Brunner-Zeumer: “Die Constantinische Schenkungsurkunde”) translated sopra Ernest F

(From Zeumer’s edition, published durante Berlin in 1888, v. Henderson, , Select Historical Documents of the Middle Ages , (London: George Bell, 1910), pp. 319-329

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There are therefore three forms but one power. For God, wise sopra all previous time, gave forth from himself the word through which all future ages were preciso be born; and when, by that stella word of His wisdom, He formed the whole creation from nothing, He was with it, arranging all things sopra His mysterious secret place.

Hear, therefore, our warning, and do what we indicate puro thee. Sylvester – the bishop of the city of Rome – on Mount Serapte, fleeing they persecutions, cherishes the darkness with his clergy in the caverns of the rocks. This one, when thou shalt have led him onesto thyself, will himself spettacolo thee a pool of piety; mediante which, when he shall have dipped thee for the third time, all that strength of the leprosy will desert thee. And, when this shall have been done, make this return puro thy Saviour, that by thy order through the whole world the churches may be restored. Purify thyself, moreover, durante this way, that, leaving all the superstition of idols, thou do adore and cherish the living and true God — who is chiazza and true — and that thou attain to the doing of His will.

And when, the blessed Sylvester preaching them, I perceived these things, and learned that by the kindness of St. Peter himself I had been entirely restored sicuro health: I together with all our satraps and the whole senate and the nobles and all the Roman people, who are subject puro the glory of our rule -considered it advisable that, as on earth he (Peter) is seen onesto have been constituted vicar of the Affranchit of God, so the pontiffs, who are the representatives of that same chief of the apostles, should obtain from us and our completare the power of a supremacy greater than the earthly clemency of our imperial serenity is seen esatto have had conceded esatto it,-we choosing that same prince of the apostles, or his vicars, esatto be our constant intercessors with God. And, puro the extent of our earthly imperial power, we decree that his holy Roman church shall be honoured with veneration; and that, more than our colmare and earthly throne, the most sacred seat of St. Peter shall be gloriously exalted; we giving sicuro it the imperial power, and dignity of glory, and vigour and honour.

And we decree, as to those most reverend men, the clergy who serve, sopra different orders, that same holy Roman church, that they shall have the same advantage, distinction, power and excellence by the glory of which our most illustrious senate is adorned; that is, that they shall be made patricians and consuls,-we commanding that they shall also be decorated with the other imperial dignities. And even as the imperial soldiery, so, we decree, shall the clergy of the holy Roman church be adorned. And I even as the imperial power is adorned by different offices-by the distinction, that is, of chamberlains, and door keepers, and all the guards,-so we wish the holy Roman church puro be adorned. And, sopra order that the pontifical glory may shine forth more fully, we ancora holy Roman church may use saddle cloths of linen of the whitest colour; namely that their horses may be adorned and so be ridden, and that, as our senate uses shoes with goats’ hair, so they ing linen; con order that, as the celestial beings, so the terrestrial may be adorned puro the glory of God. Above all things, moreover, we give permission sicuro that same most holy one our father Sylvester, bishop of the city of Rome and pope, and onesto all the most blessed pontiffs who shall che razza di after him and succeed him durante all future times-for the honour and glory of Jesus Christ our Raffinato,-esatto receive into that great Catholic and apostolic church of God, even into the number of the monastic clergy, any one from our senate, who, sopra free choice, of his own accord, may wish esatto become- per cleric; mai one at all presuming thereby onesto act in verso haughty manner.

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Given at Rome on the third day before the Kalends of April, our specializzazione the august Flavius Constantine, for the fourth time, and Galligano, most illustrious men, being consuls.