FIETRO GI AN NONE, 29? 



of an authority received immediately from God. He, 

 as vicegerent of him who fays, by me kings reign, i$ 

 the fource from whence fovereigns derive their autho- 

 rity. He bleffes a fword on Chrifcrnas-night, which 

 he prefents to the prince, in token of the infinite au- 

 thority he has received from God, in virtue of the 

 words : All power is given unto me in heaven arid in 

 earth # . 



III. Therefore, I believe, that the pope of Rome 

 has the right to fubvert kingdoms, and to cftablifll 

 them again according to his will, in conformity to the 

 words of holy writ, evellet et plantet, which he may 

 rightfully affume to himfelf. Therefore, he can depofe 

 emperors, kings, and princes, abfolve their fubjects 

 from their oath of allegiance, free them from taxes, 

 and authorize them to refufe the new imports their 

 fovereigns would lay upon them without his Qonfent. 

 Therefore, he can transfer empires and kingdoms from 

 one race to another, and even to foreign nations. New 

 difcovered regions and iflands, and fuch as may yet 

 be difcovered, he can grant to whom he will, and 

 make them tributary to himfelf. The roman- german 

 empire is his donative. Therefore the emperor is 

 £>ound to fwear obedience and fidelity to him, and 

 that according to a prefcribed form ^% 



* The Pontificate, lib. i. tit. ^ fays at thefe ceremonies: 



Quem poftea donat alicui principi in fignum infinite potentiss 



pontiiici collate, juxta illud : Data mini eit potefhs in soelo & in 

 terra. 



f Decret. grat. can. cxxxiii, dill, 64. which begins : Tibi 

 Domino, &c. 



His 



