which church sheweth and giueth the light of simplicitie & of humilitie to such as loue to see God, &c. In these foresaid letters moreouer,MarginaliaSummary notes gathered out of the Coūcell of Carthage agaynst the Pope.is signified how þ^e forenamed malefactor Apiarius, whom the bishop of Rome before had absolued & receiued to the communion of the church, was afterward found culpable; and therfore the councell proceded against him, brought him to open confession of his faults, & so enioined him due penance for his demerites, notwithstanding the absolution and inconsiderate clearing of the Bishop of Rome before proceeding.

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Marginalia1.In summe, out of this Councell of Carthage these are to be noted. First, how glad the Bishops of Rome were to receiue such as came to them for succour.

Marginalia2.2. What pride they tooke by the occasion therof, thinking and seeking thereby to haue all vnder their subiection.

Marginalia3.3. To the intent to allure other to seeke to them, how redie they were to release and quit this Apiarius as guiltles, which after was tried culpable by his owne confession.

Marginalia4.4. How contrary to the actes and doings of the Romish bishop, this Councell condemned him, whom the said bishop of Rome before had absolued, litle respecting the proceedings of the Romish church.

Marginalia5.5. How the bishops of old time haue bene falsifiers of ancient Councels and writings; wherby it may be suspected, that they which shamed not to falsifie & corrupt the Councell of Nice, much lesse would they sticke to abuse and falsifie the decretall Epistles and writings of perticular Bishops & Doctors, for their owne aduantage, as no doubt they haue done many one.

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Marginalia6.6. In this foresaid Councell, whereat Augustine himselfe was present, & where Aurelius President of the same, was called Papa; the bishop of Rome was called expresly in their letters, but bishop of the citie of Rome, and Dominus frater; that is, brother Bishop.

Marginalia7.7. Seuenthly, the dominion of this Romain Patriarch, in the said Councel of Carthage. was cut so short, that neither it was permitted to thē of Affrike to appeale ouer the sea to him, nor for him to send ouer his Legates to them for ending their controuersies. Wherby it may sufficiently appeare, that the Bishop of Rome in those dayes, was not fully admitted to be the chiefe of all other Bishops, nor the head of the vniuersall church of Christ in earth, &c.

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Marginalia8.8. We heare in this Councell, fiue causes or reasons giuē, why it is not necessary nor yet conuenient for all forraine causes to be brought to one vniuersall head or iudge, as is before recited.

Marginalia9.9. Lastly, by the said Councell of Carthage, we heare a vertuous exhortation to be giuen to the bishop of Rome, that he would not induce into the meeke & humble church of Christ, the fuming and swelling pride of the world, as is before declared, &c. In this, or in some other Councell of Carthage, it was moreouer prouided by expresse law, and also specified in the Popes decrees,MarginaliaDist. 99. Cap. sedes Episc.that no Bishop of the first sea, should be called the Prince of Priests, or the chiefe priest, or any such like thing but onely the bishop of the first seat,MarginaliaThe highest title belōging to a Bishop is to be called the Byshop of the first seate.as followeth more in the said decree, Vniuersalis autem, nec etiam Rom. pontifex appelletur, that is, Be it enacted, that no bishop, no not the Bishop of Rome be called vniuersall bishop, &c.MarginaliaThe Bishop of Rome forbidden to be called vniuersall Bishop.And thus much cōcerning this foresaid Councell of Carthage.

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Not long before this Councel, was celebrate in Affrike an other Councel, called Synodus Mileuitana,MarginaliaSinodus Mileuitana.about the yere of our Lord, 442. at the which Councell also S. Augustine was present; where it was decreed vnder payne of excommunication, that no minister or bishop should appeale ouer the sea to the bishop of Rome,MarginaliaNo Byshop to appeale ouer the sea Byshop of the first seate what it meaneth.whereby it may appeare that the bishop of Rome all this space was not vniuersally called by the terme of Oecumenical or vniuersal bishop, but Bishop of the first sea: so that if there were any preferment therein, it was in the reuerence of the place, and not in the authoritie of the person. And yet it was not so in the place, that the place importeth the Cittie of Rome onely; but the first seate then was called Metropolitane Church, as by the woordes of Nicene Councell, and other constitutions moe, is to be seene where the foure Patriarches were called πρῶτοι , or πρωτέυοντες , or προεστῶτες  

, as namely, by the wordes of the Councell of CarthageMarginaliaConcil. Car. Cano. 23.may appeare, which be these: ὥστε τὸν τῆς πρώτης καθέδρας ἐπίσκοπον μὴ λέγεσθαι ἔξαρχον τῶν ἱερέων, ἢ ἄκρον ἱερέα ἢ τοιοῦτον τι πότε.   . that is, except he haue some special licēce or exception, by þ^e consent of þ^e first seat of þ^e proper bishop in euery country; that is, of him that is the Primate in þ^e said countrey, &c. Also the wordes of the can. 39. of the Councell of Carthage,MarginaliaConcil. Car. Cano. 39.before touched be these, ὥστε τὸν τῆς πρώτης καθέδρας ἐπίσκοπον μὴ λέγεσθαι ἔξαρχον τῶν ἱερέων, ἢ ἄκρον ἱερέα ἢ τοιοῦτον τι πότε.   , That is, that the bishop of the first sea, be not calledPrince of Priestes, or head Priest, or els any such like. Againe Anicetus the x. bishop of Rome, and Pope Stephen & Pope Felix making a difference betwene Primate & Metropolitane, writeth thus.MarginaliaEx Epist. decret. Anices. Step. Felicis.Let no Archbishops bee called Primates, but onely such as haue the first seat, &c. Thus it is made plaine, how the bishop of the first seate, or first bishop, or Primate is none other, but he which was called Patriarch; and belonged not only to the church of Rome, but to all such cities & places, where as before among the Gentiles were primi flamines, &c. dist. 80. cap. vrbes & loca, & in illis.MarginaliaDist. 80 cap. Vrbis & loca. ibid. ca. in illis.Where, by the way is to be noted the repugnance or contrarietie of such as craftily, but falsly haue counterfaited the Popes decretall epistles, which besides other great and many coniectures also hereby may be gathered.MarginaliaThe Papistes in their decrees contrary to thēselues.For where Clement, Anacletus, epist. 12. Anicetus and other, ioyning together the office of Patriarchs & Primates, do deuide the same from the order of Metropolitanes or Archbishops, alledging therin the constitution of the Apostles and their successors; that is, to be found false by the Canōs of the Apostles, by the Councell of Nice, and by the councell of Antioche with other moe. For in the Canons of the Apostles,MarginaliaCano. Apo. 34.where in euery Cauon almost, mention is made of Bishops, Priestes, and Deacons, no worde is there touched, neither of any order aboue the Bishop, or lower then the Deacon, saue only in the 33. Canon, setting an order among bishops, the Canon willeth the Bishops of euery nation to know their first or chiefe bishop, & him to be taken for the head of them: he saith not the head of the church, or head of the world, but the head of those bishops. And where? not in Rome onely, but plainely and expresly in euery nation:MarginaliaCano. Apo. 33. The first Byshop or head Bishop expoūded, how it is to be taken.for so the wordes purport, τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἑκάστου ἔθνους εἰδέναι χρὴ τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς πρῶτον.   . That is, the bishops of euery nation ought to know the first or chiefe among them, &c. Moreouer, the Councell of Antioch reciting the foresaid Canon worde for worde, exponndeth the matter plainly, in stead of τὸν πρῶτον, writing τὸν ἐν τῇ μητροπόλει προεστῶτα ἐπίσκοπον: Which is as much to say, as Metropolitan: and in the end of the said Canon, calleth him τὸν τῆς μητροπόλεως ἐπίσκοπον   , Id est, Metropolitanum, 6. q 3. per singulas.MarginaliaAntioch con. cap. 9. 6. q. 3. per singulas prouincias.Wherby it is concluded, that to be false, that Clement and Anacletus, and Anicetus bee reported (but falsetly) to put a difference betwene Primates or Patriarchs, and Metroplitanes or Archbishops.MarginaliaDist. 9 9. cap. Anacletus.Whereas by sufficient authoritie it is to bee proued, that in the old church both Primates, first bishops bishops of the first seat, Patriarchs, Metropolitanes, bishops of the Mother citie, and Archbishops were all one. First, that Primates and Metropolitanes were both one, is before declared by the Canons of the Apostles, & by the Councell of Antioch aforesaid. Agayne, that Patriarches and Archbishops were all one, it is euident Ex Nouella Iustiniani. cap. 23.MarginaliaNouella. Iustinia. cap. 23.where the sayd constitution reciting the 4. Patriarches (aboue mentioned) calleth them by the name of Archbishops. And a little after calleth the Patriarch of Constantinople, Archbishop, by these wordes: οἱ τίνες ὑπὸ τὸν μακαριώτατον ἀρχιεπίσκοπον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως καὶ πατριάρχην εἰσίν   , That is, which be vnder the Archbishop and Patriarch of Constantinople. And after speaking more plainly in the matter, setteth an other order, diuers from that of Clement, Anacletus and Anicetus, in placing these foresayd persons; first beginning with bishops, then ouer them setteth the Metropolitane, and ouer him againe, the Archbishop,MarginaliaEx Nouel. Iustin. ibi.and there staieth, making no further mention of any other aboue him: whose wordes be these, εἴπερ ἐπίσκοπος εἴη ὁ κατηγορούμενος, τὸν τούτου μητροπολίτην ἐξετάζειν τὰ λεγόμενα, εἰ δὲ μητροπολίτης εἴη, τὸν μακαριώτατον ἀρχιεπίσκοπον, ὑφ’ ὅν τελεῖ   . That is, if a Bishop be accused, the Metropolitane to haue the examination of these things that are brought against him; if the Metropolitaine be accused, then the Archbishop to haue the hearing therof, vnder whom he dwelleth & pertaineth, &c.

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And in the same constitution moreouer, εἰ δὲ καὶ παρὰ κληρικοῦ, ἤ ἄλλον οἰουδήποτε προσέλευσις κατὰ ἐπίσκοπον γένηται, πρῶτον ὁ μητροπολίτης τὸ πρᾶγμα διακρινέτω, καὶ εἰ τίς τοῖς κεκριμένοις ἀντείποι, ἐπὶ τὸν μακαριώτατον ἀρχιεπίσκοπον καὶ πατριάρχην τῆς διοικήσεως ἐκείνης ἀναφερέσθω τὸ πρᾶγμα  

. &c. If any sute or supplicaton be brought against a Bishop by a minister, first the Metropolitane to haue the deciding of the matter; and if any default shall be found in the iudgement thereof, then the hearing and ending of the case to be brought before the Archbishop, &c. MarginaliaArchbishop and Metropolitane not to be both one.

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In this constitution of Iustinian, although the Metropolitane be placed aboue the Byshop, and the Archbishop aboue the Metrapolitane: yet notwithstanding by this is sufficiently confuted the forged constitution of Clement, Anacletus, Anicetus, Stephanus, & Felix:MarginaliaAn item against the forged epistles decretall.who in their Epistles

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