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The Bishoppes (as I said before) vvhen they thought them selues, or their Churche iniuried by others, vvere vvont to appeale and flie vnto the Empe∣rour, as the (.85.) supreme gouernour in al matters, and causes Temporall, or Spirituall, the vvhiche appeareth moste playne, to be the practise of the Churche by these Bishops called vnto the Nicene counsaill. For vvhen they came to Nice, supposing them selues to haue novve good oportunity, beyng
nighe vnto the Emperour, to reuenge their priuate quarelles, and to haue redresse at the Emperours handes, of suche iniuries as they thought thē selues to susteyne at others byshops handes, eche of them gaue vnto the Emperour, a Libell of accusations, signifying vvhat vvronges he had susteyned of his fel∣lovve Bishopes, and prayed ayde and redresse by his iudgement. The Empe∣rour forseyng that these pryuate quarelings, if they vvere not by some policy, and vvyse deuise sequestred, and layde aside, vvould muche hynder the com∣mon cause, tooke deliberatiō, appointing a day, against the vvhich they shuld be in a readines, and commaunded them to prepare and bring vnto him all their libelles and quarelling accusations, one against an other: (Mark by the vvay, the craft and practise of Sathan, to stay and ouerthrovv good purposes, that euen the godly fathers and Bishoppes, vvanted not their great infirmi∣ties, preferring their ovvn priuate trifles, before the vveighty causes of Gods Churche. And the vvisdome, zeale, and humblenes, of his moste Christian Emperour, vvho so litle estemed his ovvn honour, and authority, that he vvold rather seeme to be inferiour, or for the time no more than equal vvith his subiectes, to the ende, he might by his humbling of him selfe, aduance and exalt Gods glory, to the edifiyng and quietnes of his Churche.) The day came (vvhiche vvas the day before the first Session should be in the councel, as So∣crates saith) the Bishoppes did not sleape their ovvne matters, but had their billes in a readines, and deliuered them vnto the Emperour. This vi∣gilant noursefather vnto Gods Churche, had cared and deuised so diligently for the common cause, as the Bishoppes had done for their priuate qua∣relles: and therefore, vvhen he had receiued their Libelles, verye (.86.) politiquelye, saieth: (bicause he vvoulde irritate none of them for that tyme,) That the day of general iudgement shoulde be a fitte time for these accusations. and Christ the Iudge, then would iudge al men: As for me (.87.) it is not leafull to take vpon me (.8••.) the iugement of (.89.) suche Priestes, accused, and ac∣cusing one an other. VVhereunto, neuertheles, he added this priuy nippe, to pynche them vvithal. For of al other thinges (saith he) this is least seemely, that Bishoppes shoulde shewe them selues suche, as ought to be iudged of others. And so caused the Libelles to be cast into the fire, giuing them an earnest exhortation to peace and quiet∣nesse.
The 85. vntruth, euer auou¦ched, but neuer proued.
Being priuat quarels, thei could be ••o ec∣clesiasti∣cal mat∣ters tou∣ching re∣ligion, vvhich is euer commō. Sozom. li. 1. cap. 17. Li. 1. ca. 8.
The 86. vntruth. He did it religious∣ly, not po¦litiqu••ly.
The 87. 88 and 89. vntruths. Sozome∣nes text in three places fal∣sified.
Sozom. li. 1. cap. 17. Theod. lib. 1 cap. 7.