POPE EUGENIUS SENDS BULLS TO DIVERS PARTS OF EUROPE.—THEIR TENOUR.
AT the commencement of this year, pope Eugenius published bulls against the members of the council at Basil, the tenour of which was as follows.
'Eugenius bishop, and servant of the servants of God. Every example from the Old and New Testaments admonishes us not to pass over in silence, or to leave unpunished, crimes and misdemeanours,—more especially such as may bring on slander against, or cause a division among, the people committed to our charge. Should we delay pursuing and avenging those faults which have given just offence to God, we should most certainly provoke the divine Wisdom to anger; for the delay of pursuing crimes deserving punishment, according to the judgements of the holy fathers of the church, would be sinful. Those also who contemn the divine commands, and are disobedient to paternal ordinances according to our holy institutions, deserve the severest chastisements, to make others ashamed of similar conduct, that fraternal concord may rejoice, and all take warning from such examples.
'Should we be remiss in our vigour or solicitude for the welfare of the church, its discipline would perish through our indolence, which would be of the greatest injury to all good and true Christians. To cut off, therefore, the unsound flesh from the sound,—to separate the scabby sheep from the rest, that the whole flock be not infected, is a duty imposed upon us; for as that glorious doctor St Jerome says, 'Arius, when at Alexandria, was but a spark of fire,—but, from not being instantly extinguished, the flame was increased, and spread throughout Christendom.'
'It was for this cause that our Saviour gave to the bishop of Rome the keys, to bind and unbind such as wandered from the ways of truth, that they may be constrained to return by the bonds of correction and obligation. We may say, therefore, of the apostolical authority, that when in the judgement of the church, it has consigned those over to Satan who have led others into error, it has exerted its power for the salvation of their souls, and to teach others not to blaspheme.
'The blessed pope Sixtus says, 'We keep in our remembrance that we govern under the name of that church in which our greatest pleasure is to glorify our dear Saviour JESUS CHRIST, whose faith nourishes not heresy but totally destroys it. For this reason, we hold it unlawful to exert our powers, except when the interest of the whole church shall call for it.
'In truth, during the latter days, our very beloved sons master Hutin de la Plante, doctor of laws, master John de Plato, doctor of laws, and master Venture du Chastel, licentiate,—all of them presidents at the congregation of the general council of the holy church, the second enjoying the office of proctor, and the last procurator of the said council,—have exposed before us the account of the lamentable quarrels that have taken place in the said council, in these words: 'Most holy and reverend father, although this sacred and œcumenical general council has been legally assembled for the preservation of the peace of the catholic and apostolical roman church, which the blessed Holy Spirit, under the person of our Lord, in the book of Canticles, plainly points out, by saying, 'My dove, my undefiled, is but one: she is the only one of her mother: she is the choice one of her that bare her.'
'St Paul demonstrates the union of the church, and the sacredness of this union, by calling it the body, soul, and hope, of our vocation: one Lord, one faith, one baptism,—by baptism, one God; and as the blessed St Cyprian says, she is the head, a fruitful mother, and, as spouse to JESUS CHRIST, as pure and unadulterated, chaste and holy. The same Cyprian declares, in another place, that there is no ecclesiastical ordinance that does not maintain the unity of the Christian church. Pope Pelagius affirms the same from the words of the blessed St Austin a celebrated doctor in the church, and that it has an apostolical throne, irradiated by a succession of bishops.
'Nevertheless, from the commencement of this church, the wickedness and wanton conduct of mankind have ever sought to deny and destroy the peace thereof,—against which wickedness, according to the authority of the holy fathers, divine vengeance has been excited. Whoever therefore shall dare sacrilegiously, and with diabolical intention, to deny this spotless unity, the sacred canon points him out as an enemy to the church, and declares that he cannot have God for his father, unless he hold the unity of the universal church; for, since CHRIST died for the church, the church is the body of CHRIST—there can therefore be no doubt but that he who divides the church is guilty of dividing and tearing asunder the body of JESUS CHRIST.
'When Dathan and Abiran formed a schism against the honour of God, Divine vengeance caused the earth to open and swallow them,—and their adherents perished by fire from heaven. The more inseparable the holy sacrament is with the union of the church, the greater guilt do they incur who attempt to divide them,—and who, leaving the legal spouse of the church choose to follow a false doctrine.
'Examples of similar wickedness, and the punishments that ensued, are displayed in the book of Kings; for when the Jews made a distinction between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the other ten tribes, and, laying aside their lawful king, elected another, the lord was indignant against the seed of Israel, and held them in derision: he also turned away his face from them.
'The anger of God is always excited against such as create schisms and division. When the prophet was sent to Jeroboam to reproach him for his sins, and to foretel to him the vengeance that God would take on him and on his race, God forbade him to taste meat or drink with Jeroboam. The prophet however, disobeyed the commandment, and in consequence, on his return was attacked by a lion, who slew him on the road. From these instances, as St Jerome says, no one can doubt but that the crime of schism will be severely punished by God.
'For some time past, and since the holy general council at Constance, this pernicious schism has laboured to afflict the church of God, and the Christian religion, not only in regard to individuals, but whole cities and provinces have suffered persecution for a length of time, to the ruin of their souls; but at last, through the ineffable mercy of God, and by the labours of many kings and princes, as well secular as ecclesiastic, and of many universities and other loyal Christians, this abominable schism was put an end to.
'The church was then believed to enjoy that perfect peace which every one desired, as well by the election of the late well beloved pope Martin as after his decease by the undoubtedly canonical and legal choice of your holiness to the apostolical throne. But we are now constrained to exclaim with the prophet Jeremiah, 'We have looked for peace, but behold tribulation!' and also with Isaiah, 'We have looked for light, and behold darkness!' for several children of perdition, few in number, and of little authority in the council of Basil, have done their utmost, by force and deceit, to put end to these flattering hopes.
'This council had been transferred from Basil to Florence[23], in the laudable expectation, (so much wished for by every sect of Christians) of the union of the eastern and western churches and went on for some time, through your authority, with vigour.
'When those before mentioned, who had remained at Basil, had failed in their promises to the Greeks, and perceived from the leaders of the oriental church, that the most noble prince and emperor, John Paleologus, together with Joseph, of happy memory, patriarch of Constantinople, and numbers of prelates and dignitaries of the eastern church were about to attend the œcumenical council at the place appointed by your holiness, and that you, with a multitude of prelates and churchmen, were already gone thither at great expense,—in order to prevent the emperor from meeting you at this council, these aforesaid persons published a detestable monitory against your holiness and against our reverend lords the cardinals of Rome.
'This not having the desired effect of putting an end to the intentions of the emperor to come to Florence, they published a suspension of your holiness from the functions of the papacy. Notwithstanding these iniquitous and sacrilegious proceedings, by your labour and care, together with the energy of the council, and by divers arguments and disputations, every attempt was made to remove this schism between the eastern and western churches, which had lasted five hundred years.
'At the head of these disturbers of the union of the church was that most disloyal and diabolical Amadeus, late duke of Savoy, who had long before premeditated what he executed, through the instigation of several accursed men and women, who, laying aside all religion, have been converted to Satan by the wicked delusions of devils, who, in common language, are called Sorceresses Frangules, Straganes, or Vaudoyses, of whom there are numbers in this country.
'By such means, he has for a long time been seduced from the right faith; and in order that he might be elected as the monstrous and deformed head of God's church, he put on the frock of a hermit, aux avichoix[24], of a most false hypocrite, that under cover of sheep's cloathing, he might indulge his wolfish appetite, confident that, in process of time, his adherents in the council of Basil (many of whom were his subjects and the idols of this new Beelzebub) would constitute and elect him pope in opposition to your holiness, the undoubtedly-true vicar of God and legal successor to St Peter, to the profanation and pollution of the Christian church.
'An unbounded ambition has induced the execrable Amadeus to undertake this diabolical project, which, according to the apostle, is the servitude of devils; and by the advice of a blasphemous synagogue of abandoned men, the stinking abomination of all Christendom, who have deputed for electors certain men, or rather devils disguised under the figures of men, who (like the idol of Nebuchadnezzar) elevated themselves in the true church of God.
'This Amadeus, in consequence of his profane election, which he gained by means suited to his vast ambition, felt no remorse, or horror, in clothing himself with a papal vesture, and in exercising the powers of a roman pontiff, causing himself to be reverenced as such.
'He has neither been ashamed nor afraid to send his bulls sealed, to divers parts of the world, in which he styles himself Pope Felix V. proclaiming himself thus the most wretched man on earth, and endeavouring to scatter abroad the poison of his pestilent mind.
'Now most holy father, and most sacred council, what should we first seek or demand, or by what tears and groans may we deplore such an unfortunate event, and wipe away the horrid disgrace that must ensue from it to the church? for the greatness of the offence is more than language can express. But we know, most holy and sacred father, that no delay must arise to provide a remedy against the complainings of our dear mother the church, your legal spouse, who, having enjoyed a short peace is again constrained to cry out and lament the loss of it, to the reverend members of this council, saying,—'Have mercy on me, each of you, my friends: my bowels are filled with bitterness, for lions destroy the vineyard of the God of sabaoth,—and the church, the unsullied robe of JESUS CHRIST, is rent asunder by the wicked. Let God now arise and destroy his enemies.' And thou, holy father, as these things are manifest, and so notorious that they can no longer be concealed, exert thyself in conjunction with this council: judge the cause of thy spouse,—and have in remembrance the reproach cast on thy children.
'O, most powerful, gird the sword on thy thigh, and verify the words of the Psalmist: 'I will pursue mine enemies, to destroy them, and will not return until I shall have laid them all under my footstool, that they no more disturb my peace.' Such transgressions ought to be punished with the utmost severity to prevent any from imitating them in future.
'The words of Moses, the friend and servant of God, should be repeated to the people of Christendom: 'Depart, all of you, from the tabernacles and towns of the wicked.' Attend to the example of thy blessed predecessor, who according to a general council of the church at Ephesus, condemned Dioscorus and his followers to banishment in Calcedonia[25].
'Follow the examples of the holy bishops who have preceded thee on the sacred throne, who have ever exterminated the enemies of God and of his church, from the communion of devout and loyal Christians, and punished them likewise according to their deserts. Avenge, therefore, this new schism that has arisen to thy personal wrong and to that of the roman church, as well as to the slander of all Christendom, and call to thy aid the powers of this holy œcumenical council to excommunicate from the pale of the church, by the authority of GOD, and of St Peter and of St Paul, all the wicked aforesaid, and more especially that grand heresiarch Amadeus, this new antichrist in the church of God, together with all their abettors, and those who have so daringly and illegally taken upon themselves the part of electors. Let them be cast out as the antichrist, and invaders and destroyers of all Christendom, and never on any account, admit them to thy presence. Let them and their heirs be deprived of all ecclesiastical and worldly dignities, and be condemned to a perpetual sentence of excommunication. Let them be confounded with the wicked, and feel the indignation of the blessed apostles St Peter and St Paul, whose church they presume to disturb. May their habitations become a desert and may no one inhabit their tabernacles! May their children become orphans, and their wives widows, and their existence become so heavy, through misery, that death may be looked to for relief from a life of torment! May all hands be raised against them, and the elements oppose them, and public vengeance be poured on them; and, like Coran, Dathan and Abiran, may the earth open and swallow them up alive! In short, should they not speedily turn from their wickedness, and sufficiently and satisfactorily expiate their sins against the holy and universal church, may they be condemned by the just judgment of God to infernal darkness and perpetual torments!
'We and all true Christians having in abomination such heresies, detest this accursed heresiarch and such like antichrists; and thou vicar and lieutenant of JESUS CHRIST and of his holy church, (whom we confess, and with devout reverence obey) may the grace of God, all-powerful, protect thee always, and, through his eternal mercy, lead thee to joys everlasting! "Amen."
'We, therefore, having had the fullest and most authentic accounts of the great impiety which has been committed, are much grieved thereat, as may readily be supposed, from the enormity of the offence and more particularly in regard to Amadeus the antipope, whom we have ever held in the most affectionate love and charity, attending to all his prayers and requests; but, at the same time, we are determined to exert our powers to resist such heresies, according to the duties of our pastoral office.
'Since therefore, we have been so publicly called upon in the face of the church, we shall lose no time, with the help of God to crush these heresies in the bud, lest they may expand to greater lengths; and with the aid of this holy council, we will propose remedies according to the ordinances of the church. In consequence of what has been said and requested by the proctor and procurator of the holy council, we will examine whether it is consonant to divine and human laws, and agreeable to the decrees of our apostolical chamber; and although the truth of the charges be sufficiently notorious, yet for greater caution, and with the approbation of the holy council, we have commissioned divers intelligent persons to inquire into all these matters, and to report the result of their inquiries, without favour or affection to either party, to us and to the holy council.
'These commissioners having made a diligent inquisition into what regarded the schism and the division between us and the council of Basil, reported the same most faithfully to the council assembled in congregation synodal,—and the facts were by them made so clear and public that we might without fearing the scandal of wicked tongues, have condemned those sinful men according to the ordinances of the church; but the synod in imitation of the divine mercy which wishes not for the death of a sinner, but would rather that he repent and live, have determined to resort to the means of conciliation, that they may have time to leave their wicked ways, and if they return to the bosom of the church, we shall receive them like to the prodigal son, and with paternal charity embrace them.
'Let therefore, the antipope, Amadeus, and his adherents, renounce their errors, and we will receive them through the mercy of our God, who has shed his blood for the redemption of sinners and the edification of his church, with our whole heart; and so soon as they shall desist from their wicked and scandalous excesses, they will be accepted of us and this sacred council with paternal affection, when they shall appear, as they are bounden so to do, before it.
'But should the love of justice and virtue be unable to withdraw them from their sins and wickedness, we admonish them on the reverence and obedience they owe to our holy church, to turn from their evil ways, on pain of excommunication for their heresies, and of being condemned to other penalties; and we strictly command and enjoin, that Amadeus, this antipope, do, within fifty days from the date of these presents, lay aside his title of pope of Rome, and all others appertaining thereto, and that henceforth he do not presume to exercise any of the functions attached to the papacy in any manner whatever.
'The aforesaid electors and adherents to this antipope are strictly forbidden, under pain of being prosecuted by the apostolical chamber for schism, henceforward to favour or support the said antipope in any way whatever; and we order them to acknowledge us as the true bishop of Rome, vicar of God, and the legal successor to the holy apostles St Peter and St Paul,—the which, we as their father and pastor of their souls, expect them to obey, and appear before us at the time fixed on.
'Should the aforesaid antipope, Amadeus, and his followers, contumaciously refuse obedience, within the said fifty days, we will that they suffer every penalty attached to their disobedience; but should it be otherwise, we are desirous of their appearance personally before us and the holy council precisely within fifteen days after the said term. Should that day be a feast-day, then on the day following, to hear from each of them their reasons for having thus acted; and we now summon them to appear before us on the day specified, on pain of being declared heretics, guilty of high treason, and sentenced to punishment for these crimes; and we shall then proceed to pass such sentences as their contumacy may require, according to the strict letter of the law, and as they may be found deserving.
'That these our summons may be fully made known to them, we shall order copies thereof to be attached to the doors of the new church of our Lady in Florence, that ignorance of them may not be pleaded,—and we shall otherwise make them as public as possible.
'We also will, and ordain, by our apostolical authority, that this our bull be personally served on each of the principal delinquents, and proclaimed in every large town. To prevent any of them from excusing themselves from obeying these summons, under pretence that the court of Rome and the place where the council is held are not safe for them, and that they would run risks of their personal safety by going and returning thence, we, by these presents most earnestly exhort all patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and other prelates, whether attached to monasteries or to churches, all dukes, earls, princes, knights, and others, of whatever degree, together with their lieutenants, and all commonalties whether of towns, castles, or townships, to suffer the aforesaid persons to travel to the court of Rome, and to return thence without molestation in person or effects. All who shall in the smallest degree, infringe on these our orders will incur our highest displeasure; and should any one attempt it, he will be in danger of the anger of God and of his holy apostles St Peter and St Paul.
'Given at Florence, at our public synodal session, in the new church of our Lady at Florence, in which city we are now resident, the 10th day of April, in the year of the incarnation 1439, and in the 10th year of our pontificate.