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A faire pleasurely, for one Schismatique to plead vppon the Authority of an other Schismatike. As if you would say M. Horne: Aske my fellow, if I be a theefe. For both the Author Nilus, and the first setter forth therof,* 1.1 Flaccus Illy∣ricus, are knowen and notorious, the one a Schismatike, the other an Heretik. And therfore what so euer ye here bring oute of Nilus bookes, it weigheth no more, then if yowe brought Illyricus him selfe, or Luther his Maister.
* 1.2And to saye the truth, it is nothing but an heape of vn∣truthes: not only on your Authours parte, but on youres also, ouerreaching him shamefully, as I shall anon declare. But as for your authour, if he would haue considered no more but his owne predecessours the Archbisshoppes of Thessalonica, he should haue found, that they almost one thousand yeares before, had an other and a better iudge∣ment of the Popes authoritie: and were at that time the popes Legates for the Easte partes: as well appeareth by Pope Leo his epistles, to Anastasius Bishop there. And that the Pope had the principal charge of al churches, by Gods owne ordinaunce: contrary to the saying of your schisma∣tical authour of so late yeres. And yet as bad as he is, he doth litle relieue yow. For he graūteth the Pope to be Pa∣triarche of the Weste Churche. And so is he, (thowgh he were not the Chiefe absolutelye) yet our patriarche and cheif Bishop: and therfore cheiflie to be consulted in all greate and weighty ecclesiastical affayres. Againe though he be badde inoughe, yet is he the worse for coming into your fingers. For where you make him to say, the only cause of diuision betwene the Greke and the latine Churche was, for that the Pope wil not suffer free ād general Coūcelles to be cal∣led by the Emperours &c. There is no suche thinge in Nilus (I haue of purpose perused him ouer neither in the Greke nor in the Translation of Flaccus Illiricus. It is your own Captayne and Notorious vntruth.
Concer∣nīg Nilus.
Leo Epi∣stola 84. Sicut prae∣decessores mei praede cessoribus tuis, ita etiam ego dilectioni tuae, prio∣rū sequu∣tus exem∣plum vicē mei mode raminis delegaui, vt curam quam vni¦uersis ec∣clesiis prin¦cipaliter ex diuina institutio∣ne debe∣mus &c. adiuua∣res, & lō∣ginquis ab Apostolica sede prouī¦cijs, prae∣sentiam, quodāmo∣do nostrae visitatio∣nis impē∣deres.