2. To this I make, as I think, a suitable answer. No one ought to consider me contumacious when I affirm what your father of august memory not only replied by word of mouth, “When Valentinian was journeying from Constantinople to Rome…some bishops despatched Hypatian…to request permission to assemble themselves together for deliberation on questions of doctrine.…Valentinian made the following reply: ‘I am but one of the laity, and have therefore no right to interfere in these transactions; let the priests, to whom such matters appertain, assemble where they please.’” Sozomen, Eccl. Hist. VI. 7 [Vol. II. of this series]. The law referred to is not extant. but also sanctioned by his laws, that, in a matter of faith, or any ecclesiastical ordinance, he should judge who was not unsuited by office, nor disqualified by equity, for these are the words of the rescript. That is, it was his desire that priests should judge concerning priests. Moreover, if a bishop were accused of other matters also, and a question of character was to be enquired into, it was also his will that this should be reserved for the judgment of bishops.