the church. I say thirdly, that Paphnutius excited by the spirite of God, stood vp in the midst of the councell, and cried aloud; [ 3] that to forbid marriage to priestes, was too seuere a lawe; be∣cause marriage was honourable in all sortes of men. Thus writeth Cassiodorus; thus writeth Socrates; thus writeth So∣zomenus. I say fourthly, that the lawe which the fathers then thought to haue made, was a new law, neuer heard of before. [ 4] I prooue it, because Socrates hath these expresse words; Visum erat episcopis legem nouam in ecclesiā introducere. The bishops thought indeed, to haue brought a new law into the church. I say fiftly, that the councell was perswaded with Paphnutius his oration, and referred the whole matter to euery priests free [ 5] election, making no law in that behalfe. For Cassiodorus hath these expresse wordes; Synodus{que} laudauit sententiam cius, & nihil ex hac parte sanciuit, sed hoc in vniuscuius{que} voluntate, non in necessitate dimisit. And the Synode cōmended his opi∣nion, and so decreed nothing in the matter; but left it in euerie mans election, to doe what he thought good without compul∣sion. I say sixtly, that Paphnutius affirmed the coniugal actes [ 6] of priestes with their wiues, to be chastitie. I therefore con∣clude, that albeit the bishops in the councell of Nice assembled, woulde indeed haue made a newe and straunge lawe against the marriage of priestes; yet did the spirite of God speaking in Paphnutius, vtterly disswade them from that vngodly purpose.