Fraudistheresourceofweaknessandcunning；andthestrong，thoughignorant，Barbarianwasoftenentangledinthenetofsacerdotalpolicy。TheVaticanandLateranwereanarsenalandmanufacture，which，accordingtotheoccasion，haveproducedorconcealedavariouscollectionoffalseorgenuine，ofcorruptorsuspicious，acts，astheytendedtopromotetheinterestoftheRomanchurch。Beforetheendoftheeighthcentury，someapostolicscribe，perhapsthenotoriousIsidore，composedthedecretals，andthedonationofConstantine，thetwomagicpillarsofthespiritualandtemporalmonarchyofthepopes。ThismemorabledonationwasintroducedtotheworldbyanepistleofAdriantheFirst，whoexhortsCharlemagnetoimitatetheliberality，andrevivethename，ofthegreatConstantine。^68
Accordingtothelegend，thefirstoftheChristianemperorswashealedoftheleprosy，andpurifiedinthewatersofbaptism，bySt。Silvester，theRomanbishop；andneverwasphysicianmoregloriouslyrecompensed。HisroyalproselytewithdrewfromtheseatandpatrimonyofSt。Peter；declaredhisresolutionoffoundinganewcapitalintheEast；andresignedtothepopesthefreeandperpetualsovereigntyofRome，Italy，andtheprovincesoftheWest。^69Thisfictionwasproductiveofthemostbeneficialeffects。TheGreekprinceswereconvictedoftheguiltofusurpation；andtherevoltofGregorywastheclaimofhislawfulinheritance。Thepopesweredeliveredfromtheirdebtofgratitude；andthenominalgiftsoftheCarlovingianswerenomorethanthejustandirrevocablerestitutionofascantyportionoftheecclesiasticalstate。ThesovereigntyofRomenolongerdependedonthechoiceofaficklepeople；andthesuccessorsofSt。PeterandConstantinewereinvestedwiththepurpleandprerogativesoftheCaesars。Sodeepwastheignoranceandcredulityofthetimes，thatthemostabsurdoffableswasreceived，withequalreverence，inGreeceandinFrance，andisstillenrolledamongthedecreesofthecanonlaw。
^70Theemperors，andtheRomans，wereincapableofdiscerningaforgery，thatsubvertedtheirrightsandfreedom；andtheonlyoppositionproceededfromaSabinemonastery，which，inthebeginningofthetwelfthcentury，disputedthetruthandvalidityofthedonationofConstantine。^71Intherevivaloflettersandliberty，thisfictitiousdeedwastranspiercedbythepenofLaurentiusValla，thepenofaneloquentcriticandaRomanpatriot。^72Hiscontemporariesofthefifteenthcenturywereastonishedathissacrilegiousboldness；yetsuchisthesilentandirresistibleprogressofreason，that，beforetheendofthenextage，thefablewasrejectedbythecontemptofhistorians^73andpoets，^74andthetacitormodestcensureoftheadvocatesoftheRomanchurch。^75Thepopesthemselveshaveindulgedasmileatthecredulityofthevulgar；^76butafalseandobsoletetitlestillsanctifiestheirreign；and，bythesamefortunewhichhasattendedthedecretalsandtheSibyllineoracles，theedificehassubsistedafterthefoundationshavebeenundermined。
[Footnote68:PiissimoConstantinomagno，perejuslargitatemS。
R。Ecclesiaelevataetexaltataest，etpotestateminhisHesperiaepartibuslargiriolignatusest……QuiaeccenovusConstantinushistemporibus，&c。，CodexCarolin。epist。49，intom。iii。partii。p。195。PagiCritica，A。D。324，No。16
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