Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Councils · On the Authority of Councils, Book I
Chapter 2: Who Has Written on Councils
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Conciliis (De Conciliorum Auctoritate), On Councils, Book I (of the controversy On Councils and the Church). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
To begin, then, from the first point: on this matter there treat, first of all, the books of the Councils themselves — which, however, have been carelessly preserved, and swarm with many faults, to be corrected by the reading of the ancients. Next, many things are extant in the decrees of Gratian, Ivo, Burchard, and Martin of Braga. Likewise a few things can be read in Hilary, in his book on Synods; Isidore, Book 6 of the Etymologies, chapter 16; Bede, in his book on the six ages, at Constantine IV; Freculphus, at the end of his Chronicle; John Psellus; and Photius, in his book on the seven Synods.
Besides these ancients, many of the more recent have written — as Thomas Waldensis, Book 2 of the Doctrinal of the Faith, chapters 26 and 27; John of Torquemada, Book 3 of the Summa on the Church; John Gerson, in various treatises on the power of the Church and on Councils; Dionysius the Carthusian, in his three books on Councils; John Eck, in the Enchiridion; Jodocus Clichtove, in the defense of the Council of Sens; Jodocus of Tielt, in the defense of the Council of Trent; John Cochlaeus, in his book on Councils; John of Rochester, against articles 28 and 29 of Luther; Cajetan, in his little works; Albert Pighius, Book 6 of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy; Cardinal Hosius, in the explanation of the Creed, chapter 24, and Book 2 against the Prolegomena of Brentius; Peter a Soto, in the defense of his Confession against Brentius; John Antony Delphinus, Book 2 on the Church; Melchior Cano, Book 2 on the Theological Places; Hugo, in the work entitled Synodia Hugonia; likewise Jacobatius, in his work on Councils; and Gaspar Villalpandus, in his nine disputations for the Council of Trent; Alphonsus a Castro, Book 4 on heresies; William Lindanus, Book 3, chapter 7, of the Evangelical Panoply.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT II. Qui scripserint de Conciliis. Ut igitur ordiamur a primo ; de hac mate¬ ria tractant in primis libri ipsi Conciliorum, qui tamen negligenter conservati sunt, et multis vitiis scatent, qu;e corrigenda sunt ex Veterum lectione; deinde multa exstant in decretis Gratiani, Ivonis, Burchardi, Mar- tini Bracarensis ; item pauca quaedam legi possunt apud Hilarium lib. de Svnod. Isicio¬ rum lib. VI Etymolog. c. 16. Bedam in lib. de sex aetat. in Constantino IV Freculphum ; in fine Chron. Joan. Psellum et Ph otium lib. de septem Synod. Praeter hos Veteres scripserunt multi Be- centiorum, ut Thomas Waldensis lib. Ildoc- trinal. Fid. cap. $6 et 27. Joannes de Turre- cremata lib. III Sum. de Eccles. Joannes Gerson in tractatibus variis de potest. Ec¬ cles. et Concil. Dionysius Carthusianus in lib. tribus de Concil. Joannes Eckius in En- chir. Jodocus Clichtovaeus in defens. Concil. Senon. et Jodocus Tiletanus in defens* Con¬ cil. Trid. Joannes Cochlaeus in lib. de Con¬ cil. Joannes Boffensis cont. artic. Lutheri 28 et 29. Cajetanus in Opusc. Albertus Pi- > ghius lib. VI hierarch. Ecclesiast. Cardinalis Hosius in explanat. Symb. cap. 24. et 1. II cont. prolegom. Brentii, Petrus aSoto in de- fens. suae Gonfess. cont. Brentium ; Joannes Antonius Delphinus lib. II de Eccles. Mel- chior Canus lib. II de Loc. Theolog. Hugo in opere inscripto, Synodia Hugonia; item Jacobatius in opere de Concil. etGasparVil- lalpandseus in disputat, novem pro Concil. Trid. Alphonsus a Castro lib. IV de haeres. Gulielmus Lindanus lib. III, cap. 7, Panopl. Evang.