nos ex varijs ciuitatibus & prouincijs in vnum congregauit, magnum & sanctum concilium Nicaenum coactum est necessariū videtur, &c. Because through the grace of God, and by the commandement of the most holy Emperor Constantine, who hath gathered vs together out of diuerse cities, and prouinces, the great and holy councel of Nice is assembled: it seemeth necessary, that the whole councell send letters to you; by which ye may vnderstād, aswel those things that were called into que¦stiō, as the things that are decided & decreed in the same. Thus writeth Socrates. Out of these words I note first; that this te∣stimonie [ 1] is of greatest credit without al exception, as which was not published by one or two, but by more then three hun∣dred bishops as writeth Nicephorus, who were the most vertu∣ous & learned priests in the christian worlde. I note secondly, [ 2] these holy fathers, of this famous councel, doe not once name the Pope in their letters; so far were they in these daies, frō as∣cribing the chiefe prerogatiue in councels, to the B. of Rome. I note thirdly, that al the councel confesseth in their ioynt let∣ters [ 3] as we see, that the councel was called by the emperor, and that they all were assembled together by his commandement. Where I wish the reader, to obserue diligently the word (Cō∣mandement:) for if the emperor did not cal coūcels together by his own authority, but by the popes, as the papists prate; then could not this holy councel truely say, as al the fathers thereof constantly do say, to wit, that they came thither by the Empe∣rours commandement. I note fourthly, that none in the world [ 4] can better tell how the councell was called, then the fathers of the councel, who were the persons called; and yet do they ioyne the emperors commandement with the grace of God, and ex∣clude the Pope altogether.
Theodoret▪ hath these words: Ʋerum vbi spes eum fefellerat, celebre illud Nicaenum concilium cogit, & publicos asinos, mu∣las, & mulos, quinetiam equos episcopis & comitibus suis ad iter faciendum vtendos dat.
Sozom. hath these words: Verū vbi contra quàm expectabat, res succederet, & contentio reconciliationem concordiae, &c. But after the matter succeeded otherwise then he expected, & reconciliation was hindered with contention; and Hosius also sent to make peace, returned leauing ye thing vndone; ye empe∣ror