'Now most holy father, and most sacred council, what should we first seek or demand, or by what tears and groans may we deplore such an unfortunate event, and wipe away the horrid disgrace that must ensue from it to the church? for the greatness of the offence is more than language can express. But we know, most holy and sacred father, that no delay must arise to provide a remedy against the complainings of our dear mother the church, your legal spouse, who, having enjoyed a short peace is again constrained to cry out and lament the loss of it, to the reverend members of this council, saying,—'Have mercy on me, each of you, my friends: my bowels are filled with bitterness, for lions destroy the vineyard of the God of sabaoth,—and the church, the unsullied robe of Jesus Christ, is rent asunder by the wicked. Let God now arise and destroy his enemies.' And thou, holy father, as these things are manifest, and so notorious that they can no longer be concealed, exert thyself in conjunction with this council: judge the cause of thy spouse,—and have in remembrance the reproach cast on thy children.
'O, most powerful, gird the sword on thy thigh, and verify the words of the Psalmist: 'I will pursue mine enemies, to destroy them, and will not return until I shall have laid them all under my footstool, that they no more disturb my peace.' Such transgressions ought to be punished with the utmost severity to prevent any from imitating them in future.
'The words of Moses, the friend and servant of God, should be repeated to the people of Christendom: 'Depart, all of you, from the tabernacles and towns of the wicked.' Attend to the example of thy blessed predecessor, who according to a general council of the church at Ephesus, condemned Dioscorus and his followers to banishment in Calcedonia[25].
'Follow the examples of the holy bishops who have preceded thee on the sacred throne, who have ever exterminated the enemies of God and of his church, from the communion of devout and loyal Christians, and punished them likewise according to their deserts. Avenge, therefore, this new schism that has arisen to thy personal wrong and to that of the roman church, as well as to the slander of all Christendom, and call to thy aid the powers of this holy œcumenical council to excommunicate from the pale of the church, by the authority of God, and of St Peter and of St Paul, all the wicked aforesaid, and more especially that grand heresiarch Amadeus, this new antichrist in the church of God, together with all their abettors, and those who have so daringly and illegally taken upon themselves the part of electors. Let them be cast out as the antichrist, and invaders and destroyers of all Christendom, and never on any account, admit them to thy presence. Let them and their heirs be deprived of all ecclesiastical and worldly dignities, and be condemned to a perpetual sentence of excommunication. Let them be confounded with the wicked, and feel the indignation of the blessed apostles St Peter and St Paul, whose church they presume to disturb. May their habitations become a desert and may no one inhabit their tabernacles! May their children become orphans, and their wives widows, and their existence become so heavy, through misery, that death may be looked to for relief from a life of torment! May all hands be raised against them, and the elements oppose them, and public vengeance be poured on them; and, like Coran, Dathan and Abiran, may the earth open and swallow them up alive! In short, should they not speedily turn from their wickedness, and sufficiently and satisfactorily expiate their sins against the holy and universal church, may they be condemned by the just judgment of God to infernal darkness and perpetual torments!
'We and all true Christians having in abomination such heresies, detest this accursed heresiarch and such like antichrists; and thou vicar and lieutenant of Jesus Christ and of his holy church, (whom we confess, and with devout reverence obey) may the grace of God, all-powerful, protect thee always, and, through his eternal mercy, lead thee to joys everlasting! "Amen."
'We, therefore, having had the fullest and most authentic accounts of the great impiety which has been committed, are much grieved thereat, as may readily be supposed, from the enormity of the offence and more particularly in regard to Amadeus the antipope, whom we have ever held in the most affectionate love and charity, attending to all his prayers and requests; but, at the same time, we are determined to exert our powers to resist such heresies, according to the duties of our pastoral office.
'Since therefore, we have been so publicly called upon in the face of the church, we shall lose no time, with the help of God to crush these heresies in the bud, lest they may expand to greater lengths; and with the aid of this holy council, we will propose remedies according to the ordinances of the church. In consequence of what has been said and requested by the proctor and procurator of the holy council, we will examine whether it is consonant to divine and human laws, and agreeable to the decrees of our apostolical chamber; and although the truth of the charges be sufficiently notorious, yet for greater caution, and with the approbation of the holy council, we have commissioned divers intelligent persons to inquire into all these matters, and to report the result of their inquiries, without favour or affection to either party, to us and to the holy council.
'These commissioners having made a diligent inquisition into what regarded the schism and the division between us and the council of Basil, reported the same most faithfully to the council assembled in congregation synodal,—and the facts were by them made so clear and public that we might without fearing the scandal of wicked tongues, have condemned those sinful men according to the ordinances of the church; but the synod in imitation of the divine mercy which wishes not for the death of a sinner, but would rather that he repent and live, have determined to resort to the means of conciliation, that they may have time to leave their wicked ways, and if they return to the bosom of the church, we shall receive them like to the prodigal son, and with paternal charity embrace them.
'Let therefore, the antipope, Amadeus, and his adherents, renounce their errors, and we will receive them through the mercy of our God, who has shed his blood for the redemption of sinners and the edification of his church, with our whole heart; and so soon as they shall desist from their wicked and scandalous excesses, they will be accepted of us and this sacred council with paternal affection, when they shall appear, as they are bounden so to do, before it.