ALTHO' this Supplement is confin'd, and treats only of Pieces, most of which were printed before in feveral Collections, yet we are oblig'd to the Author for having reduc'd them in one Volume, to fave the Reader the Trouble of going to feek them in other Volumes, which are not always to be met with. I own for my felf, that fome Anecdotes of this Collection were of great Ufe to me, as well for the Council of Pifa, as for that of Conftance.

I. IN the Preface to the first Edition, I gave a very full Account of the Fountains I had recourfe to. Nothing more remains for me on this Head, but to speak of the other Helps which I have had fince. A fecond Revifal of my Manuscripts, and of the Collection of M. Von der Hardt, has already produc'd Alterations, fome of which will be vifible enough to thofe who have the Curiofity to compare the two Editions, and the others, tho' imperceptible, will however render the Work lefs defective. As for the Authors that have appear'd fince the first Edition; in order to begin with Germany, where the Council of Conftance was held, I have thought fit to make ufe of the Letters from the Deputies of the University of Cologn at the Council, and thofe from that University to its Deputies, which I found in the fecond Tome of the Anecdotes of the Benedictin Fathers D. Martene and Dom. Durand. Thefe Letters, which are to the Number of above forty, may be look'd upon as true Acts, and contain a great many Particulars, which ferve not a little to illuftrate, or to confirm feveral Facts, reported in this Hiftory. As there are fome which cou'd not be brought into the Course of the Narrative, or which efcap'd me, the Reader will not be forry to find them here. Thofe Deputies (1) arriv'd at the Council of Conftance, in January 1415, and they take notice that there were at the Council Deputies from fix Univerfities of Germany, and from about feven of France and England. They fay, in their first Letters, that for the two first Months of that Year, there was the fineft Profpect that cou'd be of the Union of the Church, by the abfolute Refignation of John XXIII. But it was a fhort-liv'd Joy, as appears not only from this Hiftory, but alfo from the other Letters, and from that which the Council it felf wrote to the University of Cologn, to acquaint them of the Withdrawing of the Pope, and the Continuance of the Council.

AMONG other Particulars in thefe Letters, there's one relating to a certain Monk, nam'd Fryar John Malkaw of Pruffia, accus'd of Herefy, whofe Affair was brought before the Council. I have not inferted it in the Hiftory, becaufe not being clearly fatisfied in fome Circumftances, I had refolv'd to write to Cologn for better Information. But the Im

(1) The chief were Thierri de Munster, Fba de Nvlende, Anthony de Velme, bn de Vire, Peter Bishop of Rypen, Conrad de

I

Sufat, Lambert de St.k Professors of Divinity and Canon Law. John de Monce Profeffor of Divinity.

preffion

(a) Marten Anecdit. T. II. p. 1708. 1710.

preffion of this Hiftory was too far advanc'd for me to expect those Proofs in time. I will therefore mention what I find about it in these Letters. John Malkaw of Pruffia a Fryar, of what Order is not faid, having render'd himself fufpected of Herefy at Cologn and other Places, the Inquifitor of the Faith (1) in the Diocefe, by confent of the Univerfity, caus'd him to be apprehended. But as John de Malkar had been abfolv'd by Gregory XII. (abfolutionem ab omnibus fuis exceffibus obtinuiffet, i. e. had obtain❜d Abfolution for all his Extravagancies) he thought himself not bound by the Oath he had taken not to make his Efcape, and fled to Conftance to demand Justice. The Univerfity which was under the Obedience of John XXIII. when Malkaw was arrested, wrote to the Council to know which ought to have the Preference, the Abfolution of Gregory XII. or the Excommunication fulminated by John XXIII. The Affair was committed to the Cardinal de Ragufa, but I do not find what Judgment was given on it, nor what Malkaw's Herefy was (a). The fame Univerfity wrote likewife to the Cardinal d'Oftia, who during the Vacancy of the See, had the Adminiftration of Juftice committed to him, to recommend the Caufe of one of its Members, nam'd Anthony de Velme. This Man was a Competitor for a Prebend in St. Paul's Church at Leige, with one Thierri Hockelem, Baftard of a Prebendary, who had obtain'd a Benefice in the fame Church as his Father, tho' he was not fourteen Years old. The Univerfity defires the Cardinal to remove this Scandal, and to give a favourable Ear to Anthony de Velme. The Affair was put off till the next Election of a Pope (b). There are in thofe fame Letters fome Memorials concerning the Collation to Benefices in the Diocese of Cologn, and the Privileges of the Univerfity, but as thofe Matters are of little Importance to the Publick, they are but just touch'd. For the reft, thofe Letters concerning Cologn have been taken from M. Bigot's Manufcripts. The able Collectors of thofe Anecdotes acquaint the Publick, that among the faid Manufcripts there are Letters from Sigifmond, which they have not inferted in their Collection, because they are in the German Tongue (2). 'Tis pity, and for my own Part I am very forry for it. But as thofe Gentlemen have not undoubtedly given that Advertisement to no purpose, 'tis hop'd that in cafe of neceffity they will not refufe the Communication of thofe Letters. I have alfo reap'd great Benefit from the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of Germany, printed in 2 Volumes, in 8vo. in 1724, without the Name of the Author, in order to have a more particular

(1) He was call'd James de Sufat. (2) Sequuntur in MS. Litere Sigifmundi, quas quia ignoto nobis idiomate fcili

(b) Ul. Su

a p. 1711.

1712.

cet Germanice fcriptæ funt, prætermittimus. ub. fupra p. 1655.

Knowledge of the Archbishops and the Bishops of Germany. Tho' I think this Hiftory very exact, yet it may be corre&ed by the Lifts of the Members of the Councils of Pifa and Conftance.

IV. As to England, befides the Authors mention'd in the Preface to the first Edition, I found a perfect Treasure in the Acts of that Nation, collected by Mr. Rymer. But as I have fpoke fully enough of thefe in the Preface to the Hiftory of the Council of Pifa, the Reader will permit me to refer him to it. Neither have I neglected the Hiftory of England by M. de Rapin Thoyras; the general Applaufe which that excellent History has met with, is its Panegyric, and very well juftifies the Concern of the whole World for the Lofs of fo able an Hiftorian. Nor have Mr. Wood's Antiquities of the University of Oxford been of fmall Service to me, with Refpect to Wickliffifm; Nor the Life of Wickliff, publish'd in 1720 in English, by Mr John

Lewis.

V. As to France, I lately made occafional Mention of fome Anecdotes, publifh'd by the illuftrious Benedictin Fathers, D. Martene and D. Durand, in which I have found no lefs Affiftance for the Council of Conflance, than for that of the Council of Pifa, as I faid in the Preface to the last mention'd Hiftory. I also therein made mention of the History of the University of Paris, by Cafar Egaffe du Boulai, Profeffor of Eloquence, Rector and Secretary of the faid Academy, publish'd in 1670. The fifth Tome which takes in all the fifteenth Century, furnish'd me with a great many important Acts which I fhou'd not have met with elsewhere. It appears from that Hiftory, that the Emperor Sigifmond had communicated his Defign of affembling a Council to that Univerfity. The Letter is not mention'd in the Hiftory, but we find the University's Answer to it, dated the feventh of May 1414, which contains a fine Panegyric upon the Emperor. In the fame History we fee the Univerfity's Inftructions to the Deputies whom they fent before the calling of the Council, to the Neighbourhood of Bohemia, to feveral Princes, and to divers Academies and Societies of Germany, to concert neceffary Measures with the Emperor, Prelates, Princes, and particularly with the Ambaffadors of the Duke of Burgundy for convoking the Affembly. These Inftructions had chiefly in view the Suppreffion of Huffitifm, which the Univerfity had very much at Heart, the Reformation of the Church in its Head and Members, its Union under one and the fame Head, and the Liberties of the Gallican Church. The chief Deputies that were fent first of all, were John Gerfon, Chief of the Embaffy, John Dachery, John Defpars, Benedict Gentian and John de Temples. Immediately after their Arrival, which was on the 21st of February 1415, they went to vifit the Pope, by whom they were very well receiv'd, as alfo by the Emperor. The Univerfity with the fame Views fent a new Deputation afterwards, confifting of 8 Doctors of Divinity,

Divinity, as well as of the Canon and Civil Law. In this Tome of the History of the University, the Reader will find the Negociations and Acts, as well of Paris as of Conftance, with Refpect to the Liberties of the Gallican Church and the Collation of Benefices (a).

(a) History of the Univer fity of Paris Tom. V. p.

316.331.

AMONG the French Authors there are few that have furnish'd more. Helps towards this fecond Edition than Father Noel Alexander, a Dominican, who in the eighth Tome of his Ecclefiaftical History makes an Apology for the Council of Conftance, as he had done for the Council of Pifa. (1) This famous Dominican had a great deal of Trouble, for having ftrenuously defended the Independency of the Kings with regard to Temporals, the Liberties of the Gallican Church, and the Superiority of General Councils. Father d'Euguien, a Brother of his Order, reproach'd him on this Occafion with having degenerated from the Dominican Family, accus'd him of High-Treafon against the Majefty of the Pope, and confuted bim by a Treatife, which was never answer'd. He had carry'd his Hiftory. as far as the XIIIth Century, when in 1684. Innocent XI. profcrib'd it. together with all that Author's Works, and prohibited the reading of them on pain of Excommunication. This Prohibition was renew'd when he publish'd the XIVth Century. Nevertheless he continued it, notwithstanding the Thunder of the Vatican. I am told by the ju dicious and learned Divine M. John Francis Budaus, that Pope Benedict XIII. now in the See, has been more equitable and more moderate than his Predeceffors, because he has taken the Works of his Brother Noel Alexander out of the Index Expurgatorius. (a)

(a) Comment. on the Fallibility of the Infallible

Pope.

BE this as it will, his fourth Differtation, which he has inferted in the Hiftory of the XVth and XVIth Centuries, is an Apology for the Council of Conftance, in all refpects against Emanuel Schelftrate, Deputy Librarian of the Vatican, of whom mention was made in the former Preface to this History, and against an anonymous Author, who had combated the Liberties of the Gallican Church. This celebrated Dominican compos'd his Differtation to justify the Affembly of the Clergy of Paris in 1682. who explain'd themselves in thefe Terms concerning the Authority of the Apoftolical See, and that of the Council of Conftance, especially with regard to the Decrees of the IVth and Vth Seffions of that Council. That the Fullness of the Power which the holy Apoftolical See, and "the Succeffors of St. Peter, the Vicars of Jefus Chrift have over fpiri"tual Things, is fuch nevertheless that the Decrees of the holy General "Council of Conftance contain'd in the fourth and fifth Seffions, approv'd "by the holy Apoftolical See, and confirm'd by the Practice of the whole "Church and the Roman Pontiffs, and religiously obferv'd at all times. (1) See the Freface to the Hiftory of that Council, §. V. p. xiii, xvi and the History ic felf, p. 309. " by

"by the Gallican Church, remain in their full Force and Virtue; and "that the Church of France does not approve of the Opinion of them "who infringe thofe Decrees, or who weaken them by faying that their "Authority is not duly eftablifh'd, that they are not approv'd, or that "their Tendency relates only to the Time of the Schilm." The Dif fertation of Father Noel Alexander is fo convincing that it wou'd have deferv'd a Place with the Latin Pieces, if it had not been too long. I have made very good use of it in the Hiftorical and Apologetic Differtation, which I fhall treat by and by. In the mean time, I will here give an Abridgment of this fourth Differtation of the Dominican. It consists of three Articles divided into feveral Paragraphs. In the first Article 'tis prov'd, that the Decrees of the fourth and fifth Seffions of the Council of Conflance are of undoubted Authority. 1. Because they were receiv'd and confirm'd by the Church and by the Apoftolical See, as by Martin V. by the Councils of Sienna and Bafil, by Eugene IV. before the Tranflation of the Council of Bafil to Ferrara, and by Pius II. from whom he quotes thefe Words, taken from his Bull of Retractation, Cum his & generalis Concilii auctoritatem & poteftatem complectimur quemadmodum evo noftro Conftantiæ, dum ibi fuit Synodus univerfalis, declaratum definitumque eft. Vencramur enim Conftantienfe Concilium, & cuncta que præcefferunt, a Romanis Pontificibus noftris prædecefforibus approbata. (a)

(a) Bull Re

tract. ap. n. Sylv. p. 160.

2. Noel Alexander proves his Thefis from feveral Paffages of holy Scripture, explain'd in favour of General Councils by feveral Popes, as Cæleftin I. St. Leo, Gregory the Great, Sylvester II. &c. and he anfwers the Objections of Bellarmine, and the anonymous Author abovemention'd. 3. He eftablishes the fame Thefis by the Tradition of the Fathers, and by Ecclefiaftical Rules, as has been demonftrated in the Hiftorical and Apologetical Differtation; and he likewife answers the Objections of Bellarmine, and the other Author taken from Tradition and the Canons of the Church. 4. He proves that the Decree of the fourth Seffion of the Council of Conftance is come to our Hands without any Alteration, in contradiction to Schelftrate, who had pretended that the Fathers of Bafil had alter'd the faid Decree. 5. He fhews that the Decrees of the fifth Seffion of the Council of Conflance, concerning the Authority of General Councils over the Pope, were not made till after very mature Deliberation. This is demonftrated in the fame Hiftorical and Apologetical Differtation. 6. He fhews that the Council of Constance in the fourth and fifth Seffions, fufficiently represented the univerfal Church, and that the Decrees of thofe Seffions oblige all Believers in what part of the World foever. 7. In the other two Articles he maintains, that the Clergy of France with Juftice difapproved of those who pretend that the Decrees of the fourth and fifth Seffions relate only to the Time of the Schifin; and that thofe Decrees have not had fuffi