180 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
made at the second council ofj^jonSaJJtljU when a deputation from the East accepted articles of agreement which, however, were rejected hy tlie Eastern churches. In 1369, the emperor John visited Rome and abjured the schism, but his action met with unfavorable response in Constantinople. Delegates appeared at Constance, 1418, sent by Manuel Palffiologus and the patriarch of Constantinople,^ and, in 1122, Martin V. despatched the Franciscan, Anthony Massanus, to the Bosphorus, with nine articles as a basis of union. These articles led on to the negotiations conducted at Ferrara.
Neither Eugenius nor the Greeks deserve any credit for the part they took in the conference. The Greeks were actuated wholly by a desire to get the assistance of the West against the advance of the Turks, and not by religious zeal. So far as the Latins are concerned, they had to pay all the expenses of the Greeks on their way to Italy, in Italy, and on their way back as the price of the conference. Catholic historians have little entlmsiasm in describing the empty achievements of Eugenius. 2
TheGreek delegation was large and inspiring, and included the emperor andtKe patriarch of Constantinoply. In \^enetian vessels rented by the pope, the emperor John VI., Palseologus, reached Venice in February., 1438^^ He was accorded a brilliant reception, but it is fair to suppose that the pleasure he may have felt in the festivities was not unmixed with feelings of resentment, when he recalled the sack and pillage of his capital, in 1201, b}^ the ancestors of his entertainers. JjOhn rpfiched Ferrara March ^ The Greek delegation comprised 700 persons. Eugenius had arrived Ja^. 2J. In his bull, read in the synod, he called the emperor his most beloved son, and the 2)fitriarch his most pious brother.* In a public
1 Richental, Chronik, p. 113, has a notice of their arrival.
2 So Hefele-Kiifipfler, Kirchem/esch., p. 470 ; Ilergenrcither-Kirsch, II. 949 ; Funk, Kirchcnyesch., p. 377. Pa.stor, II. 307, says, '■'• Die politische Xulhlage brachte endlich die Griechen zum Nachcjehen.''''
^ An account of the emperor's arrival and entertainment at Venice is given in Mansi, XXXI. 463 sqq.
* Dilectissimiis filius noster Romceornm imperator cum piissimmo fratre nostra, Josepho Const, patriarcha, Mansi, XXXI. 481.
§ 18. THE COUNCIL OF PERRARA-FLORENCE. 181
address delivered by Cardinal Cesarini, the differences dividing the two communions were announced as four, — the mode of the procession of the Holy Spirit, the use of unleavened bread in the eucharist, the doctrine of purgatory, and the papal primacy. The discussions exhibit a mortifying spectacle of theological clipping and patchwork. They betray no pure zeal for the religious interests of mankind. The Greeks interposed all manner of dilatory tactics while they lived upon the hospitality of their hosts. The Latins were bent upon asserting the supremacy of the Roman bishop. The Orieni^ls, moved b}" considerations of worldly policy, thought only oj the protection of their enfeebled empixg.
Amon^ the more prominent Greeks present were Bessarioji, bishop of Nice, Isidore, archbishop of Russian Kief, and Mark Eugenicus, archbishop of Ephesus. Bessarion and Isidore remained in the West after the adjournment of the council, and were rewarded by Eugenius with the red hat. The archbishop of Ephesus has our admiration for refusing to bow servilely to the pope and join his colleagues in accepting the articles of union. The leaders among the Latins were Cardinals Cesarini and. Albei^atij._Mi.d_-tiie_^j)aniard Tur- . recremata, who was also given the red hat after the council adjourned.
The first negotiations concerned matters of etiquette. Eugenius gave a private audience to the patriarch, but waived the ceremony of having his foot kissed. An important question was the proper seating of the delegates, and the Greek emperor saw to it that accurate measurements were taken of the seats set apart for the Greeks, lest they should have positions of less honor than the Latins. ^ The pope's promise to support his guests was arranged by a monthly grant of thirty florins to the emperor, twenty-five to the patriarch, four each to the prelates, and three to the other visitors. What joossible respect could the more high-minded Latins have for ecclesiastics, and an emperor, who, while engaged on the mission of Church reunion, were willing to be the pope's pensioners, and live upon his dole !
1 So Syrophulos. See Hefele, Conciliengesch., VII. 672.