(Kist); a misinterpretation of the stella stercoraria (Schmidt); a satirical allegory on the origin and
circulation of the false decretals of Isidor (Henke and Gfrörer); an impersonation of the great whore
of the Apocalypse, and the popular expression of the belief that the mystery of iniquity was working
in the papal court (Baring-Gould).
David Blondel, first destroyed the credit of this mediaeval fiction, in his learned French
dissertation on the subject (Amsterdam, 1649). spanheim defended it, and Mosheim credited it
much to his discredit as an historian. See the elaborate discussion of Döllinger, Papst-Fabeln des
Mittelalters, 2d ed. Munchen, 1863 (Engl. transl. N. Y., 1872, pp. 4–58 and pp. 430–437). Comp.
also Bianchi-Giovini, Esame critico degli atti e documenti della papessa Giovanna, Mil. 1845, and
the long note of Gieseler, II. 30–32 (N. Y. ed.), which sums up the chief data in the case.
§ 60. The Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals.
I. Sources.
The only older ed. of Pseudo-Isidor is that of Jacob Merlin in the first part of his Collection of
General Councils, Paris, 1523, Col., 1530, etc., reprinted in Migne’s Patrol. Tom. CXXX.,
Paris, 1853.
Far superior is the modem ed. of P. Hinschius: Decretales Pseudo-Isidorianae et Capitula Angilramni.
Lips. 1863. The only critical ed, taken from the oldest and best MSS. Comp. his Commentatio
de, Collectione Isidori Mercatoris in this ed. pp. xi-ccxxxviii.
II. Literature.
Dav. Blondel: Pseudo-Isidorus et Turrianus vapulantes. Genev. 1628.
F. Knust: De Fontibus et Consilio Pseudo-Isidorianae collectionis. Gött. 1832.
A. Möhler (R.C.): Fragmente aus und uber Isidor, in his "Vermischte Schriften" (ed. by Döllinger,
Regensb. 1839), I. 285 sqq.
H. Wasserschleben: Beiträge zur Gesch. der falschen Decret. Breslau, 1844. Comp. also his art. in
Herzog.
C. Jos. Hefele (R.C.): Die pseudo-Isidor. Frage, in the "Tubinger Quartalschrift, "1847.
Gfrörer: Alter, Ursprung, Zweck der Decretalen des falschen Isodorus. Freib. 1848.
Jul. Weizsäcker: Hinkmar und Pseudo-Isidor, in Niedner’s "Zeitschrift fur histor. Theol.," for 1858,
and Die pseudo-isid. Frage, in Sybel’s "Hist. Zeitschrift, "1860.
C. von Noorden: Ebo, Hinkmar und Pseudo-Isidor, in Sybel’s "Hist. Zeitschrift," 1862.
Döllinger in Janus, 1869. It appeared in several editions and languages.
Ferd. Walter (R.C.): Lehrbuch des Kirchenrechts aller christl. Confessionen. Bonn (1822), 13th
ed. 1861. The same transl. into French, Italian, and Spanish.
J. W. Bickell: Geschichte des Kirchenrechts. Giessen, 1843, 1849.
G. Phillips (R.C.): Kirchenrecht. Regensburg (1845), 3rd ed. 1857 sqq. 6 vols. (till 1864). His
Lehrbuch, 1859, P. II. 1862.
Jo. Fr. von Schulte (R.C., since 1870 Old Cath.): Das Katholische Kirchenrecht. Giessen, P. I. 1860.
Lehrbuch, 1873. Die Geschichte der Quellen und Literatur des Canonischen Rechts von Gratian
bis auf die Gegenwart. Stuttgart, 1875 sqq.3 vols.
Aem. L. Richter: Lehrbuch des kath. und evang. Kirchenrechts. Leipz., sixth ed. by Dove, 1867
(on Pseudo-Isidor, pp. 102–133).
Henry C. Lea: Studies in Church History. Philad. 1869 (p. 43–102 on the False Decretals).