote these learned auncient and holy Fathers to Celestinus the Byshop of the citie of Rome Their narration and attestation though very long and plentifull I thought good to lay open to the Reader in their expresse wordes at large because they doe so liuely discouer Popysh forgerie Iesuiticall treacherie in the best beseeming colours and declare so euidently Poperie to be the New religion as nothing can be more Which most constant assertion of so many so auncient so holy so graue so learned Byshoppes whosoeuer shall prudently and duely ponder that man doubtlesse can not but detest and abhorre Poperie as a newly coyned Fayth and Religion For first these holy Fathers does not call Pope Celestine The vniuersall Byshoppe but simply and plainely Vrbis Romae Episcopum The Byshop of the citie of Rome Secondly they tell him constantly that hee may not receiue them whom they doe excomunicate and they yeeld this reason Because the Nicene Councell hath so defined it Thirdly they affirme resolutely that the Nicene Councell committed both inferiour Clerkes and Byshoppes them-selues to be censured and taxed by their Metropolitanes Fourthly they tell Celestine then Byshop of Rome that the Nicene Fathers prouided most prudently and most iustly that Dissentions all Controuersies whatsoeuer should be decided finished where they began Where I admonish the Reader to obserue seriously this word Iustissimè most iustly for doubtlesse if Iustice require to finish and determine causes where they began then doth the Pope vniustly when he seeketh to draw the hearing thereof to the Court of Rome Fiftly when any one findeth himselfe iustly grieued the Nicene Councell say they giueth him this freedome to appeale from his Byshoppe to the Metropolitane and from the Metropolitane vnto a generall Councell but neuer a word of appealing to the Pope Sixtly they tell the Pope roundly that it is a meere folly to thinke that God will better inspire him with the examination of Iustice then a multitude of Priestes assembled for that end Seuenthly they tell their brother Celestine for so they tearme him but not Vniuersall Byshoppe that if his proud and greedy desire were put in execution many mischiefes would insue therevpon Eightly they constantly auouch with one consent that no Fathers did euer decree in any Synode that the Pope should send any Deputie or Messenger to their Councels This would be duely pondered as a matter of great consequence For out of it doe follow two necessarie and ineuitable Corollaries corollary 1 The first Corollarie is this viz. That the Councell of Sardica is a falsely pretended and counterfeite Synode as which hath decreed that in fauour of the Pope which these Fathers of the Affrican Councell deny any Synode to haue done corollary 2 The second Corollarie is this viz. That neither the Councell of Nice nor yet any other lawfull Synode did euer decree transmarine Appeales to the Byshoppe of Rome I say transmarine because I willingly admit the Priestes and Byshoppes