The Title of President is given him in a Letter, which is commonly ascribed to Pope _Felix_ III[N11.1]. But I am well apprised, that no great Stress should be laid on that Piece, since some surmise it to have been composed in the Eighth Century. Footnote N11.1: Concil. t. 1. p. 1072. ----- The Honour of presiding belonged of Right to _Alexander_ Bishop of _Alexandria_; but he, it seems, declined it, perhaps to obviate the Complaints of the _Arians_, who looked upon him as a Party concerned, and one highly prejudiced against them. I know that the haranguing of _Constantine_ is ascribed to _Eusebius_ the Historian, in the Title of the Chapter in which he mentions it[581], that _Sozomen_ positively affirms it, and that the learned _Valesius_ thinks there is no room to doubt of it, since _Eusebius_ was the most eloquent Bishop of those Times; and besides, he himself tells us, that he pronounced a Speech in Praise of _Constantine_, on occasion of his entering into the Twentieth Year of his Reign, while he was sitting in the midst of the Ministers of God[582]; meaning thereby, no doubt, the Bishops assembled at _Nice_. [Sidenote: Eusebius _of_ Cæsarea _did not harangue the Emperor at the Opening of the Council_,] That _Eusebius_ harangued the Emperor before that venerable Assembly, is not at all to be questioned; but that the Bishops, who composed it, should have pitched upon one who was suspected, or rather convicted, of _Arianism_, to address the Emperor in their Name, at the Opening of the Council, seems to me highly improbable. The Orator, whoever he was, sat in the first Place, or at least in the second (that I may not quarrel with _Baronius_, who will have the Place on the Left-hand to have been the most honourable[583]): And what Right had the Bishop of _Cæsarea_ to that Honour? [Sidenote: _but on another Occasion_.] I may add, that a short Compliment, such as is that which the Presbyter _Gregory_ ascribes to _Eustathius_ of _Antioch_[584], had been far more proper on that Occasion than _Eusebius_’s long and tedious Panegyric, which therefore some suppose to have been pronounced on Occasion of the magnificent Entertainment which _Constantine_ gave the Bishops, as they were preparing to return to their respective Sees; for he then entered into the Twentieth Year of his Reign, which began on the 25th of _July_ 325. and it was on that Occasion that _Eusebius_ writ, and delivered his Panegyric before the Emperor, and the Fathers of the Council, as he himself declares[585]. To conclude, had _Eusebius_ been appointed by that great Assembly to address the Emperor in their Name, his Modesty had not prevented him from describing the Spokesman so as to leave no room to doubt on whom that Honour had been conferred. [Sidenote: _The Council of_ Nice _not convened by the Pope_.]