aboute out of Greek lond, to his eeldist sone Constan|tyn, which sone reioiced the same parti so to hem deuysid and that thoruȝ al his lijf, and his brother Constans next aftir him reioiced the same west parti of the hool empire, (not withstonding that Constans was ȝonger than Constancius,) and his brother Con|stancius after the deeth of hem bothe al the hool empire of Eest and West. But this schulde not haue be trewe, if the first grete Constantyn had maad the seid greet habundaunt upon him born an hond endew|ing. Forwhi thanne the sones of the same Constantyn myȝten not haue regned vpon Romayns and upon peple of al the cuntre ligging west fro Greek cuntre. Wherfore thilk seid greet endewing born upon the First Constantyn was neuere doon: and therfore the seid epistle ascriued to Costantyn, [So the MS., perhaps by a clerical error, but?] and also the storie of Siluestris gestis ben not but vntrewe apocrifis.
The ve. principal euydence is this: After the deeth of Siluester Pope bi ccl. ȝeer, Boneface the iiije. and Pope of Rome, willing forto halewe the hous in Rome clepid Panteon, and forto make it [it is interlineated by a later hand.] a temple of alle martris, askide of Focas, being emperour bothe of the Eest and of the West, (that is to seie, of Greke lond and of the cuntrey ligging in west fro Greek lond,) leue forto so do; and he askid of Focas, that Focas schulde ȝeue to him thilk hous Panteon, that he myȝte ther of make a temple of alle martris, which was bifore a temple of alle ydolis. [Bed. Eccl. Hist. lib. ii. c. 4.] But so it is, that this licence and this ȝifte the Pope Boneface wolde not haue askid of the Emperour Focas, namelich into so holi a purpos to be therbi sped, if Bonefas hadde be [be is added by later hand.] ful lord of al Rome and of alle cuntrees ligging aboute bi ȝifte of the Firste Constantyn, and if Focas
