Damasus, was not but litle and mesurable ynouȝ to tho chirchis and the mynystris, and was fer dyuers and othir and myche lasse than the greet endewing which in comoun fame is born upon the Firste Con|stantyn, and of which spekith the storie of Siluestris gestis and the epistle of which it is bifore spokun in the next chapiter; of which epistle Gracian takith a large porcioun in his Summe, Dist. xcvj., chapiter [xive.] Constantinus. And therfore thilk storie of Siluestris gestis and the seid epistle ben needis vntrewe apocrifis.
The vije. principal evidence in to the same purpos is this: Bi manye hundrid ȝeeris after the deeth of Pope Siluester the eleccioun of the pope mad at Rome was sende into Greke lond, where the emperour was oftir [aftir, MS.] and lenger to gidere than at Rome, forto be confermed or admittid of the emperour; as can be proued bi sufficient credible cronicles and stories, and in special forto seie in the cronicle of Martyn, where he spekith of Pope Vitilian. ["Hic (Vitalianus) nuncios suos direxit ad imperatorem juxta con|suetudinem significans de sua ordi|natione. Qui nuncii postquam reverenter fuissent recepti, reno|vatis Romanæ ecclesiæ privilegiis, redierunt." Mart. Polon. Chron. A.D. 657.] This y seie not for this, that it so doon was weel doon; but herfore y seie it, that it hadde not be so doon, if the emperour of Greek lond hadde not be thanne in tho daies as ful lord and emperour of Rome and of alle cuntrees lig|ging ther aboute, but the pope had be ful al lord of Rome and of alle the cuntrees ligging aboute, as the seid born an hond endewing pretendith, and as the storie of Siluestris gestis witnessith. Wherfore folewith that no such large endewing was maad bi Constantyn, and folewith that the seid stori of Siluestris gestis and the seid epistle ben vntrewe apocrifis
