[Footnote16:HisjourneyintothewestofEuropeisslightly，andIbelievereluctantly，noticedbyChalcondylesl。ii。c。44
—50andDucas，c。14。]
[Footnote17:Muratori，Annalid\'Italia，tom。xii。p。406。JohnGaleazzowasthefirstandmostpowerfuldukeofMilan。HisconnectionwithBajazetisattestedbyFroissard；andhecontributedtosaveanddelivertheFrenchcaptivesofNicopolis。]
[Footnote18:ForthereceptionofManuelatParis，seeSpondanus，Annal。Eccles。tom。i。p。676，677，A。D。1400，No。
5，whoquotesJuvenaldesUrsinsandthemonkofSt。Denys；andVillaret，Hist。deFrance，tom。xii。p。331—334，whoquotesnobodyaccordingtothelastfashionoftheFrenchwriters。]
[Footnote19:AshortnoteofManuelinEnglandisextractedbyDr。HodyfromaMs。atLambeth，deGraecisillustribus，p。14，
C。P。Imperator，diuvariisqueethorrendisPaganoruminsultibuscoarctatus，utproeisdemresistentiamtriumphalemperquireret，AnglorumRegemvisitaredecrevit，&c。RexsaysWalsingham，p。
364nobiliapparatu……suscepitutdecuittantumHeroa，duxitqueLondonias，etpermultosdiesexhibuitgloriose，proexpensishospitiisuisolvens，eteumrespicienstantofastigiodonativis。HerepeatsthesameinhisUpodigmaNeustriae，p。
556。]
[Footnote20:ShakspearebeginsandendstheplayofHenryIV。
withthatprince\'svowofacrusade，andhisbeliefthatheshoulddieinJerusalem。]
[Footnote21:ThisfactispreservedintheHistoriaPolitica，A。D。1391—1478，publishedbyMartinCrusius，TurcoGraecia，p。
1—43。TheimageofChrist，whichtheGreekemperorrefusedtoworship，wasprobablyaworkofsculpture。]
ChapterLXVI:UnionOfTheGreekAndLatinChurches。
PartII。
Duringtheperiodofthecrusades，theGreeksbeheldwithastonishmentandterrortheperpetualstreamofemigrationthatflowed，andcontinuedtoflow，fromtheunknownclimatesoftheirWest。Thevisitsoftheirlastemperorsremovedtheveilofseparation，andtheydisclosedtotheireyesthepowerfulnationsofEurope，whomtheynolongerpresumedtobrandwiththenameofBarbarians。TheobservationsofManuel，andhismoreinquisitivefollowers，havebeenpreservedbyaByzantinehistorianofthetimes:^22hisscatteredideasIshallcollectandabridge；anditmaybeamusingenough，perhapsinstructive，tocontemplatetherudepicturesofGermany，France，andEngland，whoseancientandmodernstatearesofamiliartoourminds。I。GermanysaystheGreekChalcondylesisofamplelatitudefromViennatotheocean；anditstretchesastrangegeographyfromPragueinBohemiatotheRiverTartessus，andthePyrenaeanMountains。^23
Thesoil，exceptinfigsandolives，issufficientlyfruitful；
theairissalubrious；thebodiesofthenativesarerobustandhealthy；andthesecoldregionsareseldomvisitedwiththecalamitiesofpestilence，orearthquakes。AftertheScythiansorTartars，theGermansarethemostnumerousofnations:theyarebraveandpatient；andweretheyunitedunderasinglehead，theirforcewouldbeirresistible。Bythegiftofthepope，theyhaveacquiredtheprivilegeofchoosingtheRomanemperor；^24
norisanypeoplemoredevoutlyattachedtothefaithandobedienceoftheLatinpatriarch。Thegreatestpartofthecountryisdividedamongtheprincesandprelates；butStrasburg，Cologne，Hamburgh，andmorethantwohundredfreecities，aregovernedbysageandequallaws，accordingtothewill，andfortheadvantage，ofthewholecommunity。Theuseofduels，orsinglecombatsonfoot，prevailsamongtheminpeaceandwar:
theirindustryexcelsinallthemechanicarts；andtheGermansmayboastoftheinventionofgunpowderandcannon，whichisnowdiffusedoverthegreatestpartoftheworld。II。ThekingdomofFranceisspreadabovefifteenortwentydays\'journeyfromGermanytoSpain，andfromtheAlpstotheBritishOcean；
containingmanyflourishingcities，andamongtheseParis，theseatoftheking，whichsurpassestherestinrichesandluxury。
Manyprincesandlordsalternatelywaitinhispalace，andacknowledgehimastheirsovereign:themostpowerfularethedukesofBretagneandBurgundy；ofwhomthelatterpossessesthewealthyprovinceofFlanders，whoseharborsarefrequentedbytheshipsandmerchantsofourown，andthemoreremote，seas。TheFrenchareanancientandopulentpeople；andtheirlanguageandmanners，thoughsomewhatdifferent，arenotdissimilarfromthoseoftheItalians。VainoftheImperialdignityofCharlemagne，oftheirvictoriesovertheSaracens，andoftheexploitsoftheirheroes，OliverandRowland，^25theyesteemthemselvesthefirstofthewesternnations；butthisfoolisharrogancehasbeenrecentlyhumbledbytheunfortunateeventsoftheirwarsagainsttheEnglish，theinhabitantsoftheBritishisland。III。
Britain，intheocean，andoppositetotheshoresofFlanders，maybeconsideredeitherasone，orasthreeislands；butthewholeisunitedbyacommoninterest，bythesamemanners，andbyasimilargovernment。Themeasureofitscircumferenceisfivethousandstadia:thelandisoverspreadwithtownsandvillages:
thoughdestituteofwine，andnotaboundinginfruit—trees，itisfertileinwheatandbarley；inhoneyandwool；andmuchclothismanufacturedbytheinhabitants。Inpopulousnessandpower，inrichnessandluxury，London，^26themetropolisoftheisle，mayclaimapreeminenceoverallthecitiesoftheWest。ItissituateontheThames，abroadandrapidriver，whichatthedistanceofthirtymilesfallsintotheGallicSea；andthedailyflowandebbofthetideaffordsasafeentranceanddeparturetothevesselsofcommerce。Thekingisheadofapowerfulandturbulentaristocracy:hisprincipalvassalsholdtheirestatesbyafreeandunalterabletenure；andthelawsdefinethelimitsofhisauthorityandtheirobedience。Thekingdomhasbeenoftenafflictedbyforeignconquestanddomesticsedition:butthenativesareboldandhardy，renownedinarmsandvictoriousinwar。TheformoftheirshieldsortargetsisderivedfromtheItalians，thatoftheirswordsfromtheGreeks；theuseofthelongbowisthepeculiaranddecisiveadvantageoftheEnglish。
TheirlanguagebearsnoaffinitytotheidiomsoftheContinent:
inthehabitsofdomesticlife，theyarenoteasilydistinguishedfromtheirneighborsofFrance:butthemostsingularcircumstanceoftheirmannersistheirdisregardofconjugalhonorandoffemalechastity。Intheirmutualvisits，asthefirstactofhospitality，theguestiswelcomedintheembracesoftheirwivesanddaughters:amongfriendstheyarelentandborrowedwithoutshame；noraretheislandersoffendedatthisstrangecommerce，anditsinevitableconsequences。^27InformedasweareofthecustomsofOldEnglandandassuredofthevirtueofourmothers，wemaysmileatthecredulity，orresenttheinjustice，oftheGreek，whomusthaveconfoundedamodestsalute^28withacriminalembrace。Buthiscredulityandinjusticemayteachanimportantlesson；todistrusttheaccountsofforeignandremotenations，andtosuspendourbeliefofeverytalethatdeviatesfromthelawsofnatureandthecharacterofman。^29
[Footnote22:TheGreekandTurkishhistoryofLaonicusChalcondylesendswiththewinterof1463；andtheabruptconclusionseemstomark，thathelaiddownhispeninthesameyear。WeknowthathewasanAthenian，andthatsomecontemporariesofthesamenamecontributedtotherevivaloftheGreeklanguageinItaly。Butinhisnumerousdigressions，themodesthistorianhasneverintroducedhimself；andhiseditorLeunclavius，aswellasFabricius，Bibliot。Graec。tom。vi。p。
474，seemsignorantofhislifeandcharacter。ForhisdescriptionsofGermany，France，andEngland，seel。ii。p。36，37，44—50。]
[Footnote23:IshallnotanimadvertonthegeographicalerrorsofChalcondyles。Inthisinstance，heperhapsfollowed，andmistook，Herodotus，l。ii。c。33，whosetextmaybeexplained，HerodotedeLarcher，tom。ii。p。219，220，orwhoseignorancemaybeexcused。HadthesemodernGreeksneverreadStrabo，oranyoftheirlessergeographers?]
[Footnote24:AcitizenofnewRome，whilenewRomesurvived，wouldhavescornedtodignifytheGermanwithtitles:butallpridewasextinctinthebosomofChalcondyles；andhedescribestheByzantineprince，andhissubject，bytheproper，thoughhumble，names。]
[Footnote25:MostoftheoldromancesweretranslatedinthexivthcenturyintoFrenchprose，andsoonbecamethefavoriteamusementoftheknightsandladiesinthecourtofCharlesVI。
IfaGreekbelievedintheexploitsofRowlandandOliver，hemaysurelybeexcused，sincethemonksofSt。Denys，thenationalhistorians，haveinsertedthefablesofArchbishopTurpinintheirChroniclesofFrance。]
[Footnote26:EvensincethetimeofFitzstephen，thexiithcentury，Londonappearstohavemaintainedthispreeminenceofwealthandmagnitude；andhergradualincreasehas，atleast，keptpacewiththegeneralimprovementofEurope。]
[Footnote27:Ifthedoublesenseoftheverbosculor，andinuterogerobeequivocal，thecontextandpioushorrorofChalcondylescanleavenodoubtofhismeaningandmistake，p。
49。
Note:Icandiscoverno\"pioushorror\"intheplainmannerinwhichChalcondylesrelatesthisstrangeusage。Gibbonispossiblyrightastotheoriginofthisextraordinarymistake。—
M。]
[Footnote28:ErasmusEpist。FaustoAndrelinohasaprettypassageontheEnglishfashionofkissingstrangersontheirarrivalanddeparture，fromwhence，however，hedrawsnoscandalousinferences。]
[Footnote29:PerhapswemayapplythisremarktothecommunityofwivesamongtheoldBritons，asitissupposedbyCaesarandDion，DionCassius，l。lxii。tom。ii。p。1007，withReimar\'sjudiciousannotation。TheArreoyofOtaheite，socertainatfirst，isbecomelessvisibleandscandalous，inproportionaswehavestudiedthemannersofthatgentleandamorouspeople。]
Afterhisreturn，andthevictoryofTimour，Manuelreignedmanyyearsinprosperityandpeace。AslongasthesonsofBajazetsolicitedhisfriendshipandsparedhisdominions，hewassatisfiedwiththenationalreligion；andhisleisurewasemployedincomposingtwentytheologicaldialoguesforitsdefence。TheappearanceoftheByzantineambassadorsatthecouncilofConstance，^30announcestherestorationoftheTurkishpower，aswellasoftheLatinchurch:theconquestofthesultans，MahometandAmurath，reconciledtheemperortotheVatican；andthesiegeofConstantinoplealmosttemptedhimtoacquiesceinthedoubleprocessionoftheHolyGhost。WhenMartintheFifthascendedwithoutarivalthechairofSt。Peter，afriendlyintercourseoflettersandembassieswasrevivedbetweentheEastandWest。Ambitionononeside，anddistressontheother，dictatedthesamedecentlanguageofcharityandpeace:theartfulGreekexpressedadesireofmarryinghissixsonstoItalianprincesses；andtheRoman，notlessartful，despatchedthedaughterofthemarquisofMontferrat，withacompanyofnoblevirgins，tosoften，bytheircharms，theobstinacyoftheschismatics。Yetunderthismaskofzeal，adiscerningeyewillperceivethatallwashollowandinsincereinthecourtandchurchofConstantinople。Accordingtothevicissitudesofdangerandrepose，theemperoradvancedorretreated；alternatelyinstructedanddisavowedhisministers；
andescapedfromtheimportunatepressurebyurgingthedutyofinquiry，theobligationofcollectingthesenseofhispatriarchsandbishops，andtheimpossibilityofconveningthematatimewhentheTurkisharmswereatthegatesofhiscapital。FromareviewofthepublictransactionsitwillappearthattheGreeksinsistedonthreesuccessivemeasures，asuccor，acouncil，andafinalreunion，whiletheLatinseludedthesecond，andonlypromisedthefirst，asaconsequentialandvoluntaryrewardofthethird。ButwehaveanopportunityofunfoldingthemostsecretintentionsofManuel，asheexplainedtheminaprivateconversationwithoutartificeordisguise。Inhisdecliningage，theemperorhadassociatedJohnPalaeologus，thesecondofthename，andtheeldestofhissons，onwhomhedevolvedthegreatestpartoftheauthorityandweightofgovernment。Oneday，inthepresenceonlyofthehistorianPhranza，^31hisfavoritechamberlain，heopenedtohiscolleagueandsuccessorthetrueprincipleofhisnegotiationswiththepope。^32\"Ourlastresource，\"saidManuel，againsttheTurks，\"istheirfearofourunionwiththeLatins，ofthewarlikenationsoftheWest，whomayarmforourreliefandfortheirdestruction。Asoftenasyouarethreatenedbythemiscreants，presentthisdangerbeforetheireyes。Proposeacouncil；consultonthemeans；buteverdelayandavoidtheconvocationofanassembly，whichcannottendeithertoourspiritualortemporalemolument。TheLatinsareproud；theGreeksareobstinate；neitherpartywillrecedeorretract；andtheattemptofaperfectunionwillconfirmtheschism，alienatethechurches，andleaveus，withouthopeordefence，atthemercyoftheBarbarians。\"Impatientofthissalutarylesson，theroyalyoutharosefromhisseat，anddepartedinsilence；andthewisemonarchcontinuedPhranza
castinghiseyesonme，thusresumedhisdiscourse:\"Mysondeemshimselfagreatandheroicprince；but，alas!ourmiserableagedoesnotaffordscopeforheroismorgreatness。Hisdaringspiritmighthavesuitedthehappiertimesofourancestors；butthepresentstaterequiresnotanemperor，butacautiousstewardofthelastrelicsofourfortunes。WelldoIremembertheloftyexpectationswhichhebuiltonouralliancewithMustapha；andmuchdoIfear，thatthisrashcouragewillurgetheruinofourhouse，andthatevenreligionmayprecipitateourdownfall。\"YettheexperienceandauthorityofManuelpreservedthepeace，andeludedthecouncil；till，intheseventy—eighthyearofhisage，andinthehabitofamonk，heterminatedhiscareer，dividinghispreciousmovablesamonghischildrenandthepoor，hisphysiciansandhisfavoriteservants。Ofhissixsons，^33
AndronicustheSecondwasinvestedwiththeprincipalityofThessalonica，anddiedofaleprosysoonafterthesaleofthatcitytotheVenetiansanditsfinalconquestbytheTurks。SomefortunateincidentshadrestoredPeloponnesus，ortheMorea，totheempire；andinhismoreprosperousdays，Manuelhadfortifiedthenarrowisthmusofsixmiles^34withastonewallandonehundredandfifty—threetowers。ThewallwasoverthrownbythefirstblastoftheOttomans；thefertilepeninsulamighthavebeensufficientforthefouryoungerbrothers，TheodoreandConstantine，DemetriusandThomas；buttheywastedindomesticconteststheremainsoftheirstrength；andtheleastsuccessfuloftherivalswerereducedtoalifeofdependenceintheByzantinepalace。
[Footnote30:SeeLenfant，Hist。duConciledeConstance，tom。
ii。p。576；andortheecclesiasticalhistoryofthetimes，theAnnalsofSpondanustheBibliothequeofDupin，tom。xii。，andxxistandxxiidvolumesoftheHistory，orrathertheContinuation，ofFleury。]
[Footnote31:Fromhisearlyyouth，GeorgePhranza，orPhranzes，wasemployedintheserviceofthestateandpalace；andHanckiusdeScript。Byzant。P。i。c。40hascollectedhislifefromhisownwritings。Hewasnomorethanfour—and—twentyyearsofageatthedeathofManuel，whorecommendedhiminthestrongesttermstohissuccessor:ImprimisverohuncPhranzentibicommendo，quiministravitmihifideliteretdiligenterPhranzes，l。ii。c。i。YettheemperorJohnwascold，andhepreferredtheserviceofthedespotsofPeloponnesus。]
[Footnote32:SeePhranzes，l。ii。c。13。WhilesomanymanuscriptsoftheGreekoriginalareextantinthelibrariesofRome，Milan，theEscurial，&c。，itisamatterofshameandreproach，thatweshouldbereducedtotheLatinversion，orabstract，ofJamesPontanus，adcalcemTheophylact，Simocattae:
Ingolstadt，1604，sodeficientinaccuracyandelegance，Fabric。Bibliot。Graec。tom。vi。p。615—620。
Note:TheGreektextofPhranzeswaseditedbyF。C。AlterVindobonae。Ithasbeenre—editedbyBekkerfortheneweditionoftheByzantines，Bonn，1838—M。]
[Footnote33:SeeDucange，Fam。Byzant。p。243—248。]
[Footnote34:TheexactmeasureoftheHexamilion，fromseatosea，was3800orgyiae，ortoises，ofsixGreekfeet，Phranzes，l。i。c。38，whichwouldproduceaGreekmile，stillsmallerthanthatof660Frenchtoises，whichisassignedbyD\'Anville，asstillinuseinTurkey。Fivemilesarecommonlyreckonedforthebreadthoftheisthmus。SeetheTravelsofSpon，WheelerandChandler。]
TheeldestofthesonsofManuel，JohnPalaeologustheSecond，wasacknowledged，afterhisfather\'sdeath，asthesoleemperoroftheGreeks。Heimmediatelyproceededtorepudiatehiswife，andtocontractanewmarriagewiththeprincessofTrebizond:beautywasinhiseyesthefirstqualificationofanempress；andtheclergyhadyieldedtohisfirmassurance，thatunlesshemightbeindulgedinadivorce，hewouldretiretoacloister，andleavethethronetohisbrotherConstantine。Thefirst，andintruththeonly，victoryofPalaeologus，wasoveraJew，^35whom，afteralongandlearneddispute，heconvertedtotheChristianfaith；andthismomentousconquestiscarefullyrecordedinthehistoryofthetimes。ButhesoonresumedthedesignofunitingtheEastandWest；and，regardlessofhisfather\'sadvice，listened，asitshouldseemwithsincerity，totheproposalofmeetingthepopeinageneralcouncilbeyondtheAdriatic。ThisdangerousprojectwasencouragedbyMartintheFifth，andcoldlyentertainedbyhissuccessorEugenius，till，afteratediousnegotiation，theemperorreceivedasummonsfromtheLatinassemblyofanewcharacter，theindependentprelatesofBasil，whostyledthemselvestherepresentativesandjudgesoftheCatholicchurch。
[Footnote35:ThefirstobjectionoftheJewsisonthedeathofChrist:ifitwerevoluntary，Christwasasuicide；whichtheemperorparrieswithamystery。TheythendisputeontheconceptionoftheVirgin，thesenseoftheprophecies，&c。，Phranzes，l。ii。c。12，awholechapter。]