buttherulesofdisciplinewillvaryinremoteandindependentchurches;andthereason,evenofdivines,mightallow,thatthedifferenceisinevitableandharmless。ThecraftorsuperstitionofRomehasimposedonherpriestsanddeaconstherigidobligationofcelibacy;amongtheGreeksitisconfinedtothebishops;thelossiscompensatedbydignityorannihilatedbyage;andtheparochialclergy,thepapas,enjoytheconjugalsocietyofthewiveswhomtheyhavemarriedbeforetheirentranceintoholyorders。AquestionconcerningtheAzymswasfiercelydebatedintheeleventhcentury,andtheessenceoftheEucharistwassupposedintheEastandWesttodependontheuseofleavenedorunleavenedbread。ShallImentioninaserioushistorythefuriousreproachesthatwereurgedagainsttheLatins,whoforalongwhileremainedonthedefensive?Theyneglectedtoabstain,accordingtotheapostolicaldecree,fromthingsstrangled,andfromblood:theyfastedaJewishobservance!ontheSaturdayofeachweek:duringthefirstweekofLenttheypermittedtheuseofmilkandcheese;^6theirinfirmmonkswereindulgedinthetasteofflesh;andanimalgreasewassubstitutedforthewantofvegetableoil:theholychrismorunctioninbaptismwasreservedtotheepiscopalorder:
thebishops,asthebridegroomsoftheirchurches,weredecoratedwithrings;theirpriestsshavedtheirfaces,andbaptizedbyasingleimmersion。SuchwerethecrimeswhichprovokedthezealofthepatriarchsofConstantinople;andwhichwerejustifiedwithequalzealbythedoctorsoftheLatinchurch。^7
[Footnote2:Phot。Epist。p。47,edit。Montacut。TheOrientalpatriarchcontinuestoapplytheimagesofthunder,earthquake,hail,wildboar,precursorsofAntichrist,&c。,&c。]
[Footnote3:ThemysterioussubjectoftheprocessionoftheHolyGhostisdiscussedinthehistorical,theological,andcontroversialsense,ornonsense,bytheJesuitPetavius。
DogmataTheologica,tom。ii。l。vii。p。362—440。]
[Footnote4:BeforetheshrineofSt。Peterheplacedtwoshieldsoftheweightof941/2poundsofpuresilver;onwhichheinscribedthetextofbothcreeds,utroquesymbolo,proamoreetcautelaorthodoxaefidei,Anastas。inLeon。III。inMuratori,tom。iii。pars。i。p。208。Hislanguagemostclearlyproves,thatneitherthefilioque,northeAthanasiancreedwerereceivedatRomeabouttheyear830。]
[Footnote5:TheMissiofCharlemagnepressedhimtodeclare,thatallwhorejectedthefilioque,oratleastthedoctrine,mustbedamned。All,repliesthepope,arenotcapableofreachingthealtioramysteriaquipotuerit,etnonvoluerit,salvusessenonpotest,Collect。Concil。tom。ix。p。277—286。
Thepotueritwouldleavealargeloopholeofsalvation!]
[Footnote6:InFrance,aftersomeharsherlaws,theecclesiasticaldisciplineisnowrelaxed:milk,cheese,andbutter,arebecomeaperpetual,andeggsanannual,indulgenceinLent,ViepriveedesFrancois,tom。ii。p。27—38。]
[Footnote7:Theoriginalmonumentsoftheschism,ofthechargesoftheGreeksagainsttheLatins,aredepositedintheepistlesofPhotius,EpistEncyclica,ii。p。47—61,andofMichaelCerularius,CanisiiAntiq。Lectiones,tom。iii。p。i。p。281—
324,edit。Basnage,withtheprolixanswerofCardinalHumbert。]
Bigotryandnationalaversionarepowerfulmagnifiersofeveryobjectofdispute;buttheimmediatecauseoftheschismoftheGreeksmaybetracedintheemulationoftheleadingprelates,whomaintainedthesupremacyoftheoldmetropolissuperiortoall,andofthereigningcapital,inferiortonone,intheChristianworld。Aboutthemiddleoftheninthcentury,Photius,^8anambitiouslayman,thecaptainoftheguardsandprincipalsecretary,waspromotedbymeritandfavortothemoredesirableofficeofpatriarchofConstantinople。Inscience,evenecclesiasticalscience,hesurpassedtheclergyoftheage;
andthepurityofhismoralshasneverbeenimpeached:buthisordinationwashasty,hisrisewasirregular;andIgnatius,hisabdicatedpredecessor,wasyetsupportedbythepubliccompassionandtheobstinacyofhisadherents。TheyappealedtothetribunalofNicholastheFirst,oneoftheproudestandmostaspiringoftheRomanpontiffs,whoembracedthewelcomeopportunityofjudgingandcondemninghisrivaloftheEast。
TheirquarrelwasembitteredbyaconflictofjurisdictionoverthekingandnationoftheBulgarians;norwastheirrecentconversiontoChristianityofmuchavailtoeitherprelate,unlesshecouldnumbertheproselytesamongthesubjectsofhispower。WiththeaidofhiscourttheGreekpatriarchwasvictorious;butinthefuriouscontesthedeposedinhisturnthesuccessorofSt。Peter,andinvolvedtheLatinchurchinthereproachofheresyandschism。Photiussacrificedthepeaceoftheworldtoashortandprecariousreign:hefellwithhispatron,theCaesarBardas;andBasiltheMacedonianperformedanactofjusticeintherestorationofIgnatius,whoseageanddignityhadnotbeensufficientlyrespected。Fromhismonastery,orprison,Photiussolicitedthefavoroftheemperorbypatheticcomplaintsandartfulflattery;andtheeyesofhisrivalwerescarcelyclosed,whenhewasagainrestoredtothethroneofConstantinople。AfterthedeathofBasilheexperiencedthevicissitudesofcourtsandtheingratitudeofaroyalpupil:thepatriarchwasagaindeposed,andinhislastsolitaryhourshemightregretthefreedomofasecularandstudiouslife。Ineachrevolution,thebreath,thenod,ofthesovereignhadbeenacceptedbyasubmissiveclergy;andasynodofthreehundredbishopswasalwayspreparedtohailthetriumph,ortostigmatizethefall,oftheholy,ortheexecrable,Photius。^9Byadelusivepromiseofsuccororreward,thepopesweretemptedtocountenancethesevariousproceedings;andthesynodsofConstantinoplewereratifiedbytheirepistlesorlegates。Butthecourtandthepeople,IgnatiusandPhotius,wereequallyadversetotheirclaims;theirministerswereinsultedorimprisoned;theprocessionoftheHolyGhostwasforgotten;
BulgariawasforeverannexedtotheByzantinethrone;andtheschismwasprolongedbytheirrigidcensureofallthemultipliedordinationsofanirregularpatriarch。Thedarknessandcorruptionofthetenthcenturysuspendedtheintercourse,withoutreconcilingtheminds,ofthetwonations。ButwhentheNormanswordrestoredthechurchesofApuliatothejurisdictionofRome,thedepartingflockwaswarned,byapetulantepistleoftheGreekpatriarch,toavoidandabhortheerrorsoftheLatins。
TherisingmajestyofRomecouldnolongerbrooktheinsolenceofarebel;andMichaelCerulariuswasexcommunicatedintheheartofConstantinoplebythepope'slegates。Shakingthedustfromtheirfeet,theydepositedonthealtarofSt。Sophiaadirefulanathema,^10whichenumeratesthesevenmortalheresiesoftheGreeks,anddevotestheguiltyteachers,andtheirunhappysectaries,totheeternalsocietyofthedevilandhisangels。
Accordingtotheemergenciesofthechurchandstate,afriendlycorrespondencewassometimesresumed;thelanguageofcharityandconcordwassometimesaffected;buttheGreekshaveneverrecantedtheirerrors;thepopeshaveneverrepealedtheirsentence;andfromthisthunderboltwemaydatetheconsummationoftheschism。ItwasenlargedbyeachambitiousstepoftheRomanpontiffs:theemperorsblushedandtrembledattheignominiousfateoftheirroyalbrethrenofGermany;andthepeoplewerescandalizedbythetemporalpowerandmilitarylifeoftheLatinclergy。^11
[Footnote8:ThexthvolumeoftheVeniceeditionoftheCouncilscontainsalltheactsofthesynods,andhistoryofPhotius:theyareabridged,withafainttingeofprejudiceorprudence,byDupinandFleury。]
[Footnote9:ThesynodofConstantinople,heldintheyear869,istheviiithofthegeneralcouncils,thelastassemblyoftheEastwhichisrecognizedbytheRomanchurch。SherejectsthesynodsofConstantinopleoftheyears867and879,whichwere,however,equallynumerousandnoisy;buttheywerefavorabletoPhotius。]
[Footnote10:SeethisanathemaintheCouncils,tom。xi。p。1457
—1460。]
[Footnote11:AnnaComnenaAlexiad,l。i。p。31—33representstheabhorrence,notonlyofthechurch,butofthepalace,forGregoryVII。,thepopesandtheLatincommunion。ThestyleofCinnamusandNicetasisstillmorevehement。Yethowcalmisthevoiceofhistorycomparedwiththatofpolemics!]
TheaversionoftheGreeksandLatinswasnourishedandmanifestedinthethreefirstexpeditionstotheHolyLand。
AlexiusComnenuscontrivedtheabsenceatleastoftheformidablepilgrims:hissuccessors,ManuelandIsaacAngelus,conspiredwiththeMoslemsfortheruinofthegreatestprincesoftheFranks;andtheircrookedandmalignantpolicywassecondedbytheactiveandvoluntaryobedienceofeveryorderoftheirsubjects。Ofthishostiletemper,alargeportionmaydoubtlessbeascribedtothedifferenceoflanguage,dress,andmanners,whichseversandalienatesthenationsoftheglobe。Thepride,aswellastheprudence,ofthesovereignwasdeeplywoundedbytheintrusionofforeignarmies,thatclaimedarightoftraversinghisdominions,andpassingunderthewallsofhiscapital:hissubjectswereinsultedandplunderedbytherudestrangersoftheWest:andthehatredofthepusillanimousGreekswassharpenedbysecretenvyoftheboldandpiousenterprisesoftheFranks。Buttheseprofanecausesofnationalenmitywerefortifiedandinflamedbythevenomofreligiouszeal。Insteadofakindembrace,ahospitablereceptionfromtheirChristianbrethrenoftheEast,everytonguewastaughttorepeatthenamesofschismaticandheretic,moreodioustoanorthodoxearthanthoseofpaganandinfidel:insteadofbeinglovedforthegeneralconformityoffaithandworship,theywereabhorredforsomerulesofdiscipline,somequestionsoftheology,inwhichthemselvesortheirteachersmightdifferfromtheOrientalchurch。InthecrusadeofLouistheSeventh,theGreekclergywashedandpurifiedthealtarswhichhadbeendefiledbythesacrificeofaFrenchpriest。ThecompanionsofFredericBarbarossadeploretheinjurieswhichtheyendured,bothinwordanddeed,fromthepeculiarrancorofthebishopsandmonks。
TheirprayersandsermonsexcitedthepeopleagainsttheimpiousBarbarians;andthepatriarchisaccusedofdeclaring,thatthefaithfulmightobtaintheredemptionofalltheirsinsbytheextirpationoftheschismatics。^12Anenthusiast,namedDorotheus,alarmedthefears,andrestoredtheconfidence,oftheemperor,byapropheticassurance,thattheGermanheretic,afterassaultingthegateofBlachernes,wouldbemadeasignalexampleofthedivinevengeance。Thepassageofthesemightyarmieswererareandperilousevents;butthecrusadesintroducedafrequentandfamiliarintercoursebetweenthetwonations,whichenlargedtheirknowledgewithoutabatingtheirprejudices。ThewealthandluxuryofConstantinopledemandedtheproductionsofeveryclimatetheseimportswerebalancedbytheartandlaborofhernumerousinhabitants;hersituationinvitesthecommerceoftheworld;and,ineveryperiodofherexistence,thatcommercehasbeeninthehandsofforeigners。AfterthedeclineofAmalphi,theVenetians,Pisans,andGenoese,introducedtheirfactoriesandsettlementsintothecapitaloftheempire:theirserviceswererewardedwithhonorsandimmunities;theyacquiredthepossessionoflandsandhouses;theirfamiliesweremultipliedbymarriageswiththenatives;and,afterthetolerationofaMahometanmosque,itwasimpossibletointerdictthechurchesoftheRomanrite。^13ThetwowivesofManuelComnenus^14wereoftheraceoftheFranks:thefirst,asister—in—lawoftheemperorConrad;thesecond,adaughteroftheprinceofAntioch:heobtainedforhissonAlexiusadaughterofPhilipAugustus,kingofFrance;andhebestowedhisowndaughteronamarquisofMontferrat,whowaseducatedanddignifiedinthepalaceofConstantinople。TheGreekencounteredthearms,andaspiredtotheempire,oftheWest:heesteemedthevalor,andtrustedthefidelity,oftheFranks;^15theirmilitarytalentswereunfitlyrecompensedbythelucrativeofficesofjudgesandtreasures;thepolicyofManuelhadsolicitedtheallianceofthepope;andthepopularvoiceaccusedhimofapartialbiastothenationandreligionoftheLatins。^16Duringhisreign,andthatofhissuccessorAlexius,theywereexposedatConstantinopletothereproachofforeigners,heretics,andfavorites;andthistripleguiltwasseverelyexpiatedinthetumult,whichannouncedthereturnandelevationofAndronicus。^17Thepeopleroseinarms:
fromtheAsiaticshorethetyrantdespatchedhistroopsandgalleystoassistthenationalrevenge;andthehopelessresistanceofthestrangersservedonlytojustifytherage,andsharpenthedaggers,oftheassassins。Neitherage,norsex,northetiesoffriendshiporkindred,couldsavethevictimsofnationalhatred,andavarice,andreligiouszeal;theLatinswereslaughteredintheirhousesandinthestreets;theirquarterwasreducedtoashes;theclergywereburntintheirchurches,andthesickintheirhospitals;andsomeestimatemaybeformedoftheslainfromtheclemencywhichsoldabovefourthousandChristiansinperpetualslaverytotheTurks。Thepriestsandmonksweretheloudestandmostactiveinthedestructionoftheschismatics;andtheychantedathanksgivingtotheLord,whentheheadofaRomancardinal,thepope'slegate,wasseveredfromhisbody,fastenedtothetailofadog,anddragged,withsavagemockery,throughthecity。Themorediligentofthestrangershadretreated,onthefirstalarm,totheirvessels,andescapedthroughtheHellespontfromthesceneofblood。Intheirflight,theyburntandravagedtwohundredmilesofthesea—coast;
inflictedasevererevengeontheguiltlesssubjectsoftheempire;markedthepriestsandmonksastheirpeculiarenemies;
andcompensated,bytheaccumulationofplunder,thelossoftheirpropertyandfriends。Ontheirreturn,theyexposedtoItalyandEuropethewealthandweakness,theperfidyandmalice,oftheGreeks,whoseviceswerepaintedasthegenuinecharactersofheresyandschism。Thescruplesofthefirstcrusadershadneglectedthefairestopportunitiesofsecuring,bythepossessionofConstantinople,thewaytotheHolyLand:domesticrevolutioninvited,andalmostcompelled,theFrenchandVenetianstoachievetheconquestoftheRomanempireoftheEast。
[Footnote12:HisanonymoushistoriandeExpedit。Asiat。Fred。
I。inCanisiiLection。Antiq。tom。iii。parsii。p。511,edit。
BasnagementionsthesermonsoftheGreekpatriarch,quomodoGraecisinjunxeratinremissionempeccatorumperegrinosoccidereetdeleredeterra。Taginoobserves,inScriptoresFreher。tom。
i。p。409,edit。Struv。,Graecihaereticosnosappellant:
clericietmonachidictisetfactispersequuntur。WemayaddthedeclarationoftheemperorBaldwinfifteenyearsafterwards:HaecestgensquaeLatinosomnesnonhominumnomine,sedcanumdignabatur;quorumsanguinemeffunderepeneintermeritareputabant,GestaInnocent。III。,c。92,inMuratori,Script。
RerumItalicarum,tom。iii。parsi。p。536。Theremaybesomeexaggeration,butitwasaseffectualfortheactionandreactionofhatred。]
[Footnote13:SeeAnnaComnena,Alexiad,l。vi。p。161,162,
andaremarkablepassageofNicetas,inManuel,l。v。c。9,whoobservesoftheVenetians,&c。]
[Footnote14:Ducange,Fam。Byzant。p。186,187。]
[Footnote15:NicetasinManuel。l。vii。c。2。RegnanteenimManuele……apudeumtantamLatinuspopulusrepereratgratiamutneglectisGraeculissuistanquamvirismollibuseteffoeminatis,……solisLatinisgrandiacommitteretnegotia……ergaeosprofusaliberalitateabundabat……exomniorbeadeumtanquamadbenefactoremnobilesetignobilesconcurrebant。Willelm。Tyr。xxii。c。10。]
[Footnote16:ThesuspicionsoftheGreekswouldhavebeenconfirmed,iftheyhadseenthepoliticalepistlesofManueltoPopeAlexanderIII。,theenemyofhisenemyFredericI。,inwhichtheemperordeclareshiswishofunitingtheGreeksandLatinsasoneflockunderoneshephero,&cSeeFleury,Hist。Eccles。tom。
xv。p。187,213,243。]
[Footnote17:SeetheGreekandLatinnarrativesinNicetasinAlexioComneno,c。10andWilliamofTyre,l。xxii。c。10,11,12,13;thefirstsoftandconcise,thesecondloud,copious,andtragical。]
IntheseriesoftheByzantineprinces,Ihaveexhibitedthehypocrisyandambition,thetyrannyandfall,ofAndronicus,thelastmaleoftheComnenianfamilywhoreignedatConstantinople。
Therevolution,whichcasthimheadlongfromthethrone,savedandexaltedIsaacAngelus,^18whodescendedbythefemalesfromthesameImperialdynasty。ThesuccessorofasecondNeromighthavefounditaneasytasktodeservetheesteemandaffectionofhissubjects;theysometimeshadreasontoregrettheadministrationofAndronicus。Thesoundandvigorousmindofthetyrantwascapableofdiscerningtheconnectionbetweenhisownandthepublicinterest;andwhilehewasfearedbyallwhocouldinspirehimwithfear,theunsuspectedpeople,andtheremoteprovinces,mightblesstheinexorablejusticeoftheirmaster。
Buthissuccessorwasvainandjealousofthesupremepower,whichhewantedcourageandabilitiestoexercise:hisviceswerepernicious,hisvirtuesifhepossessedanyvirtueswereuseless,tomankind;andtheGreeks,whoimputedtheircalamitiestohisnegligence,deniedhimthemeritofanytransientoraccidentalbenefitsofthetimes。Isaacsleptonthethrone,andwasawakenedonlybythesoundofpleasure:hisvacanthourswereamusedbycomediansandbuffoons,andeventothesebuffoonstheemperorwasanobjectofcontempt:hisfeastsandbuildingsexceededtheexamplesofroyalluxury:thenumberofhiseunuchsanddomesticsamountedtotwentythousand;andadailysumoffourthousandpoundsofsilverwouldswelltofourmillionssterlingtheannualexpenseofhishouseholdandtable。Hispovertywasrelievedbyoppression;andthepublicdiscontentwasinflamedbyequalabusesinthecollection,andtheapplication,oftherevenue。WhiletheGreeksnumberedthedaysoftheirservitude,aflatteringprophet,whomherewardedwiththedignityofpatriarch,assuredhimofalongandvictoriousreignofthirty—twoyears;duringwhichheshouldextendhisswaytoMountLibanus,andhisconquestsbeyondtheEuphrates。ButhisonlysteptowardstheaccomplishmentofthepredictionwasasplendidandscandalousembassytoSaladin,^19todemandtherestitutionoftheholysepulchre,andtoproposeanoffensiveanddefensiveleaguewiththeenemyoftheChristianname。Intheseunworthyhands,ofIsaacandhisbrother,theremainsoftheGreekempirecrumbledintodust。TheIslandofCyprus,whosenameexcitestheideasofeleganceandpleasure,wasusurpedbyhisnamesake,aComnenianprince;andbyastrangeconcatenationofevents,theswordofourEnglishRichardbestowedthatkingdomonthehouseofLusignan,arichcompensationforthelossofJerusalem。
[Footnote18:ThehistoryofthereignofIsaacAngelusiscomposed,inthreebooks,bythesenatorNicetas,p。228—290;
andhisofficesoflogothete,orprincipalsecretary,andjudgeoftheveilorpalace,couldnotbribetheimpartialityofthehistorian。Hewrote,itistrue,afterthefallanddeathofhisbenefactor。]
[Footnote19:SeeBohadin,Vit。Saladin。p。129—131,226,vers。
Schultens。TheambassadorofIsaacwasequallyversedintheGreek,French,andArabiclanguages;arareinstanceinthosetimes。Hisembassieswerereceivedwithhonor,dismissedwithouteffect,andreportedwithscandalintheWest。]