CHAP. IX. That after Basiliscus's death, the Bishops of Asia, that they might appease Acacius, sent him a Peni∣tentiary-Libell, [craving pardon] for their offence in rejecting the Synod of Chalcedon.
[IN the Interim,] the Bishops of Asia, in order to their appeasing Acacius, excused themselves, and craved pardon, sending a Peni∣tentiary-Libell [to him,] wherein they af∣firmed, that they had subscribed to the Circu∣lar-Letters by force and constraint, not volun∣tarily; and they swore, that the thing was so, and that they had not believed, nor did believe otherwise than agreeable to the Synod at Chal∣cedon. The * 1.1 purport of their Letters is this The Epistle, or Petition, sent to Acacius Bishop of Constantinople, from the Bishops of Asia. To Acacius the most Holy and most Pious Patriarch of the most Holy Church at the Imperial [City] Constantinople New Rome. And after other words. a 1.2 He hath arrived amongst us and does what is right and fitting; who also shall fill your place. And after a few words. By these Li∣bells we signifie to you, that we have subscribed, not according to the intent of our minds, but by force and constraint, giving our consent thereto in words and Letters, but not in heart. For by [the assistance of] b 1.3 your acceptable intercessions, together with the assent of the Deity, we believe in such manner as we have received from those. Three hundred and eighteen Luminaries of the world, and from the Hundred and fifty Holy Fathers. Besides, [we believe] those matters also, which have been piously and rightly determined at Chal∣cedon by the Holy Fathers convened there. Fur∣ther, whether Zacharias the Rhetorician has ca∣lumniated these [Bishops of Asia,] or whe∣ther they themselves have lyed, in averring that they subscribed involuntarily, I cannot af∣firm.