the most blessed Apostle that we shulde nat be bolde either to serche it in y e worshypfull sepulchre or graue or els if we wolde serche it that we shulde thynke it to be rotten and consumed But where was than the bodye of blessed Peter Doutles nat in the temple or church where it is nowe nor in no stronge or safe place it foloweth therfore that Cesar wolde nat haue layde the writte or pagine in that place where the body was Durst he nat put Siluester in trust with the pagine was Siluester so vnholy was he so folyshe was he so neglygēt rechelesse O Peter O Siluester O you bysshoppes of the holy church of Rome to whom y e cure charge of the lordes shepe is cōmytted why do you nat kepe safe the pagine whiche was cōmitted and betaken to you why haue you suffred it to be gnawen and eaten of wormes to consume and rotte away for age I suppose it is bycause your owne bodyes also haue rotted and haue ben consumed Than dyd Constantyne folyshely to lay it with your bodyes Lo now that the pagine is resolued and brought in to pouder or duste the right or tytle of the priuilege is also tourned into dust and brought to nought But yet you wyll say that there remayneth a copie of the same pagyne as we do see Who thā was he which was so presumptuouse and folissh hardy to take this pagyne from the bosome of the most holy apostle Doutles you ought to brynge forth or name some of the olde authours suche one as was alyue in Constātynes tyme. But you can nat bryng forth or name any such writer But peraduenture you wyll bryngforth some man that wrot of late tyme. Where had he this knowlege For who so euer maketh any historie of thinges done afore his tyme either he speaketh as the holy ghost endyteth to him and putteth into his mynde or els he foloweth the authorite of the olde authours that of suche as wrote of thinges done in their owne tyme. Wherfore who so euer doth nat folowe the olde authours he shal be of the nombre of them whom very aūcientnesse antiqtie maketh hardy and bolde to make seasynges And if in any place this thyng be reed it doth accorde and agree with antiquite euyn as moch as that peuysshe and madde narration of Accursius the glose maker which he telleth of embassadours sent from Rome to Grecelande for to receyue the lawes doth accorde w t Titus Liuius other most exellent authours of the olde tyme. ¶ Datum Romae tertio calendas Aprilis Constantino Augusto quareo consule it Gallicano quarto consule .1 Gyuen at Rome the .xxx. daye of March Cōstantine Augustus beyng than the fourth tyme consull Gallicanus also beyng than y e fourth tyme consull He hathe dated the pagyne on the last day of Marche saue one that we shulde suppose it to haue bene done about the tyme of those Easter holy dayes whiche are wonte cōmunely to fall about that tyme. Et Constātino quartum consule and Gallicano quartum consule And Constantine beyng thā the fourth tyme consull and Gallicanus also beyng than y e fourth tyme consull It is a meruaylouse thīg if both Constātyne and Gallicanus had ben either of them thryse consull afore that tyme that than at the fourth tyme they shulde both be chosen felowes together in that offyce But it is a gretter meruayle and more to be wondred at that the emperour Augustus beyng full of the leprie called Elephantia bycause it passeth other dyseases as the elephant dothe other beastes wolde take that highe dignyte and offyce of a consull vpon him seyng that Azarias as sone as he was touched with the leprie kepte himselfe secret within the house cōmittyng the ordring and gouernaunce of his realme to his sonne Ionathas as for the most parte all leprouse kynges were wont to do By whiche argumente alone all the hole priuylege is vtterly cōfuted proued false ouerthrowen And that no man may dout but that it must nedes be that he was infected with leprie afore that he was made consull let him vnderstande and know this whiche thinge phisycions do wytnesse that this sickenes or dysease groweth and encreaseth preuely by lytell and lytell And agayn lette him vnderstande and knowe this also which appereth euydētly by olde histories that they were wonte to entre in to the offyce of the consull in the moneth of Ianuarie and that it was in offyce lastyng but one yere And these thinges are sayde to haue ben done at the March next after And here also I can nat ouerhippe this that in epistels is wonte to be written Datū c. but nat in other writynges excepte it be of suche as haue no lernyng for epistels or letters are said to be gyuen therfore we say Do tibi epistolam or Do ad te epistolam Do tibi epistolam is asmoche to saye as I gyue a letter to you as to a carier for to delyuer it in to his hādes to whom it is written or sende Do ad te epistolā is as moch to say as I write or sende a letter to you But this priuilege as they call it of Constātyne whiche ought nat to be delyuered to any man ought also nat to haue ben said to be gyuen so that it may appere euidently that he whiche spake thus dyd lye falsely yet had no wytte or cōnyng to fayne craftely such thīges as it might be lykely to be trewe that Constantyne either sayde or dyd And all they make themselues pertayners and cosyns to him in folisshnesse and madnesse who so euer do thynke and defende it that this felowe hath sayd true thynges albeit that they haue nothing wherby they may I do nat say defēde but honestly excuse theyr opinion Is this an honest excuse of errour whan thou seest the trouth manifestly and openly shewed nat to be willyng to agree vnto it bycause certayne great and excellent men haue ben of the contrary opinyon to the trouthe I meane great men of dignyte and neither of wisedome neither of vertue But yet wherby knowest thou whether they whom thou folowest if they had herde the same thynges so playnly declared whiche thou doest here wolde cōtynus and abyde styll in their opinion or els wolde go from it and forsake it And yet neuer the lesse it is a great shame and an excedynge great offence to regarde a man more and to gyue to hym more credence than we do regarde the trouthe and gyue credence to it that is to witte to god For verely certayne men beynge destytute of all reasons or argumentes are wonte to aunswere in this wyse why haue so many popes beleued this donation to be true I testefye to you you do prouoke me to that whiche I am euyll willynge loth to do and you do compell me agaynst my wyll to speake euyll of the popes whom I had leuer if
they hale drawe me to execution which nat only do write agaynst them that be deade but also agaynst them that be yet a lyue and that nat agaynst one or two alone but agaynst a great meyny nat agaynst priuate persons onely but also agaīst those which are in auctorite be heed offycers gouernours rulers But what heedoffycers or rulers verely y e pope highest of all bisshoppes which is nat onely armed with the tēporall swerd after the maner and custome of kinges and princes but also with the ecclesyasticall or spirituall swerde that a mā can nat defende himselfe so from him No nat vnder the very shelde that I may so saye of any of the princes but that shall be stricken with excōmunication the great sentence the lesse course And if that man haue ben iuged to haue doone also as wisely as he dyd speake whiche sayd that he wolde nat write agaynst them whiche haue power to proscrybe or banisshe Howe moche more semeth it that I ought to do the same to be ware how I do write agaynst him which shall nat so moch as leaue any place to proscryption or banisshemēt which may so pursue me with the spūall vltyō of his power auctoryte that I may ryghtfully say with y e prophet Dauid in the psalme whether shal I go from thy spyrite whether shal I fle from thy face excepte parauēture we suppose y t the Pope shal take these thīges more paciently than other meane prestes wold do But that is nothyng so for Ananias the hyghest and heed preest commaunded euyn in the presence of the hyghe captayne whiche sat as iudge that Paule shuld be strycken and beten on the face because he sayd that him selfe had lyued bene cōuersaunt among the Iewes with a good conscience and Phaffur beyng endued with the same dignite dyd caste the prophete Hieremie into prison because he dyd speke the trouth boldely and frelye but yet the hyghe captayne the Emperours deputie was both able and also wyllyng to defende Paule the Kyng both myghte and wolde defende Hieremie agaynste the iniurie of the highe preste or bysshoppe but what captayne what deputie or ruler what kynge shal be able although he were willyng to delyuer me frome the hādes of the pope if he may ones lay handes vpō me But there is no cause why this double feare of ieoperdy shuld trouble my mynde or holde me backe from my purpose for neither may the pope eyther bīde or loose any thynge contrary to ryght and goddes lawe and to loose and spende the lyfe in the defence mayntenaunce of trouthe and iustyce is a poynte of most hyghe vertue of moste hyghe prayse and of most hyghe and greattest rewarde Haue nat many men put them selues willingly in daunger and peryll of deathe for the defence of their earthely coūtrye shal I thā be afraide to put my self in daūger of deth for to get optayn the heuenly coūtrey which those men do gette optayne that do please god and nat they whiche do please men Therfore fare wel feare and adewe drede The cause of trouthe the cause of rightuosenesse the cause of god is to be defended with a stronge and bolde mynde with great courage confydence and with good hope for he is nat to be accompted a right oratour which hathe crafte connyng to make a good oration and to speake well except he dare also boldely do it Let vs therfore be bolde and hardy to accuse whosoeuer doth cōmytte thinges worthy accusacion and he which trespasseth agaynst all men let him be checked and rebuked by the mouth of one man for all But perauenture som wyll saye that I ought nat to chyde or rebuke my brother openly but secretely bitwene hym me yes verely He which trespasseth offendeth openly and which wolde nat receyue close secrete coūsaile is to be rep̄ued rebuked opēly y t by thēsāple of him other may be put in feare drede Dyd not Paule whose wordes these were y t I last receyued repreue Peter to his face in the presēce and syght of the congregation because he was reprouable and worthy rebuke he hath lefte this in wrytīg to our doctryne instruction But some man happely wyll saye agayne that I am nat Paule which may worthely rebuke Peter yes verely I am Paule in that I do folowe Paule euyn lykewise as y e whiche is a moch greatter thing I am made one spirite with god wha I do dilygētly obserue obey his cōmaūdementes Neither is it the dignyte of any man that may him safe and sure frome blame or rebukes whiche dyd nat saue Peter frome reprefe nor many other men of the same highe estate and degree but that they haue ben rebuked as Marcellus bicause he had made sacrifyce to goddes and Celestine bycause he was of the same opinion that Nestorius y e heretyke was of as we do knowe also that in our tyme remembraūce certayne haue ben of their inferiours For who is nat inferiour to the pope repreued and rebuked I wyl nat say condempned And verely I doo nat this bycause I do coueyte to rayle vpon any man and to write suche reuilyng rebukefull orations agaynst him as were the oratyons of Cicero agaynst maister Antonius whiche orations are called philyppice for god sheld me from doīg suche a dede but that I myght loose plucke a way erroures wronge opinions frō mēnes myndes and that I myght kepe thē farre away from vyces sīnes either by admonisshīg counsaylyng or els by reprouīg rebukīg of them I dare nat be so bolde to say that other men taught by me may with a hooke or byll cutte kepe lowe y e papale see whiche is y e vineyarde of god beīg now ouer ranke hauyng to many superfluous braunches and compelle it to beare full grappes and nat the small buryes of the wylde vyne which thynge whan I do shall there be any man wylling either to stoppe my mouth or his own eares I wyll nat say to offre or put vnto me punishment dethe that man that wolde so do although he be the pope hym selfe what shall I saye that he is Shall I say that he is a good shepherde or elles rather a deafe serpent which wyl nat heare y e voyce of the charmer or inchaunter but is wyllyng to hurte his membres with her bytyng and poysone I knowe that y e mennes eares haue ben nowe a good whyle desyrouse and longyng to here what faute or cryme I wyll lay to y e popes charge for sothe a great and a huge cryme either of neglygent ignoraunce or elles of outragyouse couetousnesse whiche is the seruitute of ydoles or elles of vanyte and desyre of hauyng dominion and rule whiche vyce tiranny alwayes accompanyeth for now certayn hūdreth yeres either
¶ A treatyse of the donation or gyfte and endowmeÌ„t of possessyons gyuen and gâ—â—unted vnto Syluester pope of Rhome by Constantyne emperour of Rome what truth is in the same grauÌ„t thou mayst se and rede y e iugement of certayne great lerned men whose names on the other page of this leafe done appere THe graunt and priuilege whiche is called the donation or gyfte of Constantyne translated out of greke in to laten by one Bartylmewe Picern of the mounte of Ardue vnto Iulyus y e seconde poâ—â— of Rome ¶ A declamation of Laurence Valla beyng of noble blode and borne in the cyte of Rome agaynst the forsayd priuilege as beyng forged nothyng true but falsely admytted and beleued for true with a preface of one Vdalryk Hutten a knyght of Germayne vnto Leo the tenth pope of Rome ¶ The sentence and mynde of Nycolas of Cuse of the tytle of saynt Peter y e Aduyncle cardynall whiche he wrote vnto y e counsell holden at Basyle of the sayd donation and gyfte of Constantyne ¶ Antony archebysshoppe of Florence of the same donation and gyfte of Constantyne ¶ The preface or ê“heme of Bartholome we Pycern of the hyghe mountayne vnto Pope Iulyus the seconde vpon the priuylege called the gyfte or graunt of the emperoure Constantyne whiche priuylege the sayd Bartholomewe affyrmeth with fast asseueratyon hymselfe to haue traÌ„slated out of greke into laten WHan among other dyuers and sondrie workes whiche of late dayes I dyd rede most blessed father in this your moost famous goodly lybrary there came vnto my haÌ„des a certayne lytell Greke boke whiche contayned the gyfte or graunt of Constantyne I thought it mete coÌ„uenyent to translate it out of greke in to latyn and also y t I ought to dedycate or entytle it to your most holy fatherhed whiche are the deputie of Christ and of Peter and the successoure also of Syluester for because there be many men whiche haue sayde and wyll abyde by it that thys gyfte or graunte of Constantyne is false counterfeyted fayned amonge whom LaureÌ„ce Valla is one a man surely well lerned whiche presuÌ„tuousli hath taken in haÌ„de to write a boke of the false forged gyfte of CoÌ„stantyne But his opynyons very well resysteth and gaynsayth the moste reuerende Cardynall of Alexandrie excellently lerned and substaÌ„cially sene in both lawes also very dilygently confuteth and dyssolueth the obiections made by the sayd LaureÌ„ce Parauenture that great clerke Valla supposed that y e thyng whiche he him selfe had nat redde coulde in no place haue ben founde among other men And no meruayle therof seiÌ„g that he was a man of so gret mordacite and all gyuen to checkiÌ„g that he hath nat ben afrayde to checke and rebuke Aristotle the chefe and pryncipall of all Philosophers ye and also so to fynde fautes with all y e authors of the laten tonge that he hath forborne no man But leste I be to tedyous lette vs nowe lysten and here what Constantyne hym selfe saythe ¶ The decree imperiall written gyuen to the worshypfull and holy Catholyke and apostolycall church of Rome by blessed Constantyne the fyrste amonge the emperours that became Christen IN the name of the holy and vnseperable Trinytie y t is to wytte the father the sonne and the holy ghost Caesar Flauius ConstaÌ„tyne in Christ Iesu of y e same Trinitye our only sauyour oure lorde and our god the faythfull mylde and benefycyall Emperour of Almayne of Gothia of Sarmatia of Germanie of Britayne and of the Hunnes godly prosperous or fortunate conquerour and triumpher alwayes honorable and full of maiestye to the moste holy and blessed father of fathers Syluester byshoppe and Pope of the auncient and noble cyte of Rome And to all bisshoppes the successours of hym syttynge in the chayre of blessed Peter euyn vntyll the ende of the worlde Also to all most reuerende and deuout catholyke bysshoppes subiectes by this our emperyall coÌ„stytution to this worshipfull and holy church of Rome Grace peace loue ioye constaunt mynde and mercy from almighty god bothe the father and Iesu Christ his sonne and also the holyghost be with vs all Suche thinges as hath ben wonderfully wrought about our owne persone by our redemer and sauyour the lorde Iesu Christ whiche is the sonne of the most high father in heuyn through his mercies by his holy apostels Peter and Paule and throughe the meane and intercessyon of our father Syluester the highest bisshoppe and catholyke or vnyuersall pope We haue purposed and desyred to shewe in order with manyfest narration by this oure emperiall writte that it may come herafter to the knowlege of all people and nations whiche are in the worlde that the confessyon â—wlegiÌ„g of y e reuelation shewed vnto vs most 〈…〉 within from the very hert 〈…〉 declareth outwardely our fayth and belefe whiche we haue learned of the aforsayd most blessed father and our intercessour Syluester Catholyke pope chefe and highest preest to the document and instruction of vs all Secondarily it sheweth also to all men the large mercy of god whiche he hath pleÌ„tuously poured and shedde forth vpon vs. For we wyll y t all you do knowe euyn so as we haue declared vnto you by our pragmatycall constytution aforesaid that we haue renounced and vtterly forsaken the worshyppiÌ„g of ydols whiche are dombe and deafe and made with mannes hande and that we are lepte away from the deuillysshe fayninges false ymaginatyons and from all the pompe of Sathan and are humbly descended to the hole and parfyte pure faythe of christen men whiche is the trewe lyght and lyfe eternall as oure hyghe and most reuerende father and maister Syluester him selfe hath taught vs coÌ„maundynge vs to beleue on god the father almyghty maker of heuyn and of earthe of all creatures visyble vnuisyble and on Iesu Christ the onely begoten soÌ„ne of him our lorde by whome all thiÌ„ges haue ben created made and on the holy ghost that quickeneth and gyueth lyfe to euery creature we do so and in suche wyse confesse and knoledge the father the sonne and the holy ghost as that in the perfyte Trinyte is bothe the perfeccyon of the godhed and vnyte of power and myght The father is god the sonne is god the holyghost is god and these thre persones are all one substance Thre formes than ar ther and but onely one power Than after that he hadde fynysshed the creatyon of the heuenly powers of all erthely materiall substaÌ„ces by y e mercifull power and wyll of his wysedome he fyrst formed man of the slyme of the earth resemblaunt to the ymage and symilytude of his owne selfe And after he had so formed him he set him in paradyse a place of pleasure at whom and whosâ— felycite the serpent olde enemy the deuyll hauyng enuy thrugh the most bytter myserable tastyng of the frute of a tre forbydden caused hiÌ„ to be outlawed banysshed from that
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
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