The EDICT of our Lord CONSTANTINE the Emperour.

In the Name of the Holy and Individual Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the H. Ghost; Flavius Constantinus, Cæsar, and Emperour, in Jesus Christ, one of the same H. Trinity, &c. To the most Holy and Blessed Father of Fathers Sylvester, Bishop and Pope of the City of Rome, and to all his Successors about to sit in the Seat of blessed Peter, to the end of the World: And to all our most Reverend and Catholick Bishops, amiable in God, made Subject throughout the World to the H. Church of Rome, by this our Imperial Constitution, &c. It is too long to put it down formally, and at large: We shall therefore take only the chief Contents, as they lie in the Donation. It first contains a large account of the Articles of his Faith; Secondly, the story of his Leprosie, Cure, and Baptism: wherein the font is remarkably called Piscina, (the Popes Fishpond as it were) then he cometh to the Gift it self.

While I learned these things by the Preaching of the blessed Sylvester, and by the benefit of the blessed Peter, found my self perfectly restored to my health, we judged it profitable, together with * all our Nobles, and the whole Senate, my Princes also, and the whole People Subject to the Empire of the Roman Glory; that as S. Peter upon Earth seemeth to be made the Vicar of the Son of God, the Bishops also that are the Successors of him, the Prince of the Apostles, may obtain the Power of Principality given from us and our Empire, more than the Earthly Clemency of our Imperial Majesty is seen to have had; chusing the Prince of the Apostles, and his Successors, for our stedfast Patrons with God. And we have decreed that this H. Roman Church shall be honoured with Veneration, even as our Terrene Imperial Power is: And that the most Holy Seat of B. Peter be more gloriously exalted than our Earthly Throne; giving it Power, and Dignity of Glory, and Vigour, and Honour Imperial. And we decree and ordain, that he shall hold the Principality, as well over the four Principal Sees of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and *Constantiople, as over all the Churches of God in the whole World.