Part 25
_Liberius_, notwithstanding his Fall, is honoured both by the _Latin_ and _Greek_ Churches as a Saint. By the former his Festival is kept on the 23d of _September_, and by the latter on the 27th of _August_[972]. [Sidenote: _The Founding of the Church of_ St. Mary the Greater.] He erected a Church on the _Esquiline_ Mount at _Rome_, which bore his Name, and was called the _Basilic_ of Liberius, till it was consecrated to the Virgin _Mary_ by _Sixtus_ III. when it took the Name of _Sancta Maria Major_, or _Saint Mary the Greater_. It owes its Foundation, as is universally believed in the Church of _Rome_, to the following Miracle. A _Roman_ of the Patrician Order, and of Wealth equal to his Rank, named _John_, having no Children, resolved to make a free Gift of his whole Estate to the Virgin _Mary_. This Resolution he imparted to his Wife, who consenting to it with great Alacrity, the Estate was immediately made over to the holy Virgin, whom they thenceforth jointly intreated, in their daily Prayers, to let them know by some Token in what Manner she chose to dispose of it. Their Prayers were heard, and, on the Night preceding the 5th of _August_, when the Heat is most violent at _Rome_, a miraculous Snow fell from Heaven, which covered Part of the _Esquiline_ Mount. The same Night the Patrician and his Wife were admonished in a Dream to build a Church on the Spot of Ground which they should find covered with Snow. Early next Morning they went to acquaint Pope _Liberius_ with what had happened, whom they found to have had the same Dream; so that no room being now left to doubt of the Revelation, the Pope appointed a grand Procession of the whole Clergy, in which he walked himself, attended by Crouds of People, to the above-mentioned Mount; and there, having caused the Snow, which still lay unmelted, to be removed, on the Spot, which it had covered, he laid the Foundation of that magnificent Basilic, which was reared at the Expence of the Patrician, and is now known by the Name of _Saint Mary the Greater_, and _Saint Mary in the Snow_[973]. I should not have thought such an idle Tale worthy of a Place in a grave History, were it not recorded in the most authentic Book the Church of _Rome_ has after the Scripture, the _Roman Breviary_, a Book approved and commended by the Council of _Trent_, and by the special Bulls of Three Popes, _Pius_ V. _Clement_ VIII. and _Urban_ VIII. of whom the latter declares every thing it contains to be extracted from antient and approved Authors, and to be agreeable to Truth[974]. So that it would be less dangerous, at least in _Italy_, to deny any Truth revealed in the Scripture, than to question any Fable related in the _Breviary_. The Feast of _the Snow_, or _St. Mary in the Snow_, is kept annually at _Rome_, on the 5th of _August_, with the greatest Solemnity. The College of Cardinals assists that Day at Divine Service in the Church of _Saint Mary the Greater_; and the Pope, if not indisposed, or otherwise prevented, officiates in Person: the _Primicerio_, or Dean of that Church, reads the Account, which I have delivered above; and, that nothing may be wanting to complete the Farce, Numbers of Children are employed, during the Service, to drop Jessamins from the Gallery on the Congregation, in Remembrance and Imitation of the miraculous Snow. And truly by Children alone such Fables are proper to be acted and believed.
[Sidenote: _The Writings of_ Liberius.]
Several Pieces have reached our Times, which were either written by, or have been falsly ascribed to, _Liberius_. Among the former are, his Letter in Answer to the _Macedonian_ Bishops; another to the Catholic Bishops of _Italy_; which have been both mentioned above; and a Discourse, which he pronounced on _Christmas-day_ in the Church of St. _Peter_, on Occasion of his giving the sacred Veil to _Marcellina_ the Sister of St. _Ambrose_ when she embraced the State of Virginity. This Discourse St. _Ambrose_ has inserted in his Third Book on Virgins, but in his own Style, which is very different from that of _Liberius_, who had not the Gift of Eloquence[975]. [Sidenote: _Writings falsly ascribed to him._] Among the Pieces falsly ascribed to _Liberius_, most Men of Learning reckon the Confession of Faith, written in _Greek_, which he is supposed to have sent to _Athanasius_. This Piece _Baronius_ will, by all means, have to be genuine; and the Use he makes of it is somewhat extraordinary. The Council of _Alexandria_, to which the Church owed her Safety, was convened by _Athanasius_, upon his Return from Exile, as I have related above. By that small Assembly, consisting only of Confessors, was enacted the famous Decree with respect to those, who had communicated with the _Arians_, and signed the Confession of _Rimini_. To that Decree the whole Church readily conformed; so that the Honour of saving the Church was chiefly owing to _Athanasius_, and wholly to him and the other Confessors. Of _Liberius_ not the least Mention is made; so that he had no Share in that Glory. [Sidenote: _Strange Conjectures of_ Baronius.] The _Annalist_ therefore, not being able to bring in his Sovereign Pontiff upon the Authority of any Records now extant, has recourse to those that probably never were; or, if they ever were, are now no more. He supposes Part of the above-mentioned Confession of Faith, sent by _Liberius_ to _Athanasius_, to be wanting; and _Liberius_, in the Part that is wanting, to have impowered _Athanasius_ to convene a Council, and to have appointed _Eusebius_ of _Vercelli_, and _Lucifer_ of _Cagliari_, to assist at that Council with the Character of his Legates. Such wild and extravagant Suppositions require a very strong Proof to support them, some plausible Conjectures at least to give them an Appearance of Truth. But that we must not expect of _Baronius_. The only Argument, if it may be so called, which he pretends to offer on this Occasion, is, that he cannot conceive _Athanasius_, and the other holy Confessors, would have taken upon them to act as they did, and enact a Decree extending to the whole Church, had they not received such a Power from him, to whom all Power was given[976], meaning the Pope. The other Pieces, falsly ascribed to _Liberius_, are another Letter to _Athanasius_, and one to all the Catholic Bishops; which are both reputed supposititious, being dated by Consuls who never existed.
Footnote 717:
Buch. cycl. p. 273.
Footnote 718:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 41.
Footnote 719:
Ath. ad Solit. p. 828. & Apol. 2. p. 674. Theod. l. 2. c. 10.
Footnote 720:
Hil. frag. 1. p. 36. 40.
Footnote 721:
Idem ib.
Footnote 722:
Idem ib.
Footnote 723:
Idem ib.
Footnote 724:
Bar. ad ann. 352. n. 12-20.
Footnote 725:
Hil. p. 1327. & Athan. vit. p. 51.
Footnote 726:
Ath. ad Solit. p. 829. Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 159. Hil. frag. 2. p. 41. 47.
Footnote 727:
Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 159.
Footnote 728:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 42. Ath. ap. 1. p. 691. Theod. l. 2. c. 17.
Footnote 729:
Hil. frag. 1. p. 6. & in Cons. l. 2. p. 119. Sulp. Sever. p. 157. Ath. in Ar. or. 1. p. 291. ad Solit. p. 831. de fug. 703.
Footnote 730:
Sulp. Sever. p. 469. Hier. chron.
Footnote 731:
Bar. in martyr. 31. Aug.
Footnote 732:
Hil. frag. 47.
Footnote 733:
Id. ib.
Footnote 734:
Id. ib. p. 39. 43.
Footnote 735:
Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 159. Hil. frag. 2. p. 43. Athan. ad Solit. p. 846.
Footnote 736:
Soz. p. 546, 547. Socr. l. 2. c. 36.
Footnote 737:
Athan. ad Sol. p. 838.
Footnote 738:
Ruff. l. 1. c. 20.
Footnote 739:
Athan. ad Solit. p. 834, 835. Ammian. l. 15. p. 47. Theod. l. 2. c. 13. & l. 15. p. 38. 41. 47.
Footnote 740:
Athan. & Theod. ib.
Footnote 741:
Athan. in Ar. or. 1. p. 290. Marcell. & Faustin. lib. prec. ad Theod. p. 30.
Footnote 742:
Theod. l. 2. c. 13.
Footnote 743:
Id. ib.
Footnote 744:
Theod. l. 1. c. 13.
Footnote 745:
Id. ib.
Footnote 746:
Id. ib & Athan. ad Solit. p. 835.
Footnote 747:
Theod. l. 2. c. 13. Soz. l. 4. c. 11.
Footnote 748:
Marc. & Faust. &c. p. 3. Hier. chron.
Footnote 749:
Athan. ad Solit. p. 861. Ruff. l. 1. c. 22.
Footnote 750:
Ath. ib. Hier. ep. 98. Soz. l. 4. c. 24. Socr. l. 2. c. 37.
Footnote 751:
Soz. l. 4. c. 15.
Footnote 752:
Hier. chron. Marc. & Faust. p. 3.
Footnote 753:
Athan. ib. Theod. l. 2. c. 14. Ammian. l. 16. p. 72.
Footnote 754:
Ammian. l. 16. p. 69. 72. Idat. chron. Alex.
Footnote 755:
Theod. l. 2. c. 14. Soz. l. 4. c. 15.
Footnote 756:
Amm. l. 16.
Footnote 757:
Theod. ib.
Footnote 758:
Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 160.
Footnote 759:
Ruf. l. 1. c. 27.
Footnote 760:
Soz. l. 4. c. 11.
Footnote 761:
Idem ib.
Footnote 762:
Ath. ad Solit. p. 837.
Footnote 763:
Bar. ad ann. 357. n. 41.
Footnote 764:
Hil. frag. 1. p. 48. Hier. vir. il. c. 97.
Footnote 765:
Hil. ib.
Footnote 766:
Idem ib. p. 49.
Footnote 767:
Idem ib. p. 47, 48.
Footnote 768:
Idem ib.
Footnote 769:
Idem ib. p. 49.
Footnote 770:
Idem ib. p. 51.
Footnote 771:
Soz. l. 4. c. 15.
Footnote 772:
Idem ib.
Footnote 773:
Bar. ad ann. 357. n. 46.
Footnote 774:
Hier. vir. ill. c. 97. & in chron.
Footnote 775:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 48.
Footnote 776:
Athan. ad Solit.
Footnote 777:
Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 9.
Footnote 778:
Soz. l. 4. c. 15.
Footnote 779:
Idem ib.
Footnote 780:
Hier. chron. Mar. & Faust. p. 4.
Footnote 781:
Idem ib.
Footnote 782:
Socr. l. 2. c. 37.
Footnote 783:
Anast. c. 37. Boll. Apr. t. 1. p. 31.
Footnote 784:
Theod. l. 2. c. 13. Philg. l. 4. c. 3.
Footnote 785:
Soz. l. 4. c. 15.
Footnote 786:
Marc. & Faust. p. 4.
Footnote 787:
Socrat. l. 2. c. 37.
Footnote 788:
Athan. ad Solit. p. 861.
Footnote 789:
Vide Bolland. Apr. t. 1. p. 31.
Footnote 790:
MS. p. 219.
Footnote 791:
Anast. c. 37. p. 22.
Footnote 792:
Idem ib. p. 21.
Footnote 793:
Leuchesini de infall. sed. Rom. p. 97. Rossi vicario di Cristo, p. 72.
Footnote 794:
Bar. ad ann. 557. n. 63.
Footnote 795:
Idem ib.
Footnote 796:
Id. ib. n. 64.
Footnote 797:
Id. ib.
Footnote 798:
Marcell. & Faust. p. 4.
Footnote 799:
Athan. de syn. p. 907.
Footnote 800:
Philost. i. 6. c. 6.
Footnote 801:
Chron. Alex. p. 684.
Footnote 802:
Bar. ad ann. 357. n. 65.
Footnote 803:
Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 9.
Footnote 804:
Theodoret. p. 610.
Footnote 805:
Athan. ad Solit. p. 861.
Footnote 806:
Bell. ibid.
Footnote 807:
Lab. chron.
Footnote 808:
Bona, lit. l. 2. c. 11. p. 423.
Footnote 809:
Vide p. 78.
Footnote 810:
Lab. ibid.
Footnote 811:
Athan. ad Sol. p. 838.
Footnote 812:
Soz. l. 1. c. 16.
Footnote 813:
Id. ib.
Footnote 814:
Athan. ad Sol. p. 841.
Footnote 815:
Theod. l. 1. c. 6.
Footnote 816:
Euseb. vit. Const. l. 2. c. 63.
Footnote 817:
Concil. tom. 1. p. 969.
Footnote 818:
Ath. ad Sol. p. 838. Euseb. vit. Const. l. 2. c. 63.
Footnote 819:
Ath. ib. apol. 2. p. 760. & alibi.
Footnote 820:
Euseb. ib. Socr. l. 1. c. 7.
Footnote 821:
Euseb. ib. l. 1. c. 7.
Footnote 822:
Zos. l. 2. p. 435.
Footnote 823:
Marc. & Faust. p. 34.
Footnote 824:
Ath. de fug. p. 704.
Footnote 825:
Aug. in Parm. l. 1. c. 8.
Footnote 826:
Euseb. vit. Const. l. 2. c. 73.
Footnote 827:
Socr. l. 1. c. 8.
Footnote 828:
Sulp. l. 2. c. 55. Theod. l. 2. c. 12.
Footnote 829:
Athan. fug. p. 703.
Footnote 830:
Athan. ad Sol. p. 837.
Footnote 831:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 16.
Footnote 832:
Ath. ad Sol. p. 837-841.
Footnote 833:
Id. ib. p. 838.
Footnote 834:
Id. ib. p. 838-840.
Footnote 835:
Athan. ib. p. 841. Sulp. l. 2. p. 162. Socr. l. 2. c. 31.
Footnote 836:
Ath. de fug. p. 704. Apol. 2. p. 807.
Footnote 837:
Id. ib. Socr. p. 127.
Footnote 838:
Ath. ad Sol. p. 841.
Footnote 839:
Ath. de fug. p. 704. & apol. 2. p. 807.
Footnote 840:
Id. ad Sol. p. 841.
Footnote 841:
Sulp. l. 2. p. 161, 162.
Footnote 842:
Ath. ad Sol. p. 841.
Footnote 843:
Phœbad. contr. Arian. p. 180.
Footnote 844:
Mar. & Faust. p. 34.
Footnote 845:
Hil. de syn. p. 124, 125. 133.
Footnote 846:
Vigil. in Eutychian. l. 5. n. 3.
Footnote 847:
Socr. l. 2. c. 31.
Footnote 848:
Soz. l. 4. c. 12.
Footnote 849:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 4.
Footnote 850:
Marcell. & Faust. p. 34.
Footnote 851:
Phœbad. p. 169.
Footnote 852:
Id. p. 180. Soz. l. 4. c. 12.
Footnote 853:
Sulp. l. 2. p. 161, 162.
Footnote 854:
Soz. ib.
Footnote 855:
Phœbad. p. 180.
Footnote 856:
Hil. syn. p. 133.
Footnote 857:
Idem ib. p. 137.
Footnote 858:
Ath. ad Sol. p. 141. & 842.
Footnote 859:
Idem ib.
Footnote 860:
Idem de frag. p. 704. & apol. 2. p. 807.
Footnote 861:
Vide Isidor. de vir. ill. in Osio, c. 1.
Footnote 862:
Menæa, p. 293.
Footnote 863:
Soz. l. 4. c. 16. & l. 3. c. 19. Ath. de syn. p. 873.
Footnote 864:
Greg. Nyss. de facto, p. 75.
Footnote 865:
Soz. ib.
Footnote 866:
Philost. l. 4. c. 20.
Footnote 867:
Soz. ib.
Footnote 868:
Theodor. l. 1. c. 22.
Footnote 869:
Soz. l. 4. c. 16. Ath. de syn. p. 869.
Footnote 870:
Ath. de syn. p. 870.
Footnote 871:
Ath. de syn. p. 873, 874. Soz. l. 4. c. 16.
Footnote 872:
Idem ib. & c. 17.
Footnote 873:
Soz. l. 4. c. 24.
Footnote 874:
Theod. l. 2. c. 21.
Footnote 875:
Socr. l. 2. c. 39. Soz. l. 4. c. 16.
Footnote 876:
Hil. de syn. p. 24.
Footnote 877:
Sulp. l. 2. p. 164.
Footnote 878:
Ath. de syn. p. 870.
Footnote 879:
Ammian. l. 21. p. 203.
Footnote 880:
Sulp. l. 4. c. 17.
Footnote 881:
Ath. de syn. p. 874. Sulp. l. 2. p. 162. Soz. p. 563.
Footnote 882:
Hier. p. 143. Sulp. p. 162.
Footnote 883:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 43, 44.
Footnote 884:
Idem ib. p. 46.
Footnote 885:
Ath. de syn. p. 876. Hil. frag. 1. p. 44. Epiph. hæres. 73. c. 22.
Footnote 886:
Hil. & Epiph. ib.
Footnote 887:
Idem ib.
Footnote 888:
Ath. de syn. p. 875.
Footnote 889:
Buch. cycl.
Footnote 890:
Ath. Soz. ib. Theod. l. 1. c. 15.
Footnote 891:
Ath. ib. p. 876. Soz. ib. Hil. frag. 2. p. 47, 48.
Footnote 892:
Ath. ib. Socr. l. 1. c. 37. Hil. frag. 2. p. 46.
Footnote 893:
Sulp. l. 2. p. 163. Ath. ad Afr. p. 934. Hil. frag. 2. p. 36.
Footnote 894:
Socr. ib. Ath. de syn. p. 930.
Footnote 895:
Ath. de syn. p. 929, 930.
Footnote 896:
Id. ib.
Footnote 897:
Theod. l. 2. c. 15, 16.
Footnote 898:
Id. ib.
Footnote 899:
Soc. l. 2. c. 37.
Footnote 900:
Hil. in cons. l. 1. p. 113.
Footnote 901:
Theod. l. 2. c. 16. Hil. in ann. p. 122.
Footnote 902:
Id. ib.
Footnote 903:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 23.
Footnote 904:
Marc. & Faust. p. 25.
Footnote 905:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 36, 37. Theod. ib. Sulp. l. 2. p. 165.
Footnote 906:
Athan. ad Afr. p. 941. Sulp. p. 165. Marc. & Faust. p. 26. Hil. frag. p. 37.
Footnote 907:
Ath. ib. p. 934.
Footnote 908:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 37, 38.
Footnote 909:
Sulp. p. 166.
Footnote 910:
Sulp. ib.
Footnote 911:
Theod. l. 1. c. 17.
Footnote 912:
Id. ib.
Footnote 913:
Ambros. de fid. l. 3. c. 7.
Footnote 914:
Sulp. l. 2. p. 166.
Footnote 915:
Fulg. in Pint. c. 3. p. 536.
Footnote 916:
Hil. frag. 1. p. 53, 54.
Footnote 917:
Hier. in Lucif. c. 7.
Footnote 918:
Hil. frag. 2. p. 4, 5.
Footnote 919:
Mar. & Faust. p. 47.
Footnote 920:
Hier. ib.
Footnote 921:
Ath. de syn. p. 881. Hil. in cons. l. 1. p. 114.
Footnote 922:
Greg. Naz. or. 21. p. 386.
Footnote 923:
Socr. l. 2. c. 40.
Footnote 924:
Soz. l. 4. c. 22.
Footnote 925:
Id. ib. Sacr. l. 1. c. 40. Ath. de syn. p. 881. Basil. in Eunom. l. 1. p. 697. Sulp. l. 1. p. 65.
Footnote 926:
Hil. in cons. l. 1. p. 115. Soz. l. 4. c. 23. Basil. ep. 74.
Footnote 927:
Soz. l. 4. c. 24.
Footnote 928:
Socr. l. 2. c. 12. Soz. l. 4. c. 24. Philost. l. 5. c. 1.
Footnote 929:
Soz. l. 4. c. 26.
Footnote 930:
Greg. Naz. orat. 21. p. 387.
Footnote 931:
Id. ib.
Footnote 932:
Theod. l. 2. c. 17.
Footnote 933:
Bar. ad ann. 359. n. 48.
Footnote 934:
Greg. Naz. orat. 1. p. 387.
Footnote 935:
Ruf. l. 1. c. 21.
Footnote 936:
Hier. in Lucifer. p. 143. & in chron.
Footnote 937:
Idem ib.
Footnote 938:
Theod. l. 2. c. 23.
Footnote 939:
Socr. l. 2. c. 45. Ath. de syn. p. 906.
Footnote 940:
Philost. l. 6. c. 5.
Footnote 941:
Socr. l. 3. c. 1.
Footnote 942:
Theod. l. 3. c. 2. Hier. in Lucif. c. 7.
Footnote 943:
Ammian. l. 22. p. 223. Soz. l. 4. c. 30. Philost. l. 7. c. 2. Epiph. p. 912.
Footnote 944:
Greg. Naz. 21.
Footnote 945:
Ruf. l. 1. c. 28. Ath. ad Ruf. t. 2. p. 41. Amb. de salv. p. 316. Aug. ep. 50. Hier. in Lucif. c. 7.
Footnote 946:
Bolland. Maii 20. p. 207.
Footnote 947:
Bar. ad ann. 371. n. 132.
Footnote 948:
Ruf. l. 1. c. 30.
Footnote 949:
Hier. in Lucif. p. 144.
Footnote 950:
Bar. ad ann. 371. n. 132.
Footnote 951:
Ath. ad Jov. t. 1. p. 246.
Footnote 952:
Soz. l. 6. c. 10.
Footnote 953:
Socr. l. 4. c. 1.
Footnote 954:
Bas. ep. 75.
Footnote 955:
Socr. ib.
Footnote 956:
Ath. ad Asr. p. 931. & ad Epict. p. 582.
Footnote 957:
Soz. l. 5. c. 14.
Footnote 958:
Greg. Naz. orat. 44.
Footnote 959:
Ruf. l. 1. c. 25.
Footnote 960:
Socr. l. 2. c. 45. l. 4. c. 4. l. 5. c. 8.
Footnote 961:
Id. l. 4. c. 12. Soz. l. 6. c. 10.
Footnote 962:
Soz. Socr. ib.
Footnote 963:
Socr. ib.
Footnote 964:
Socr. l. 4. c. 12. Basil. ep. 82.
Footnote 965:
Marcell. & Faust. p. 4, 5.
Footnote 966:
Ruf. l. 3. c. 30, 31.
Footnote 967:
Idem ib.
Footnote 968:
Hil. frag. 1. p. 37, 38.
Footnote 969:
Bar. ad ann. 359. n. 3.
Footnote 970:
Theoph. l. 2. c. 13.
Footnote 971:
Id. ib.
Footnote 972:
Menæa, p. 293.
Footnote 973:
Breviar. Rom. 5 Aug.
Footnote 974:
Vide Bull. Urb. VIII. Breviario præfix.
Footnote 975:
Amb. de virg. l. 3. p. 437.
Footnote 976:
Bar. ad ann. 362. n. 206.
VALENTINIAN, DAMASUS, GRATIAN, VALENS, _Thirty-sixth_ BISHOP _of_ Rome. THEODOSIUS.
[Sidenote: Year of Christ 366. Damasus _a Native of_ Rome,]
_Liberius_ was succeeded by _Damasus_, whom the _Spanish_ Writers, upon the Authority of _Anastasius_, suppose to have been a Native of _Spain_[977]; though there is no room to doubt of his being born in _Rome_, since it appears, from an Inscription quoted by _Baronius_[978], that his Father had been Lector, Deacon, and Presbyter, of the Church of St. _Laurence_ in that City, and consequently must have lived there from his Youth. _Damasus_ had a Sister named _Irene_, who embraced the State of Virginity, and died before she was Twenty, as we read in her Epitaph[979]. It is not therefore probable, that her Death happened in the Twelfth Year of her Brother’s Pontificate, as the _Spanish_ Author of her Life tells us, he being then Seventy. _Damasus_ served, as his Father had done, the Church of St. _Laurence_, till he was stricken in Years; for he was upwards of Sixty when raised to the Episcopal Dignity. [Sidenote: _and Deacon of that Church_.] He was Deacon of _Rome_ in 355. when _Liberius_ was sent into Exile; on which Occasion he not only bound himself, with the rest of the Clergy, by a solemn Oath not to acknowlege any other Bishop so long as _Liberius_ lived, but attended him on his Journey to the Place of his Banishment[980]. [Sidenote: _Whether he abandoned_ Liberius,_and sided with_ Felix.] _Marcellinus_ and _Faustinus_ seem to insinuate, that soon afterwards, giving way to his Ambition, he forgot the Oath he had taken, abandoned _Liberius_, for whom he had professed the greatest Friendship, and sided with _Felix_ his Antagonist[981]. But these Two Presbyters were zealous Partisans of the Antipope _Ursinus_, of whom hereafter; and therefore we ought to be very cautious of what they write to the Prejudice of _Damasus_. _Jerom_, who lived then at _Rome_, and in great Intimacy with _Damasus_, reproaches such of the Ecclesiastics as forsook _Liberius_, and joined _Felix_, with the Breach of a most solemn Oath; styles them Perjurers, Deserters, Time-servers, _&c._ which I cannot think he would have done so freely, had _Damasus_ been one of the Number. I am therefore not a little surprised, that _Baronius_ should blindly acquiesce to the Accounts of the above-mentioned Writers, and, without further Inquiry, condemn _Damasus_ as guilty of Perjury, by ranking him among the Followers of _Felix_[982]. And yet the Annalist supposes him to have been appointed Great Vicar of _Rome_ by _Liberius_, upon his withdrawing from the City to avoid the Persecution raised by _Constantius_ after the Council of _Rimini_[983]: so that, according to him, he must have changed Sides anew, and, abandoning _Felix_, returned to _Liberius_, which is representing him as a Man swayed by no other Principles but those of Interest and Ambition, and therefore always siding with those who were uppermost. This is all we know of _Damasus_ before his Election.
[Sidenote: _He is chosen Bishop of_ Rome, _and likewise_ Ursinus.]