egiminis ulciscens, de terra vestra funditus
auferantur." See on this passage Neander, v. 227, and cp. sec.
65, "haereticus tamen scripturarum non facit rationem, sed cum
potentibus saeculi ecclesiam vincere quaerit."
[2] Elip. ad. Albinum, sec. 7--"Oppressione gentis afflicti non
possumus tibi rescribere cuncta;" also, Ad Felic. "quotidiana
dispendia quibus duramus potius quam vivimus."
[3] There are some doubts about this council.
[4] Fleury, v. 236. Hefele dates it 796.
[5] See letter of Spanish bishops to Charles, asking for
Felix's restoration (794).
[6] Leo III. said of him, at a council held in Rome (799):
"_Fugiens ad paganos consentaneos_ perjuratus effectus est."
See Froben, "Dissert," sec. 24; apud Migne, ci, pp. 305-336.
In 792 Alcuin was summoned from England to come and defend the orthodox
position. He wrote at once to Felix a kindly letter, admonishing him of
his errors, and acknowledging that all his previous utterances on
theology had been sound and true. Felix answered this letter, but his
reply is not preserved. To the same, or following, year belongs the
letter of Elipandus and the bishops of Spain to Charles and the bishops
of Gaul, defending their doctrine, and asking for the restoration of
Felix.
In 794 was held another council at Frankfurt, at which Alcuin and other
English clergy were present. Felix was summoned to attend, and heard his
heresy again condemned and anathematised, the decree to this effect
being sent to Elipandus.[1] Alcuin's book was read by Charles, and sent
into Septimania by the hands of the abbot Benedict.
The next council was held at Rome in 798 to confirm the one at
Frankfurt.[2] In 799 came out Felix's answer to Alcuin, sent by him
first to Elipandus, and, after being shewn to the Cordovan clergy, sent
on to Charles. Alcuin is charged to answer it, with Paulinus and the
Pope as his coadjutors.
In the same year another council was held at Aix, where Alcuin argued
for a week with Felix, and apparently convinced him, for Felix again
recanted, and even wrote a confession of faith discarding the word
adoption, but still preserving the distinction of predicates belonging
to the two natures.[3] Alcuin's book, after being revised by Charles,
was published 800 A.D. Previously to this he had written to Elipandus,
who answered in no measured terms, accusing Alcuin, among other things,
of enormous wealth. This lett
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