l si ipse Metropolitanus est, Romam necessario, vel
ad eos quos Romanus Episcopus judices dederit, sine delatione
contendat.----Quod si vel Metropolitani Episcopi vel cujuscunque sacerdotis
iniquitas est suspecta, aut gratia; ad Romanum Episcopum, vel ad Concilium
quindecim finitimorum Episcoporum accersitum liceat provocare; modo ne post
examen habitum, quod definitum fuerit, integretur_. This Edict wanting the
name of both _Valens_ and _Theodosius_ in the Title, was made in the time
between their reigns, that is, in the end of the year 378, or the beginning
of 379. It was directed to the _Praefecti Praetorio Italiae & Galliae_, and
therefore was general. For the _Praefectus Praetorio Italiae_ governed
_Italy_, _Illyricum occidentale_ and _Africa_; and the _Praefectus Praetorio
Galliae_ governed _Gallia_, _Spain_, and _Britain_.

The granting of this jurisdiction to the Pope gave several Bishops occasion
to write to him for his resolutions upon doubtful cases, whereupon he
answered by decretal Epistles; and henceforward he gave laws to the
_Western_ Churches by such Epistles. _Himerius_ Bishop of _Tarraco_, the
head city of a province in _Spain_, writing to Pope _Damasus_ for his
direction about certain Ecclesiastical matters, and the Letter not arriving
at _Rome_ till after the death of _Damasus_, A.C. 384; his successor
_Siricius_ answered the same with a legislative authority, telling him of
one thing: _Cum hoc fieri--missa ad Provincias a venerandae memoriae
praedecessore meo Liberio generalia decreta, prohibeant_. Of another:
_Noverint se ab omni ecclesiastico honore, quo indigne usi sunt, Apostolicae
Sedis auctoritate, dejectos_. Of another: _Scituri posthac omnium
Provinciarum summi Antistites, quod si ultro ad sacros ordines quenquam de
talibus esse assumendum, & de suo & de aliorum statu, quos contra Canones &
interdicta nostra provexerint, congruam ab Apostolica Sede promendam esse
sententiam_. And the Epistle he concludes thus: _Explicuimus, ut arbitror,
frater charissime, universa quae digesta sunt in querelam; & ad singulas
causas, de quibus ad Romanam Ecclesiam, utpote ad caput tui corporis,
retulisti; sufficientia, quantum opinor, responsa reddidimus. Nunc
fraternitatis tuae animum ad servandos canones, & tenenda decretalia
constituta, magis ac magis incitamus: ad haec quae ad tua consulta
rescripsimus in omnium Coepiscoporum perferri facias notionem; & non solum
corum, qui in tua sunt dioecesi constituti,