The Donation of Constantine proved to be a Forgery by Binius himself. He confesseth the Acts of Sylvester, which he before had cited as good Records, to be Counterfeit.

THose things (saith Binius in his Notes) which are told concerning the Dominion and Temporal Kingdom, given to the See of Rome, are manifestly enough proved to be likely, by what we said in our Notes upon the former Epistle; as well as by the Munificence of the Emperour himself, never enough to be praised.

Observe here the modesty of the man! He ought to prove the Instrument itself; but that he throws by, and talks of the Dominion, and Temporal Kingdom.

2. Neither will he undertake to prove it certain, but likely, that the Dominion and Temporal Kingdom was given to the See of Rome.

3. He cites his Notes on a counterfeit Epistle, to make it likely: For the Epistle going before was the Epistle of Melchiades, which he confesseth to be a Forgery.

4. The Munificence of the Emperour makes it probable, that he gave away the Empire to the See of Rome. If you will not believe this, you are an hard-hearted man; for Binius says it.

His Notes upon the former Epistle, to which he refers you, are these: ‘That the things which are written in this Epistle concerning the Donation of Constantine to Melchiades and Sylvester, are true, is proved not only from hence, but most firmly also by the Authority of Optatus Milevitanus, a most approved Writer. For he writeth, lib. i. cont. Parm. that Constantine and Licinius being the third time Consuls, to wit, in the year of Christ 313. a Council of 19 Bishops was held at Rome, in the Cause of Cæcilianus and the Donatists, in the Lateran, in the House of Fausta, which was the Seat of the Roman Bishop. Truly he doth not expresly write, that the House was given to Melchiades by the Emperour: but since no reason doth appear for which it is necessary, that the Convention of 19 Bishops should require larger Rooms out of the House of Melchiades, that wherein the foresaid Synod was assembled, to wit, the Lateran, or House of Fausta, can by no prudent person any more be doubted, to be given by the Emperour to Melchiades the Bishop of Rome.’