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.

ADRIAN I.

ADRIAN was elected and consecrated Bishop of Rome by the unanimous Consent of the whole Clergy and People of Rome (ann. 772. Feb. 9.) In the beginning of his Pon∣tificate * 1.1 Desiderius King of the Lombards sought his Friendship: But seeing that King had been perjur'd all-a-long, he would not at first give Ear to his Embassadors; yet he was prevailed with at last by their Oaths, and sent Deputies to him; but they were hardly got out of Rome, when News was brought that Desiderius had invaded the Dukedom of Ferraria, and the Ex∣archate of Ravenna, and that he was ready to besiege that City. The Pope having sent to demand those Countries back again, he promised to restore them, if he would come to him: But Adrian would not put himself into his Hands, and therefore declared, That he would not go to him, before he had restored what he had taken from the Church. Desiderius seeing he could do nothing by Fraud and Cunning, attack'd him openly, and prepared himself to besiege the City of Rome. In this Extremity the Pope applied himself to Charles King of France, and sent to intreat him to help the Romans, after the Example of his Father Pepin. He would have done it immediately, had not Desiderius born him in hand by his Envoys, That he had restored all to the Church of Rome, at that very Time when he was drawing near to Rome, to besiege it. Charles hearing of it, came into Italy with an Army, summon'd the King of Lombardy several times, to give the Church of Rome her Right. The King always denied it; but at last, his Men being taken with a panick Fear, he was forced to withdraw into Pavia, and his Son Adalgisius to Verona. During this Time the Pope recovered the Dukedom of Spoleto, and great part of the Country which the Lombards had taken. On the other side, Charles besieged the Cities of Verona and Pavia; the first yielded presently, he left his Army before the other and went to Rome, where he was receiv'd by the Pope and the Ro∣mans, in a manner suitable to so signal a Service as that he did them. He confirmed the Donation his Father had made to the Holy See, of the Towns and Territories taken by Con∣quest from the Lombards, and promised to preserve them to it. From Rome he returned to the Siege of Pavia, which he took soon after: He took Desiderius Prisoner, and conquered the whole Kingdom of the Lombards. From this time Adrian continued in the peaceable posses∣sion of the Roman Church, and of the Countries the Kings of France had bestowed on him. He laid out his Wealth in Building, Adorning and Beautifying the Churches of Rome. He was Pope 23 Years, 10 Months and a few Days. This is the Sum of this Pope's Let∣ters to Charles the Great, which are found in Manuscript of the Vatican, and have been put out by Gretser, but without observing any Order of the Times. The first Numbers note the Order of the Vatican Manuscripts, and the second the Number of the Caroline Book.

I. 88. He congratulates Charles's Conquest of Bavaria, and gives him notice, That Ari∣chisius, Duke of Beneventum, hath sent to Constantinople, to demand Aid, with the Duke∣dom of Naples and the Patrician Dignity, upon promise to obey the Greek Emperor, to be clad after the Grecian Way, and to follow their Usages. But the Embassadors sent by the Emperor found Arichisius dead: But the People of Beneventum had promised the Greeks to perform these Conditions, since Charles has granted them Grimoaldus for their Duke, and they had led their Embassadors to Naples. He desires Charles to take his Measures accordingly, and discovers to him the Snares laid by the Neopolitans and the People of Benevent, for those whom he had sent.

II. 87. He grants the Pall to Ermembert, Archbishop of Bourges, at Charles's Request.

III. 86. He gives him notice of the Snares the Greeks had laid for him; he prays him to keep his Armies always in readiness. He complains, That his Envoys have not fully executed his Orders concerning the Towns he was to deliver again to the Roman Church: He says, That Grimoaldus and the Greeks take from thence an occasion of insulting over him.

IV. 85. He writes an answer to Charles, about the Bishops of Lombardy, who did incroach upon the Diocesses of other Bishops; about Ermanald's Daughter, which married after hav∣ing taken the Religious Habit; and about Simony, very rife in Italy and Tuscany. He com∣plains of the Disobedience of the People of Ravenna and the Pentapolis. He desires Charles, not to countenance them, and not to receive those that are come to him without his Orders, as he receives none of the King's Subjects, that bring no Order from their Master.

V. 84. He acquaints him, That according to his Orders, he commanded the Venetian Merchants to be banish'd out of Ravenna and the Pentapolis. He desires him to apprehend the Duke of Garenne, who had possessed himself of some Lands belonging to the Church of Ravenna.

VI. 83. He recommends the Duke Paul, who went to him, to clear himself from the Ac∣cusations charged upon him and the Duke Constantine.

VII. 82. He says, He saith he hath sent him S. Gregory's Sacramentary.

VIII. 81. He tells him, He hath set up in the Church the Cross he sent him. He prays him to send Commissioners, to restore some Towns of the Dukedom of Beneventum to him, with the Territories of Popolo and Roselle.

IX. 80. He speaks of the Penance to be imposed upon the Saxons, who being baptized, had lapsed again into Idolatry.

X. 79. He intercedes for the Abbot of S. Vincent, falsly accused to Charles.

XI. 78. He forbids Bishops and Presbyters to bear Arms, and gives him notice, That, upon his Recommendation he hath set at Liberty John the Monk, accused of bearing false Witness.

XII. 77. He says, That Charles's Envoy could not procure the entire Restitution of the Territory of Sabina.

XIII. 67. He speaks to him of the Presents he sent him.

XIV. 66. He prays him to send a new Commissioner, to cause the whole Territory of Sabina to be restored to him.

XV. 69. He requests him again to cause that whole Country to be restored to him.

XVI. 68. He begs of him some Beams and Pewter, and gives him notice of the War of Ari∣chisius against the Amalphitans, and of the Defeat of his Troops by the Neapolitans.

XVII. 65. He assures him of the continuation of their Prayers for him. He tells him, That the Slaves sold to the Saracens were sold by the Lombards and the Greeks. He says, The Roman Priests are not guilty of the Crimes▪ they are charged with.

XVIII. 64. He says, That the Neopolitans and the Greeks had made themselves Masters of Terracine, by the Advice of Duke Arichisius. He desires Charles to send Wolfini to retake that Town, and the other Church-lands in the Neopolitan Territory.

XX. 62. He tells him, he prays to God Night and Day for him.

XXI. 61. He begs some Beams and Lead to repair the Church of S. Peter. He says, He durst not meddle with the Holy Corpse, which Adon had begg'd of him, and gives him a hint of one, which was at the Archbishop Vulcharius's; viz. the Body of S. Candidus the Martyr.

XXII. 60. He gives him notice of the Emperor Constantine's Death. He charges the Duke Clusus with seizing of Church-Lands, and entreats Charles to remove him out of Tuscany.

XXIII. 59. He acquaints him with a Plot made to besiege the City of Rome.

XXIV. 92. He tells him, That his Envoys fared worse for not following his Advice; and that the Greeks were forming a Design to deprive Charles of his Dukedom of Beneventum.

XXV. 58. He complains that King Charles's Commissioners had slighted him, and that, instead of coming to Rome, they were gone to Spoleto, and to Beneventum. He desires Charles to put him in possession of the Dukedom of Spoleto, as he had promised him.

XXVI. He says, No body did question but that the whole Country of Sabina should be∣long to him.

XXVII. He congratulates the Victory he had lately obtained, and recommends an Abbot and two Bishops to him.

XXVIII. 54. He tells him, That in Italy and Tuscany there were some Lombard Bishops, who invaded the Diocesses of others; that there are some Monks, who lay aside their Habit, to lead a Secular Life and to marry. He speaks again of Ermenald's Daughter, and desires Charles to stop these Disorders.

XXIX. He complains of the Bishop of Ravenna's Impudence, who detained the Towns of Aemilia and Pentapolis, after Charles's Departure.

XXX. 51. He sends him a Letter of the Patriarch of Grado, and complains that the Bishop of Ravenna had open'd it and read it.

XXXI. 51. He intreats Charles to remember his Promises to him, and demands all the Countries which the Lombards did once possess.

XXXII. 50. He complains; That he hath waited in vain for the Commissioners that were to come with Andrew▪ He complains, That Leo Bishop of Ravenna did boast of having obtain'd of him the Towns of the Pentapolis and Aemilia.

XXXIII. 93. He speaks of his Loyalty and Amity to him. He rejoyces because he wrote to him that he would come into Italy. He complains of his detaining his Legate Anastasius in France. He accuses two Persons about him of being his Enemies.

XXXIV. 49. He speaks of some Advantage gotten by the Persians upon the Greeks.

XXXV. 76. He prays him to cause all the Lands, which he pretends the Lombards had taken from the Roman Church, to be restored to him.

XXXVI. 77. He prays again, That the Territory of Sabina be wholly put into his Hands again. He rejects an Abridgment of the Council of Chalcedon, which was brought to him.

XXXVII. 75. He intreats him to continue his constant Affection to the Roman Church. He accuses two private Persons who had fled to Charles, and desires him to send them to him.

XXXVIII. 74. He recommends the Deputies of the Monastery of S. Hilary to him, and prays him not to suffer that the Hospitals built in the Road of the Alps be seized to enter∣tain Travellers.

XXXIX. 71. He answers him about the Elections of the Bishops of Ravenna, that they ought to be performed by the Clergy and the People of the Town, in the presence of the Emperor's Commissioners, and with the Bishop of Rome's Consent.

XL. 72. He acquaints him, How he hath composed the Differences of the Monks of S. Vincent▪ and how that the Abbot Pothon was resolved to go to him with some Monks, to purge himself from the things laid to his Charge.

XLI. 71. He thanks Charles for all his Pains that he had been at to serve the Church of Rome.

XLII. 70. He gives him notice, that Adalgisius, Desiderius's Son, was come to Calabria, and he desires Charles to make War on him, and to constrain those of the Country of Benevent to obey him. He cautions him not to make Grimoald Duke of Beneventum, and demands of him the restitution of Ravenna, Roselle and P••polo.

XLIII. He tells him, That he hath received the Embassadors of Offa * 1.2, the English King, together with Charles's Commissioners; and he intimates to him, That he does not believe that Offa hath suggested any thing against Charles.

XLIV. He appoints Litanies to be said for 3 Days together, in all the West, for the happy Conversion of the Saxons, wrought by Charles.

57. He tells him, That the Greeks have put out the Eyes of Maurice, Bishop of Istria, be∣cause of his faithfulness to the Church of Rome. He prays Charles to order the Duke of Aquileia to get him restored.

75. He acquaints him, That he, with all his Clergy and Monks, pray to God to grant him the Victory against the Agarenians.

The 95th is directed to Egila, who had been ordain'd Bishop, and sent into Spain by Vul∣charius, for accepting a Mission without having any particular See: He commends his Zeal, and exhorts him to follow the Usage of the Roman Church in the Saturday-Fast.

In the 96th, directed to the same Bishop, and to John a Presbyter, he exhorts them to a Conformity to the Usages of the Roman Church. He confutes the practice of the Spanish Churches, which put off Easter to the 8th Day, when the 14th Moon fell on Saturday. He reports a long Passage of S. Fulgentius about Predestination. He condemns some Errors about Free-will, and the Relicks of Priscillianism, and reproves some Abuses. Afterwards he was displeased with Egila, for teaching some Errors, and neglecting his Ministery.

The 77th Letter is directed to all the Bishops of Spain: In it he treats of Felix and Eli∣pandus's Error. 2. Of the keeping of Easter. 3. Of Predestination. 4. Of the Obliga∣tion to abstain from Blood. 5. Of the Commerce and Marriage with Pagans and Jews, and of the Women that marry again during the Life of their first Husband.

Flodoard mentions a Letter of this Pope to Tilpin, Archbishop of Rheims; in which having described the Disorders that had happen'd in that Church: He confirms to him the Right of Metropolitan or Primate, and grants him the Priviledge of not being judged but by a Cano∣nical Judgment, and by the Pope, if in the very Judgment he did appeal to the Holy See. This Letter seems doubtful to me.

Adrian gave to Charlemagne the Code of Dionysius Exiguus, of whose Canons there was a Summary made, bearing unfitly the Name of this Pope. Some attribute to him a Col∣lection of 72 or 80 Capitula's, which they suppose him to have given to Ingilram, Bishop of Mets, or Ingilram to have presented them to him, for both these are found in the Manu∣scripts: It contains 72 or 80 Articles of Ecclesiastical Judgments, for the most part taken out of the Ancient Canons, Popes Letters, and the Theodosian Code; but some Additions are made to them, favourable to the Pretensions of the Court of Rome. This piece was forged when the false Decretals were made, and perhaps by the same Author. They talk also of a Priviledge granted by this Pope to the Monastery of S. Denys, wherein it is permitted them to have a Bishop: But this also is visibly supposititious.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Adrian I.
• * 1.2

  [Offa the King of the Mercians.]