¶ 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
possyble that they were the very same whom we lerned them to be by reuelation Than that father worthy of all reuereÌ„ce coÌ„maunded the ymages of these holy Apostels to be brought to me by his owne propre deacon and mynister whiche whan I behelde ê‘ceyued in the ymages very well the aspectes and lykenesse of them whom I had sene in my slepe with a great loude voyce I confessed in the presence of my dukes and noble estates that these were the very same persones whome I sawe in my slepe Than forthwith this our moste blessed father Syluester bysshop of the cyte of Rome apoynted to vs a certeyn tyme of penauÌ„ce in which I shuld weare a sherte of heare within our palyce of Laterane that we myght pacifye or appease the wrathe of our lorde god and our sauyour for all thynges which hath ben wickedly wrought and vniustly done by vs with fastynges watchynges wepynges and prayers Afterwardes clerkes layeng their haÌ„des vpon me I came to the pope hym selfe and there renouncynge the pompes of the deuyll and his workes all ydols made with mannes hande I confessed of myne owne free wyll in presence of all the people that I beleue in one god father almightye maker of heuyn and of erthe of all a visyble and inuysyble thynges And in one lorde Iesu Christ the onely begoten sonÌ„e of god our lorde which was begotten of the holyghost and of Mary the virgyn Than after that he had halowed the fonte or lauacre of baptyme with his holy blessyng he purifyed the water whiche was therin to putte In to the which fouÌ„tayne or baptistory so sone as I was sette I sawe with my owne eyes a hande touchynge me from heuyn by which hande whan I rose vp I parceyued and knewe my selfe to be cleÌ„sed and purifyed from all the fowlnesse and vncieÌ„nesse of leprie And whan they had taken me out of that holy bathe they dyd putte on me whyte garmentes and he gaue me the carecte or marke of y e seuenfolde grace of the holy ghost by a noyncyng me with holy oyle he marked the sygne token of the holy crosse in my forhed sayng these wordes God sealeth or marketh the with y e seale of his fayth in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holyghost and all the clergy answered and sayd Amen And the pope sayde also Pax tibi Peace be to the. The fyrst day after that I had receyued the sacrament of holy baptysme that I was cured healed in my body froÌ„ leprie I knewe that there is none other god besydes the father and sonne and holyghost whome the most blessed father Syluester preacheth .iii. persones in one god and one god in .iii. persones for all the goddes of the gentyles and panyms whome I haue honoured here to fore are manyfestly shewed and declared to be deuyls and the workes of mennes handes Than the sayde holy father him selfe playnly declared to vs how greate power and authoryte the same our sauyour hath gyuen to his chosen Apostell blessed Peter bothe in heuyn and in earth whan after that he hadde founde him faythfull in answeryng to his demauÌ„de he sayd to him Thou arte Peter and vpon this stone I wyl bylde my churche and the gates of hell shall nat preuayle agaynst it Consyder you men of great power and myght and attende and take good hede with the eares of your hertes and myndes what y e good maister and lorde added more besydes this to his owne dysciple saying And I wyll gyue to the the kayes of the kyngdome of heuyn what so euer thou shalt bynde vpon erthe it shal be bounden also in heuyn †This is a marueylous worde and full of power bothe to bynde lose so vpon erthe y t the same shal be bounden and losed lykewyse in heuyn We therfore hauyng knowlege of these thynges by thinstruction of blessed Syluester and parceyuing or felyng parsyte helth to be comen agayne to our body through the benefycence of the same blessed Peter thought iuged it mete and accordynge our selfe with all other dukes erles and our counsaylours and the other noble estatê and also with the hole people beyng vnder the dominion of the empyre of Rome that as blessed Peter appereth to haue ben constytuted ordayned made by the sonne of god his deputie in erthe so lyke wise the successours of the prince of the Apostels shulde take and receyue of vs and of our empire gretter prerogatyue of power gyuen to them than our serenite and also empire is knowen of all men to haue in erthe for we haue electe and chosyn the prince of Apostels hym selfe and his trewe successoures to be patrons and intercessours for vs to god and we haue decreed to honoure and worshyppe with reuerence his sacredde and holy churche of Rome euyn so as our emperyall power is worshypped in erthe to exalte the most holy see of blessed Peter more than our owne empyre and teÌ„porall dignyte gyueng to it power preferment of royaltie strength and effycacie and hyghe honour emperyall And we decree establysshe that it haue the dominion chefe gouernauÌ„ce vpon the foure chiefe and principall sees Antioche Alexandrie Constantinople and Ierusalem Also vpon all the coÌ„gregatioÌ„s churches of god through out the hole worlde and the bisshoppe of that hyghe and holy churche of Rome for the tyme beyng to be principall and heed of all preestes whiche are in the hole worlde and that all thynges wherof cure ought to be taken for the worshippyng of god or the corroboraâ—yng and enstrengthyng of the christen fayth be gouerned and ordered by the iugement of him for it is ryght that the heed of power principalyte shulde there haue his holy lawes and ordynaunces where oure sauyoure the maker of holy lawes coÌ„maunded saynt Peter to haue the chayre of his apostelshyppe and where Peter him selfe folowyng his maister and lorde bare his crosse drinkynge that bytter draughte of glorious dethe †There contynually and euyn to the ende of the worlde lette them seche their maister where the holy body of their maistre resteth There let people natioÌ„s of paynims bowe downe their neckes for y e confession knoleging of the name of Christ where their maister techer the apostel Paule stretching forth his necke for Christes sake was crowned with the garlonde of martyrdome There in that place lette them humbly and lowlye submytte them selues to the obsequie and seruyce of god the heuynly kynge and sauyour Iesu Christe where before they dyd seruyce to the proude power of an erthely kynge or gouernour For whych causes and coÌ„syderations we wyll that all people through out the worlde doo knowe that we within our palyce of Laterane haue buylded a temple to the honour of god our suaioure and lorde Iesu Christ euyn froÌ„ the very fouÌ„dation with a fonte to baptyse in And knowe you also that we did beare out from
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
myrth ioye and pleasure And after he hadde caused hym so to be expulsed from thence he ceassech nat by his mortyferous dedly dartes many maner wayes to woūde other men to th ende y t he myght drawe away mankynde from the waye of the trouth and perswade all men and brīg them in mynde to be seruauntes to the worshyppyng of ydoles that is to say of the creatures and nat of the creator and maker of them to then tent that whom so euer he shall be able by his craftye gyles to blynde to entangle in his snares he maye cause them to be ponyshed with eternall payne But god takīg mercy tēdre pyte vpon his creature whō his owne selfe had formed and made sente his holye prophetes and by them shewed and gaue knolege of the lyght of lyfe that is to wytte the comyng of his sonne our lorde and sauyour god Iesu Christ And last of all he sent also his onely begoten sōne the worde of wysedome whiche came downe from heuyn for our helthe and saluatyon was begoten of the holy ghost and of the vyrgyn Mary The worde of god was made man and hath dwelled among vs nat leauyng that which he was before but takyng on hym to be that that he was nat before that is to wyrte beyng both parfyte god so as he was before parfyte man also whiche he was nat before And as god he wrought miracles and wonders and as man he suffred and beare the infyrmytes belongyng to the nature of man Thus we vnderstande the worde or sonne of god to be man and the same worde also to be god And it is in no wyse to be douted that y e same is both very god and very man accordyng to the doctryne and teachyng of our father Syluester he than chosyng .xii. Apostles gaue to them the lyght of knoledge and power to worke miracles strange thynges aboue the course of nature that by them innumerable people myghte be taught and brought to belefe of the trauthe We confesse knowlege that this our lorde Iesu Christe hathe fulfylled the lawes and the prophetes and that he suffred passyon and was crucifyed fulfyllīg the scryptures that he dyd ryse agayn from deathe the thyrde daye and that he ascended into heuyn and there dothe sytte on the ryght hande of the father and that from thence he shall come to iudge both quicke and dedde whose kyngdome shall neuer haue ende Thys is our trewe and ryght belefe shewed and tolde before to vs by oure moost blessed father Syluester we do therfore aduertise and counsayle all people and all maner of natyōs to embrace and holde faste this fayth to haue it in honour exercyse it to teache and preche it and in the name of the holy trinite to come vnto the gyfte of baptisme and with a reuerent herte and mynde to worshyppe and honour our lorde and sauyour Iesu Christ whiche with the father and the holyghost raygneth worldes without ende And whome oure most blessed father Syluester Catholyke and vniuersall pope or hedde preest doth preche teche for the very same lorde Iesu christ hauyng pite cōpassion vpon me a synner dyd sende his holy Apostels to vysyte vs and hathe illumynated and lyghtened vs with y e lyght of his brightnesse and withdrawīg and takyng a way darknesse hathe vouchedsafe me to come to the knowledge of the trauth for a great foule and abhomynable leprie was ronne ouer all the flesshe of my body and many leches phisyciōs resortyng vnto me dyd theyr vtter most cure to haue heled me but yet coude I nat by the labour or dylygence of any of them optayne remedy of my dysease and to be made hole †Besydes this ther came to me also y e preestes of the Capitoly house sayng that a Cesterne myght be made in the capitoly house and be fylled with the hote blode of innocētes and that I must be bathed therin by whiche bathīge they sayde I myght recouer helthe and be clensed from that foule and horrible dysease accordyng therfore to the counsayles of them whan many innocente younglynges and babes were sought and broughte togyther and the wycked and cruell prestes withou◠all pyte wolde haue cutte the throtes of them and so with the blode of them haue fylled the cestrene oure gratyouse highnesse with tendre pytie beholdyng the lamentable wepyng and waylyng of their mothers forthwith dyd abhorre deedly hate that so abhomynable and cruell dede And I than hauyng tendre cōpassyon vpon the sayde women cōmaunded the chyldren to be delyuered agayne to the remothers and lettyng them haue waggans and suche other thynges mete for the coryage of their chyldren and also gyuīg them giftes sent them agayne ioyonse and gladde to their owne houses and dwellyng places Whan this day was ended and past and restyng tyme of the nyght came on and oportunyte prouoked me to slepe and to take rest sodaynly the holy Apostels Peter and Paule were harde by me and sayd these wordes to me Bicause thou dyddest nat suffre the preestes to performe theyr synfull purpose but dyddest abhorre the effucyon and shedyng of innocētes blode we are sent to the from Christ our lorde and god to gyue the counsayle howe and by what meanes thou shalt recouer thy helth harken therfore to our message and do that thynge whyche we do counsayle and teche the to do The bysshoppe of this cyte Syluester fleyng the persecutyons hath hydde secretely in dennes of stones with hys clerkes in the mount of Soracte This Syluester thou shalte cause to be fetched vnto the and by his instruction thou shalt learne knowe the trewe cesterne of Christes professyon in the whiche cestrene after that thou shalt be dypped thryse all the poyson of thy leprye shall leue the and go clere frō the whyche thynge done make thou agayne of thy parte thys recompence to thy sauyour that by thy cōmaundimentes thou do renewe all the churches in the worlde and in this behalfe purge and clense thou thyne owne selfe that forsakyng all the wretchedde worshyppynge of ydoles thou mayste loue honour and worshyppe onely hym whiche alone is the lyuynge and the trewe God and fulfylle his wyll and pleasure Than whā I was wakened out of my slepe I dyd euyn so as I was taught of the Apostels to do and sendyng for the heyghest moste excellent father Syluester Catholyke Pope whiche hath illumynated vs gyuen vs lyght I declared to him all the wordes that the holy Apostels hadde sayd to me and what they had bydden me do and I demaū ded of him what goddes they were which are called Peter and Paule And he sayde that they were nat properly called goddes but he sayde that they were Apostels of our lorde and sauyour Iesu Christ ⧠I began than agayne to deman̄de of the same most blessed Pope whether there were any parfyte euydent ymages of these Apostels that by the pyctures myght knowe if it were
thence vpoÌ„ our owne sholders xii baskettes full of erthe in the worshippe of the .xii. Apostels beyng .xii. also in nombre and we haue also edifyed churches in the honour of blessed Peter Paule the chefe apostels goodly decked garnyshed with golde and syluer where also we buryeng the most holy and worshypfull bodyes of them with greate reuerence haue buylded and made them shrynes of ambre suche as neither fyre ne water can destroy And we haue putte in through eyther of the shrynes a crosse made of most pure golde of precyous stones and haue fasted it with nayles of golde And to the same churches for the contynuaunce mayntynauÌ„ce of lyghtes within y e same we haue gyueÌ„ possessions and landes and by our emperyall heygh coÌ„mauÌ„dement we haue grauÌ„ted to them our lyberte in the eest and west and in the northe and southe clymates that is to witte in Iurye in Asya Grecelande Aphrike Italye and in dyuerse ylelandes in suche maner and wyfe that all maner thynges shall be dysposed and ordred by the handes of our moost blessed father pope Syluester and his successours Lette all people therfore reioyce with vs we admonysshe and counsayle all kyndes of people and nations in the worlde that they confesse and gyue infynite thankes with vs to oure sauyour Iesu Christ for that he beynge god in heuyn aboue and in erth vnderneth whan he had vysyted vs by his holy apostles made vs worthy to receyue the holy sacramente of baptysme and helthe of our body for the whiche thynges also we gyue to the holy apostles selues my lordes most blessed Peter Paule and by them to Syluester our father hyghest byshoppe and catholyke pope of the cyte of Rome and to all bysshoppes his successours syttynge in the chaire of blessed Peter euyn vnto th ende of the worlde and at this presente tyme do delyuer vp fyrst the palace of Laterane our emperyall place which is the most royall and goodly palace surmouÌ„ting all other palaces that ar in the worlde Next after it our dyademe that is to saye the crowne belongyng to oure heed Lykewise we delyuer vp our phrigiuÌ„ that is to say y t which is called of the Romayns mitra Further more oure suê‘humerall I meane that whiche is put about our imperyall necke Also a purple robe and a purple coote and all the indumentes and apparayle belongynge to an emperour and the dygnyte of the emperyall knyghtes and lordes goynge before hym geuyng moreouer to him the emperyall sceptres and therwith also the armes and badges and dyuerse ornamentes emperyall and all the glorye and power of the most hyghe emperyall maiestie in pompes and processyons and to the moost reuerende men clerkes after dyuerse ordres and degrees seruyng this worshipfull and holy church of Rome We ordaine decre and establysshe that they haue that attendaunce and propertye of power and prehemineÌ„ce with all the glorie maiestie wherwith our moste noble senatoures are sene to be adourned that is to saye that they be made lordes of the cytie and heed offycers †Also we publysshe and openly pronounce that they be adourned with the other dygnyties emperyall and as the emperiall host or armye is adourned euyn so also we haue decreed that the clergie of the churche of Rome be decked and adourned and lykewyse as the emperyall power and maiestye is put to honoure with dyuerse offyces of chauÌ„berlaynes porters and watche men or garde so we wyll that the holye churche of Rome be decked and garnysshed with y e same offices And we decree that the dygnytie of the pope mooste largely do shyne aboue all other and that the prestes of the same holye church of Rome do ryde vpon horses trapped with napkyns and fyne whyte towels of lynen clothe and as our senatoures do weare shoes Cum vdonibus that is to say adourned with most whyte lynen clothe euyn so we wyll them to be that the heuenly thynges maye so be decked garnysshed lyke the erthly thynges to the prayse and honour of god And aboue all we gyue lycence to that our most holye father Syluester bysshoppe of the cyte of Rome and pope and to all other moost blessed popes whiche shall in tymes herafter succede him for the honour and glory of our lorde Iesu Christ in this gret Catholyke or vniuersall power if he be wyllynge to recken or accompte ony of oure circumspecte senatours amonge relygious clerkes that none of them which are called ther vnto through pride shall make excuse or refuse to take this ordre We ordayne and establysshe this also that the father Syluester pope worthye all maner reuerence and all popes his successoures ought to weare the dyademe that is to say the crowne which we do gyue to him from our owne heed made of most pure and fyne gold and preciouse stones and perles and to weare it on their hedes to the glorie of god for the reuerence of blessed Peter And bycause the most blessed pope himself hath ben a shamed to were the crowne of gold vpon the crowne of his preesthod and on the tonsure or shauynge of his heed whiche he hathe for the reuerence of saynte Peter we therfore with our owne handes haue put on his moost holy heed this phrigium representyng and sygnifyeng the most bryght whyte coloure of it the gloryouse resurrection of our lorde and holding the brydle of his horse for the reuerence of blessed Peter we haue couered his horse And we do ordayne and decree that all his succssoures eche one of theÌ„ after other do weare the same phrigiuÌ„ in processyons to the ymitation folowing of our empire wherfore y t the high dignitie of y e pope debate nat but that he beyng worthy may be decorated adourned both with glorye and power more than onye earthly kyng or gouernour †Beholde here we gyue vp as we haue sayde afore our palace the cyte of Rome and the prouynces places and the cyties of all Italy and of the west regyons to the oft rehersed our most blessed father Syluester Catholyke pope and releasynge them to the power and iudgement of him and of his successours popes We haue decreed by our diuine pragmaticall constitution that they be disposed by the same popes and we graunte theym to remayne and contynue alwayes to the right and tytle of the holye churche of Rome wherfore we haue iuged it conuenyent and accordyng to translate oure empire and the glorie thereof to the Eest regions and buyldyng in the cytie Byzantium whiche is a verye good place a cytie in our owne name there to constitute and sette our empire thynkyng it vnmete vnsemelye and agaynst right that any erthlye kyng shulde haue any power and auctoryte ther where the chefe prelacie of preestes and the heed of the Christen relygion hathe ben constituted and ordayned to be by the heuenly kyng These thynges therfore by this our and sacred writte and other emperyall decrees
determyned and corroborated we haue ordayned and decreed to contynue in full strengthe and nat to be reuoked neither in the hole neither in anye parte of them vnto the ende of the worlde wherfore afore the lyuing god whiche hath coÌ„maunded and wylled vs to gouerne raigne and afore his terrible dredefull iugement We besech all our successours the emperours all our dukes noble estates also the most worshipfull senatoures and all the people whiche be in the hole worlde that none of them in any maner wyse neither nowe neither in any tyme to come doo breke or mynisshe this our grauÌ„t or priuilege in ony poynte thervnto belonging And if any man shall be which thinge we do nat suppose that shall either breke or contemne despyce this our decree subiecte bonde lye he to eternall coÌ„demnations and I pray god that he may fynde fele the sayntes of god and chefe apostles Peter Paule contrary aduersares to him and punisshed be he in the lowest and depest pitte of hell banisshed be he for euer from the syght of god and eternally mought he dye with the deuyll and all wicked men we also roboratig strengthing letters patentes of this our eÌ„peryall decree with our owne hande haue layde it vp our selfe vpon the honorable corps or body of blessed Peter prince chefe of the apostles promisyng ther to the apostle of god that we our selfe wyll kepe all these thynges partytly in euery poynte and also that by our coÌ„maundement and decree we do leue them to be obserued kepte of our successoures that shal be emperoures and y t they shall our lorde god sauiour Iesu Christ mercifully grauntyng remayne perpetually prosperously and peasably in possessyoÌ„ to our blessed father Siluester and Catholyke pope by him to all his successoures popes by our emperiall subscriptyon The godheed conserue and kepe you many yeres and longe moost holy and most blessed fathers yeuen at Rome the .xxvii. day of February our lorde Flauius Constantinus Augustus and Gallycanus c. ¶ Here endeth the decree of CoÌ„stantyne ⧠The preface of Vdalrike Hutten vpon the lytell booke made by Laurence Valla agaynst the fayned and falsely forged donation or gyfte of Constantyne vnto pope Leo the tenth of that name AT the last moste blessed father your noble comfortable promise whiche by your coÌ„mauÌ„dement was expressed publysshed set forth at the very begynniÌ„g whan you were newly made pope hath vanquesshed perfitely ouercoÌ„e the opinyon of those persones whiche dyd disswade frayde men away from publysshyng and sendyng forth abrode of the lytell boke made by Laurence Valla agaynst the donation and graunt of CoÌ„stantyne for nowe seyng that you haue ones caused that marcyall triumphe to kepe sylence wherwith pope Iuly the seconde prouoked styred vp men to warre batayle and as it wer by strykiÌ„g a cymbale of peace haue raysed vp the hertes myndes of all christen people vnto the hoope of liberte All men do recken suppose that them selues may vse all thynges which they knowe to be laufull And I verily of my parte albeit that I was afore ê‘swaded in full belefe if it shuld fortune chauÌ„ce you to haue this most high auctorite gouernaunce ouer all for asmoch as you haue alwayes so and in suche wyse loued exercised the studies of best letters that your profyting and goyng forwarde in theÌ„ may with out dout be coÌ„pared with the doctryne of the best lerned men that be in this tyme that you wolde nat suffre any of the monumeÌ„tes or workes made by auÌ„cient authors in olde tyme to perisshe to be vtterly lost cast away whiles you were pope yet natwithstaÌ„ding whan I red that inscriptyon or tytle openly set forthe in Italy Leoni decimo pontifici maximo restauratori pacis whiche is thus moche to say in englysshe To Leo the tenth pope the renewer of peace I leapte vp sodaynly beynge wonderfully styred with a sodayne ioye and comforted and restored agayn to my selfe from that passyon and vnquietnesse of my mynde wherin I had before contynued a longe season by the reasoÌ„ y t I saw this nation dyd suffre many greuouse and shamfull thiÌ„ges vnder tyraÌ„nuouse and cruell popes I am therfore ryght ioyfull and gladde for their sakes which are lyuing in this tyme which by you as it were by a most lucky starre of peace sproÌ„geÌ„ vp or ryseÌ„ now after so longe darkenesse of tyraÌ„ny beholdeth loketh vp to the newe lyght of lyberte and you are a very pope in dede whiche do brynge peace but your predecessours whiche had nat this peace Were no popes at all for they dyd nat folowe Christ whiche gaue peace to his discyples and lefte the same as inherytaunce vnto them sayeng these wordes My peace I do gyue to you my peace I do leaue to you And therfore also they were nat his vycars whose sted offyce they dyd nat kepe or fulfyll for they kyngdome of god is to kepe peace but rather they were clene contrary enemies to Christ whose studies or workes they haue dispysed and haue folowed a contrary kynde or maner of lyuing for peace beloÌ„geth to him and they desyred folowed warres and batayls He studyed to saue men by his doctryne and teachyng and they laboured busely to kyll and destroye men with weapons of warre He shewed his kyngdome to be heuenly and they fyrst of al and most chefely sought the empiers of the worlde Therfore neither they were blessed bycause they were nat peaceable or maynteners of peace Neither were they the sonnes of god for Christ sayth Blessed are the peceable persons for they shall be called the sonnes of god †Lo thaÌ„ by you most blessed father is restored and renewed the peace which through their peruersyte was sayd to haue had a great fall decaye And this peace most chefly in especyal learned men haue receyued with great ioye by your benefyte and gyfte Secondarely they also very desyrously haue embraced the same peace from whome many thynges had ben vniustly taken away by fraude and gyle for with peace is come also iustice through your restoryng for accordyng to the sayeng of the prophete nowe chefly in this tyme. Rightuousnesse and peace hath kyssed to gyther Faythe or fydelyte is come also and that doughter of tyme that is to witte verite or trouthe she is come also the vertues belonging to kynges and gouernours that is to witte mercy and mekenes are come also plentuously Do you se here O Leo the tenth of howe many good thynges and coÌ„modytes at ones you haue ben the author and begynner you by bringyng of peace haue also with it brought in the studies of peace that is to say the studies of the best artes and sciences you haue also restored rightuousenes for in peace are lawes and by the lawes is iustice caused you haue also brought agayne
so colde and faynte as it is but a great deale more craftely haÌ„dled and they wold haue ben more ware and wise in the deuysing of this lye excepte there can be any man founde whiche can shewe that euer they vsed any such fraude or gyle agaynst any emperour afore that the name of Empyere came to the Germayns I am therfore oh good lorde excedingly ashamed of our forefathers there which haue ben so slowe dulwytted that they coulde nat parceyue or espy the deceipte which was easy to be parceyued and knowen euyn of very chyldren But their fraude and gyle is so moche more worthy of more hatered by howe moche after worse facyon they haue abused or simplycite mistrustyng no deceyte or crafte at all But who can prayse and meruayle ynough at your filycyte happynes most blessed Leo in whose persone it hathe chaimced this change to be made of Popes in to the better for the church from hence forwarde shall haue better popes except this your promyse be nat made with the herte but fayned as I am sure it is nat And therfore those persons do iniury vnto you who so euer do but euen so moch as doubte ones whether you wyll suffre them that do write agaynst y e donatioÌ„ or gyfte of Constantyne so shamfully falsly forged and fayned and agaiÌ„st those popes whiche haue ben the ymagyners and deuysers of this most detestable and abhominable mischefe all checkinge and bytter wordes and also all sharpe and cruel dedes are mete and conuenyent to be vsed euyn to the vttermost that maye be eyther sayd or done Why nat agaynst robbers of princes and of the coÌ„munes agaynst theues agaynst tyrauntes agaynst open rouers For who is a more vyolent thefe or open robber than is he whiche so plucketh mennes goodes frome them that he neuer taketh vp or maketh an ende of so doiÌ„g These were they which takiÌ„g occasyoÌ„ in a very smal thinge haue gone forth past al mesure in outrage of pyllyng and polyng away of mennes goodes whiche haue set forthe graces to be solde which haue sold pardons haue solde dispensations and a thousande maners kyndes of bulles nowe so longe season whiche haue ordayned lucre and gaynes to be gotten in the remissyon and forgyuenes of synnes And also haue found and gotteÌ„ wynnyng and aduauntage in the punysshment paynes of them that are deed which also haue suffred the benâ—fyces which are almoste of our forefathers to be bought of themselues whiche haue brought the Germaynes in belefe that they are no bysshoppes whiche haue nat boughte theyr palles of them with many thousande peces of golde whiche haue nat ben coÌ„tente nor thought it ynough to exacte and require money extraordinarily euery yere ones but also as oftentymes as it hath come iÌ„ to their mynde haue sent collectours gatherers sondrie of them for sondrie causes As some bycause they were about to make redy for warre agaynst the Turkes Other some that they might buylde vp the churche of saynt Peter in Rome whiche they do nat care or prouyde to be fynisshed And albeit that they dyd all these thiÌ„ges afore rehersed yet for all that they wolde theÌ„ selues coÌ„munely to be saluted called moste blessed and most holy fathers and did nat suffre nat onely any thynge to be done but also nat so moche as to be sayd or spoken agaynst their conditions and maners But if any man had spoken any whitte or made any mencion of lybertie or if any man had cast any thynge at all agaynst them in their way to letre or delay and hyndre them in their extortion or rauyne and robbry they dyd wreke their teene vpon his soule destroyeÌ„g it and dampnyng it forthwith to the pytte of helle Wolde you nat rekyn him most noble Leo to be a very great enemy to you if any maÌ„ dyd accompte you in the nombre of suche insatiable theues of so cruell tyrauntes Or do you nat thynke him to be a frende benefyciall vnto the estates of Popes whiche with a gret loude voyce doth laude and prayse you for that you are nothyng agreyng or lyke vnto them and on the other syde doth take away from them al thynges that belonge to the succesiyon of Peter Or wyll nat you whiche are the renewer of peace saye well of him and gyue him your blessyng which curseth those authors and causers of warres and seditions Yes moreouer I knowe you so well that I dare be bolde to say your selfe wyll curse them that the sayeng of the prophet may be applyed very well accordyngly to euery one of them He hath loued maladiction or cursyng it shall come to him He wolde no blessing and therfore it shall be sette farre of frome him For they with cursyng did destroye the soules of men as though mennes soules were nat a possessyon derelye beloued of god it may therfore be concluded y t they were no pastors or herdesmen because they dyd nat saue or kepe soules from perisshyng but dyd distroy them dyd set forth the wepe of Christ in to daunger of the wolues which go about the flocke of the lorde for to deuoure it I say they were nat shepherdes but wolues nat kepers or watchemen but traytours theues wherfore by very good ryght we may curse them because god doth nat loue them for as moche as theÌ„selues had no miÌ„de or loue to the peace of god Therfore to conclude so longe hath there ben no pope in y e church as longe as there hath ben no peace in it Ye moreouer so longe might men neither say wel neyther do wel how longe these Rauenous wolues walked through goddes folde making hauocke so long as those syngulare wyld beastes dyd wast destroy y e vineyarde of the lorde those incoÌ„parable tyrauntes were lordes had domunoÌ„ ouer al Christendom of whom Hieremy the prophete sayth Many herdesmeÌ„ haue destroyed throwen down my vyneyarde they haue my parte troden vnder the fote for if euery man is so moche a worse tyrant by how moche he killeth mo bodyes of the Citezens or coÌ„munes y t he him selfe may make hauocke take his pleasure safely out of ieopardy what is to be sayd of them which y t them selues might haue riches dyd begyne instytute the slaughter murther of soules euery where which were nat contented nor thought it ynough to kyll slee the bodies of men for that they defended the trouth but also dyd kyll sle the soule y t leue dere spousesse of god whiche dyde destroy kyll deuoure y t noble spoyle of hell that rewarde of so great labour trauayll which was purchashed gotten with the precious blode of Christ whom we truly dyd nat enuye agayn of our parte for that they were riche of gret power myght but we hated theÌ„ bycause they were noysome euyl doers But what alacryte or cherefulnes can be sufficient for
But this hote and feruent desyre of hauing great and large dominion as euery man is moste of might and power so it moste troubleth and vexeth or chafeth his mynde Alexandre nat content to haue walked on fote through the desertes and wildernesses of Affrike and that he had conquered the Eest parte of the worlde euyn vnto the formast parte of the Occian see and that he had subdued the Northe parte in the myddes of so many woundes and of so many mischaunces whan his soudiers refused and forsoke so farre so sharpe and paynfull vyages and iornayes yet he thoughte all that euer he had done before was nothyng at all except he had also made the West parte and all nations tributary to himselfe either by force and violence or elles by the auctorite of his name yt is but a small thinge wherof I do yet speke He had purposed moreouer to passe ouer the Occian see and to serche whether there were any other worlde to subdue it to his power ye at the last as I suppose he wold haue entreprised attempted to clyme vp into heuen Suche for the most parte is the wyll desyre and appetyte of all kynges and princes all be it they haue nat all lyke corage and boldnesse I wyll nat here reherce how great synnes and howe many abhominable thinges haue ben cōmitted and done either for the winnyng gettyng of empier dominion or els for the amplyfiyng enlargyng of the same in so moche that the one brother hath nat holden his handes from the murdryng kyllyng of the other neither the chyldren haue refrayned from the wycked effusion of theyr fathers blode neither the fathers haue refrayned from the kyllyng of theyr owne sonnes So that the temerite folysshe lewde boldnes of man is wōte in nothyng to rage more or to vse more cruelty to cōmytte more haynouse offences or synnes than here in this thynge ye which a man may more maruayle at you may see the myndes of olde men herein no lesse quycke full of courage than be the myndes of yonge men of them that be chyldles no lesse than of those that be fathers haue chyldren of Kynges Princes no lesse than of tyrauntes Now if dominion than or empire is wonte with so gret enforcemēt to be desyred sought for with how moche more inforcement busines must it nedes be kepte menteyned Neither is it so miserable wretched a thinge nat to amplyfie enlarge the ēpier as it is to minissh it to make it lesse Neither is it so shamfull a thīge for the not to ioyne or put another māns realme vnto thyne as it is that thyne shulde be ioyned to y e empier of an other man for where we do rede that certayne Kynges or certayn people haue made some mē gouernours of theyr kyngdome or of theyr Cytyes that was done so not of the chefest or principall nor of the greattest parte of the empyer but in a maner of the hynmoste or worste the lest parte therof that vnder suche maner cōdityon that he to whom suche gouernaunce rule was gyuen shulde alwayes acknowlege the gyuer to be as lorde and hīself to be as a minister seruaūte vnder him I be seche you than do nat they seme to be of an abiecte vyle cowardly mynde and nothyng of gentle high or couragiouse stomake which do thīke suppose that Cōstantine dyd alyenate gyue from himselfe the better parte of the empier I do nat meane Rome Italy other but the thre Fraunces where he had made warres batayles where he alone had of longe season ruled and had dominion where he had sette the rudimentes and fyrst foundation of his Empyre and of hys glorte seynge also that he was a man whiche for the desire to haue dominion had made warre vpon nations and whiche persecuting his owne frendes and men of his alyaunce with ciuyll warre had depriued them of their empier and which also had nat yet perfytly ouercome subdued those that were lefte and remayned of the contrary facyon parte whych also nat only was wonte for hope of glorie renowne to make warre with many nations but also was of necessyte cōpelled to do so bycause he was prouoked ther vnto dayly of the Barbarians which moreouer had abūdance plentie of chyldren of kynsefolke also of frendes which knew also right well that the senatours the people of Rome wolde repugne and stryue agaynst his dede whiche besydes all this had proued founde by experience the instabilite of y e nations venquesshed subdued which welnere at euery change of the emperour or gouernoure of the Romaynes were wonte to ryse rebelle whiche therto dyd remembre himselfe after the maner custome of other emperours nat to haue come to that dominion and empier by the election of the senatours and consent of the people or communes but to haue gotten and wonne it with an army of men with the swerde with warre and batayle What so great and stronge cause what so vrgent and necessarie thinge was there why he shuld all these thynges nothynge regarded but vtterly despised and sette at nought be willyng to vse so excedyng great lybertie They say bycause he was made a christen man What shulde he therfore depriue himselfe of the beste parte of the empire ye I wysse I suppose it was synne ye and that great sine and wicked abhomination to raigne than any longer and that to be an emperour and gouernour of realmes coulde nat be ioyned or stande togyther with the Christen relygion Those that be in auoutry those that haue made themselues riche by vsury those which vniustly do possesse other mēs goodes after that they haue receyued baptisme are wonte to restore the wyfe to restore the money and to restore the goodes whiche they had of other mennes yf you haue this cogitations or thought with you O Cōstantine you ought to restore to cyties their lybertie and nat to chaunge the lorde making theym where afore they were bounde to you nowe bounde to another But some man wyll say this was nat the cause but that you were moued to do this thinge onely for the honour of relygion and holynesse or deuotion as who wolde saye that it were a more holy and deuoute thing to lay from you your empire thā to administre and gouerne it for the defēce and mayntenaunce of faith and relygion For as touchinge to the receyuers of it this your donation or gyfte shal neither be worshipfull or honest neither yet profytable vnto them But if you wyll shewe your selfe a Christen man if you wyll shewe tokens of your holynesse and deuotion if you wyll do good and prouyde I do nat saye for the churche of Rome but for the churche of god now specyally and principally play the prince and gouernour that you may fyght for thē which
neither maye neither ought to fyght for them selfe that you may by your auctorite make theÌ„ safe sure from ieoperdy which ar in daunger of traynes and iniuries It hathe pleased almighty god in tymes past to open and shewe to Nabugodonosor to Cyrus to Assuerus and to many other kynges and princes the highe ministerie of the trouthe yet for all that he neuer required of any of them that he shulde renounce and forsake his empier that he shuld gyue awaye parte of his kyngdome but onely that he shulde restore lybertie to the Hebrues and defende them frome the iniuries and noyaunce of their enemyes that bordred vpon them This was suffycient to the Iewes this same also shall be suffyciente to Christen men Constantine you are now made christen But is it nat a shamfull thinge that you beyng nowe a Christen emperour are a smaler prince in dominion and empier than you were beyng yet an Infydele For to be a prince or gouernour is a certayn principall and chefe gyfte of god whervnto euyn the hethen princes also are iudged to be called chosen of god But happely some maÌ„ shall say that CoÌ„staÌ„tyne was eased delyuered froÌ„ his lepry therfore it is very lyke to be true that he wolde make recompence paye home agayne with gretter measure y t whiche he had receyued Is it so in dede Naaman y t noble maÌ„ of Syria whan he was cured healed of his lepry by the prophete Helizeus was wyllyng content onely to offre gyftes presentes to him but nat to gyue the one half of his substaunce goodes wolde CoÌ„stantine offre the one halfe of his eÌ„pier It greueth me to make answere to this shamfull lyeng tale as it were to an historie of certaynte and vndouted trouth For this lyeng fable is forged couÌ„terfaited to y e lykenes of the historie of Naaman Helyzeus as that other tale of the dragoÌ„ in the lyfe of Siluester is imagined to the lykenes of that fable of the dragoÌ„ of Bell. But though I do graunt these thiÌ„ges to be true is there any meÌ„tion made of the donation in this historie no verely nat one worde But of this we shall speke better in more coÌ„uenieÌ„t mete place here after well I graunt he was delyuered from the lepry he toke therfore a Christen minde to him he was endued with the feare of god with the loue of god he was desirous wyllyng to do him honour worshyppe what of all this yet caÌ„ nat I for al that be ê‘swaded brought in miÌ„de to beleue that he wold be willing to gyue away from hiÌ„selfe so great thiÌ„ges for as moth as I do see no man niether GeÌ„tyle for y e honour of his false goddes neither Christen maÌ„ for the honore of y e lyuing god that hath forsaken layde from hiÌ„selfe his eÌ„pier gyueÌ„ it to preestes For none of y e kinges of Israel coulde be brought in the miÌ„de that he wold suâ—â—re the people to go aft y e maner vsed aforetyme to y e teÌ„ple of IerusaleÌ„ for to make sacrifice al because they fered dreded leste the people being put in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce by that holy exercyse of religion by the maiestie of the teÌ„ple hapely might returne agayn to the kyng of Iuda froÌ„ whoÌ„ they had fled gone away But how moche gretter a thyng is this which ConstaÌ„tine is said to haue done be cause you shall nat flatter begyle your self by the reason of this healyng from lepre thynkyng this a sufficient cause wherfore ConstaÌ„tin shulde make that grauÌ„te Hieroboam was the fyrste that was chosen of god to be kynge of Israell that truly froÌ„ most vile lowe coÌ„dition or estate which in my iudgement is a more great thyng than it is to be holpen cured froÌ„ lepry yet for all that he durst nat betake or delyuer vp his kingdome to god wilt thou y t CoÌ„staÌ„tine did gyue his kingdom Empere to god which he had nat receyued of god namely seyng y t in so doyng he shulde offeÌ„de greue his owne children which thing could nat haue chauÌ„ced to Hieroboam Shulde cast downe his freÌ„des shulde despise those y t belonged to him shulde hurte his couÌ„trey shuld put all men to heuines sorowe be him selfe as it were tourned into a newe man at y e lest wise doutles there shulde nat haue lacked some which wolde haue administred him put hiÌ„ in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce in especiall his chyldren his kynsfolke his freÌ„des whom who is he which wold nat thynke that they wolde forthwith haue gone to the Emperour Ymagyn therfore them afore your eyes after they haue herde Constantines mynde tremblynge and full of feare makyng haste and with sorowfull syghes teares fallyng down at the knees of theyr prince and vsynge these wordes oratyon so as here foloweth vnto him ¶ The oratyon of Constantines sonnes and of his kynsfolke and frendes made vnto him full of lamentable complaynte for that he gothe about without ye and contrary to their deseruynge so to take frome them their inheritaunce c. FAther whiche haue ben heretofore the most louyng and naturall father that might be in the worlde vnto your children Do you in this wise now depriue disherite and put vs your owne sonnes froÌ„ youre lyuelyhode and possessyons euyn in youre lyfe tyme and as it were refuse vs and forsake vs for your children For that you ar willyng and mynded to gyue frome yourselfe the best and the greattest parte of the empyer we doo nat so greatly complayne therof as we do meruayle therat But we do complayne that you do offre it to other men with our bothe losse and also shame and rebuke For what cause is there wherfore you do defraude your chyldren and do kepe from them the successyon or inheritaunce of the empier that they wayted loked after which haue your selfe raigned to gyther with your father What haue we offended or trespased agaynste you or what vnkyndnes or vnlouiÌ„g behauiour haue we vsed toward you or what agaynst our countrey what agaynst the name of the Romaynes and the maiestie of the empier for whiche we seme to you worthy to be depriued by you and put frome the princypall and beest parte of the empier and to be banisshed frome oure fathers house from the syght of our natyue countrey from the ayre that we haue ben wonted vnto and froÌ„ the auncient and olde custome Shal we now being banisshed men forsake our owne houses the temples and the sepulcres of our forfathers kynsfolke frendes knowyng nat where or in what regioÌ„ of y e worlde we shal become what we that ar your kynsfolke what we that are your frendes whiche haue so often tymes stande with you in fyght batayle which haue sene our brethreÌ„ our fathers our sonnes strickyn in and thruste through afore our face with the weapons of
t he had no right to gyue those thynges which thou possessest of whom thou dyddest receyue them you dyd say that y e church of Rome hath prescribed O vnlerned foles O you ignoraunt persons vnskylled of goddes lawe No nombre of yeres be it neuer so great can abolysshe or wipe away the true and iust tytle In cause it were so that I had ben taken prisoner of the Barbarions and had ben supposed verely to haue ben deed if now after an hundreth yeres in which I had ben prisoner I dyd retourne agayne in to myne owne countrey shall I be excluded therfore from claymyng and makyng tytle to the inherytaunce which my father hathe lefte me what thinge can be more cruell and more coÌ„trary to all humanite than this And to brynge you some example Whan the chyldreÌ„ or soÌ„nes of Ammon dyd requyre and clayme agayne the lande from the costes or borders of Arnon euyn vnto Iabue and vnto the ryuer Iordane dyd Iepthe the captayne of Israell make answere in this wyse to them The israelytes haue prescribed now by the space of thre huÌ„dred yeres or dyd he shewe that the laÌ„de which they claymed had neuer ben possessed of them but of the Amorreanes and that this was an euydente argument or profe that the sayde lande dyd nat belonge to the Ammonites seyng that within the coÌ„passe of so many yeres they had neither claymed nor demaunded it agayne The churche of Rome hathe prescrybed Holde thy peace wicked mischeuouse tonge Thou doest translate prescryption whiche is made onely of doumbe thinges and vnresonable vnto man whom by how moch the longer they haue possessed in seruytude and bondage so moch the more detestable their possessioÌ„ is Byrdes and wylde beestes wyll nat that any prescryptyon be made vpon them selues but how so euer longe tyme they haue ben had in possessyon yet whan they lyst and occasyon shall be offred to them they do go away and shall it nat be laufull for a man of whom another man hath had the possessyon lyke wyse to go away from him as the birde or wylde best dothe Herken nowe a thyng wherby the fraude or gyle of popes rather than the ignoraunce of theym may appere which done vse to be tryed and iuged by warre and batayle and nat by right and lawe And I suppose verily that the fyrst popes in takyng possessyon and entryng vpon the cyte of Rome and the other townes dyd in moch lyke maner facioÌ„ A lytel before I was borne I take recorde of them whiche were presente and do remeÌ„bre it well ynough Rome toke or receyued the empier rule and gouernauÌ„ce or rather the tyraÌ„ny of the pope where long afore that tyme it had ben free by a strauÌ„ge kynde of fraude or gyle suche as hath nat ben herde of herafore The pope at the tyme of whom I do speke was Boniface the nynth pere egall to Boniface y e eyght in fraude in name if it be to that they are to be called Bonifacii that is to say good doers Qui pessime faciuÌ„t that is to saye whiche are most euyll shrode doers And whan the Romayns after y t they had perceyued the fraude gyle were angry in their myndes discontente amoÌ„ge them selues Boniface y e pope after the maner of Tarquiniê° stroke of all the highest heddes of y e popies or chessebouls with a rodde or waÌ„de so caused he the hedes of them to be stricken of which were of most might power which thyng whaÌ„ InnoceÌ„cius which succeded wolde haue counterfayted and folowed he was driuen or chased out of the cyte I wyll nat speke of other popes which haue alwaies holden Rome oppressed by vyolence force of armes Albeit as ofte as it myght it hathe alwayes rebelled as syx yeres ago whaÌ„ it coulde nat optayn peace of Eugenius neither the enemies had peace whiche dyd besege it it selfe also beseged y e pope within his owne house wolde nat suffre him to go from theÌ„ce afore that either he dyd make peace with y e enemyes or els wolde remitte and release the administration gouernauÌ„ce of the Cytie to y e citizens But he chose raither to forsake the cytie disgysyng him selfe in the habite or wede of another man hauyng but one to wayte vpon him than to do pleasure to the citizens which desired nothynge of him but suche thynges as were agreable to ryght equite which if they were put to free choyse who doth not know but that they wolde chose rather lybertie than thraldome bondage It pleaseth me to deme iuge the same of other cities which be retayned and holden in seruitude of the pope by whom they ought to haue ben deliuered froÌ„ thraldome It were to longe a thyng to reherce howe many cities y e people of Rome hath made free which they dyd wynne take of their enemyes in so moch that Titus Flaminius did bydde or wyll all GrecelaÌ„de which had ben in subiectioÌ„ vnder Antiochus to be free to vse their owne lawes But the pope as we may euydeÌ„tly se lyeth in wayte all y e euer he can to begyle peoples to spoyle theÌ„ of their lyberty And therfore they lykewyse agayne of their parte whan they haue occasyon offred do rebell take exaÌ„ple herof euen nowe of Bonony whiche if at any tyme of their owne accorde which thing is possyble ynough to haue chauÌ„ced with good wyll they dyd coÌ„sente to the papale empier by the reason of some great ieoperdy y t was towardes them nere at hande from other outnations people it is nat yet so to be vnderstaÌ„ded taken that they dyd coÌ„sente to make theÌ„selues boÌ„dmen so y t they myght neuer withdrawe their neckes from vnder the yoke so that they also whiche shulde be borne afterwardes shulde nat be at lyberty neither haue any power ouer their owne selues for this were ouer moch agaynst right reason We come to the O pope of oure owne free wylles that thou shuldest gouerne vs. Now agayne of our owne free wylles we do go froÌ„ the forsake the that thou shuldest gouerne vs no lenger If thou thynke that we be any thynge in thy dette let accompte be made of suche thinges as haue ben gyuen receyued both of thy parte of ours But thou wylte gouerne vs spite of our tethe whether we will or no as though we were wardes or chyldren vnder full age and yet peradueÌ„ture we coulde gouerne the more wysely thaÌ„ thou caÌ„nest gouerne vs. Besydes this many iniuries and great wronges are done verye oftymes to this cytye by the and thyne heed officers we take god to recorde Iniurye constrayneth vs to rebelle to go from the as it dyd cause the childreÌ„ of Israell in olde tyme to rebelle agaynst Roboam And what so great iniurie or how great a portion of our calamite was that I meane to
hate defye Idoles do your selues coÌ„mytte sacrilege you which do bragge boste reioysyng in the lawe in the offyce of a bysshoppe by the traÌ„sgression brekyng of the lawe you do dishonour god whiche is the very byshoppe wherfore if the people of Rome by the reason of ouer gret pleÌ„ty of ryches lost that true Romanite very manlynesse valyauntnes so greatly renoumed and dredde of all nations If Salomon also through ouer moch aboundance of ryches fell in to Idolatrye for the loue of women do we nat suppose the same thynge to be done brought to passe in the pope other clerkes And yet we do afterwardes wene y e god wolde suffre Syluester to receyue the thynge that shulde be the matter occasyon of synniÌ„g I wyll nat suffre this wrong eniurie to be done to the most good and vertuouse bisshoppe that he shal be reported sayde to haue receyued taken empiers kyngdoms prouynces whiche thynges euen they also are wonte to renounce which desyer are in wyll to be made clerkes Syluester had but a fewe thinges in possessyon y e other popes were but small possessioners whose visage syght was had in gret worshippe reuereÌ„ce euen of the enemyes as for exaÌ„ple the aspecte of that pope Leo which dyd put in feare ye ouercome the cruell ferce mynde of the barbarouse kinge whom the puysaunce power of the Romayns neither was able to breake and ouercome neither yet to make afrayde But the popes of late tyme that is to wytte flowing in riches pleasurs seme to labour enforce theÌ„ selues hervnto only that as moch as y e olde popes were wyse holy so moche their selues may be both wicked and folysshe and that with all shamefull vyces they may passe and ouercome the exellent and commendable vertues of them what Christen man is he that can suffre these thynges with a pacient a quiete mynde But I in this my fyrste oration wyl nat exhorte cal vpon princes and peoples that they shulde stoppe and inhibite the pope whiche conneth at large with an vnbridled vnruly course and that they shulde compelle him to reste to abyde within his owne boundes or meares but onely that they do admonisshe him for paraduenture now that he shall ones haue knowlege of the trouth he shal of his own free will gete hiÌ„selfe forth froÌ„ another maÌ„nes house in to his owne house from the outragiouse waues or belawes cruell teÌ„pestes or stormes iÌ„to y e porte or haueÌ„ But if he wyl refuse so to do thaÌ„ shal we buckle prepayre our selues to y e makyng of another oration moch more ferce cruell than this Wolde god that I myghte ones for there is no thynge that I do more longe for se it brought to passe that namely by my couÌ„sayle that the pope were only the vicare of Christ and nat also the vicare of the emperour and that this horryble sayeng may be no more herde The church fyghteth warreth agaynst y e perusians The churche fyghteth against the people of Bonony It is nat the churche that fyghteth or warreth agaynst ChristeÌ„ men but it is the pope that so doth The church fighteth agaynst wycked spirites in the regioÌ„s of the ayre Than shall the pope both be called also be in very dede an holy father the father of all men the father of the churche neither shall he than raise or styrre vp warres batayles among Christen men but he shall alay ceasse the warres which haue beÌ„ stirred vp by other by his apostolike censure papall maiestie ¶ Thus endeth the declamation of Laurence Valla agaynste the forged priuilege called the donation of Constantyne ¶ The sentence mynde of Nicholas of Cusa cardinall by the tytle of saynt Peter ad vincula concernyng y e donation of ConstaÌ„tine which senteÌ„ce he wrote to the councell asseÌ„bled at Basile in the thirde boke y e secoÌ„d cha of the catholyke concordauÌ„ce agremeÌ„t ONe thynge I can nat passe ouer with sylence because it is the vndouted assured senteÌ„ce wel nere of all men that ConstaÌ„tine theÌ„perour dyd gyue for euer the empier of the weste to Siluester pope of Rome to his successours whiles the worlde shall contynue And therfore all though the reason argumeÌ„t of the vnite of the priÌ„cypall regente gouernour which is that it is agaynst ryght good ordre that there shuld be two hedes or priÌ„cipal gouernours did nat coÌ„clude yet neuer thelesse it shulde be open euident that there can be none emperour ryghtfully in y e west excepte he wolde aknowlege his empier to be dependently of the pope I haue serched out this rote as dilygently as I coulde presupposing this thinge also to be vndouted and of surety that Constantyne might haue made such gyfte or graunte whiche question for al that neither hath soyled hytherto neither by all lykelyhode shall euer be solued But in very trouthe I meruayle excedyngly if that thynge be of trouth matter in dede that it is nat fouÌ„de in autenticall bokes and in approued histories I haue red and red again all y e iestes or acres of the emperours the histories of the popes of Rome which I could fynde and the workes of saynt Ierom whiche was moste dilygente to make collection or gaderinge of all thinges the workes also of Augustyne Ambrose and of dyuerse other very well learned men I haue tourned ouer ouer agayne the thynges done in the holy and worshipfull councels which haue ben syns the couÌ„cels called ConsiliuÌ„ nicenuÌ„ and yet can I nat fynde any thinge that doth agre accorde with those thinges which are red coÌ„cernyng the sayd donation Holy Damasus the pope is sayde at the instauÌ„ce request of saynte Ierome to haue set forth the actes and dedes of his predecessours in whose worke ther is no suche thynge founde as is coÌ„munely reported talked of Siluester the pope It is redde in certayne histories that Constantine was baptized of Siluester and that the same emperour dyd meruaylously adourne and decke those .iii. churches of saynt IohnÌ„ of saynt Peter of saynt Paule that he gaue many yerely rentes reuenues out of certayn percels of lande in diuerse prouinces Ilandes for the mayntenyng vpholdiÌ„g of the garnisshyng adournynge of laumpes of baulme of the precious oyntemeÌ„t of pure narde of other thynges of all which thynges a man shall fynde ê‘ticulare meÌ„tion made in the boke of popes But coÌ„cernyng the donation of the teÌ„porall dominion of the empier of the west there is nothyng at all therein coÌ„tayned But we rede y e after Astulphus kynge of Lombardy had takeÌ„ by force the dominion gouernauÌ„ce of Rauenna many other places And pope Steuen the secoÌ„d of y e name beiÌ„g a romain borne whose fathers name was CoÌ„staÌ„tyne
by many ambassadours seÌ„te to Astulphus had requyred y t the places shulde be restored to y e emperiall diction or dominion Astulphus wolde nat in any wise coÌ„sent so to do Steuen weÌ„t to Pipine anoynted him his two soÌ„nes kynges There was also an ambassadour of y e emperours seÌ„te with y e same Steuen they optayned gotte grauÌ„t of Pipine that he shulde briÌ„ge Astulphus in miÌ„de to restore y e places to the empier Pipine seÌ„te ambassadours to Astulphe but all that auayled nat Wherfore bycause he coulde nat by that meane optayne of Astulphe y t restytution shulde be made he made promise to Steuen y t him selfe wold by force of armes take them from Astulphe that he wolde gyue theÌ„ to saiÌ„te Peter Whan y e emê‘ours ambassadour had herde this he retourned home agayn Pipin ê‘fourmed fulfylled those thynges whiche he had ê“mysed and the fourme and maner of this donation or gyfte is coÌ„tayned in y e actes of y e aforsaid Steuen also the ê‘ticulare names of all y e thynges whiche were geueÌ„ zacharie the pope did traÌ„slate the monarchie or kyngdome of FrauÌ„ce vnto Pipin deposiÌ„g fyrst puttyng downe Hilderike the kynge whereof it is redde in the .xv. cause y e .vi. question Alins c. in y e glose VenerabileÌ„ By the reason herof I suppose y e Pipin from theÌ„ce forth did fauour the apostolike see Afterwardes Desiderius kynge of LoÌ„bardie warme recouered agayn by force of armes those cyties or some of theÌ„ in the tyme of Adrian Adrian the pope seÌ„dyng many embasadours vnto hiÌ„ required demauÌ„ded agayn of him the right of saint Peter but he could nat optayne Than Charlemayne of whom Adrian desired ayde and socour recouered the cyties gaue theÌ„ agayn to saint Peter by a soleÌ„pne gyfte or grauÌ„te which is contayned in the actes of the sayd Adrian pope By these thynges it is euydeÌ„te y t ConstaÌ„tine dyd nat gyue the empier to the pope by the duke dome of Rauenna the cyte of Rome the west whereof we do rede that contynually euyn vntil y e times aforesayd the emperours did with full ryght possesse Rome Rauenna Marchia with many other places euyn so as they had before And this is proued by the texte in the .xcvi. distiÌ„ction Bene quideÌ„ c. where it is spokeÌ„ of Patritius which was gouernour or captayne in the name of kyng Adoacre in the lxiii distiÌ„ction Agatho c. And in the xcvi distiÌ„ction CuÌ„ ad veruÌ„ c. And we do rede also that y e popes of Rome did confesse the emê‘ours to be lordes for Agatho the pope writeth vnto ConstaÌ„tine the emê‘our which gathered or asseÌ„bled the vi synode foloweth many yeres after the fyrste of that name how the cyte of Rome is the seruyle cyte of the emperour And Boniface the pope writeth to Honorius y e emê‘our that him selfe ought to gouerne the benefice of the church of Rome in spiritual thiÌ„ges but the emperour ought to gouerne the teÌ„poral thynges in the ende he saith that Rome is the cyte of his mansuetude or mildenes This texte is red in the xCi distiÌ„cion Ecclesiae c. And that I may speke brefly I neuer red the coÌ„trary in any place but y e euermore vntyll the tyme of the aforesayde Pipine the emperour remayned in possession of the places afore named Neither coulde I yet any where rede y t euer any of the popes presumed to haue any ryght or tytle by y e name of saiÌ„t Peter in the sayd places vntill the tyme of Steuen y e .ii. pope of that name These thynges I beleue to be true nat withstaÌ„dyng y e famouse opinion of the contrary which is redde in Palea the xcvi distiÌ„tion ConstaÌ„tinê° c for without doute if that wrytyng had nat beÌ„ apochriphe Gratianus shulde haue fouÌ„de it in the olde bokes collections of the canones but because he dyd nat fynde it therfore he did nat put it theri wherfore those thynges whiche he hath added afterwardes he put that fayned scripture for chaffe euyn so as we do finde many other thiÌ„ges of the apocriphe writyngê to be writteÌ„ in our bokes I haue also fouÌ„de this writiÌ„g set forth of lenght in a certayn boke which coÌ„tayneth moche more than that which is put in the decrees in the place afore alledged whan I had dilygeÌ„tly examined it I fouÌ„de of y e selfe same scripture many manyfeste euideÌ„t argumeÌ„tes tokeÌ„s of the forgynge falsehed of the same whiche nowe to reherce here it shulde be bothe tedyouse also vnprofytable This also is to be marked y t the aforsayd writyng CoÌ„statinê° c. which is had in the xcvi distiÌ„ction is extract drawen out of the legeÌ„de of saint Siluester he whiche dyd put y e texte in y e decree grouÌ„deth the auctorite of it vpoÌ„ the approbation alowyng of Galasius in the Sinode I pray you loke vpon that approbation in the xv distinction Sancta Romana c. it shal be fouÌ„de of small streÌ„gth for he saith that the author therof is vnknoweÌ„ yet y t nat w tstandyng that it is redde among catholyke meÌ„ therfore that it may be redde what maner apê“bation this is euery maÌ„ may considre for there are many histories of saint Siluester One in y e which this is nat fouÌ„de which histori Damasus the pope made Another whose authour is nat knoweÌ„ which the texte saith nat to be true but that it may be redde neither sayth y e texte yet y t this thinge is coÌ„tayned therin Also y e olde auncieÌ„t bokes of y e decrees hath nat y t text but only vnto y e ê‘agraffe Itâ—Ì„ decreta romanorum poÌ„tificuÌ„ c. iÌ„clusiuely And so this ê‘agraffe of y e histori of Sil. is nat fouÌ„de in those bokes Also y e fifth vniuersal Synode which maketh meÌ„tion of y e apê“bate bokes of al lerned authors of y e approued scriptures moreouer y e Synode of Martin y e pope which was made agaynst y e assertioÌ„ of theÌ„ which said y t there was but one wyl in Christ y t is to wit agaiÌ„st Paulus Sergius renuyng y e approued scriptures as I my self haue seen maketh no meÌ„tioÌ„ of these histories neither yet any other apê“ued author or such as is accoÌ„pted for a true author y t euer I sawe maketh any meÌ„tion of theÌ„ I haue redde iÌ„ Vincent in y e xxiiii boke of histories in the ende after the miÌ„de of saynt Ierome y e CoÌ„staÌ„tine cruelly dyd slee his wyfe Fausta his soÌ„ne Crispus And that at y e later eÌ„de of his lyfe after y t he had ben baptyzed of Eusebius bysshop of Nichomedia he declyned to y e heresie of y e Arrians froÌ„ which tyme as saynt Ierome saith spoylyng robbrie