to the Emperors,and to obviate the frequent Changes that were thereby introduced into the Church. [Sidenote: _The Prefectures of_ Illyricum, Gaul, _and_ Spain.] The Prefecture of _Illyricum_ had but one Exarch, the Bishop of _Thessalonica_, the Metropolis of the _Macedonian_ Diocese. In the Prefecture of _Gaul_ there was no Exarch, but in the Two Dioceses of _Gaul_ and _Spain_ as many Metropolitans as Provinces. Some there were, without all Doubt, in the Diocese of _Britain_, which was divided into Five Provinces, _viz._ _Maxima Cæsariensis_, _Britannia Prima_, _Britannia Secunda_, _Valentia_, and _Flavia Cæsariensis_. But in this Island an intire Change was made, by the _Saxons_, both in the Ecclesiastical and Civil Polity. [Sidenote: _The Prefecture of_ Italy.] Under the Prefect of _Italy_ were Three Dioceses, _viz._ _Italy_, _West Illyricum_, and _West Africa_. The Diocese of _Italy_ was divided into Two Vicarages, as I have observed above, and governed by Two Vicars; the one called the Vicar of _Rome_, and residing in that City, the other styled the Vicar of _Italy_, and residing at _Milan_. Under the former were Ten Provinces, _viz._ _Campania_, _Apulia_, _Lucania_, _Hetruria_, _Umbria_, _Picenum Suburbicarium_, _Sicily_, _Sardinia_, _Corsica_, and _Valeria_; and Seven under the latter, _viz._ _Liguria_, _Æmilia_, _Flaminia_ or _Picenum Annonarium_, _Venetia_, _Istria_, _Alpes Cottiæ_, and the Two _Rhætiæ_. [Sidenote: _The Ecclesiastical Polity there intirely agreeable to the Civil._] Such was the Civil Government of _Italy_, and intirely agreeable to the Civil was the Ecclesiastical. Thus the Bishop of _Rome_ enjoyed all the Privileges of a Metropolitan, with respect to the Bishops of the Provinces subject to the Vicar of that City, or the _Suburbicarian_ Provinces, as they are styled by _Ruffinus_. In like manner the Bishop of _Milan_ exercised the Power and Authority of a Metropolitan over all the Bishops under the Vicar of _Italy_. But the Power of both was confined within the Limits of their respective Vicarages. As neither had the Charge of a whole Diocese, they were not, like several Bishops in the East, distinguished with the Title of Exarch, which they had no Right to, but with that only of Metropolitan. However, the Power of the Bishop of _Rome_ far exceeded, within the Bounds of his Jurisdiction, that of other Metropolitans, as I shall shew hereafter. [Sidenote: _The Ecclesiastical Polity in_ Africa.]