The mysterie of iniquitie: that is to say, The historie of the papacie. Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this height, and what oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it. Where is also defended the right of emperours, kings, and Christian princes, against the assertions of the cardinals, Bellarmine and Baronius. By Philip Morney, knight, Lord du Plessis, &c. Englished by Samson Lennard.

[ C] 13. PROGRESSION.

What wicked and vnlawfull meanes men vsed about this time, to aspire vnto the Popedome.

ABout the yeare 500 Italie was all wasted by the Northerne nations, who swarmed there in great numbers, which had been ynough to haue suppressed their ambition, had it not passed the bounds of all humanitie: But it was such, that euerie day it attempted something; and for want of worke abroad, would sometimes busie it selfe at home: Insomuch that it grow an ordinarie matter, to put in for the Popedome many yeares before the Pope was dead, to get voyces [ D] before hand, by word of mouth, and sometime by deed indented, and to procure them by presents, and other meanes; as appeareth by the Synod which was held at Rome vnder Symmachus. Whereof ensued commonly, sedition, murders, and slaughters; insomuch that it was necessarie for the Emperours, euen such as they called and accounted barbarous, to preuent the mischiefes which vsually en∣sued of their factious combinations. Wherein those holie men would neuer haue beene so eagre a they were, had they not needed something else more than they did the sheepe of Christ. And yet, if we may beleeue Gratian, in the middest of all these villanies Symmachus had the face to say, That Saint Peter had transmitted and passed ouer to his successors, together with the inheritance of his innocencie, a perpe∣tuall [ E] gift of well deforming; and what was granted him for the brightnesse and beau∣tie of his deeds, belongeth to them, who are enlightened with the like holinesse of conuer∣sation. For who can doubt, saith he, but that he is holy, whom we see now exalted to so high a degree of dignitie? who if perhaps he want merits of his owne, yet is he sure to be well furnished with the merits of him which went before him in that place: for he either prouideth, that none shall be preferred thither out such as are worthie; or if any other hap∣pen to be preferred, he maketh them worthie so soone as they are preferred. Gregorie in our time tooke the paine to reuiew the Canon Law, and taking especiall notice of this Canon, is bold to equall it with the Apostolike Decrees. And I feare, that

ere it be long, a man may more truly say, that this See hath this especiall preroga∣tiue [ A] and priuiledge, That either it admitteth of none but knaues, or maketh them such so soone as they are admitted. But what will Symmachus say to Gratian, who speaking of Anastasius the second, his predecessor, saith of him, That he was struc∣ken by the iudgement of God, because he communicated with Photinus the Deacon, a dis∣ciple of that master heretike Acatius: which is auerred also by Anastasius Bibliothe∣carius in his life.

OPPOSITION.

Odoacer therefore, Captaine of the Rugians, hauing made himselfe King of all Italie, about the yeare 472, for preuention of tumults which might ensue, if [ B] Simplicius should happen to die, made a Law, and published it by Basilius in the open Vatican, and before the Bishops there assembled, That in case Simplicius should happen to die, for the auoidance of trouble and hurt, both in Church and Citie, none should be elected without his priuitie. Which Odoacer hath at least this com∣mendation from Antiquitie, That he was neuer offensiue or troublesome to the Catholike Church, in matters belonging to Religion, though himselfe were a professed Arrian: and farther, is reported to haue beene of so good a temper, that in thirteene yeares space, which he held Italie vnder his commaund, he ne∣uer tooke vnto him either the title or the robe of the Emperour; who, all bar∣barian as he was, shall yet one day rise in judgement against these mens insolen∣cie [ C] and pride. True it is, that Sigonius reporteth, that this law was made by the aduise of Simplicius himselfe, but what author hath he for it? For the third Sy∣nod of Rome, which was held vnder Symmachus, sayth no such thing, but tear∣meth it in precise tearmes, The Law of Odoacer. And there was good vse to be made of this Law about the yeare 498, at the election of a Bishop after the death of Anastasius the second: For by reason that Anastasius the Emperour had filled the fists of a great part of the Clergie of Rome, to this end, that he might haue alwaies a Pope at his owne deuotion; it came to passe, that one part set vp and named Symmachus, and the other Lawrence, and each faction kept quarter apart; vntill in the end some being wiser than some, the matter was referred to [ D] Theodoric King of the Ostrogothes, who at that time reigned in Italie; and he preferred Symmachus, who not long after in a Synod at Rome abrogated this ve∣rie law, as Sigonius reporteth: And we doubt not of the mans good will, but yet we find that this Law stood in force vntill the time of Benedict the second; whom the Emperour Constantine P••goratus, about the yeare 68••, absolued from the obseruance of this Law, as Onuphrius himselfe acknowledgeth. But these matters stayed not here: For foure yeares after this wound began to bleed a∣fresh. Lawrence was called home to Rome, where the factions fairely ••••ll to blowes: whereat Theodoric tooke great offence, and deposing them both, he pla∣ced Peter, Bishop of Al••in, in the roome. Paulus Diaconus and Nicephorus spea∣king [ E] of this accident, report, That there were infinit spoiles and murders commit∣ted by either partie; the greater part of the Priests, manie Clerkes, and a multitude of the Citizens were there slaine, and the holie virgins themselues, as Sabellicus writeth, were not spared in those seditions. Yet must all this passe for zeale towards the Church; insomuch, that one Ennodius, a Writer of that time, maketh them all Martyrs, who died in the cause of Symmachus: Their bloud there shed (sayth he) enrolled them in the Register Booke of the Court of Heauen. And Baronius is of the same opinion: and for proofe he voucheth a saying of that great Denis, Bishop

[ A] of Alexandria; but see his honestie, for the case standeth thus: Denis wrote to the schismatike Nouatus, who would haue made him beleeue, that he was taken by force, and made Bishop whether he would or no: whereupon Denis told him, That it had beene better for him to haue suffered anie mischiefe, than to haue broken the vnitie of the Church, and that it had beene as glorious a martyrdome vnto him, as if he suffered for not offering vnto Idols. True, if rather than thou wouldest be made a Bishop in a Schisme, thou wouldest suffer thy selfe to be killed: But the case is altered, if thou puttest thy selfe in danger, or causest either thy selfe or o∣thers to be slaine, not to auoid, but to obtaine a Bishopricke. And such was the case of those which died in Symmachus his quarrell. And we must remember, that [ B] the fourth Synod, which was held at Rome vnder Symmachus, where the greatest part of the Bishops of all Italie were assembled, was called by Theodoric. True it is, that at the first the Bishops began to remonstrate to him, That the calling of the Synod belonged to the Pope: but Theodoric produced Symmachus his owne let∣ters, wherein he requested him to assigne the place, and Symmachus himselfe in open Synod gaue him humbly thankes for so assigning it.

Here Baronius putteth on his brazen face: He knew well (saith he) that to assem∣ble a Synod of Orthodox Bishops appertained not to him, and therefore treading the steps of his predecessors, he assembled it by the authoritie of Pope Symmachus, and the verie Acts of the Councell testifie as much. And then falleth he to his accustomed accla∣mations: [ C] A memorable matter (saith he) that a Prince, a Barbarian, a Goth by nation, a stranger, an heretike, and an Arrian, do the schismatikes what they could by importuning him to the contrarie, should yet yeeld such respect and reuerence to the See Apostolike. But what if the whole proceedings and the Acts themselues of this Synod shew the contrarie? It is therefore to be vnderstood, that the yeare before, Theodoric at the instance of the aduerse part, had sent Peter Bishop of Altin to Rome, in quali∣tie of a Visitor, to informe himselfe of the crimes which were layed to Symmachus his charge. And so it seemeth, that Theodoric and Ennodius were not both of the same mind; when Ennodius saith, That the Pope is accountable to none but vnto Hea∣uen. Afterward Theodoric gaue order, that this difference should be taken vp, or [ D] ended in a lawfull Synod: which Synod was held the yeare following at Rome, in the Acts whereof we find it thus written. The Synod here assembled out of diuers countries, by the commandement of the most religious King Theodorie &c. And againe, The Royall authoritie hauing so commaunded, that the Bishops should assemble here at Rome out of diuers Prouinces &c. The reason is, for that one Metropolitan hath no power ouer another: and therefore when Bishops of diuers Prouinces had oc∣casion to assemble themselues in a Synod, it could not be done without the Kings authoritie: and in this Synod were present the Bishops of Liguria, Emilia, and Venice, to decide this cause, wherein the Bishop of Rome was defendant. Yea, but saith Baronius, the Bishops told him, that it belonged not vnto him; true: but [ E] read on, and you shall find that he replied, That the Pope himselfe had by his letters declared his will touching the calling of this Synod: which was, that Theodoric should call it; and thereupon thanketh him for so doing, as hauing thereby giuen him the meanes to justifie and to cleare himselfe. And it followeth afterward, That this Synod presumed not to decree anie thing without making the King first acquainted there∣with. And againe it is there said, That Symmachus was forced by the Emperour to enter the lists against his aduersaries, and that before the Fathers assembled in this Sy∣nod, as before his lawfull Delegates or Commissioners: For (saith he) he would neuer haue committed this cause to them as a new cause, had he held him as alreadie conuict.

Then follow the Acts themselues, Whiles they were in deliberation what was fit to be [ A] done, Symmachus came and offered to plead his cause: And hauing expressed the vio∣lences which his aduersaries had vsed towards him, the Fathers spake and said, That they must yet againe flie to the iustice of the Prince &c. who declared there o∣penly, That the knowledge and ordering of Church matters belonged vnto them: that he brought nothing but reuerence with him when he came to the hearing of such causes: and that he committed it to the power of the Bishops to heare or not to heare it, and to dispose thereof at their discretion, prouided that by the care and wisedome of the Coun∣cell the Christians might haue peace within the Citie. By all which it appeareth, that he did not put off his authoritie from himselfe, to conferre it vpon the Bishop of Rome. In the end these Fathers proceeding according to the commaundement [ B] of the Prince, resolued in this intricate cause to arbitrate and to compose the va∣riance, rather than as Iudges to decide it; and for the peace of the Church, to cloake offences, rather than to expose them to the view of the world: and there∣fore commaunded they the people to receiue Symmachus againe; leauing the judgement to God, of those things which could not sufficiently be proued by men. And let the reader note these words of the Fathers, According to the com∣maund of the Prince, which giueth vs this power: But we restore all Ecclesiasticall power to him againe, as well within the Citie as without. And who will say, that by these words they acknowledged the Pope for Bishop of all the world? or that Theodoric called this Councell by the Popes authoritie? especially seeing that we find at [ C] the same time, That the Councell at Agda in Languedoc, of Orthodox Bishops, was assembled and held by the authoritie of Alaric, an Arrian by profession, and a Goth by nation: which yet the Fathers themselues acknowledge in the verie be∣ginning of that Councell: This Synod assembled (say they) in the name of the Lord in this Citie of Agda, by the permission of King Alaric; and therefore they ordained prayers and supplications to be made for his prosperitie. And seeing also we read, that shortly after, whiles the same Symmachus was yet Pope, the first Councell of Orleans was held: whereof Hincmar speaking in the life of S. Rhemigius saith, That by the aduise of S. Rhemigius, Clouis called a Synod of Bishops at Orleans, where were manie good things ordained. And the Fathers themselues of that Councell in their [ D] Synodall Epistle to King Clouis speake in this manner: We (say they) whom you haue commaunded to come vnto this Synod, here to treat of necessarie matters &c. Which things they desire afterward to be confirmed by his rightfull iudgement, though in his Patent directed to them he speaketh with as much respect to them, as he could haue done to the Bishop of Rome himselfe. King Clouis (saith he) to our holie Lords, the Bishops most worthie of the Apostolike See &c. and at the foot thereof, Pray ye for me, my holie Lords, Popes most worthie of the Apostolike See. This good King had ne∣uer yet learned this lesson, though instructed by S. Rhemigius, that there were no more Popes but one, no other Apostolike See but that of Rome. All which we haue beene faine to deduce at large, to right the Historie of that wrong which [ E] our great Annalist hath done vnto it.

Notes

• An. 500.
• Synod. Roma. sub Symmach. can. 2. & 3.
• D. 40. C. non nos. Ennod. in Ap••∣log. Symmach.
• D. 19. c. Ana∣stasius.
• Anastas. Bibli∣oth. in Pontific.
• An. 472.
• Baron. vol. 6. an. 476. art. 1, 2, 3.
• Cassiodor. in Chron.
• Sigon. de Occi∣dent. Imperio, l. 15. & 16. Synod. Roma. 3. sub Symmacho, an. 498.
• Theodor. Col∣lectan. l. 2.
• Synod. Roma. 3. sub Symmach.
• Paul. Diacon. l. 15. Nicephor. l. 16. c. 35.
• Sabell. Eun. 8. l. 2.
• Ennod. in Epist. ad Faustum.
• Euseb. Histor. Eccles. l. 6. c. 37.
• Iornandes de Robus Gothicis, Synod, Roma 4. sub Symmacho.
• Vol. 6. an. 501. art. 2.
• Ennod. in Ape∣log. in l. 20. l. Concil.
• Synod. Roma. 4. Palmaria dicta.
• Nunquam com∣misisset.
• An. 509.
• Acta Concil. Agath.
• An. 512. Acta Concil. Aurelian. 1. in 1. to. Concilior.