Chap. 5. the. 11. Diuision.
In an epistle of Zacharie vnto (*) 1.1 Pope Boniface, it is thus written, it hath bin oftētimes de∣creede,* 1.2 yt there should not be a Bishop apointed in euery village▪ or little citie, least they should waxe vile (a) 1.3 through the multitude: wherby it both appeareth that ther was wont to be a Byshop in e∣uery parish, and vpon how corrupt and euill consideration one Byshop was set ouer a whole dio∣cesse. No doubt, those that were authors of this, had learned to well our olde prouerb, the fewer the better cheare, but the more Byshops, the merier it had bin with Gods people.
This epistle was writtē by Pope Zacharie to one Boniface which was Byshop in France, and not to Pope Boniface: moreouer it is in the. 2. tome of Councels, and you haue quoted in your margent the third. But to the matter.
You haue not one word in that epistle to proue that there was wont at any time* 1.4 to be in euery parish a Byshop. And you haue falsely alleadged the words of the epistle: for these words (least they should waxe vile through the multitude) are not ther to be found. The words of the Epistle be there. For you must remember what we are commaunded by the olde canons to obserue, that we ought not to ordein Bishops in villages, and smal ci∣ties, least the name of a Byshop should waxe vile. What one word is there here of pla∣cing Byshops in euery parish? Zacharie telleth Boniface, that it is according to the olde canons that Byshops should not be placed in such smal cities, but in more ample and large cities, bycause the contemptiblenesse of the place, dothe oftentimes bring contempt to the person, and a Byshop ought to be estéemed and reuerenced. If you had red the epistle, you should haue perceiued that this Boniface had lately conuerted to christianitie interiorem Germaniam, and that he had ordeyned amōg them certaine By∣shops to gouerne them, whome he desired Pope Zacharie by his authoritie to con∣firme, to whome Pope Zacharie answering, willeth him to consider whether the places be so conuenient, or the number of the people so great, vt Episcopos habere merean∣tur. Meminerimus enim (saith he) quid in sacris canonibus. &c. as I haue rehearsed them be∣for〈1 line〉〈1 line〉▪ And a little after he nameth the places, where he will haue the byshops seates 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 that there is nothing lesse ment, than that there was in euery parish a Bishop, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 much as there was there before no Byshop in any parish: but this is all that may be gathered, that the seates of Byshops were by the olde canons apointed to be in the best cities, and most famous places: which to be true you may soone perceiue in those canons themselues, mētioned here by Zacharie: they are to be found. dist. 80.