Pope again that he would please to Anathematize Rodolphus who endeavour'd to get possession of his Kingdom Which Gregory refusing to do Henry was so angry that he studied day and night to ruin the Pope In the mean while lest Sedition should be wanting in Christendom Michael and Andronicus his Son who had been by force depriv'd of the Empire of Constantinople by Nicephorus Bucamor came for refuge to Gregory who not only excommunicated Nicephorus but employ'd Rogerius a feudatary of the Roman Church to restore Michael with whom he discours'd at Ceperano to the Empire In pursuance of which command he got a Navy and leaving his younger Son Rogerius in Italy he took Boëmund his other Son along with him and sailed first to Valona but pitch'd his Camp near Durazzo resolving to make sure of that City which was so convenient for the carrying on of the War But Dominick Sylvius Duke of Venice who was of Nicephorus's party beat Rogerius from the Siege with great loss on both sides But not long after Nicephorus was betray'd by Alexius Mega General of his Forces and made a Prisoner the City being given up for three days to be plunder'd by the Soldiers according to compact Nicephorus himself was taken in the Church of Sancta Sophia but his life 〈◊〉 upon condition that he would take upon him the habit of a Monk for as long as he lived Gregory seeing that Henry was incited against the Church by some seditious Bishops called a great Synod and forbad Gilbert Arch-bishop of Ravenna for his pride and malice the exercise of his Episcopal or Priestly function under pain of an Anathema or Curse For when he was summon'd to appear before the Sea Apostolick being conscious of his crimes he would not obey the Citation for which alone he deserv'd the penalty of an Anathema He likewise censured Roland of Treviso for that when he was Legat in order to a Peace between him and Henry he sowed the seeds of discord and not unity to get a Bishoprick by the bargain 〈◊〉 did he spare Hugo Cardinal of St. Clements who had seditiously and heretically conspired with Cadolus Bishop of Parma In fine he chose three at the same Assembly to wit Bernard the Deacon the other Bernard Abbat of Marseilles and Odo Arch-bishop of Treves to go Legates à Latere from the Sea Apostolick to compose all differences between Henry and Rodolphus For the wise Pope saw that such a quarrel unless it were timely ended would occasion great calamities one time or other to Christendon But because he well knew that there would not be lacking such mischievous men as would endeavour to hinder it because it was their interest to foment rather than remove the dissention he gave the Legates Letters Apostolical to the several Princes and States written after this manner We taking notice of the weakness covetousness and ambition of mankind do charge all manner of persons whether Kings Arch-bishops Bishops Dukes Counts Marquesses or Knights that either out of pride cunning or covetousness they give no hindrance to our Legats whilst they negotiate the Peace And whosoever shall be so rash as to contravene this Order which I hope none will and shall hinder our Legats from composing a Peace I bind him under an Anathema both in Spirituals and Temporals by Apostolick Power and take away from him the advantage of any Victory he has gain'd that he may at least be confounded and be converted by a double penance He likewise commanded the Legates to call a Diet in Germany and deliberately examine who of the two Kings had the right and accordingly by the consent of all good Men to assign him the Kingdom whose cause was justest and that He when he should hear what they had determin'd would confirm it by the authority of God and S. Peter than which there cannot be greater But in the mean while Gregory lest the Church of Rome should suffer by Simony called a Council and therein confirm'd the Decrees of his Predecessors made to put a stop to that evil in these words We following the example of our Predecessors as we have formerly in other Councils do decree and ordain by the authority of Almighty God that whoever for the future accepts of a Bishoprick an Abbacy or any other Ecclesiastical preferment from a Layman shall not by any means be esteemed a Bishop an Abbat or a Clergy man nor let the same person dare to approach the Apostolical Sea before he has repented and left the place that he gain'd by ambition and contumacy which is the sin of Idolatry And under the same Censures we bind Kings Dukes and Princes who shall dare to confer Bishopricks or other Ecclesiastical Dignities upon any person against Law and Reason Furthermore we confirm the sentence of Anathema which was justly given against Theobald Archbishop of Milan and Gilbert Arch-bishop of Ravenna as also against Roland Arch-bishop of Treviso and we lay the same Censure upon Peter who was formerly Bishop of Redona but is now an Usurper in the Church 〈◊〉 Narbonne Moreover we deny S. Peter's favour and entrance into the Church to all such till they have repented and satisfied for their offences be they Normans Italians or any other Nation who have in the least injured or violated the Marcha di Termo in Ancona the Dutchy of Spoleto Campagna di Roma Sabina Tivoli Palestrina Frascati or Alba or the parts that lie toward the Tuscan Sea Add to these the Monastery of St. Benedict and all the Country of Cassino as also Benevent in Abruzzo But if any one pretends a just cause for taking what he has not yet restored let him demand justice of us or our Officers and if they are not satisfied we grant them leave to take back as much as will satisfie them not excessively like Robbers but as becomes Christians and such Men who only retake what is their own and desire not other mens goods fearing the anger of God and the Curse of S. Peter After that he confirmed the Curse against Henry afresh in these words Blessed Peter and thou Paul Doctor of the Gentiles I beseech you to hearken unto me a little and hear me in mercy for you are Disciples and Lovers of Truth and what I say is true I undertake this cause for Truths sake that my Brethren whose salvation I desire may obey me more willingly and that they may know how I rely upon your assistance next to that of Christ and his Virgin Mother whilst I resist the wicked and am a present guard continually to the faithful For I did not ascend this Sea willingly but against my inclinations even with tears in my eyes that they should think such a worthless Man as me fit to sit in such a lofty Throne But this I say because I did not chuse you but you me and imposed this heavy burden upon my shoulders But the Sons of Belial are risen up against me since I have ascended the Mount
because I cry aloud and tell the people of their crimes and the Sons of the Church of their sins and have laid violent hands upon me even unto blood For the Kings of the Earth stood up and the Princes of the World with some Ecclesiasticks and others have conspired against the Lord and me his Anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast their yoke from us and this they did that they might either kill or banish me Of these one was King Henry as they call him Henry I say Son to Henry the Emperour who exalted his horns and lifted up his heel too proudly against the Church of God in a conspiracy with many Bishops of Italy Germany and France whose ambition your authority has yet opposed This same person came to me in Lombardy when he was rather forced by necessity than sober in his resolutions and begg'd to be absolv'd from his Anathema and accordingly I receiv'd him because I thought him a Penitent but only admitted him to the Communion of the Church not restored him to his Kingdom from which I had justly expelled him in the Council at Rome nor did I give the Subjects of the Kingdom leave to pay him their former Allegiance And this I did that if he delay'd his reconcilement with the neighbouring Nations whom he had always vexed and should refuse to restore as well Ecclesiastical as Secular Estates according to his word he might be forc'd to his duty by Anathema's and Arms. Some Bishops of Germany made use of this opportunity as also certain Princes who had been long tormented by this wild beast thought fit to chuse Rodolphus for their King and Governour since Henry had lost his Throne by his flagitious actions And truly Rodolphus like a modest and just King sent Embassadours to let me know he was forced to take the Government into his hand though he was not so desirous of Dominion but that he would rather obey us than those that had chosen him to the Kingdom That he would always be at Gods and our disposal and that we might believe him he offered his Sons for hostages for his performance Thereupon Henry began to rage and first to desire us that we would use our spiritual Sword to depose Rodolphus I answered him That I would see who had most right and would send Agents thither to examine the matter and then I my self would judg whose cause was the juster Henry would not suffer our Legates to determine the matter but kill'd a great many men both Ecclesiastical and Laick plunder'd and prophan'd Churches and by this means made himself obnoxious to an Anathema Wherefore I trusting in Gods mercy and judgment in the patronage of the blessed Virgin and relying upon your Authority do lay Henry and his accomplices under a Curse and once more deprive him of his regal Power interdicting all Christians whom I absolve from all Oaths of Allegiance to him from obeying Henry in any case whatever but command 'em to receive Rodolphus as their King whom many Princes of the Realm have chosen since Henry was deposed For it is fit that seeing Henry is deprived of his Power for his pride and contumacy Rodolphus who is beloved by all should be invested with the Kingly power and dignity for his Piety and Religion Go to then ye Princes of the holy Apostles and confirm what I have 〈◊〉 by your authority that all men at last may know that if you can bind and loose in Heaven that We also upon Earth can take away and give Kingdoms Principalities Empires and whatsoever is in the possession of Mortals For if you can judg of things divine what may we think of things prophane here below And if you may judg of Angels that govern proud Princes what may you not do to their Servants Let all Kings and Princes of the World take notice by his example what you can do in Heaven how God esteems you and then let 'em not contemn the Decrees of the Church And I 〈◊〉 you suddenly to execute judgment upon Henry that all may see that son of Iniquity did not lose his Kingdom by chance but by your permission and consent And this I have requested of you that he may repent and be saved in the day of Judgment by the help of your prayers Given at Rome the 5th of March Indiction III. After that he degraded Gilbert the Author of all this discord and Schism from the Church of Ravenna and commanded all Priests belonging to that Church to pay no obedience to him who was the cause of all their misfortunes and therefore Anathematized And that the people might not want a Governour he imitated Peter who used to send 〈◊〉 in his own room upon occasion and sent 'em another Arch bishop with full power to extirpate Gilbert's Faction and confirm mens minds in the faith But then Henry who was rather provoked than chastized by these Censures and had taken the Bishop of Ostia then Legate as he return'd home called a Council of the disaffected Bishops and chose Gilbert formerly Arch-bishop of Ravenna Pope and called him Clement But being teazed by the 〈◊〉 he left his new Pope for a time and went against them where he engaged and received a great overthrow Rodolphus though he was Conquerour yet was found dead at a little distance of a wound which he received They say Henry was so affrighted at that bloody ingagement that he could scarce be found in seventeen days and that the Germans in the mean time had put his Son Henry in his room by the name of Henry IV. Both these coming after with an united Body of Men into Italy to settle their Pope Clement in the Pontificate and to turn 〈◊〉 Gregory they easily subdu'd Maude who came to meet 'em with a small Army This same Maude when her first Husband died not long before that time was married to Azo Marquis d'Este her former Husbands near kinsman by blood and related to her in the third degree of Affinity But when the matter was known she was divorced from Azo at Gregory's persuasion Henry having conquer'd Maude at Parma march'd to Rome and her Husband Azo after an hostile manner and pitch'd his Camp in the Prati di Nerone and going into the Borgo di Sancto Pietro he and his Pope Clement prophaned St. Peter's Church and demolish'd the Portico and did the like by St. Pauls But seeing he could not get into the City he went to Tivoli from whence as from a Castle he made daily incursions upon the Romans till by wasting all that came near him he reduced them to such necessity that they desired Peace upon any terms of which notice being given to Henry by some deserters who got out of the Town he drew his men up and entred in whereupon the Pope who could not trust the People betook himself into the Castle St. Angelo where he was besieged for some time they within maintaining the place stoutly Gregory's Nephew
But such a Government as this was long in growing and required much time to bring it to a maturity because many difficulties interposed in the way For in the first place the very foundation of Christianity which was humility was diametrically opposite to Grandeur and Dominion then the Popes were chosen by the People to whom they were accountable for all their administrations and to the Clergy for their soundness in Faith and Orthodox Doctrine for which reason Pope Eugenius the first was Interdicted by the Clergy from celebrating Divine Service in Santa Maria Maggiore until he had disclaimed publickly the Heresie he held of one Operation or Will in Christ the Assertors of which were called Monothelites and this Choice of the People required a confirmation from the Emperour before the Pope could be legally invested in his Authority the which is apparent in all History and in regard the Seat of the Emperours was far distant a Power was delegated to the Exarch of Ravenna to confirm the suffrages of the people in case the person they had chosen was not obnoxious or displeasing to the Emperour and so it was when Severinus was made Pope that Isaacius the Exarch of Italy made a journey to Rome to confirm him though before his departure he plundered the Lateran of its Treasures in which attempt though he was opposed by some of the Clergy yet his Soldiers being too strong for them he carried away his prize upon a pretence that it was unreasonable the Clergy should grow rich and the State poor and that they should amass vast sums into their Coffers when the Soldiers who were their defence and guard were miserably necessitous and in a starving condition Nor had the See of Rome less difficulty in its advancement by reason of the long disputes and contentions between that and the Church of Constantinople for precedency to which several Princes gave encouragement who asserted that the Supremacy ought to be lodged at that place which was accounted and esteemed the Capital Seat of the Empire On the other side the Roman Bishops termed Constantinople but a Colony of Rome since the Greeks themselves stiled their Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Emperour of the Romans and the Constantinopolitans themselves even in that age were called Romans and not Greeks the which Controversie remained undecided until the time of Boniface the third who by great intercession and a powerful interest obtain'd of the Emperour Phocas that the See of Rome should be acknowledged and stiled the Head of all the Churches But notwithstanding this priviledg given to the See of Rome the Popes continued still in their dependence on the Emperor's confirmation without which their Election was not valid And though in the time of Mauritius the Emperour Pelagius the 2d was made Bishop of Rome without the Imperial consent and confirmation and though the same was excused by a cause of necessity occasioned by the Siege which the Lombards had laid to the City yet the Emperour was much displeased with this encroachment upon his Prerogative until such time as Gregory a Deacon a Person of great Piety and Learning was sent to Constantinople to appease his anger In this manner the Popes depended on the Emperours pleasure for their confirmation until about the year 705. when Benedict the second was created Pope a Person of so much piety and vertue and of compassion towards the poor that he gained an esteem aud veneration from all people of what degree soever and so great was his renown that the report of his Vertue and Devotion reaching the Ears of the Emperour he conceived such a high Opinion of his Sanctity that he sent him a Decree whereby he ordained and established that for the time to come He whom the Clergy and people of Rome should choose Pope should be immediately acknowledged without recourse to the Authority of the Emperour or his Exarchs according to former custom when the confirmation of the Emperour or his Lieutenant in Italy was esteemed necessary to the establishment of a Pope But whence this Temporal Power was derived in its first Original to the Popes hath been an enquiry of divers Authors There are those who pretend a Donation from the Emperour Constantine by which the City of Rome it self most part of Italy Africa and all the Islands of the Mediterranean Seas were conferred upon them But this Opinion is exploded by Guicciardin an Author without exception in this case And moreover in all History these particulars are very clear and apparent as namely That during the Exarchate the Popes had nothing to do with the Temporal Sword but lived as Subjects to the Emperour That after the overthrow of the Exarchate the Emperours neglecting Italy the Romans began to be governed by the advice and power of the Popes That Pepin of France having subdued the Kingdom of the Lombards gave unto Pope Gregory the 3d. and his Successours Ravenna Urbin Ancona Spoleto with many other Towns and Territories about Rome in testimony and remembrance of which there remains unto this day a Marble Stone ingraven in Latin with this Inscription thereupon and Englished thus Pepin the most pious King of France was the first who gave example to Posterity how and in what manner the Power and Authority of Holy Church was to be amplified and increased After which Charlemagne or Charles the Great the Son of Pepin having made his entrance into Rome in the time of Pope Adrian the first confirmed by Oath and amply enlarged the Donation which his Father Pepin had made to Gregory the 3d. which as our Platina saith contained in Liguria all that reaches from the long since demolished City Luna to the Alps the Isle of Corsica and the whole Tract between Luca and Parma together with Friuli the Exarchate of Ravenna and the Dukedoms of Spoleto and Beneventum And though the Popes having this Temporal Power began to set up for themselves maintaining That the Pontifical Dignity was to give Laws to the Emperours and not to receive them yet this Doctrine was not openly asserted during the Reign of Charlemagne who challenged and exercised the antient and original power to govern the Church to call Councils and to order the Papal Election The which Power continued for a long time in his posterity and so afterwards remained so long as wise and valiant Princes ruled but when weak Princes who were distracted with great and dangerous Wars governed then the Popes prevailed who were strong in their Councils being for the most part composed of subtil and designing Men Howsoever these turns of Fortune were carried in succeeding times with various changes and successes the Emperour sometimes tugging and plucking from the Pope and the Pope from the Emperour winning or losing ground as they were endued with abilities courage and understanding or as the circumstances of the World were ordered and disposed in different times So Hadrian the 3d. was a Man of so great a Spirit that
reflections on his guilt at last laid violent hands on himself It is the judgment of 〈◊〉 that this Calamity befell the Christians by Gods permission as a just punishment for the great corruption of manners which the liberty and indulgence which they before enjoy'd had occasion'd among them all in general but especially among the Clergy to the hypocrisie of whose Looks the fraud of their Words and the deceit of their Hearts the divine Justice design'd to give a check by this Persecution Indeed the Envy Pride Animosity and Hatred with which they strove among themselves was grown to 〈◊〉 an heighth that it seemed rather a Centention between haughty Tyrants than humble Churchmen and having forgotten all true Christian Piety they did not so much perform as prophane the Divine Offices But what Calamity shall our presaging minds prompt us to expect in our Age in which our Vices have encreas'd to such a magnitude that they have 〈◊〉 left us any room for Gods mercy It would be to no purpose for me to mention the great Covetousness of the Clergy especially of those who are in Authority their Lust their Ambition their Pomp their Pride their Idleness their Ignorance of themselves and of the Doctrine of Christianity their little Piety and that rather seign'd than true and their great Debauchery so great that it would be abominable even in the prophane for so they superciliously call the Laicks this I say it would be to no purpose for me to tell since they themselves do avow their sins so openly that one would think they judg'd Vice to be a laudable quality and expected to gain Reputation by it The Turk believe me though I wish I may prove a false Prophet the Turk is coming whom we shall find a more violent Enemy to Christianity than Diocletian or Maximian He is already at the gates of Italy while we idly and supinely wait the common ruin every one consulting rather his one private pleasure than the publick Defence I come now again to Marcellinus whom I would to God we might at last imitate and return to a better mind For he as I said before finding his Errour in falling away from his Profession came to himself and did with great constancy sufter Martyrdom for the Faith of Christ after that at two Decembrian Ordinations he had made four Presbyters two Deacons five Bishops He was in the Chair nine years two months sixteen days and by his death the See was vacant twenty five days S. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS a Roman of the Region called Via lata the Son of Benedict was in the Chair from the time of Constantius and Galerius to Maxentius For Diocletian and Maximian having laid down their Authority Constantius and Galerius undertake the Government and divide the Provinces between them Illyricum Asia and the East fell to the share of Galerius but Constantius being a person of very moderate desires was contented with only Gallia and Spain though Italy also was his by Lot Hereupon Galerius created two Coesars Maximinus whom he made Governour of the 〈◊〉 and Severus to whom he intrusted Italy he himself holding Illyricum as apprehending that the most formidable Enemies of the Roman State would attempt their passage that way Constantius a man of singular meekness and clemency soon gain'd the universal love of the Gauls and the rather for that now they had escaped the danger they had been in before from the craft of Diocletian and the cruelty of Maximian But in the thirteenth year of his Reign he died at 〈◊〉 in England and by general consent of all men was placed in the number of the Gods Marcellus being intent upon the affairs of the Church and having persuaded Priscilla a Roman Matron to build at her own charge a Coemetery in the Via Salaria constituted twenty five Titles or Parishes in the City of Rome for the more advantageous and convenient administration of Baptism to those Gentiles who daily in great numbers were converted to the Faith having a regard likewise to the better provision which was thereby made for the Sepultures of the Martyrs But Maxentius understanding that Lucina a Roman Lady had made the Church her Heir was so incensed thereat that he banished her for a time and seizing Marcellus endeavoured by menaces to prevail with him to lay aside his Episcopal Dignity and renounce Christianity but finding his Commands despis'd and slighted by the good man he ordered him to be confined to a Stable and made to look after the Emperours Camels and Horses Yet this ignominious usage did not so discourage the good Bishop but that he kept constantly to stated times of Prayer and Fasting and though he was now disabled in person yet he neglected not by Epistle to take due care for the regulating of the Churches But before he had been there nine months his Clergy by night rescued him from this loathsom restraint whereupon Maxentius being yet more enraged secured him the second time and condemned him to the same filthy drudgery again the stench and nastiness of which at length occasioned his death His body was buried by Lucina in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Via Salaria on the sixteenth of January In time following when Christianity flourished a Church was built upon the ground where this Stable stood and dedicated to S. Marcellus which is to be seen at this day We read moreover that Mauritius together with his whole Legion of Christian Soldiers suffered themselves to be tamely cut off near the River Rhone to whom may be added Marcus Sergius 〈◊〉 Damianus with multitudes more who were slain in all places Marcellus being in the Chair five years six months twenty one days at several Decembrian Ordinations made twenty six Presbyters two Deacons twenty one Bishops and by his death the See was vacant twenty days S. EUSEBIUS EUSEBIUS a Grecian Son of a Physician entred upon the Pontisicate when Constantinus and Maxentius were Emperours For Constantius Grandson to Claudius dying Constantine his Son by Helena whom yet he afterwards divorced to gratifie Herculeus was with universal consent made Emperour of the West But in the mean time the Praetorian Guards at Rome in a tumultuary manner declare for Maxentius Son to Maximian Herculeus and give him the Title of Augustus Hereupon Maximian himself being raised to some hopes of recovering the Empire leaves his Retirement in Lucania and comes to Rome having by Letter endeavoured to persuade Diocletian to do the same To suppress these Tumults Galerius sends Severus with his Army who besieged the City but being deserted by the treachery of some of his Soldiers who favoured Maxentius his pretensions was forced to sly to Ravenna and there slain And indeed Maximian himself did very narrowly escape the revenge of his Son Maxentius who eagerly sought his Fathers life for endeavouring by promises and bribes to gain the good will of the Soldiers for himself But going into Gallia to his Son-in-law Constantine he there laid a
manner of filthiness The tidings of which mov'd Innocent to urge King Lewis to hasten his march towards Asia with those Forces he had already got together for that intent He complied and arriv'd at Cyprus but it was at so unseasonable a time of the year that he was forc'd to take up his Winter quarters there but as soon as Spring came on he sail'd to Damiata where he got the better of the Soldan's Navy and defeated his Land-forces who would have hindred his coming on Shore where he pitch'd his Camp for so long as till the rest of his Troops could arrive from Italy But these were very much retarded by the fury of Frederic who weaning himself after a while from the pleasures in which he had been immers'd takes up his Arms again and fills the whole Country with confusion and compells several Cities in which were many factious Persons to throw off their subjection to the Pope the chief of which were the Inhabitants of Forli Arimino Vrbin and all the Marca di Ancona In Vmbria none stood to their Allegiance but those of Todi Perugia and Assisi and in Tuscany onely the Florentines were on the Pope's side who therefore were so harass'd by the Army of Frederic that they were forc'd at last to banish so many of their fellow-Citizens as were of the Guelphs Faction The Bologneses had better luck for giving Battel to Henry one of Frederic's Generals they overthrew him and cut him to pieces Some write that 't was at this time that Frederic passing into Sicily died at Palermo while others affirm that he was taken desperately sick in Puglia and when he began to recover he was smother'd to death with a Pillow by one Manfred who was his natural Son begotten upon a Noble-Woman his Concubine Howsoever this was 't is certain that some time before his death he had made Manfred Prince of Tarento and had bestow'd upon him beside that Principality many other Towns and Territories He left Conrade whom he had by his Wife Jole Daughter to John King of Jerusalem Heir of all his Estates but he was afterwards taken off by Poison as was manifest by the means of Manfred having before seiz'd upon Naples and Aquino and sack'd them much against the mind of the Pope who vigorously opposed these proceedings though in vain in order to procure the peace of Italy that he might have liberty to transport the Italian Soldiers to recruit the Army of King Lewis then lying before Damiata But Damiata was now taken and Robert Earl of Poitiers coming with fresh supplies from France he marches from thence with his Army towards the City of Pharamia whither the Soldan apprehending his design was already come with great Forces There happen'd to be a River betwixt the two Armies by reason whereof they could not join Battel but they had frequent light Skirmishes both Generals keeping themselves within their Camps in one of which Robert rashly venturing too far was taken Prisoner by the Enemy By this time Innocent had almost extinguish'd those flames of War with which Italy had so long been consum'd and intended to have return'd to Rome having first canoniz'd Edmund Arch-bishop of Canterbury but when he came to Perugia he thought good to decline his journey to Rome understanding the Senate there arrogated to themselves more Power than stood with the dignity of the Pope and Court of Rome and there he canoniz'd and enroll'd among the holy Martyrs Peter of Verona a preaching Frier who had been murthered by some Hereticks between Milan and Como and the same honour he gave to S. Stanislaus Bishop of Cracow who in his life-time was very famous for working Miracles Hence he was invited by the Noblemen of the Kingdom of Sicily and immediately departed for Naples then newly repair'd where he died and was buried in S. Laurence's Church when he had been Pope fourteen years six months twelve days just in the nick of time when he had hopes to have brought into his possession all that Kingdom It was by the Decree of this excellent Pope Innocent that the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin was commanded to be observ'd yearly in the Church of God as a Festival He with good advice fill'd up the places in the College of Cardinals which had long been vacant with very worthy personages and ordain'd that when they rode abroad they should always wear a red Hat for an honourable distinction of the degree they held Moreover this learned Pope though raised to the highest dignity in the Church compil'd and publish'd several things for he composed the Apparatus or Glosses to the Decretals which are of great use to the Canonists because they contain many nice disquisitions which render the Text wonderfully plain and he put forth another upon the Councils which Hostiensis in his Summa calls the Authenticks He wrote also a Book concerning the Jurisdiction of the Emperour and the Authority of the Pope in answer to one Peter surnam'd Vinea who asserted that the Empire and every person and thing thereunto belonging were absolutely subject to the Emperour to which Book Innocent afterwards gave the Title of his Apologetick He was extremely delighted with the conversation of learned Men whom also he remembred to prefer to dignities in the Church particularly one Hugo who wrote Comments and Concordances upon the holy Bible a Person famous for his learning and good life he advanc'd to be Cardinal of S. Sabina which great promotion yet did not make him leave his former course of life being a Frier of the Order of S. Dominic In this Pope's Reign and by his Order Alexander of the Order of Friers Minors who was well in years when he took upon him a religious Habit wrote a very copious sum of Theology by the procurement also of this Pope and enabled by his bounty Bernardus Parmensis and Compostellanus two very learned Men at this time made publick their Works upon the Decretals which they call'd Apparatus Innocent had not long been dead when he was follow'd by his Nephew William whose Tomb is yet to be seen in the Church of S. Laurence without the Walls ALEXANDER IV. ALEXANDER the Fourth a Campanian born at Anagni was chosen Pope in the room of Innocent and streight sends monitory Letters to Manfred that he should not at his peril attempt any thing that might be a diminution of the honour of holy Church for he calling to his aid the Saracens from Nocera had surprised the Church-Forces utterly unprepared that were in Foggia and either put 'em to the Sword or took 'em Prisoners and pretending that Conradine was dead and that himself was his rightful Heir he had taken upon him to rule as King In the mean while the Christians who we told you had encamp'd near the City of Pharamia were very much visited with sickness and press'd with want of Provisions that part of Nile being prepossess'd by the Enemy by which they were wont to be
long for they soon altered their minds and clap'd him in Prison This affront gave great offence to the Bononians who seizing several Romans protested they would never release them but upon the delivery of their Brancaleon which so wrought upon the cautious Romans that they not onely released him but restor'd him to his former dignity setting up also another Court of men chosen out of every Ward in the City whom they called Banderese to whom they committed the Power of life and death The Pope plainly found the reason of this insolence of the Romans to be that they observ'd how Manfredus had plagu'd him and that he was not able to help himself That he might therefore at last free the Church from the tyranny of these men he sent Legates to Lewis King of France to exhort him that he would assoon as possible send his Cousin and Son-in-law Charles Earl of Provence and Anjou with an Army into Italy he intending upon the expulsion of Manfredus to create him King of both Sicilies And this no doubt he had done so high were his resentments of the Ingratitude of Manfredus if sickness had not taken him off from business Which yet was brought to pass as is supposed by the following Pope To the times of this Pope is ascribed Albertus a High German of the Order of Friers Predicant who for the vastness of his learning got the Surname of Magnus He Commented upon all the Works of Aristotle and explain'd the Christian Religion with great acuteness beside he wrought very accurately concerning the secrets of Nature He also put forth a Book de Coaequaevis wherein he endeavours to shew the little difference that is between Theology and Natural Philosophy He expounded a great part of the Holy Bible and illustrated the Gospels and S. Paul's Epistles with excellent Notes He began also a Body of Divinity but liv'd not to perfect it He was a man so modest and so much given to Study that he refused the Bishoprick of Ratisbon because it could not be manag'd without trouble and force of Arms sometimes as the Bishops of Germany are wont to do He liv'd therefore in private at Cologn reading onely some publick Lectures At length he died there in the eightieth year of his age leaving behind him many Scholars for the good of Posterity especially Thomas Aquinas who leaving his Countrey and his noble kinred for he deriv'd his pedigree from the Counts of Apulia and going to Cologn he made such progress in learning that after a few years he was made Professor at Paris where he published four Books upon the Sentences and wrote a Book against William de St. Amour a pernicious Fellow Beside he put forth two Books one de qualitate essentiis the other de principiis naturae At last he was sent for to Rome by Vrban but refusing those promotions that were offered him he gave himself wholly to Reading and Writing He set up a School at Rome and at the desire of Vrban he wrote several Pieces and ran through almost all Natural and Moral Philosophy with Commentaries and set forth a Book contra Gentiles He expounded the Book of Job and compiled the Catena aurea He composed also an Office for the Sacrament in which most of the Types of the old Testament are explained But to return to Vrban he died at Perugia in the third year first month and fourth day of his Pontificate and was buried in the Cathedral Church The Sea then was vacant five months CLEMENT IV. CLEMENT the fourth formerly called Guidodi Fulcodio a Narbonnese of S. Giles's deserv'd to be made Pope upon the account of his Holiness and Learning For he being without question the best Lawyer in France and pleading with great integrity in the Kings Court was created after the death of his Wife by whom he had several Children first of all Bishop of Pois and then of Harbonne and last of all a Cardinal by universal consent and afterward was chosen out as the onely Person whose sincerity and Authority had qualified him to compose the Differences between Henry King of England and Simon Earl of Montford As soon as he was chosen Pope some say he put on the Habit of a Religious Mendicant and went incognito to Perugia Thither immediately went the Cardinals who having chosen him Pope though in his absence attended upon him pompously to Viterbo In the mean time Charles whom we said Pope Vrban sent for to bestow a Kingdom upon him set out from Marseilles with thirty Ships and coming up the Tiber arriv'd at Rome Where he lived as a Senator so long by the Popes order till certain Cardinals sent from his Holiness came and declared him King of Jerusalem and Sicily in the Palace of St. Giovanni Laterano upon this condition that Charles should take an Oath to pay the Sea of Rome a yearly acknowledgment of forty thousand Crowns and should not accept of the Roman Empire though it were freely offer'd to him For there was at that time a great contest for the Empire between Alphonsus King of Castile who sought to procure it by Power and bribery too and the Earl of Corâ—wall the King of Englands Brother whom the Electors had no great thoughts of Therefore lest Manfred should hope to make use of any quarrels between Alphonsus and Charles to whom many people said the Empire was justly due though he could not challenge it the Pope animated Charles against Manfred as one that stood in Contempt of the Roman Church For Charles's Army was already gotten over the Alpes into Italy and marching through Romagnia had brought all the Soldiers of the Guelphs Party as far as Rome From whence Charles removed and took not onely Ceperane having beaten out Manfred's men but posted himself in a Forest near Cassino which Manfred himself had undertaken to defend although his mind was soon alter'd and he resolv'd to march for Benevento to expect the Enemy in plain and spacious places because his forces consisted most of Cavalry Thither also did Charles move and assoon as he had an opportunity to fight did not decline it though his Soldiers were very weary with travelling Each of them encouraged their men to engage But Charles coming to relieve a Troop of his Soldiers that were like to be worsted more eagerly than usually as in such cases Military Men will do he was knock'd down from his Horse at which the Enemy was so transported that Manfred fought carelesly out of rank and file and was kill'd which when Charles appeared again straight turn'd the fortune of the Day For many of his men that ran away were kill'd and a great many others taken Prisoners Charles having obtain'd so great a Victory removes to Benevento and marches into it upon a voluntary surrender of the Citizens From thence he went to storm Nocera de Pagani where both the modern and the ancient Saracens lived but sent his Mareschal into Tuscany with five hundred Horse to restore
Duke of Millain and took Bernabos's Son and Nephews into the City Then Philip by the persuasions of his Friends married Beatrice Fazinus's Widow who was very Rich and had Authority with the Soldiers that had fought under her Husband Fazinus By this means he had all the Cities that paid homage to Fazinus presently surrender'd to him and drew Carmignola and Siccus Montagnanus who had seditiously divided the Legion between them after Fazinus's death to come to fight under his Colours by the perswasions of Beatrice Which two Commanders Philip made use of afterward and by their assistance drave Bernabos's Son Astorgius out of Millain but kill'd him at the taking of Monza Things went thus in Millain and thereabouts when John Francis Gonzaga Son to Francis that was deceased went with a competent Army of Horse and Foot to guard Bologna at the command of Pope John under whose Banner he then fought For Malatesta of Rimini stipendiary to King Ladislaus laid close Siege to the City at that time He therefore by the aid of the Bolognians fought several sharp Battels with the Enemies in which he had the better and defended the City most gloriously The Winter following Pope John was invaded by Ladislaus which made him remove from Rome to Florence and thence to Bologna Nor did he stay there long but he went to Mantoua where he was splendidly entertain'd by John Francis Gonzaga whom he took along with him at his departure thence together with great part of his Forces to Lodi whither he knew the King of Hungary would come For he trusted much to that Prince whose faithfulness and integrity he had such experience of in the Bolognian Wars though he had been tempted by Malatesta with gifts and promises to revolt to the Kings party But after when the Pope and the King did not think themselves sufficiently safe at Lauden they sent John Francis to Mantoua whether they said they 'd go with all speed to prepare for their coming and for the reception of such a multitude He went and quickly made all things ready and then returned to Cremona where he heard the Pope and the King by that time were arrived After that he conducted them to Mantoua where all the people came thronging out to meet them and they were much more kindly receiv'd than was expected Now in these several meetings at Lodi Cremona and Mantoua it was consider'd how they should remove Ladislaus out of Campagna di Roma Ombria and Tuscany for he had taken Rome and many other Towns belonging to the Church They saw that Italy could not be freed from the distractions of War by any other means and therefore they thought it convenient to advise concerning a supply to carry on the Affair not at Mantoua but Bologna when they were come thither But they had greater concerns still upon them For John being urged to call a Council by consent of all Nations for the removal of the Schism immediately sent two Cardinals into Germany to advise with the Princes of France and Germany and choose a convenient place for a Council to be held at Upon enquiry Constance a City within the Province of Mentze seemed to be most commodious for the purpose Thereupon they all went thither by a certain Day according to Order so likewise did Pope John himself though some advised him to the contrary because they told him they fear'd if he went thither as Pope he would return thence as a private person and so it fell out For going thither with certain Men that were excellent in all sorts of Learning he puzled the Germans so long with tedious Disputations that they could not tell what to Decree But Sigismund came up who gave every body leave to say what they pleased and then great and grievous Crimes were laid to the Popes charge upon which he went privately in disguise from Constance to Scaphusa for fear some dangerous Plot might be contrived against him Scaphusa was a City belonging to the Duke of Austria whither several Cardinals also that he had created betook themselves But they being called again by Authority of the Council John fled from Scaphusa to Friburgh designing to go if possibly he could with safety to the Duke of Burgundy But by the care of the Council John was taken and imprison'd near Constance in the Isle of S. Mark in the fourth year of his Pontificate and the tenth month Then the Council began to enquire the reason of his flight and choose several persons of great gravity and Learning as Delegates to examine and weigh the Objections made against John and make an orderly report of it to the Council There were above forty Articles proved against him of which some contain'd faults which he was so habituated to that he could not avoid them and therefore they were judged contrary to the Faith and some of them were likely to bring a scandal upon Christianity in general if they were not condemned in him Wherefore since they all agreed in the same Opinion John who was deservedly and justly deposed approved of their Sentence though pronounced against him And thereupon he was presenty sent to Lewis the Bavarian who was Gregory the 12th's Friend to be kept in custody till further Order from the Council Accordingly he was block'd up in the Castle of Haldeberg which was a very well fortified place for three years without any Chamberlain or Servant to attend him that was an Italian All his keepers were Germans with whom he was fain to talk by Nods and Signs because he neither understood the Teutonick Language nor they the Italian They say John was deposed by those very Men and them alone that were formerly his Friends For those that were of Gregory and Benedict's Party were not yet come to the Council These Men therefore that they might make their Deprivation of him just and perfect with one accord publish'd a Synodical Decree wherein they affirm'd that a general Council lawfully called was the Supream Authority next to Christ Grant but this fundamental Point and the Pope himself is inferiour to a Council Whereupon Gregory was forced by the persuasions of the Emperor Sigismund to send some Person to the Council because he would not go himself to approve of their proceedings in his Name So he sent Charles Malatesta an excellent Man who seeing them all agree to make Gregory also lay down all claim to the Papacy he stood forth before 'em all and sitting down in a Chair that was made as stately as if Gregory himself had been there he read the Instrument of Renunciation over and presently deposed Gregory for which free act of his he was made Legate of Millain by all the Council But this Person not long after dy'd at Recanati of grief as some say for his so sudden Deprivation before the time appointed For he was clearly for deferring the business as long as he could as placing some hope in delay But he died before Martin came to be Pope
Clement VII how he had sacked Rome and imprisoned the Pope and at the same time in a most hypocritical manner illuding God Almighty had made Processions at Madrid for the Pope's deliverance when he himself was the sole Author of his confinement farther purging himself of being any impediment or hinderance to the proceedings of a Council or giving an interruption to the quiet and settlement of Religion Hereupon the Pope that he might shew himself the common Father of Christian Princes on which title he laid the great stress of his Authority desired to interpose himself as Mediator of their differences and to that end dispatched Cardinal Contarini to the Emperor and Cardinal Sadoler to the French King but Contarini dying in his journey Cardinal Viseo was constituted in his place who being a person not very acceptable to the Emperor was not a proper instrument to effect the Pacification intended Howsoever tho the War proceeded and that acts of Hostility were committed in divers places yet the Pope prosecuted the design of a Council judging it his honor to be now positive as to the time and place and accordingly towards the beginning of November he sent three Cardinals viz. Peter Paul Parisio John Morone and Reginal le Poole an Englishman to be his Legates for preparing matters in order to the Council which was appointed to be holden at Trent besides whom many other Bishops were sent who were all men of excellent Learning and subtil Disputants but the Protestants refusing to meet at that place by virtue of the Pope's Authority these learned Doctors became all of one side and finding none to make opposition against them they might with much facility have confirmed and established what Fundamentals and conclusions they had pleased But as yet things were not prepared for any publick Act nor had the Legates Instructions as yet to conclude any thing but only entertain the Prelates and Embassadors which were sent thither The appearance at first was very thin and few Princes had sent their Ministers to Trent howsoever the Emperor tho he entertained little hopes of a good issue of these proceedings yet he resolved for prevention of Plots or Designs against him to send Don Diego de Mendoza and Cardinal Granvel to be his Embassadors at that place who being arrived pressed the Pope's Legates to proceed to the business that their time might not be there consumed to no purpose which the Legates endeavouring to evade and still to put delays and impediments in the way it was so displeasing to the Emperor's Ministers that they protested against those delatory excuses to which the Legates giving no answer Granvel was recalled and sent to reside at the Diet at Noremberg which was opened about the beginning of the year 1543. so that nothing moved forward in this Council by reason of the many obstructions and especially of the fierce War which now grew very hot between the Emperor and the French King and of the Plague which was begun at so that after some few Sessions to little purpose the Council was by order of the Pope adjourned to Bologna The Pope having advice that the Emperor who had now entered into a League with Henry VIII King of England against France intended to pass into Flanders by way of Italy he resolved to meet and speak with him pretending that his Errand was no other than like a Father and Spiritual Pastor to persuade and exhort him to Peace and Unity and to impart some things to him relating to the Council of Trent tho in reallity he had a more secret and peculiar design under the covert of these publick interests which was to procure the Dukedom of Milan for one of his Nephews and for an inducement thereunto intended to make offer of a good sum of mony which he supposed might be very prevalent with the Emperor at a time when his Wars in Flanders were pressing and expensive And therefore departing from Rome on the 26th of February and not regarding the coldness of the season which was inconvenient to one of his age he travelled through the Dominions of the Church and taking Modena Reggio Parma Ferrara Ancona Perugia and Viterbo in his way he at length came to Bologna where he remained until the middle of Summer when Charles V. arrived at Genoua where he was received into the Palace of Prince D'Oria prepared for him in all Royal and sumptuous manner he was there complemented by several Princes of Italy and particularly by Pier luigi Farnese whom the Pope had expresly sent to the Emperor intreating him to assign a time and place where the Pope might have discourse with him in order to some matters of great concernment The Emperor who was pressed to make all the speed possible into Flanders and had resentment of things which he took unkindly from the Pope made several excuses pretending that his Affairs would not permit him the leisure for such a meeting and that in case the Pope's business were exhortations to Peace and Reconciliation with France the matter was too far gone for him to afford any ear thereunto until he had first received some revenge and compensation for the injuries which had been offered him Pierluigi not succeeding in this request the Cardinal Farnese was immediately dispatched in post to Genoua to urge the Emperor with more pressing instances and being a person very eloquent and importunate he prevailed with the Emperor to meet and discourse with the Pope at Busetto a place between Vicenza and Cremona provided that this interview should not retard him in his journey for above the space of three days Accordingly the Pope came to Busetto on the 20th of June and the next day also the Emperor arrived when falling immediately upon business the Emperor would by no means hearken to the proposition which was made him for investing his Nephew Ottavio in the State of Milan and tho a sum of mony was offered for it which the present necessities did greatly require yet being supplied with two hundred thousand Crowns by agreement with Cormo de Medicis whereby he released to him all the Fortresses of the State of Florence he would upon no terms give ear to the proposition concerning Milan which when the Pope perceived and that his arguments and importunities for it were all insignificant he turned his discourse to matters of more publick concernment desiring him to consider the present state of the Church which was torn in pieces by diversity of Sects in Religion which took their advantage of those confusions which the Wars between him and France had caused and farther he represented to him the great danger in which his Brother Ferdinand was engaged by the formidable forces of the Turk which threatned Hungary in consideration of all which he begged of him to put an end to his Wars against Christians that he might repress and give a stop to the violent incursions of the common enemy all which discourse had no other effect than
to act in any thing without the counsel and advice of them and consent of the people and that he would examine the Causes and the merits thereof in their presence and moreover he reproves certain Priests for their irregular proceedings in cases of judgment threatning to give an account thereof unto the people This charity and plain dealings of the Bishops gained them such reputation that their advice and sentence was almost in all matters followed and admitted by the people whose charity in after-Ages growing cold and careless of the mutual good and benefit each of other came by degrees to cast off this burdensom Office of Judgment and to remit it solely to the Incumbence of the Bishop who also degenerating from the primitive humility easily gave way to the allurements of ambition and under the disguise of Charity and Vertue embraced the Authority of passing sentence without the assistance or consultation with co-ordinate Judges So soon as the persecutions ceased great loads of business Cases and Trials at Law devolved upon the Bishop so that then he was forced to erect a Tribunal of Justice and contrive Methods and rules for Judicial proceedings howsoever in those times of simplicity and innocence things were not so wholly corrupted but that though the antient Discipline of remitting matters to the determination of the Church did cease yet sincerity and uprightness in passing Sentence still continued The which when Constantine the Emperour observed and considered the great difference there was between the captious and litigious proceedings of secular Advocats and Proctors who made Law-suits and wranglings their benefit and Trade and the honest and conscientious Methods and determinations of the Clergy he ordained that the Sentence of the Bishop should be definitive and without appeal with power to grant an injunction to all proceedings at Common Law in case the party agrieved should desire to have recourse to the Episcopal judgment and jurisdiction in his case Hence it came to pass that the Sentence of the Bishop was made a judgment of Court and put in execution by the hands of the secular Magistrate and this jurisdiction was farther amplified and increased in the year 365. by the Decree of the Emperour Valens But the extent of this Authority established by the Law of Constantine being afterwards abused by the corruption of succeeding Bishops was recalled by the Emperours Arcadius and Honorius and confined to causes purely religious without Courts or formal processes of Law and without power to intermeddle in civil differences unless the parties concerned should on both sides agree to remit their case by way of Arbitration or compromise to the Sentence of the Bishop But in regard the Bishops of Rome had for a long time been powerful in that City little notice was taken of this Injunction until in the year 452. it was again enforced and renewed by Valentinian the Emperour But not long afterwards the succeeding Emperours restored part of that Authority which had been taken from them and Justinian again erected their Courts of Judicature to which he assigned all Causes about Religion complaints and differences between the Clergy Ecclesiastical Fines and forfeitures with power to determine Cases between lay-Lay-persons who should by way of Umpirage or Arbitration refer themselves to the Episcopal Court and in this manner did that charitable correction and that plain and sincere way of ending and composing differences between Brethren instituted by Christ Jesus begin to degenerate into that Dominion which our Saviour had forbidden to his Apostles And farther to strengthen and confirm this Episcopal Authority so soon as the Empire was divided and that the Western Provinces were separated from the Eastern Dominions then were many of the Bishops taken into the Councils of Princes whereby the Secular Power being annexed to their Spiritual capacity served much to advance and raise the reputation and Authority of the Episcopal Dignity so that two hundred years had not passed in this manner before the Bishops arrogated to themselves a Power to judg the Clergy in all Cases both Criminal and Civil And to extend their Jurisdiction farther they framed a Term called Mixed Actions in which the Bishop as well as the Secular Magistrate might grant Process that is in matters where the Judg had not been diligent or cold and remiss or dilatory in his proceedings then the Bishop might take the Causes out of his hands by which pretence and usurpation little business remained for the Secular Courts And farther by vertue hereof they established a general standing Rule as unalterable as a fundamental of Faith that in Cases where the Magistrate was remiss or delayed to do Justice those Causes did ipso facto devolve to the cognizance of the Bishop Had the Prelats stuck at this point and not proceeded farther it had been pretty tolerable for then a Power might have remained still in the hands of the Civil Magistrate to moderate and retrench the excesses of Ecclesiastical encroachments as occasion served but those who had imposed this yoak on the people thought fit for their own security to rivet it in such manner about their necks that it could never be shaken off again having to that purpose forged a principle in their own Shops under the Title of a fundamental point of Faith That the Bishops power of judging in Causes as well temporal as spiritual took not its Original and Authority from the Decrees or connivence of Emperours or from the will and pleasure of the people or by custom or prescription but from a right inherent in the Episcopal Dignity and conferred thereupon by the institution of Christ himself As appears in the History of the Council of Trent wrote by Father Paul Sarpi This was certainly a bold and a hardy Assertion which could so easily have been refuted by those who had read the Codes of Theodosius and Justinian with the Capitularies of Charles the Great and Concessions and Ordinances of succeeding Princes both of the Eastern and Western Empire in reading and considering which a Man must be strangely blind or stupid who cannot observe by what ways and Methods the excess and exorbitance of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction was introduced into the World And indeed it is strange to consider that on the bare foundation of that Spiritual Power to bind and loose given by Christ to his Church and by that Ordinance of St. Paul to compose differences between the Brethren and prevent their going to Law before Infidels should by a long tract of time and by several Artifices and subtil contrivances be erected a Temporal Tribunal the most extensive and most considerable of any that ever was in the World and that in the midst of divers Kingdoms and Principalities of Europe there should be an other State established independent on the Publick which is such a Model and form of Political Government as never any of the Antient Legislators could ever fansie or imagine to be consistent with the Sovereignty of a Temporal Prince
immediately upon his advance to the Popedom Anno 895. he proposed to the Senate and people that a Law should pass that no regard should be hereafter given to the Authority of the Emperour in the creation of a Pope taking as Platina saith an advantage when the Emperour Charles was marched with his Army out of Italy against the rebellious Normans This must have been Charles le Gros and the year 885. according to those Authors who have written the History of France But that which must have given this Pope courage herein was the weakness of Charles the Bald a Prince bold in his undertakings but unable in the execution of them for so soon as he received information of the death of the Emperour Lewis the 2d he resolved to seize the Empire which at that time was confined to the narrow compass of Rome and all Italy because his two Uncles had miserably rent the French Monarchy in pieces and divided between them after the death of Lotharius those two Kingdoms which belonged unto him But to be short Charles the Bald in order to his design raised all the Troops he was able and on a sudden passing the Alps he so surprised the Lombards that not being provided of a Force to resist they presenty yielded themselves unto him and therewith the Treasure of Lewis deceased which he so well employed at Rome that he corrupted therewith both the Senate and the Magistrates and promised great matters to Pope John the 8th if by his means he might obtain the Imperial Crown This Pope whom we call Pope Joan the Story of whom being a Woman and with Child is related by divers Authors and not wholly disbelieved by our Platina acting according to the false wisdom of this World as appears in many particulars of which Baronius accuses him or her thought fit to make advantage of this ambition of Charles that thereby he might for the future procure a right to Popes to elect and create Emperours But our Platina saith it was John the 9th but be it John the 8th or the 9th he conferred with the Barons and principal Lords of Rome on this point who being already prepared by the bribes of Charles and overjoyed to become Electors easily concurred with the Pope in the proposal he made to them in favour of Charles who being accordingly invited to Rome made his entry there on the 18th of December in the year of our Lord 856 and on the 25th day following being Christmas day the Pope proclaimed and Crowned him Emperour in St. Peter's Church with the consent of the Prelates Chief of the Clergy and all the People of Rome But lest this assumption of Charles to the Empire should seem to proceed from a right of Succession and not of Election like the other three French Emperours his Predecessours the Pope designing to put the matter out of dispute that so the Emperour might own his Title to be derived from him and his Nobles and no other he held an Assembly at Pavia composed of Bishops and Counts where having first shamefully fiattered him with praises of notorious falsity extolling him above Charlemagne he declared that his Election was an effect of his merit and piety and agreeable to the Will of God which had long before been revealed to Pope Nicolas by divine inspiration and in pursuance hereof the Act of Election was signed and confirmed by the whole Assembly and registred in the Books of that Court. In this manner the right of those who were descended from Charlemagne and the Sovereignty which the Emperours had until that time exercised in Rome and in all the Lands of the Ecclesiastical State was surrendred up into the hands and power of the Pope in vertue of which as it is most certain that several succeeding Popes did challenge a right of Creating Emperours or at least to the confirmation of them by that right which they had to Crown them so also it is apparent that there have been Emperours who after this time have exercised a Sovereign power in Italy and without regard to the base condescention of Charles the Bald have made themselves Masters of Rome and of the Pope himself An example whereof we have in Otho the Emperour who recovered three advantageous points which the Greek and French Emperours had enjoyed and which Charles the Bald had lost and betrayed to the Pope Namely 1. The Sovereign power in Rome it self 2. The right of Succession of his Children to the Empire 3dly A power to Elect a Pope or what amounts to the same thing a Right to hinder any from being chosen who was not agreeable to his good will or pleasure Nay farther it is apparent in History that the Popes themselves as well as others did take the Oath of Fidelity as it was administred to them by the Emperour's Commissioners and it is as certain that from the time that Justinian recovered Rome from the Goths the Emperours were ever Masters of the Election in such manner as that either it could not pass without his permission or being done required his confirmation Accordingly Otho the 3d. caused Bruno his near Kinsman Son of Otho Duke of Franconia and Suabia his own Cousin-German to be chosen Pope who took upon himself the name of Gregory the 5th But at length by other turns of fortune Hildebrand who was Gregory the 7th in the year 1073. raised the Papacy to the highest pitch of power and honour that ever it was in Upon consideration of which whole matter it is certain that the Pope had some right in the Election of the Emperour for when the Kingdom of Italy with Rome it self was united to the Teutonick or German Kingdom and that by the Donation of Pepin the Popes were Masters of the Exarchate Urbin Ancona Spoleto and other Towns and Countries and confirmed by Charles his Son then the Pope himself representing the people of Rome by his Legats with the Princes Lords and Deputies of the Towns of Italy had a priviledg of giving his Votes at those Elections and on no other foundation than this could the Pope pretend co a right of Electing Emperours nor in any other manner than as he was Prince over a Dominion which had a right of Election in concurrence with other States Princes and Feudataries of the Empire But when and in what manner and by what Methods afterwards this power of Election came to be transferred to the seven Electors is not very clear in History there being many and various conjectures thereupon Maimbourg in his History called la Decadence de l'Empire concludes that this Institution was established by the Authority of Gregory the 10th in the year 1274. And farther he proceeds to say That the second Pope from whom we may conjecture that this Authority was derived was Leo the 8th who by a Decree made by and with the consent of the Clergy and people of Rome gives and grants unto the Emperour Otho the first and to those who
discovered by a certain Servant 〈◊〉 when his Enemies were just ready to seize him by Divine Admonition he 〈◊〉 to the Emperour Constans who by Menaces compelled his Brother Constantius to receive him again In the mean time Arius as he was going along in the streets attended with several Bishops and multitudes of people stepping aside to a place of Easement he voided his Entrails into the Privy and immediately died undergoing a Death agreeable to the filthiness of his Life Our Bishop Iulius having been very uneasie amidst this confusion of things at length after ten months banishment returns to Rome especially having receiv'd the news of the death of Constantine the younger who making War upon his Brother Constans and fighting unwarily near Aquileia was there slain But notwithstanding the present face of things Iulius desisted not from censuring the Oriental Bishops and especially the 〈◊〉 for calling a Council at Antioch without the command of the Bishop of Rome pretending it ought not to have been done without his Authority for the preheminence of the Roman above all other Churches To which they of the East returned this Ironical Answer That since the Christian Princes came from them to the West for this reason their Church ought to have the preference as being the fountain and spring from whence so great a blessing flowed But Iulius laying aside that Controversie built two Churches one near the Forum Romanum the other in that part of the City beyond Tyber He erected also three Coemeteries one in the Via Flaminia another in the Via Aurelia the third in the Via Portuensis He constituted likewise that no Clergyman should plead before any but an Ecclesiastical Judg. He appointed likewise that all matters belonging to the Church should be penned by the Notaries or the Protonotary whose Office it was to commit to writing all memorable Occurrences But in our age most of them not to say all are so ignorant that they are scarce able to write their own Names in Latin much less to transmit the actions of others Concerning their Morals I am ashamed to say any thing since Pandars and Parasites have been sometimes preferr'd to that Office During the Reign of Constantine and Constantius Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra was a man of considerable Note and wrote several things particularly against the Arians Asterius and Apollinarius wrote against him and accused him of the Sabellian Heresie as did likewise Hilarius whom while Marcellus is confuting his very Defence shews him to be of a different Opinion from Iulius and Athanasius He was opposed likewise by Basilius Bishop of Ancyra in his Book de Virginitate which Basilius together with Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia were the principal men of the Macedonian Party About this time also Theodorus Bishop of Heraclea in Thrace a person of terse and copious Elequence was a considerable Writer as particularly appears by his Commentaries upon S. Matthew S. John the Psalms and Epistles As for Iulius himself having at three Decembrian Ordinations made eighteen Presbyters three Deacons nine Bishops he died and was buried in the Via Aurelia in the Coemetery of Calepodius three miles from the City Aug. the 12th He sat in the Chair fifteen years two months six days and by his death the See was vacant twenty five days LIBERIUS I. LIBERIUS a Roman the Son of Augustus lived in the times of Constantius and Constans For Constantine as I said before engaging unadvisedly in a War against his Brother Constans was therein slain And Constans himself having fought with various success against the Persians being forced by a Tumult in the Army to joyn Battel at midnight was at last routed and designing afterwards to make an example of his seditious Soldiers he was by the fraud and treachery of Magnentius slain at a Town called Helena in the seventeenth year of his Reign and the thirtieth of his Age. Constans being dead the old Boutefeaus of the Arian Heresie began afresh to make head against Athanasius For in a Council held at Milain all those that favoured Athanasius were banish'd Moreover at the Council of Ariminum because the subtil 〈◊〉 Eastern Prelates were too hard at Argument and 〈◊〉 for the honest well-meaning Bishops of the West it was thought good to let fall the Debate for a time the Orientalist denied Christ to be of the same substance with the Father This because Bishop Liberius did at first oppose and because he refused to condemn Athanasius at the Emperours Command he was banish'd by the Arians and forced to absent from the City for the space of three years In which time the Clergy being assembled in a Synod in the place of Liberius made choice of Felix a Presbyter an excellent person and who immediately after his choice did in a Convention of forty eight Bishops excommunicate Ursatius and Valens two Presbyters for being of the Emperours opinion in Religion Hereupon at their request and importunity Constans recalls Liberius from Exile who being wrought upon by the kindness of the Emperour though he became as some tell us in all other things heretical yet in this particular Tenent he was on the Orthodox side that Hereticks returning to the Church ought not to be re-baptized 'T is said that Liberius did for some time live in the Coemetery of S. Agnes with Constantia the Emperour's Sister that so through her assistance and intercession he might procure a safe return to the City but she being a Catholick and apprehending he might have some ill design utterly refused to engage in it At length Constantius at the Instance of Usatius and Valens deposed Felix and restor'd Liberius Upon which there arose so fierce a Persecution that the 〈◊〉 and other Clergy were in many places murthered in their very Churches Some tell us that they were the Roman Ladies at a Cirque-shew who by their intreaties obtained of the Emperour this Restauration of Liberius Who though he were of the Arian opinion yet was very diligent in beautifying consecrated places and particularly the Coemetery of S. Agnes and the Church which he built and called by his own Name near the Market place of Livia During these calamitous times lived Eusebius Bishop of Emissa who wrote very learnedly and elegantly against the Jews Gentiles and Novatians Triphyllius also Bishop of Ledra or Leutheon in Cyprus wrote a large and exact Commentary upon the Canticles Moreover Donatus an African from whom the Sect of the Donatists are denominated was so industrious in writing against the Catholick Doctrine that he infected almost all Africa and 〈◊〉 with his false Opinions He affirmed the Son to be inferiour to the Father and the holy Spirit inferiour to the Son and rebaptized all those whom he could pervert to his own Sect. Several of his heretical Writings were extant in the time of S. Hierom and particularly one Book of the Holy Spirit agreeing exactly with the Arian Doctrine And that the Arians might neglect no ill Arts of promoting their
undertook to appoint Felix an Arian to be 〈◊〉 in the room of Liberius this S. Hierom tells us though I much marvel at it since as we have already said it is evident that Felix was a Catholick and a constant Opposer of the Arians At length after Felix had done all that in him lay for the propagation and defence of the true Faith he was seized by his Enemies and together with many other Orthodox Believers was slain and buried in a Church which himself had built in the Via Aurelia two miles from the City November the 20th He was in the Chair only one year four months two days through the means of a Sedition raised by Liberius whom I have inserted into the number of Bishops more upon the Authority of Damasus than for any deserts of his own DAMASUS I. DAMASUS a Spaniard Son of Antonius lived in the Reign of Julian Who was certainly an extraordinary person if we regard his fitness either for Civil or Military affairs He had his Education under Eubulus the Sophist and Libanius the 〈◊〉 and made such proficiency in the liberal Arts that no Prince was his Superiour in them He had a capacious Memory and a happy Eloquence was bountiful towards his Friends just to Foreiners and very desirous of Fame But all these qualities were at last sullied by his Persecution of the Christians which yet he managed more craftily than others had done for he did not persecute at first with Force and Torture but by Rewards and Honours and Caresses and Persuasions he seduc'd greater numbers of them than if he had exercised any manner of Cruelties against them He forbad the Christians the study of Heathen Authors and denied access to the publick Schools to any but those who worship'd the Gentile Gods Indeed he granted a Dispensation to one person named 〈◊〉 a most learned man to teach the Christians publickly but he with disdain refused to accept of that Indulgence He prohibited the conferring Military 〈◊〉 upon any but Heathens and ordered that no Christians should be admitted to the Government or Jurisdiction of Provinces upon pretence that the Laws of their Religion forbad them the use of their own Swords He openly opposed and banished Athanasius at the instigation of his 〈◊〉 and South-sayers with whose Arts he was wonderfully pleased they complaining to him that Athanasius was the cause why their Profession was in no greater esteem At a certain time as he was sacrificing to Apollo at Daphne in the Suburbs of Antioch near the Castalian Fountain and no Answers were given him to those things concerning which he enquired expostulating with the Priests about the cause of that silence the Devils replyed that the Sepulchre of Babylas the Martyr was too near and therefore no responses could be given Hereupon Julian commanded the Galileans for so he called the Christians to remove the Martyrs Tomb farther off This they applyed themselves to with wondrous exultation and chearfulness but rehearsing at the same time that of the Psalmist 〈◊〉 be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols They hereby so 〈◊〉 the rage of Julian that he forthwith commanded multitudes of them to be put to death which he did not before intend I much wonder that Julian should act after this manner having had before experience of the vanity of diabolical Arts. For entring once into a Cave in company with a Magician and being sorely 〈◊〉 when he heard the Demons howl in the surprize he used the sign of the Cross at which the Demons immediately 〈◊〉 Upon this telling his Companion that certainly there must needs be something miraculous in the Sign of the Cross the Sorcerer made him this Answer That indeed the Demons themselves did dread that kind of punishment By this slight account of the matter Julian became more 〈◊〉 than before so strangely was he addicted to Magical delusions though he had formerly to decline the displeasure of Constantius seignedly embraced the Christian Religion publickly read the holy Scriptures and built a Church in honour to the Martyrs Moreover this Emperour on pur pose to spite the Christians permitted the Jews to rebuild their Temple at 〈◊〉 upon their declaring that they could not sacrifice in any other place By which concession they were so mightily 〈◊〉 up that they used all their endeavours to raise it more magnificent than the former But while they were carrying on the Work the new Fabrick fell down in an Earthquake by the fall of which multitudes of the Jews were crush'd to death and the Prophesie a second time verified That there should not be left one stone upon another On the following day the very Iron Tools with which the Workmen wrought were consumed by fire from Heaven a Miracle by which many of the Jews were so wrought upon that they became Proselytes to Christianity After this Julian undertakes an Expedition against the Persians of whom he had Intelligence that they were endeavouring a Change in the Government but before he set forth he spared not to threaten what havock he would make among the 〈◊〉 at his return But having vanquished the Enemy and returning Conquerour with his Army though in some disorder he died of a Wound given him near 〈◊〉 Whether he received it from any of his own men or from the Enemy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us that he was pierced through with an Arrow sent no 〈◊〉 knew from whence as also that when he was just expiring with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift up to 〈◊〉 he cried out Thou 〈◊〉 overcome me O 〈◊〉 for so in contempt he was wont to call our Saviour the 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon which was grounded that Answer of a young 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the Sophist asking him by way of derision What he thought the Carpenters Son was doing To whom the youth replyed That he was making a Coffin for Julian a witty and Prophetick Reply for soon after his saying so Julians dead body was coffin'd up and brought away We are told that this Emperour had once been in holy Orders but that afterwards he fell away from the Faith for which reason he is commonly call'd the Apostate He died in the 〈◊〉 month of his Reign and in the thirty second year of his Age. Him Jovinian succeeded who being voted Emperor by the Army refused to own that Title till they should all with a loud Voice confess themselves to be Christians This they having done and he having commended them for it he took the Government upon him and freed his Army out of the hands of the barbarous with no other composition but that of leaving Nisibis and part of Mesopotamia free to Sapores the 〈◊〉 King But in the eighth month of his Reign whether from some crudity upon his stomach as some will have it or from the faint and suffocating steam of burning Coals as others or by what means soever certain it is that he died suddenly Damasus being chosen to the Pontificate was
In his time lived 〈◊〉 Bishop of 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 twelve Books 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and one against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not long 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also an 〈◊〉 who had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old Age so great a Proficient in those Arts which most require the assistance of sight particularly in Logick and Geometry that he wrote some excellent Treatises in the Mathematicks He published also Commentaries on the Psalms and the Gospels of Matthew and John and was a great opposer of the Arians Moreover Optatus an African Bishop of Mela compiled six Books against the 〈◊〉 and Severus Aquilius a Spaniard who was kinsman to that Severus to whom Lactantius penn'd two Books of Epistles wrote one Volume called 〈◊〉 As for our Siricius having setled the Affairs of the Church and at five Ordinations made twenty six Presbyters sixteen Deacons thirty two Bishops he died and was buried in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Via Salaria Febr. 22. He was in the Chair fifteen years eleven months twenty days and by his death the See was vacant twenty days ANASTASIUS I. ANASTASIUS a Roman the Son of Maximus was made Bishop of Rome in the time of Gratian. This Gratian was a young Prince of eminent Piety and so good a Soldier that in an Expedition against the Germans that were now harrassing the Roman Borders he did in one Battel at Argentaria cut off thirty thousand of them with very little loss on his own side Returning from thence to Italy he expelled all those of the Arian Faction and admitted none but the Orthodox to the execution of any Ecclesiastical Office But apprehending the Publick-weal to be in great danger from the attempts of the Goths he associated to himself as a Partner in the Government Theodosius a Spaniard a person eminent for his Valour and Conduct who vanquishing the Alans Hunns and Goths re-establish'd the Empire of the East and entred into a League with Athanaricus King of the Goths after whose Death and magnificent Burial at Constantinople his whole Army repaired to Theodosius and declared they would serve under no other Commander but that good Emperour In the mean time Maximus usurped the Empire in Britain and passing over into Gaul slew Gratian at Lions whose death so 〈◊〉 his younger Brother Valentinian that he forthwith fled for refuge to Theodosius in the East Some are of opinion that those two Brethren owed the Calamities which befell them to their Mother Justina whose great Zeal for the Arian Heresie made her a fierce Persecutor of the Orthodox and especially of S. Ambrose whom against his will the people of Milain had at this time chosen their Bishop For Auxentius an Arian their late Bishop being dead a great Sedition arose in the City about chusing his Successour Now Ambrose who was a man of Consular dignity and their Governour endeavouring all he could to quell that disorder and to that end going into the Church where the people were in a tumultuary manner assembled he there makes an excellent Speech tending to persuade them to Peace and Unity among themselves which so wrought upon them that they all with one consent cryed out that they would have no other Bishop but Ambrose himself And the event answered their desires for being as yet but a Catechumen he was forthwith baptized and then admitted into holy Orders and constituted Bishop 〈◊〉 Milain That he was a person of great Learning and extraordinary Sanctity the account which we have of his Life and the many excellent Books which he wrote do abundantly testifie Our Anastasius decreed that the Clergy should by no means sit at the singing or reading of the holy Gospel in the Church but stand bowed and in a posture of 〈◊〉 and that no Strangers especially those that came from the parts beyond the Seas should be receiv'd into holy Orders unless they could produce Testimonials under the hands of five Bishops Which latter Ordinance is suppos'd to have been occasioned by the practice of the Manichees who having gained a great esteem and Authority in Africa were wont to send their Missionaries abroad into all parts to corrupt the Orthodox Doctrine by the infusion of their Errours He ordained likewise that no person 〈◊〉 of body or maimed or defective of any Limb or Member should be admitted into holy Orders Moreover he dedicated the Crescentian Church which stands in the second Region of the City in the Via Marurtina The Pontificate of this Anastasius as also that of Damasus and Siricius his Predecessors were signaliz'd not only by those excellent Emperours Jovinian 〈◊〉 Gratian and Theodosius but also by those many holy and worthy Doctors both Greek and Latin that were famous in all kinds of Learning Cappadocia as Eusebius tells us brought forth 〈◊〉 Nazianzen and Bazil the Great both extraordinary Persons and both brought up at Athens Basil was a Bishop of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 a City formerly called Mazaca He wrote divers excellent Books against Eunomius one concerning the Holy Ghost and the Orders of a Monastick life He had two Brethren Gregory and Peter both very learned Men of the former of which some Books were extant in the time of Eusebius Gregory Nazianzen who was Master to S. Hierom wrote also many things particularly in praise of Cyprian Athanasius and Maximus the Philosopher two Books against Eunomius and one against the Emperour Julian besides an Encomium of Marriage and single Life in Hexameter Verse By the strength of his reasoning and the power of his Rhetorick in which he was an imitatour of Polemon a man of admirable Eloquence he brought off the Citizens of Constantinople from the Errours with which they had been infected At length being very aged he chose his own Successour and led a private life in the Countrey Basil died in the Reign of Gratian Gregory of Theodosius About the same time 〈◊〉 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus a strenuous oppugner of all kinds of Heresies as did also Ephrem a Deacon of the Church of Edessa who composed divers Treatises in the 〈◊〉 Language which gained him so great a Veneration that in some Churches his Books were publickly read after the Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 having at two Decembrian Ordinations made eight Presbyters five Deacons ten Bishops died and was buried April 28. He was in the Chair three years ten days and by his death the See was vacant twenty one days INNOCENTIUS I. INNOCENTIUS an Alban Son of Innocentius was Bishop in part of the Reign of Theodosius Who with great Conduct and singular Dispatch overcame the Usurper Maximus and at Aquileia whither he had fled retaliated upon him the Death of Gratian. A
Soon after his growing ambition prompts him to endeavour the gaining of the Western Empire and therefore getting together in a very little time a great Army he begins his March upon that Design This Aetius having intelligence of forthwith sends Ambassadours to Tholouse to King Theodorick to strike up a Peace with whom so strict a League was concluded that they both jointly engage in the War against Attila at a common charge and with equal Forces The Romans and Theodorick had for their Auxiliaries the Alanes Burgundians Franks Saxons and indeed almost all the people of the West At length Attila comes upon them in the Fields of Catalaunia and Battel is joyn'd with great Valour and Resolution on either side The Fight was long and sharp a Voice being over-heard none knowing from whence it came was the occasion of putting an end to the Dispute In this Engagement were slain on both sides eighteen thousand men neither Army flying or giving ground And yet 't is said that Theodorick Father of King Thurismond was killed in this Action Sixtus had not long enjoyed the Pontificate before he was publickly accused by one Bassus but in a Synod of fifty seven Bishops he made such a Defence of himself that he was by them all with one consent acquitted Bassus his false Accuser was with the consent of Valentinian and his Mother Placidia excommunicated and condemn'd to banishment but with this compassionate provision that at the point of death the Viaticum of the Blessed Sacrament should be denied him the forfeiture of his Estate was adjudged not to the Emperour but the Church 'T is said that in the third month of his Exile he died and that our Bishop Sixtus did with his own hands wrap up and embalm his Corps and then bury it in S. Peters Church Moreover Sixtus repaired and enlarged the Church of the Blessed Virgin which was anciently called by the name of Liberius near the Market place of Livia then had the name of S. Mary at the Manger and last of all was called S. Maries the Geeat That Sixtus did very much beautifie and make great additions to it appears from the Inscription on the front of the first Arch in these words Xystus Episcopus Plebi Dei for according to the Greek Orthography the name begins with X and y though by Custom it is now written Sixtus with S and i. To this Church that Bishop was very liberal and munificent among other instances adorning with Porphyry stone the Ambo or Desk where the Gospel and Epistles are read Besides what he did himself at his persuasion the Emperour Valentinian also was very liberal in works of this nature For over the Confessory of S. Peter which he richly adorned he placed the Image of 〈◊〉 Saviour of Gold set with Jewels and renewed those Silver Ornaments in the Cupola of the Lateran Church which the Goths had taken away Some are of an Opinion that in his time one Peter a Roman Presbyter by Nation a Sclavonian built the Church of S. Sabina upon the Aventine not far from the Monastery of S. Boniface where S. Alexius is interred 〈◊〉 I rather think this to have been done in the Pontificate of Coelestine the first as appears from an Inscription in Heroick Verse yet remaining which expresses as much 'T is said also that at this time 〈◊〉 Eusebius of Cremona and Philip two Scholars of S. Hierom both very elegant Writers as also Eucherius Bishop of Lyons a man of great Learning and Eloquence and Hilarius Bishop of Arles a pious Man and of no mean parts Our Sixtus having employed all his Estate in the building and adorning of Churches and relieving the poor and having made twenty eight Presbyters twelve Deacons fifty two Bishops died and was buried in a Vault in the Via Tiburtina near the body of S. Laurence He was in the Chair eight years nine days and by his death the See was vacant twenty two days LEO I. LEO a Tuscan Son of Quintianus lived at the time when Attila having return'd into Hungary from the Fight of Catalonia and there recruited his Army invaded Italy and first set down before Aquileia a Frontier City of that Province which held out a Siege 〈◊〉 three years Despairing hereupon of success he was just about to raise the Leaguer when observing the Storks to carry their young ones out of the City into the Fields being encouraged by this Omen he renews his Batteries and making a fierce assault at length takes the miserable City sacks and burns it sparing neither Age nor Sex but acting agreeably to the Title he assum'd to himself of being God's Scourge The Huns having hereby gain'd an Inlet into Italy over-run all the Countrey about Venice possessing themselves of the Cities and demolishing Milain and Pavia From hence Attila marching towards Rome and being come to the place where the Menzo runs into the Po ready to pass the River the holy Bishop Leo out of a tender sense of the calamitous state of Italy and of the City of Rome and with the advice of Valentinian goes forth and meets him persuading him not to proceed any farther but to take warning by Alaricus who soon after his taking that City was by the Judgment of God removed out of the World Attila takes the good Bishops Counsel being moved thereunto by a Vision which he saw while they were discoursing together of two men supposed to be S. Peter and S. Paul brandishing their naked swords over his head and threatning him with death if he were refractory Desisting therefore from his design he returns into Hungary where not long after he was choaked with his own bloud violently breaking out at his Nostrils through excess of drinking Leo returning to the City applyes himself wholly to the defence of the 〈◊〉 Faith which was now violently opposed by several kinds of Hereticks but especially by the Nestorians and Eutychians Nestorius 〈◊〉 of Constantinople affirmed the Blessed Virgin to be Mother not of God but of Man only that so he might make the Humanity and Divinity of Christ to be two distinct persons one the Son of God the other the Son of Man But Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople that he might broach an Heresie in contradiction to the former utterly confounded the divine and humane Nature of Christ asserting them to be one and not at all to be distinguished This Heresie being condemned by Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople with the consent of Theodosius a Synod is called at Ephesus in which Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria being President Eutyches was restored and Flavianus censured But Theodosius dying and his successour Marcianus proving a Friend to the Orthodox Doctrine Leo calls a Council at Chalcedon wherein by the authority of six hundred and thirty Bishops it was decreed as an Article of Faith that there are two Natures in Christ and that one and the same Christ is God and Man by which consequently both Nestorius and Eutyches the pestilent Patron of the
and therefore he preferr'd his Son-in-law before his Father-in-law And gaining the Victory over the French in a very important Battel he recovers Gascoigne and undertakes the present Government of it till Almaric the son of Alaric should come to Age. The same Theodoric to his Conquest of Italy added that of Sicily Dalmatia Liburnia Illyricum Gallia Narbonensis and Burgundy He also walled round the City of Trent and to secure Italy from a forein Invasion upon the Frontiers of it near Aost placed the Heruli whose King being yet a Minor he made his adopted Son Gelasius in the mean time condemns to banishment all the Manichees that should be found in the City and causes their books to be publickly burnt near S. Mary's Church And being satisfied of the repentance of Messenus who had given in his Retractation in Writing at the request of the Synod he absolved him and restored him to his Bishoprick But having intelligence that several murthers and other notorious outrages were committed in the Greek Churches by the factious followers of Peter Mog and Acacius he forthwith sends his Legates thither with Commission to Excommunicate for ever all those who did not immediately recant their Errours a new and unusual severity whereas the Primitive Church was wont to wait long in hopes that Separatists would at length return to her Bosom At this time John Bishop of Alexandria an Orthodox Prelate and who had been very much persecuted by these seditious people fled for resuge to the Bishop of Rome who very kindly and courteously received him The Churches which Gelasius consecrated were that of S. Euphemia the Martyr in Tivoli that of S. Nicander and Eleutherius in the Via Labicana and that of S. Mary in the Via Laurentina twenty miles from Rome He had a great love and honour for the Clergy and was very liberal and charitable to the poor He delivered the City of Rome from many dangers and particularly from that of dearth and scarcity He composed Hymns in imitation of S. Ambrose published five Books against Eutyches and Nestorius and two against Arius made very elegant and grave Orations and wrote weighty and learned Epistles to his Friends of the houshold of Faith all which Works of his are at this time to be seen in the publick Libraries Some tell us that he Excommunicated Anastasius successour to Zeno in the Eastern Empire for favouring Acacius and other Hereticks which is an argument as clear as the Sun that the Bishop of Rome has power to Excommunicate any Prince who is erroneous in the Faith if he continue refractary after Admonition The same course likewise he took with the Vandals and their King who being infected with the Arian Heresie proved now very cruel and barbarous persecutours of the Orthodox At the beginning of his Pontificate lived Germanus and Epiphanius the latter Bishop of Pavia the former of Capua men who by the authority which the Sanctity of their Lives had gain'd them and by their humble and obliging deportment wrought so much upon the minds of the barbarous Invadors that afflicted Italy fared the better for their sakes At the same time also Lannociatus Abbat of Chartres with Aurelianus and Mezentius of Poictiers persons of great Piety and Learning gain'd so much ground in Gaul that they persuaded Clodoveus the French King and his Queen Crocildis to become Christians and to undertake the protection of the Catholick Faith throughout their Dominions though some attribute this honour to Remigius as hath been already said Gelasius having ordained thirty two Presbyters two Deacons sixty seven Bishops died and was buried in S. Peter's Church November 21. He was in the Chair four years eight months seventeen days and by his death the See was vacant seven days ANASTASIUS II. ANASTASIUS the second a Roman Son of Fortunatus was Contemporary with the Emperour Anastasius At which time Transamund King of the Vandals shut up the Churches of the Orthodox Clergy and banished one hundred and twenty Bishops into the Island of Sardinia 'T is reported also that one Olympius an Arian Bishop having publickly in the Baths at Carthage declared his detestation of the Doctrine of the Trinity was immediately smitten and his body burnt with three flashes of Lightning And when Barbas another Bishop of the same Faction was going to baptize a certain person in this form of words Barbas baptizeth thee in the name of the Father by the Son and in the Holy Ghost 't is said the Water disappeared which Miracle so wrought upon the man who was to be baptized that he immediately came over to the Orthodox It was this Bishop Anastasius as some Writers tell us who Excommunicated the Emperour Anastasius for favouring Acacius though afterwards being himself seduced by the same Heretick and endeavouring privately to recall him from Exile he thereby very much alienated the minds of his Clergy who for that reason and also because without the consent of the Catholicks he communicated with Photinus a Deacon of Thessalonica and an assertour of the Acacian 〈◊〉 withdrew themselves from him 'T is generally reported that the divine vengeance pursuing him for this Apostacy he died suddenly and some say that the particular manner of his death was that going to ease Nature he purg'd out his Bowels into the Privy In his time Fulgentius an African Bishop of Ruspoe though he were among the other Orthodox Bishops of Africa banish'd into Sardinia by Transamund yet neglected nothing that might contribute to the propagating of the Catholick Faith whether by Exhortation Preaching or Admonition He likewise published several Books of the Trinity of Free-will and the Rule of Faith and besides the several elegant and grave Homilies he made to the people he wrote against the Pelagian Heresie The Learned Egesippus also who composed Monastical Constitutions and in an elegant style wrote the Life of S. Severinus the Abbat was at this time very serviceable to the Church Moreover Faustus a Gallican Bishop was now a considerable Writer but among all his Works the most in esteem was his Tract against Arius wherein he maintains the persons in the Trinity to be Co-essential He wrote also against those who asserted any created Being to be incorporeal demonstrating both by the Judgment of the Fathers and from the Testimonies of holy Writ that God only is purely and properly incorporeal But I shall here conclude the Pontificate of Anastasius who at one Decembrian Ordination having made twelve Presbyters and sixteen Bishops was buried in S. Peter's Church November 19. He sat in the Chair one year ten months twenty four days and by his death the See was vacant four days SYMMACHUS I. SYMMACHUS a Sardinian Son of Fortunatus succeeded Anastasius though not without great Controversie and after a long bandying of two contrary Factions For while one part of the Clergy chuse Symmachus in the Church of S. John 〈◊〉 another part of them in S. Maria Maggiore make choice of one Laurence
kiss He was a man of so obliging a temper that no person went away sad out of his Presence And being so happy as to have a Contemporary Emperour like himself he designed to hold a Council vpon the account of the Monothelites Only he waited the time till Constantine should return from the War who had vanquish'd the Saracens and made them tributary to the Roman Empire But the Bulgarians advancing out of Scythia into Thrace and the Emperour endeavouring to put a check to their motion he was with great loss routed between Hungary and Moesia Hereupon he found himself obliged to strike up a peace with them upon disadvantageous terms permitting them to inhabit Hungary and Moesia though that Concession in the event proved a great benefit to the State of Christianity For these are the men who for this seven hundred and seventy years since have maintained a continual War and been the Bulwark of Christendom against the Turks Well a Peace being upon these Conditions concluded Pope Agatho sends to Constantinople his Legates John Bishop of Porto and John a Deacon of Rome Them Constantine receiv'd with all expressions of respect and very affectionately advised them to lay aside all Cavils and sophistical wranglings and Controversies and sincerely to endeavour the uniting the two Churches There were present at this Synod two hundred and eighty nine Bishops and by the Command of the Emperour there were brought out of the Library of Constantinople those Books from whence the Opinions and Determinations of the Ancients might be collected Gregory Patriarch of Constantinople and Macarius Bishop of Antioch perverting the sense of the Fathers maintain'd only one Will and Operation in Christ. But the Orthodox pressing hard with their Reasons and Authorities they thereby reclaimed Gregory and Macarius adhering obstinately to his Opinion they 〈◊〉 him and his Followers and made Theophanes an Orthodox Abbat Bishop of Antioch in his stead This Affair being thus successfully managed that thanks might be return'd to God for this Union of the two Churches in heart and mind John Bishop of Porto on the Octave of Easter in the presence of the Emperour Patriarch and the People of Constantinople in the Church of S. Sophia celebrates the Mass in Latin all that were present approving that way and condemning those that thought otherwise This was the sixth General Council consisting of two hundred and eighty nine Bishops held at Constantinople wherein upon the Authority of Cyril Athanasius Basil Gregory Dionysius Hilary Ambrose Augustine and Hierom it was concluded that there were two Wills and Operations in Christ and their pertinacy was exploded who asserted one Will only from whence they were called Monothelites The first General Council of three hundred and eighteen Bishops was as we have already said held at Nice in the Pontificate of Julius and the Reign of Constantine against Arius who asserted several Substances in the Trinity The second at Constantinople of an hundred and fifty Bishops in the Reign of Gratian and the Pontificate of Damasus against Macedonius and Eudoxus who denied the Holy Ghost to be God The third in Ephesus of two hundred Bishops in the Reign of Theodosius the second and the Pontificate of 〈◊〉 against Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople who denied the Blessed Virgin to be the Mother of God and made Christs Humanity and Divinity two Persons asserting separately one to be the Son of God the other the son of Man The fourth at Chalcedon a City over against Constantinople of six hundred and thirty Prelates in the Pontificate of Leo and the Reign of Martian against Eutyches Abbat of Constantinople who durst affirm that our Saviour after his Incarnation had but one Nature The fifth at Constantinople against Theodorus and all other Hereticks who asserted the Virgin Mary to have brought forth Man only not God-man in which Synod it was concluded that the Blessed Virgin should be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Mother of God Concerning the sixth Synod we have spoken already in which the Letters of Damianus Bishop of Pavia and Mansuetus Arch-bishop of Milain were very prevalent the principal Contents of them these viz. The true Faith concerning Christ God and Man is that we believe two Wills and two Operations in him Our Saviour says with respect to his Divinity I and my Father are one but with relation to his Humanity My Father is greater than I. Moreover as Man he was found asleep in the Ship as God he commanded the Winds and the Sea As for our Agatho in whose time after two Ecclipses one of the Moon another of the Sun there followed a grievous Pestilence having been in the Chair two years six months sifteen days he died and was buried in S. Peter's January the 10th The See was then vacant one year five months LEO II. LEO the second a Sicilian Son of Paul was as appears by his Writings a person throughly learned in the Latin and Greek Languages Having also good skill in Musick he composed Notes upon the Psalms and very much improved all Church Musick He ordained likewise that at the Celebration of the Mass the Pax should be given to the people Moreover he so vigorously maintained and asserted the sixth Synod of which we have spoken in the Life of Agatho that he Excommunicated all those whom in the presence of Constantine that Synod had condemned He also repress'd the pride of the Bishops of Ravenna a matter before attempted by Pope Agatho and ordained that the Election of the Clergy of Ravenna should be invalid unless it were confirmed by the Authority of the Roman See whereas before they presuming upon the power of their Exarchs managed all things arbitrarily owning no subjection to any but mating even the Popes themselves He likewise solemnly decreed that no person promoted to the dignity of an Archbishop should pay any thing for the use of the Pall or upon any other score a Decree which I could wish it were observed at this day seeing how many Evils have arisen through Bribery While Leo was busied in these matters Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum having raised a great Army possess'd himself of Taranto Brindisi and all Puglia and his Wife Theodata a devout Lady out of the spoils of the War built a Church in honour to S. Peter not far from Beneventum and a Nunnery Rhomoaldus dying was succeeded by his Son Grimoaldus who deceasing without Issue male left the Dukedom to his Brother Gisulphus Our Leo who besides his great Learning and Eloquence was also an extraordinary person for Devotion and Charity and by his Doctrine and Example very much promoted Justice Fortitude Clemency and Good Will among all men having been in the Chair only ten months died and June the 28th was accompanied to his burial in the Church of S. Peter with the tears of all men who deplored the loss of him as of a Common Father After his Death the See was vacant eleven months twenty one days The time
and defeats them Bertarius saved himself by flight but Theodoric retreating by agreement upon a Truce constitutes the victorious Pipin Mayre of the Palace and principal Administratour of his Kingdom After this Pipin returned to Austrasia upon intelligence that the Germans and Sueves infested his People and having quell'd them he sets forward towards France again upon the News that Theodoric being dead the Kingdom had fallen to his Brother Childepert Arriving there and being very kindly received by the King after he had put his son into the place of Mayre of the Palace he again returns enraged at the Sueves and Germans who were now the second time in Arms. At this time Sergius having 〈◊〉 the banishment of Justinian enjoyed Peace and Tranquility repaired the Church of S. Peter and restored to it its antient beauty The Front of it he adorn'd with Mosaick work made the Candlesticks and other Ornaments of it of Gold and Silver found a part of our Saviours Cross in a little brass Coffer and because the body of S. Leo had hitherto lain less regarded than his merits required he reposited it in a more honourable and celebrated place The Statues of the Apostles defaced with Age he renew'd and either repaired or made wholly new the Ornaments of many Churches which it would be tedious to enumerate Moreover he ordained that at the breaking of the body of our Lord should be sung O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us and that on the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin and of S. Simon there should be yearly a Procession with Litanies through the City setting out at S. Hadrian He made Damianus Arch-Bishop of Ravenna and Berslauardus Arch-Bishop of Britain By his Learning and Authority he brought over to the Truth the Church of Aquileia which before consented not wholly to the fifth Synod Some tell us that at this time Lambertus a Person of great Sanctity suffered Martyrdom at Liege because he was so hardy as to reprove Pipin for slighting his Wive's Bed and keeping Alpais a Whore The author of his Death is said to have been her own Brother who afterwards died of the lousy Disease 'T is written also that by the exemplary Sanctity of Sergius the Saxons were now first wrought upon to embrace Christianity The good man having by these means gained a great reputation and having been in the Chair thirteen years eight months twenty three days he died and was with the lamentation of all men who wept as at the loss of a common Father with great Solemnity buried in the Church of S. Peter September the 8th The See was then vacant one month twenty days JOHN VI. JOHN the sixth a Grecian was elected Pope at the time when Theophylact the Exarch in his passage to Italy arrived first at Sicily Which being known to the Italian Soldiers who having of late times usually sided more with the Popes than the Emperours were afraid that his coming might betoken some ill they resolved to kill him at his entrance into Rome But by the Authority of Pope John who made himself Umpire between them Theophylact was protected and all things being made up and accommodated he goes for Ravenna In the mean time Gisulphus Duke of Beneventum taking heart upon this disagreement of the Exarch and Soldiers invades Terra di Lavoro possesses himself of Sora and Arpino burns Villages makes the Villagers his Prisoners and drives away their Cattel The Pope being deeply sensible of this Calamity sends his Ambassadours to Gisulphus to admonish him to quit those places which he had no Right to and to return into Abruzzo which if he refus'd to do he should soon feel the vengeance of Almighty God upon him Gisulphus being terrified hereby restores the Towns he had taken and returns to Beneventum Of those which were carried away Captive Pope John redeemed all he could sind out as 〈◊〉 as the Treasure of the Church would reach for their ransom At this time 〈◊〉 who as we have said had been banish'd by Leontius to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 making his escape thence comes to Cacanus King of the Avares who at first treated him with the greatest respect and kindness and promised him his Daughter in marriage but afterwards being corrupted with bribes by Tiberius he design'd to betray his Guest and Son-in-law into his hands Justinian having notice hereof flees to Trebellius Prince of the Bulgarians by whose aid he was in a little time after restored to the Empire While 〈◊〉 things were transacted in Europe the 〈◊〉 being possessed of Libya and Africa set sail from Septa and passing over into Spain made themselves Masters of it all except that part inhabited by the Asturians and Biscains who as they had been the last People of Spain who were subdued to the Roman Empire and the last who revolted from it and the only People who shook off the Yoke of the Visigoths so now having received the Christian Faith they were the men who continued stedfastly with the greatest resolution to defend themselves by Arms against the perfidious Saracens So then Africa which being recovered by Belisarius General to Justinian the first had been subject to the Roman Empire an hundred and seventy years and also Granada in Hispania 〈◊〉 being at this time seiz'd by the Saracens have been obedient to their Laws and Customs now this seven hundred and forty years to the great reproach of Christianity the Spaniards who are wont to boast of their Wit and Valour not being able to drive them out of Europe Some tell us that Bede who lived in these times by Letters written to several Christian Princes did very much bewail this Calamity that thereby he might excite them to enter into a War against these Enemies of God and Men. This 〈◊〉 was not only extraordinarily well skill'd in the Greek and Latin Tongues but also for his eminent Piety and Modesty gain'd the surname of 〈◊〉 He wrote many things upon the Acts of the Apostles and upon S. Luke he published a Book of Chronology and several Homilies which are much used by the Gallican 〈◊〉 Moreover of Strabo and Haymo two very learned men said to be Bede's Brethren one composed divers elegant Homilies and the other commented upon Genesis As for Pope John having repaired the Church of S. Andrew in the Vatican and the roof of that of S. Mark and adorn'd with Pillars on each hand the Altar of S. Peter's in the third year and third month of his Pontificate he died as some think a Martyr but by whom he suffered Martyrdom does not sufficiently appear 'T is said he was buried in the Coemetery of S. Sebastian in the Via Appia By his Death the See was vacant one month nineteen days JOHN VII JOHN the seventh a Grecian Son of Plato enter'd upon the Pontificate at the time when Justinian being return'd to 〈◊〉 caused Tiberius and Leontius by whom he had been deposed to be
this time as I said before Lewis the Son of Arnulphus endeavouring to recover his Fathers Empire was taken and kill'd at Verona by Berengarius and then the posterity of Charles the Great first lost their Titles to France and the Empire of Germany So true it is that which Salust says Every rising hath its setting and every increase its wane The Empire which had arrived to so great a height lost its splendor by the sluggishness of the great men and people of Rome when they once grew remiss in the exercises of Virtue and emasculated their bodies with Luxury and with studied softnesses And this we may say was the case of the Papacy for at first the Pontifical Dignity without Wealth and among Enemies and furious Persecutors of Christianity was illustrious with a holiness and learning not to be attain'd without great pains and a consummate Virtue but now the Church of God was grown wanton with its Riches and the Clergy quitted severity of manners for lasciviousness so that there being no Prince to punish their excesses such a Licentiousness of sinning obtain'd in the World as brought forth these Monsters these Prodigies of wickedness by whom the Chair of S. Peter was rather seiz'd than rightfully possess'd Yet this may be said for Benedict that in this debauch'd Age he carried himself with gravity and constancy and died in the third year and fourth month of his Pontificate after which the Sea was vacant six days LEO V. LEO the fifth whose native Countrey Historians mention not succeeded him but was soon taken and thrown into Prison by one Christopher a Chaplain of his own who aspir'd to the Popedom which was not done without great tumults and the loss of many mens lives How lightly the Papal Authority was now esteem'd by fault of former Popes may be seen in this that a private person should in a moment be able to seize so great a Dignity But that saying is certainly true that great places receive more honour than they confer upon the persons that supply them as appears in the Roman Censorship which at first was slighted as a mean Office but when several of the Nobility had once condescended to execute it the Office became so honourable that the Nobleman who had not once in his life been Censor was look'd upon as very unfortunate Leo had sate but forty days when Christopher got into the Chair which Indignity he laid so to heart that in a little while after he died for grief deeply resenting it that he should be rob'd of his Dignity by one that had eat of his bread according to that of Theocritus Nurse up a Wolf and he 'l devour you CHRISTOPHER CHRISTOPHER whose Countrey and Family is because of the meanness of his extraction not known having got the Popedom by ill means lost it as ill for after seven months he was justly deposed and forc'd to take on him a Monastic life the onely refuge of men in trouble for at that time Clergy-men that had deserv'd ill were as it were banish'd into Monasteries by way of punishment There are those that say Christopher was deposed in the Reign of Lewis III. while others ascribe him to the times of Berengarius who we told you was from Duke of Friuli created Emperor as descending from the Longobardian Kings of Italy and as being the onely man in whom for his valour and nobility they could place any hopes of seeing the honour of the Empire retriev'd And that I should suppose Berengarius to have reign'd at this time I am persuaded by considering the short lives of the Popes before-going who as Monsters were soon snatch'd away by a divine Power and 〈◊〉 length of the Reign of that Emperor who having vanquish'd Guido Duke of Spoleto and slain Ambrose Count of Bergomo who were his first Adversaries was crown'd Emperor by Formosus and liv'd nine years after What became of Christopher after his being deposed shall be spoken in the Life of Sergius SERGIUS III. SERGIUS the third a Roman Son of Benedict entring upon the Pontificate re edified the Lateran Church which was then ruined and taking Christopher out of his Monastery put him in Prison and then setling his Affairs he took a Journey to France after his return from whence being now strengthen'd with the favour and friendship of the French King Lotharius he totally abolish'd all that Pope Formosus had done before so that Priests who had been by him admitted to Holy Orders were forc'd to take new Ordination Nor was he content with thus dishonouring the dead Pope but he drags his Carcase again out of the Grave beheads it as if it had been alive and then throws it into the Tiber as unworthy the honour of humane Burial 'T is said that some Fishermen finding his Body as they were fishing brought it to S. Peter's Church and while the Funeral Rites were performing the Images of the Saints which stood in the Church bow'd in veneration of his Body which gave them occasion to believe that Formosus was not justly prosecuted with so great ignominy But whether the Fishermen did thus or no is a great question especially it is not likely to have been done in Sergius's life-time who was a sierce Persecutor of the favourers of Formosus because he had hindered him before of obtaining the Pontificate And now Reader pray observe how very much these Popes had degenerated from their Predecessors they good men refused this dignity when it was freely offered them chusing rather to spend their time in Study and in Prayer these on the contrary sought the Papacy with ambition and bribery and when they were got in slighting the Worship of God 〈◊〉 animosities among themselves with the violence of the fiercest Tyrants to the end that when no one should be left to animadvert upon their Vices they might the more securely immerse themselves in pleasures 'T is my opinion that Sergius acted thus by the instigation of Lotharius 〈◊〉 't was by Formosus's means that the Empire was translated from the French to the Lombards Sergius leading his life after this rate died in the seventh year fourth month and sixteenth day of his Papacy several fiery Apparitions and blazing Stars with unusual motions having been seen in the Heavens a little before Soon after the Hungari invaded Italy with an Army and several defeats were on both sides given and taken ANASTASIUS III. ANASTASIUS the third a Roman came to the Chair at the time when Landulphus Prince of Benevent fought a fierce Battel with the Greeks and defeated them in Apulia For Patricius General of Leo Emperor of Constantinople had invaded Italy and threatned a general ruin if they did not immediately acknowledg Subjection to Leo but as was said by the valour of Landulphus his 〈◊〉 and his rage came to nothing though Berengarius also was bringing an Army together to meet him but they made rather a terrible shew than were truly of force But Anastasius not acting any thing
wrote much in praise of the Blessed Virgin and of the Holy Cross and Albo Abbat of Fleury who afterward in Gascoign suffer'd Martyrdom for the faith of Christ Men famous for Learning Religion and Sanctity are said to have flourish'd This John died after he had been Pope ten years six months and ten days and the Sea was vacant six days GREGORY V. GREGORY the Fifth a Saxon Son of Otho before call'd Bruno by the Authority of Otho III. for Kinred sake was made Pope But upon the return of Otho into Germany being vex'd by the Roman factions he fled first into Tuscany and thence into Germany to the Emperor Mean while the Romans vest Crescentius with an absolute Consular Power who immediately creates Pope John a Greek Bishop of Piacenza not more wealthy than learned whose name I confess is by some left out of the Catalogue of Popes as not regularly created but others make him John XVII because he was chosen by the Clergy and People of Rome to whom of right the Election belongeth Crescentius upon the news of Otho's approach with his Army fortifies the Walls and Gates of the City with all diligence he fortifies too the Castle S. Angelo and places strong Guards in every Post that required so that for some time after it was called Crescentius's Castle taking the name of him that fortified it instead of that of the Builder At length the Emperor arriv'd and investing the City when the Romans perceived themselves unable to withstand so great Forces trusting to the clemency of Otho they opened their Gates to the Germans And now Crescentius and John being without Friends and at their wits end fled into Castle S. Angelo and defended themselves well till upon hopes of Pardon coming forth to address themselves to the Emperor Crescentius receiving many wounds from the Multitude was kill'd but John having his Eyes first put out lost both his Popedom and life together and Gregory after he had been expell'd nine months was restored He taking notice of the weakness of the Empire and the uncertainties of Chance and being willing to preserve the Empire among the Germans and that he should be preferred before other who excell'd in worth and Virtue with the consent of Otho he made a Decree concerning the Election of an Emperor An. Dom. 1002. which has continued in force to this day To wit that it should belong to the Germans alone to chuse a Prince who should be Coesar and King of the Romans till the Pope should have confirm'd him and then to have the Titles of Emperor and Augustus Ptolemy writes that at first the power of Election of Emperor was in the Arch-bishop of Mentz for Germany the Arch-bishop of Triers for France and the Arch-bishop of Cologn for Italy To these were added four Secular Princes the Marquess of Brandenburgh who after the Election is Chamberlain to the Emperor the Count Palatine who is chief Sewer the Duke of Saxony who is Sword-bearer and the King of Bohemia the seventh Elector and Cup bearer was added they say to prevent discord between parties for if the rest were equally divided his Vote turned the Scale This 't is said gave distaste to the French but because the Line of Charles the Great being extinct in Lewis the Son of Lotharius that Realm was fallen into the hands of Hugh Capet the chief Minister at that time the great affairs of that Kingdom for some time not being manag'd by Kings they wav'd all thoughts of retrieving the Empire but the main reason was that the new Possessors were well enough yet satisfied with their fortune and dar'd not attempt any thing further 'till they were certain that their late acquir'd Regal Power stood upon a good foundation Robert the Son and Successor of the Great Hugh is much and deservedly praised for his Courage Justice Modesty and Religion for though he exercised himself very much in the Art Military yet he found time so often to frequent the Churches of God and to celebrate the Divine Service as if he had been in holy Orders He is said to have made the Hymn Sancti spiritûs assit 〈◊〉 gratia and by these Arts not less powerful than his Arms he gain'd the hearts of the People and drew those honourable respects to his Family which they had before given to that of Charles the Great Robert a certain Bishop of Chartres is about this time said to have been in great repute for Learning and Sanctity he having written much and reduced the singing in Churches to a better method Gregory died after he had been Pope two years and five months The Sea was vacant fifteen days JOHN XVIII JOHN the Eighteenth Bishop of Piacenza by the power of Crescentius the Consul as we said whom he had corrupted with his Money in the time of Gregory V. was made Pope by a Faction for he brought so much Money with him from Constantinople that even the good Men might be brib'd to serve his ill ends much less might he prevail with the Covetousness and Ambition of Crescentius I wonder that Historians place this John in the number of the Popes he having got into the Chair while Gregory was alive unless that in writing the Lives of Popes it may be thought fit as in a continued History to set down the outrages of Usurpers and Tyrants as well as the worthy Actions of good and lawful Princes that Readers may observe the difference between good and bad and upon the sight of examples of both be deterred from vitious and encouraged to virtuous practices and lead a blessed and happy life in the Earth Which blessedness and felicity John wanted for being a Robber and a Thief in his Pontificate and coming not in as he ought by the Door He died with ignominy enough in the tenth month of his Usurpation The Sea was vacant twenty days SYLVESTER II. SYLVESTER the Second before called Gilbert a French Man got the Popedom as they say by ill Arts. When he was young he was entred and sworn a Monk of Fleury in the Diocese of Orleans but he left the Monastery to follow the Devil to whom he had wholly delivered himself up and went to Sevil in Spain to study humane Sciences being extreamly greedy of Knowledg and Learning in which he made such progress that of a Scholar he soon became an excellent Master Martinus writes that the Emperor Otho King Robert of France and Lotharius a Man of noble birth and great learning afterward Arch bishop of Sens were his Scholars Gilbertus therefore full of Ambition and push'd on with the diabolical desire of Rule by Simony first gets the Arch-bishoprick of Rhemes and then of Ravenna at last the Devil helping him with an extraordinary lift he got the Popedom upon this Condition that after his death he should be wholly the Devils by whose assistance he had arriv'd at so great a Dignity Being greedy of Rule he ask'd the Devil once how long he should enjoy the
had by intervals held S. Peter's Chair ten years four months and nine days he died upon which the Sea cannot be said to have been vacant at all because he sold it Historians write that at this time Gerard a Venetian Bishop of the Hungarians an excellent Man and of great Learning chearfully suffer'd Martyrdom by the Enemies to the name of Christ being bound to a Cart and from a high Hill let down upon a Precipice and torn to pieces SYLVESTER III. SYLVESTER the Third a Roman Son of one Laurence was substituted into the room of Benedict when he was expell'd but held it not long for after nine and forty days Benedict was restor'd by his own Faction The Popedom was now brought to that pass that he who was most ambitious and would give most for it not he who was most religious and learned surely obtain'd this high Office to the great oppression and discouragement of all good Men a naughty custom which I wish were laid by even in our own times and yet this mischief is not so great but that I fear except God avert we shall see much worse I return to Sylvester who being Cardinal of Sabina was made Pope not by the College of Cardinals for that had been tolerable but meerly by Simony as some write and soon after justly deposed having entred like a Thief and a Robber not by the Gate but by the back door Benedict indeed was restor'd but the City continued in a hubbub sometimes desiring this Man and then another to be put up which uses to be the case of a Mobile who wanting a Governour to steer their giddy humours generally prefer the worse to the better Men. GREGORY VI. GREGORY the Sixth Arch-deacon of S. John at Port-Latin receiv'd as we said the Chair of Benedict But the Emperor Henry II. hearing of these miscarriages with a great Army enters Italy and calling a Council causes Benedict IX Sylvester III. and Gregory VI. all to be deposed for so many wretched Monsters and creates Syndegerus Bishop of Bamberg Pope by the name of Clement II. Yet Gilbertus the Historian affirms this Gregory to have deserv'd very well of the Church having by his Authority and great Spirit in a short time reasserted the dignity of the Sea Apostolick which had been much weakned in its Powers by the negligence of some of his Predecessors for he recovered the Patrimony of the Church and first with Excommunications and Curses and when they avail'd not with downright force of Arms he destroy'd the Banditi who lurking near the City would cruelly murther Pilgrims as they came to Rome for devotion sake For this reason some wicked Rogues slander'd him commonly with the names of Murtherer Simoniac and Blood-thirsty nay even some Cardinals would say so too which so mov'd Gregory that whilst he lay ill of that sickness of which afterward he died he sent for those Cardinals and rebuk'd them sharply for finding fault with that which was done with so much justice and honesty And that you may know says he whether I have done that which is right or no when I am dead carry my Corps to the Church-doors which first let be lock'd up and if they do miraculously open then think that I am an honest Man and worthy of Christian burial if not that both Soul and Body is damn'd and you may cast out my Corps where you please The Cardinals did accordingly and the doors were thrown open by a strong Wind that rose on a sudden and the Body brought in to the admiration of all Men and to the great reputation of his Sanctity This is the substance of what various Authors write of Gregory who sate in the Chair two years and seven months during the Schism CLEMENT II. CLEMENT the Second before call'd Syndegerus Bishop of Bamberg was made Pope in the Council by the consent or rather Authority and Command of Henry II. who having received at this Popes hands the Imperial Crown caused the Romans to take an Oath after a form he prescribed not to meddle in the Election of any Pope except by a command from him for the Emperor saw things to be come to such a height of Licentiousness that any factious and potent fellow however ignoble could arrive at that Dignity by purchasing the suffrages of the Electors which ought not to be conferr'd but by the Spirit of God upon those that excell'd in Learning and a holy life From hence he went to 〈◊〉 where he settled all things and having listed those Soldiers who had so stoutly resisted the Saracens he return'd by Rome for Germany He was no sooner gone as some write but the Romans contriv'd to poison the Pope because made so without their assent in the ninth month of his Popedom nay some Authors say the venemous Potion was prepared for him by that Stephen who by the name of Damasus II. succeeded him at the time when Odo Abbat of Clugny a Man of extraordinary holiness dying Hugo was made Abbat after him a noble Personage pious devout affable and learned Henry II. at this time reigning in France Alphonsos in Spain and Michael with his Son Constantine being Emperors of Constantinople which Empire was now in great weakness and distress DAMASUS II. DAMASUS the Second a Bavarian surnam'd Bagnario or Pepone as some say seiz'd the Papal Chair by force without any consent of the Clergy and People So deep root had this licentious custom taken that any ambitious fellow durst invade the Seat of S. Peter But the just God avenged himself upon this Villain that he might be an example to the rest who should seek by ambition and Simony that which ought to be the reward of Virtue for on the 29th day of his Pontificate he died Some would not have this Man put in the Catalogue of Popes because he came not regularly to that Dignity and admire that the Romans were not mov'd with the villany of the action contrary to their Oath to Henry to compel him to lay down his Office but because he liv'd so short a time that the Citizens could not so soon bethink themselves what to do I think they are not to be blam'd We shall then pass to Leo. LEO IX LEO the Ninth a German An. Dom. 1049. was made Pope after this manner The Romans having sent Embassadours to the 〈◊〉 to intreat him to send them a good Pope he immediately nominated to them Baunon Bishop of Toul a good Man and of great integrity Who taking his journey towards Rome in his Pontifical habit was met by the Abbat of 〈◊〉 and Hildebrand a Monk born at Soana who persuaded him to lay by his Pontifical habit and to enter Rome for that Henry had no power from God to create a Pope but it belonged of right to the Clergy and People of Rome With these words Leo was so mov'd and because as he came along he had heard a Voice saying Ego cogito pacis cogitationes non afflictionis that he
when he petition'd with all humility to send him a Pall he did it and restor'd him to his Authority in this form of words We are persuaded by thy Letter to send thy Brotherhood a Pall together with the Blessing of the Sea Apostolick which kind of Honour was never before conferr'd upon any person absent from us After that he gave a Pall and several priviledges to the Arch bishop of Toledo who came to Rome and swore fidelity to the Pope and made him Primate of all Spain But he laid a Curse upon the King of Portugal and all the Diocese of St. James because he had thrown the Bishop of that Province into Prison without hearing what he had to say for himself About the same time Henry Bishop of Soissons came to Urban at Rome and freely quitted his Bishoprick which he had received from the King of France without any hopes of Restitution Whereupon Urban lest his Diocese should suffer for want of a Bishop restored him to his Bishoprick though he were unwilling to take it but he was sworn in this manner I for the future will not communicate with any that are excommunicated by this Sea wittingly and willingly nor will I ever be present at the Consecrations of those that accept of Bishopricks or Abbies against Law and Reason from Laymen and so help me God and this holy Gospel I never intend to break my resolution So also they say he dealt with the Bishop of Bellay Nor can any one say he was pertinacious for doing so for he knew how and when to alter his mind upon occasion which every good Man should do For when he had admitted a Clerk whom Gibert the Anti-Pope had made a Sub deacon to second Orders he chang'd his mind because it was a thing of ill Example and like to be of very pernicious consequence He confirm'd the Order of Cistercians which was first set up in Burgundy and some say the Carthusians began their Order in his time though others say it was in the time of Victor III. But when Urban had settled the Church of God not onely by his pains and Example but by his Writings too which he set forth against the Hereticks he died near St. Nicolas's in the House of Peter Leo an eminent Citizen twelve years four months and nineteen days after he came to the Popedom upon the 28th of August His Body was carried over Tiber to avoid the contrivances of his Enemies who would have done him an injury if possible after death and buried very honourably in St. Peter's at the Vatican PASCHAL II. PASCHAL the Second before call'd Raynerius an Italian of Romagna whose Father's name was Crescentius and his Mother Alphacia was chosen Pope about that time when the Christians fought in Asia and took Antioch into which they were lett by Pyrrhus an eminent Citizen For he admired Böemunds valour so much that he promised to surrender the City to 'em if the rest of the Christians would let Böemund be Governour of it The Christians when they enter'd the City spared almost all but onely that they were severe upon the Saracens and Cassianus their King who fled to the Mountains was kill'd by the Armenians They had taken all but the Castle which whilest Böemund attaqued he was shot through the thigh with an Arrow which pained him so that he was fain to desist from the Siege for several days But when Corbanes the King of persia's General came up with Sensadolus Castianus's Son to retake Antioch Böemund was by that time well of his Wound met and would have engaged ' em But the Enemy kept up in the Mountains and could not be tempted to fight by any means Whereupon Böemund being necessitated for lack of Provisions was resolv'd to fight 'em though the place was much to his disadvantage So he order'd that Lance wherewith Longinus pierced Christ's side which they found in St. Andrew's Church at Antioch to be carry'd before 'em as the best Ensign they could have and marching up to 'em he defeated them with the slaughter of an hundred thousand though at first they made a brisk resistance Besides that they say there were fifteen thousand Camels taken in their Camp and so much plunder carry'd off that from the greatest extremity of want they were advanced to the greatest abundance of all things necessary The Governour of the Castle when he knew of it surrender'd the Castle to Böemund and embraced the Christian Faith and all that were in the Garrison if they would do the like were permitted to march off with Bag and Baggage whither they pleased After that there arose a great debate betwixt Böemund and Raymund when Böemund demanded Antioch and Raymund said it belong'd to the Emperour of Constantinople by the contract they had before freely made But the Priests to whom it was referr'd gave it to Böemund without any more ado In the mean time Hugo Magnus who was gone to Constantinople to compose things died and then the other Officers all but Raymund who besieged Caesarea in Cappadocia resolv'd to go to Jerusalem with their Army and rendezvouz'd in Lycia But by the way they attempted to take Tortosa and after they had spent three months in vain they raised the Siege and march'd to Tripoli the petit King of which place furnish'd 'em liberally with Mony Provisions and Arms and thereby obtain'd a Peace upon Condition that he if Jerusalem were taken should embrace the Christian Religion Hence they removed and passing by Coesarea in Palestine came at five encampings to Jerusalem which stands upon an high Hill and is divided also by several Dales so that it cannot be besieged but by a very great Army Beside there wants Fountains and River-waters which are necessary for an Army For there is no other rivolet but Siloe and that very little in the Summer time and sometimes nothing at all which runs down Mount Sion into the Valley of 〈◊〉 Yet there are a great many Cisterns in the City and the Countrey to furnish the Citizens with Water but cannot supply great Armies and Beasts of carriage Notwithstanding the Christians got what Provisions they could and attaqued the City in four places very fiercely whilest the Jerusalemites defended it as stoutly and upon the 13th of July they took it by storm the thirty ninth day after they began to besiege it in the year 1499. four hundred and ninety years after the Saracens took it under the Reign of Heraclius Godfrey was most to be commended in that action for that he first master'd that part of the Wall which was allotted for him and his Brother to storm and help'd Balion down into the City to open the Gates for the Christians at whose entrance there was such a slaughter both in the City and especially in the Temple that Men were above the ancles in bloud And the same day they had taken the Temple too if Night had not come upon ' em However the next day the Attaque was
that the presence of two such great Kings would certainly move them as it did to make Theobald of Piacenza Arch-deacon of Liege Pope though he were absent But to return to Clement Whose life is to be commended in every part of it for his Learning Piety Religion Humanity Charity to his Neighbours and to all poor Christians As for the goods or the Church he distributed them at such a rate and with such discretion that he in all probability gave more to God than to his own Relations He had two Daughters by his Wife who died before his Popedom to one of which that liv'd in a Nunnery he gave thirty pounds of small Deniers Tournois and to the other who was married to a man of an equal fortune he ordered a portion of three hundred pounds Tournois upon condition she should never ask for one penny more He had besides a Nephew that was a Clergy-man whom when he found to have three Prebends for so they call Canonries he forced him to take his choice which of 'em he would keep and leave the other two But when his friends were urgent with him not onely to let his Nephew enjoy what he already had but give him more and greater preferments the Holy Man made answer I would the Popes in our time would follow his Example that he would obey God and not flesh and bloud That it was Gods pleasure what belong'd to the Church should be bestow'd to charitable uses nor was he worthy to be S. Peter's Successor who would give more to his Kindred than to Religion and to Christ But whilst he was at Viterbo and news was daily brought to him that Ednigeth a Dutchess of Poland who had been long dead was in very great esteem for her Miracles he canoniz'd her He was also wonderfully satisfied with the Doctrine of Bonaventure General of the Order of Friers Minors who at that time wrote gravely and copiously upon the first second third and fourth Books of the Sentences Now the Holy Man dying with such a Character was much lamented and miss'd by all men And hence arose the Controversie among the Cardinals to find out a fit Person to succeed Clement GREGORY X. GREGORY the tenth formerly called Theoâ—ald an Italian born at Piacâ—nza and Arch deacon of Liege was created Pope by the Colledg of Cardinals at Viterbo whilst he was in Asia For at that time when Lewis went into Africa Edward Son to the King of England sailed from England into Asia with a great Navy in order to regain the holy Land But staying so long at Ptolemais till Lewis King of France came out of Africa with Victory according to his promise he was stab'd in three places by one Arsacida a Companion of his as he was alone in his Bed chamber and by the assistance of another friend of his very hardly escaped his Death For that other person held the Russians hand so long till the People of the House came in who tare treacherous Arsacida to pieces and dragg'd him out of the Room But Edward when he was cured of his Wounds had a great esteem for his friend Theobald because he continually animated all Christian Kings and Princes against the Saracens and when he went to Rome in order to receive the Popedom being sent for by the Cardinals who had elected him he assisted him extraordinarily with a Ship with Money and a splendid equipage especially at that time when Henry a Youth and Son of Richard Earl of Cornwall who was lately dead came to Viterbo to see Clement After whose death staying there for some time he was unluckily kill'd For Guido Monford who went to the Cathedral Church along with Philip the French King to hear Divine Service stabbed him before the Altar because his Father Simon had been basely murther'd in England by Richard He having reveng'd his Fathers death in this manner he escaped with safety to Ruffus Governour of Tuscany Not long after Philip and Charles vexed at such an Indignity went from Viterbo the former into France the latter into Puglia For having made a Peace with the Saracens Charles went along with Theobald who was arrived at Siponto now call'd Manfredonia as far as Ceperano From thence his Holiness travell'd through Marsi and Sabini to Viterbo where he was receiv'd by the Cardinals with all Respect and Honour imaginable and being crown'd with the Pontifical Diadem he was invested with all the Power that Christ left Peter When that was done and that he had setled the Popedom for a time he was desirous to make Peace between the Genoeses and the Venetians For these two States had been engaged one with another in great and bloudy Conflicts for a long time Upon this account Philip King of France who tarried at Cremona was prevail'd upon by the Pope to send for the Genoese and Venetian Embassadors and made a Peace between 'em for five years that they might all go in one body against the Saracens Italy was now quiet when the beginning of an universal disorder rose from the Venetians now Exactions For they made a Law that no one should sail in the Adriatick especially from Pola to Venice unless they paid a Gabel according to the value of their goods But the Bologneses could not endure this as being at that time masters of a great part of Romagna and therefore for three years together they fought the Venetians with great variety of Fortune At last being tired out they accepted of a Peace upon this Condition that they should demolish a Castle which they had built upon the very mouth of Po that they should have free leave to carry out some goods that were there and then the Venetians should have the sole custody of the Mouth of the River Po. They also of Ancona were offended that the Venetians challenged the absolute dominion of the Adriatick Sea and exacted Custom from those that sailed there And hereof they complain'd to the Pope whose Duty it is to see that no new Taxes be imposed He therefore immediately commanded the Venetians to take off that Imposition who answered him in these very words That the Pope did not perfectly understand the matter and that when he did he would be able to judg better of it Gregory could not make an end of this matter to his mind because he was forced to go to the Council which he had called at Lyons Thither also went Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople with a great Retinue and made the Greeks comply and subscribe to the Opinion of the Church of Rome now the thirteenth time they having so often revolted Nay farther some Noblemen of Tartary were induced by his Authority to receive Baptism Mean time the Western Empire being vacant Rodolphus Earl of Assia is made Emperor by the Electors upon condition that he would go to Rome the next year to receive the Crown there But the Florentines who were Guelphs immediately turned out their Countrymen the Gibellins though they had been restored
manner in Lombardy the Emperor went through Piacenza to Genoa along with Amadeus of Savoy attended by the Agents from Pisa and Genoa Thither came Embassadors from Robert of Naples and Frederick King of Sicily not long after the former to make a shew of friendship and the latter to assure him of the real love which they had for him For Robert had sent his Mareschal into Tuscany with two thousand Horse to assist the Floretines and those of Lucca if need were against the Emperor But Henry went by Sea to Pisa and having sent his Land-forces before him did the men of Lucca a great deal of damage Hitherto I thought fit to relate all the inconveniences which were brought upon the Italians which some impute wholly to Clement who solicited Henry to come with an Army into Italy Whilst others tell us that Clement did it for the advantage of the Country because of the civil Discords among 'em which were the cause of much blood-shed in every City nay in every little Castle The Citizens were slain old men murther'd young Children dash'd against the ground with a boundless cruelty Whereupon Clement used that saying of Homer Let there be but one chief Lord one Judg of all matters Henry went on toward Rome and sent Lewis of Savoy Son to Amadeus with five hundred Horse before who taking up his quarters at one Stephen Columna's House near the Lateran put the Vrsin Faction in a terrible fear But Henry came first to Viterbo and thence to Rome where he was very kindly received not onely by all the Nobility but by the Citizens in general After that being Crown'd by three Cardinals he made the Romans swear Allegiance to him as the custom is and made a great Feast to which he invited all the Noblemen of the City except the Vrsins But lest in such a concourse of people there should arise any tumult through the animosities of some men he planted his Soldiers in the Theatres Baths and other fortified places in the strength of which Guards he was so confident that he had the courage to demand of the people a Tribute which they never used to pay Hereupon all the Citizens of both Factions fled to the Vrsins who had set good Guards about their House which stood near the Tiber and hard by Hadrians Bridg. At that the Emperor was so enraged that he summoned the Sea-Archers whom the men of Pisa had sent him to march into the City against the Romans but they were surprised and soon routed by John the Brother of King Robert who had placed his Sea-forces under the Mount di S. Sabina He also let in the Horse who quarter'd not far off and by the aid of the Roman people forced the Emperour himself to retreat as far as Tivoli After him John Robert's Brother went away by Command from the Cardinals and left the City quiet But Henry going from Perugia arrived at Arezzo where he accused Robert the King of Treason and because he did not appear upon Summons deprived him of his Kingdom against the mind of Clement who thought he had done a thing of such consequence in a very improper place besides that it was none of his Prerogative For he said It was Popes peculiar Province to dispose of the Kingdom of Sicily on both sides the Pharo The Emperor marching from Arezzo led his Army toward Florence and Lucca who were Allies to Robert But seeing he was not able to storm a Town he possess'd himself of Poggibonci which when he had fortified he declared War against the Seneses because they were so niggardly and sparing in supplying him with Provisions But falling sick he went to the Bath at Macerata from whence he came back to Bonconvento much weaker than he was before There after some days he died but it was suspected he was poison'd by a Monk at Florence who was induced by large Rewards and Promises to give him the Eucharist dipped in Poison The State of Pisa now that the Emperor was dead feared the power of the Florentines and therefore chose Vgutio Fagiolano their Captain and sole Governor who not long after reduced those of Lucca and took away their Lands from 'em by the assistance of the Cavalry that had served under Henry In the mean time Clement was very much troubled not onely at all the other evils that Italy underwent but that S. Constantines Church should be burnt down Wherefore he sent Money to the Clergy and people of Rome toward the repair of that Church though there was such scarcity and Dearth in his Country at that time that he could hardly buy himself Victuals and Drink Which miseries were foretold by frequent Eclipses of the Sun several Comets and the Plague which was almost Epidemical But Clement apply'd himself to settle the State of the Church and therefore he exercised his Episcopal Function three times not onely in making several Cardinals who were excellent Men but in three Councils which he called in several places and at several times he did many things with prudence and deliberation For he suppress'd Dulcinus's Sect as I told you that opposed the Churchmen and took off the Templers who were fallen into very great Errors as denying Christ c. and gave their goods to the Knights of Jerusalem He likewise withstood the King of France at Poictou when he made unreasonable and unhandsom Demands for the King would have had Boniface censur'd and Nogaretius and Sarra absolv'd The first request he never obtein'd but the second he at last had granted to him upon Nogaretius's Promise that he would go against the Saracens for Penance Which expedition Clement himself had a great mind to as appears by his Councils Afterwards he canonized Caelestin the fifth by the name of Peter the Confessor because approved by Miracles and set forth the Clementines which he composed during the Council at Vienna But in succeeding time he was afflicted with divers Diseases for he was troubled sometimes with a Dysentery sometimes with a pain in his Stomach or his Sides of which he dy'd in the eighth year tenth month and fifteenth day of his Pontificate The Sea was then vacant two years three months and seventeen days whilst the Cardinals were at a stand whom they should choose Nor was there less Discord among the Electors of the Empire upon the Death of Henry some proposing Lewis of Bavaria others Frederick Duke of Austria And these two engaging in War one against the other Frederick was Conquer'd at which Lewis grew so proud that he not onely called himself Emperor without Authority from Rome but favour'd the Viconti in Lombardy so far that they got into Millain And this he did to make his own passage more easie toward Rome where he was to receive a golden Crown according to the usual Custom Then began the people of Tuscany and all the Guelphs to tremble when they saw Lewis Emperor and that he was likely to recover all the rights of the Empire in
Sedition into a safe Port. He therefore having obtained this great Dignity and seeing the Hydras head which might grow out again and multiply was still left that is Benedict formerly called Peter Luna who kept with some few Cardinals and Prelates in a place that might be called the very Fort of Schism Whilst some People of Aragon were at a stand which way to incline He by approbation of the Council sent Alemannus Ademarius a very learned Man whose Tomb is still to be seen in new S. Maries a Florentine and Cardinal of S. Eusebius as Legate à Latere into Aragon to admonish Peter upon Ecclesiastical Penalties and Censures to resign the Pontificate Nay even the Cardinals that were on Peter's side when they heard this ultimate resolution of the Pope and Council went to Peter and desired him at last to remove all Schism out of the Church of God with which Christendom had been for so many years afflicted and told him that John and Gregory had done the same in order to save the Church from ruin Peter gave 'em some slight answer and told 'em he could not do it but he would agree with Martin if all were true which people said of his integrity and humanity and bid 'em let him alone to manage the business and trouble themselves no more about it But of the four Cardinals who went to him two observing his obstinacy immediately revolted from him to Martin And those two that continued on his side were presently counted Anti-Cardinals one of which was a Carthusian and the other called Julian Dobla Upon this all Spain acknowledged Martins Authority and so did the Scots and those of Armagnac not long after And so all Christendom except one Peninsula owned the Authority of Martin This great Affair thus setled by the pains and industry of the Ecclesiastick and secular Princes especially of Sigismund the Emperor they began to talk of reforming the manners of both the Laiety and Clergy which were debauched with too much Licence But because the Council of Constance had lasted already four years to the great inconvenience of Prelates and their Churches it was Martin's pleasure and the Opinion of the Council that weighty Affair should be deferred till some more seasonable opportunity it being he said a work that would require much time and deliberation because as Jerome says every Country has its peculiar Manners and Customs which cannot be easily remov'd without great disturbance Now because the Schism from a small beginning had lasted a long time to the great disadvantage of Christendom upon notice that John XXIII was escaped out of custody fearing lest he should call another Council he publish'd a Decree concerning the calling of Councils That from the end of the Council at Constance no other Council should be held within five years and after that within seven and from thence it was drawn out to ten years and was made a Law That every ten years a General Council should be held in some convenient place to treat of matters of Faith and the common good of Christendom In confirmation whereof by the approbation of the Council Martin publish'd his Bulls But he abrogated all Decrees that were made during the Schism before his Pontificate except such as were made to promote faith or good manners That all Men might know he intended to call a Council he publickly advised concerning a commodious place for it and at last chose Pavia by general approbation and gave out his Breves to this purpose Martin Bishop and Servant of Gods Servants for the future remembrance of the thing being desirous to have Obedience paid to the Decree of this General Council upon a Debate had concerning a Place where the next Council shall be holden we do with the approbation and consent of the said Council and by the Authority of these presents appoint the City of Pavia for that purpose And let no man contravene this our Decree upon pein of the displeasure of God Almighty and of his Apostles SS Peter and Paul Given and enacted at Constance in the publick Council-House April 18. in the first year of our Pontificate And now he was willing the Council should be dissolv'd wherefore calling a full Assembly with the good liking of the Emperor and of all the rest he commanded Ibaldo Cardinal of S. Vitus to dismiss them which he did by saying Sirs Depart in peace Every one now having leave to be gone the Pope was desired on the one side by the Emperor and the Germans that he would tarry some time in their Country and by the French Princes on the other side to go into France but he told 'em he could not do it by any means because he said the Churches Patrimony was torn and spoiled by Usurpers in Italy whilst the Pope was absent and that the City of Rome which was the Metropolis of Christendom was almost ruin'd for want of the presence of its Governour so much it had suffer'd by Plague Famine Sword Fire and Sedition beside that the Churches and Chappels of the holy Martyrs by the Pope's absence were either in ruins or ready to fall and therefore he must be gone thither He desired 'em to take that kindly which reason and necessity forced him to and that they would let him sit in Peter's Chair since they had unanimously chosen him Pope That the Church of Rome was the Mother and the Head of all other Churches and therefore the Pope ought to reside there lest the true Pilot should be displaced from the Stern to the Stem to the great hazard and detriment of both Passengers and Sailers i.e. all Christian Men. So he went from Constance through Savoy into Italy and arrived at Millain where he was very kindly received by Duke Philip and all his People who gave him all the respect imaginable Philip was at that time in Arms endeavouring to recover his paternal inheritance which the Usurpers kept from him with great bravery and courage for having once tasted how pleasant it was to govern they were not easily turn'd out of possession However Carmignola Philip's chief Commander press'd Pandulphus Malatesta very hard who having taken Pergamo by bribing the Governour to betray the Castle moved toward Brescia and would have quickly strip'd him of all his Dominions had he not been aided by the Venetians with great sums of Money and stout Cavalry or had not Pope Martin persuaded Philip to make a Peace with Pandulphus which was accordingly afterward composed and agreed upon at Mantoua in the presence of Martin and by the Umpirage of John Francisco upon these terms to wit That Pandulphus paying a yearly Tribute should keep Brescia so long as he lived but should not have Power to give it away by Will because at his Death it naturally devolv'd upon Philip. But the next year Pandulphus broke his Peace by endeavouring by Men and Money to keep Cabrinus Fundulus in the possession of Cremona For Philip made War against him
and endeavoured to regain the City which was his paternal Inheritance but had been so many years possess'd by that Usurper Yet there was a report that Pandulphus had bought the City of Cabrinus and promised to give him Riviera di Salo for it But John Francisco strove all he could to keep him from this War and sent Embassadors to tell him that he did contrary to all Law and Reason in violating of Leagues defending a Tyrant and taking up Arms against him who gave him the Government of Brescia And that Martin's Authority ought not to be slighted to say nothing of his own by whose Arbitrement the Peace was made But if he slighted the Authority of Men at least he should reverence that of God whom they had invoked as a witness to the League which he had broken Soon after the Pope went away from Mantoua in the fourth month after he came thither and passing through Ferrara and Romagna he came to Florence without calling at Bologna which he shun'd on purpose For when they of Bologna heard that Baldesar Cossa was forced to lay down the Pontificate they expelled the Church-Officers and asserted their Liberty At that time Carmignola press'd hard upon Pandulphus by his breach of the Peace made justly obnoxious to a War and in a short space took a great part of the Country of Brescia and pitch'd his Camp at Montclere there to encounter Lewis Meliorat Nephew to Innocent VII who was said to be coming with a great Body of Horse to help Pandulphus For they two were kindred by Marriage and Lewis did it in respect to his Relation So they joined Battel wherein Lewis was basely routed and not long after Carmignola reduced Brescia and made it subject to Philip who also within a little while was Master of Cremona and put Cabrinus the Usurper to Death Nicolas d' Este being mov'd at Philip's great success went of his own accord and did what he might have been forced to that is he went to Millain and restored Parma which he possess'd himself of when Otho the Third died to Philip but kept Rheggio at the request of Pope Martin as a Fee Thither also went John Francis Prince of Mantoua to congratulate Philip's Successes But when he saw Philip look gruffly upon him and understood that he design'd to renew his Claim to all that he held of the Cremoneses and the Brescians he went from Millain in haste and enter'd into Alliance with the Florentines and Venetians For those two States were very timorous and took pains to draw over whom they could to their Party because Philip who loved Dominion had broken the League with them and not onely given Sarzana upon the River Magra to Thomas Fregoso whom he had expelled from his Principality lest he should join with the Bandittoes of Genoa against him but also had incited the Bolognians who were Allies of the Florentines to revolt and in order to it hired their Soldiers to fight under him nay he had got possession of Forli under colour of the non-age of Theobald or to gratifie the Prince of Ferrara whereas there was a proviso in the League that Philip should not meddle with Bologna and Romagna They feared likewise lest all would be carried by the power of the three mighty Princes to wit Philip Pope Martin and King Lewis whom they knew to be Confederates Whereas on the other side Philip laid all the fault upon the Venetians because they had endeavour'd to keep Pandulphus in the Government of Brescia and because the Florentines and Genoeses had assisted some of his Enemies with Money and Ammunition and had bought Legorne which he had lately Conquer'd of the Genoeses for an hundred thousand pounds These seeds of Discord might seem enough to raise a War at that time but nothing did more set on the Venetians than the Authority of Carmignola a person mightily famed for warlike Discipline as any of that Age. This person could not endure as he used to say himself the insolence of Philip and therefore came over to the Venetians and animating them to War promised to assist 'em with his utmost Whereupon these two States assisted by the Princes of Mantoua and Ferrara and going Partners in the charge of the War set out an Army of twelve thousand Horse and eight thousand Foot over whom Carmignola was General And then setting upon Philip from every quarter at once with Boats upon the River as well as Ships upon the Sea they were invited into the Town by the Guelphs of Brescia who were against Philip. And having seized some part of it they reduced it all into their own power within seven months Then Carmignola led them to take the Castles which belonged to Brescia when Pope Martin very much concerned for Philips misfortune sent the Cardinal of S. Crosses to the Venetians to mediate between them and Philip. But that did not succeed because the Venetians and Florentines made unreasonable Demands and so they began again mighty preparations for a War They fought thrice in that year first at Cotolengo a Castle of Brescia the second time at the upper part of Cremona in which two places they parted pretty equal and neither had the better on 't and the third time at Maclodio where Philip was defeated and Charles Malatesta the General taken This was so great an overthrow that if Carmignola would have kept the Soldiers that he took and have pursu'd 'em whilst they were in such a consternation it had been no great pains to have turn'd Philip out of his Principality Charles I told you was taken in that Battel but was sent away safe by the Prince of Mantoua his Kinsman But Carmignola employing the Army against the Towns belonging to the Brescians which had continu'd in their Allegiance to Philip he gave him time to breath upon it For he not onely made Peace with Amadens Duke of Savoy who lay hard upon him yielding him Vercelli but he instigated the Emperor Sigismund and Branorus Scala against the Venetians But Pope Martin seeing Philip in such dangerous Circumstances sent the Cardinal of S. Crosses again to make peace between him and the Venetians who staying at Ferrara till the several Embassadors of the Princes and Cities came with instructions he made a Peace upon these Conditions That the Venetians should keep Brescia and all the Towns belonging to the Brescians or Cremoneses which they had taken that Philip should surrender Bergamo and all that appertain'd to it to the Venetians and that he should not molest their Allies or those of the Florentines or perswade any of 'em to revolt Martin approved of this Peace for fear Philip should be quite turn'd out of his Dutchy For as he could not be his Friend though he loved him well upon the account of Religion so neither could he then especially because at that time the Church-Treasury had been exhausted for several years by the War against Brachius For when he went to Florence he found Brachius
manners into the world and bring Virtue into fashion and employed in perfecting the League and Confederacy between the Emperor and the Venetians and other Allies in order to the main design of expelling the French out of Italy It happened that he was seized by a Fever which affecting him at first in a gentle manner was lightly esteemed by the Physicians but the disease afterwards increasing he summoned the College of Cardinals to him recommending to them the care of the Church and the welfare of Christendom He bestowed his own Cardinals Hat with his Title on his great Friend and Confident Eikenwort in gratitude for his faithful services performed towards him After which he died in the Vatican on the 14th of September 1523 having held the Papal Dignity no longer than one year eight months and six days and having lived 64 years three months and 13 days he departed this life and was buried in the Church of S. Peter with this Epitaph Adrianus Papa VI. hic situs est Qui nihil sibi infelicius in vitâ Quam quod imperaret duxit But afterwards Cardinal Eikenwort in grateful remembrance of the benefits he had received from him erected a fair Monument of Alablaster over him with this Inscription Adrianus VI. Pont. Max. ex Trajecto insigni Inferioris Germaniae Vrbe Qui dum rerum humanarum Maxime aversatur splendorem ultrò à Proceribus ob Incomparabilem Sacrarum disciplinarum scientiam Ac prope divinam castissimi animi moderationem Carolo V. Caesari Augusto Praeceptor Ecclesiae Derthusensi Antistes Sacri Senatus Patrium Collega Hispaniarum Regnis Praeses Reipub. denique Christianae divinitus Pontifex absens adscitus Vixit annos 64 menses 6 dies 13 decessit 18 Cal. Octobris Anno à partu Virginis 1523. Pontificatus sui Anno secuna◠In this manner Pope Adrian died to the great disappointment of the Confederates to whom not only the benefit of the Papal Authority failed by his death but also the Contribution of that mony to which he had obliged himself by the capitulations of Confederacy He left behind him a mean esteem and opinion in the world of his Wisdom or abilities of mind either because in that short time of his Reign he was not able to give better proof or else because he wanted experience in Affairs howsoever he departed this life to the incredible joy of all the Court who desired to see an Italian in that Seat or one at least who had been trained up and practised in the Affairs of Italy CLEMENT VII POPE Adrian the sixth being dead and his Funeral Obsequies performed the Cardinals to the number of thirty entered into the Conclave for Election of a new Pope The two which were chiefly in nomination and which stood most fair for the Election were the Cardinals Medici and Colonna the first supported by the Faction of the Emperor and the other of France but that which made most against Colonna was the inveterate enmity which Cardinal Vrsino bore to him on account of that ancient hatred and quarrel which was hereditary between the two Families who therefore opposed him with all his power and interest And farther upon promise given by Medici to Vrsino to confer on him the Office of Vice-Chancellor the contest was no longer doubtful every one pressing to give his voice that he might not seem the last to appear in favour of Medici by which means two thirds giving their suffrages for him which is necessary to the Election of every Pope an end was put to this Controversie which had lasted two months and four days Thus Julio Medici being declared Pope was conducted by all the Cardinals together with great numbers of Prelates and Clergy-men to the Church of S. Peter where being seated upon the High-Altar ad limina Apostolorum he was there worshipped and reverenced by all the Clergy who presented themselves before him to pay him rheir respects and obedience and receive his blessing He there took upon himself the name of Clement VII and was afterwards conducted and attended with a numerous train to his Lodgings in the Vatican This Julio now Clement VII was the natural Son of Juliano de Medici who was murdered by the Pazzi and other Conspirators as before declared in the life of Sixtus IV. He was born a month after the death of his Father whom he greatly resembling in all the lineaments of his face and vivacity of his spirit was committed to the charge and care of his Uncle Lorenzo who educated him in all sorts of Liberal Sciences and elegancy of manners which might serve to render a person of his quality and condition accomplished His Family being afterwards expelled out of Florence by the power of Charles the Eighth King of France he continued in exile from his own Country for the space of 18 years during which time he was created Knight of Rhodes and Grand Prior of Capua and afterwards advanced by his Kinsman Leo X. to the Arch-Bishoprick of Florence and the year following was created Cardinal of S. Clement and then instituted Chancellor of the Roman Church which is the supreme Office in the Popes Court and lastly being ascended to the high dignity of Pope he was crowned on the 25th of November 1523. with the common joy and satisfaction of all in general who were pleased with the promotion of a person of his great Authority and Sobriety wholly addicted to business and counsel without mixtures of pleasures or divertisements for which reason the world expected great and extraordinary matters from him Howsoever all these excellencies in a person of his high condition could not hinder or prevent the evils of an insuing War nor could the Pope when the Emperor Charles the Fifth and Francis the French King sent their Embassadors to Rome to complement him upon his late Election please them both by keeping that even hand of moderation and temperance which became his Office when Christian Princes are at variance for the Emperor expected the same strictness of Alliance as was between him and Pope Leo his Predecessor and challenged his favour and partiality on his side for being assistant and instrumental in his promotion Howsoever the Election of a person of his Authority and Interest had a considerable Ascendant over the Affairs of the Church For the Duke of Ferrara who during the vacancy of the Sea had seized upon Reggia having understood that a Pope of so much reputation in the world was Elected desisted from prosecution of his design of taking Modena and so retired peaceably to Ferrara and John de Sassatello who had for some time vexed and harassed Romagna from whence he had been expulsed by the Gibelines under the Reign of Adrian did now retire with his contrary Faction of Guelfs being appeased by the Authority and influence of this new Pope But the spirits of mightier and more puissant Princes were not so easily allayed by the charms of mediation or the force of reason for tho Clement being
and expedition in the design upon Florence but whilst these things were meditating Letters came from the Electoral College to the Emperor earnestly intreating him that he would be pleased speedily to return into Germany to consider about the matter of Summoning a General Council for Reformation of Religion and Election of his Brother Ferdinand to be King of the Romans and also to prepare matters for resistance of the Turk who had sworn to return thither again in a short time These matters seeming of considerable importance were the cause that the Emperor changed his resolution of proceeding to Rome and was Crowned at Bologna by the hand of the Pope at which there was a great confluence of people tho not that magnificence and pomp as had been usual at the Inauguration of other Emperors The day of his Coronation was the Feast of S. Matthias a day thrice auspicious to him being the day of his Nativity the day on which he took the French King Prisoner and the day on which he was invested in the Imperial Dignity This Solemnity being past the Emperor prepared for his Journey into Germany howsoever before his departure the Pope having setled his own business with him touching the subjection of Florence other matters of difference relating to the Venetians to the Investiture of Francis Sforza into the Dutchy of Milan and Alfonso d' Este Duke of Ferrara were referred by compromise to the sentence and determination of the Emperor the expectation of which judgment gave for some time quiet and repose to the Affairs of Italy After which the Emperor proceeded to Germany and the Pope returned to Rome where after some short time he received the joyful news of the surrender of Florence which having endured a long Siege by the Emperors Army under the command of the Prince of Aurange and after his death of Don Ferrand de Gonzaga yielded it self by common consent of the people to the government of twelve Citizens who being of the Faction of the Medices did without attending the Declaration of the Emperor leave Florence entirely to the pleasure and disposal of the Pope at whose instance and persuasion the Emperor declared Alexander de Medicis Prince and Duke of Florence and the same right of Honor and Dignity to descend from him to his Heirs for ever the which power and title hath since that time continued in that Illustrious Family Whilst these things were acted in Italy a Diet was assembled at Ausbourg at which Ferdinand the Emperors Brother was elected King of the Romans where also notice being taken of the great increase of the Lutheran Doctrin which had spread it self in all parts of Germany and had taken root in the greatest and most Princely Families it was concluded by all sides and parties as well Lutherans as others that the only means to reform Affairs and confirm those Doctrins which were sound and Orthodox was only in the Power and Authority of a General Council for the moderate Party which was inclined to the Papal Interest considering the many abuses crept into the Church and the exorbitant power of the Clergy hoped that a Council would reduce matters to more equal terms The Lutherans on the other side having formed a great and numerous Party did apprehend that many of the dignified Clergy that were to be Members of that Council would prove well inclined and affected to them where matters being debated with freedom and candor the nakedness of the Church of Rome would be exposed and its Corruptions discovered This being the general sense of all Germany which the Emperor was willing to satisfie he sent to the Pope urging him to summon a Council to persuade him whereunto he desired him to recal unto his memory the personal Conferences they had entertained at Bologna and the assurances he had there given him of faithfulness and adherence to the Church promising him that neither his Authority nor Dignity should be brought into any danger for that he would be there present in person to over-awe any contrivances which might be designed against either Nothing could come more ungrateful than this Proposition to the Pope and Cardinals who were not willing to expose the excessive abuses and exactions of the Court of Rome to the test of a Council where perhaps the authority of Indulgences the largeness of Dispensations and other Errors being discussed would give admission into those secrets which were not to be touched or opened The Pope also had some secret reserves of his own which he would not have committed to the scrutiny of a a Council he was not willing perhaps to have it debated that he was born Illigitimate which incapacitates him of being a Cardinal and consequently of being Pope Nor would he have the suspicion of Simony with which he practised with Cardinal Colonna called into question besides many other particulars of which he feared to be censured by the Council upon consideration of all which after consultations had with the Cardinals deputed to the discussion of that matter many reasons were given to the Emperor against the present Assembling of such a Council but when the time should appear more seasonable that then the Indictions might be regulated with many proper and cautious circumstances as that the Council should be celebrated in Italy and that the Pope should be personally present at it and that the Lutherans should promise to submit the determination and decision of their Controversies and Opinions to the judgment and sentence of a Council and in the mean time desist from the declaration or propagation of their Doctrins the which being a matter difficult and unpracticable the proposition for a Council became ineffectual and the thoughts thereof laid aside until the Reign of another Pope Tho the Pope did not think fit to gratifie the desires of the Emperor and all Germany with a General Council yet the Emperor not unmindful of the Arbitration he had accepted for settlement of the Affairs of Italy did about the beginning of the year 1531. reassume the consideration of those matters In the first place therefore he decreed that the City of Florence should be governed by the same Magistrates and by the same model and form of rule as it had formerly been in the time of the Medices that Alexander the Popes Nephew should be chief in the Government and so successively his Heirs for ever all the ancient Privileges and Immunities formerly granted by him or his Predecessors were again restored and confirmed with condition notwithstanding of forfeiture in case the Magistrates or People of that City should attempt any thing against the authority and greatness of the Medices the which Sentence he pronounced with a Despotick power not by virtue of a compromise or reference to him by the parties concerned but by an Authority inherent in the Imperial Dignity And tho this determination was pleasing to the Pope yet by the other relating to the Duke of Ferrara he was much offended for
judgment of the Pope for tho the Emperor did most strictly forbid and inhibit any person to oppugn the Doctrins contained in this Book of Interim either by Practice Writings or Preaching yet notwithstanding the Protestants on one side did not forbear to refute this Confession of Ausbourg by their publick Writings and Disputations and on the other Francis Romeo General of the Dominican Friers did by command from the Pope appoint several Learned men of that Order to refute that Formulary of the Interim In France also many wrote against it and in a short time great numbers both of Catholicks and Protestants oppugned it with heat of argument it having hapned in this matter as in others of the like nature that where middle terms or moderate expedients have been proposed between the extremes of opposite Factions for accommodating or reconciling their differences there the event hath been no other than that the contrary parties have impugned the expedients and both have been hardned and confirmed in their own Tenents and Opinions These debates and troubles gave a stop to the proceedings of the Council at Bologna for the space of two years and until almost the end of the year 1549. when at the beginning of November news came to the Pope then at Rome that the Duke Ottavio Farnese his Nephew who having against his own inclinations been detained by the Pope at Rome out of tenderness to his life lest he should incur the same fate as Pier-luigi had done was privately escaped out of the City and was then actually dealing with Ferdinand Gonzaga the Governor of Milan to instate him in Parma in despight of Camillo Orsino who was to keep and defend the Town in right of the Ecclesiastical State The which news so surprised the mind of the Pope with sensible grief and commotion of spirit who was not as yet recovered of the sorrow he had conceived for the fate of his Son Pierluigi that he presently fell into a swound or Leipothymie from which being revived was seized by so violent a Fever that in three days he died thereof being the 10th of November at his Palace of Monte Cavallo where he usually resided because it was esteemed a place of the best Air in Rome He had held the Papal Sea 15 years and 28 days and was arrived to the age of 81 years eight months and 10 days He was buried in S. Peter's Church without any great pomp or State and afterwards the Sea was vacant two months and 29 days JVLIVS III. THE Cardinals having as accustomary celebrated the Funeral Obsequies of the Pope deceased for the space of nine days did on the tenth enter into the Conclave but then considering the small appearance of Cardinals few being then present the formal recess and retirement into the Conclave was deferred for some time And here it is to be observed that the Cardinals were divided into three Factions the first favoured the Emperor the second was inclined to the French King and a third consisted of such Cardinals as had been the creatures of the late Pope deceased and by him promoted to several Benefices and Dignities the Cape or chief of which was Cardinal Farnese Nephew to Paul the Third who tho young was yet active subtil and of a judgment solid and of as good experience in the Court as could be expected in a person of his years This last party as it was numerous so it was composed of ancient Cardinals men of great authority and knowledg in the world and such as were able to bear down the ballance in favour of any person to which they inclined for which reason great courtship was made to Cardinal Farnese both by the Imperial and French Ministers whose arguments on both sides were so forcible to draw him to their party that being doubtful unto which he should incline resolved on a neutrality as the safest course whereby to steer tho in reality he seemed on occasions to lean most to the French party This was the state of affairs at Rome when about the beginning of the month of December 1549. the Cardinals entered into the Conclave Farnese in the first place proposed to his own Party the choice of Cardinal Poole an English man a person against whom for the nobility of his extraction his godliness and exemplary life nothing could be objected and being also acceptable to the Imperialists and displeasing to no party he found many friends ready to give their Votes for him amongst which the most considerable were the Cardinals of Trent Sforza and Crescentio who had drawn also Morone and Maffei to their Party who being all men of considerable interest did agree immediately to present him in the Conclave and assume him to the Papal Dignity But some of the old Cardinals who seemingly assented thereunto yet being inwardly envious to see a younger man preferred over their heads did advise to delay the time for a while lest the Election which ought to be mature and grave should seem to have been over-hasty and precipitate tho in reality this delay was caused by that hopes which every one entertained of being himself the person that should be elected by which means the choice of Poole being until the next day suspended the contrary party such as Monti Cesis and Gaddi who were all Pretenders and Candidates had time to make their Parties Cardinal Salviati labouring all the night for the exclusion of Poole The next day the Cardinals being assembled in the Chappel to the number of 49. Cardinal Fortone one of the French Faction publickly accused Poole of Heresie and for that reason protested against his choice Howsoever his Friends esteeming his report false and scandalous pressed forward the scrutiny in pursuance of which the Votes being put into a Chalice 26 were found in favour of Poole but in regard that 33 at least out of 49 were required to make the Election legitimate Poole was excluded to the great disappointment of himself and the Imperial Party who esteemed the choice to have been secure and certain In relation hereof I have been the more large because it concerned one of our Country-men and may have reference to some particulars which are to follow After which several other Cardinals experienced their fortunes but to no effect the Factions being every day more heated and embroiled so that they could not come to any agreement at length they resolved to nominate nine persons out of which the Imperialists might choose one that was most acceptable to them The persons proposed were three French men viz. Lorene Tornon and Bellai three Italians Salviati Ridolfi and Trani and three Imperialists Theatino Monti and San Marcello against whom nothing was objected excepting Monti whom Cardinal Ghisa accused of a wicked life publishing many Vices of which he was guilty and rendering him unworthy of the Priesthood and Holy Orders into which he was entered Howsoever at length the Cardinals growing weary with so long a continuation of the Conclave resolved
so charmed them by his Ambassadours who being a Person well versed in all the Intrigues and contrivances of the Court of Rome had wrote a Treatise on that Subject sufficient to create in them a Diffidence and jealousie of the Roman Counsels and so exposed the Designs intended against them that not onely the Protestant but also the Catholick Swissers did at a Diet held at Bade unanimously concur not to send their Deputies to Trent by which the Grisons also taking an Alarm conceived a jealousie that some thing was contriving at Rome to their prejudice and for that reason recalled Thomas Plant the Bishop of Coire from his residence with the Council Whilest these matters were in Treaty two Ambassadours from the Duke of Wirtemberg arrived at Trent whose Commission was publickly to represent the Confession of their Doctrine before the Council giving them to understand that in case they would admit their Divines to a Debate and grant them a free Passport as large and ample in the Tenure of it as was that of Basil that then they should appear in the Council and expound and explicate their Doctrine and Tenents according to the true sense and meaning of them but before these Divines were admitted it was ordered by the Legat that they should first present and make known to the President the Summary of their Commission that so it might be considered whether the particulars therein contained were such as were lawful and which might be regularly admitted into the Council which was the method of their proceedings But the Ambassadours whose Instructions were not to own or acknowledg the Authority of the Pope or power of convoking or presiding in Council either in Person or by his Deputies could not be persuaded to make applications to the President being a matter contrary to the principal Article resolved in Germany About the same time also being the beginning of November the Emperour arrived at Inspruck which being a City not above three days journey from Trent was for that present made the place of his residence that so he might with more ease receive daily Advices of the proceedings of the Council and be more near at hand to administer assistance to his Wars at Parma The news of the Emperours near approach did not much disturb the thoughts of the Pope who depended on the reiterated Promises which the Emperour had made him of being firm and steady to the interest of the Church and the Court of Rome But to the Ambassadours of Wirtemberg he studied not much to give a Reply or new Instructions to his Legat but onely recommended to him a firm constancy in defence of the Papal Authority which having in the time of Paul the third convened that Council and which had by the same Power been ever since continued he ought not in the least Point give way to schismatical and seditious motions but with courage and zeal defend the Right and Title which the Pope singly had both to Assemble and to preside as Head in all Ecclesiastical Councils The Ambassadours having continued at Trent without being heard pressed very earnestly for a Dispatch and that their Doctrines might be read in the Council and a safe Conduct granted to their Protestant Brethren according to the form of that given at Basil that so they might have liberty to deliver their Doctrines and Argue and Dispute in maintenance thereof without interruption or danger to their Persons But the Legat would not yield to either of the Propositions saying That as to their Doctrines they were already notified in their own Books and lay before the Council to consider and either to approve or condemn them and that the Censure given ought to be conclusive and received with humility and submission as a final Determination And whereas they desired that their Doctrines should be read in the Council it seemed as if the Dissenters intended to give Laws and Precepts and teach the Church what was Orthodox and what Erronious And as to the form of the Passport in any other latitude than what had lately been prescribed it seemed so insufferable an indignity to the Council and to the Church of God to have their former resolutions questioned and again unravelled that all good Christians were obliged to engage their Lives for the prevention thereof At the same time the City of Strasbourg and five other Towns sent their Ambassadours to Trent with the like Orders to represent their Doctrines before the Council who finding the same repulse did jointly address themselves to the Emperour complaining that contrary to the Promises of his Imperial Majesty their Doctrines could not be read in the Council or received into consideration but the Emperour being willing to content them acquainted them that the Ambassadours of Saxony were shortly expected and that when they came they should have a fair hearing and be admitted to a charitable and friendly Conference On the seventh of January 1552. the Ambassadours from Maurice Elector of Saxony arrived at Trent to the great joy of the other Electours and Prelats of Germany who uniting together in the same Interest made their first Addresses and applications to the Emperor's Embassadours acquainting them that their Princes being desirous to cultivate Union and Charity amongst Christians had sent their Divines to the Council who were moderate Men learned in the Law and Gospel and such as were lovers of Peace and Christian Charity and that all the other Protestant Princes would in like manner send their Ministers to the Council under the protection of such a Passport or safe Conduct as had been granted at Basil Provided that all matters and Points already Determined might be again examined and called into question and the Pope not admitted to preside as Chief of the Council but be equally liable to the Sentences and Censures of the same with other Bishops And in the mean time their desire was to be admitted directly to the Council without any intermediate Addresses to Crescentio the Pope's Legat and that in publick Assembly their Commissions might be read and their Doctrines exposed to publick consideration But these Proposals though gently received and hearkned unto by the Emperour's Ambassadours who were unwilling to disoblige the Electours of Saxony and Brandenbourg were violently opposed by the Pope's Legat and Nuncios who alledged that it was a matter of high indignity to the Council which represented the Church Catholick to have their Decrees and Determinations canvassed and reversed by an inconsiderable number of Sectaries who seemed to come prepared and armed rather to confound than establish the Council for seeing that their Principles were to disown the Pope's Authority on which that Council was founded and then to be admitted to a freedom of Speech in which they might vent their blasphemous Doctrines and reproaches to the dishonour of the Apostolical See was such an Indulgence to Impiety and a betraying the Power of the Church as rather than admit were ready to sacrifice their lives
whilest the Civil Wars continued and whilest Geneva remained in League with the Swisses who had promised to afford their utmost succour and aid unto that place and as to the National Synod they persisted in their resolution promising the Pope that nothing should be attempted therein derogatory to his Power and the Authority of the Church But this assurance did little satisfy the jealousie of the Pope who suspected the very Prelats to be tainted with Heresie and to have an inclination to set up a Gallican Church as they called it separate and independant of the Roman Sea The fear and jealousie hereof constrained the Pope positively to resolve on a General Council and to hasten the convocation thereof with all speed possible supposing that the convention of a General Council would break the former Measures and invalidate the Authority of all National Synods This being agreed the next thing proposed was the place which the Pope would have had to be his own Town of Bologna but that he knew it would be generally disliked by the Prelats nor would the Spaniards consent to have it held at Milan for though they were zealous Catholicks yet in matters of worldly interest they distrusted the Pope as much as other Princes In fine Trent was agreed to be the most commodious and least subject to exceptions of any howsoever the French were of another Opinion as was also the Emperour who proposed Wormes Triers Constance or Hagunaw as more convenient for that the Protestants did so abhor the name of Trent that they would take a prejudice to any thing formed there nor would they endure to have the Council stiled a Continuation of a former but one new and established on its own foundation nor was this the only scruple of the Emperor for he declared that he could not answer for the Empire unless it were first prepared and disposed by a General Diet nor would the Clergy of his hereditary Countries be induced to be present at the Council unless the Cup in the Sacrament were first granted to the Laiety and License for the Priests to marry but all these matters being diametrically opposite to the Papal interest the Pope declared his resolution was rather to give his life than his assent thereunto In the mean time the numbers of those of the Reformed Religion encreased greatly in France so that it was resolved in case a General Council were not speedily assembled that a National Synod should meet at Meaux on the 13th of January 1561. for the tumults and combustions about Religion were so pressing that they required a speedy and an effectual cure the fear of which so touched the Pope as did also the Declaration of the Emperor that taking no notice of the exceptions of either he resolved to surmount the difficulties and therewith signed the Bull for calling a Council to commence on Easter day 1561. giving this Title thereunto Indictio Concilii Tridentini as if it had been to be a New and not the continuation of a former Council howsoever in the body of the Bull the word Continuation being mentioned it gave great scandal and offence to all though the Pope's Legats endeavoured to smooth it over by saying that the Continuation could be no impediment to any revision of what had formerly passed nor hinder the Council from repealing any Act which had been Decreed and ordained in the times of Paul and Julius III. And now Francis II. King of France being dead and his Brother Charles IX a Youth of ten years of age succeeding gave great expectations of a happy change to the Protestants for that the King of Navarre having declared himself of the Reformed Religion to whom of right as first Prince of the Blood the Government belonged during the minority of the King and that he was ruled much by the Counsels of the Admiral de Coligny who was the grand Protector of the Reformed gave them hopes that the severity of proceedings against them would be abated and liberty of Conscience granted to the whole Kingdom the which though it did not take effect fully to their desires yet at an Assembly of the Estates at Orleance it was ordained That an Arrest of judgment should be given and all penal Processes stopped which were made against any for account of Religion and at the same time Orders were given to the Prelats to prepare themselves for their Journey to Trent At this time the Protestant Princes were assembled at Naumbourg with intention to guard themselves from the Plots which would be contrived against them in the Council of Trent and to take off the reproach of Divisions and disagreement in the points of Faith amongst themselves But such was the variety then of Opinions that it was difficult to concur in one Symbol of Faith for the Confession of Augsburg had lately been printed in several Editions and every one with some difference from an other And as to a General Council they petitioned the Emperour that such an one might be convened as was free and where the Pope might not preside and overawe the Votes of the Protestants the which request they made rather in excuse for their not going to Trent than out of any prospect of a concession to their grant In the mean time the Pope having sent two Nuntios to the Emperor he advised them to go to Naumbourg accompanied with two of his Ambassadours and receive the sense of the Assembly which was there convened The Protestants received the Ambassadours with great respect and heard the Nuntios with equal civilities but still continuing firm to their Principles declared that they could not acknowledg the Pope's jurisdiction and therefore could not esteem themselves obliged to make known unto the Pope the Opinion they had of a Council having already signified their thoughts thereof unto the Emperor with the like coldness they were received at Norimberg Frankfort Ausbourg and other Protestant Towns Elizabeth Queen of England at the same time refused to admit the Abbot Martininguez sent by the Pope within her Dominions And the King of Denmark in like manner denied entrance to the Nuncios within his State saying That neither his Father nor he having ever had to do with the Pope he knew no business his Nuntios could have with him Thus did these Nuntios meet Oppositions in all parts nor did they find any encouraging compliance in the Emperor himself who insisted on the Indiction of a new Council which was not founded on the Continuation or basis of a former France likewise made many exceptions to the Bull of Indiction being for a New and not for a Continuation of the Old Council Nor was this all many other things concurring in that Kingdom to the diminution of the Pope's Authority for not onely were the penal Laws against the Protestants taken away but also at a Convention of the Estates at Orleance the Pope's Annates or yearly Revenue was taken off and all Moneys forbidden to be carried to Rome the
imaginations which Men conceive of Reliques Pilgrimages and Indulgences That the Doctrine and practice of Penance should be again renewed and established according to the custom of the Primitive Church All or most of which Articles were ungrateful to the Legats both for the substance of them and circumstances with which they were delivered the Ambassadours at the same time declaring that in case they were not granted such provisions would be made in France by a National Council as were agreeable to the State of their Affairs Howsoever the Legats seemed favourably to accept them and dispatched them to the Pope by the Bishops of Viterbo And now by this time the Pope was ready to make a return of the conclusions he had made in the Point about Residencies dispatched from Trent by the Bishop of Ventimille the matter of which though couched with great Art and in such ambiguous terms as might admit of various interpretations yet that artificial fraud could not pass on such subtil Heads who for their Learning and experience were chosen out of the wisest Men of Europe for they easily discovered the Pope's intent to advance himself above an Universal Council they could have been contented to have admitted him the Chief super Ecclesias Vniversas but not super Ecclesiam Vniversalem that is over all Churches in particular but not over the Universal Church as it was aggregated into one body in a General Council Hereupon great Contests arose the Pensioners of Rome produced in favour of the Pope's Authority a Canon made by the Council of Florence which having been received by the Spaniards gave them some trouble in what manner to make an Answer thereunto But the French who had never received the Articles of that Council for Canonical opposed the Councils of Constance and Basil against it which had determined that General Councils were superiour to the Pope but the Italians who maintained that the Council of Basil was Schismatical and that the Canons of Constance were partly received and partly rejected so heated their French Opponents that Reasons and Arguments being on both sides declined the Dispute ended with high words and reproaches of one against the other Which the Legats well observing and that there could be no good issue of such high Contests desired time to remit these matters to the Pope's Censures and so proceeded again to the Point about Residencies the which having already caused inextricable difficulties for the Pope's words did not please the Council the Cardinal of Lorain proposed something by way of Accommodation putting in some gentler terms which might serve the turn of both Parties but the Legats penetrating with their accustomary Acuteness into the words found that the sense would bear an Interpretation which might be expounded in favour of the Opinion that Residencies were constituted by Divine Right Wherefore slighting or laying aside the words which the Cardinal had projected they framed another according to their own humour and presented it to the Congregation the which so incensed the Cardinal of Lorain that from thence forward he began to deal plainly and express himself in free and high terms protesting that for the future he would meddle no farther for that he observed a secret Combination which in Cabinet Consults assumed to its self an Authority to dispose matters differing from the Sentiments of the General Council That the Legats sought nothing more than occasions to break up the Council in discontent That nothing was acted but according to the will of the Legats who moved by such measures only as they received from the Pope whose resolution in every thing they expected from Rome according to that old saying That the Holy Ghost was brought every week from Rome to Trent in the Courriers Portmantle That he for his part was resolved to have patience until the next Session at which if matters were not managed with more fair proceedings he was resolved to retire into France with his French Nation then at the Council where renouncing all farther applications to Rome or Trent they were resolved to assemble a National Council by which they would establish such a form of Concordat as should be agreeable to the present state of their Country and which might secure the safety of the King and the quiet of his People To the same purpose the French Ambassadour expressed himself at Rome but the Pope who had been long used to such kind of Menaces and a noise about National Councils little regarded their Censures or Threats but briskly answered That the Council was free even to a licentiousness that if there were Parties and Factions they were unknown to him and were only made by the Vltramontane Bishops whose design was to trample on the Authority of the Papal Chair And in this manner such distractions and Disputes arose at Trent occasioned by the Power and Interest which the Cardinal of Lorain had there with the greatest part of the Clergy that the Congregations were for some time suspended until the Cardinal of Ventimille returned from Rome freighted with abundance of Complements and Salutes and especially with supplies of Mony for the Pope's Pensioners and then the Congregations being again commenced and with them the Discords renewed it was agreed that the next Session should be deferred until the 22th of April which was presently after Easter The Cardinal of Lorain though he seemed outwardly to consent hereunto with some reluctancy and onely in compliance with the rest of the Council yet in reality he was well enough pleased hoping that a short time would put an end to the life of this Pope who was very aged and infirm when he imagined that his Greatness and Authority would be very instrumental in promoting such a Person to the Papacy as would be facil and easie in granting every thing agreeable to his desires And now to allay a little the heats about the Divine Right of Episcopacy and Residencies the Council diverted their thoughts and Discourse to eight several Points relating to Marriage During which time and the Interval between that and the next Session the Cardinal of Lorain took the opportunity to visit the Emperor's Court at Inspruck which administred great cause of jealousie to the Pope who not onely observed the Cardinal's dissaffection from his proceedings in the Council but likewise from his Letter wherein complaining of the many Factions and Intrigues which his Italian Bishops had caused he concludes that if matters were carried on with the same Measures there would remain nothing more for him either to consider or act than onely to pray unto God to direct the Council with his Holy Inspiration The Cardinal of Lorain being arrived at Inspruck where he remained five days had frequent Conferences with the Emperor and his Son the King of the Romans touching the many disorders and corruptions of the Council at Trent as also of the means how and in what manner the Cup might be restored to the Laiety how Marriage might be granted and dispensed
by common Voice that the intention of the Council in all and every of their Canons was to maintain the Papal Dignity in its antient Power and Authority without any abatement or diminution thereof And finally an Act was read and published whereby it was declared That the place or rank which any Ambassadour or Representative had holden or possessed in that Council should give no Title or ground of claim for the like degree or place for the future the Council not pretending to determine any thing in prejudice of the rights and priviledges of Kings Princes or States Lastly at the breaking up of the Council Excommunications and Anathemas were read against all Hereticks in general mentioning Luther Zuinglius or others in particular And then the period was closed with loud acclamations in praise of the Pope the Emperor the Kings the Legats and all the Fathers which was performed in a different manner to the practice of other Councils which ended with acclamations and blessings pronounced with the confused noise or murmurings of the whole Assembly but at Trent it was performed by way of Responses or Antiphonas in which the Cardinal of Lorain pronounced the first Sentence and was again answered by all the Prelats which being the part of a Deacon or Chanter seemed an Office too mean to be personated by his Eminence and not onely gave subject of railery to the World but subjected him to a thousand Censures at his return home where it was charged upon him that in the Acclamations or Antiphonas then made there was no mention of the King of France And in the last place it was ordained That all the Prelats should sign the Decrees before their departure upon pain of Excommunication for execution whereof a form of Congregation being appointed the Hands or subscriptions consisted of four Legats two Cardinals three Patriarchs twenty five Arch-Bishops two hundred sixty eight Bishops seven Abbots thirty nine Procurators or Substitutes in behalf of such as were absent and seven Generals of the Religious Orders the subscriptions of the Ambassadours were not required to avoid the late Contestations and Disputes about place And yet notwithstanding this number of Bishops there was not one of Germany present in the last Convocation which was far the most numerous and solemn of any for Hungary or Poland there were very few Bishops present there appeared not one for Sweden Denmark England or the Low-Countries The Bishops of France which came onely towards the latter end being joyned with the Bishops of Spain could not in all make above the number of forty so that of the two hundred and odd Bishops of which this Council was composed there was at least one hundred and fifty of them Italians who were Creatures and Pensioners of the Pope For which reason this Assembly was justly termed the Council of the Pope and his Italians The Council being in this manner broken up every one returned to his home and Country and all things being concluded to the satisfaction of the Pope caused great joy in the Court of Rome where the Legats and the other Favourers thereof were received and welcomed with applause and commendations and the Pope to gratifie his Friends who had taken such pains and served so well in this important Affair promoted nineteen of them to the Dignity of Cardinals and amongst the rest the Arch-Bishop of Taranto was in a singular manner remembred and gratified Nor had the Pope so much taken up his thoughts with the Council but that being transported with a spirit of munificence and Building he could attend to raise and continue his Name by mighty and Excellent Structures and figuring to himself a model of the antient Rome as if he intended to have restored it to its antique glory he commanded the antient Monuments to be conserved the Streets restored and at his great expence the Aqueducts which brought the Water from distant places to the City to be again repaired It was this Pope who re-built the Baths of Diocletian upon Mount Quirinus converting them into a Church and to a Monastery which he personally consecrated He fortified the Castle of St. Angelo and repaired the ruins of the Castle of Civita Vecchia and made many other Structures for convenience and Ornament of the City Whilest he was intent upon these Affairs a certain number of Villains designed to have murthered him and to have perpetrated this wickedness at the time when he was busied in reading a Paper which they were to consign into his hand the Person who was to deliver him the Writing was one Acolti and the Contents or substance thereof was a persuasion to resign up his Papal Authority into the hands of such a Person whom they should describe to him for they pretended to have received a Revelation and seen a Vision that the Successour to this Pope should be of an Angelical Spirit elected by the common consent of all Christendom that he should become the Universal Monarch of all the World reform the Manners of Mankind teach them to live up to the perfection of humane Life and in short convert all People and Nations to the Christian Faith Acolti having delivered his Paper and being about to strike the fatal blow his heart failed him upon which one of the Assassinates discovering the Conspiracy they were all seized and justly executed with such torments as the blackness of the Crime deserved Not long after this being on the 10th of December 1565. the Pope died having governed five years eleven months and a half he had during his time created forty five Cardinals some out of favour to Princes and others in reward of their own worth and merit and had he lived his intention was to have made up his number a full hundred so that they might have been called Centum Patres But he died in the 77th year of his age and his body was buried in the Baths of Diocletian lately converted into a Church by him and called Sancta Maria Angelorum And the Sea was vacant twenty nine days PIVS V. PIVS the Fourth being dead and his funeral Rites after the accustomed manner being performed the Cardinals entered the Conclave to the number of fifty two and by common consent with the concurrence of Cardinal Borromeus afterwards canonized for a Saint and of Cardinal Farnese the two leading Men at that time elected Anthony Ghisler to the Succession in the Papal Chair This Anthony Ghisler so called by Papyrius Massonius but by Cicarella named Michael was born of mean and ordinary Parents at a Town called Boschi not far from Alexandria della paglia which lies between Montferrat and the State of Milan he was entered into the Order of Jacobin Friers at the age of fourteen years and then changed his name to Michael he was ordained Priest at Genua and proved a most strenuous Preacher and Master of a most powerful and moving Eloquence he was afterwards constituted Prior of his Convent of Vigevani and Commissary
endowed it with a plentiful Revenue But amongst all the magnificent structures which he hath raised there is none so famous and worthy of his Name as the Vatican Library being about three hundred and eighteen foot in length and sixty nine in breadth on the Walls are painted all the General Councils in Fresco with the famous Libraries mentioned by antient Authors as also the manner of raising the Guglia or Obelisque before St. Peters At the entry to this Library are two Statues of Marble that on the right hand represents Aristides an antient Philosopher of Smyrna that on the lest is Hypolitus who first invented the perpetual Kalendar he lived fourteen hundred years ago The Books are all kept in Presses containing twenty thousand Manuscripts and sixteen thousand Books which are printed round about thee first Chamber the Pictures are placed of all those who have been Library-keepers since Sixtus V. The Books commonly shewn here to Strangers are The antient Copy of the Septuagint a vast Bible in Hebrew a little Book written on the bark of a Tree certain Sermons with Annotations wrote by Thomas Aquinas and with his own hand an old Terence wrote one thousand two hundred years ago a Letter which Henry VIII of England wrote to Anne of Bolen with his own hand as also his Book against Luther hereunto is added the Duke of Vrbin's Library bequeathed to this place as also that of the Prince Palatine Frederick transported from Heidelberg to the Vatican after that Town was plundered by the Duke of Bavaria All which and many other rare Works of the like nature were performed at the charge of this Pope which are now extant at Rome and commonly seen and observed by Travellers Besides all which he built several other Colleges Monasteries and places of Charity at Bologna and in his own Country And at a vast expence he turned the poor Village of Montalto where he was born into a City encompassing it about with a Wall to perform which he was forced to cut through a Rock and threw down a high Hill to make it equal to the lower Level and to give some more esteem and honour to this place he made it a Bishoprick endowing it with a thousand Crowns of yearly Revenue besides many other priviledges and immunities which he bestowed both on the Diocese and the Government of the City during the time of which Work he built a Bridg at Rome over the Tybur which was of great use and benefit to the Trade and Commerce of the City called at this day il ponte Sisto tras Tevere Thus far have we discoursed concerning the humour and disposition of this Pope his Conduct and Wisdom in the management of Affairs relating to Rome and the Church together with his Munificence and greatness of his Soul in matters of building and stately Structures which have perpetuated his memory to these times Let us now proceed to other particulars which may demonstrate his dexterity and conduct of Affairs relating to Negotiations with forein Princes and in what manner he studied to fortifie the Ecclesiastical State as well with the Sword of St. Paul as the Keys of St. Peter In order whereunto in the first place he formed and setled the Militia of the Church in so good a method that he was able within the space of one Month to bring twenty thousand fighting Men into the Field and in the next place he consulted with the most knowing Enginiers in what manner the Ecclesiastical State might be most commodiously and with most advantage fortified the which was executed with most Labour and Art on that side which borders on the Kingdom of Naples which was a just cause of jealousie to the Spaniards who by the words and actions of this Pope had long suspected that his Intentions and Designs tended towards that Kingdom the possession of which he had for a long time swallowed in his thoughts resolving not longer to content himself with the bare feud or tribute for it the which jealousie was encreased when they found the Pope intent in building ten new Gallies for defraying the cost of which and of their maintenance he imposed a new Tax on the people of Rome and the whole Ecclesiastical State About this time the Cantons of Switzerland which continued firm to the Church of Rome sent their Ambassadours to the Pope not onely to make their acknowledgments of Obedience to the Papal Sea but likewise to inform his Holiness of the unhappy state and condition of their Country caused by the neighbourhood of the Protestant Cantons who daily sent Preachers into their Dominions who seducing many from the Catholick Doctrine their numbers and force did daily encrease For prevention of which and to confirm the doubtful in the Catholick Religion they desired that the Pope would be pleased to send his Nuntio into those parts which would be an encouragement to the people to continue in the way of truth as well as an honour to their Country The Pope with all readiness embracing the Proposition dispatched Baptista Santorio Bishop of Fricarico and Steward of his Houshold to be and remain his Nuntio within the Dominions of the Catholick Cantons Santorio being there arrived found all things in great disorder the people living without as it were any respect or dependance on the Roman Sea by reason that for many years the Popes had not thought this Country worthy the charge or maintenance of a Nuntio therein But now Santorio appearing there with the Character and in the quality of a Nuntio caused speedily a Diet to be convened in the Month of October 1586. at which two things were agreed and concluded highly advantageous to the Papal Authority The first was that all the Deputies which were present in great numbers received the Communion from the hand of the Nuntio and then entered into strict League and Confederacy together solemnly swearing before the Altar to maintain and uphold the Papal Authority and to sacrifice their lives and fortunes in the defence thereof In the second place they gave full power and Authority unto the Nuntio to exercise a free and Arbitrary Jurisdiction over all Ecclesiastical persons within their Dominions subjecting them to his Courts as well in criminal as in civil Causes which was a concession that the Wise Republick of Venice did never judge fit to grant notwithstanding all the bluster and noise with which the Popes required and challenged it from them But this Power given to the Nuntio was the cause soon after of some disturbance amongst the Cantons for it happened That one day the Nuntio having Complaints brought him against a certain Priest for scandal and misbehaviour he immediately issued out his Warrant to the chief Constable and his Officers to take and seize the person of that Priest and put him into safe custody the Priest hearing of this prosecution fled into the Dominions of the Protestant Cantons where the Officers pursuing him took him and by violence and force brought
any Tax or Imposition on Christian Princes and require from them whatsoever they judged for the common good and welfare of Christendom But the Pope did not think this ground to have sufficient foundation on which to build and commence a quarrel but rather on the matters which did more neerly relate to the Interest of the Papal Sea It was not long before an occasion of this nature offered it self by means of one Scipio Saraceno a Prebend of Vicenza who had contemptuously torn off and broken the Seals which the Magistrates had fixed on the Episcopal Chancery during the vacancy of that Office and likewise finding that he could not debauch a Lady of known Vertue whom he tempted in the Churches and Streets and in all places where he could have any convenience to meet her he became so enraged with lust and malice that he besmeared with filthiness and tar the Gate and front of her House which being a high affront and disgrace to the Lady she with the advice of her Friends cited this insolent Prebend before the Court of Justice at Venice who as readily and willingly appeared being encouraged and bolstred up by the Bishop of Citta Nuova a person of great esteem in Venice and one who was Director of the Affairs of all the Nuntios and Papal Ministers at that place The Nuntio who was desirous to obtain a licentious exemption of all Priests from the Secular Power embraced the cause of the Prebendary with all readiness imaginable and immediately dispatched the news hereof to the Pope and to the Bishop of Vicenza who was then at Rome where after divers Consultations it was resolved as an essential Point relating to the Ecclesiastical liberty that the Cause of the Prebend should be maintained and defended and therefore the Pope who was glad of this occasion to assert the Authority and Rites of the Churches stormed and raved with the Venetian Ambassadour telling him that he would not endure or suffer the imprisonment of an Ecclesiastical Person by the Precepts of a Secular Tribunal nor would he admit that a Judg of temporal matters should take cognisance of any Cause wherein a Priest or Churchman was concerned Of all which the Ambassadour gave advice to the Senate The Pope at an other Audience complained to the said Ambassadour that the Senate of Venice had since the death of Clement VIII made a Statute of Mortmain whereby Lay-persons were forbidden and restrained from bequeathing or bestowing their Estates on the Church which Statute though it were founded on an old Law yet the new one was more restrictive but both of them being against the antient Canons Councils and Imperial Laws were in themselves void and null being scandalous and impious in that they made the state and condition of Churchmen worse than that of infamous persons and therefore those who made these Laws did incur the Censures of the Church in the like terms the Nuntio at Venice explained the mind of the Pope unto the Senate and when the Ambassadours arrived at Rome to congratulate the Pope for his exaltation to that dignity he could not refrain even before the Ceremony was ended to make his resentments and complaints of those Laws made in derogation of the Rites and immunities belonging to the Church And thus we have laid down the true state of the quarrel between the Pope and the Venetians to which we shall add a third Point namely a Law made at Venice in the year 1603. prohibiting the building of Churches without consent and license for it obtained from the Senate which the Pope termed a piece of Heresie These being the three Points in Controversie the Senate for answer thereunto commanded their Ambassadour to represent in their name unto his Holiness That the just Right and Title they had to judg Ecclesiastical Persons in Secular Causes was founded in the natural Power of the Supreme Prince and confirmed by an uninterrupted course of a thousand years the which may be proved by the Pontifical Briefs extant in their publick Archives or Records That the Law of Mort-main or Statute restraining Laymen from alienation of their Estates to the Church was not onely enacted at Venice or peculiar to the Cities under that Metropolis but exercised in other Christian Kingdoms and States and that this Law was more conducing to the welfare of Venice than to any other people being that which could onely conserve its Forces entire against the common Enemy of Christendom which would otherwise be enfeebled by those daily Legacies and Endowments which were bequeathed and conferred on the Church The Pope was so netled with this way of reasoning that he sat all the time uneasie in his Seat shrugging his shoulders and turning his head which intimated the unquietness of his mind At length he replyed That those arguments were invalid and of no force for that there was no foundation to be made on the accustomed course of their Judicature which was so much the worse by how much more they pretended Antiquity And as to the Briefs there was no authentick Register or Record of them but what was found at Rome and that the others were forged Copies and cheats imposed on the Clergy And as to their Acts and Ordinances he was so well acquainted and versed in them since the time of his youthful Studies and that having passed the Offices of Vice-Legat Auditor of the Chamber and Vicar of the Pope he was sufficiently assured that that Law could not stand and that the old Act made in the year 1536. which takes from the Laiety a power of disposing of their own private Estates was in it self void and of no force and a tyrannical imposition on the Subject That the Senate themselves were so sensible of this injurious Law that they were ashamed to issue forth any Copies of it and if in case a Law of this nature were found in any other Country it was established by the Authority and with the concurrence of the Popes and then he concluded that he was resolved not to make a long work of it for that in case he were not obeyed he would make use of such Remedies as he thought convenient being so positive in this matter and zealous for the Church that he was ready to spill his blood in this righteous Cause and in the defence thereof That in case it were necessary to give a stop to the alienation of Lands or a restraint of building Churches he would always have been ready to have followed the sentiments of the State and to have concurred in just causes with the desires of the Secular Council but as to the point of drawing the Clergy to the Secular Tribunals he would never admit that such as were his Subjects should be liable to the sentence of an other Jurisdiction this in fine was his resolution on the three foregoing Cases in which he was resolved to be obeyed and make use of that Power which God had given him over all things and over all
made by their Predecessours had in the year 1603. Ordered and enacted That no Churches or religious Houses should be built or erected without license first obtained from the Senate And whereas such Laws being in themselves void ought to have been repealed and cancelled the said Council did not onely confirm but enlarge the same making those Laws which were once restrained and limited to the City of Venice onely to reach and extend to all parts and places subjected to that Dominion under severe forfeitures and penalties to the Offenders as if both Churches and Ecclesiastial persons were subjected to the temporal Jurisdiction and as if it were a capital crime nnd wickedness to build a Church And whereas in pursuance of an other Law made in the year 1536. whereby a Statute of Mortmain was made and penalties laid on such who should without license obtained from the Senate alienate the Lands of Lay-persons and bestow them to pious uses which Law as it ought to have been repealed so on the contrary in the Month of March last past the Senate did not onely confirm the same but did likewise enlarge and extend the power thereof to all parts within their Dominions as if that Signory which is but a temporal power had Authority with consent or concurrence of the Pope to dispose of Ecclesiastical Estates Goods or Revenues though left by pious and faithful Believers as an Offering for sin and as an ease to their burdened Consciences The which things being damnable scandalous and contrary to the Ecclesiastical liberty are null and void in themselves and from the observance of which all persons are disobliged And it is hereby farther declared that those who have been contrivers or Legislators of these or the like Statutes have incurred the censure of the Church and a forfeiture of all those Lands which they hold of the Church and their States and Dominions are also liable to other punishments So that unless every thing be restored to its pristine State perseverance in the same will be an aggravation of the crime for which no absolution can be given but on terms of restauration of all matters to their original condition Wherefore being exalted on our supreme Throne on which we cannot nor ought to dissemble any matters We admonish you to consider the danger of your Souls for which this Republick is obliged to provide for we command under pain of Excommunication that the aforesaid Laws whether antient or modern be revoked and cancelled and that the same be published in all parts of your Dominions and in case you refuse to perform the same We shall then be forced to proceed to the execution of this Our Sentence so soon as we have understood the presentation of these Our Letters from the report of Our Nuntio and afterwards you are not to expect any other citation or process from us for we are unwilling that God should in the last day of Judgment demand an account of this matter and condemn us for want of performance of Our duty in this case Wherefore we whose end and design it is to govern the Christian State in peace and righteousness cannot dissemble in cases where the Apostolical Sea is offended the Ecclesiastical liberty trampled under foot the Canons neglected the Rites of the Church and the priviledges of the Clergy violated which is the sum of this Our accusation against you And We do farther make known unto you that we are not moved to pass this Our Censure out of any worldly respect having onely an ambition of zeal to exercise our Apostolical Government as far as we are able in its due perfection And as we would not intrench on the temporal Authority so neither will we permit that the Ecclesiastical should be infringed But in case the Republick would be obedient to these Our Commands they would free Vs from great troubles and anguish of mind which we sustain for their sakes And they also may conserve the Lands which they hold from the Church nor can this Republick defend themselves from the force and violence of Infidels by any better and prevailing means than by doing right and justice to the Clergy who day and night watch over them and pray unto God for this Republick The Senate having read and considered these Briefs thought fit to confer and consult with the most judicious and able Lawyers of their age such as Antonio Pellegrini and Erasmus Gratiani together with Father Paul of the Order of the Servi a person profoundly learned in Theology and the Canons of the Church unto these three they added several other learned Men eminent for wisdom and piety of Life not Subjects onely to the State of Venice but belonging to other parts of Italy namely Menocchio President of Milan and others in consideration of which case they perused and search'd the Books and Writings of the most famous Doctors of France and Spain and according to the Opinion and sence of all those learned Men in the Law the Controversie between the Pope and the Republick did relate wholly to temporal matters unto which the Papal Authority did not extend and that the Republick might in such cases order and determine according to the nature and exigency of their Affairs and in farther proof and testimony hereof many Laws were cited which had been enacted in other Christian Countries and Dominions of the same substance and tenure with these And in this manner the Senate having received and understood the Opinion and report of their Doctors returned their answer unto the Pope to this effect dated the 28th of January With much astonishment and trouble of mind this Republick hath been informed by Letters from your Holiness that those Laws which for some ages have been observed with much benefit to this Republick and never questioned by your Predecessors should now be reprehended and repealed by the Authority of the Apostolical Sea the which Laws are so sound and safe for us that the alteration of them would shake the very foundation of this Government And we are troubled to think that those Persons who were of excellent piety and vertue that made and established these Laws and who are now in Heaven should be termed and branded as violators of the Ecclesiastical liberty And now according to the desire of your Holiness we have caused all our Laws both antient and modern relating to the points in Controversie to be reviewed and examined and we find nothing which hath been established by the Power of the Supreme Prince in the least derogatory to the Papal Authority it being apparent that it is the duty of the Secular Magistrate to inspect and consider what kind of Companies are fit to be admitted into the City what Edifices are fit to be erected and what are not and what may in time prove hurtful to the publick safety for in regard the Dominion of Venice doth abound with Churches and religious Houses as much as any other part and that when it was
convenient to erect more a license to build was not onely granted but contributions made thereunto by the publick liberality and munificence so when it was necessary to set bounds and limits thereunto this Senate made use of their own Power alone without any diminution to the Canons of the Church And whereas the Pope hath a Power to restrain the Clergy from alienating their Lands and Estates to the Laiety without his consent and dispensation so also hath the temporal Prince the like Authority to forbid and inhibit all lay-Lay-persons from making alienation of their Estates unto the Church Nor do Ecclesiastical persons lose any thing by this restriction but rather procure a benefit for when the temporal Power is weakned by such alienation this State which is the Bulwark of Christendom will not be able to withstand the common Enemy nor afford due protection either to the Clergy or Laiety And therefore the Senate doth not believe that they have incurred the Ecclesiastical Censure considering that Secular Princes have received that Power from God of making Laws which no other humane Authority is able to take from them and much less have the Briefs of your Holiness any place or prevalence in matters purely temporal which are clearly distinct from those which are spiritual to which the Papal Power doth singly extend Nor can this Senate imagine that your Holiness who is full of Piety and Religion will persist in these your Comminations until the cause hath first been fully examined and discussed And thus much they thought fit in short to make known unto your Holiness referring all things to be treated and explained more at large by their Ambassadour Extraordinary These Letters of the Senate being arrived at Rome were presented to the Pope by the hands of the Ambassadour who immediately opened and read them but the Contents so little pleased him that he was angry and froward all the time that they were in reading and in fine he told the Ambassadour that those Letters were no Answer to his Admonitory Briefs that the Answer was frivolous and insignificant that the matter was clear and evident on his side and that therefore he was resolved to proceed unto Sentence that the Senate must resolve to submit and obey for his cause was the cause of God Et Portae Inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam If the Monks of Padoua had purchased more Lands than were requisite or consistent with the welfare of the State upon address made to him he could have applyed a Remedy but the Senate proceeding in another manner were Tyrants Usurpers and Men of Principles different from their Ancestours wherefore he exhorted them not to deceive themselves with the thoughts of protracting the time in hopes of deciding the Dispute by his death for that in case he received not satisfaction therein in the space of fifteen days he would then proceed to execution of his Sentence The fifteen days were scarce expired when the Ambassadour Nani acquainted the Pope that Duodo was dispatched from Venice in quality of Ambassadour Extraordinary to inform his Holiness more amply of all matters to which the Pope replied that there was no need of farther expostulations the matter was clear and he would be obeyed But notwithstanding the Pope's hast time was protracted till towards the end of March when Duodo the Ambassadour Extraordinary arrived at Rome to whom the Pope would not have patience to grant all the methods of Complements but immediately at his arrival admitted him to Audience when the Ambassadour largely discoursing on every point in Controversie concluded that the Senate could not yield to the Demands of his Holiness without betraying that Power which God had put into their hands But the Pope making no reply to the Arguments in particular adhered close to the Conclusion that Ecclesiastical persons were exempted Jure Divino from the Secular Dominion that he had heard enough from Nani of this kind of reasoning that the Cause was God's and must prevail This resolution of the Pope being made known at Venice the Senate thought fit to communicate these their differences to the Ministers of forein Princes desiring their Opinions on those Points From which the Spanish Ambassadour excused him not desiring to concern his Master in those matters which might yield the least displeasure to the Pope but the Imperial and French Ambassadours were much more frank and open in their Opinions for the first did allow and approve the reasons of the Senate alledging the Customs of his own Country the French Comte where the same things were practised and Monsieur de Fresnes the French Ambassadour declared that he could not understand those Papal Laws which deny unto Princes the Government of their own State and therefore the Republick was much to be commended for preferring their liberty before any other respect At Rome the Cardinals of Verona and Vicenza used all the Interest and persuasions they were able to induce the Pope to defer the promulgation of his Sentence for some time putting him in mind that the Spiritual Arms were not to be exercised but in cases where they were sure to prevail Then said the Pope I shall make use of the Temporal and in the mean time to manifest to the World my patience and tenderness towards them I shall grant them the term of twenty four days to consider and repent and accordingly having formed and printed his Monitory on the 17th of April he caused it to be read and published in the Consistory After which he added That he had greatly studied this Point and having consulted with the most famous Canonists the general Opinion of them all was that the Republick acted contrary to the Authority of the Apostolick Sea and against the liberties and immunities of the Church alledging in his favour the Council of Simmaco and of Lions under Pope Gregory with other Decrees made by the Councils of Constance and Basil and that the same was so declared in the case against Henry II. against the Kings of Castile and other Kings and caused a Constitution made by Innocent III. to be read and to proceed the more regularly in this important matter the Votes of the Cardinals were distinctly required the number of Cardinals then present in the Consistory were forty one all which did either in few words assent or more at large produce the Authority of the Canonists in confirmation of the Pope's reasons And indeed little less than this free concurrence could be expected from them for though some few out of a zeal towards the Ecclesiastical liberty might really be possessed with this Opinion yet the generality were guided by other Principles some perhaps were unwilling to displease the Pope in expectation of preferments of themselves or Friends others had a prospect of arising to the Popedom and for that cause were willing to exalt its Power every one had some consideration or other for his own benefit but not such consideration as was required in study of the
Pope to this Design upon assurances that they were able to divide the Senate and by confusion of their Councils to make way for the Pope's Authority It was farther proved That they had kept correspondence with the Enemies of the Republick to the great damage and prejudice of the State always interposing and insinuating themselves into publick Affairs That they were always contriving to inveigle sick and dying Persons persuading them for the sake of their Souls to bestow their Estates and Inheritance on them to the ruin and destruction of their lawful Heirs and Families And farther the Senate took into their consideration their Principles which were always Monarchical in prejudice and depression of Aristocracy and dangerous to the Maxims and principles of their Government It was farther also alledged that the Jesuits had been the Causes and Instruments of all the tolerations seditious disorders and evil successes which had happened in our age in all the Kingdoms and Provinces of the World and herein not only some particular persons were culpable but even the whole Society and order of them were dangerous and rotten in their Principles and destructive to the Government under which they lived All which being proved and made good in the Senate against them It was deliberated and carried in the Affirmative by Decree of the 14th of June That the Jesuits who from their first beginning had been received into Venice and there cherished and favoured and having in recompence of such Indulgence and respect returned nothing but Ingratitude being at present the Authors of all the troubles incumbent on the Republick vilifying the same with all the Obloquy which could be uttered from the blackest Tongue of malice and having been false Traitors and Men of insupportable Insolences the most Serene Republick did therefore spue them out and banish them for ever the precincts of the State and did Decree and Enact that they should never be again received without a concurrence of five Sixths at least of the Senate the number of which was to consist of one hundred and eighty Votes In passing of which Act it is most apparent that their Crimes were as enormous as they were clear and evidently proved for the Scrutiny being made by the Ballot their banishment was pass'd with an unanimous concurrence and a Decree made for their eternal Exclusion though perhaps some few might be excepted who had been their Votaries and Penitents This perpetual banishment of the Jesuits made the breach wider and more difficult to be reconciled and the Pope being sensible that the hopes he conceived from the contrivances of the Jesuits were vain and fruitless he applied himself to some other new Inventions one of which was a Jubilee which was published on the 19th of June inviting all Christian people to pray unto God for the unity and peace of the Church granting Indulgences Absolutions and Remissions unto all excepting such as belonged to Venice and the Interdicted Churches to which none of those graces blessings and pardons were to be dispensed Now in regard that nothing is so desireable in Italy as the benefit of a Jubilee It was conceived to be a most admirable Artifice to make the Venetian People sensible of their separation from the Church when they should find themselves uncapable to receive the Indulgences and excluded from all the priviledges of the faithful upon which advantage the Jesuits shewed all their Art in the Towns bordering on the Dominions of the Republick preaching up the Blessings of a Jubilee and lamenting the miseries of that People who by their disobedience and contumacy had extruded themselves from without the Pale and become unworthy of such mysterious graces Notwithstanding which the World was so well satisfied with the Cause and ground of this Jubilee that though at other times Men were fond of this priviledg and held it in great esteem and Devotion yet the Indulgences granted hereby were coldly received in every place nor did the Venetian Commonalty so much repine at this loss as to quarrel or mutiny with their Government for want of that Spiritual Benefit Thus when all religious Arts failed and the Weapons of the Church were not keen enough to do Execution the Pope resolved to try what might be effected by the temporal Sword but in regard his own was not sharp enough for the Venetians he applied himself to the Spanish Ambassadour at Rome desiring to write to his Master the King giving him to understand that he did entirely cast himself under his Protection desiring his favour and Aid against his Enemies and therewith delivered him two Letters one directed to the King wherein he exposed the Reasons for his proceedings against the Venetians and another to the Duke of Lerma chief Minister of State in which he recommended himself and his Affairs to his care and defence and with many obliging Expressions and acknowledgments called him the Basis of the Crown of Spain on which the Catholick Monarchy was established and on which the foundation of the Church solely was reposed and depending This kind Letter so pleased the Duke of Lerma that an Answer equally pleasing was returned from the King to the Pope and with much formality delivered by the Spanish Ambassadour attended with three Cardinals the substance of which was That the King was extreamly troubled to observe that the breach and differences between him and the Venetians were so widened and so far proceeded but in regard the honour of his Holiness was far engaged he was resolved to vindicate the Dignity of the Apostolical See with his Arms and accordingly had wrote to his Ministers and Officers in Italy and other Princes depending on his Crown This Letter being read was the subject of great joy and satisfaction to the Pope and all his Party and was proclaimed through all Italy much to the reputation of the Papal Cause howsoever the triumph and joy hereof was somewhat attempered by the Proposals which were made by Spain in recompence of the troubles and inconveniencies they were to receive by a War the which Demands were A release of the yearly Tribute for the Kingdom of Naples a surrender of Ferrara for a Garrison to offend the Enemy and of Ancona for an Arsenal and maritime Provisions The which Conditions being grievous and difficult to the Pope were only answered in general terms but the report hereof was like a Trumpet of War which alarm'd all parts of the Venetian Dominions and caused the Senate to write immediately to their Proveditor General in Candia to send all the Gallies under his Command into the Gulph Orders also were given to the Proveditor General in Dalmatia to raise four hundred Albaneses and Croats under four Captains and to embark them on ten Vessels which were built for that purpose placing forty on each Vessel Likewise thirty Captains were nominated and appointed to be ready as occasion should require The Pope on the other side repaired his Fortifications at Rimini and Ancona and reinforced his
that which at that present seemed impossible upon which Advice the Pope was contented to leave that matter wholly to the management of the Cardinal with Instructions to perform the best he could therein but not to break off upon the refusal of it The Cardinal having agreed all matters with the Pope and received Instructions how to manage his Interest for he confided more in the Cardinal than in any other of the Ministers he in the first place gave account to the King his Master of his success and then taking Post rode very hard to Ancona from whence taking a Boat he arrived in hast at Venice hoping in the Holydays of Easter to operate better in favour of the Pope and prevail on the minds of the Senate which he expected to find more gently disposed in the days preparatory to that Festival The next day after his arrival the Cardinal had Audience of the Senate to whom he declared the substance of his Negotiations but did not yet so far open himself as to specifie the particulars which were contained in the Pope's Breviate though the Senate was well advised that the Cardinal had no other Writing than certain Instructions subscribed by the Pope's own hand but yet the reputation which the Cardinal had of being one of the first Degree in the Court of Rome forbad all farther enquiry into his Power or Authority The Cardinal therefore in the first place enlarged himself in a Rhetorical Speech concerning the good will and intention of the Pope which was directed to no other end than the good and welfare of the Christian Church being desirous to support and maintain the Papal Dignity with a constancy becoming the Apostolical Chair and though the Pope had long since endeavoured to accommodate his differences with the Serene Republick yet the conclusion had been often interrupted by the ill Offices and contrivances of Men not well inclined to the publick Peace Howsoever his Holiness being willing to surmount all Controversie the difficulties were reduced unto two Heads The first Point was that an Ambassadour should be designed unto Rome before the Censures were taken off and the second that the Jesuits should be restored howsoever since the Senate had made so much difficulty on the first Point he had received Instructions to yield it unto them and in the first place to take off the Censures but as to that concerning the Jesuits it admitted of longer Dispute of which he desired to be heard at a more private Audience In conclusion after that matters were debated for three or four days in the Senate all came to be resolved in this manner That the Cardinal should publickly in the Palace of St. Mark and in the face of the whole Senate declare that the Censures were taken off or that he did then make them void and null For though the Senate did still insist on their Innocence and that they had never justly incurred the penalty of the Ecclesiastical Censure yet however it being judged an Act of no prejudice to their Cause the Cardinal's Declaration was admitted though the Senate would not consent to accompany the Cardinal to St. Mark 's Church and there after Mass was ended to receive a Benediction from him lest it should appear to the People as if the Censures were taken off by that Benediction which would be a tacite Confession that the State was guilty of some fault which they in no wise yielding unto would not admit of the least colour or appearance of Absolution Secondly That at the same time when the Cardinal declared the Censures taken off the Doge should deliver to his hand a revocation of the Protest which the Senate had made when the Censures were published Thirdly The manner and form was agreed for delivery of the Prisoners Fourthly It was agreed that all Friers and other Religious should be restored again to their Monasteries and Convents excepting onely the Jesuits and fourteen other Friers who were fled for their Crimes and not on account of the Pope's quarrel Fifthly It was agreed that an Ambassadour should be immediately chosen and with all convenient speed sent to the Pope The Articles being thus agreed and confirmed the 21th of April was the day appointed for putting matters in Execution which were performed in this manner The Cardinal being lodged in the Palace of the Duke of Ferrara Monsieur de Fresnes early attended him at that House where Mark Ottobon the Secretary accompanied with two Notaries belonging to the Ducal Office of Chancery and with other Officers of the Prison brought before the Ambassadour the two Prisoners viz. the Abbot of Nervesa and Scipio Saraceno Canon of Vicenza and then the Secretary having made his Obeysance to the Ambassadour said These are my Lord the Prisoners which our most Serene Prince according to a late agreement hath sent to be consigned to your Excellency Protesting howsoever that the same was done with intent and design onely to gratifie his most Christian Majesty without prejudice or infringment of that Authority and Right which the Republick hath to pass Judgment on Ecclesiastical Persons and to cite them before their Secular Tribunals of Justice To which the Ambassadour replyed That he understood it so and in that manner he received them Of which the Ducal Notaries taking notice entered the same in their publick Registers This being done the Prisoners recommended themselves to the Ambassadour's protection who promised them his favour and causing them to follow him into a withdrawing Room where the Cardinal was seated He said to him These are the Prisoners which are to be delivered into the hands of the Pope Then said the Cardinal consign them into the hands of this Person pointing to the Officer who was Claudio Montano the Pope's Commissary sent to that end and purpose who having touched them in token of seizure and possession he desired the Ministers of Justice that they would be pleased to take the care and custody of them This matter being past the Cardinal with the Ambassadour went to the Doge who after Mass returned to the College attended with the Signory and the Savii and having there taken their Seats the Cardinal entered and declared himself in these words I rejoyce much to see this most happy day greatly desired by me in which I declare to your Serene Highness That all the Censures of the Church are taken off from you as in reality they are and hereof I cannot but testifie a most sensible satisfaction in respect to that great benefit which all Christendom and Italy in particular will receive thereby Then the Doge delivered into the hands of the Cardinal the revocation of the Protest which was in this form directed to all the Prelats to whom the Protest was sent and was to this purpose That whereas expedients and means have been found to make the Pope sensible of the true candour of mind and the sincere actions of this Republick so that all Causes are removed of the present
to the protection of France being no longer a secret both the Prefect and Cardinal Francisco with that whole Family loudly professed themselves Servants to his most Christian Majesty and in testimony thereof replaced the Arms of France again over their Gates The reception also of the Barberins to favour was signified by the King in a Letter to the Pope which was delivered by the hand of Cardinal Grimaldi who was at that time employed in the Affairs of France but this Letter operated little of good but served rather to irritate the mind of the Pope for within three days afterwards he erected a Congregation of five Cardinals all Enemies to the Barberins to inspect the Affairs of that Family and to proceed by the methods of Law against them so that Cardinal Francisco who was esteemed innocent and unblameable in his Conversation and had not as yet been attacked by any was cited to make his personal appearance before this Court where an Act was intimated unto him which annulled and made void the Dispensation which his Uncle Vrban had made to indemnifie his Nephews and exempt them from rendering an account of the publick Moneys which had passed through their hands and in pursuance hereof Taddeo the Prefect was enjoyned to bring in all the Accounts of Expences and Moneys which had issued out of the Chamber during the time of his Uncle though the Books and Receipts were in the hands and Office of the Paymasters And in regard that Cardinal Antonio was absent in France a Brief was sent him to appear personally at Rome within the space of two months under pain of Excommunication and forfeiture of all his Estate Revenues and Benefices which he held of the Church and in the mean time Cardinal Francisco and the Prefect were obliged in a Bond of thirty thousand Crowns to advertise Cardinal Antonio of these proceedings and not to remove any of their Goods Housholdstuff Jewels c. out of their Houses at Rome or any other place sequestring also the whole revenue of Cardinal Antonio And whereas Cardinal Francisco had been superintendent over the Revenues of the Church he was ordered not only to give an account of the Moneys but of all other managements and transactions during the Government of his Uncle These violent and severe proceedings against the Nephews of a former Pope seemed a Policy disagreeable to the inclinations and designs of Innocent who intended to advance his Nephew Cardinal Pamfilio and was as passionate towards his Relations as ever Vrban had been and more perhaps than he for being wholly guided by the directions of Donna Olympia Mildachini a Woman of untamed Pride and unsatiable Avarice it was not to be imagined that the Revenues of the Church should be better employed or used with more moderation than they were in the times of the late Vrban This Donna Olympia was but of an ordinary extraction in Rome but being married to Signior Pamfilio Brother to this Pope made the off-spring which came from her to be illustrious and for governing one who governed the Church hath made herself famous in all the Histories of Italy and the Ecclestastical State She was a Woman which naturally affected Rule and Dominion and therefore because her Husband crossed her desires and would subject her to Obedience she had a quarrel to him and held him in abhorrence and detestation though his person was comely and handsom enough to be beloved on the other side none was more pleasing and acceptable to her than her Husband's Brother first Abbat and then Cardinal Pamfilio for though he was one of the most ugly and ill-favoured persons in the World yet because he never entered on any Affair either publick or private before he first consulted his Sister-in-law making her his Oracle and presenting her with the entire disposal of his Will she became perfectly enamoured of his Person and Soul and would never be separated from his company After he was created Pope she then took upon herself the State and Garb of a Princess and seizing with absolute Dominion and Authority on the person of the Pope exerted her Power to such a degree that she made the whole Court of Rome subservient to her Beck and obsequious to her Commands The greediness of the Barberins in amassing Money was the most exorbitant that ever had been known before in Rome but when this Woman came she swept with both hands making the rapine and extortion which had been used before seem to be attempered with some qualifications of modesty and mercy For no Judg of criminal Causes being made without her recommendations they all received their Instructions from her which she gave with such Rules and Methods as conduced to her Avarice She ordered them to bleed the Purse rather than the Veins of Malefactors that all the Fines and redemptions of the Guilty should be sent to her that she might employ them to the use and benefit of the Poor by which means and to satisfie the Judges who would always have their share in the Booty the Fines were raised beyond all the measures of Justice and though complaints hereof were made unto the Pope yet neither were the oppressed relieved nor the Judges punished We have said before that the Pope had created his Nephew Don Camillo Cardinal who was the Son of Donna Olympia and at her instigation was declared Cardinal Patron being a Title commonly conferred on the Pope's nearest Relation the which was done to disappoint the match between Camillo and the Daughter of the Prefect But this young Gallant being of a gay and light temper and uncapable of serious thoughts and business was weary of his Cardinal's Hat which against the consent and without the knowledg of the Pope and his Mother he laid aside to marry the Princess Rossana who by the death of her Husband the Prince was become a Widow The news of this Wedding was strangely surprising to all Rome but more especially to the Pope and his Sister who after a conference of two hours together in private resolved that Prince Camillo and his Lady should be banished from Rome The disgrace of these two personages was as surprising to the World as was the Marriage for there was in reality no Objection to the match especially since he was the onely branch of the House of Pamfilio whose noble change to joyn himself with a Lady of Beauty Quality Riches and Understanding was conducing to that common desire of mankind which is to keep up and perpetuate their Families wherefore there being no just reason why the Pope should be displeased at the match the cause of banishing the new married couple was attributed solely to Donna Olympia who being jealous of having the Princess Partner or Corrival with her in the Government thought fit to keep her at a distance from the Court But the World in the mean time could not but remain astonished at this passage for it was wonderful to see a Pope so sensless as to
by the Venetian Ambassadour the Pope as is reported was so affected therewith that grief taking a deep impression in his heart he suddenly fell into a species of Apoplexy from which first Fit though he at present revived yet melancholy suppressed his spirits in such manner that in the space of one month following he on the ninth of December 1669. expired his last breath having lived seventy one years or thereabouts and governed the Pontificate two years five months and eighteen days He was universally lamented being a Man of a publick Spirit and great generosity so that his Family was rather impoverished than enriched by his advancement to the Papal Authority He was a Person not ambitious or desirous of the vain glory of this World of which that he might give a testimony at his death he forbad his Relations to raise any magnificent Monument in recommendation of him to posterity leaving behind him some few words for a short Epitaph to be inscribed on the Marble which was to cover him which were scarce sufficient to denote the Character by which he was to be known and recommended to Posterity to supply which his Successour Clement X. at the desire of the Publick and in gratitude to the memory of his deceased Friend and Benefactor inscribed on the pedestal of a Pillar which Clement IX at the foot of the Bridg Aelius had repaired at his own charge a brief Narrative of his life and having likewise erected a stately Monument with his Statue thereupon in the Church of S. Peter he adorned it with this Inscription Clementis IX Aeternae memoriae Pontificis Magni Cineres Ne absque ullo Sepulchri Honore Sicut Ipse jusserat Humi laterent Clemens X. Pont. Max. Benefactori Suo Et ob Spectatum Fidei Zelum Ob Egregiam Erga Omnes Beneficentiam Et Charitatem De Re Christiana Optime Merito Grati Animi Monumentum Posuit Anno Domini MDCLXXI This Pope being dead was generally lamented by all People of what Degree or Nation or Quality soever for he was of a most gentle and easie temper delightful and pleasant in his Conversation and studied sincerely the welfare of the Church without much regard to the advancement of his Family in his Diet he was very abstemious and lived much after the fashion of the Primitive Christians He was ever zealous of a good correspondence with Kings and Princes subjected to the Papal Sea and always endeavoured to reconcile them one to the other as appears by his endeavours at Aix la Chapelle where a Peace was concluded between the two Crowns of Spain and France And when the difference arose between the Queen Regent and Don John of Austria he interposed in such manner by his Nuntio Cardinal Borromeo that with much success he reconciled matters and diverted a storm which might have engaged Spain in ruinous troubles Though this Pope from the humility of his Spirit was not very forward to raise Columns of his own praise or engraven Inscriptions like other Popes on every fair Marble that was erected in the most publick and conspicuous places of the City yet the People of Rome did voluntarily and of their own accord supply several Euloges to the honour of his memory of which we shall add this one which is worthy to be rehearsed for being engraven in the Area of the Capitol on the Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus being a comparison of this Pope with that Emperour in these words Triumphale Septimii Severi Caesaris Nomen ne quaeras Lector Ad Orientem Clementis IX P.O.M. Majestatem obscuratur Quid prodeat Severus Vbi Clemens elucet Legationem ille Gallicam suâ ferociâ funestavit Hispanicam iste munificentiâ beavit suâ sibi purpuram ille cruore tinxit Hic sudore manu ille hic mente firmavit Imperium bellorum ille flammas accendit hic conatur extinguere Tributa ille auxit hic levavit uterque rei frumentariae Amplificandae studiosus sed ille Ambitionis Ingenio hic Genio Charitatis Supra Caesarem in cunctis Pontifex Spectacula ille Pop. Rom. dedit hic unum se Gentibus Omnibus adorandum Spectaculum fecit CLEMENT X. CLEMENT the Ninth dying as we have said on the ninth of December 1669. his Funeral Obsequies were celebrated with the usual Rites and Ceremonies practised in honour to deceased Popes After which the Cardinals entered the Conclave to make election of an other Successour to S. Peter but such were the difficulties which arose thereupon by reason of the many Candidates which appeared to the number of no lesâ— than twenty two all which both for years gravity wisdom and Auâ—hority seemed worthy of the Papal Dignity that until the end of four months and twenty days the different Interests could not agree and be reconciled and at length concurred in the Election rather out of weariness than satisfafaction in their Choice Cardinal Chigi was then at Florence when he received the first news of the death of Clement IX where entering into a private Cabal with the Great Duke and Cardinal Medici and with some other Associates of the Spanish Interest they pitched upon one of these four namely Elci Celsi Bonvisi and Vidoni but with especial regard to the exclusion of Barberino but as this was an account made up without their Hoast so it had a success accordingly and they forced to an other reckoning Chigi to strengthen his Party made his addresses to the French pretending great services for that Crown and in the mean time despised the interest of the Flying Squadron but the Duke of Scion being then arrived from France in quality of Ambassadour made scorn of the applications of Chigi so soon as he discovered his practices with the Spaniards and indeed his double dealing abated much of his reputation in the Conclave where he might have formed a strong Party had not his ambition to become sole Arbitrator weakened his Interest and brought all his words and actions under a suspition This Opinion of Chigi gave a beginning to a Combination between Barberino Rospigliosi and the Flying Squadron which strong Parties standing in opposition each to other fifty days were passed without any effect and so resolved were Chigi and Barberino that one said He would eat Cherries and the other Figs in the Conclave with which sayings all Parties growing warm Cardinal Este declared openly with exclusion against Chigi Retz against Medici and the French King against Elci with which Medici growing angry replied that if France excluded Elci that Spain should do the like by Vidoni Thus Factions daily increasing and new difficulties arising Chigi and Medici the two great sticklers in the Conclave grew more calm and less concerned for those whom they had once designed to promote and to make appear how disinterested they were put every Person that was qualified into some hopes of being chosen Amongst the rest they complemented Câ—rpegna one of the Spanish Faction and a favourite of the Great Duke
with all the low part between Via lata Campidoglio and the Aventine was so much under water that another deluge was feared many houses were born down by it Trees forc'd up by the roots and Corn that was sown was quite wash'd away and the same happened again the same year in December To make up these losses or to make them more tolerable the Pope omitted no manner of good Office or kindness to the Citizens At this time Michael Son of Theophilus Emperor of Constantinople sent Embassadors with Presents to Rome to visit the Apostolick Sea and his Holiness The Presents were a large Paten and Chalice of Gold with precious stones of great value This was that Michael who having taken Basilius to be his Partner in the Empire was murdered by him that he might reign alone His Embassadors were kindly received and sent home with Presents Nicolas being earnestly intent upon the Conservation of the Pontifical Dignity deprived John Arch Bishop of 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 to obey a Citation from the Apostolic Chair to answer some accusations Whereupon he goes to Pavia and procures of the Emperor Lewis commendatory Letters to the Pope and to his Embassadors that they should get leave that Arch-bishop John should have a safe conduct to come to Rome and plead his own Cause which the Pope readily granted And John in a great Convention of Prelates being allow'd liberty of Speech onely confess'd himself guilty and beg'd pardon of the Pope and of all that were present By which Confession and the Intercession of the Auditors the Pope was persuaded to receive him into favour upon these Conditions That he should 〈◊〉 his Error before the Synod that he should promise to come to Rome once a year if possible that he should not be capable of consecrating any Bishop in Romagna however canonically elected without leave first obtain'd from the Sea Apostolick and that he should not hinder any of those Bishops from coming to Rome as often as they pleased that he should not introduce any exaction custom or usage contrary to the sacred Canons and lastly that under the penalty of Anathema he should not alter or meddle with the treasure of holy Church without the consent of the Pope nor should without the same allowance receive any thing secular These holy Institutions were so highly approved by the whole Synod that thrice they all shouted Righteous is the judgment of the supreme Prelate just is the decree of the Universal Bishop All Christians agree to this wholsom Institution We all say think and judg the same thing Then John in the sight of them all took his Oath and gave it under his hand that he would observe the Articles Thus the Convocation was dissolved and John return'd to Ravenna The Pope having overcome this trouble rebuilt the Church of our Lady then call'd the Old afterwards the New Church and adorned it with excellent Paintings He by Letters and good Admonitions converted the King of Bulgaria to the Christian Faith with all his Realm to whom he sent Bishops and Priests to confirm the young 〈◊〉 driving out Photinus who had craftily disseminated erroneous Opinions among them He procured a Peace between Lewis the Emperor and Andalisio Duke of Benevent and repelled the Saracens who had made an Incursion as far as the same Benevent Lastly with the consent of the Emperor he decreed that no Emperor or other Lay-man should thrust himself into any Convocation of the Clergy except the debate was concerning matters of Faith and then his Opinion was that they might reasonably be present 'T is said that at this time S. Cyril brought the body of S. Clement from the Chersonese in Pontus to Rome and plac'd it in the Church now called S. Clement's where a little while after himself also was buried Nicolas now who was a great exemplar of all the Virtues one man could be endued with died the seventh year ninth month and thirteenth day of his 〈◊〉 and was buried according to his last Will in S. Peter's Church porch Some Authors say that the Sea was then vacant eight years seven months and nine days HADRIAN II. HADRIAN the second a Roman Son of Talarus a Bishop was a familiar friend of Pope Sergius who having once given him forty Julio's when he came home he gave them to his Steward to give to the Beggers and poor strangers that were at his door which the Steward going to do saw the number was so great that 't would not serve a quarter of them and so he return'd and told Hadrian Who hereupon takes the money and coming to the poor folks gave every one three Julio's and reserv'd to himself as many for his own use at which Miracle the Steward being astonish'd Dost thou see says Hadrian how good and bountiful the Lord is to those that are liberal and charitable to the Poor By this and other Virtues he grew into so high estimation with all men that when the Consultation was held for making a new Pope they unanimously elected him and brought him against his will from the Church of S. Mary ad Proesepe to the Lateran and immediately created him Pope nor regarding the consent of any person in a proceeding so tumultuary which gave great offence to the Embassadors of the Emperor who came on purpose upon this occasion but could not as they ought interpose the Imperial Authority in this Election But satisfaction was made to them by remonstrating that it was impossible in so great a tumult to moderate the violent inclinations of the multitude they were desired therefore to concur with the Clergy and People and according to custom to congratulate as Pope this excellent man whom they had chosen This at last the Embassadors did though they saw plainly that the Clergy and People did arrogate to themselves the full power of creating a Pope without expecting the consent of any Temporal Prince and this perhaps in order to enlarge the Liberties of holy Church by making it a Custom Soon after arriv'd Letters from Lewis highly applauding this action of the Romans and commending them that they had proceeded so religiously and sincerely in this Affair without waiting for the approbation of any one whose ignorance of the fitness of the Canditates might render them incompetent Judges in the case For how said he can it be that one that is a Foreiner and a Stranger should be able in another Countrey to distinguish who is most worthy To the Citizens therefore does it properly belong and to those who have had familiarity with and knowledg of the Competitors Hadrian then being made Pope took diligent care of all matters relating to Religion and by word example and authority both of himself and his Predecessors exhorted all men to good and holy lives particularly he shew'd himself a strenuous desender of those that had been oppressed by Injustice and the power of great men He caused a Council to be called at Constantinople where Photius a seditious
person was deposed and Ignatius restor'd who had been wrongfully turn'd out before In this Council a long debate was held whether the Bulgarians whose Embassadors were present should be subject to the Roman or Constantinopolitan Sea And by the favour of the Emperor Basilius they were adjudged to the Sea of Rome whereupon the Bulgarians making their 〈◊〉 to Hadrian that some man of good life and ability might be sent into their Countrey by whose authority and example they might be retain'd in the Christian Faith he sent three most religious men with plenary power to settle the Churches there as they should see fit They were Sylvester the Sub-deacon Leopardus of Ancona and Dominic of Trevisa who soon composed the whole Affair to the Popes mind though 't was not long ere the Bulgarians corrupted with gifts and promises by the Constantinopolitans expel'd the Latin Priests and receiv'd the Greeks and this Sedition gave occasion to many quarrels betwixt the Greeks and Latins Hadrian still opposing himself to all the Enemies of the Church as much as was possible when he was about to anoint Charles Emperor in the room of Lewis now deceased died himself in the fifth year ninth month and twelfth day of his Popedom A little before his death it rain'd bloud for three days together at Brescia and France was miserably wasted with Locusts both certain presages of his much lamented death JOHN IX JOHN the ninth a Roman Son of Gundo as soon as he was made Pope declared Charles surnamed the Bald who came to Rome for that purpose Emperor which so enraged the Sons of his elder Brother Lewis King of Germany Charles surnam'd the Gross and Caroloman that levying an Army they invade Italy resolving to deprive their Uncle of his Crown and Life Charles hereupon makes haste towards Verona with his forces intending to cut off the passage of his Nephews by Trent but was taken ill at Mantua and there poisoned as 't was thought by one Zedechias a Jew whom he made use of for a Physician Upon this news Pope John used his utmost endeavour that Charles his Son Lewis surnamed the Stammerer King of France might be made Emperor but the great men of Rome opposed it desiring rather that Charles III. King of Germany might succeed who with his Brother Caroloman had now over-run a great part of Italy So great was the Sedition that though many favour'd Lewis yet they took the Pope and clap'd him in prison But by the help of some Friends he soon made his escape into France to Lewis where he slaid a year anointed him King and ended some Controversies depending between the Ecclesiastics For Gibertus Bishop of Nismes had by force turn'd Leo an Abbot out of his Monastery This Monastery was dedicated to S. Peter and in it lay buried the body of S. Giles it is situate in a place call'd Flaviano from a Valley of that name given to S. Giles by a certain King nam'd Flavius and he built there a Monastery to the honour of SS Peter and Paul The Pope in the presence of many Bishops and Judges heard the Cause and adjudg'd the Monastery to Leo. This was done at Arles from whence John departing with the approbation of Lewis he held a Council at Troyes where he made several Decrees about religious affairs and appointed a Bishop for the Flemings who having left their Woods and fastnesses now betook themselves to an orderly way of living But Italy all this while being harrass'd by the Saracens who had taken and plundered the Monastery of Monte-Cassino John was call'd home to Rome and with the help of some Christian Princes drave the greatest part of them out of Italy and Sicily and at last that he might live the more quietly in the City he plac'd the Imperial Crown on the head of Charles III. who quickly after marching against the Normans then infesting the borders of France and Lorain defeated them so that their King Rothifredus was forc'd to sue for peace and to become a Christian the Emperour himself being his Godfather and taking him into favour This writes Anastasius the Roman Library-keeper who was then highly in vogue being so skilful in both Tongues that by the persuasion of the Emperor Charles he translated out of Greek into elegant Latin the seventh General Council and Dionysius the Areopagite's Book de Hierarchiâ with the lives of several Saints Some say that this Charles built many Monasteries and was liberal to the Church but 't is certain that it was his particular commendation that he put many learned men upon writing for Milo a Monk of S. Amand wrote the Life of that Saint very exactly and Joannes Scotus did very solidly and acutely handle many points of our Religion nor was our Pope John without desert in the same way having while he was Deacon excellently composed the Life of Gregory I. in four Books When he had sate ten years and two days he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church MARTIN II. MARTIN the second a Frenchman Son of Palumbus succeeded John Some perhaps deceiv'd by the likeness of the names call him Marinus This Martin the story of whose Life is so short because of the small time he held the Chair was Pope at the time when the Sons of Basilius Leo and Alexander were Emperors in the East and Charles III. in the West who we told you was crowned by John VIII and who broke the forces of the Normans infesting France in so many Battels that he forced them to submit to him and receive the Christian Faith Some write that 't was this Martin that with his tricks of which somewhat will be said in the Life of Formosus did so plague Pope John with Seditions as to get him thrown into prison and force him to fly But having by ill means gotten the Popedom he soon died having sate but one year and five days and in that time doing nothing remarkable either because his time was short or because no occasion offered it self from whence he could acquire repute except we may suppose it to be the Will of God that those who attain to Power by indirect means should lose that true glory which is the chief aim of every good Prince HADRIAN III. HADRIAN the third a Roman Son of Benedict was a man of so great a Spirit that immediately upon his entrance on the Popedom An. Dom. 895. he proposed to the Senate and People that a Law should pass that no regard should hereafter be given to the Authority of the Emperor in the creation of any Pope but that the Election of the Clergy and People should be free this Institution was rather attempted than begun before by Nicolas I. as was said but I believe Hadrian took now the opportunity when the Emperor Charles was march'd with his Army out of Italy against the Rebellious Normans He went with a design utterly to extirpate that unquiet people but perceiving that would be difficult and not to be
delightful and cool too by reason of its situation and the shady Groves that are about it He frequented the Baths at Macerata and Petriolana for his healths sake He used thin Cloths and his Expences in Silver look'd more frugal than Princelike For his whole delight when he had leisure was in writing and reading because he valu'd good Books more than precious Stones for in them he said there was great plenty of Gems He so far contemn'd a splendid Table that he went oftentimes to Fountains Groves and Country recesses for his own humour where he entertain'd himself not like a Pope but an honest humble Rustick Nor were there wanting some who found fault with this his frequent change of places especially his Courtiers because no Pope had ever done so before him unless in time of War or of a Plague But he always slighted their Cavils and said that for all his pleasure he never omitted any thing that befitted the dignity of a Pope or tended to the good of the Court. In all places he Sealed heard Causes Censur'd Answer'd Asserted and Confuted to give full satisfaction to all sorts of Men. He could not eat willingly alone and therefore invited either the Cardinal of Spoleto of Trani or of Pavia commonly to Dine or Sup with him At Supper he used to discourse of Learning and rubb'd up his old Notions of the Ancients shewing how commendable each of 'em was in this or that particular He frequently exhorted his Relations to Virtue and deterr'd 'em from Vice by recounting the good or ill actions of others Augustine Patritio was his chief Reader and Amaniensis He was also sometimes pleased to hear Wit especially when he had nothing to do and therefore he had one Grecus a Florentine who would mimick and ridicule any ones behaviour garb or way of speech with great diversion to the Audience He was an honest upright plain Man without fallacy or guile And so zealous a Christian he was that there appear'd no colour of Hypocrisie in him He frequently confess'd and receiv'd the Communion and at divine Service either performed the Priestly Office himself or assisted at the Ceremonies He always contemn'd Dreams Portents Prodigies Lightning and the like There was no sign in him of fear or inconstancy but he seemed as little elevated at his good as dejected at his ill Fortune He often reproved his Friends for Cowards and sneaking Fellows that they should be affraid of telling him what mischances they had as it sometimes happens in the War because he said those things might have been remedied if he had known of 'em in time He never forsook his Allies either upon account of Charges or fear of his Enemies He went to War with an ill will but fought for the Church and Religion when he was forced to 't He was mightily pleased with Building and at his charge were the Steps in the Vatican Church repaired the Portico of it made glorious and strong And he had a design to carry away the rubbish from before the Church-door and pave the Piazza He was about to make a Portico from whence the Pope might bless the People He built a Castle at Tivoli before people thought he had begun it and at Siena he built his Countrymen a Portico of square stone very high and very fine As likewise he made Corsiniano which he called Pienza from his own name Pius a City and built there a noble Church with a Cupalo together with a fine House He erected also a Tomb for his Father and Mother at Siena in St. Francis's Church with this Distich for an Epitaph Sylvius hic jaceo conjux Victoria mecum est Filius hoc clausit marmore Papa Pius He had four Nephews by his Sister of which the two youngest through his Authority and the respect that was shewn him were made Knights by the King of Spain The eldest who had married King Ferdinand's Daughter was made Duke of Malphi and the second whom Pius as I told you before had made a Cardinal lives yet in such repute of integrity and Vertue that there is nothing wanting in him that is required in an excellent Person being adorn'd with Wit Manners Policy Religion Modesty and Gravity But to return to Pius who never omitted his Studies though he were advanced to such an eminent Station When he was a Youth indeed and not yet initiated into Divinity he set out Poems that were rather light and jocular than serious and grave and yet sometimes even in them he was elevated nor did he want satyrical sharpness amidst his merry Conceits There are Epigrams of his extant that are full of Wit and he is said to have written about three thousand Verses which were lost most part of 'em at Basil The remainder of his life he wrote in Prose onely his grand Affairs rather inclining him to it but he also loved a mixt Stile more fit for Philosophy He set forth several Books of Dialogues about the Power of the Council at Basil about the Rise of Nile of Hunting of Destiny of God's Prescience and of the Heresie in Bohemia He left an imperfect Dialogue which he began against the Turks in defence of Christianity He digested his Epistles into their several occasions and seasons when they were written and those that he wrote when he was a Layman a Clergy a Bishop or Pope he put into distinct Tomes Wherein he excites Kings Princes and others to engage in the War for Religion There is an Epistle of his extant which he wrote to the Turk to persuade him from Mahometanism to the Christian Faith He also wrote a Book about the Life of Courtiers as likewise a Grammar for Ladislaus the young King of Hungary He farthermore composed thirty two Orations exhorting Kings Princes and Commonwealths to Peace and in defence of Religion to promote the quiet and Concord of the whole World He perfected the History of Bohemia but left that of Austria imperfect And though he was upon a History of all the remarkable Actions in his Time yet he was never able for his business to finish it He wrote twelve Books and began the thirteenth of things done by himself His Stile was soft and easie in which he made several excellent and pertinent Sermons For he could readily move the Affections with handsom and graceful Expressions He very aptly describes situations of Places and Rivers assuming various ways of Eloquence as the occasion required He was well acquainted with Antiquity nor could any Town be mention'd but he could tell its rise and situation besides that he would give an account in what Age famous Men flourish'd He would sometimes take notice of Mimicks for his pleasure and left many Sayings behind him of which I thought fit to add some to this account of his Life to wit That the Divine Nature was better understood by Believing than by Disputing That all Sects though confirm'd by humane Authority yet wanted Reason That the Christian ought to
be receiv'd upon its own credit though it had never been back'd with Miracles That there were three Persons in the Godhead not proved to be so by Reason but by considering who said so That those Men who pretended to measure the Heavens and the Earth were rather bold than certain what they did was right That to find out the motion of the Stars had more pleasure in it than proâ—it That God's Friends enjoy'd both this Life and that to come That without Vertue there was no true Joy That as a covetous Man is never satisfied with Money so a Learned Man should not be with Knowledg But that he who knew never so much might yet find somewhat to be studied That common Men should value Learning as Silver Noblemen as Gold and Princes as Jewels That good Physitians did not seek the Money but the health of the party diseas'd That a florid Speech did not move wise Men but Fools That those Laws are Sacred which restrain Licentiousness That the Laws had Power over the Commonalty but were feeble to the greater sort That great Controversies were decided by the Sword and not by the Laws A Citizen should look upon his Family as subject to the City the City to his Country his Country to the World and the World to God That the chief place with Kings was slippery That as all Rivers run into the Sea so do all Vices into Courts That Flatterers draw Kings whether they please That Kings hearken to none more easily than to Sycophants That the tongue of a Flatterer was a King's greatest Plague That a King who would trust no body was good for nothing and he that believed every body was no better That it is necessary he that governs many should himself be rul'd by many That he deserv'd not the name of a King who measur'd the Publick by his private abvantage That he who neglected holy Duties did not deserve the Church Revenue nor a King his Taxes that did not constant Justice He said those that went to Law were the Birds the Court the Field the Judg the Net and the Lawyers the Fowlers That Men ought to be presented to Dignities and not Dignities to the Men. That some Men had Offices and did not deserve 'em whilst others deserv'd 'em and had 'em not That the burthen of a Pope was heavy but he was happy who bore it stoutly That an illiterate Bishop was like an Ass That ill Physicians kill'd the body and ignorant Priests the Soul That a wandring Monk was the Devil's Bondslave That Virtue had enriched the Clergy but Vice made 'em poor That there was great reason for the prohibiting of Priests to marry but greater for allowing it again That no Treasure was preferrable to a faithful Friend That Life was like a Friend and Envy like Death That he cherishes an Enemy who pardons his Son too often That a covetous Man never pleases any body but by his Death That Mens faults are conceal'd by Liberality and discover'd by Avarice That it was a slavish Vice to tell Lyes That the Use of Wine had augmented the Cares and the Distempers of mankind That a Man ought to take as much Wine as would raise and not overwhelm his Soul That Lust did fully and stain every age of Man but quite extinguish old Age. That Gold it self and Jewels could not purchase Content That it was pleasant to the good but terrible to the bad to die That a noble Death was to be preferr'd before a dishonourable Life in the Opinion of all Philosophers And this is all or most that can be written of Pius except I add that he canonized St. Catharine of Siena and laid up St. Andrew's head that was sent from Morea to Rome in St. Peter's Church with great Veneration and Processions perform'd by the Clergy and People in a Chappel built on purpose after he had clear'd the Church in that place especially and removed the Sepulchres of some Popes and Cardinals that took up too much room PAVL II. PAVL the Second formerly called Peter Barbo a Venetian whose Father 's Name was Nicolas and his Mothers Polyxena Cardinal Priest of St. Marks was made Pope August 30. 1664. being Pope Eugenius's Nephew by his Sister he was just going as a Merchant to Sea an Employment not ungentile among the Venetians and not disapproved of by Solon and having carry'd his Scritore and other Implements on Board he heard that his Uncle Gabriel Condelmerius was chosen Pope Whereupon he stay'd ashore and at the request of his Friends and his elder Brother Paul Barbo apply'd himself to his Book though he was pretty well in years under the Discipline and tutelage of James Ricionius who used to commend his Diligence He had also other Masters but made no great proficency considering his Age however he preferr'd 'em all when he came to be Pope excepting only Ricion to shew that it was none of their faults he was not made a Scholar But Paul Barbo who was a stout and a wise Man and knew his Brother's nature inclined him rather to ease than business intreated Eugenius whom he went to visit at Florence to send for Peter and give him some Ecclesiastical preferment He did so and Peter was made first Arch-Deacon of Bologna with which not long after he held the Bishoprick of Cervia in Commendam and was made a Protonotary one of that Rank who receive the greatest Fees In this condition he lived for some years till at last he was made a Cardinal at the same time with Alouisius a Physician of Padua whom they afterward call'd Patriarch and Chamberlain which was done at the request of some Friends of Eugenius's who desired to have a Man that might thwart Alouisius upon occasion And indeed it happened afterward that they grew such Enemies as never were known by the insinuations of others especially whose interest it was to foment the Quarrel For Peter was vexed that he should be inferiour to any Man about Eugenius since he was his Nephew and of a Patrician Family in Venice Upon this account he fell out most grievously with Francis Condelmerius the Vice-Chancellour who was Eugenius's Cousin-german and when he died he turn'd all his fury upon the Patriarch though they two had been often seemingly reconcil'd by the intercession of Friends Hereupon they were such Enemies to one another in several Popes Reigns that they did not spare each others either Estate or honour but mutually reviled each other in words which I will not relate lest I should seem to believe ' em But when Eugenius was dead and Nicolas the Fifth in his place he prevailed so far upon him by his kindness and flattery that he not onely got the uppermost place of all his Nation in Nicolas's Court but by assistance of Nicolas's Brother did so animate him against Alouisius that he retrenched the Chamberlain's Office For Peter Barbo was naturally fair spoken and could feign good nature when occasion serv'd But he was