[THE GENERAL and ECUMENICAL COUNCIL of the CATHOLIC CHURCH - FERRARA - FLORENCE - ROME  1431-1445

Conc. oecum. et gener. Eccl. Cath. - Conc. Ferrariense - Florentinum - Romanum a. 1438-1445

SESSION 1
Declaration of cardinal Nicholas Albergati, president of the council

8 January 1438

We, Nicholas, legate of the apostolic see, announce that we preside on behalf of our most holy lord pope Eugenius IV in this sacred synod which was translated from Basel to the city of Ferrara and is already legitimately assembled, and that the continuation of this translated synod has been effected today 8 January, and that the synod is and ought to be continued from today onwards for all the purposes for which the synod of Basel was convened, including being the ecumenical council at which the union of the western and the eastern church is treated and with God’s help achieved.

Nos Nicolaus apostolicae sedis legatus pronunciamus pro sanctissimo domino nostro papa Eugenio iv in hac sacra synodo de Basilea ad civitatem Ferrariensem translata iam que legitime congregata praesidere et hodie videlicet octava die mensis ianuarii continuationem ipsius translatae synodi factam esse a dicta que die in antea continuandam esse et continuari debere ad omnia ad quae Basiliensis synodus congregata fuerit etiam pro ycumenico concilio in quo de unione occidentalis et orientalis ecclesiae agatur et auctore domino perficiatur.

SESSION 2 10 January 1438 [On the legitimate continuation of the council of Ferrara, against the assembly at Basel]

For the praise of almighty God, the exaltation of the catholic faith and the peace, tranquillity and unity of the whole christian people. This holy universal synod, through the grace of God authorized by the most blessed lord pope Eugenius IV, legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit in this city of Ferrara, represents the universal church. Its president, on behalf and in the name of the said most holy lord Eugenius, is the most reverend father and lord in Christ lord Nicholas, cardinal-priest of the holy Roman church of the title of holy Cross in Jerusalem, legate of the apostolic see. It adheres to the firm foundation of him who said to the prince of the apostles: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. It is eager to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, so that we might be one body and one spirit, just as we were called in the one hope of our calling. It records that much was done in days past both at the former council of Basel and after its translation by some staying on there without any authority, and also by the said most blessed pope lord Eugenius, especially in respect of the business of the most holy union of the western and the eastern church, namely the following: the decree of the nineteenth session of the former council of Basel beginning As a dutiful mother, to which the most holy lord Eugenius gave his assent by his letter; also an agreed proposal on the choice of a place to which the council of Basel should be translated which was agreed upon and confirmed by all the fathers in common and which led to the decree of the twenty-fifth session of the former council, which begins This holy synod from its outset etc. and which the pope himself, urged on by the envoys of the Greeks, accepted and confirmed by his letter given in a general consistory at Bologna and published in the presence of these envoys, also the letter of the same most blessed Eugenius dated 18 September last, issued in a general consistory at Bologna and solemnly read out at the beginning of the continuation of this synod, by which the pope with the counsel and consent of the most reverend cardinals of the holy Roman church and with the approval of the prelates then in the curia, transferred the council to this city of Ferrara; also the letter of the declaration of the same, dated 30 December, immediately following the said translation; all of which this holy synod has ordered to be registered verbatim in its acts as a permanent record, as is contained in these same acts.

Ad laudem omnipotentis dei exaltationem catholice fidei pacem que et tranquillitatem et unitatem totius populi christiani sancta universalis sinodus per ipsius dei gratiam auctorizante beatissimo domino Eugenio papa iv in hac civitate Ferrarie in spiritu sancto legitime congregata universalem ecclesiam representans presidente vice et nomine ipsius sanctissimi domini Eugenii reverendissimo in christo patre et domino domino Nicolao tituli sancte crucis in Iherusalem sancte Romane ecclesie presbytero cardinali apostolice sedis legato illius inherens firmissimo fundamento qui apostolorum principi dixit: tu es Petrus et super hanc petram edificabo ecclesiam meam sollicita servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis ut simus unum corpus et unus spiritus sicut vocati sumus in una spe vocationis nostre attendens que multa superiori tempore acta tam apud olim Basiliense concilium et post illius translationem per aliquos nulla ibidem auctoritate perseverantes quam per prefatum beatissimum papam dominum Eugenium presertim circa negocium sanctissime unionis occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie videlicet decretum decimenone sessionis olim dicti Basiliensis concilii quod incipit sicut pia mater cui sanctissimus ipse dominus Eugenius assensum per suas literas prebuit item quamdam cedulam conventionalem super electione loci pro concilii Basiliensis translatione facienda inter patres communi omnium assensu firmatum et concordatum cuius vigore ad decretum vigesime quinte sessionis olim dicti concilii processum est quod ita exorditur hec sancta synodus inter sue congregationis exordia et cetera et quod constanter a Graecorum oratoribus requisitus sanctissimus ipse pontifex per suas literas in generali consistorio Bononie datas oratoribus presentibus publicatas confirmavit pariter et recepit item literas eiusdem beatissimi Eugenii sub die xiv kalendas octobris proximi preteriti in generali consistorio Bononie publicatas in exordio que huius continuate sinodi solemniter lectas quibus Basiliense concilium de consilio et assensu reverendissimorum sancte Romane ecclesie cardinalium prelatis etiam tunc in curia existentibus et laudantibus ad hanc civitatem Ferrariensem transtulit item literas declarationis eiusdem iii kalendas ianuarii translationem predictam proxime subsecutas que omnia hec sancta synodus in actis eiusdem ad perpetuam rei memoriam de verbo ad verbum registrari mandavit prout in eisdem actibus continetur

All these facts and many more have been duly pondered and maturely discussed in various meetings. This holy synod declares that the aforesaid translation and declaration were and are legitimate, just and reasonable, and were and are made from urgent necessity so as to remove an obstacle to the most holy union of the western and the eastern church, to prevent a schism already threatening in God’s church, and for the manifest benefit of the whole christian commonwealth, and that therefore this holy synod was legitimately assembled and established in the holy Spirit in this city of Ferrara for all the purposes for which the said former council of Basel was instituted at its beginning, and especially to be the future ecumenical council for the aforesaid most holy union; and that it ought to continue and to proceed to all the aforesaid matters. This holy synod therefore praises, accepts and approves the translation and the consequent declaration, as mentioned above. It exhorts in the Lord and requires of each and all of the present and future members of the holy synod to apply themselves to the above things with earnest care and serious study.

quibus omnibus et aliis plurimis debita meditatione pensatis ac per diversos tractatus mature discussis declarat translationem et declarationem predictas fuisse et esse legitimas iustas rationabiles ac urgentissima necessitate ad tollendum impedimentum sanctissime unionis occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie atque etiam ad evitandum scissuram in dei ecclesia iam imminentem pro evidenti que utilitate totius reipublice christiane fuisse et esse factas et consequenter hanc ipsam sanctam synodum ad ea omnia pro quibus dictum olim Basiliense concilium ab initio fuerat institutum presertim pro futuro ycumenico concilio pro ipsa sanctissima unione predicta in presenti civitate Ferrarie in spiritu sancto esse legitime congregatam et stabilitam continuationem que deinceps ac prosecutionem ad predicta omnia debere habere translationem ipsam cum declaratione ut premittitur subsequuta laudat suscipit et approbat exhortans in domino et requirens omnia et singula eius sancte sinodi supposita presentia et futura quatenus circa predicta pervigili cura ac sollicito studio intendant.

By the generosity of him who has begun in us a good work, may everything be directed and done for his glory and the salvation of the whole christian people.

Ex quibus ipso largiente qui cepit in nobis opus bonum ad eius gloriam et salutem totius populi christiani cuncta dirigantur et fiant.

This holy synod further declares that, since the well known necessity of the above reasons demanded and impelled the said most holy lord Eugenius to that translation, the matter in no way falls within the decrees of the eighth, the eleventh or any other session of the former council of Basel.

Declarat insuper hec sancta synodus quod cum notoria necessitas supradictarum causarum ipsum sanctissimum dominum Eugenium ad translationem ipsam exegerit et impulerit sub decreto octave et undecime vel cuiuscumque alterius sessionis dicti olim Basiliensis concilii ullatenus non includi.

It decrees that the assembly at Basel, and every other assembly which may perchance convene there or elsewhere under the name of a general council, rather is and ought to be considered a spurious gathering and conventicle, and can in no way exist with the authority of a general council.

Decernens que congregationem illam Basilee et omnem aliam que ibi vel alibi sub nomine generalis concilii forsitan convenerit illegitimam potius et reprobam cumulationem et conventiculam esse censendam et censeri debere nulla que auctoritate generalis concilii posse consistere.

It quashes, invalidates and annuls, and declares to be invalid, quashed, null and of no force or moment, each and all of the things done in the city of Basel in the name of a general council after the said translation, and whatever may be attempted there or elsewhere in the future in the name of a general council.

Omnia insuper et singula que ab ipso translationis tempore in ipsa Basiliensi civitate sub nomine generalis concilii acta sunt aut ibi vel alibi sub nomine generalis concilii ut premittitur in futurum forsitan attentari contigerit cassat irritat et annullat irrita que cassa et nulla nullius que roboris vel momenti esse decernit.

But if in the matter of the Bohemians something useful has been achieved by the said people assembled at Basel after the said translation, it intends to approve that and supply for defects.

Si quid tamen in materia Bohemorum post translationem predictam per dictos Basilee congregatos utiliter actum fuisse cognoverit id etiam cum suppletione defectuum approbare intendit.

In order that each and all of the members of the holy synod may be kept safe from every annoyance and may serve God in good works without anxiety, free from all fear, harassment and injury, this holy synod absolves, frees and dispenses, and declares to be absolved and freed, and the oaths to be dispensed from, each and all of those who, under whatsoever plea or cause, bound themselves to the former synod of Basel by oaths, with obligations and commitments, whereby their full and free right to obey this present holy synod and to promote its honour and good might be impeded and they might have scruples of some kind.

Ut autem omnia et singula ipsius sancte synodi supposita ab omni gravamine tuta serventur omni que timoris molestie et iniurie suspicione remota in bonis etiam operibus deo secure deserviant omnes que et singulos qui quocumque nomine vel causa olim Basiliensi synodo super obligationibus aut vinculis quibuscumque se adstrinxerint iuramentis quibus plena et libera facultas huic sancte synodo obediendi et eius honorem et commodum prosequendi impediretur vel scrupulus illis quocumque modo induceretur ab illis absolvit liberat atque relaxat absolutos que ac liberos esse ac iniuramenta relaxata declarat.

This holy synod also ordains and decrees that nobody of whatsoever rank or dignity, by any ordinary or delegated jurisdiction for any cause or occasion, except by the jurisdiction of the apostolic see, shall dare to disturb, harass or molest, in their dignities, offices, administrations, privileges, honours, benefices and other goods, each and all of those, both seculars and religious, including members of mendicant orders, who are or shall be at this present synod, or who follow the Roman curia and will soon be at this synod on account of the move of the most holy lord Eugenius with his curia to this city, which has been announced by the posting up of notices in accordance with the ancient custom of the curia.

Statuit etiam hec sancta synodus ordinat et decernit quod nemo cuiuscumque status aut dignitatis existat ordinaria quavis vel delegata nisi a sede apostolica iurisdictione ex quacumque causa vel occasione eos omnes vel eorum singulos tam seculares quam religiosos etiam ordinum mendicantium qui nunc in presenti synodo existunt vel erunt in posterum aut qui Romanam sequuntur curiam cum inproximo ex sanctissimi domini Eugenii cum curia sua ad civitatem istam translatione indicta per affixionem cedularum secundum ipsius curie antiquam consuetudinem in ipsa synodo futuri sint in eorum dignitatibus officiis administrationibus privilegiis honoribus beneficiis bonis que aliis inquietare molestare aut perturbare presumat.

But if, under any pretext, directly or indirectly, any should presume to molest any of the said persons in their dignities, offices, administrations, honours, privileges, benefices or other goods, or to prevent them from freely enjoying their jurisdiction, fruits and emoluments as they did before, or to confer on others their dignities, offices, administrations, honours and benefices, on the plea of some deprivation, this holy synod intends that each and all of them, even if they are cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops or persons with some other dignity, or chapters, colleges, convents or universities, shall incur automatically and without the need for a previous warning sentences of excommunication, suspension and interdict, absolution from which is reserved to the Roman pontiff alone, except at the hour of death.

Si qui vero quocumque etiam quesito colore directe vel indirecte predictorum aliquem vel aliquos in dictis eorum dignitatibus officiis administrationibus honoribus privilegiis beneficiis bonis que aliis turbare presumpserint aut ne iurisdictione fructibus et eorum emolumentis ut antea fecerunt libere uti valeant impediendo aut dignitates officia administrationes honores et beneficia ipsa etiam cuiuscumque privationis causa vel colore quesitis aliis conferendo omnes et eorum singulos etiamsi cardinali patriarchali archiepiscopali vel episcopali vel quavis alia dignitate prefulgeant aut capitula collegia conventus vel universitates fuerint nulla alia monitione premissa excommunicationis suspensionis et interdicti sententias ipso facto intendit incurrere quorum absolutionem nisi in mortis articulo soli Romano pontifici reservat

Moreover the synod decrees that those who do not repent within three days after making these conferrals or placing these obstacles, by fully restoring those whose dignities, offices, administrations, honours and benefices they conferred, or whom they impeded in other ways, as stated above, to all their churches and benefices as they held them before, whether they held them by title, in commendam or in administration; and also each and all of those who presume to accept collation to the aforesaid dignities, offices, administrations, honours and benefices, even if they were made motu proprio, or to take possession of them in person or through others, or to hold such action as valid; all these persons are automatically deprived by law, if they previously had any claim in them, of all their other benefices, whether they held them by title, in commendam or in administration, and they are rendered perpetually disqualified from them and all other benefices, and they can be restored and habilitated only by the Roman pontiff.

decernens nihilominus quod si infra tres dies collationem vel collationes ipsos vel impedimenta predicta proxime sequentes non resipuerint illos quorum dignitates officia administrationes honores et beneficia contulerint vel quibus alias impedimenta ut supra prestiterint plenarie ut prius fuerant reintegrando suis ecclesiis et beneficiis quibuscumque sive illas aut illa in titulum commendam seu administrationem habuerint eos insuper omnes et singulos qui dignitatum officiorum administrationum honorum et beneficiorum predictorum collationes etiam motu proprio factas acceptare aut possessionem per se vel per alios intrare aut ratas habere presumpserint iure etiam si quod in illis antea sibi competiisset omnibus que aliis suis beneficiis que in titulum commendam vel administrationem tenuerint ipso facto privatos ad illa omnia que alia perpetuo inhabiles fore et per solum Romanum pontificem restitui et habilitari posse.

This holy synod, moreover, warns and requires each and all of those who are obliged by law or custom to take part in general councils, to come as soon as possible to this present synod at Ferrara, which will continue, as noted above, for the speedy attainment of the aforesaid purposes.

Monet insuper et requirit hec sancta sinodus omnes et singulos qui in generalibus conciliis de iure et consuetudine interesse tenentur quatenus ad ipsam presentem Ferrariensem synodum ut premittitur continuandam pro iis de quibus supra dictum est exequendis quamprimum se conferre procurent.

SESSION 31 15 February 1438

[Ecclesiastical penalties against members of the Basel synod]

Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting record.

Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

The duties of the pastoral office over which we preside by divine mercy, despite our lack of merit, demand that we repress by opportune remedies the nefarious excesses of evil-minded persons, especially those who, unless prevented, strive to force the peaceful state of the church into various dangerous storms and disturbances and who endeavour to overturn the barque of Peter, and that we inflict due retribution for their excesses, lest boasting of their malice they give occasion to others to commit mischief. For it is a crime to be slack in punishing crimes that harm many people, as canonical regulations state.

Exposcit debitum pastoralis officii cui divina favente clemencia licet insufficientibus meritis presidemus ut nepharios malignorum excessus illorum presertim qui tranquillum ecclesie statum in varias periculosas que nisi obvietur procellas et perturbaciones impellere satagunt et Petri naviculam operire moliuntur oportunis remediis reprimamus ac ne in sua malicia gloriantes aliis occasionem malignandi prebeant pro excessibus per eos commissis debite ulcionis penam infligamus. Nam ut canonice continent sanctiones in culpis que multorum trahunt iacturam culpa est relaxare vindictam.

Thus, the former council of Basel debated the choice of a place for the future ecumenical council. Those on whom the power of choosing the place devolved, passed a decree which was accepted by the ambassadors of our most dear son in Christ John, emperor of the Greeks, and of our venerable brother Joseph, patriarch of Constantinople. Some persons chose Avignon or another place, but the said ambassadors protested that most assuredly they did not want to go there, declaring as certain that the said emperor and patriarch would by no means go to the said sacred council unless we attended in person. Those who asked for Avignon, afraid that the Greeks certainly would not come to them, dared to concoct a certain decree or notorious pamphlet, which they call a monition, against us, even though it is null and indeed leads to serious scandal and a split in the church, disrupting this holy work of union with the Greeks.

Sane cum in sacro olim Basiliensi concilio de loci electione pro futuro ycumenico concilio ageretur et per eos ad quod potestas eligendi locum erat devoluta factum esset decretum ipsum que ambassiatores carissimi in christo filii nostri Iohannis imperatoris Grecorum et venerabilis fratris Ioseph patriarche Constantinopolitani ibidem existentes acceptassent ac nonnullis Avinionem vel alium locum nominantibus ad quem prefati oratores nullo modo ire velle protestabantur asserentes pro certo prefatos imperatorem et patriarcham ad dictum concilium nisi personaliter interessemus nullatenus accessuros predicti qui Avinionem petebant veriti Grecos ipsos ad eos nequaquam ituros quoddam decretum sive libellum famosum quod monitorium appellant adversus nos licet nulliter et de facto in grave scandalum et scissuram ecclesie in tan que sancti operis unionis videlicet Grecorum perturbacionem conflare

In order to preserve the unity of the church and to promote the said union with the Greeks, we, for just, necessary and pressing reasons, with the advice and assent of our venerable brothers the cardinals of the holy Roman church, and with the advice and approval of very many of our venerable brothers the archbishops, bishops, beloved chosen sons and abbots who were present at the apostolic see, translated the said council of Basel, by our apostolic authority and in a fixed manner and form, to the city of Ferrara, which is suitable for the Greeks and for us, so that those at Basel might duly recoil from their scandalous actions, as is contained at greater length in the letter composed for the occasion’ .

ausi sunt nos pro unitate ecclesie conservanda et dicta unione Grecorum consequenda predictum Basiliense concilium ex iustis racionabilibus necessariis ac urgentibus causis de consilio et assensu venerabilium fratrum nostrorum sancte Romane ecclesie cardinalium quamplurimis venerabilibus fratribus nostris archiepiscopis episcopis et dilectis filiis electis et abbatibus apud sanctam sedem apostolicam existentibus id laudantibus et consulentibus ad civitatem Ferrariensem et Grecis et nobis accommodam sub certis modo et forma ut illi a tam scandaloso processu merito resipiscerent apostolica auctoritate transtulimus prout in litteris superinde confectis latius continetur.

But they, spurning every avenue of peace, persevering in their obstinate purpose, scorning the letter of the said translation and everything contained in it, and piling evil upon evil, not only rejected our reasonable translation made for the said most just and urgent reasons, as stated above, but even dared with renewed obstinacy to warn us to withdraw the said translation within a fixed time and under pain of suspension. Yet this would have been nothing less than to force us to abandon the prosecution of such a holy work so much desired by all Christians.

Ipsi vero omnem viam pacis spernentes et in suo obstinato proposito perseverantes et litteras dicte translacionis ac omnia in eis contenta parvipendentes ac mala malis cumulantes non solum racionabilem translacionem nostram ex predictis iustissimis et urgentissimis causis ut premittitur factam non acceptarunt sed ut infra certum tempus et sub suspensionis pena predictam translacionem revocaremus monere iterata temeritate sunt ausi. Quod quidem nil aliud erat quam ut tam sancti operis tam que christianis omnibus optabilis prosecucionem deserere cogeremur.

When we realized this, with grief of heart, since we saw that everything tended to the destruction of the holy task of union and to an open split in the church, as was said above, we declared that the translation had been made by us from necessity, that the conditions attached to it had been regularized, and that the council at Ferrara ought to begin and legitimately continue, as is stated more fully in another letter of ours .

Hiis non sine animi nostri displicentia intellectis cum ea omnia non solum in destructionem tam sancti operis sed in manifestam ecclesie scissuram ut premittitur tendere videremus translacionem per nos tam necessario factam et condiciones in illa appositas purificatas fuisse ac ipsum Ferrariense concilium inchoari ac legitimam prosequucionem haberi debere prout in aliis nostris litteris plenius continetur declaravimus

To open this council at Ferrara we sent our beloved son Nicholas, cardinal-priest of the holy Roman church of the title of holy Cross, legate of us and the apostolic see.

ad illud que inchoandum dilectum filium nostrum Nicolaum tituli sancte crucis sancte Romane ecclesie presbyterum cardinalem nostrum ac apostolice sedis legatum destinavimus.

This council at Ferrara, legitimately assembled and with many prelates, solemnly declared in a public session that the said translation and declaration were and are legitimate, just and reasonable, and were made from urgent necessity so as to remove an obstacle to the said most holy union between the western and the eastern church and to avoid an impending split in God’s church for the evident benefit of the whole christian commonwealth, as is crystal clear from the decree made about it.

Quod quidem in non parvo prelatorum numero legitime congregatum in publica sessione translacionem et declaracionem predictas legitimas iustas ac racionabiles ac urgenti necessitate ad tollendum impedimentum prefate sanctissime unionis occidentalis et orientalis ecclesie ac eciam ad evitandam scissuram in dei ecclesia nunc imminentem pro evidenti utilitate tocius reipublice christiane fuisse et esse factas solenniter declaravit prout ex serie decreti superinde confecti liquido constat.

Meanwhile, informed that the aforesaid emperor, patriarch and Greeks were approaching the shores of Italy, under God’s guidance we came to this council at Ferrara with the firm intention and purpose of effectively pursuing, with God’s help, not only the work of holy union but also the objectives for which the council of Basel had assembled.

Interea cerciores facti predictos imperatorem patriarcham et Grecos littoribus Italie appropinquare ad hoc ipsum sacrum Ferrariense concilium deo duce ea intencione et firmo proposito venimus ut non solum hoc sancte unionis opus sed ad illa etiam propter que concilium Basilee fuerat congregatum realiter et cum effectu adiuvante domino prosequeremur.

In view of all this, our beloved son Julian, cardinal-priest of the title of St Sabina, legate of the apostolic see, strongly urged the aforesaid people at Basel to withdraw from such flagrant scandals. But because of their obstinacy of mind he was without effect. Then, seeing them ready to precipitate still worse scandals in God’s church, he departed so as not to appear to approve their impiety. They, for their part, paid no attention to this. Ignorant of how to direct their steps in the way of peace and justice, although they were already aware that the Greeks were utterly unwilling to come to them and were approaching the shores of Italy, they persevered in their hardness of heart. Since they could in no other way prevent and disrupt the union with the Greeks, for which they should have been labouring with us with all their strength and mind and assisting us, they added bad to worse and went to such a pitch of rashness and insolence that, even though many of the envoys of kings and princes who were at Basel execrated so wicked a deed and protested against it, they dared to declare with sacrilegious arrogance that we were suspended from the administration of the papacy and to proceed to various other things, albeit everything was null.

Ad que etiam advertens dilectus filius noster Iulianus tituli sancte Sabine presbyter cardinalis apostolice sedis legatus cum predictos ut a tam manifestis scandalis abstinerent multis validissimis racionibus hortaretur et pro eorum obstinata mente nullatenus exaudiretur sed eos magis ad illa scandala in dei ecclesia perpetranda paratos aspiceret ne illorum impietati assistere videretur inde discessit. Illi vero neque id considerantes et nescientes in semitis pacis et iusticie dirigere gressus suos iam que cerciores effecti Grecos nullatenus ad eos accedere velle ac littoribus Italie appropinquare in sua cordis duricia perseverantes cum dictam Grecorum unionem pro qua nobis cum totis viribus ingenio et industria laborare ac nobis assistere debuissent aliter impedire et disturbare nequirent peiora peioribus adiicientes ad tantum temeritatis et audacie sunt progressi ut nos a papali administracione suspensos esse plurimis regum et principum oratoribus qui basilee erant tam nephandum scelus execrantibus et in contrarium protestantibus ausu sacrilego declarare et ad alia plura licet nulliter et de facto procedere presumpserint.

So we, conscious that their excesses are so notorious that they cannot be hidden by any subterfuge, and that error that is not resisted appears to be approved and throws wide open to delinquents a door that no longer guards against their intrusions, and unable without grave offence to our lord Jesus Christ and his holy church to tolerate further so many grievous excesses which are seen especially to impede, disrupt and utterly destroy the holy and most desired union with the Greeks, we decree against the aforesaid remnant at Basel, in virtue of the most High and with the approval of this holy council, the steps that should be taken with justice.

Nos igitur attendentes excessus eorum adeo notorios esse ut non possint aliqua tergiversacione celari quod que error cui non resistitur approbari videtur et latum pandit delinquentibus sinum qui eorum conatibus non resistit ac nequeuntes absque gravi offensa domini nostri ihesu christi et ecclesie sue sancte tot et tantos excessus qui presertim sanctam et optatissimam unionem Grecorum impedire disturbare et penitus tollere videantur ulterius tolerare adversus prefatos in Basilea existentes hoc sancto approbante concilio in virtute altissimi decernimus iusticia mediante quantum oporteat procedendum.

Hence we decree and declare, after mature deliberation with this holy synod and with its approval, that each and all of those meeting in Basel, in spite of the aforesaid translation and declaration, under the pretended name of a council which more accurately should be called a conventicle, and daring to perpetrate such scandalous and nefarious deeds, whether they are cardinals, patriarchs archbishops, bishops or abbots or of some other ecclesiastical or secular dignity, have already incurred the penalties instanced in our said letter of translation, namely excommunication, privation of dignities and disqualification from benefices and offices in the future.

Quapropter matura deliberacione cum hac sancta synodo prehabita omnes et singulos Basilee sub pretensi concilii nomine quod verius conventiculum dici debet contra translacionem et declaracionem predictas convenientes ac tam scandalosa et nepharia presumentes eciamsi cardinalatu patriarchali archiepiscopali episcopali abbaciali aut alia quavis dignitate ecclesiastica vel seculari prefulgeant penas excommunicacionis privationis dignitatum beneficiorum et officiorum inhabilitacionis ad futura in dictis nostris litteris translacionis contentas hoc sacro approbante concilio incidisse decernimus et declaramus.

We also decree and declare to be null and void and of no force or moment, whatever has been attempted by them in the name of a council or otherwise since the day of the translation made by us, or shall be attempted in the future, in respect of the aforesaid matters or against those who follow our curia or are at this sacred council at Ferrara.

Decernentes insuper et declarantes irritum et inane ac nullius roboris vel momenti quicquid per eos tam circa predicta quam contra curiam nostram sequentes vel in sacro Ferrariensi concilio existentes a die translacionis per nos facte sub nomine concilii vel alias attemptatum fuerit vel in posterum quomodolibet contigerit attemptari.

We also command, with the approval of this council, under the same penalties and censures and in virtue of their oath by which they are bound to the holy apostolic see, each and all of the cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, elected persons, abbots and all others of whatsoever condition, status or rank who are meeting in the said city of Basel under the pretext of a council, really and effectively to leave the said city within thirty days of the date of this decree. We also order the mayor of the citizens, the councillors and the magistrates ruling the city of Basel and the governors and other officials, whatever name they go under, to expel the aforesaid persons who have not left the city within the said thirty days and really and effectively to eject them.

Mandantes preterea ipso eciam approbante concilio sub dictis penis et censuris et in virtute prestiti iuramenti quo sancte sedi apostolice tenentur astricti omnibus et singulis cardinalibus patriarchis archiepiscopis episcopis electis et abbatibus et ceteris cuiuscunque condicionis status et gradus existant in dicta civitate Basiliensi sub prefato pretextu concilii convenientibus quatinus infra triginta dies a die dati huius decreti debeant realiter et cum effectu ab ipsa civitate recessisse precipientes quoque magistro civium consulibus scabinis civitatem Basiliensem regentibus et gubernatoribus ceteris que officialibus quocunque nomine censeantur quatinus infra predictum triginta dierum terminum predictos non recedentes a civitate prefata expellant et a se realiter et cum effectu abiciant.

If they fail to do this within the said thirty days, we decree that each and all of the said rulers and officials automatically incur sentence of excommunication, and the people and the city automatically incur sentence of ecclesiastical interdict; we specially reserve to ourself absolution from the sentences of excommunication, except at the hour of death, and the lifting of the interdict. We order and command, in virtue of holy obedience and under pain of excommunication, each and all of those to whom this notice shall come that, if the aforesaid persons meeting in Basel and the citizens are obstinately disobedient towards us, nobody should approach the city of Basel after the said thirty days and they should deny them all commerce and all articles needed for human use.

Quod si infra predictum terminum facere omiserint omnes et singulos regentes et officiales predictos excommunicacionis populum vero et civitatem prefatos ecclesiastici interdicti sententias incurrere decernimus ipso facto quorum absolucionem nisi in mortis articulo interdicti vero relaxacionem nobis specialiter reservamus. Omnibus et singulis ad quorum noticiam hec pervenerint in virtute sancte obediencie et sub excommunicacionis pena precipimus et mandamus ut si predicti in Basilea convenientes cives que ipsi nobis non obedientes fuerint contumaces nullus post dictum terminum ad dictam civitatem Basiliensem accedat sed ipsis denegent mercimonia et cuncta ad usum hominum necessaria.

Merchants of all kinds, who have gone to Basel on account of the former council, shall depart under the same pain of excommunication. If there are some who ignore these orders of ours, daring perhaps to convey goods after the time-limit to those at Basel persisting in contumacy, since it is written that the righteous plundered the ungodly, such persons may be despoiled without penalty by any of the faithful and their goods shall be ceded to the first takers.

Mercatores quoque qui causa dicti olim concilii ibi convenerunt cuiuscunque condicionis existant sub eadem excommunicacionis pena inde omnino discedant. Si qui vero hec nostra mandata contempserint elapso dicto termino Basiliensibus in contumacia persistentibus aliqua forsan portare presumentes cum scriptum sit: iusti tulerunt spolia impiorum possint tales huiusmodi bonis a quibuscunque christifidelibus impune spoliari bona que ipsa prius capiencium dominio cedant.

However, because the church never closes its bosom to returning sons, if the said people meeting in Basel, or some of them, repent and depart from the said city within the said interval of thirty days from the date of this present decree, then with the approval of this sacred council we remit and fully cancel the aforesaid penalties as for obedient sons and we wish, decree and order that they and their consequences are to be regarded as without force from the date of their imposition, and we supply with the council’s approval for all defects, if perhaps there are any in respect of solemnity of the law or of omission. Let nobody therefore ... If anyone however ...

Verumtamen quia redeuntibus gremium suum nunquam claudit ecclesia si predicti in Basilea convenientes vel ipsorum aliqui infra predictum terminum triginta dierum a die date presencium ut premittitur ad cor redierint et a dicta civitate recesserint predictas penas quoad obedientes predicto sacro concilio approbante remittimus et plenarie relaxamus eas que pro infectis ab earum data et quecumque inde secuta haberi volumus decernimus et mandamus supplentes prefato approbante concilio omnes defectus si qui forsan ex solennitate iuris in premissis vel ex omissione aliqua intervenissent. Nulli ergo .... Si quis autem ....

SESSION 42 9 April 1438

[Eugenius IV and the fathers of the council at Ferrara declare the council at Ferrara to be legitimate and ecumenical]

Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting record.

Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

It befits us to render thanks to almighty God who, mindful of his past mercies, always bestows on his church even richer growth and, although he allows her to be tossed on occasions by the waves of trials and tribulations, yet never permits her to be submerged but keeps her safe amid the mountainous waters, so that by his mercy she emerges from the various vicissitudes even stronger than before.

Magnas omnipotenti deo gratias referre nos convenit qui antique miserationis sue non immemor ecclesiam suam fecundioribus semper cumulat incrementis et licet hanc iactari interdum temptationum ac pressurarum fluctibus sinat nunquam tamen patitur mergi sed inter undarum moles inviolabilem servat facit que ineffabili clementia sua ut inter angustias varias robustior illa semper assurgat.

For behold, the western and eastern peoples, who have been separated for long, hasten to enter into a pact of harmony and unity; and those who were justly distressed at the long dissension that kept them apart, at last after many centuries, under the impulse of him from whom every good gift comes, meet together in person in this place out of desire for holy union.

Ecce enim occidentales et orientales populi diu ab invicem separati unum concordie et unitatis fedus inire festinant et qui a se ipsis longo se dissidio avulsos ut equum erat moleste ferebant post multa tandem secula ipso utique auctore a quo omne datum optimum provenit sancte unionis desiderio corporaliter hoc in loco conveniunt.

We are aware that it is our duty and the duty of the whole church to strain every nerve to ensure that these happy initiatives make progress and have issue through our common care, so that we may deserve to be and to be called co-operators with God.

Nostrum autem et totius ecclesie munus est et esse intelligimus viribus omnibus eniti ut hec felicia cepta iugi solicitudine felicem progressum exitum que consequantur ut cooperatores dei et esse et dici mereamur.

Finally, our most dear son John Palacologus, emperor of the Romans, together with our venerable brother Joseph, patriarch of Constantinople, the apocrisiaries of the other patriarchal sees and a great multitude of archbishops, ecclesiastics and nobles arrived at their last port, Venice, on 8 February last. There, the said emperor expressly declared, as he had often done before, that for good reasons he could not go to Basel to celebrate the ecumenical or universal council, and he intimated this by a letter to those assembled at Basel. He exhorted and required all of them to go to Ferrara, which had been chosen for the council, to carry through the pious task of this holy union.

Denique carissimus filius noster Iohannes Paleologus Romeorum imperator una cum venerabili fratre Ioseph Constantinopolitano patriarcha et aliarum patriarchalium sedium apocrisiariis magna que cum archiepiscoporum et ecclesiasticorum nobilium que multitudine octava februarii mensis proxime preteriti Venetias ad ultimum scilicet applicuit portum ubi sicut antea sepius fecerat Basileam iustis ex causis ratione ycumenici seu universalis concilii celebrandi se ire non posse patenter expressit id que Basilee congregatis per litteras intimavit exhortans ac requirens omnes uti Ferrariam ad huiusmodi concilium celebrandum electam pro peragendo tam pio sanctissime huius unionis opere sese transferrent.

We have always had this holy union close to our heart and have sought with all our strength to bring it about. Therefore we intend to carry out with care, as is our duty, the decree of the council of Basel, to which the Greeks agreed, as well as the choice of a place for the ecumenical council, which was made at the council of Basel and which was later confirmed by us at Bologna at the urging of the envoys of the said emperor and patriarch, and any other things pertaining to this work of holy union.

Nos itaque quibus hec sacratissima unio cordi semper fuit qui que hanc summo studio perfici cupimus decretum Basiliensis concilii cum Grecis ipsis conventum electionem que loci pro ycumenico celebrando concilio in Basiliensi synodo factam ac per nos postea Bononie instantibus etiam ipsorum imperatoris et patriarche nuntiis confirmatam et queque alia ad ipsum sancte unionis opus spectantia ut est officii et debiti nostri exequi diligenter intendimus.

Therefore we decree and declare, in every way and form as best we can, with the assent of the said emperor and patriarch and of all those in the present synod, that there exists a holy universal or ecumenical synod in this city of Ferrara, which is free and safe for all; and therefore it should be deemed and called such a synod by all, in which this holy business of union will be conducted without any quarrelsome contention but with all charity and, as we hope, will be brought by divine favour to a happy conclusion together with the other holy tasks for which the synod is known to have been instituted.

Omni igitur modo et forma quibus melius possumus decernimus et declaramus accedente consensu dictorum imperatoris et patriarche omnium que in presenti existentium synodo sacram esse universalem seu ycumenicam synodum in hac Ferrariensi civitate omnibus libera et secura sic que dictam synodum ab omnibus reputari et appellari debere in qua sine ulla rixosa contentione et pertinacia atque cum omni caritate sacrum hoc unionis negotium tractandum et deo propitio ut speramus felici fine claudendum est una cum sanctis operibus reliquis ad que peragenda synodus ista noscitur instituta.

SESSION 5’ 10 January 1439

[Decree translating the council of Ferrara to Florence]

Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting record.

Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

It is fitting that the site of an ecumenical council, in which men chosen from the whole christian world meet together, should be such that in it, among other human necessities, there should be the most important of all, namely healthy air. Otherwise, because of the pest-laden contagion of infected air which all people naturally fear and flee, those present at the council may be forced to depart with nothing accomplished and the absent will refuse to attend. Assuredly it is right that those who come together at synods to treat of difficult questions should be free from every anxiety and fear, so that they may be able in greater peace and freedom to give their attention to the matters of public concern.

Decet ycumenici concilii locum ad quem viri electi ex toto christiano orbe conveniunt talem esse in quo inter alia hominibus necessaria hoc potissimum sit aeris salubritas ne ob aeris infecti contagionem pestiferam quam cuncti naturaliter metuunt et fugiunt hii qui in concilio presentes sunt abire inde re infecta compellantur absentes vero illuc accedere recusent.

Expedit profecto eos qui ad res arduas in synodis pertractandas confluunt omni alia cura omni que timore vacuos esse ut rebus publicis quiecius liberius que intendant.

We would, indeed, have preferred that the universal council which we initiated in this city should continue here, and that the union of the eastern and western churches should be brought to its happy and desired conclusion in this city, where we initiated it. When the plague afflicted this city last autumn, pressure was exerted by some for the transferral of the synod to a non-infected locality. Nothing was done, however, because it was hoped that the plague would cease with the advent of winter, as it usually does.

Optavissemus quidem ipsum universale concilium quod in hac inchoavimus civitate apud eandem continuare et in ea perfectam orientalis et occidentalis ecclesiarum unionem consummare feliciter et ibi finem optatum imponere ubi inicium dedimus et quamquam cum pestis proximo autumno hanc urbem affligeret a plerisque instancia fieret ut synodus ipsa ad locum transferretur non infectum quia tamen sicut assolet adveniente hyeme illam prorsus cessare sperabatur usque ad hunc diem dilatum exstitit.

Since in fact the plague continues from day to day and it is feared that it will gain strength when spring and summer come, all judge and advise that a move must be made without delay to some non-infected place. For this and several other good reasons, with the agreement of our dear son John Palaeologus, emperor of the Romans, and of our venerable brother Joseph, patriarch of Constantinople, and with the approval of the council:

Cum vero illa in dies perseveret timeatur que verisimiliter proximo vere atque estate vehemencius invalescere omnes iudicant consulunt que non modo utile sed necessarium fore ut ad alium hoc morbo liberum confestim migrandum sit locum quocirca ex hac et aliis nonnullis racionabilibus causis consencientibus carissimo filio nostro Ioanne Paleologo Romeorum imperatore ac venerabili fratre nostro Ioseph patriarcha Constantinopolitano sacro approbante

In the name of the Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit,

with the full securities and safe-conducts which we gave to all at the beginning of the sacred council, we transfer and declare to be transferred as from now this ecumenical or universal synod from this city of Ferrara to the city of Florence, which is manifestly free for all, safe, peaceful and tranquil, and enjoying healthy air, and which, situated as it is between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas, is excellently situated for easy access for both easterners and westerners. Let nobody therefore . .. If anyone however . . .

concilio ipsam ycumenicam seu universalem synodum ab hac civitate Ferrariensi ad civitatem Florentinam omnibus manifeste liberam securam pacificam et quietam aeris que salubritate letantem et ad quam inter Tirrenum Adriaticum que mare optime situm ab orientalibus et occidentalibus commode accedi potest harum serie in nomine trinitatis patris et filii et spiritus sancti ex nunc transferimus et translatam esse decernimus cum hiis plenis securitatibus et salvis conductibus quos inicio sacri concilii cunctis prebuimus. Nulli ergo ....  Si quis autem ....

SESSION 6 Definition of the holy ecumenical synod of Florence

SESSION 6
Definition of the holy ecumenical synod of Florence

8 July 1439

Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting record.

Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

With the agreement of our most dear son John Palaeologus, illustrious emperor of the  Romans, of the deputies of our venerable brothers the patriarchs and of other representatives of the eastern church, to the following.

Consentiente ad infrascripta carissimo filio nostro Iohanne Paleologo Romeorum imperatore illustri et locatenentibus venerabilium fratrum nostrorum patriarcharum et ceteris orientalem ecclesiam repraesentantibus.

Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice. For, the wall that divided the western and the eastern church has been removed, peace and harmony have returned, since the corner-stone, Christ, who made both one, has joined both sides with a very strong bond of love and peace, uniting and holding them together in a covenant of everlasting unity. After a long haze of grief and a dark and unlovely gloom of long-enduring strife, the radiance of hoped-for union has illuminated all.

Letentur caeli et exultet terra.

Sublatus est enim de medio paries qui occidentalem orientalem que dividebat ecclesiam et pax atque concordia rediit illo angulari lapide christo qui fecit utraque unum vinculo fortissimo caritatis et pacis utrumque iungente parietem et perpetue unitatis federe copulante ac continente post que longam meroris nebulam et dissidii diuturni atram ingratam que caliginem serenum omnibus unionis optate iubar illuxit.

Let mother church also rejoice. For she now beholds her sons hitherto in disagreement returned to unity and peace, and she who hitherto wept at their separation now gives thanks to God with inexpressible joy at their truly marvellous harmony. Let all the faithful throughout the world, and those who go by the name of Christian, be glad with mother catholic church. For behold, western and eastern fathers after a very long period of disagreement and discord, submitting themselves to the perils of sea and land and having endured labours of all kinds, came together in this holy ecumenical council, joyful and eager in their desire for this most holy union and to restore intact the ancient love. In no way have they been frustrated in their intent. After a long and very toilsome investigation, at last by the clemency of the holy Spirit they have achieved this greatly desired and most holy union. Who, then, can adequately thank God for his gracious gifts?’ Who would not stand amazed at the riches of such great divine mercy? Would not even an iron breast be softened by this immensity of heavenly condescension?

Gaudeat et mater ecclesia que filios suos hactenus invicem dissidentes iam videt in unitatem pacem que rediisse et que antea in eorum separatione amarissime flebat ex ipsorum modo mira concordia cum ineffabili gaudio omnipotenti deo gratias referat. Cuncti gratulentur fideles ubique per orbem et qui christiano censentur nomine matri catholice ecclesie colletentur.

Ecce enim occidentales orientales que patres post longissimum dissensionis atque discordiae tempus se maris ac terrae periculis exponentes omnibus que superatis laboribus ad hoc sacrum ycumenicum concilium desiderio sacratissime unionis et antique caritatis reintegrande gratia leti alacres que convenerunt.

Et intentione sua nequaquam frustrati sunt.

Post longam enim laboriosam que indaginem tandem spiritus sancti clementia ipsam optatissimam sanctissimam que unionem consecuti sunt.

Quis igitur dignas omnipotentis dei beneficiis gratias referre sufficiat.

Quis tante divine miserationis divitias non obstupescat.

Cuius vel ferreum pectus tanta superne pietatis magnitudo non molliat.

These truly are works of God, not devices of human frailty. Hence they are to be accepted with extraordinary veneration and to be furthered with praises to God. To you praise, to you glory, to you thanks, O Christ, source of mercies, who have bestowed so much good on your spouse the catholic church and have manifested your miracles of mercy in our generation, so that all should proclaim your wonders. Great indeed and divine is the gift that God has bestowed on us. We have seen with our eyes what many before greatly desired yet could not behold.

Sunt ista prorsus divina opera non humane fragilitatis inventa atque ideo eximia cum veneratione suscipienda et divinis laudibus prosequenda.

Tibi laus tibi gloria tibi gratiarum actio christe fons misericordiarum qui tantum boni sponse tue catholice ecclesie contulisti atque in generatione nostra tue pietatis miracula demonstrasti ut enarrent omnes mirabilia tua.

Magnum siquidem divinum que munus nobis deus largitus est oculis que vidimus quod ante nos multi cum valde cupierint adspicere nequiverunt.

For when Latins and Greeks came together in this holy synod, they all strove that, among other things, the article about the procession of the holy Spirit should be discussed with the utmost care and assiduous investigation. Texts were produced from divine scriptures and many authorities of eastern and western holy doctors, some saying the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, others saying the procession is from the Father through the Son. All were aiming at the same meaning in different words. The Greeks asserted that when they claim that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, they do not intend to exclude the Son; but because it seemed to them that the Latins assert that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son as from two principles and two spirations, they refrained from saying that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Latins asserted that they say the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son not with the intention of excluding the Father from being the source and principle of all deity, that is of the Son and of the holy Spirit, nor to imply that the Son does not receive from the Father, because the holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, nor that they posit two principles or two spirations; but they assert that there is only one principle and a single spiration of the holy Spirit, as they have asserted hitherto. Since, then, one and the same meaning resulted from all this, they unanimously agreed and consented to the following holy and God-pleasing union, in the same sense and with one mind.

Convenientes enim latini ac Greci in hac sacrosancta synodo ycumenica magno studio invicem usi sunt ut inter alia etiam articulus ille de divina spiritus sancti processione summa cum diligentia et assidua inquisitione discuteretur.

Prolatis vero testimoniis ex divinis scripturis plurimis que auctoritatibus sanctorum doctorum orientalium et occidentalium aliquibus quidem ex patre et filio quibusdam vero ex patre per filium procedere dicentibus spiritum sanctum et ad eandem intelligentiam aspicientibus omnibus sub diversis vocabulis Greci quidem asseruerunt quod id quod dicunt spiritum sanctum ex patre procedere non hac mente proferunt ut excludant filium sed quia eis videbatur ut aiunt Latinos asserere spiritum sanctum ex patre et filio procedere tanquam ex duobus principiis et duabus spirationibus ideo abstinuerunt a dicendo quod spiritus sanctus ex patre procedat et filio.

Latini vero affirmarunt non se hac mente dicere spiritum sanctum ex patre filio que procedere ut excludant patrem quin sit fons ac principium totius deitatis filii scilicet ac spiritus sancti aut quod id quod spiritus sanctus procedit ex filio filius a patre non habeat sive quod duo ponant esse principia seu duas spirationes sed ut unum tantum asserant esse principium unicam que spirationem spiritus sancti prout hactenus asseruerunt. Et cum ex his omnibus unus et idem eliciatur veritatis sensus tandem in infrascriptam sanctam et deo amabilem eodem sensu eadem que mente unionem unanimiter concordarunt et consenserunt.

In the name of the holy Trinity, Father, Son and holy Spirit, we define, with the approval of this holy universal council of Florence, that the following truth of faith shall be believed and accepted by all Christians and thus shall all profess it: that the holy Spirit is eternally from the Father and the Son, and has his essence and his subsistent being from the Father together with the Son, and proceeds from both eternally as from one principle and a single spiration. We declare that when holy doctors and fathers say that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son, this bears the sense that thereby also the Son should be signified, according to the Greeks indeed as cause, and according to the Latins as principle of the subsistence of the holy Spirit, just like the Father.

In nomine igitur sancte trinitatis patris filii et spiritus sancti hoc sacro universali approbante Florentino concilio diffinimus ut hec fidei veritas ab omnibus christianis credatur et suscipiatur sic que omnes profiteantur quod spiritus sanctus ex patre et filio eternaliter est et essentiam suam suum que esse subsistens habet ex patre simul et filio et ex utroque eternaliter tanquam ab uno principio et unica spiratione procedit declarantes quod id quod sancti doctores et patres dicunt ex patre per filium procedere spiritum sanctum ad hanc intelligentiam tendit ut per hoc significetur filium quoque esse secundum Grecos quidem causam secundum Latinos vero principium subsistentie spiritus sancti sicut et patrem.

And since the Father gave to his only-begotten Son in begetting him everything the Father has, except to be the Father, so the Son has eternally from the Father, by whom he was eternally begotten, this also, namely that the holy Spirit proceeds from the Son.

Et quoniam omnia que patris sunt pater ipse unigenito filio suo gignendo dedit praeter esse patrem hoc ipsum quod spiritus sanctus procedit ex filio ipse filius a patre eternaliter habet a quo etiam eternaliter genitus est.

We define also that the explanation of those words “and from the Son” was licitly and reasonably added to the creed for the sake of declaring the truth and from imminent need.

Diffinimus insuper explicationem verborum illorum filio que veritatis declarande gratia et imminente tunc necessitate licite ac rationabiliter symbolo fuisse appositam.

Also, the body of Christ is truly confected in both unleavened and leavened wheat bread, and priests should confect the body of Christ in either, that is, each priest according to the custom of his western or eastern church. Also, if truly penitent people die in the love of God before they have made satisfaction for acts and omissions by worthy fruits of repentance, their souls are cleansed after death by cleansing pains; and the suffrages of the living faithful avail them in giving relief from such pains, that is, sacrifices of masses, prayers, almsgiving and other acts of devotion which have been customarily performed by some of the faithful for others of the faithful in accordance with the church’s ordinances.

Item in azimo sive fermentato pane triticeo corpus christi veraciter confici sacerdotes que in altero ipsum domini corpus conficere debere unumquemque scilicet iuxta sue ecclesie sive occidentalis sive orientalis consuetudinem.

Item si vere penitentes in dei caritate decesserint antequam dignis penitentie fructibus de commissis satisfecerint et omissis eorum animas penis purgatoriis post mortem purgari et ut a penis huiusmodi releventur prodesse eis fidelium vivorum suffragia missarum scilicet sacrificia orationes et elemosinas et alia pietatis officia que a fidelibus pro aliis fidelibus fieri consueverunt secundum ecclesie instituta.

Also, the souls of those who have incurred no stain of sin whatsoever after baptism, as well as souls who after incurring the stain of sin have been cleansed whether in their bodies or outside their bodies, as was stated above, are straightaway received into heaven and clearly behold the triune God as he is, yet one person more perfectly than another according to the difference of their merits. But the souls of those who depart this life in actual mortal sin, or in original sin alone, go down straightaway to hell to be punished, but with unequal pains.

Illorum que animas qui post baptisma susceptum nullam omnino peccati maculam incurrerunt illas etiam que post contractam peccati maculam vel in suis corporibus vel eisdem exute corporibus prout superius dictum est sunt purgate in celum mox recipi et intueri clare ipsum deum trinum et unum sicuti est pro meritorum tamen diversitate alium alio perfectius.

Illorum autem animas qui in actuali mortali peccato vel solo originali decedunt mox in infernum descendere penis tamen disparibus puniendas.

ROMAN PRIMACY

Also, renewing the order of the other patriarchs which has been handed down in the canons, the patriarch of Constantinople should be second after the most holy Roman pontiff, third should be the patriarch of Alexandria, fourth the patriarch of Antioch, and fifth the patriarch of Jerusalem, without prejudice to all their privileges and rights.

Renovantes insuper ordinem traditum in canonibus ceterorum venerabilium patriarcharum ut patriarcha Constantinopolitanus Secundus sit post sanctissimum Romanum pontificem tertius vero Alexandrinus quartus autem Antiochenus et quintus Hierosolymitanus salvis videlicet privilegiis omnibus et iuribus eorum.

SESSION 7 4 September 1439

SESSION 7
Against the Synod of Basel

4 September 1439

Eugenius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for an everlasting record.

Eugenius episcopus servus servorum dei ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

Moses, the man of God, was zealous for the well-being of the people entrusted to him. He feared that God’s wrath would be roused against them if they followed Korah, Dathan and Abiram in their seditious schism. Therefore he said to the whole people, at the Lord’s command: depart from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be involved in their sins. For he had perceived, under the Lord’s inspiration, that those seditious and schismatic men would incur a grievous retribution, as was demonstrated afterwards when even the earth could not bear with them but by God’s just judgment swallowed them up, so that they fell alive into hell.

Moyses vir dei populi sibi commissi salutem zelans timens que ne ob seditiosum schisma Chore Dathan et Abiron ira dei in ipsam populum si illos sequeretur insurgeret iussu domini dixit ad plebem universam: recedite a tabernaculis hominum impiorum et nolite tangere que ad eos pertinent ne involvamini in peccatis eorum senserat enim ipso domino inspirante seditiosos et schismaticos illos ultionem gravissimam excepturos sicut postmodum rei monstravit eventus dum nec ipsa terra eos potuit sustinere sed iusto dei iudicio illos absorbuit ut descenderent in infernum viventes.

Similarly we too to whom, though unworthy, the lord Jesus Christ has deigned to entrust his people, as we hear of the abominable crime that certain wicked men dwelling in Basel have plotted in these days so as to breach the unity of holy church, and since we fear that they may seduce some of the unwary by their deceits and inject them with their poisons, are forced to proclaim in like words to the people of our lord Jesus Christ entrusted to us, depart from the tents of these wicked men, particularly since the christian people is far more numerous than the Jewish people of those days, the church is holier than the synagogue, and the vicar of Christ is superior in authority and status even to Moses.

Sic et nos quibus licet immeritis dominus Ihesus christus populum suum committere dignatus est audientes illud execrabile scelus quod quidam perditi homines Basilee commorantes ad scindendam sancte ecclesie unitatem proximis diebus machinati sunt metuentes que ne quos incautos seducant fraudibus et venenis inficiant ad ipsum domini nostri Ihesu christi populum nobis creditum clamare pari voce compellimur: recedite a tabernaculis hominum impiorum maxime cum longe amplior sit plebs christiana quam illa tunc iudeorum ecclesia sanctior quam synagoga et christi vicarius ipso Moyse auctoritate et dignitate superior.

This impiety of those at Basel we began to foresee long ago, when we observed the council of Basel already lapsing into tyranny; when many, including those of lower status, were forced to go to it and to stay at the whim of that faction of agitators; when the votes and decisions of some of them were being extorted by various tricks and others were being suborned by lies and deceits, as they abandoned almost everything to conspiracies, cabals, monopolies and cliques, and from a long-standing rivalry with the papacy sought to prolong the duration of the council; when, finally, innumerable novelties, irregularities, deformities and ills were perpetrated, to which there concurred even clerics in lower orders, the ignorant and inexperienced, vagabonds, quarrellers, fugitives, apostates, condemned criminals, escapees from prison, those in rebellion against us and their own superiors, and other such human monsters, who brought with them every stain of corruption from those teachers of evil-doing.

Quam Basiliensium impietatem dudum previdere cepimus quandoquidem illud tunc Basiliense concilium intuebamur iam in tyrannidem prolabi dum multi etiam inferioris gradus ad illud tunc veniendum standum que pro libito factionis auctorum cogerentur dum nonnullorum vota et iudicia diversis artibus extorquerentur alii mendaciis et fraudibus seducerentur dum conspirationibus coniurationibus monopoliis et conventiculis pene omnia cederent et pro ambitione papatus diuturna protractio eius concilii querebatur ubi denique innumere novitates inordinationes deformitates et quasi infinita patrabantur mala ad que etiam clerici infra sacros ordines constituti ignorantes inexperti vagi discoli profugi apostate de criminibus condemnati et de carceribus fugientes nobis et suis superioribus rebelles et reliqua istiusmodi hominum monstra concurrerent qui ab ipsis scelerum magistris omnem corruptionis labem trahebant.

We directed our attention also to that most holy work of union with the eastern church, which seemed to us to be greatly endangered by the deceit of certain factious persons, and we wished to provide as best we could for so many evils. For these and other just and necessary reasons which are stated in full in the decree of translation, with the advice of our venerable brothers the cardinals of the holy Roman church, and with the approval of very many venerable brothers and sons, archbishops, bishops, elected persons, abbots and other prelates of churches, masters and doctors, we transferred the aforesaid council of Basel to this city of Ferrara, where we established with the Lord’s help an ecumenical council of the western and the eastern church.

Advertimus etiam ad illud sanctissimum opus unionis orientalis ecclesie quod per quorundam factiosorum fraudem omnino periclitari videbamus et idcirco tantis malis quantum in nobis erat providere cupientes ex predictis et aliis rationabilibus et necessariis causis de quibus in decreto translationis plene continetur prefatum tunc Basiliense concilium de venerabilium fratrum nostrorum sancte Romane ecclesie cardinalium consilio plurimis venerabilibus fratribus et dilectis filiis archiepiscopis episcopis electis abbatibus et aliis ecclesiarum prelatis ac magistris et doctoribus id laudantibus ad civitatem Ferrariensem transtulimus ubi etiam cum occidentali et orientali ecclesia concilium ycumenicum domino disponente fundavimus.

Afterwards, when the plague came and continued unabated, under the inspiration of grace and with the approval of the same holy council, we transferred the council to this city of Florence. Here the most gracious and merciful God showed his wonders. For, the most disastrous schism, which had endured in God’s church for almost five hundred years to the immense harm of the whole of Christianity, and for the elimination of which very many of our predecessors as Roman pontiffs and many kings and princes and other Christians in past times had laboured very hard, at last, after public and private discussions in both places and many other labours, was removed and the most holy union of the Greeks and the Latins was happily achieved, as is described more fully in the decree about this which was drawn up and solemnly promulgated.

Deinde morbo pestis superveniente et continuante ad hanc civitatem Florentinam eius gratia annuente eodem sacro concilio approbante transtulimus in quo ipse piissimus et clementissimus deus ostendit mirabilia sua ut scilicet schisma illud pernitiosissimum quod in dei ecclesia per quingentos fere annos cum maximo tocius christianitatis detrimento duraverat et ad illud extirpandum plurimi sancti Romani pontifices predecessores nostri multi que reges et principes et alii christiani magnis olim laboribus et impensis durissime insudarunt post multas tandem in utroque loco disputationes publicas et privatas diversos tractatus et labores multiplices sublatum fuerit et sanctissima Latinorum et Grecorum unio feliciter consummata prout in decreto superinde confecto et solemniter promulgato plenius continetur.

Returning fervent thanks for this to the eternal God and sharing our joy with all the faithful, we offered to God a sacrifice of jubilation and praise. For we saw that not just one nation like the Hebrew people was being summoned to the promised land, but peoples of many races, nations and tongues were hastening to the one utterance and merit of the divine truth. Through this, great hope is forthcoming that the sun of justice, rising in the east, will spread the beams of its light to pierce the darkness of many other races, even of infidels, and the salvation of the Lord may reach to the ends of the earth.

Ex qua re ipsi eterno deo inexhaustas gratias referentes omni que fideli populo congratulantes obtulimus illi hostiam iubilationis et laudis. Vidimus enim non gentem unam veluti hebreorum populum ad terram promissionis evocari sed multarum gentium populos nationes et linguas ad unum divine veritatis eloquium meritum que concurrere per quod etiam iam magna spes redditur ut ipse sol iusticie in oriente oriens ad aliarum multarum gentium etiam infidelium tenebras radios sue lucis extendat fiat que salus domini usque ad extremum terre.

Already indeed, by God’s providence, we have excellent pledges of this. For almighty God has granted that, by our means, representatives of the Armenians with full powers have recently come from most distant northern parts to us and the apostolic see and to this holy council. They regard and venerate us as no other than blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, they recognize the holy see as mother and mistress of all the faithful, and they profess that they have come to the holy see and to the aforesaid council for spiritual food and the truth of sound doctrine. For this too we have given many thanks to our God.

Cuius quidem rei iam optimas arras deo disponente tenemus dum ipse omnipotens deus per operam nostram Armenorum oratores ex longissimis septentrionis partibus ad nos et apostolicam sedem et sacrum hoc concilium hiis diebus cum pleno mandato pervenire concessit qui nos non aliter quam beatum Petrum apostolorum principem intuentes ac venerantes ipsam que sanctam sedem veluti matrem omnium fidelium et magistram recognoscentes ad eam et prefatum concilium pro spirituali cibo et sane doctrine veritate se venisse professi sunt.

But the mind recoils from recording what troubles, attacks and persecutions we have suffered in the course of this divine undertaking until now, not indeed from Turks or Saracens but from those who call themselves Christians. Blessed Jerome reports that from the time of Hadrian until the reign of Constantine there was set up and worshipped by the pagans at the place of the Lord’s resurrection an image of Jupiter and on the rock of the crucifixion a marble statue of Venus, since the authors of persecution thought that they could take away from us our faith in the resurrection and the cross if they polluted the holy places with their idols.

Ob quam rem deo nostro iterum gratias multas retulimus.

Sed quas in prefato divino opere molestias quas impugnationes quas denique persecutiones non quidem a Teuchris aut Sarracenis sed a vocatis christianis hucusque passi fuerimus horret animus commemorare.

Refert beatus Hieronymus quod ab Hadriani temporibus usque ad imperium Constantini in loco resurrectionis dominice simulacrum Iovis et in crucis rupe statua Veneris ex marmore a gentibus posita colebatur existimantibus persecutionis auctoribus tollere nobis fidem resurrectionis et crucis si sancta loca per ydola polluissent.

Much the same has happened in these days against us and the church of God, at the hands of those desperate men at Basel, except that what was then done by pagans ignorant of the true God is now the work of men who have known him and hated him Their pride, then, according to the prophet, is ever rising, all the more dangerously in that it is under the cloak of reform, which in truth they have always abhorred, that they spread their poisons.

Non dissimile a Basiliensibus illis hominibus perditissimis nobis et ecclesie dei hiis diebus fieri contigit nisi quod illud a paganis et verum deum ignorantibus factum est hoc ab hiis qui cognoverunt et oderunt et idcirco superbia eorum iuxta prophetam ascendit semper in eo periculosius quod sub reformationis specie quam in se semper horruerunt venena diffundunt.

In the first place, those who were the authors of all the scandals in Basel have failed in their promises to the Greeks. For they knew from the envoys of the Greeks and the eastern church that our most dear son in Christ John Palaeologus, illustrious emperor of the Romans, and Joseph, patriarch of Constantinople of happy memory, and the other prelates and persons of the eastern church wished to proceed to the place which had been legally chosen for the ecumenical council by our legates and presidents and other notable persons present there, whose right it was to choose the site in accordance with the agreement which had been approved by the common consent of the council after serious disagreements among its members. Whereupon we, for our part, confirmed the choice of place in a general consistory at Bologna and we sent to Constantinople, at great labour and expense, the galleys and other things necessary for this holy work of union.

Primum quidem postquam hii qui omnis scandali patratores Basilee fuerunt Grecis in promissione defecerant cum per ipsorum Grecorum et ecclesie orientalis oratores plane intelligerent carissimum in christo filium nostrum Iohannem Paleologum Romeorum imperatorem illustrem et bone memorie Ioseph Constantinopolitanum patriarcham reliquos que tam prelatos quam alios orientalis ecclesie ad locum pro ycumenico celebrando concilio per nostros legatos et presidentes alios que ex prestantioribus ibidem existentibus ad quos ius eligendi locum iuxta conventionem communi eiusdem concilii consensu firmatam post graves suppositorum eius dissensiones devolutum erat legitime electum accedere velle cum que etiam nos hanc ipsam loci electionem ad supplicationem et instantiam maximam dictorum oratorum in generali consistorio Bononie confirmasse ac galeas et alia necessaria pro huius sanctissime unionis opere multis laboribus et impensis versus Constantinopolim

When they learnt of this, they dared to decree against us and the aforesaid cardinals a detestable admonition or citation, so as to block the holy work, [and to send it to the aforesaid emperor and patriarch of Constantinople, so that they and all others] might be deterred from coming. Yet they knew full well that there was no chance of them going to any place other than the one which had been chosen for the site, as stated above.

destinare percepissent quoddam detestabile monitorium seu citatorium quo sanctum hoc opus interciperent contra nos et prefatos cardinales decernere ausi sunt [illud que ad prefatos imperatorem et patriarcham Constantinopolim mittere ut ipsos et omnes alios] omnino a veniendo diverterent.

Then, when they realized that the aforesaid emperor and patriarch and others were already on their way to us for this work of holy union, they tried to lay another wicked snare to catch this divine project. That is, they produced against us a sacrilegious sentence of suspension from the administration of the papacy. Finally, those leaders of scandal, very few in number, most of them of the lowest rank and reputation, in their intense hatred of true peace, piling iniquity on top of iniquity lest they should enter into the justice of the Lord, when they saw that the grace of the holy Spirit was working in us towards union with the Greeks, swerving away from the straight line into paths of error, held a so-called session on 16 May last asserting that they were obeying certain decrees, although these were passed at Constance by only one of the three obediences after the flight of John XXIII, as he was called in that one obedience, at a time of schism.

Sciebant enim illos ad alium locum quam electum ut premittitur nullo pacto venturos.

Deinde cum predictos imperatorem et patriarcham ac reliquos pro ipso sanctissime unionis opere ad nos iam venire percepissent alium impietatis laqueum huic tam divine rei iniicere sunt conati dum quandam sacrilegam suspensionis ab administratione papatus assertam sententiam contra nos protulerunt. Postremo memorati scandalorum duces numero quidem paucissimi quorum plerique conditionis infime et nominis vere pacis odiosissimi iniquitatem super iniquitatem apponentes ut non intrarent in iusticiam domini dum spiritus sancti gratiam pro ipsorum Grecorum unione iam in nobis operari conspicerent a recta linea per anfractus erroris exhorbitantes pretensam quandam decimoseptimo kal(endas) iunii proxime preteriti sessionem fecerunt in quibusdam decretis licet per unam tantum ex tribus obedientiis post recessum Iohannis xxiii sic in eadem obedientia nuncupati Constancie schismate tunc vigente editis inherere

Alleging obedience to those decrees, they proclaimed three propositions which they term truths of the faith, seemingly to make heretics of us and all princes and prelates and other faithful and devout adherents of the apostolic see. The propositions are the following.

se dicentes tres propositiones quas fidei veritates vocant quasi nos et omnes principes ac prelatos et alios fideles et devotos apostolice sedis hereticos facerent protulerunt quarum tenor sequitur in haec verba: veritas de potestate concilii generalis universalem ecclesiam representantis supra papam et quemlibet alterum declarata per Constanciense et hoc Basiliense generalia concilia est veritas fidei catholice.

“The truth about the authority of a general council, representing the universal church, over a pope and anyone else whatsoever, declared by the general councils of Constance and this one of Basel, is a truth of the catholic faith. The truth that a pope cannot by any authority, without its consent, dissolve a general council representing the universal church, legitimately assembled for the reasons given in the above-mentioned truth or for any of them, or prorogue it to another time or transfer it from place to place, is a truth of the catholic faith. Anyone who persists in opposing the aforesaid truths is to be considered a heretic.”

Veritas hec quod papa concilium generale universalem ecclesiam representans actu legitime congregatum super declaratis in prefata veritate aut aliquo eorum sine eius consensu nullatenus auctoritate potest dissolvere aut ad aliud tempus prorogare aut de loco ad locum transferre est veritas fidei catholice.

Veritatibus predictis pertinaciter repugnans est censendus hereticus.

In this, those utterly pernicious men, masking their malice with the rosy colour of a truth of the faith, gave to the council of Constance an evil and mischievous meaning completely opposed to its true teaching, imitating in this the teaching of other schismatics and heretics who always amass for their support fabricated errors and impious dogmas drawn from their perverse interpretation of the divine scriptures and the holy fathers.

In hoc perniciosissimi dum suam malignitatem sub veritatis fidei fuco colorant Constanciense concilium in malum ac reprobum sensum et a sua doctrina penitus alienum pertrahunt ceterorum schismaticorum et hereticorum doctrinam sequentes qui confictos errores et impia dogmata ex divinis scripturis et sanctis patribus perverse intellectis semper sibi astruere moliuntur.

Finally, completely perverting their mind and turning away their eyes from looking to heaven or remembering righteous judgments, after the manner of Dioscorus and the infamous synod of Ephesus, they proceeded to a declaratory sentence of deprivation, as they claimed, from the dignity and office of the supreme apostolate, a poisonous and execrable pronouncement involving an unforgivable crime. Here we will take the tenor of that sentence, abhorrent to every pious mind, as sufficiently expressed. They omitted nothing, as far as was in their power, that might overthrow this incomparable good of union.

Denique avertentes penitus sensum suum et declinantes oculos suos ne viderent celum neque recordarentur iudiciorum iustorum more Dioscori et damnate Ephesine synodi ad quandam venenatam execrabilem que asserte declarationis seu privationis sententiam a dignitate et officio summi apostolatus inexpiabili quodam scelere processerunt cuius tenorem omni pie menti horribilem haberi hic volumus pro sufficienter expresso nichil omittentes quantum in eis fuit quin hoc incomparabile unionis bonum in totum everterent.

O miserable and degenerate sons! O wicked and adulterous generation! What could be more cruel than this impiety and iniquity? Can anything more detestable, more dreadful and more mad be imagined? Earlier on they were the ones who said that nothing better, nothing more glorious and fruitful had ever been seen or heard of in the christian people, from the very birth of the church, than this most holy union, and that to further it there should be no contention about the place, but rather to achieve it the wealth of this world as well as body and soul should be hazarded, proclaiming this aloud to the whole world and urging the christian people to it, as their decrees and letters fully state. But now they persecute exactly this as furiously and as impiously as they can, so that the devils of the entire world seem to have flocked together to that conventicle of brigands at Basel.

O miseros et degeneres filios.

O pravam et adulteram generationem.

Quid hac impietate et iniquitate crudelius.

Quid detestabilius horribilius atque insanius excogitari poterat.

Dixerant olim nichil melius nichil gloriosius atque fructuosius hac sanctissima unione ab exordio nascentis ecclesie in populo christiano visum vel auditum fuisse neque expedire in re illa de loco contendendum fore sed pro ea consequenda nedum huius mundi substantiam sed et corpus atque animam exponi debere pro hoc toto orbe clamantes et ad id commoventes populum christianum velut in suis decretis et epistolis plene continetur nunc vero tam furiose tam impie quantum in eis est ittidem persequuntur ut ad illud Basiliense latrocinium tocius orbis demonia confluisse videantur.

So far almighty God has not allowed their iniquity and its lying inconsistencies to prevail. But seeing that they are striving with all their strength to bring it to success, even to the point of setting up the abomination of desolation in God’s church, we can in no way pretend to ignore these things without most serious offence to God and imminent danger of confusion and abomination in God’s church. In keeping with our pastoral office, at the urging of many who are fired with zeal for God, we wish to put a stop to such evils and, as far as we can, to take appropriate and salutary measures to eliminate from God’s church this execrable impiety and most destructive pestilence.

Et licet illorum iniquitatem sibi semper mentitam omnipotens deus hucusque prevalere non permiserit cum tamen ad eam complendam usque ad abhominationem desolationis in dei ecclesia viribus omnibus studeant nos qui sine gravissima dei offensa et imminenti periculo confusionis et abhominationis in dei ecclesia talia dissimulare nullo modo valemus iuxta pastoralis officii nostri debitum multis etiam zelo dei succensis nos ad hoc ipsum impellentibus tantis malis obviare volentes ac quantum in nobis est oportune et salubriter providere execrabilem que impietatem ac pestem pernitiosissimam a dei ecclesia eliminare

Following in the steps of our predecessors who, as Pope Nicholas of holy memory writes, were accustomed to annul councils which had been conducted improperly, even those of universal pontiffs, as occurred at the second universal synod at Ephesus, inasmuch as the blessed pope Leo summoned it but later established the council of Chalcedon.

predecessorum nostrorum sequentes vestigia qui ut scribit sancte memorie Nicolaus papa soliti sunt concilia etiam universorum pontificum nequiter celebrata cassare sicut in universali contigit synodo Ephesina secunda quam beatissimus Leo papa summovit et Chalcedonensem instituit

We renew by our apostolic authority, with the approval of this holy council of Florence, the solemn and salutary decree against those sacrilegious men, which was issued by us in the sacred general council of Ferrara on 15 February. By that decree we declared among other things, with the approval of the said sacred council of Ferrara, that each and every person at Basel who, in the name of a pretended council which we called more accurately a conventicle, dared to perpetrate those scandalous and wicked deeds in contravention of our translation and declaration, whether they are cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, abbots or of some other ecclesiastical or secular dignity, has incurred the penalties of excommunication, privation of dignities, benefices and offices and disqualification for the future, which are instanced in our letter of translation.

solenne et salubre declarationis decretum contra sacrilegos illos auctoritate apostolica in sacro Ferrariensi generali concilio quinto decimo kal(endas) marcii per nos editum hoc sacro Florentino concilio approbante innovamus per quod quidem inter alia omnes et singulos Basilee sub pretensi concilii nomine quod verius conventiculum esse diximus contra translationem et declarationem nostras contravenientes et illa scandalosa et nefaria presumentes etiamsi cardinalatus patriarchali archiepiscopali episcopali abbatiali aut aliqua quavis dignitate ecclesiastica vel seculari prefulgerent excommunicationis privationis dignitatum beneficiorum et officiorum ac inhabilitationis ad futura penas in dictis nostris litteris translationis contentas

Now we decree and declare again that all the things done or attempted by those impious men presently in Basel, which were mentioned in our said decree of Ferrara, and each and all of the things done, performed or attempted by the same men since then, especially in the two so-called sessions or rather conspiracies which have just been mentioned, and whatever may have followed from these things or from any of them, or may follow in the future, as coming from impious men who have no authority and have been rejected and reprobated by God, were and are null, quashed, invalid, presumptuous and of no effect, force or moment.

ipso sacro Ferrariensi approbante concilio incidisse declaravimus decernentes etiam nunc ac declarantes quecumque per dictos impios homines Basilee existentes facta et attemptata de quibus in prefato nostro Ferrariensi decreto fit mentio similiter omnia et singula per predictos ex post facta gesta et attemptata specialiter in duabus pretensis sessionibus seu verius conspirationibus ultimo nominatis ac quidquid ex eis vel ab ea forsan secutum sit et in futurum sequi posset tanquam ab impiis hominibus et nullam potestatem habentibus sed a deo eiectis et reprobatis fuisse et esse nulla cassa et irrita

With the approval of the sacred council we condemn and reject, and we proclaim as condemned and rejected, those propositions quoted above as understood in the perverse sense of the men at Basel, which they demonstrate by their deeds, as contrary to the sound sense of sacred scripture, the holy fathers and the council of Constance itself; and likewise the aforesaid so-called sentence of declaration or deprivation, with all its present and future consequences, as impious and scandalous and tending to open schism in God’s church and to the confusion of all ecclesiastical order and christian government.

ut de facto presumpta ac nullis penitus effectus roboris vel momenti ipsas que propositiones superius descriptas iuxta pravum ipsorum basiliensium intellectum quem facto demonstrant veluti sano sacre scripture et sanctorum patrum et ipsius Constanciensis concilii sensui contrarium necnon prefatam assertam declarationis seu privationis sententiam cum omnibus inde secutis et que in futurum sequi possent tanquam impias et scandalosas necnon in manifestam dei ecclesie scissuram ac omnis ecclesiastici ordinis et christiani principatus confusionem tendentes ipso sacro approbante concilio damnamus et reprobamus ac damnatas et reprobatas nunciamus.

Also, we decree and declare that all of the aforesaid persons have been and are schismatics and heretics, And that as such they are assuredly to be punished with suitable penalties over and above the penalties imposed at the aforesaid council of Ferrara, together with all their supporters and abettors, of whatever ecclesiastical or secular status, condition or rank they may be, even cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops or abbots or those of any other dignity, so that they may receive their deserts with the aforesaid Korah, Dathan and Abiram Let nobody therefore ... If anyone however ...

Decernimus etiam et declaramus omnes et singulos predictos fuisse et esse schismaticos et hereticos et ultra penas in prefato Ferrariensi concilio declaratas tanquam tales cum omnibus eorum fautoribus vel defensoribus cuiuscunque status conditionis et gradus ecclesiastici vel secularis extiterint etiam si cardinalatus patriarchali archiepiscopali episcopali abbatiali aut alia quavis dignitate prefulgeant ut cum predictis Chore Datan et Abiron meritam accipiant portionem penis condignis omnino puniendos.

Nulli ergo ....

Si quis autem ....