isted of the four rebellious
cardinals, twenty Gallican prelates, several abbots and other
dignitaries, the envoys of the King of France, deputies from some of the
French universities, and a considerable number of doctors of the Faculty
of Paris. This assembly justified its position on the ground that there
are extraordinary cases in which a council may be called without the
intervention of the pope; and that, since the present Pontiff had
neglected to obey the decree of the Council of Constance which enjoined
a similar celebration at the interval of every ten years, the cardinals
were bound to take the initiative in the matter, according to a solemn
engagement which they had made in the conclave when Julius was elected.
After repeating the stereotyped formula concerning the supreme authority
of general councils, and the imperative necessity of a reformation of
the Church in its head and in its members, the fathers addressed
themselves professedly to the herculean task thus indicated; but little
or nothing was effected of any practical importance.

RENE FRANCOIS ROHRBACHER[84]

Charles held an assembly at Bourges in the month of July, 1438. He
attended this himself, with the Dauphin, his son, afterward Louis XI,
many princes of the blood, and other nobles, with a great number of
bishops and doctors of the Church. The deputies of Pope Eugenius IV and
those of the prelates of Basel were heard one after another.

The result of this Assembly of Bourges was an ordinance and twenty-three
articles which were called the "Pragmatic Sanction," a name introduced
under the ancient emperors. In this were adopted, sometimes with
modifications, most of the decrees of Basel. Among them the first was
conceived in these terms: "General councils shall be held every ten
years, and the pope, according to the opinion of the council which is
closing, shall designate the place of the next council, which cannot be
changed except for most important reasons and by the advice of the
cardinals. As to the authority of the general council, the decrees
published at Constance are renewed, by which it is said that the general
council holds its power immediately from Jesus Christ; that all persons,
even of papal dignity, are subject to it in that which regards the
faith, the extirpation of schism, and the reformation of the Church in
the head and in the members; and that all must obey it, even the pope,
who is punishable if he transgresses it. Conseq