CHAPTER I

What has been written above is enough, I think, to show that it cannot be proved from the words of sacred Scripture that the Empire is from the pope, or that the emperor ought to acknowledge that he holds the Empire from the pope. It remains now to see whether that can be shown from the law, especially canon law, or by political or theological arguments. Some think they can show it from the decree of Pope Nicholas, dist. 22, c. I, where we read: “He alone established it,” that is, the Roman Church, “and founded it, and erected it on the rock of a faith soon arising, who gave blessed Peter, the bearer of the keys of eternal life, the rights of both earthly and heavenly empire.” These words show that Christ gave blessed Peter the rights of earthly empire, and consequently blessed Peter had a right over the earthly Empire; therefore it should have been acknowledged as being held from blessed Peter.

But these words of Pope Nicholas, if they cannot or should not be explained contrary to the meaning that on first appearance they convey, must be regarded as absurd and erroneous, because many absurdities would follow from them.