A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

HUMBERT, by the Grace of God, Cardinal Bishop of the Holy Church of Rome, PETER Arch-bishop of Melphi, FREDERICK Deacon and Chancellor, to all the Sons of the Catholick Church Greeting.

The Holy Apostolick See of Rome, which is the Chief of the whole World, to which as to the Head belongs in a more especial manner the Care of all the Churches; has sent us to this Royal City in the quality of its Legats for the Welfare and Peace of the Church, that as it is Writ∣ten, we should go down and s••e whether the Cries which pierce its Ears from this great City be true or no. Let therefore the Empe••ors, Clergy, Senate and People of this City of Constantinople know, That we have here found more Good to excite our Joy, than Evil to raise our Sorrow. For as to the supporters of the Empire, and the principal Citizens, the City is wholly Christian and Orthodox: But as for Michael, who took upon him the false title of Patriarch, and his Adhe∣rents, we have found that they have sown Discord and Heresie in the midst of this City, because they sell the Gifts of God like the Simoniacal; because they imitate the Valesians, in causing Eunuchs to take upon them Holy Orders, and in advancing them to the Episcopacy it self; be∣cause they Re-baptiz'd, as did the Arians, those who had been Baptiz'd in the Name of the Bles∣sed Trinity, and particularly the Latins; because with the Donatists they maintain that the Greek Church is the only true Church, and that the Sacrifices and Baptism of none else are Valid; because with the Nicolaitans they allow of Priests cohabiting with their Wives; because with the Severians they enjoyn'd the Observation of the Law of Moses; because they have struck out of the Creed the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Person of the Son, as the Pneumatomachi (that is the Macedons, who deny'd the Divinity of the Ho••y Ghost;) because with the Manichees they ascrib'd a Soul to the Leaven'd Bread; because with the Nazarens they were such strict obser∣vers of the Legal Purity, that they would not Baptize Infants, who dy'd within eight Days after they were Born, nor admit Women in Travail, or who had the usual Infirmities of Nature upon them, to Baptism or the Communion; and lastly, because they Condemn'd and Excommunicated those who shav'd their Beards, according to the Custom of the Roman Church. Michael having been advertis'd of these Errors, and reprov'd for several other proceedings by the Letter of Pope Leo, has still persisted in them, and when that we would have apply'd a Remedy to these Evils, he refus'd to appear before, or to have any Conference with us, and has likewise forbad our entrance into the Churches to perform Divine Service therein, forasmuch as he had formerly shut up the Churches of the Latins, calling them Azymitae, Persecuting and Excommunicating them, all which reflected on the Holy See, in contempt whereof he stil'd himself OECUMENICAL or UNIVERSAL PATRIARCH. Wherefore not being able any longer to tolerate such an unheard of Abuse as was offer'd to the Holy Apostolical See; and looking upon it as a Vio∣lation of the Catholick Faith in several Instances: By the Authority of the Holy Trinity, by the Authority of the Holy Apostolical See, whereof We are Legats, by the Authority of all the Or∣thodox Fathers, the Seven Councils, and the whole Catholick Church, WE do Subscribe to the Anathema which our most Holy Father the Pope has denounc'd against Michael and his Adhe∣rents, if they do not retract their Errors; and in pursuance hereof we declare that Michael, stiling himself Patriarch, a Novice, who was made Monk only by the fear of Men, one of a dis∣solute and Vicious Life; Leo of Acridia, stiling himself Bishop; Constantine, Michael's Chap∣lain, who had trodden under Foot the Sacrifices of the Latins; and all the followers of their Errors, and the abetters of their Proceedings are Anathematiz'd, with the Simonists, Valesians, Arrians, Donatists, Nicolaitans, Severians, Pneumatomachi, Manichees, Nazarens, and all the other Hereticks, or rather with the Devil and his Angels, if they do not Repent. At the same time in the presence of the Emperor and his Court they pronounc'd viva voce, an Excommunication against all those, who should contradict the Faith of the Church of Rome,

or condemn it's Sacrifice; and declar'd that such Persons ought not to be look'd upon as Christians, but as Hereticks.

After they had publish'd these Excommunications, they set in order the Latin Churches; * 1.1 prohibited under pain of Excommunication, the receiving the Communion from the Hand of any Greek Priest, who should Condemn the Sacrifice of the Latin Church. And when they had taken leave of the Emperor, they went out of Constantinople, July the 17th, and set for∣ward on their Journey homeward. But the Emperor caus'd them to return again on the 19th of the same Month, at the instance of Michael Cerularius, who promis'd him to enter into a Conference with them. The design of this Patriarch was to draw them into the Church of St. Sophia, under colour of holding a Council there, and to cause them to be ston'd by the Peo∣ple, by reading to them the Legat's Decree of Excommunication, which he had corrupted in Translating it, in order to render it the more odious. The Emperor foreseeing what would happen, would not permit the Legats to appear in any Assembly out of his Presence. Michael having refus'd this Offer, the Emperor sent the Legats away; which incens'd that Patriarch so far, that after he had excommunicated them by a Publick Writing, he rais'd an Insurrection against the Emperor himself, who was forc'd to deliver up the Legats Interpreters, who were abus'd and cast into Prison. The Legats sent the Emperor, by his Courriers, a true Copy of the Excommunication which they had denounc'd against Cerularius, by which that Patri∣arch was convicted of being an Impostor. This occasion'd an entire Rupture between the Patriarch and the Emperor, who drove out of his Court all the Relations and Friends whom Michael had there, and would never have pardon'd him, if he had liv'd longer. But he dy'd the same Year, leaving the Empire to Theodora Porphyrogenita, Daughter to Constantine, and Sister to Zoe, under whom as well as under Michael Strationicus, to whom she left the Empire, dying within two Years after. Cerularius continu'd in quiet Possession of the Pa∣triarchship, and grew so great, that he oblig'd the latter to resign the Empire in the Year 1057. to Isaac Commenius. By this means, the Church of Constantinople was wholly separat∣ed from the Church of Rome; and these two Churches, which till then, were in a manner to∣lerated and treated with Respect, were look'd upon as Enemies, Schismaticks and Hereticks, and became almost irreconcilable through the fault of the Greeks.

Within a while after the Latins endeavour'd to withdraw Peter Patriarch of Antioch from Communion with the Patriarch of Constantinople. They thought this the more feasible be∣cause * 1.2 that Patriarch immediately after his Advancement, had writ to Pope Leo, who had re∣turn'd him an Answer, whereby he approv'd of the Profession of Faith which he had sent him, and took notice to him, of his being very well inclin'd to carry on the Union of both Churches. The Patriarch of Grado nam'd Dominick, who held the greatest Correspondence with the Greeks, because the Provinces of Venice and Istria belong'd to his Patriarchship, was order'd to write to Peter of Antioch about it. He did it in such a manner as might have engag'd that Patriarch to enter into the Interests of the Church of Rome. For in the beginning of his Letter he declares, that without mentioning the Submission, the Deference, and the Amity which ought to be had for the Church of Antioch, which is the Sister of the Church of Rome, and the second Church of the World: The Reputation of his Piety and the particular Esteem which he had for his Person, inclin'd him to desire an Interest in his Respects, and to wish to be in an entire Friendship with him. He tells him that he thought himself oblig'd to let him know that his Church had been Founded by St. Mark, that St. Pe∣ter conferr'd upon it the Dignity of a Patriarchal See, and that he had the Right of Pope in the Councils which were held in Italy: That he would inform him upon what these Privi∣leges were Founded, when they could come to have a Correspondence with each other by Letters, but that at present he only wrote to him to have the happiness of being acquainted with him, and to begin a Friendship which might be hereafter Corroborated: That however he could not forbear acquainting him, that he understood that the Clergy of Constantinople blam'd the Church of Rome, because it celebrated the Holy Mysteries with Unleaven'd Bread, and believ'd by reason of that, that the Latins were separated from the Unity of the Church; that tho' the Latins make use of Unleaven'd Bread, according to the Tradition of JESUS CHRIST and the Apostles, yet they Condemn'd not the Custom of the Greek Church, because as the mixture of Leaven with the Meal may be the Figure of the Incarnation of JESUS CHRIST, so the Unleaven'd Bread may likewise represent the Purity of the Flesh of JESUS CHRIST. That therefore he thought it expedient that he should ad∣vertise the Greeks not to Condemn the Custom of the Latins, nor to maintain that all their Sacrifices were null, and that they were out of the Road to Eternal Salvation.

Peter Patriarch of Antioch, answer'd him with a great deal of Integrity, without approving of his Opinion concerning the use of Unleaven'd Bread, or his Pretentions concerning the * 1.3 Patriarchship. For he makes it appear to him by his Letter, that there were never acknow∣ledg'd in the Church any more than Five Patriarchs, and that the Bishops of the Capital Cities of Provinces, greater than His, never assum'd this Quality. And with respect to the use of Unleaven'd Bread, he at first excuses the Patriarch of Constantinople, by saying, that he does not absolutely Condemn the Latins as Hereticks; but was only sorry that they swerv'd from the ancient Tradition of the Church, and did not make use of Perfect, but

of Unleaven'd Bread, in Imitation of the Jews. He afterwards opposes this Usage by seve∣ral Arguments, but particularly by the Passages of the Gospel, which seem to prove that JESUS CHRIST instituted the Eucharist before the Feast of the Passover, and at a time when they did not as yet make use of Unleaven'd Bread. At the Close of his Letter he takes notice that two Years ago he had wrote to Pope Leo in the beginning of his Pope-dom, to which he had not as yet received any Answer, and that he desir'd he might have a Sight of this.

Michael Cerularius on the contrary wrote to Peter of Antioch, to engage him to declare * 1.4 openly against the Church of Rome. After he had thank'd him in the beginning of his Let∣ter, for having at his Recommendation granted to a Deacon a Place which he had demand∣ed of him, he gives him to understand, that having some time since heard that the last de∣ceased Pope was a Virtuous, Honest and Learned Man, he had writ to him with a great deal of Humility about the Re-union of the two Churches, in order to procure his Favour, that he might give some Assistance to the Greeks against the Normans: That having com∣mitted this Letter to an Officer of the Emperors, who carry'd likewise another from that Prince, they were put into the Hands of Duke Argyrus, who detain'd them, as well as the Mony which the Emperor had sent by that Officer: That Argyrus thought fit to send three Persons to Constantinople in the quality of Legats of the Holy See, whereof one had for∣merly been Arch-bishop of Melphi, who he understood had been turn'd out of his Church five Years ago: Another had only the Title of Arch-bishop, but where his Diocess lay none could tell; and to the Third he had given the Title of Chancellor: That these Three Men having accosted the Emperor with a fierce and arrogant Air, caused the Cross and the Pastoral Rod to be carry'd before them: That afterwards they gave him a Visit, but in a way of Insolence and Contempt: And that without saluting him, or paying him the Respects which were due to him, they clap'd into his Hands a Letter sealed up, which con∣tain'd the same things concerning Unleaven'd Bread, as Argyrus had formerly advanc'd whilst he stay'd at Constantinople, for the which he had been Excommunicated: But that having examin'd the Seal he found it was false, and that it was nothing but a piece of Forgery of this Argyrus, as he had afterwards been assur'd by the Arch-bishop of Trani, and by his Chancellor, who had unravel'd the whole Mystery to him. After he had given this Account of that Transaction, he says, That it was Reported of him that he inserted the Names of the Popes in the Church Registers, and that the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem did the same: That however he did not suppose them so Ignorant, but that they knew that since the time of Pope Vigilius, who would not pronounce an Anathema against the Writings of Theodoret, and the Letter of Ibas, there was no notice taken of the Bishops of Rome, in the Churches of the East: That he likewise heard, that these two Patriarchs admitted to their Communion those who celebrated with Unleaven'd Bread, and that they made use of the same sometimes themselves: That not being fully satisfied of this matter of Fact, he left him to the Liberty of inquiring into it, and desired he would send him Word how the Case was: That moreover he had read the Letter which he had written to the Patriarch of Grado, wherein he oppos'd the making use of Unleaven'd Bread: But that the Latins hold a great many other Errors, which ought to be rejected; such as believing that one might Eat Things Strangled, that Men ought to be Shaven, to observe the Sabbath, to Eat unclean Things, that Monks might be permitted to Eat Flesh and Bacon: That one might Eat Flesh in the first Week of Lent, and in the Weeks wherein one ought to abstain from Flesh and Milk, as well as on every Wednesday in the Year: That they were guilty of Eating Cheese and Eggs in the Holy Week; of Fasting on Saturdays, all of them being Customs belonging to the Jews; of having added to the Creed, that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son; of not permitting Priests to be Married; of allowing two Brothers to Marry two Sisters; of observing that one of the Ministers of the Altar who has Eaten Unleaven'd Bread, shall embrace the rest in the Sacrifice, by giving Pax Vobis to them; of giving to the Bishops a Ring which they wear on their Thumb; of Baptizing only with one Im∣mersion; of not honouring the Relicks of the Saints, and several of them not so much as Images; of not reckoning among the Saints the Doctors of the Greek Church, such as St. Gregory the Theologue, St. Basil the Great and St. Chrysostom the Divine, and of not ob∣serving their Doctrin: But what is more strange is, that when they were at Constantinople they declar'd that they were not come to enter into a Dispute, nor to be inform'd of the Differences that might be between them, but to teach and perswade others to hold their Tenets

There is likewise another Letter of Cerularius to the same Patriarch of Antioch, wherein he gave him a particular Account of what the Pope's Legats, (whom he still imagins to be Impostors sent by Argyrus, who had trump'd up these false Letters) had done against him at Constantinople, by excommunicating him, and exhorts that Patriarch to joyn with him in re∣venging the Affront.

Peter of Antioch reply'd to Michael Cerularius, That he wonder'd that Argyrus, who was * 1.5 a Laick, should concern himself in the disposal of the Affairs of the Church, and make use of such Artifices as he had acquainted him with: That the Name of the Pope was not in the Registers of the Church of Antioch; but that it could not be truly said that even since the Time of Pope Vigilius, the Name of the Bishop of Rome had been left out of the Registers of the Greek Church: That it was a gross Omission in his Secretary; since in the Sixth Council, held One hundred and twenty nine Years after Vigilius, Pope Agatho was recogniz'd: That when he himself was at Constantinople, about Five and forty Years ago, in the Time of Domnus the Patriarch, he found the Name of Pope Sergius in the Registers among the rest of the other Patriarchs; and that he could not tell upon what Grounds it had since been left out: That of the Errors and Faults which in his Letter he attributed to the Latins, there were some which ought to be avoided and abhor'd, several others which it were easie to remedy; and lastly, others at which it would be proper to connive.

For (says he) what is it to Us, if their Bishops do shave their Beards, and wear Rings on their Fingers? Do not we make a Crown upon our Heads, and do not we wear Gloves, Maniples and Stoles embroyder'd with Gold? Will not you likewise find some of our Monks who eat Flesh and Bacon? Do not the Monks of Bythinia, Thrace and Lydia, eat Magpies, Jays and Turtle-Doves? Do not the Holy Fathers leave us at liberty to eat indifferently of all manner of Things which God has Created?

In particular he demonstrates, that St. Basil and St. Pacomius allow'd their Religious to eat Bacon. But he does not pass the same Judgment on what was added to the Creed, and he pretends that 'tis a very great abuse, as well as to Baptize with only one Immersion: However, he thinks it requisite to be of a Temper inclinable to Peace, because the Latins are their Brethren, altho' through Rusticity or Ignorance, they might be in some Errors: That so punctual an exactness could not be expected from Barbarians; that it was very well that they held the true Doctrin about the Trinity and the Incarnation: That he blam'd them for their Custom relating to the Celibacy of Priests, and for their eating Flesh and Cheese the first Week in Lent. That as to the Question about Unleavened Bread, he had handled that in the Letter which he wrote to the Patriarch of Venice; and that he was of Opinion, that every Church ought therein to observe its ancient Customs; that as to that part of their Charge, of eating Things strangled, and of allowing one and the same Person to Marry two Sisters; it was to be believ'd, that this was not among them by the appro∣bation of the Pope and the Bishops, but by the abuse of some particular Persons, as there are a great many of the same Nature in the East, which 'tis very difficult to abolish. That moreover, he ought to insist particularly on the Addition to the Creed, and on the Marriage of Priests: That with Respect to the other Articles, it was not requisite to stand much upon them, because they are such as do not concern the Faith, and because most of them are false. That therefore he thought it proper, that being thus inclin'd, he should write to the Pope who was to be elected, who perhaps would disown what is impos'd on the Latins, or else alter his Mind: That no Person can imagine that the Romans do not honour Relicks and Images, since they set so high a Value on the Relicks of St. Peter and St. Paul; since Pope Adrian by his Legats was President of the Seventh Council, and Condemn'd the Iconoclasts; and since it was observable that several Images were brought from Rome, and that the Latins ho∣nour'd them. He therefore conjur'd the Patriarch of Constantinople to think upon an Accom∣modation, and to require nothing of the Latins beside the striking out the Addition which they had made to the Creed. Lastly, He acquaints him that he sends him Indors'd, the Letter which Pope Leo had written to him; and that the Letters which he had directed to the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem, he had convey'd to them. These Four Letters have been Publish'd in Greek and Latin by Monsieur Cotelier, in the second Tome of his Monuments of the Greek Church.

Tho' this Action of Cardinal Humbert seem'd to put a stop to the Re-union of the two Churches, yet the Popes were not quite out of hopes of bringing it about. For this purpose, * 1.6 Stephen IX. resolv'd upon sending Didier Abbot of Mount Cassin, and two other Legats to Constantinople, who set forward upon that design in the beginning of the Year 1058. but be∣ing detain'd at Bari by the badness of the Season, they there heard the News of that Pope's Death, and return'd home again. That same Year Michael Cerularius building too much upon the Obligation under which the Emperor Isaac Commenus lay to him, was for assuming to him∣self too great an Authority, threaming the Emperor himself, That if he did not follow his Councils, he would be an Instrument of making him lose that Crown which he had procur'd for him. This impudent Boldness, and his Pride in wearing Purple colour'd Shoes and Stockings, and in saying, That there was no difference between the Sacerdotal Office and the Empire, made Isaac resolve to Out him. But forasmuch as Michael was belov'd by the People of Con∣stantinople, he took an opportunity to cause him to be apprehended, when he went on the Feast of All-Saints to perform his Office in a Church of the Suburbs of that City. He sent thither several of his Soldiers, who pull'd the Patriarch out of his Episcopal Chair, and carry'd him immediately to the next Sea-Port, where they embark'd him and his Relations, to be con∣vey'd into Exile to Proconessus. The Emperor had a great mind to cause him to be de∣pos'd in a Council; but he durst not attempt it, because Michael was a Man of great Parts,

and had great Friends. The death of that Patriarch put an end to his Troubles, but made no alteration in the Affairs of the Church; nor did it procure the Re-union of the two Churches, which ever after remain'd divided, tho' frequent attempts have been made to re-unite them, and tho' there have been several Treaties between them, which never lasted long, by reason of the Inconstancy of the Greeks.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The De¦pa••ture of the Pope's Lega••s.
• * 1.2

  The Let∣ter of Do∣minick Pa∣triarch of Grado to Peter of Antioch.
• * 1.3

  The An∣swer of Peter of Antioch, to the Pa∣triarch of Grado.
• * 1.4

  The Letter of Cerula∣rius to Pe∣ter of An∣tioch.
• * 1.5

  The An∣swer of Pe∣ter of An∣tioch to Cerulari∣us.
• * 1.6

  A New Attempt made for the Re-uniting the Greek and the Latin Churches. The Banish∣ment of Cerulari∣us.