most illustrious Augustus," he says, "at last to put down those who in their obstinacy are rebelling against the Bishop of the Church of Constantinople (Ignatius) … lest the honour of the Church of Christ, as well as the glory of the Imperial city, be lessened (which may God forbid) by your government."[1] Then he wrote an Encyclical to the other patriarchs, in which he reproaches the Court and Photius for these four offences: (1) That Ignatius was condemned without a fair trial; (2) that a successor to his see had been appointed before sentence was given; (3) that he had been judged by his own canonical subjects; (4) that Photius, a layman, had been suddenly made Patriarch without observing the Interstices. "And we order and command you," he ends, "respecting the privilege of this See, to maintain with us in the same Catholic religion the restoration of the right of the venerable Patriarch Ignatius, and the expulsion of Photius the usurper."[2] He had no sort of personal prejudice against Photius. "Consider very carefully," he wrote to Michael, "how Photius can stand, in spite of his great virtues and universal knowledge."[3] More Greeks of the Ignatian party then arrive in Rome and tell the Pope many further circumstances; how Photius had been ordained by Gregory Asbestas, an excommunicate bishop, and the persecution, illusage, and torture that Ignatius and his friends had to suffer. Nicholas published a decree excommunicating any one who struck a bishop; and then, since the affair was becoming more and more important, he summoned a great provincial synod at the Lateran in April, 863. This synod had chiefly to try the Legates for their conduct. At last these two ruffians got their desert. Rodoald was away on another embassy to King Lothar II the Frank,[4] Zachary was present. For having betrayed their duty to their Patriarch, for having exceeded their powers and connived at the injustice of the Emperor, for having taken shameful bribes, they were degraded from their office as bishops and excommunicated. The Pope in Council also solemnly declares: "With the authority of the great Judge, our Lord
