THE DECLINE AND FALL

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( hap. Sophia, joined in the communion of sacrifice and^ X \ U 1 prayer; and the names of the two pontiffs weresolemtdy commemorated; the names of Nicholasthe fifth, the vicar of Christ, and of the patriarchGregory, who had been driven into exile by arebellious people.

and^fanati. But Oie dress and language of the Latin priestcismofihe who officiated at the altar were an object of scan-

Greeks *

dal; and it was observed with horror, that heconsecrated a cake or wafer of unleavened bread,and poured cold water into the cup of the sa-crament. A national historian acknowledges■with a blush, that none of his countrymen, notthe emperor himself, were sincere in this occa-sional conformity. 11 Their hasty and uncondi-tional submission was palliated by a promise offuture revisal; but the best, or the worst of theirexcuses was the confession of their own perjury.When they were pressed by the reproaches oftheir honest brethren, “ Have patience,” theywhispered, “ have patience till God shall have“ delivered the city from the great dragon who“ seeks to devour us. You shall then perceive“ whether we are truly reconciled with the Azym-“ ites.” But patience is not the attribute ofzeal; nor can the arts of a court be adapted tothe freedom and violence of popular enthusiasm.From the dome of St. Sophia the inhabitants ofeither sex, and of every degree, rushed in crowds

k Phranza, one of the conforming Greeks, acknowledges that themeasure was adopted only propter spem auxilii : he affirms withpleasure, that those who refused to perform their devotions in StSophia, extra cnlpam et in pace essenl (1. iii, c. 20).