110. From Eusebius (in Vit. Constant. 1. iv. c. 27) and
Sozomen (1. i. c. 9) we are assured that the episcopal
jurisdiction was extended and confirmed by Constantine; but
the forgery of a famous edict, which was never fairly
inserted in the Theodosian code (see at the end, tom. vi. p.
303), is demonstrated by Godefroy in the most satisfactory
manner. It is strange that M. de Montesquieu, who was a
lawyer as well as a philosopher, should allege this edict of
Constantine (The Spirit of Laws, xxii. 21) without
intimating any suspicion.