Note 145 — Chapter VII · THEORY OF THE MEDIÆVAL EMPIRE.
Reading edition
Compare with this the words which Pope Hadrian I. had used some twenty-three years before, of Charles as representative of Constantine: 'Et sicut temporibus Beati Sylvestri, Romani pontificis, a sanctæ recordationis piissimo Constantino magno imperatore, per eius largitatem sancta Dei catholica et apostolica Romana ecclesia elevata atque exaltata est, et potestatem in his Hesperiæ partibus largiri dignatus est, ita et in his vestris felicissimis temporibus atque nostris, sancta Dei ecclesia, id est, beati Petri apostoli germinet atque exsultet, ut omnes gentes quæ hæc audierint edicere valeant, 'Domine salvum fac regem, et exaudi nos in die in qua invocaverimus te;' quia ecce novus Christianissimus Dei Constantinus imperator his temporibus surrexit, per quem omnia Deus sanctæ suæ ecclesiæ beati apostolorum principis Petri largiri dignatus est.'—Letter XLIX of Cod. Carol., A.D. 777 (in Mur. Scriptores Rerum Italicarum).
This letter is memorable as containing the first allusion, or what seems an allusion, to Constantine's Donation.
The phrase 'sancta Dei ecclesia, id est, B. Petri apostoli,' is worth noting.