business was the salvation of his Soul In the Primitive Church the Popes as may be seen in their lives did not intermeddle or pry into any bodies actions but for the advantage of the Church that the Bishops might be holy in their conversations as their function was holy and the Sacraments administred with decency In those dayes the Bishops made the Election to vacant Bishopricks and by degrees came in Cardinals who also had the creation of Cardinals There was no discourse then but of the miraculous Sanctity of the Popes No importunity of their Kindred pressing and soliciting them to turn out such a good man and advance a much wickeder to his place It was then the Glory of the Pope to be call'd the head of the Christian Common-wealth and indeed the Counsels Consistories and Synods having the Election of all Officers and the disposal of all Dignities it was no other but a Commonwealth but how the present Writers in their Volumes can call Christendom a Republick I cannot understand whilst it is enslay'd to his Holiness and under the Tyranny of his Arms Excommunications and Inquisitions and forc'd by the irrational opinions of Priests to an adoration of the Pope in Rome as if he were a God in Heaven It were much to be desir'd and would be much to the advantage of the Church if that motu proprio or Arbitrary power of the Pope were taken away Christendome reduc'd again to a Republique and the Church set once more at Liberty I mean if the Election of Cardinals were performed as secretly as possible in the Consistory by the Cardinals themselves and so that of Bishops by a Provincial Synod to be call'd upon the death or translation of any of them or if that should be too expensive by the Consistory of Cardinals and not left to the single disposition of the Pope who regards nothing but the interest and satisfaction of his Family When Judas his place amongst the Apostles became void St. Peter from whom the Popes derive the power of the Keys proceeded not to the nomination of another himself or declar'd his Successor without more adoe but he call'd the Colledge of Apostles together by whose Lots St. Mathew was chosen to succeed him without any mention of St. Peter or of any bodyes Preceedency there The Apostles were all first and all last without any difference of priority But this Chapter is left out of their Bibles they will read nothing but for their own advantage And this is manifest because when a Cardinal dyes the Pope calls not the Colledge of Cardinals together to create a Successor but in spight of the example of the Apostles in spight of all Justice and Equity he chooses one himself and declares him Cardinal usurping in this manner the right of the Cardinals who are Successors to the Apostles also and to whom that right of Election doth belong This inconvenience seems at first sight very hard to be remedyed but upon serious consideration it will be easie For in the vacancy of the Chair when they are Absolute and Supream when the Church is a kind of Republick and all the Jurisdiction is in their hands what should hinder them if they had any regard to their lawfull and just Privileges from resuming that power which they have been robb'd of and constraining his Holiness to confirm it Would the Cardinals but once undertake this those Princes that have any zeal for the liberty of the Church would not fail to undertake it too and second them with Arms upon occasion as the Emperours both of the East and West have formerly done then they might new model the Laws settle the preceedency of the Synods and Consistories before the Pope as it was in the Primitive dayes renounce the Popes Decrees and establish their own declare him as an Apostle indeed amongst the rest of the Apostles but not as a God and in short clip the wings of his Authority so as to leave him Head only of a Commonwealth Nor indeed were this well executed would the Popes have any reason to complain for what can they pretend but that they be allow'd as much Authority as St. Peter had and why should not the Cardinals have as much as the rest of the Apostles whose true Heirs they are if the Pope therefore be as St. Peter why should not they be as the rest of the Apostles I have said before that to fill up the vacancy that was made by the Treason of Judas St. Peter did not by his Papal Authority make Election of another but by the Prayers and Assembly of the rest of the Apostles who were as it were the Pilots and Steers-men in the Ship of the Church Moreover Christ being dead St. Peter could not hope for any greater Authority than he had left him in these words What thou bindest on Earth shall be bound in Heaven so as from that time he had power to exercise his authority which say they was to preside in Elections to command in their Assemblies and to exercise over the Apostles the same authority which the Popes do now over the Cardinals But in those dayes things were well manag'd however they go now Then the Church was truly Apostolical and obedient exactly to the Laws of the Apostles now it is Roman and conformable only to the Interest or Capriccio of the Pope St. Peter then had no money to distribute nor no offices to bestow and therefore there were no books nor no Authors to be found that flatter'd him or attributed more to him than Christ had given him now they are so rich and have so many preferments to bestow that they can debauch their Divines and make them write as they please In that age there was nothing but poverty and piety in this there is nothing but craftiness and wealth then there was nothing but Christ in the thoughts of St. Peter and the Apostles and now in the Popes minds there is nothing but their Nephews It is not to be found in any place of the Scripture that St. Peter commanded the rest of the Apostles or that they acknowledg'd him head of the Church or Superior to themselves Whereas on the contrary 't is to be seen in the Acts of the Apostles that Peter was sent by the rest of the Apostles in the company of St. John to preach the Gospel in Samaria and St. Paul not only writes that he was not esteem'd inferiour to the best of the Apostles but he went up and down ordering all things as he thought necessary for the advantage of the Church without communicating any thing with St. Peter of what he judg'd convenient to do Things being so upon what grounds is it that the Popes keep the Cardinals at that distance Christ recommended his Church to the Apostles in general without any exception as appears by those words in St. John As my Father sent me so have I also sent you and whose sins soever you pardon shall be pardon'd and again in
no mans person I am Pope and 't is in my power to null or confirm their Acts as I think good my self Let not the Cardinals inquire now what means the Popes made use of to invade and usurp the authority they formerly injoy'd because they are sure to be answer'd with nothing but violence insolence and threats against which they having not courage enough to defend themselves do sit down contented only with the Title and appearance and it is certain at this day that the Cardinals have no more authority over the Church than the Duke of Savoy has over the Kingdom of Cyprus of which he will be call'd King notwithstanding so the Cardinals will be call'd Princes of the Church whilst the Pope runs away with the power doing and undoing as he pleases giving offices and preferments at his pleasure and imposing his own Laws without contradiction insomuch that the Consistories Congregations and Colledges are only for the service and assistance of the Pope who suffers not the Cardinals to transact any thing but by his direction and if they do he revoaks it so that it is too true they have nothing left but a bare outside authority All this would be past over nevertheless and their affliction would not be so great were it the Popes only that commanded the Cardinals but the misery is for more than an age past so many Nephews as have been in Rome so many Popes have there been to command them for the Popes communicating the authority they usurp'd with each of their Nephews they know very well which way to put in execution and have no need to be taught how to make their advantages Is it not a melancholly and most deplorable sight to see two sorry little-headed Nephews make so many Logger-headed Cardinals to tremble that one poor single Nephew should keep the whole Colledge in awe That two pittiful Relations of the Pope's born and brought up in obscurity should be more considerable in Rome than so many Princes of most noble Extraction That the Popes should give more ear to the advice of a Nephew newly taken from School and many times from the Shop than to the Councels of so many Cardinals us'd and accustom'd to publick affairs and zealous of the Service of God That they should command that know not how to command and they be forc'd to obey those they ought in all equity to command That the foreign and extraneous Nephews should have freer and more uninterrupted access to the Vatican than the Cardinals that are born in Rome Now if affairs be carry'd in this manner in the Court of Rome in respect of Spiritual and Temporal Things how can the Cardinals be properly call'd Princes that leave the Church in the hands of other people It is the Nephews that are the Princes that hold the Patrimony of Saint Peter in their possession that divide it from the Church without any resistance and appropriate it as a Patrimony for their particular Families Nor ought the Nephews on the other side to permit seeing they have the authority in them the Cardinals to bear the Title of Princes of the Church lest very ill consequences should follow They have no other right of Dominion over them than by Usurpation and Tyranny and Tyranny is sometimes rais'd above the Majesty of Princes Now if the Cardinals be Princes of the Church without any Soveraignty the Nephews that have got that Soveraignty without any title must be Tyrants and therefore to remove this inconvenience it is necessary either to leave the Dominion of the Church to the Cardinals that have the Title or to give the Nephews the Title that have the Power already and exercise it with great Authority There is not a Heretick a Gentile a Jew a Catholick nor a Protestant but knows the Government of the Church by the Nephews is Tyrannical because the Authority they have to govern it is deriv'd only from the Popes who have no Authority to dispose of that which belongs legally to the Cardinals Christ as if on purpose to prevent disputes said expresly when he gave the power of the Keyes to Saint Peter Tibi dabo claves Regni coelorum observe the word Tibi to Thee that is to Peter I give the Keyes of my Church and not to his Nephews It is my pleasure that you Command and give Laws not your Relations and Kindred Tibi dabo claves Regni coelorum And therefore Saint Peter who understood his duty very well would never admit any of his own Relations to the Government of the Church but only such as were call'd by the Divine mouth of our most blessed Saviour Now a dayes the Popes proceed quite contrary glossing as they please upon the Gospel robbing them as soon as they are entred into the Vatican of all their Authority and giving it to their Nephews and instead of governing the Church with the assistance of the Cardinals in whom the power is directly from our Saviour they govern with the assistance of their Nephews that cannot with any justice enter into the Vatican nor take possession of an Authority that belongs only to the Cardinals It is clear the Cardinals are the true successors of the Apostles so that if the Apostles receiv'd none of their Jurisdiction from Saint Peter but immediately from God and if Saint Peter did never command them neither can nor ought the Popes to command the Cardinals nor are they oblig'd to obey them in what relates to the Government of the Church seeing they have as much power in those affairs as the Popes For my part when I shall see the Popes hold the same correspondence with the Cardinals that Saint Peter did with the Apostles I shall believe them true Popes so on the other side I shall believe the Cardinals true Princes of the Holy Church when I shall see them replete with holy zeal and labouring for the recovery of that Jurisidiction which hath been so unjustly taken from them If they shall at any time be restor'd to the exercise of that Authority they formerly for several ages possess'd they will make the Popes the Church and themselves happy and fortunate and bless'd themselves bless'd because that respect which at present is given by the Faithfull to the Purple only will be kindled in the hearts of all Christendom and break out into a flame of devotion to behold them with such passion and solicitousness endeavouring the good of Christianity the Church fortunate because it shall be no more worryed nor tormented with the tongues and pens of Historians but see every day new Christians sprouting up in her bosom And lastly the Popes shall be happy in having Companions in the care of the Flock of Christ in discharging themselves of a part of that burthen that is not to be sustain'd by one but with great danger of sinking under it Let not the Cardinals therefore any longer delay the wresting again that Dominion out of the hands of the Nephews that by Divine
repeals or destroys Laws and makes new ones at his pleasure but no Pope has attempted it yet neither is that number alwayes compleat some vacancies being still left to recompence the deserts of some great man or to gratifie the desires of some King To enumerate the prerogative of the Cardinals exactly it would be convenient to insert at large a letter written by Eugenius quarius which places them in a Region so high the Cardinals themselves cannot desire a higher But I shall content my self to say only with him that all the Cardinals both Bishops Priests and Deacons have the preheminence over all Bishops Arch-Bishops Primats and Patriarchs who are all oblig'd to acknowledge them for their Supreme Judges as Assistants to the Pope as the Supreme Councel of the Church and principal Citizens in the Christian Commonwealth as parts and members of the Pontifical body as Organs of their power as Lieutenants to Gods Vicegerent and Coadjutors in a Monarchy that is both Spiritual and Temporal The greatest good fortune that can befall a man is to be made a Cardinal a dignity many aspire to but obtain'd by few and those commonly that think least of it And what I have read and seen in several promotions in Rome about those Creations I shall set down in this place The Popes are accustom'd to create their Cardinals four times a year in imitation as some think of those antient Fathers that at those times did Order their Priests should be consecrated to the service of God as they are at this day I observ'd very great difference betwixt the Popes manner of creating Cardinals heretofore and the way they use now Formerly the Popes never created a Cardinal but by the advice of his Consistory and if the major part of the Cardinals concurred they proceeded to nomination otherwise the Pope was to have patience But if the major voice was affirmative the Pope declar'd the names of those he thought proper displaying before them the merits of their persons and their recommendations from Foreign Princes upon which the Cardinals consulted and brought in their Votes privately If the greater part consented the persons nam'd were declar'd Cardinals by his Holiness otherwise they were excluded and the Pope constrain'd to begin again and name new At this present things are carry'd in another way the Cardinals taking no care of preserving their Authority have lost a great share of it and that of the Popes by the same negligence is so far increas'd that the Cardinals cannot now hinder the Pope from making Cardinals as he pleases the Popes at present making but a laughing-stock of the Consistory and creating them often without their consent I could instance in several examples for the proof of my assertion but for brevity sake I shall speak only of one When Innocent created Maldachino Cardinal in a Congregation where there were but few Cardinals that were his Creatures or Adherents he spake something of it but as it were by the bye and without any expectation of their advice he pronounc'd him Cardinal The rest of their Eminencies were all astonish'd at the Election of such a person and I know above forty of them were displeas'd and would willingly have gone out of Rome to have avoided the sight of him but in spight of their indignation they were forc'd to be content to visit him as the rest and to swallow that bitter Pill in the Cup of Patience without speaking one word to the Pope against it And this is the manner of creating of Cardinals at present this is that their Eminencies are come to all the Liberty and Grandeur they formerly possess'd being reduc'd to their bare wearing of Purple Paul the fourth was the first that incroach'd upon the Consistory of Cardinals usurping the Authority they had formerly of Electing new persons into the Cardinalship and creating some of them without the least word of it to the Consistory since that time the other Popes successively have taken liberty to do the same and with the more confidence because they had no obstruction for the Cardinals apprehending to oppose themselves against their Usurpations though they know very well it was their Interest they chose rather to be deficient to that and to prostitute the liberty of the Consistory than to justifie the jurisdiction they had so long enjoy'd But Sextus the fifth more than all the rest manag'd his affairs like an absolute Monarch sporting himself with the Consistory and Cardinals promoting whom he pleas'd and forcing the Cardinals to a concurrence with what ever he propos'd to them the sweetness of which being found by his Successors they resolv'd to follow his steps so that to this very day they promote and determine they nominate and elect whom they think good themselves without any impediment whatsoever But some may interrupt me in this place and affirm that the Consistory must of necessity have some share in the Election of Cardinals because the Pope never creates a Cardinal but in the Consistory which is true indeed but it is to be consider'd that whereas formerly the Popes propos'd only such and such persons to the Consistory leaving the reception or rejection of them to the suffrage of the Cardinals it is contrary now and the Pope does not propound but pronounces them Cardinals so as they who were at first principal Electors are become now but simple witnesses having neither affirmative nor negative voice and serving for no more than like witnesses call'd in by a Notary to attest the reading of some contract the Popes troubling themselves no further than to advertise the Cardinals what they resolv'd in their Chambers and therefore let it not seem so great a matter to declare a man Cardinal in the Consistory for where would you have him declare it in a Tavern or the Piazza del Ponte Five years together I was resident in Rome in a time perhaps so proper for the observation of the Customs and Interest of that Court that I may say without vanity that I continu'd there with more profit as to my inspection into those affairs than another would have done in twenty for my genius directing me my whole prospect was that way for whilst others were visiting the Gardens and the Courtezans I was at home still making my Annotations of what I heard or said about the affairs of Court whether Ecclesiastical or Civil But amongst all my observation was most curious about the promotion of Cardinals which I took notice to be perform'd in two wayes which I shall describe with as much brevity as I can Those persons the Pope design'd to be Cardinals if they be in Rome are advertis'd by the Cardinal Nephew to be ready next morning at the wonted hour in the Palace The Pope being entred privately into the secret Consistory at the same time he imparts to the Cardinals his resolution of choosing such a number of New ones and immediately without attending any answer or advice from them he pronounces them
Cardinals and calling them into the Consistory forthwith they clap themselves down upon their knees and his Holiness taking the red Cap into his Sacred hands puts it upon their Heads with these words Esto Cardinalis But I cannot omit inserting an example that will be very proper in this place there happen'd a great dispute one day betwixt a certain Picket-beard as they call them in Italy or Protestant as they name them in other parts or in the Ecclesiastick Style of Rome Heretick and a Catholick that had been many years in Rome and in Orders The dispute was at Pignorole about the great errour the Catholicks were in in believing the Pope Christs Vicar upon Earth The Protestant would allow it by no means the Catholick asserted it and would have him not only Christs Vicar but like another Christ absolute and uncontroulable in the Government of the Church The dispute lasted above half an hour in which time many fine things were spoke both of one side and t'other The Catholick cited the Authority of several modern Divines as Bellarmine Tolido and I know not who the Protestant quoted places of Scripture backing his arguments with some expression or other in the Epistles of St. Paul or St. Peter At last the Catholick turning to the Protestant told him now will I make you your self confess my proposition true and give you so clear and perspicuous a reason for it as will leave you nothing to reply I was present and began to open my ears the better to understand so efficacious a proof I gave God thanks that I had found one at last that could satisfie me in a point that was alwayes running in my head and of which I had seriously desir'd to be inform'd and whilst with great attention I expected the result of the dispute the Catholick that was my Camerade in that Journey told the Protestant Sir You know the Omnipotent God by the virtue of two words only created out of nothing the vast mass of the World which we enjoy and with two words his Holiness the Pope like another Deity creates Cardinals God said Fiat Caelum only and on sudden the Heavens were fram'd and the Light and all other the works of his Divine hand In like manner the Pope by the power of two words Esto Cardinalis raises as one may say from nothing to the highest dignity in the Church a person who perhaps had not so much as the least hopes or thoughts of it Judge then if the Pope be not another God upon Earth seeing in his admirable administrations in the Church he uses the same power and methods God Almighty observ'd in the Creation of the World I do not remember in my whole life I was ever so surpris'd instead of a solid and convincing Argument to be drawn out of the secrets of Theology as I imagin'd to hear a thing that made me laugh not only then but every time I have thought of it since The Protestant had enough to burst himself also and reply'd presently You are in the right on 't I am satisfy'd come let us go drink together But the other perceiving not only the Protestant but all the rest of the Company to laugh he pursu'd his discourse recounting after what manner the Popes created Cardinals and the great efficacy of those two words Esto Cardinalis comparing them in every thing with those words of God Fiat Lux as if God Almighty had left it as an Inheritance to the Popes that they should have the power with those two words Esto Cardinalis to work as miraculously as he did with his Fiat Lux. I have spoke this only by the bye and the Reader may make application as he pleases But to return to our business it is already understood that let the difference of the persons be what they will they all of them without distinction kneel down in the presence of the Pope when he gives them the Cap which when he has receiv'd the new Cardinal takes it gently off of his head and kisses the Popes feet and having done that he rises to go and embrace and acknowledge all the rest of the Cardinals for his Brothers one by one as they are then present in the Consistory The second way of creating of Cardinals is this the Pope having nominated the persons he intended to create in the Consistory in the manner abovesaid he gives a List of their Names to the Cardinal Nephew who sends immediately the first Gentleman of his Bed-Chamber with his own Coach to search thorough the whole City for the persons nam'd but there is no great pains to be taken in the search for they know well enough where to find them having found them he brings them away to his Eminencies Chamber where the Nephews Barber gives them the Cardinals cut for which each of them gives him 25 Crowns as a Fee after which the Chamber-men of the said Nephew put on their Cardinalitial habits their other habits remaining with the Chamber-men for their Fees This done the Cardinal Nephew treats them and after Dinner in which they drink the Popes health and his Nephews he conducts them to his Holiness being come into his presence having been thrice upon their knees they advance to kiss his foot whilst he puts on the red Cap upon their heads one after another with these words Esto Cardinalis Some Popes did use to inform them with great gravity not only of the dignity they were promoted to but of their excellence and preheminence exhorting them very earnestly that they would render themselves worthy thereof and so after an humble reply and acknowledgement they depart in the same habits of Cardinals to make their visits to his Holinesses kindred as well Ladies as men that visit being over they return to their houses and remain there till the next publick Consistory to which they much with very great Trains to receive the red Cap from the hands of his Holiness If in the time of their retirement in expectation of a publick Consistory any Cardinal Ambassador or other Minister sends or comes himself to give him a visit they are receiv'd with as much kindness as may be but they stir not out of the Chamber he gives them their Audience in neither to meet them nor to accompany them back 'T is a good Rule therefore the Cardinals observe not to make any visit to new ones till they have appear'd in the publick Consistory and if by reason of their Alliance or any such occasion they do visit them 't is commonly in the night and free from the discovery of the People To those that are absent from Rome after they have been declar'd in the Consistory the Cardinal Nephew dispatches a Messenger immediately with the news of their promotion and afterwards one of the Popes Chamberlains of honour is sent to them with the red Cap and a Breve from the Pope to which Chamberlain such honour is to be given as befits the quality
on purpose to find a remedy in some measure for the disorders the Nepotismo occasion'd in the Church But their words were more than their deeds for though some were of opinion a definitive decree should be pass'd by which all succeeding Popes should be oblig'd from calling their Relations to Rome without the consent of the Sacred Colledge Nevertheless the major part thought it more convenient not to meddle in it at all lest they should give fresh occasion of scandal and derision to the Hereticks So that Pallavicino's Paper had no better success than the resolution of Cardinal Cena who had fancy'd to himself the extinguishment of the Nephews a â—â—diculâ—â—us fancy because in my iudgement the extinction of the Nephews would be a great prejudice to the common re 〈…〉 of Rome if the Pope was constrain'd to trust himself rather to the Councels of his Enemies than his friends and to introduce persons unknown to him into the Vatican The Duty of Cardinals as they are Senators of the Church should be to watch over the Nephews that of Governours they become not Princes of Keepers of the Patrimony of Saint Peter they prove not barbarous devourers of the very blood of Christ and indeed if the Cardinals pleas'd they might do wonders for the benefit of the Church Were they all unanimous for the destruction of all corruption they would give the Pope and his Nephews matter to think upon but they have no mind to it this for one consideration that for another this for this interest that for that so that faction and division ruines the Church and gives opportunity to the Popes in the mean time to prosecute the advancement of their own Families Some few years since the Cardinals amongst other Titles call'd themselves Princes of the Holy Church which gave sober men great occasion to wonder for my own part I look upon it as so strange and incongruous an usurpation I cannot tell which way to excuse it That they call themselves Senators of the Christian Commonwealth Counsellors of the Supreme Senate of Christ upon Earth Apostles of the Catholick Religion Assistants to Christs Vicar Supreme Ministers of the Gospel I can allow as what they may reasonably deserve but I know not how they can assume the Title of Princes of the Church Are they Princes that are many times used worse than Slaves by the Nephews Are they Princes that are forc'd to wait from morning to night not upon Christs Vicar but the Popes Nephews Are they Princes of the Church that know not so much as where her Treasure is Are they Princes of the Church that suffer her to be ransack'd and ravish'd before their own eyes Are they Princes that can see their Principalities destroy'd with so much patience Your true Princes from the rising to the setting of the Sun and from its setting to its rising again do study nothing more than the conservation of their proper Principalities they endeavour with all possible care the augmentation of the number of their Subjects they suffer not their people to be press'd or overlay'd with more grievances than the condition of his Principality does necessarily require If any go about to disturb the peace of their Neighbours they arm themselves immediately marching up and down their Dominions to hear the grievances and complaints of their Subjects and to comfort them with his presence and due execution of Justice and these are Princes indeed But what kind of Princes are your Cardinals Or what service do they do the Church to deserve that Title But their Soveraignty or to speak more properly their Dominion and Government is not in spiritual things forasmuch as the Pope is he that dispences indulgences gives dispensations sends out his Bulls and creates Bishops and Cardinals as he pleases so that the Pope only is Prince of the Church and not the Cardinals and although they may seem to have some share in the creation of Bishops because they are examin'd usually in a Congregation of Cardinals yet that is only form and outward appearance for in strictness the Pope can make whom he thinks good and without the consent or knowledge of the Cardinals send a Bishop into any City whether the whole Colledge of Cardinals dare not so much as send a Deacon to recite the Offices for the dead withcut the Popes permission And this is a thing that gives me no small discomposure as often as I think of it for indeed we all know and all History both Ecclesiastick and Prophane do confirm it that Saint Peter never did any thing but by the concurrence of the Apostolick Colledge but the Colledge often without Saint Peter nor can I tell how the face of things came to be chang'd for above twelve Centuries the Popes never insinuated or pretended to the creation of Bishops Cardinals or other Officers of the Church that belonging alwayes to the Synode and Colledge But now the Popes do all things as they list themselves and yet the Cardinals must needs have the Title of Princes of the Holy Church which the Popes do willingly allow them as not caring who have the smoak whilst they themselves run away with the roast But if the Popes have usurp'd upon the Cardinals Jurisdiction in Spiritual things much more have they robb'd them of it in Temporal One of them being taken away drew the other after it Whilst the Popes began at first by degrees to entrench upon that Authority in Spirituals that the Sacred Colledge was legally possess'd of and finding by little and little that they parted with patience with what they usurp'd with pride the good Popes took courage and seiz'd upon all driving them out both of their Spiritual and Temporal Authority too so that at this present the Cardinals have nothing left them but the benevolence of the Pope The worst is the Cardinals cannot yet tell in what manner they came to be robb'd of those Priviledges they in former times were possess'd of but for my part I believe it was from nothing else but their negligence and too little care they took of the conservation of that Authority that was given them by God by the Church by the Emperors and by the People for seeing their Authority very great they us'd not sufficient diligence to preserve it whereas the Popes being conscious of the weakness of their own they made it their business to enlarge it and they have done it so effectually they have left the other none at all Platina in his first impression of the Life of Paul the second gives an account that amongst others being accus'd of I know not what and brought Prisoner before the said Pope he petition'd his Holiness that he might be try'd before the Colledge of Cardinals in whose Judgement he would willingly acquiesce But the Pope enrag'd at the request told him What do you talk of Judgement know you not that I am infallible and carry all their Judgements and Reason in the Cabinet of my breast I consider
he began by little and little to take upon him exceedingly and apply himself wholly to the execution of it But the Pope his Unckle who understood his debility too well to commit such a charge intirely to him he left him no liberty at all but in appearance dispatching all things himself and using all possible care to instruct him in such things as were requisite in that place It seem'd to the Cardinal that with the authority and superintendency that was given him he had receiv'd trouble enough to break his brain a thing he abhorr'd in his very nature insomuch that as often as his business increas'd so often would he be disgusted and repine at his Cousin Agostino that injoy'd all the felicities and applauses of the Court without the least disturbance at all and therefore without any respect to the admonitions of his Father who exhorted him to acquaint himself by all possible diligence in the mysteries of the Court he exercis'd the office of Padrone only in taking recreations and turning his back upon all business that would give him any trouble to the no small dissatisfaction of his Unckle who was forc'd thereby to swallow more of it himself In short he began to be so well known to all the publique Ministers that were resident in the Court for his weakness and indexterity in politick affairs that in matters of importance they thought it better to make their addresses immediately to his Holiness than to make use of the interposition of the Cardinal Padrone who for the most part was entertaining himself with his ordinary pastimes to which he was inclin'd more naturally than to the troubles of the Court and indeed all those that had a mind to try their fortunes and to negotiate with him lost their labour and their time he forgetting every circumstance of what he was inform'd so strange an addiction he had to his sports and so strange an aversion to any thing of business Towards the latter end of the Pontificate of his Unckle by reason he was tyr'd with the multitudes of business he had undertaken at the beginning of his Papacy and began to allow his Nephew more reins he shew'd himself diligent enough in his office of Padronancy but yet without renouncing his ordinary recreations He is indifferently well vers'd in the History of Italy and discourses of it upon occasion with some sort of judgement They that have business go away contented still but not satisfi'd for being very civil and courtly he sends them off well furnish'd with complements and good words though in strictness they signifie nothing yet some few months before the death of his Unckle when he had absolute authority to dispose of things as he pleas'd he precipitated as it were the businesses that were before him using at that time more deeds than words and yet nevertheless the greatest satisfaction any of them had was fair promises and civil usage he shewing himself indifferent to all though otherwise he was of a nature that would truckle to the first difficulty that appear'd In the time of the Padronancy of this Cardinal he shew'd no great covetousness but chose rather to spend than to lay up and that as was suppos'd for two reasons the first for that he had no other Nephew for his Brother his branch determining in himself and envying also on the other side Don Agostino his Cousin he contented himself to be careless of getting lest thereby he should render his Cousins branch more considerable The other reason was because he saw his Father Don Mario so anxious and greedy whose Estate he knew would fall to him as the only Male of his time as indeed afterwards it did But the last year he chang'd his opinion and gave himself with that fury to the filling his Coffers as if he car'd not for the ill name he would leave amongst the people In his Legation into France he gave more instances of generosity then of any thing else endeavouring to give every body satisfaction and truly all the French that had any thing to do with him were well pleas'd with the humanity of his entertainment though in strictness he kept not his word with his Majesty in the business of Castro and of the next Conclave At the beginning of his Unckles Pontificate not knowing which way was most fit for him to follow whether the interest of France or of Spain he carried himself with a certain indifference to both But the Spaniards found a way though not wholly yet in great part to gain him so that in many things he favour'd the Spanish interest to the utmost of his power yet so as not to disoblige the French whom if he did not love he did not hate at all But after the attempt upon the Duke of Crequy he became for the Spaniard clearly at his heart though he durst not do any thing to provoke the King of France whose anger he dreads exceedingly After the death of his Unckle it was impossible but he must receive some affront both from the people and the Colledge yet he knew how to swallow all with prudence endeavouring with large presents to gain the favour of the Nephews regnant GIROLAMO BONVISI a Noble man of Lucca repair'd to Rome with design to try his fortune as others of his Countrymen were wont to that end he apply'd himself to the courting of the Barbarini then regnant with all patience and assiduity for he knew very well how to gain their affection Cardinal Antonio knowing him to be inclin'd to secrecy began to have confidence in him and to entrust him in matters of no ordinary importance and particularly in the time of the Wars with the Princes of Italy he made use of him as of a well-affected Minister which being ill understood by some Courtiers they made sport with it in their discourse He bought the Chiericatura di Camera in which he gain'd some reputation especially in the Assemblies da Cameranti being very well practis'd in matters concerning the profession of Law Afterwards being grown into particular favour he discharg'd himself in several Offices that he executed with good reputation But being troubled at the inconstancy of the Court to see persons preferr'd to eminent degrees that were less deserving than himself he took a resolution to leave them and return into his own Country as he did afterwards and remain'd for a long time out of Rome to the great admiration of many because he had at first express'd such constancy to the Court. The principal cause of his absence was because he could not endure that insatiable liberty that Donna Olimpia us'd in getting of money with so much diminution of the Treasure of the Church and particularly when he saw the bartering for the Taxes upon Provisions he generously refus'd the Prefecture that he might not be instrumental in so infamous a business which Innocent and Donna Olimpia especially taking in dudgeon they began to contrive some way of doing him a displeasure
Emperour Of Otho's seeking revenge for the said Bull. Of the deposal of John the XIII from the Papacy and of his restauration to the See Of Pope Benedict's banishment to Hambourg by the Emperour Of Leo's restauration to the Papacy after he had been deprived by the people Of a Declaration of Leo's against the priviledges of Charles the Great Of the hatred conceiv'd thereupon by the Romans against the Pope Of the Popes being imprison'd by the people and of the revenge the Emperour took upon the Authors thereof Of the Popes imbezzlement of the Treasure of St. Peter Of his flight to Constantinople Of the Election of the Pope return'd into the hands of the people Of the Emperours resolution to have one of his kinsmen Pope Of Pope Gregories being driven out of Rome by the fury of the people and what follow'd thereupon Of the Election of the Emperour transferr'd by Pope Gregory upon certain Princes of Germany and upon what grounds Of the exclusion of the people from the Pontifical Election Of the Creation of three Popes at once Of the Schism appeas'd by Pope Alexander Of the Election of the Pope remaining only in the hands of the Cardinals Of the Assumption ef Pope Alexander and the Schisms in his time Of the service the Venetian did to the Church against the Emperour Of the obligation the Popes do profess to the Venetian Of the absoluteness of the Cardinals authority in the Pontifical Election Of the place where they assembled to Elect. Of the manner of their proceeding in the Election and the ill consequences thereupon Of a two years and nine months vacancy of the See Of the Assumption of Pope Gregory the X. Of the Reconciliation of the Venetian and Genoese Of the Conclave introduc'd by Gregory the X. Of certain tumults in Viterbo Of the Apostolick See being transferr'd into France by Clement the V. Of Saint Bridgets Letter to Gregory the XI Of the return of the Apostolick See into Italy Of the indignation of the Italians to see the Pontificate so long in the hands of the French Of a Schism that lasted 15. years Of certain accidents in the Papacy of Eugenius Of Amadeo Duke of Savoy's Creation Of his virtues and renuntiation of the Papacy Of what happen'd in the Conclave of Eugenius and of the exaltation of Nicholas the V. Of the Assumption of Calisto the III and of his death Of many politick discourses at the Creation of Eneas Piccolomini who was afterward Pius the II. And of some particulars in relation thereunto THE Church has been and not improperly resembled in the first cryes of its Infancy to a Ship tumbl'd by the Waves and batter'd by the Winds because She was to be nourish'd and brought up in the midst of the proud Billows of so many Ecclesiastical Disputes so many Theological Opinions so many Dissentions and Politick Reasons and expos'd by the ambitions of their own Mariners to thousands of Dangers and Storms which Schisme and Heresie have constantly produc'd with such fury as would have doubtless not only hindred her happy and victorious entrance into the Haven of Safety but have hazarded to have sunk and overwhelm'd her in those very Waves had not a favourable Gate of Protection been oppos'd by that Redeemer who has not nor will not endure to see that Vessel perish which he built at the expence of three and thirty years sweat with the Wood of his own Cross joyn'd together and rivetted with the Nails of his Hands and Feet cemented it with his Divine Blood which by the blows and stripes that they gave him was become pitch in the hands of the Jews setting up that Spear that pierc'd his side for a Mast stretching out that Linnen in which his most Sacred body was involved for its Sails recommending it to the Vigilance and Government of the Apostles and their Successors and finally for their greater incouragement to Lanch out into the Sea of this World he not only offer'd himself to become a Lanthorn to their feet but gave them a Motto worthy of such a Builder Et Portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam But though the Gates of Hell have had no power to destroy her they have been sufficient notwithstanding to give her great tryals that by her agitations and tempests in this world her victories and triumphs might be the more glorious in Heaven and that by those wrecks and persecutions the Church Militant and Triumphant might be distinguish'd The greatest Calamities this great Ship of Christianity has suffer'd have by the judgement of the most pious and devout persons proceeded from the investiture of the Supreme dignity in the persons of the Ecclesiasticks who being ambitious of advancing themselves one above another and being sensible upon the score of their own merits they cannot obtain the charges they pretend too they have betaken themselves to compass the end of their pretensions by imploring the recommendations of Secular Princes Which tend to mix Heaven and Earth together Rome which was built as it were to Lord it over all the Nations in the Universe and give an ample testimony and relation of thousands of wrecks the Church has suffer'd by the recourse the Ecclesiasticks have almost alwayes had to the Seculars and from hence it is that in these times there is a certain natural instinct and inclination in the minds of all Politicians to inform themselves distinctly of all particularities in the Court of Rome as if a man could not any way render himself more acceptable in his conversation than by his discourses of that And indeed the Pontifical dignity which is the most considerable the Majesty of so many Cardinals who are the Senators of the Christian Commonwealth the splendour of so many Bishops who receive all their aliment from the Popes do render it worthy to be numbred amongst the most famous Cities of the world and to be call'd the true Mother of Nations By this means the Popes being ingrandiz'd and rais'd to so eminent a degree as to be acknowledg'd above all other Monarchs whatsoever every one endeavours to inform himself of the quality of the great jurisdiction the Popes do at present enjoy in so much that the greatest part of the Writers now adayes do tire themselves out with relations of the Pontifical State From the mutations and evil events which have follow'd the Election of Popes I will not say in Rome but in all Christendome it may be clearly argued of what moment the said Election is seeing that for so many ages with her private interests and her publick she has oblig'd the principal Monarchies of the Universe to interpose with the whole power both of their Pen and their Sword In the Infancy of the Church there was nothing desir'd of Rome but Prayers and Orations and Preachings and Administration of the Sacraments because Rome expected nothing from the faithfull but the zeal of a good Conscience the safety of their Souls and to be frequent in Holy
his whole Army he let the Clergy and the People understand he would have a Pope of his own choosing and accordingly he nam'd a certain German call'd Bruno who was his Kinsman The Clergy and the People excus'd themselves at first pretending that the Election was free and that it was convenient that several persons should be introduc'd into the Scrutiny but the Emperour insisting that he would have no other to avoid the falling into his displeasure the Electors were constrain'd to create the said Bruno under the name of Gregory the fifth But as soon as the Emperour was return'd into Germany the People took up Arms under the conduct of the Consul Crescentius and drove the poor Pope Gregory not only out of the Vatican but our of Rome who betook himself immediately to the Emperour to make his complaints of their insolence towards his person but whilst he was upon his way the People and the Clergy created the Bishop of Placenza a Grecian born Pope who took upon him the name of John the 13. The Emperour receiv'd Gregory very kindly in his Court treated him as Pope and with his whole Army brought him back to Rome which he took by force and exercis'd the greatest cruelty imaginable against the Romans but the greatest part of his indignation fell upon John and Crescentius the first of which was kill'd in Prison strangled as some report poyson'd as others but be it which way it will he dy'd there and Crescentius was hang'd without the walls of the City in the sight of all the people The Clergy endeavour'd what they could to exclude the people from the Election of the Pope but they knew not which way to bring it to a resolution because they understood very well they were naturally inclin'd to Novelties and Sedition In the year 1004. it happen'd that John the 19th was created Pope and had the Title of Secco added to his name and because the people at the beginning of his creation were averse and with great difficulty consented at last when they saw the Clergy resolv'd to have no body else John who was an Italian as soon as he was created retain'd it in his mind apply'd himself to be reveng'd and endeavour'd the total Exclusion of the people from the Election of the Pope being provok'd by the constant solicitations of the Clergy And that he might with the greater facility bring it about he ingrandiz'd the Title of Cardinal giving them great Priviledges and amplifying their Authority and Jurisdiction to a great heighth which design succeeding and the Cardinals rising to an eminent pitch John publish'd a Bull for the Exclusion of the people pretending they were to be instructed and not to instruct and that they were to follow the Clergy and not the Clergy them which Bull was afterwards confirm'd and much inlarged by Gregory the 7th in the year 1075. and by Innocent the second a Roman in the year 1135. This Bull of Pope John the 19th was effectual for a while according as they were able to deal with the Emperours Forces and to their affection to the Apostolick See yet the people did not forbear in the mean time by their insolence and power to endeavour their re-establishment in so much that the Cardinals were oftentimes constrain'd to go out of Rome to elect their new Popes upon the vacancy of the Chair The more the people strove to work themselves in again into the Elections the more the Cardinals sought to exclude them which occasion'd great scandals and schisms in the Church and of this there happen'd so tragical an instance in Rome in the year 1045. that the Christians had reason to bewail it for several years And this happen'd by reason that the Emperor pretended to a power of electing the Pope by virtue of several Bulls which were extant to that purpose and did clearly make out his claim the people on the other side press'd very hard to be restored to the posture they were in before they were interrupted by John the 19th The Cardinals who for several years had had the sole faculty of electing the Pope resolv'd to adhere to their Priviledges and keep out both Emperor and people and all parties continuing firm to their pretensions each of them created his Pope viz. Benedict the 9th a Florentine Silvester the 3d. a Roman and Gregory the 6th all three of them residing in Rome Gregory in the Palace of Santa Maria Maggiore Silvester in the Palace of Saint Peter and Benedict in the Palace of Saint John Lateran which was one of the antientest in Rome These dissentions gave no small impediment to the growth of Christianity nor no little diminution to the number of the Faithfull but of great advantage to the enemies of the Faith A thousand cogitations and jealousies boil'd in the hearts of the Christians in every City they discours'd of it and the service of God grew languid and cold Henry the third who was at that time Emperor of Germany fore-seeing the ill consequences these Schisms would bring upon the Church and the quiet of the Empire in particular without losing one moment of time he came with great diligence to Rome where he was no sooner arriv'd but by his own absolute Authority he call'd a Synod in which the three good Popes were condemned and Clement the second chosen The Cardinals made many instances and supplications to the Emperor that the Pope might be elected by the Ecclesiastical Synod alone without the intervention of the people but the Emperor thought it not seasonable to disgust them least after he was departed they should fall again to their Schisms and by this means Clement was elected by the votes both of the Clergy the people and the Emperor The first solemn Ceremony this Pope performed was the Coronation of the Emperor in which there was no consideration of expence That Ceremony being past the Emperor prepar'd for his Voyage but Clement beseech'd him to give him his helping hand before his departure in what he was resolv'd to do which was to renew the Bull of John the 18th for exclusion of the people de novo from the election of the Pope and because History did mention the Tragedies that succeeded by reason of such exclusion attempted so many times without effect the Emperor and Pope in spight of the people consulted together and resolv'd to make the people themselves condescend to their own exclusion by a solemn abjuration The people refus'd it with a thousand protestations but finding the Emperor resolute and threatning corporal punishments to such as durst oppose it the Pope preparing to thunder out his Excommunications against all that refus'd it and they being on the other side tyr'd out with Wars Sackings of Towns animosities and calamities suffer'd upon the score of Elections they condescended to their demands and submitted to swear upon the hands of the Pope who held the Book of the Gospel open in the presence of the Emperor which Oath was taken not
in other things apprehending some violence fortify'd himself in his Palace and was besieg'd there the space of five or six months But being weary of being close so long he embarqu'd in the Rhone upon certain Gallies which he had caus'd to be put in order for such an enterprize whilst he was besieg'd in his Palace and in them he escap'd into Catalonia which was his own Country Some there are who will have it that these Princes undertook to discourse in this manner to Benedict at the great instance and importunity of the French Cardinals who hated the said Benedict because he was a Catalonian and not a Frenchman besides which there were other reasons that render'd him odious and particularly whilst they were treating after the death of Clement the Anti-pope to choose a Cardinal of France they could not agree among themselves so that to remedy that they thought good to choose a third person which was Benedict as soon as he was created Anti-pope to shew his zeal for the good of the Church he began to make Laws for the reformation of abuses and many times he admonish'd the Cardinals to live with more Sanctity and abstain from Simony otherwise he would have them punish'd severely In short he was outwardly as meek as a Lamb but inwardly as rapacious as a Woolf The Cardinals therefore not being able to endure his humour they unanimously sollicited these Princes to put a remedy to the business and prevail that Benedict should be depos'd and another more worthy be elected Pope in his place The Italian Cardinals and the Cardinals of other Nations which were present in Rome after the death of Innocent having observ'd the great negligence the three last Popes had used and how little care they took to prevent the ruine which so long a Schism carry'd with it besides other evils they saw daily springing in Christendom Being enter'd into the Conclave in a place near Saint Peters they swore all of them solemnly upon the Holy Evangelists which their Dean held in his hand that they would every one of them renounce the Papacy if they were chosen so that the French or Catalonian Anti-pope renounc'd his Anti-papacy first The cause of this resolution was to satisfie the French who having introduc'd the custome of creating of Popes according to their own mode it seem'd impossible to turn them out of that way with reputation unless the Italians resolv'd to do the same and the rather because Benedict declar'd it would be in vain to think of a remedy for the scandal of the Church without a renunciation of both the Popes whereas if they renounc'd another would be chosen out of the whole Colledge of Cardinals that would be true and undoubted Pope whom the Princes and the people would make no difficulty to obey In the year 1406. Angelo Corraro a Venetian was created in Rome he was Cardinal of Saint Mark and took upon him the name of Gregory the 12th before he came out of the Conclave they made him promise in writing under the hand of the Notary to observe what he had promis'd and subscrib'd with his own hand and at last gave him an Oath but the place where these two Popes were to meet as we shall see by and by being in dispute and they not like to come to an agreement both Gregory and Benedict alleadging a thousand difficulties the French Cardinals resolv'd to abandon Benedict and the Italians Gregory and to declare them breakers of their Faith The Cardinals of Avignon and of Rome both being come to this resolution they met at Pisa and by common consent depriv'd Gregory and Benedict too all the rest of the Nations concurring with them but Catalonia and the hither part of Spain a strange thing the Spaniards who have been the greatest Schismaticks in the World are at present the zealousest Catholicks in the Universe The King of Scots and the Comte d'Armignac were favourers of Benedict But in despight of their contradictions the Cardinals resolv'd by common consent to create a Pope who in such calamitous times should govern the Church of Christ with Holiness and Piety and accordingly they elected Pietro Filardo a Minor Fryer and Archbishop of Milan who took upon him the name of Alexander the 5th a name suitable with his actions he being the most generous person that perhaps ever was amongst the Princes for which reason it was pleasantly said by himself that he was a rich Bishop a poor Cardinal and a beggerly Pope Gregory understanding the news of Alexanders creation and the sentence of the Cardinals against him and Benedict fled towards Romagna urging and insisting where-ever he came upon a General Council he stay'd at Rimini for some time where he was magnificently entertain'd by Carlo Malatesta Benedict after he had held a Council in the City of Perpignan by the intervention of his own friends he retir'd again for his greater security into his Castle of Paniscola where he had been a long time before But though these two Anti-popes had been depriv'd by the Council of Pisa nevertheless they desisted not from their Ecclesiastical and Papal functions creating of Cardinals and particularly Gregory created Gabriel Condolmero Cardinal who was afterwards Eugenius the 4th as we shall shew in its proper place He liv'd not above eight months Pope after his death the Cardinals assembled at Bologna where Alexander dyed and created Baltasar Cossa a Neopolitan Pope who would be call'd John the 22. This Election according to the opinion of several Writers was violent and forc'd because the said Baltasar being Legate not only of the Town but the Province of Bologna he had a certain number of Souldiers under his command which as soon as Alexander was dead he began to double and augment from whence it was collected that not being able to obtain it any other way he did it in order to his Election to the Papacy Be it as it will he was created Pope a Dignity he alwayes aspir'd to and that so ardently that having studied the Law for some time in his youth at Bologna and having commenc'd Doctor he departed for Rome on the way he met with a Friend of his who ask'd him whither he was going he answer'd him immediately I am going Brother to acquire the Papacy Being come to Rome he was made secret Chamberlain to Boniface the 9th and a while after created Cardinal of Saint Eustachius he was sent Legate to Bologna which City and the Country belonging to it he reduc'd in a short time to the obedience of the Church and a great part of Romagna therewith banishing and driving away some malefactors and executing others For the space of nine years he gain'd great honour and authority in Toland and a vast quantity of wealth After Alexander was dead he brib'd the Cardinals with his money especially those poor ones which Gregory created by which means he arriv'd at his so much desir'd Papacy Christendom being weary to see so many Schisms
CLEMENS IX PONTIFEX MAXIMVS CREATVS DIE XX IVNII ANNO M. D. C. LX. VII Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa OR THE HISTORY OF THE CARDINALS OF THE Roman Church From the time of their first Creation to the Election of the Present POPE Clement the Ninth With a full Account of his CONCLAVE In Three Parts Written in Italian by the Author of the Nipotismo di Roma and faithfully Englished by G. H. LONDON Printed for John Starkey at the Myter betwixt the Middle-Temple-Gate and Temple Bar in Fleet-Street 1670. A SUMMARY Of the Matters contained in the Three Parts of this Book THE First treats of the Essence of the Church of the Controversies which arise betwixt the Religious Orders the Princes and the 〈…〉 ergy Of the Pontifical Authority how it is understood in Rome and how it ought to be by the Soveraign Princes Of the Original Augmentation and Essence of the Cardinalitial Dignity and of the manner of living of all the Cardinals in general The Second shews how careless and perfunctory the Cardinals are in defending the Church from the rapacity of the Nipotismo with the reasons and obligations they have thereunto As likewise the Promotions Titles Alliances Qualities Vices and Virtues of all the Cardinals now living The Third discourses of all the Treaties Negotiations Differences Disputes and Dissentions happen'd amongst the Cardinals in the Conclaves and betwixt the Cardinals the People and the Emperors in the Elections of all the Popes and Anti-Popes from the Incarnation of our Saviour to the Conclave in the Year 1667. in which Clement the 9th was elected Pope To which are added certain Politick Aphorisms written by Cardinal Azolini upon the Cardinals of the said Conclave THE AUTHOR TO THE READER Kind Reader I Present you here with the Cardinalismo I promis'd you in my Nipotismo Read it as your own not as mine for he who promises a thing obliges himself de jure to him that expects its performance Certain Criticks who vouchsafe to throw away some moments of their time in the perusal of the Nipotismo wonder'd exceedingly that I should publish that book first having declar'd the Cardinalismo to be my first born The first pangs and qualms which I endured were I must confess in the Conception of my Cardinalismo but I laid that aside and fell upon my Nipotismo You will ask me upon what grounds or inducements VVhat necessity was there for that I will tell you sincerely my design was to publish them together but upon second thoughts I made an Esau of Jacob and a Jacob of Esau that is I put forth my Nipotismo by way of Essay resolving if that had not had the approbation I expected to have stifled the other or confin'd it to my own Cabinet But things succeeded according to the predictions of my Friends and the Nipotismo relishing even amongst those Argus's and Criticks who read books only to correct them and upbraid the Authors I concluded forthwith to present this Cardinalismo likewise for the benefit of the Publick presuming its reception would be no worse than the other if the Readers judgement and the Authors do agree which nevertheless I cannot but apprehend when I consider how frequently they differ This I know that if any book ever gave occasion of Censure this will and that not only to the Catholicks but to the Protestants also for even amongst them there are such as will find fault where they do not sometimes understand Methinks I hear a Protestant at one of my ears crying out already You might have left out this you should have omitted that it would have been better thus and thus and thus and in the other a scandaliz'd Catholick complaining that I write several things superfluous to the very nature of History and pass by others which would be proper and adequate But he who should write a book and undertake to give universal satisfaction would but lose his time and have his labour for his pains Nor is it to be expected the general will submit to a particular The Apostles were holy men guided by the holy Spirit and according to that direction they writ the book of the holy Gospel yet how many Hereticks are there found who fear not to condemn what they ought in Conscience to adore How many prophane persons which despise the Apostolical instructions How many Divines that with a thousand niceties and distinctions do controvert and dispute against the writings of the Apostles Now if the nature of man be so dogged and perverse that it cannot accommodate with so sacred a book so necessary to our Salvation and so infallible in its Composition how is it possible they should receive one kindly that perhaps is contrary to their own sence and inclinations I am satisfy'd it is impossible this Cardinalismo should please both Catholick and Protestant because the one contemns what the other approves and the other embraces what the first has rejected Many things are inserted which are familiar amongst the Catholicks and for that reason those are contemptible to them Many others there are which are common amongst the Protestants and accordingly as inconsiderable to them but all things are to be regulated with order and the good intention of the Author is to be excused because his design is to give general satisfaction as near as he can Should he have writ only what had been palatable to the Catholicks the Protestants would have disgusted it and on the other side to have address'd himself only to the satisfaction of the Protestants would have been as ingratefull to the Catholicks Seeing therefore what is acceptable to the one is unacceptable to the other the Catholick may read what makes for his interest and the Protestant what the Catholick rejects and I am certain he will reject what is most worthy to be read For my part I advise the Protestant to read nothing but what the Catholick condemns and the Catholick only what the Protestant despises that both of them may suck what honey they can and throw away the sting which pricks them within Thus far kind Reader I have spoken in general I shall now apply my self particularly to thee and first I desire thee to take notice I am not the only person concern'd in the composition of this book For these two last years I have endeavour'd notwithstanding some trouble and expence to procure such Memoires as were necessary for my design from the hands of other persons so that if the book happens to be dislik'd let not the whole blame be laid at my door but let them have their share who cooperated in the work which I cannot call mine because my Memoires came from the hands of other people people I may say for I depended not upon the Relations of any one man Yet there is one thing I may properly call my own and that is the Stile and Contexture of the book in which also you may have occasion and perhaps in every leaf to condemn me as
extracted from their own books which are Printed by the Permission and Approbation of the Superiours of their Society Written in French by a Serbon Doctor and faithfully Englished in Folio Il CARDINALISMO di Santa Chiesa OR THE HISTORY OF CARDINALS In III. Parts PART I. BOOK I. The Contents In which is discoursed concerning the weakness of Humane Vnderstanding The manner of God's speaking to Men in old time and at present The Excellencies of the H. Scripture How R. Catholicks live in Protestant Countries and Protestants in those of R. Catholicks Of turning from one Religion to another Of those who relinquish the Church wherein they were born and know not for what reason The promiscuous admission of Doctors in the Vniversitie of Valenza applyed by a Protestant Preacher in discourse with a R. Catholick Of some Missionary Priests who receive licentious persons for Converts What answers the Priests and Friars of Italy make to their Superiors when these go about to punish their Miscarriages An Example of a certain Florentine who went to Geneva to change his Religion Another of a Neapolitane to the same purpose Of those Missionary Priests who buy their Faculty of Mission from some Courtier at Rome What remedy is requisite in these matters Of the Protestant Ministers who are contented to live in their Pastoral charge without thrusting themselves into matters of State Of Liberty of Conscience so much talk'd of amongst Christians What Authority the Emperors and Magistrates had over Church-men in the Primitive times In what particulars the several parties of Christian Professors lament their miseries in these dayes Of the zeal of Princes towards their Subjects What Effect the Magistrate's diligence in visiting the people's Actions produceth Of the neglect of Princes in observing the wayes and proceedings of Church-men How the respect given antiently by the people to Princes and Magistrates differs from what is given to them at this day Of Church-men who assume authority to pry into the actions of Soveraign Princes A Parallel between the Princes and people in reference to the Exercise of Religion Of the Policy of Church-men how exquisite to preserve their Grandeur Some Examples of Preachers as to the matter of Ecclesiastical Grandeur Of the disaffection of Ecclesiasticks to the Soveraignty of Princes Of some Differences wont to arise between R. Catholicks and Protestants in the Elections of Preachers The Example of Moses appointed a Preacher to Pharoah Of the Vigilance of France in maintaining the Gallicane Rites Of a Book printed at Rome in diminution of the Soveraignty of Princes The Jesuites question'd by the Parliament of Paris concerning the Impression of the said Book Their Answer to the Parliament The great Devotion of the Venetians to the service of God and the preservation of their Liberties and Privileges Of some pretendedly scrupulous whâ— blame the Venetians for being too jealous of their Soveraignty Of the danger wherein all Princes would be were it not for the resistance which France and Venice make to the ambition of Church-men Of some discourses concerning the Authority of the Pope Of Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical and Temporal compared together What effects the Excommunication of the Venetians by Paul V. produc'd to the Church Of the blame those Popes incurr who by their Excommunications forbid Subjects to obey their Natural Princes What Obedience both people and Magistrates owe to the Pope The Opinion of a Dominican Divine The heady Opinions of the Roman Divines concerning the Popes Authority The subjection of such Princes as are constrained by the Pope to obey the caprichio of those Divines who write accommodately to the Pope's humour How easily the Popes may Excommunicate Soveraign Princes and what mischief that easiness produceth How the Popes deal with Princes who have deserv'd well of the Church The chief causes which mov'd Paul V. and Urban VIII to thunder out Excommunications against the Venetians the Commonwealth of Lucca and the Duke of Parma In what manner the Pope ought to be honour'd by Princes and their people Of the difference betwixt being of the Church in the dayes of the Apostles and now Of the effects wrought in the persons of Popes by the H. Ghost Of the Offences arising daily between Popes and Princes by reason of the misdemeanours of Churchmen VVhat great fear Popes of the Primitive Church had of falling into any Error prejudicial to the publick good of Christendome How little now adayes they regard the Vniversal Good Of the great zeal wherewith of old they exercis'd their Pastoral charge VVhat Esteem all people had of Popes in consideration of their holy Lives VVhat kind of persons ascend the Papal Throne in these times VVhat persecutions they suffer who either by tongue or pen reprove the faults of Popes and Churchmen Of the praises attributed to the Popes by some writers Of the Flatteries which sound well in the Popes ears Of those who are look'd upon well or ill by the Pope Of those who write of the Pope's Impeccability Sâ—me Reasons and Instances proving the Pope fallible like other men Some Conclusions and Disputes maintain'd at Paris by the Jesuits in defence of the Popes power and Infallibility The cause why Popes are deficient in Miracles The corruption of the Age. Some deserving persons kept farr from the Court. Of the scandals committed by Churchmen in Rome Of a Bull of Boniface VIII Of an Opinion written by John XXII VVhat was the judgement of Paul II. concerning the Infallibility of the Pope Of a Book written by Pope Adrian VI. The Error Princes commit in suffering publick disputes touching the Popes Infallibility to be held in their Dominions Of some disgusts given by Alexander VII to the most Christian King A Bull put forth by the said Alexander against some Decrees of the Parliament of Paris which rejected the Popes Infallibility The censure of the Faculty of Sorbonne of writings which defended the Papal Infallibity Of Odoardo Farness Duke of Parma who of a friend became an Enemy to Urban VVhat the Author thinks the Pope conceives of him The Popes desire that no Pens were in the world but those which write in their favour Of the Rodomontadoes which the Roman Theologues write in magnification of the Pope The Opinion of a certain Theologue That a Pope cannot be damn'd though never so wicked The Impeccability of the Pope which the Jesuits begin to teach Of the Opinion of those who hold the Pope not subject to General Councils Of the Title of Eternity which some Flatterers would apply to the person of the Pope The Obligation of people to reverence and honour the Popes whilst they are good and to blame and avoid them when they are wicked Divers other particulars touching the Popes Grandeur THE dulness of Humane Understanding renders us uncapable of comprehending the mysterious conduct of Divine Providence whose Counsels and Designs are as to us involv'd in a most profound night of impenetrable Obscurity The Apostle St. Paul after a Transport even into
of Placenza Preaching upon the same Text before the same Duke reiterated three or four times That those Princes that had the honour to wear Crowns upon their heads ought not to come in competition with the Priests They wearing their Miters to show that as the high Priest which is God himself intitled himself King of Heaven so the Priests who are but inferior Deities ought to be receiv'd by all the world as Kings and Supreme Lords of the Earth In Cenoa in the presence of the Duke and by consequence of the whole Senate there was a Carmelite with great gravity and as if he had been actuated by some Spirit delivered this Doctrine That Kings Princes and Senators were as good as nothing That the Priest was all in all That if their Dignity was much greater than it was it was to be thrown down at the feet of the Priests forasmuch as their Office was but Humane and the Priests Divine they were men and not Gods but the Priests both Gods and Men. Not much unlike this was the discourse held by a Franciscan in a Church in Milan in the presence of the Marquess Caracena having made a parallel before betwixt God and a Priest he pronounc'd this very boldly That God as he was God had preceedence of a Priest but that a Priest as God and Priest too was to have preceedence of our Saviour so as those two were to be united before a Priest could be equall'd But that which in my judgement savour'd most of Buffonry and Blasphemy in the whole Sermon was another Comparison he had betwixt a King and a Priest in these very termes That Kings were made up of Humane flesh but Priests of the Spirit of God That Kings were indeed above other men but that Priests were Superiour to Kings That Kings did converse with their Courtiers but Priests with Angels the Courtiers of Heaven That Kings had a Temporal Jurisdiction but that the Authority of the Priesthood was Spiritual And lastly That Kings could command the Creature 't was true but 't was the Priest that commanded the Creator That Kings had much trouble and difficulty to make the people obey them but that the Priests by virtue of the words of Consecration constrain'd God Almighty himself to descend into their hands upon the very first signal Never in my whole life was my mind under greater disturbance than at that time to hear that Beast of a Priest deseminate such Doctrine and that which aggravated my indignation was that I could not resolve with my self whose indiscretion was greatest the Franciscan in preaching after that rate or Carazens in hearing him Before this time I made it my business to magnifie the Valour and Prudence of that person after this I could never have that reverence for him to see him prostitute his attention to such wicked discourse and with patience endure such insufferable insolence the whole Sermon being but a drol and derision of Kings and their Ministers as if he had design'd to mock and jeer the veneration they had for their lawfull Prince out of the breasts of the people But this was Venial in respect of what was maintain'd by another Father who deserv'd the next day to have ascended again but to the Gallows and not the Pulpit and I am confident my Reader will be of the same mind God Almighty be my witness if I add or diminish any thing in my Relation Being in the City of Naples in Lent 1647. it was my fortune to hear a Franciscan Preach in the Church dedicated to Saint Mary but with more Volubility than Virtue True it is I was not present at the beginning I came time enough to understand that the principal drift of his discourse was to evince the people that the Religious which he restrain'd to their Preachers and Priests were oblig'd to reprehend the Errors and Enormities of all people but especially of Kings and advancing in this manner with great Oratory he pronounc'd the Priests to be as Gods to all Princes and to prove it produc'd that place of Scripture where God Almighty commanded Moses to go unto Pharaoh said this to him I have made thee a God to Pharaoh and Aaron thy Brother shall be thy Prophet c. From which words he drew several consequences and amongst the rest this That the Princes of this Age were the Pharaohs of Christendome and the Priests the Gods of those Pharaohs and in the height of his Rapture he cryed out two or three times Ah Pharaohs Pharaohs why will you be disobedient to the Priests that are your Gods From such kind of discourses as this it is that all the Tumults and Revolutions of the people do proceed as was too lately manifest in the Kingdom of Naples Nay would to God that furious Rebellion had not been hatch'd in the Studies of the Priest where 't is to be fear'd the ruine of Secular Monarchie is principally contriv'd For my part I could swear without much scruple that the Ecclesiasticks are the greatest Rebels because in their Commotions they pervert the zeal of the people towards God joyning it with their passion and indignation towards man In the presence of Madam Royall in Turin a certain Priest that is still living and therefore I will not name him in a Sermon he was preaching upon the Excellence of the Sacerdotal dignity could not hold from crying out twice or thrice Princes Princes so many Priests so many Princes But that which pleas'd me most of all was the conclusion of his Sermon in which casting up his eyes very gratefully to Heaven he us'd this Expression O Lord I give thee thanks thou hast decreed me to be a Priest and not a Prince I believe my Priesthood of more value than all the Principalities in the world as I am a Priest I am a Prince whereas had I been a Prince I should have been nothing And these are the excellent Harangues the Italian Preachers do frequently make in the presence of their Soveraigns From hence it is the Grandeur and Lordlyness of the Cardinals does spring From such discourses as these it is that the Sacerdotal Monarchy is sprung which gnaws and devours insensibly the very bowells of Secular Principalities whilst the Ecclesiasticks advance themselves dayly by preaching up themselves Monarchs and Gods upon Earth whereby they secure what they have got are adding hourly new dignities to their Priesthood and that to such a height that at this time it may be said as properly at Rome as the good Father said at Turin Princes Princes as many Princes as Cardinals God Almighty has been pleas'd I should be a poor man not a Prince so as my condition is to obey not to command Yet had the Divine Providence seen it fit to have alter'd my Station and brought me forth a Prince into the world I should not certainly have suffer'd such liberty of publique discourse within my Dominions or that Christians by such Gibberish should be brought into a
contempt of their Soveraigns and inslav'd by a blind obedience of the Church For my part I think those kind of delinquencies no less than Treason and that though such expressions appear at first sight but trifles and rhetorical ornaments yet 't is not to be imagin'd what influence they have upon the people how much they inflame and enamour them with the service of the Church and how much they lessen their devotion to their Prince whilst they perswade them that their Princes are inferiour to themselves That Race of Incendiaries is fit for nothing but the fire or to be banish'd out of every Kingdom as unworthy to dispense the Oracles of God that their Pulpits may be supply'd by sober and learned men and such as will preach the Word of God and not the Policies of Man the Doctrine Christ hath left us in the Gospel and not such Insinuations and Inveglements as they make use of in their Pulpits that thereby the affection of the people may not be perverted from their Prince but that they may be inflam'd and excited to a more cheerfull Obedience Had the Priesthood no designs against the Authority of Princes their proceedings would be with more sincerity than they are and they would give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars I have known contention in more than three or four Cities in Italy betwixt the chief Magistrate and the Bishop and the occasion was that the Bishop pretended to the presentation of the Preacher and the Prince would allow none of them to preach without his License So as by reason of these controversies Lent has several times past without any News from the Preacher I call it News because their preaching is now adayes little else but Novelties or which is worse Trifles or Sacrilegious Speculations unworthy to be publish'd in any Christian Church Amongst the Protestants also there are the same differences The Clergy pretend to the Election of their Ministers and that they can do it at their pleasure which notwithstanding is not conceded by the Civil Magistrate who will not suffer any to preach in his presence but such as he chooses himself so as in a certain City I could name there have some Cures been void above two years together because they could not agree in the Election of their Preacher But from whence I would fain know does their pretension proceed If the Clergy be Subjects upon what grounds is it they would behave themselves like Princes The privilege of Licensing or Electing of Ministers is in my judgement absolutely politick and therefore pertaining to the Civil Magistrate and not to the Church to whom the power of Ordination belongs indeed but not the power to Present and in this case it is of very great importance that all Princes and Magistrates be vigilant For the end of the Clergy in preferring their Preachers in the Cities is nothing else but that seeing themselves excluded from all secular jurisdiction they would this way take their Liberty and publish what Doctrines they please It is convenient therefore that all Soveraigns should consider that the people are at their dispose and that such Ministers are to be put over them as are suitable with the Genius of the people Moses could not readily resolve to go and speak unto Pharaoh till it pleas'd God to constrain him by the force of his power Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say However in these times the Prelats presume to put what Preachers they please upon their Princes and such sometimes as are ignorant in the Fundamentals of Christianity and that fall upon discourse nautious and unpleasant to the Palats of their Princes But of all Nations France is the happiest for preserving intirely the privileges of that Church it will by no means admit of that Ecclesiastical Grandeur and Authority which the Clergy have usurp'd in other Countries and which with great arrogance they do still exercise as if they were Princes and not subordinate at all And for conservation of the privileges of the Gallican Church the King of France loses no opportunity in the year 1626. as soon as news arriv'd at Paris that there was a Scandalous Book printed at Rome the year before intituled Antonii Sancterelli Jesuitae de Heresi Schismati Apostasiâ— c. in which he spake to the disparagement of the Power of Princes but magnity'd and exalted the Authority of the Pope The Parliament was immediately call'd by his Majesties Order and every period of the book strictly examin'd and having deliberated as was fit in a business of that importance at last by an Arrest of the whole Parliament it was Decreed that these following Articles should be Seal'd Subscrib'd confirm'd and Sworn to by the Jesuits in the presence of the whole Court of Parliament to the no small disgust and dissatisfaction of that Order The Articles were these That the King of France holds not his Kingdom from any thing but from the bounty of God Almighty and the power of his Sword That the King in his own Dominions had no Superiour but God That the Pope cannot upon any occasion whatsoever Interdict or Excommunicate either the King or his Kingdom nor in any case dispence with the Allegiance and Fidelity his Subjects were oblig'd unto him These Articles were receiv'd with no small compunction by the Jesuits whose design being alwayes to aggrandise the Pontifical Authority by the diminution of the Regal they could not advance the one but by depression of the other The President of the Parliament having demanded of the said Fathers if they did approve of that book of Santerelli's they answered no they did not being ask'd again why then their General at Rome had approv'd it they made answer That those who were at Rome could do no less than comply with the Court of Rome The President to entrap them perchance as indeed it fell out demanded immediately If you had been at Rome what would you have done to which they reply'd We would have done as they have done that are there which being heard by a Grave Person of the long Robe he spake out these words aloud I believe our Father Jesuits have two Consciences at their Command one of them for Rome and the other for Paris Venice is a place as eminent for Devotion in Religion for Piety and Zeal in the Service of God and the Church not only as any Republique in Christendome but as Rome or the Pope himself Yet when any thing is in agitation about the Popes Authority or the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction they will by no means permit the Clergy of their Dominions to Intrench or Usurp upon their Supremacy which they acknowledg'd only from Heaven and the Conduct and Valour of their Ancestors In Venice the Churchmen are Subjects not Princes 't is the Senate that Governs all with an effectual and Independant Authority as well in Spiritual things as Temporal insomuch that the Introduction of any
Novelty is with great penalty forbidden as well to the Bishops as Friars they are not permitted to exercise any publique Function or to publish any Order whatsoever though from Rome its self without notice given to the Senate and their License obtain'd and from hence it is that the Service of God and the Majesty of the Church is carry'd on with that Order that they have made themselves Emulated at Rome as well as in other States and all by the Authority the Senate keeps over the Clergy looking on them as Subjects not Equals as other Princes do And without question had it not pleas'd God by opposing the powers of those two Countries France and Spain against their ambition and by their means to put a stop to that torrent that was overflowing all Christendome the present Princes of Italy had been either chased out of their Dominions or forc'd to have ow'd their Liberties to the Liberality of the Popes If the Princes of Italy would but yet take their natural Liberties into consideration and follow the Examples of France and Venice it would not be too late and doubtless of all Nations they are most worthy to be imitated though the Ecclesiasticks are not asham'd to asperse the former with Heresie and the other with Atheism But indeed the Priests and Pontificians esteem none other Christians but such as believe them to be as they would be believ'd themselves Some there are who making judgement of things from their outward appearances do imagine the Spaniard much more Zealous for the Catholick Religion than the French but they are certainly mistaken for that zeal the Spaniard pretends to the Apostolick Chair and the Service of the Church is but a Copy of his Countenance and rather the formal result of his Policy and Interest than an ingenuous effect of his piety and Devotion The Spaniards have indeed a great Reverence for the Pope but none at all for the Church The French have much for the Church but little for the Pope for which reason the Popes look upon the Spaniards as Saints for being on their side and on the French as Devils for being on Gods And this Influence and Authority of the Popes over the Consciences of the Spaniard besides a natural animosity that is betwixt them is a great impediment to their Union in Religion the Spaniards as it were in a Bridle are manag'd by the Pope but the French keep close to their Gallican Church Others there are that think the Conscience of the Venetian of the largest size but for what reason Because in their Dominions they will not suffer the Priesthood to Usurp that unlimited and irregular power they exercise with so much detriment to the Soveraignty of Princes in other States and indeed what mieseries what calamities do we see dayly spring up in Christendome by their â—â—ars what anxieties and perturbation in peoples minds and yet because the Venetian distinguishes betwixt Gods Service and the Popes betwixt the power of Princes and the power of the Church betwixt Spiritual things and Temporal they are aspers'd with largeness of Conscience But would to God that Zeal and Sincerity for Religion that raigns in the hearts of that Senate raign'd also in the Courts of all other Princes in Christendome and doubtless their affairs would have better success Some few years since it was my fortune to Travel upon the Road with two Roman Abbots one of them after several other discourses happen'd to fall upon the Authority of the Pope and to declare what great power God Almighty had given him over all people in the world I who Travell'd on purpose to make observation of the proceedings of the Ecclesiasticks and of the Jurisdiction every where but especially in some principalities of Italy to the prejudice of Princes was very glad of the occasion as hoping thereby to receive some matter for my pen. It is the custom of the Italians to constrain and reserve themselves as much as possibly and keep their opinions close from the rest of the world but it is my humour on the other side to speak freely what I think and to write all I know whether it be good or bad which though they look upon as imprudence I cannot dislike However with these Abbots I thought it best to conceal my own and attend an opportunity of discovering their Judgements At last one of the Abbots took occasion very seriously to bewayl the extravagant liberty which the French and the Venetian assumed concluding that were it not for the repugnancie of these two States the Pope would be absolute Monarch of the whole World or at least the greatest Prince would fear the censure of the smallest Priest whereas by observing how little the French and the Venetian regard the Authority of the Church all others in like manner despise the solemnest Excommunication though from the Pope himself Being always delighted to hear other men speak I made him no answer at all thereby in a manner inticing him to proceed in his discourse but when he came to complain heavily of the French and Venetian for suffering Stationers to Print and Vend books frequently in their Dominions so much to the prejudice of the Pontifical Authority I could not forbear giving him this answer Dear Sir shall it be lawfull for the Pope to cause to be printed so many thousand books at Rome in favour of his own Authority and in prejudice of the Supremacy and Majesty of Princes and shall it be unlawful for Princes to permit the reading of such books as are written in the defence of their falling Authority and in diminution of the Papal The Abbot reply'd with the passion and insolence of a Priest That Princes could not in Conscience challenge their Authority but from the Pope's blessing and benignity who as Christ's Vicar upon Earth has power to dispose of all things in this world which are bestow'd by Heaven whence Princes are styled Sons and the Pope Father because as a Father he gives them their patrimony But this by your leave is a mistake reply'd I. True it is Princes are Sons of the Church indeed but not of the Pope and they are oblig'd to defend that Church which is their Mother but not that Pope who is their Enemy The Goods of this world do indeed belong unto the Lord but not at all to the Pope who by pretending to a Vniversal Dominion is so far from being Christs Vicar that he goes contrary to the Doctrine of our Saviour who besides the command he has left us to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars has declared that his Kingdom is not of this world and how then could the Pope who is but his Vicar confer or take away any Kingdoms here That which netled the Abbot most was my calling the Pope an Enemy to Princes to which he answered And why an Enemy I pray you I reply'd may not he too properly be call'd my Enemy that seeks to rob me of my birth-right
When Christ came down from Heaven for the Redemption of man-kind he acknowledg'd with his own most holy Lipps that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Now that Kings and Princes have been been alwayes acknowledg'd as Gods Ministers by the people there are a thousand places of Scripture that prove whereas the Popes can hardly produce one Text to confirm that Authority they challenge over Princes And to speak impartially and without interest what reason have the Romanists to withdraw themselves as they do from their obedience to their Soveraigns are they more holy than the Apostles are they more zealous than St. Peter or more politique than St. Paul Yet these who were the founders of Christianity as I may say and the propagators of our Faith paid tribute to Kings obey'd their Magistrates never enterpris'd any thing without leave of the Governours of places whether they went and in short have not only left us their Examples to walk by but this express praecept and command That we give Obedience to all powers for there is no power but from God The Abbot was touch'd to the quick he fix'd his eyes upon me repeated my words one after another and gave me so many tokens of his indignation that I was very well satisfy'd he could have wish'd me in the Inquisition however I took no notice and he thought fit to change the discourse and I in compliance with him took occasion to commend the Countrey through which we travell'd By this relation it is manifest what is the principal thing that the Churchmen drives at namely the ruine of the Authority of Princes and the exaltation of the Pope who is their Prince and Supreme Nor indeed can I see with what policy I had almost said Conscience Princes suffer books to be printed and sold in their Territories which speak with that liberty or rather insolence in behalf of the Majesty and Jurisdiction not only of the Pope but of all Ecclesiasticks against their own Soveraignty and such books as these are the great Volume of Sorbou Bellarmine Toletus Diana Candidus Palavicino and the aforesaid Santerelli with hundreds of other Ecclesiastical Writers whose preferrment depending upon the Church they are by their own interest prompted to such expressions whilst on the other side they prohibit books which directly offend not the Church they profess but only the Authority of the Pope and that too in nothing but what respects their incroachments upon the Civil power And in this manner the Jurisdiction of the Pope and the Ecclesiasticks and the Majesty and Soveraignty of Princes stand as it were in a ballance the Subjects of each party contending with might and main to gain upon the other and to make their own side preponderant the former endeavour daily to lighten the latter and 't were good that the Ministers of Princes would use the like diligence to diminish the Papal power lest in time it swallow up both Princes and Principalities too That the Pope should be Reverenc'd as first Minister in the Church That he should be acknowledg'd Superior to the rest of the Bishops That he should be esteem'd as Christs Vicar in Spirituals and respected as Successor to the Apostles I do hold very reasonable but that he should impugne the Soveraignty of Princes justifie Rebellion exempt four pittiful Ecclesiasticks from Obedience to their Soveraigns and excite others to the same height of disobedience is in my judgement intollerable St. Peter receiv'd the Keys of Ecclesiastical power from the hands of our Saviour and his office was acknowledg'd independant in Spiritual affairs Yet whilst he had the Government of the Church both at Rome and at Antioch he was imprison'd and several times persecuted by Temporal Princes and yet he never threatned any Temporal Minister with his Censures and Excommunications all which notwithstanding the Popes at present do not only make no scruple of menacing with their Bulls and Arms the lesser Princes that are near them but with their Armies and Excommunications they have the confidence to infest the greatest Monarchs in Europe and such as have deserved very well of the Church But the most Reverend Casuists of the Church of Rome will tell me the Pope may lawfully and with a good Conscience dispence with the Obedience a Subject owes to his Prince What has he Authority to invert the order of Nature I am certain he that fears God will not say so When Pope Vrban at the instance of his Nephews Excommunicated Odoardo Farnise Duke of Parma a Prince that had deserv'd very well of the Church he was not content to interdict him the Sacrament but he Excommunicated all such as paid him the ordinary obedience and respect that was due to him as a Duke decreeing expresly that he should be look'd upon as an Enemy and not as a Prince by this means subverting his Authority and to the universal scandal of Christendome making a Prince a Subject and his Subjects Princes Paul the fifth did no less to the Senate of Venice by the fulminations of his Interdict pronouncing all people Excommunicate that should any wayes obey them All the Historians and all the Orators in the world shall never perswade me that there can be any thing more barbarous and Tyrannical than to forbid a Subjects Obedience to his Prince to restrain the people from communicating their interests to their Prince to prohibit to a Magistrate the protection of his Subjects to chase the Judges from the Throne of Justice to shut up the doors of Churches and give Liberty to Vice to imprison Princes and put their Subjects in confusion Oh God what greater barbarity and injustice can be thought of amongst men than to bring a State to be without Justice a people without a Prince and a Prince without a people Nero Heliogabalus Tarquin Caligula and Dionisius who were in a manner the Founders and Contrivers of Tyranny never arriv'd at that perfection of wickedness as to divide betwixt the Subject and his Prince and yet this Cruelty which was too great to be practis'd amidst Barbarism is familiar now where Holiness reigns And perhaps the Divine providence has order'd that Christians should suffer more now in the time of Christianity than formerly under all the Tyranny and Iniquity of Heathenish Ages Whence it is that so many Kingdoms have been lost from the Christian Faith so many Nations have revolted from the Papal Obedience and so many Provinces have deserted the Roman Church but from these practises and actions of the Court of Rome The Protestants make no scruple to deny both the Spiritual Authority of the Pope and his Temporal too and for what reason but because they observe with what audacity and arrogance under pretence of his Spiritual power he Usurps upon the Temporal as if Christ had given him Spiritual Dominion for nothing else but the subversion of the Civil Though for my part I am far enough from thinking as they do It is one thing to
Inheritance but he is unwilling to be declar'd Heir to those duties and obligations which the said St. Peter has left upon him to the Church he can be content to be own'd his Successor but 't is in what only relates to the Authority Majesty and Jurisdiction of the Church and to the power of opening and shutting the Gates of Paradice which St. Peter had but with this difference that the Apostle refus'd to admit those that offer'd mony for the power of working Miracles whereas the Pope does nothing without ready mony In short the Popes boast themselves Heirs of what is profitable and beneficial but as to debts obligations and incumbent charges they speak not a word these things are not comprehended in the Inheritance Do the Popes pay Tribute to Temporal Princes as St. Peter did Not a penny they receiv'd not the Inheritance forsooth upon such terms Do they pay that respect to Princes which St. Peter did No they are not his Heirs in this point Do they comport themselves with St. Peters zeal and humility No. Do they leave the Government of the people in Temporals to their Princes as St. Peter did No by no means these are too great burdens and incumbrances for Popes who would rather renounce the whole Sacred inheritance than charge themselves with any such obligations 'T is sufficient for them that they are called Christs Vicars and that they hold the Keys fast in their hand which they say our Saviour gave to St. Peter with power to dispose of them at his death as he pleas'd Many times have I been ruminating of the great difference betwixt the primitive and the present Church Nowadayes there is nothing but Threats Sword War Extortion Theft Luxury Blasphemy Scandal Malice and Enmities On the contrary in the primitive times nothing was seen but Martyrs and Saints whose blood shed in defence of their Faith made Rivulets in the Streets no discourse was heard then but of Miracles of the Cross and of Edification nothing was regarded but good examples nothing thought of but fasting and praying and holiness of life In those dayes great reverence was given to the Sacerdotal Function because their Priests were pious and of very good lives In these dayes it is undervalued and despis'd because the Priests are Devils I speak with exception of the good In those dayes when they saw the Cross of Christ wav'd gently over their heads by the hand of the Pope they prostrated themselves reverently in his presence but now they are forc'd to kneel because they see a menacing Sword in the Popes hands It was then the care of Christs Vicars to win the Secular Princes and work themselves into their affections by their good Deeds now their design is nothing but to be fear'd by Princes for their threats Then they affected and endeavour'd peace and friendship amongst Christian Princes but now they are grown Martial and think of nothing but War Then they were so devoted to the Service of the Altar that they took no care of their kindred whom they kept at distance from the Vatican but now are so wholly addicted to the advancement of their families that they never think of the Altar Then they were meek and humble now proud and imperious It was their glory then to administer the Sacrament with their own hands now they will scarce vouchsafe to have it taken in their presence Then they had golden Consciences and wooden Walls but now they have wooden Consciences and golden Walls Lastly Then their Arithmetick was imploy'd in reckoning up the Miracles and good Actions of the Saints and now 't is of no other use but to count out their Money to their Kindred A difference so great and deplorable 't is enough to force tears from the eyes of all the faithfull that consider it But why do not the Popes at this day work Miracles Why do not they practice that holy and severe way of living which they did formerly or why have they laid aside those rules that conduce so much to the edification of the Church It will be answer'd perhaps that in those dayes Miracles were necessary for the establishment of the Church but that being now establish'd there needs nothing but Faith for its conservation but this is meer equivocation and a gilding of Pills to disguise their bitterness If in the Infancy of the Church there was need of Holy men to establish it there is as great need now of Miracles to reform it and this opinion of mine is founded upon the opinion of certain of the H. Fathers who assert the Conversion of one Sinner to be a greater Miracle than the Creation of the whole World because there is more difficulty in the Conversion of an old Sinner than in the Creation of a new Man And from whence is it that this vast difference proceeds I know not unless that the Popes minds are so taken up in the enjoyment of their unmeasurable wealth they have no leisure to look over the sufferings of their Predecessors or to consider the benefit those holy men brought to Christianity by their Mortifications and the injury themselves bring to it by their Luxury and excess Can it possibly be believ'd that the Holy Spirit should not have that influence in the creation and guiding of the Modern Popes as it had formerly upon the Antient But Experience tells us that the nature of Popes being now changed they are contented to dye Martyrs of their own passions rather than to live triumphantly with Christ so frequently are interests of this world preferr'd by them before those of Heaven and the Church Some there are who believe that Miracles are not ceas'd but the Modern Popes thinking that which was the glory of their Predecessors their shame will not trouble themselves to perform them Others are of opinion that our Saviour has taken away that power from them lest they should fall into the temptation of Lucifer and Adam and the addition of Sanctity of life to the title of Gods Vicegerent should induce the people to pay them the adoration of a Deity And others believe that the Popes cannot do Miracles because their Nephews hinder them I am of opinion contrary to all these that the same Spirit that govern'd and directed Popes heretofore still guides and will guide them to the end of the world I am perswaded they are no sooner in the Vatican but they are prick'd forward and instimulated to good deeds by the Divine Spirit their hearts cleansed from bad thoughts and impregnated with an affection to the Church of Christ In short I hold it as an Article of my Faith that the Popes are not the primary Authors of those Scandals and Controversies that fall out daily betwixt the Temporal Princes and the Popes who are holy men nor yet of any of the Calamities of the Church but rather those Churchmen who are Devils it being most true that the Popes sin so farr as the good Ecclesiasticks make them sin by
or the Churchmen of Rome are accustom'd to call their Church sometimes the Roman and othertimes the Catholick Church the greatest part of them being unable to show any reason at all for this distinction Now the word Catholick importing universal and Roman on the other side particular it cannot be Catholick and Roman too for if 't is Roman then 't is particular and if so then not Catholick To take away this Confusion therefore and bring things to a consistence one of the two names is to be laid aside and the other retain'd and in my judgement that of Universal Church will be best to be kept and that of Roman left The Roman Divines are so troubled and perplex'd to find some new argument for proving the Popes Infallibility which I have sufficiently discours'd in my first book and have so twisted and intangled themselves in that opinion that they have no time to consider whether the Church it self be Infallible or not which would be a great ease to the scruples of the Faithfull If the Church were deriv'd from the Pope it might with great reason be question'd whether the Pope be Infallible but since the Pope hath his being and existence from the Church the question must be concerning the Infallibility of the Church There is a saying so common amongst Christians that it has past into a Proverb I know not upon what reason If a person at any time be of a lame Conscience and inclin'd to some false belief the common saying is that he has the Conscience of a Divine as if Divines had no Consciences at all which I fear is too true for they write as they think good and teach what they please but believe not themselves what they write or teach And if there were not this latitude amongst them 't is not probable they would assert the Pope to be the Churches Elder Brother and in respect of his primogeniture to be the more venerable A Prodigy I could not have believ'd had I not known it by experience for the irreverences committed against the Church being punish'd with some ordinary Correction and those against the Pope with death it is plain his Authority is the greater and he has been no ill husband of his Prerogative But this opinion is not only ridiculous as several other of their tenents are but so weak and unstable that it threatens the whole Fabrick with destruction true it is they do fortifie themselves very much with that expression which our Saviour us'd to Saint Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church From whence they argue that the Church being built upon St. Peter St. Peter as its foundation supported the Church inferring and upon pain of sinning mortally injoyning the people to believe that Christ by that expression had pronounc'd the Pope chief Shepherd of his Flock and absolute Bishop of all Christian people that from that time he began to build up his Church upon the Shoulders of St. Peter and he might lawfully claim his prerogative as if the rest of the Apostles had been laid aside and had not unanimously cooperated to the common good That St. Peter was the foundation of the Church I can easily grant nor do I think there is any will deny it provided the same prerogative be allowed to the rest of the Apostles who were comprehended also in that expression and to those other Pastors and Rulers that succeeded and are still subservient in the Church And to this our Saviour alludes when he says if the Shepherd be smitten the Flock is dispers'd intimating that the care of the Church lyes upon the Ministers without which they would be but like a Flock without any body to look to them But that the Pope should usurp to himself the Primogeniture and instead of raising the Church upon himself abase it destroying the Apostolical manner of proceeding and making for himself a particular Apostleship and asserting the Church to be made for him not he for the Church is a subject worthy the consideration of all Christians because it gives occasion of so many Scruples and Schisms What should be the reason that the Roman Divines find it much easier to prove the Popes infallibility than the Churches I cannot imagine unless that observing the difficulty of finding arguments for either and yet being oblig'd to write something of Ecclesiastical matters they choose rather to indulge that vanity in the Pope who is able to reward them than to speak any thing of the Churches infallibility which would conduce so much to the ed 〈…〉 of the Faithfull who are ignorant of the matter Now every good office requiring a reward and every reward a publique acknowledgement the Divines therefore taking notice with what slowness and difficulty those that promote the interest of the Church though with never so much zeal are advanc'd and on the other side how free and prodigal the Popes are in their remunerations to such as drive on their designs hence they choose not the Churches side which is poor but the Popes who is rich and hath the disposing of all Bishopricks Abbeys and Cardinalships in his power I am of opinion and I think no body but some Sycophant Friar will deny it that if the Election into Ecclesiastical preferments depended upon the universal body of the Church or else upon each particular Member of it for example the dignity of a Cardinal upon the Consistory of Cardinals the Office of Bishops upon the Synod of Bishops and so thorough all Offices and that with the order of the same secret votes as is us'd in the Senate at Venice I am confident there would be few Divines found even of those that now with so much vehemence exalt him that would flatter the Pope but apply themselves intirely to the service of the Church And unless the antient zeal for Religion which at present is not to be found in the breast of a Cardinal do revive or Secular Princes do suddenly apply themselves to the finding out a remedy it is most certain things can never proceed but with great scandal to the Church not only amongst Hereticks who are alwayes prying and observing the actions of the Catholicks but of the Heathens also who as yet have but little knowledge of the Roman transactions Were the tongues of people restrain'd were all innovations exploded and things honestly restor'd to the Primitive way that fugitive Flock that is dispers'd at present in the Wilderness of Heresie would return to its Fold Schismatical controversies would cease the differences betwixt Christian Princes would be compos'd and their united forces be directed against the Turk In short were that absolute and despotical power in the Pope restrain'd or taken away or at least the right of Election which for five ages was observ'd constantly in the Church restor'd to the Congregations Synods and Consistories Christianity would be advanc'd Heresie depress'd and things reduc'd again to that Primitive Sanctity when every mans whole
of the Church founded by our Saviour and propagated by the Apostles thorough the whole world in great Sanctity and Holiness yet with a possibility of falling otherwise forasmuch as the Church consists of men only it would have been necessary to have Sanctify'd them all both Ecclesiastick and Secular In Rome they speak with great Reverence of the Councel of Trent the Divines and Preachers crying it up as a thing absolutely infallible Yet the Pope makes no bones to break and violate the Decrees establish'd by so many venerable men and the unanimous consent of all the Churches in Christendom dispensing with things at his own pleasure It is not many years since I obtain'd a dispensation for a friend of mine in a thing forbidden expresly in two Sessions of that Councel and all for the sum of ten Crowns and some little bribe by the bye to a Clark in the Registers Office a friend in Court being as necessary in Rome as a penny in a mans purse Those the Church of Rome call Hereticks cannot hear with patience that the Pope alone should have authority to defeat and invalidate in a moment what a General Assembly of the Church has been so many years about A certain Priest discoursing one day with a Protestant of France with design to draw him over to the Church of Rome he thought he had brought him into a very hopefull way when the Protestant had told him that all the Protestants in France would submit themselves to the Pope if the Pope would submit himself to the Councels to which the Priest reply'd it will be necessary then a Councel be call'd and such rules establish'd by common consent as shall be thought necessary for the Government of the Church to which the Protestant reply'd a little fiercely How a Devil will the Pope observe the Decrees of a Councel that cannot be kept from violating the Praecepts of the Gospel but if you will undertake to bring the Pope to a submission to them I do not question to convert all of my Religion to the Pope for to tell you the truth Sir I hold one as feasible as the other At first sight indeed it appears something probable that though a particular Church may err yet in respect that Christ has promised where two or three are met together in his name he will be in the midst of them and that in this case there are not only two or three but two or three hundred and those choice men and select for their Piety and Learning it seems not impossible I say but a Congregation Consistory or Councel compos'd of the chief Heads and Governours of all the Churches in general may be infallible Were there a Councel call'd in the name of Christ only and for the real interest of the Church and did it consist of such Members and no other as had their eyes fix'd wholly upon Heaven I could almost acknowledge that Councel infallible but we know very well and our constant experience confirms it that passion blood-thirstiness interest ambition desire of dignity capriciousness in the Prelats Bishops Cardinals and Popes are the principal things that sway in Councels so as it is manifest Christ is not in their hearts and where he is not to direct them there can be no infallibility The Church of Israel was reputed even to the death of our Saviour a good and a holy Church for which reason Christ himself convers'd often with the Scribes and Pharisees rebuking such as profan'd their Temples with their buying and selling not with words only but blows declaiming against them that they had made his Fathers house a Den of Thieves His heart not being able to endure that they should use that place as a Market where the Jews met dayly to sing praises to their God The Scribes and Pharisees of the Jewish Church when there was any tumult or division amongst the people about the works our Saviour had wrought some believing them miraculous and others not they met in Councel with the Principal Rulers and Governours and having debated upon all the works he had wrought in Judea after long argumentation and dispute they concluded and condemned him as a Seducer and a Blasphemer and that was the result of that Councel of the Jews Many Councels there have been in the Christian Church that have not only err'd but undone and revoak'd what another had Decreed so as several of them have been declar'd Null though the Church had made use of their Statutes many years as in the late Councel of Trent there were four others condemn'd so as the Councel of the Apostles was the only infallible Councel that ever was in the Church and that because it was manag'd and directed immediately by the Holy Ghost according to Christ's promise as is recorded in the Gospel of St. John But here is one question will arise the solution of which would be a great satisfaction to the Reader and that is whether Anabaptists and others that have their several Religions and Sects apart may in reason challenge the honourable Title of a Church some of them conforming themselves to the documents of the Scripture and drawing the rules of their conversations from thence others and the more wicked spinning out their own methods and ordinances out of their own fancies and yet not very dissimular to the direction of the Gospel it being as it were proper to mankind to guild and colour over evil with pretences of good Many there are that believe that our Saviour in those words In my Fathers House are many Mansions intended to comprehend all the Church Militant and that he did not mean it as a figure only of the Celestial Beatitude for which cause he drove the Buyers and Sellers as I have said before out of the Temple calling it his Fathers house because in that the Jews celebrated all their Holy and Divine Functions that were necessary to give the form to a true Church Militant If it be so it must needs be acknowledg'd there is but one true Church that can be call'd justly the house of God though there may be several Chambers and Mansions divided from one another that may pass under that name The Church of Rome refuses to give the Title of Church to any but it self as if there was no Church in being but that cousening and deluding its self in the very Title they assume for by calling themselves the Church of Rome they do tacitely suppose there is some other Church that is not of Rome It is certain and beyond all dispute that all the Councels and Assemblies of Hereticks may be call'd Churches but with the distinctions of corrupt and incorrupt of sound and unsound of polluted and pure for a man though afflicted with never so many diseases back and blew with never so many stripes eaten up as it were with worms and putrifaction ceases not notwithstanding to remain a man till the Soul be separated from his Body though otherwise he may
't is ignorance and indiscretion that causes all this and should the like case happen to me I could very well make the Father an answer The other was of a certain young Student that went to a Jesuite to Confession amongst other of his Confessions he told him that he had lay'n a whole night with his Fatherships Neice and began to faint almost under the shame and apprehension of his Sin so that he had no mind to proceed but the good Father to incourage him told him That it was no such great matter to lye a night with the Neice for he had ly'n ten years together with the Mother And with this good exhortation he sent the young man back to his house And this second Example I heard my self in a Sermon in a certain Town in the Territories of the Venetian Preach'd by an Augustine Fryer who by his face look'd as like to do such a business as the Jesuite And thousands of these instances may be heard dayly in their Pulpits the Church of Rome by reason of the licentiousness of its Ministers being the laughing-stock of the Catholicks and the obloquy of the Protestant And truly 't is sad that those Confessions that were at first requir'd as conducing to the Salvation of Souls should be turn'd now by the iniquity of the Confessors into the scandal of the Church The Bishops shut their eyes at every thing because the Cardinals connive at them The Cardinals commit all things to the Pope contenting themselves with the magnificence of their Station The Pope because they let him alone in a Pinnacle of Grandeur above all exhalation of scandal leaves them to themselves and retains his opinion of their Piety not regarding what Heresies the Ignorance Malice or Lasciviousness of his Confessors may create To this the Ecclesiastick answers that we ought not to look so severely to the faults of the scandalous because they are but frailties and so will be judged by the Divine Justice it self And for instance they alledge the example of Judas who was a Traytor even in the company of the Holy Apostles so as our eye they say ought not to be upon him but upon the rest To which I answer that if there were indeed but one ill Churchman in twelve all Hereticks both Jew and Gentile would be converted to the Faith but as the case stands there is scarce one good to be found in ten thousand bad and therefore how can they be converted that have so many scandals in their prospect But some will say perhaps how can these things be redress'd I answer with the greatest facility in the world if the Cardinals pleas'd I speak not of the Pope because let the Divines say what they will for His absoluteness to speak the truth the Church of God is not a Monarchy but a Republique the Cardinals and Bishops being Supreme and Soveraign Senators and the Pope as Christs Vicar President of the Senate for though Christ created St. Peter his Vicar he took not away the Authority from the rest of the Apostles they alwayes with Supreme Authority in their Colledge decreeing what ever they thought necessary for the benefit of the Church St. Peter being allow'd no more than his single voice So that the Care and Government of the Church belonging by legal succession to the Cardinals the right of appointing remedies against such scandals as do afflict us belongs likewise to them And indeed whilst the Church was under a kind of Aristocrasie Miracles and Holiness and Goodness were observ'd to flourish But since the Priests began to flatter the Popes conceiving preferment and advantages easilier obtain'd by the adulation of one person than a Senate they put all into the hands of the Pope and made him a Monarch so that Miracles were lost immediately Sanctity was banish'd and a thousand wickednesses introduc'd because that which was Monarchy in the hands of the Pope became Tyranny in those of the Nephews Insomuch that to reduce the Church to its Primitive Holiness it will be necessary to restore it to its antient Aristocrasie Since my being at Rome I heard of hundreds of Decrees put out by the Congregation of Regolars but I never heard of any of them put in Execution as they ought to have been the Popes for the most part having dash'd them motu proprio besides the application being superficial and only to the top branches of the Tree it was impossible it should reach the Corruption that was in the Root The wickedness of the Churchmen is like a Wart upon a mans hand the more you cut it unless you cut it to the bottom the greater it grows To put out fire it is necessary to remove that matter that sustains it and if the Cardinals would apply any remedy to the scandals that throng dayly out of the Cloysters to the detriment of the Church they ought not to consider the nature of the Fryers after they are made Fryers so much as the qualities of those who make themselves Fryers The Method of the Italians in this age I speak not of other Countreys is good indeed for the advancement of their Arms but not at all for the benefit of the Church For example an Italian that has three Sons picks out the wisest and most gentile and Marryes him to keep up his Family him that is most sprightly and vigorous he sends to the Wars and if any be more foolish or extravagant than other he is sent to the Covent In short those Fathers whose Sons are given to Theft to Drunkenness Lust Dissoluteness or Prodigality if they be Lyers Swearers Cheats Blasphemers c. do presently devote them to the Cloyster where putting on the Habit of a Fryer they put them out of their sight indeed but put them into a Religious house where they become Devils because wickedness or rather a heap of wickedness cannot be taken away by fifteen yards of Cloth Were these disorders but regulated a great part of the scandal that lyes at present upon the Church would be taken away 't is a shame the worst should be given to God and the best to the Devil 't were better to suppress Cloysters and Fryers than to suffer such Fryers to be made In the Church of Rome the quality of the persons that are to enter into Religious Habits is not so much consider'd as their quantity so their number be great no matter for the rest Cheats Back-biters the Hunch-back'd the Lame and the Blind are all admitted into the Cloysters as if the number not the qualities made the Religion O most diabolical policy and fit to be exploded Did it belong to me to supplicate the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals I would do it upon my knees because I observe goodness and piety declining in the Church and all by reason of the multitudes of Priests whose qualities ought to be more regarded than their numbers One truly Religious man is worth a thousand wicked and edifies the Church more with
Priests and Deacons Insomuch that whereas heretofore the Priests and Deacons promiscuously and without any distinction were admitted into their Ecclesiastical Assemblies they were after this resolution excluded and the greater and principal of the Clergy only receiv'd to their no small dis-satisfaction which they were forc'd to put up leâ—t they should otherwise disturb that repose they were in pursuit of amongst the sorrows and calamities of the Church In those times the Bishops had the preceedence before the Priests and Cardinal Deacons the Cardinalship being only a scale and step towards Episcopacy conformable to what is mentioned in the life of St. Gregory where it is said several Cardinal Priests were preferr'd to be Bishops And because there was great difference betwixt their orders there was great difference in their corrections also For the conviction of a Bishop there was seventy two witnesses requir'd and if of that whole number there wanted but one the whole accusation was void whereas for the conviction of a Cardinal Priest forty was enough and for a Deacon twenty seven But the Ecclesiastical orders and degrees have chang'd dayly with the times and their dignities have been more considered for their Titles than any reality of advantage The Cardinals since found means to advance themselves before the Bishops and Episcopacy now is but a degree towards the Cardinalship whereas formerly for the space of eight hundred year they had as principal Ministers of the Church manag'd all her affairs The chief causes of these changes and revolutions was from the same mutations in the Monarchy of the Popes and from the medly and confusion of Temporal affairs with Spiritual and of the Ecclesiastick Government with the Civil For the Pope having â—â—larg'd his Dominions by the annection of several Provinces in the time of Pipin and Charles the Great his Successors found themselves forc'd upon another Model because so many Secular Principalities being added to the Church several important affairs did dayly arise that could not be deferr'd to the next Councel of Bishops which meâ— not but every two or three years The Church in its minority was like the Galley of Salamin that by the appointment of the Athenians was never to sayl but upon some Religious design it being sufficient now and then upon occasion to call their Councels to negotiate and regulate the most important affairs of Christendome but after the acquisition of so many States and Seignories they were forc'd upon new wayes for the conservation of their Temporals For this reason it was judged necessary to establish a Councel or Senate that should be alwayes near his Holiness and that it should be compos'd of Cardinal Priests and Deacons and Rectors of the principal Parishes of Rome as those that were more capable to consult and determine in matters of greatest importance both in Spirituals and Temporals which succeeded without much difficulty the Ministers of Rome to prevent any resentment in the Bishops that the administration of the affairs of the Church was taken out of their hands endeavouring to perswade them that what was done was for the benefit of Christendome that it was unfit the Bishops should leave their charges with so much inconvenience to the people and come so often to Rome to treat of affairs that more poperly belong'd to those who had no Cures to distract them and thus were the poor Bishops constrain'd to truckle to the Cardinals and become inferiour that had been superiour so long The Cardinals being advanc'd in this manner and the Bishops excluded from the Government of the Church they continu'd very dexterously to wrest the Election of their Popes out of the hands of the Emperours the People and the Bishops and not contented with that they presum'd to incroach also upon the Election of the Emperour so as the authority of Electing the two principal dignities of the world being in their power in spight of their former subordination they advanc'd themselves so far above the Bishops that the Bishops are now but Slaves as it were to the Cardinals and by some of them imploy'd with great arrogance in Mechanick affairs Antiently there was no greater esteem of a Cardinal than there is now of a Deacon or Arch-Deacon in comparison of a Prelate because they had no other authority in the Election of Bishops who were then the principal Ministers in the Church than the common Clergy and People of Rome without any difference or exception bearing an equal share with the rest of the Clergy in the Service of the Church But when the world began to take notice that they made and unmade Popes at their pleasure choosing them alwayes out of the Colledge of Cardinals they became so incens'd in a short time that the dignity of Cardinal grew the most envied yet the most covered and ambition'd dignity in the world And this ambition which was deriv'd from the exaltation of Cardinals in the Church hath been the Parent and Hidra of all the mischiefs and calamities in the Church And this ambition that was so detestable even among the Pagans that Lucian desir'd that all they that aspir'd to any thing above their sphear might perish before the year went about is indeed the source and nourishment of all the Wars Schisms and Heresies that have sprang up in the bosome of the Church At first the Cardinals were chosen out of such Priests and Ministers only as serv'd in the particular Churches in Rome and that custom lasted for about an Age and a half that is to say till the Bishops taking notice at last of the injury was done them and that they were excluded from any concurrence in the Election of the Pope they did very much insist that the Cardinals might not be chosen any longer out of the Romans only but out of the number of all the Bishops of Italy excluding Foreigners The Church increasing after this manner extraordinarily and the number of Bishops multiplying in all parts both of Europe and Asia it was resolv'd that the Cardinals should be chosen out of all the Provinces in Europe and Asia without exemption of any it being but reasonable as St. Bernard sayes That they who judge the whole world should be chosen out of all parts thereof In the same manner the Rules for Election of Popes were observ'd as we shall relate in the third part of this Work the Priest of Rome not permitting any stranger to be created Pope for the space of above nine hundred years electing only such persons as were benefic'd in some Church in Rome till that in the year 891 there happen'd a great contest betwixt the Romans and the Foreign Bishops these last pretending to a concurrence in the Election of Popes the other refusing as obstinately the infringement of so antient a custom but at last the Foreign Bishops prevail'd and chose Formosus Bishop of Porto For some years successively the Italians that had a great part in the Election of the Pope would by no means consent
the torments those Cardinals have suffer'd that would not consent to thr infamous desires of Alexander the sixth's Bastards Of the proud and imperious humor of Paul the fourth Of certain Congregations call'd by the Cardinals for the disposing of Urban the eight from the Papacy and of the course he took to evade that conspiracy Of the chastisement receiv'd by Alexander the sixth for having treated the Cardinals so ill Of the small zeal those Cardinals express'd that endeavour'd to depose Pope Urban Of the great commendations Cardinal Pallavicino before he receiv'd the purple Robe gave Pope Alexander because he kept his kindred so far from Rome and of his opinion after they were brought in Of the principal points the said Cardinal Pallavicino left in writing in the last period of his life Of the Title of Prince of the Holy Church which the Cardinals at present enjoy Of certain annotations upon that particular Of the Authority the Popes have wrested out of the hands of the Cardinals Of an example of Paul the second mention'd by Platina in the lives of the Popes Of the common opinion about the Government exercis'd by the Popes Nephews over the Church Of Saint Peter that would never commit the command of the Church to any of his Kindred or Relations Of the Cardinals true Successors of the Apostles Of the necessity of restraining the Nephews Of a Letter written by the most Christian King to the Cardinals about the accident that happen'd to his Ambassador in Rome Of the answer the Cardinals return'd to his most Christian Majesty and of certain other particulars beside AMong all the Cities of the Universe Rome alone can boast it self not only the Mother of Nations and the Head of the World but which is more a true Court of Kings for as many Cardinals as are promoted in the Church so many Kings are created in Rome The two Monarchies France and Spain that are as it were the two Poles of Christendome do labour and tyre themselves out with Arms in their hands to defend that Church of which they are Sons and Protectors and without whose protection it would have certainly been suck'd to the very Soul by the ravenous and unsatiable lips of those Ecclesiasticks who forbear not notwithstanding to engross great part of its nourishment in spight of all their Royal diligence But that which is most worthy of admiration is that these two Monarchs which pretend to the Protection of the Church and do indeed protect it do yet beg and implore as it were to have their interests protected by some Cardinal or other in the Court of Rome as if their own merits were not sufficient to defend the interests of those Monarchs who are the very founders of the Monarchy of Rome But that the Reader may be the better inform'd I shall acquaint him that at present it is the custom for every Crown to give the protection of its affairs to some of the Cardinals that are resident in Rome and this protection is with good reason aspir'd to by the Cardinals in the highest degree Insomuch as Alexander the seventh before he dy'd us'd his utmost endeavour to have Cardinal Chigi his Nephew declar'd Protector of Spain but he could not obtain his desire the Spaniard deluding him sometimes with fair promises and sometimes with excuses Of all the protections of Crowns which are five the Empire France Spain Poland and Portugal that of Spain is the most considerable and by consequence most ambition'd Not that Spain has merited more than the rest and particularly than France but in respect of the Territories they possess in Italy in which it seems the Protector has great authority disposing of many things at his pleasure if not by an absolute jurisdiction at least by his recommendations to the Governours of the Provinces who do seldome omit to gratifie his desires and to acknowledge him the Protector of their King besides which there are a thousand other considerations that make the said protection so much coveted and aspir'd to by the Cardinals And many are the reasons that induce those Crowns to declare their several Protectors in Rome but if my judgement may pass the greatest of all is to satisfie the ambition of those Cardinals that from morning to night study no other book than the augmentation of their own Grandeur and this is most certain there is no greater dignity that a Cardinal can attain to than to be made protector of some Crown And to speak truth there is something of magnificence in the Name of Protector implying that he which protects has some superiority over him that is protected however that rule does not hold in this case for those Kings bestow not those Protectorships upon the Cardinals to receive but to confer honour upon them the Cardinals ordinarily making great application for the protection of a Crown whereas in other protections they are sought to themselves It is not many years ago since these protections of Crowns were introduc'd into the Colledge of Cardinals in former times the Kings disdain'd them their swords being their sufficient protections the Pens of their Secretary doing that office upon any emergence gave immediate notice to the Court of Rome of their Masters pretensions But since the Popes began to advance themselves so high to confound the Church and the World Politicks and Morals Spiritual things with Temporal the Sword and the Cross and in short to transferr all the interest of Secular Princes to Rome those Crowns have been oblig'd to have not only their Ambassadors but their Protectors in Rome and that not so much for the defence of their Kingdoms defended by themselves nor of their persons defended by their Kingdoms but for the protection only of those interests that have been stoâ—â— as it were from the Princes and carryed to Rome This protection is no small advantage to the interest of the protected Crown but 't is much greater to the Cardinal that is its Protector because things are not manag'd with that order they ought to be the Cardinals for the most part having one hand upon the Rudder and the other upon the Sails The Crowns may do what they please oblige their Protectors with their Benefices and Abbyes yet they will never move out of their Sphear nor give those Crowns more than an outward appearance of protection reserving the substance for the benefit of the Pope And indeed many examples might be brought out of hundreds of Histories to confirm what I say I having for many years read much and made frequent observations upon this point The Princes are deceived if in the controversies that happen betwixt them and the Popes or the Nephews they believe to have their interests protected by those Cardinals that are their Protectors The protection a Cardinal gives to his Crown goes to a certain pitch and no farther if the Grandeur of the Pope be not diminish'd nor the Ecclesiastical priviledges intrench'd upon all things go well as much protection
what purpose is it to expose ones self to Martyrdom To what purpose to pass so many Seas to preach up the Name of Christ with so much peril in the most remote parts of the Earth amongst the greatest Infidels if it be depis'd even in Christendom in the very bowels of Religion and in the midst not only of Rome but the Vatican it self And now I would fain know what likelihood there is that the Cardinals should oppose their own breasts against that violence of the Barbarians that seem to threaten so nearly the destruction of Christendom if they be affraid to speak one word to the Pope against those Governours that by fleecing the people do bring the State into great misery and distress How shall they take the Sword into their hands to encounter those Hereticks that destroy our Images and violate our Holy Temples if they can patiently behold the plundering of our Altars and the robbing of the Almes that is given to the poor How shall they defend the Christian Faith that suffer the blood of Christ to be devour'd How shall they dare to preach to such as are in Rebellion and Enmity if they be affraid to speak to the Popes that are their Friends How shall they be faithfull keepers of the flock of Christ if they be fearfull as Lambs toward those Wolves that devour his flock In short how can they stop the mouths of those with a good conscience that do blame the defects of the Popes when they themselves are the causes of those defects This I am sure of the Purple they wear would be much more honourable did they take more care to preserve the Treasure of the Church and for my part I am of opinion the Popes would be more wary of introducing their Kinred into the Vatican if they observ'd the Cardinals more vigilant nor would the Nephews commit such notorious robberies if they did but see that their eyes were upon them The Cardinal Pallavicino the Jesuite who in plain terms was a person that could frame and accommodate himself to another mans humour thereby to work him over to his own he was one of those that cry'd up Alexander in the beginning of his Papacy above the Skies and all because he would not admit his Nephews into Rome Insomuch that in his History of the Councel of Trent that came out from the Press about that time he made a Parallel betwixt his Holiness and his Saviour and upon this ground because being ask'd by a certain publique Ambassador if he would not receive his Kindred his Holiness reply'd in the words of our Saviour Who are my Brothers but they that do the will of the Lord. It is not possible to imagine the great and extravagant praises he gave the Pope in all quarters of Rome for his aversion to the Nipotisme extolling him for the greatest Pope that ever sate in the Vatican he prophesied a golden Age again to the Church in a short time and supplyes of Inhabitants to the City he went up and down all the Courts of the Cardinals giving God thanks for his great mercy towards the Church in sending it a Pope so clearly disinterested and unaddicted to the advancement of his private Family In short he exhorted them all by the authority his reputation and intimacy with the Pope gave him that it was the duty of the Cardinals themselves to conserve that great benefit to the Church and in case Alexander should relapse that they should oblige his Successors to keep their Nephews out of the Vatican But the humour of the Pope being altered at length in this point and instead of his former aversion he become most partial to his Nephews Pallavicino also began to change his note and harp no more upon that string he found himself oblig'd to stop his mouth in all things and to sanctifie the defects of the Nephews as he was the Popes Confessor or else to ruine and precipitate his own fortunes and those of his Order This politick deportment was a great affliction to his Conscience for he was indeed a well meaning man and intirely devoted to the benefit of the Church He found out a hundred querks and pretences to excuse the commendations he had formerly given the Pope and being one day in discourse and ask'd by a Cardinal that was his Confident if he would magnifie no more his Holiness his impartiality to his Relation he couragiously reply'd That he then had spake of the Pope as Pope and did now speak of Alexander as Alexander He endeavour'd by all possible means to force his own nature and not to be concern'd at those evils which he was too sensible did hourly increase to the great detriment of the Church by the ill Government of the Nephews But notwithstanding all this the more he saw Don Mario advanc'd the more did indignation swell in his Bowels to think that there could be no remedy found to quench that fire that seem'd formerly extinct insomuch that he many times shut himself up alone in his Chamber and made as many Soliloquies as King Midas his Barber At last it pleas'd God as he himself declar'd to a friend of his upon his death bed by his special grace to take away his life in the vacancy of the Apostolick Chair He was much affected with the great affairs of the Church as he signified in a paper he left written with his own hand wherein he protested his intentions were alwayes so far from defending the errors of the Nephews that he would not so much as excuse them The writing contain'd five principal points The first was that the Church would never find any repose in her afflictions nor be free from the Calumnies of the Hereticks till the Nephews were banish'd from Rome The second was that whilst every Pope had liberty to inrich his own Kindred as they did the Treasure of the Church in a short time would be imbezled and dispers'd into Foreign Countreys The third was that there was no hopes of seeing the Charity and Benevolence of the faithful increas'd for they being scandaliz'd to see the Charitable Alms bestow'd and left by other people to the Church dissipated and consum'd did choose to squander away themselves what they had rather than by giving it to the Church to increase the number of Extravagants there The fourth that the Cardinals could not with a safe Conscience suffer the dissipation of the Treasure of the Church by the prodigality of the Nephews and that they were oblig'd therefore as his Holiness Assistants to endeavour to remedie it And in the last place by good arguments he shew'd which was the most proper time for the application of so necessary an expedient and he concluded the vacancy of the Chair would be the most convenient because if a new Pope was once Created and a new Nepotism set up it would be impossible to compass their ends This writing fell into the hands of the Cardinals who call'd a particular Congregation
ordination belongs to themselves Let them force themselves and endeavour the repose of the Church let them have an eye over the affairs of the poor whose lawfull Princes they are and let them not as they value the praise of the World and the benediction of Christ forget the Jurisdiction that was given them by him If the Popes by debasing the Authority of the Cardinals have erected their own Monarchy why do not the Cardinals by depressing that of the Pope exalt themselves to the condition of Senators in the Christian Common-wealth If the Popes have thought good for the private advantage of their particular Families to change to the great detriment of the Cardinals the Republick of Christ into a Monarchy for their Nephews why shall not the Cardinals for the benefit of the Church subvert that Monarchy and re-establish the Republick of Christ Christ did not call them to the Apostleship to make them Deacons of Apostles but that they should watch over and superintend that the Offices of the Deacons were executed well In Republicks the Dukes are not chosen to destroy the Senators but on the contrary they keep up the Grandeur of the Senators to render their own Authority the more Majestick Let the Cardinals therefore have a care it fares not with them as it did with a Souldier of Alexander who being ask'd his Name by the Emperor and answering Alexander his actions being not answerable to his Name the Emperor reply'd Either leave the Name of Alexander or do as Alexander does And certainly the Cardinals ought either to act like Cardinals and vindicate that dignity God has given them as principal Ministers in his Church or relinquish that Eminent Title The habit makes not a Monk nor the Purple Robe a Cardinal if that were so there would not want Purple to make Cardinals nor habits to make Monks The zeal of Religion the safety of the Christian Common-wealth the protection of the People the care of the Cures the administration of the wealth of the Church the banishment of Vice Sweatings and Labourings and Watchings for the augmentation of the number of the Faithfull and the propagation of Christianity are as the Poles upon which the Wheel of Cardinalism ought to turn If a Cardinal goes this way to work tyres and harrasseth out himself in prosecution of the virtues aforesaid he will be a Cardinal indeed though he wears no Purple but if he shuts his eyes and leaves all things forsaken and deserted he may have as much of the Purple as he please but he will have nothing of the Cardinal The Cardinals tremble at the very Name of the Pope and yet it is they themselves that give him his Papacy They humble themselves at the beck of him who proceeds from their own bowels they are contented to be stript of their Authority to invest him with it that robb'd them The Protestants deny the whole power of the Pope and in their Schools bring many arguments to refute it yet they allow more dignity to the Cardinals than they know how to ask of his Holiness They say that if the Pope could be contented to be a Cardinal amongst the Cardinals and the Cardinals as Popes with the Pope the Church of God would be restor'd to the true form in which it was created in the infancy of Christianity when the Apostles were Peters and Peter as the Apostles and they would not find that difficulty of closing with our Church which by that means would be Universal and not particular whereas now they are glad of any opportunity to distract it because they see it particular by reason of the absolute Authority that is given to the Pope I was a while since invited to dinner by a Friend of mine and by accident there were several Protestants and some Catholicks at the Table About the latter end of dinner the Catholicks with great freedom began to discourse it was in the time of the vacancy of the Chair of the discord and dissention amongst the Cardinals one of them instanc'd the example of the Apostles who when the Holy Spirit descended upon them were Congregati in unum applying all to the difference betwixt the Apostolick Colledge in these times in which they are at variance and what it was in the Primitive when there was nothing but meekness and charity and love Amongst the rest there was a French Gentleman indifferently well learn'd and of a pleasant conversation who taking the word from the other reply'd smilingly that those words Congregati in unum might very justly be apply'd to the Apostolick Colledge in being with this difference only that the Apostles then were Congregati in unum with Christ and now they are Congregati in unum with the Pope And â—e had gone further had he not been interrupted and forc'd to rise from the Table upon an unexpected visit that was made which altered the whole discourse I who had then this Cardinalism in my head and resolv'd to make an end of it and publish it to the world began to make some reflection upon what the French man had said and I found his opinion was not â—ll grounded so much did it correspond with mine For in truth in Rome where the Congregations are infinite the Cardinals are Congregati in unum not in their judgements or desires in which many times there is so much discrepancy that every Cardinal has a several opinion but in a resolution to do whatever his Holiness commands them They are Congregati in unum because in the Consistories they conclude of nothing but what is dictated by the Pope From whence it happen'd that a Cardinal of a very profound judgement that liv'd in the time of Innocent the tenth being ask'd one day whether he went he answer'd To Donna Olimpia's Congregation implying that that Lady having the absolute management of his Holiness her Cousin it was necessary to observe her orders exactly whether they were good or bad and indeed some few that would needs peevishly and obstinately withstand her Commands found but little ease or advantage by it Were the Cardinals Congregati in unum for a good understanding amongst themselves as they are Congregati in unum to do what ever they are commanded by the Pope the Church would be better serv'd than it is the State would flourish in plenty and peace and the Nephews reduc'd to their primitive indigence and necessity The Popes do rejoyce if not contrive to see the minds of the Cardinals divided as much fearing the consequence of their unity and a certain great Pope that lived in our age was wont to say That the division of the Cardinals was the exaltation of the Popes a saying as Diabolical as Politick which discover'd clearly that the intentions of the Popes were fix'd upon the Supremacy they injoy that is to keep and conserve the Monarchy of the Church in their own absolute Dominion though to the utter destruction of all that oppos'd them and because there is no
of it quickly and be at ease then to let him tyre us out and at last carry the victory It is not ten months since I met in a Journey with two Roman Gentlemen one a Priest and the other a Secular who were discoursing betwixt themselves about the business of Castro the Priest swearing that upon that single subject there had been more than two hundred Consistories held I who had already wrought my self into the discourse for to speak truth when any thing is spoken of the interest of Rome I open my ears as wide as is possible had the curiosity to desire the cause of it to whom he answer'd like a true Roman though not like a good Priest You must know the Pope does nothing in Rome but what is conformable to his own designs so that the Cardinals not all of them agreeing with his resolutions in the business of Castro the Pope to weary them out tumbles them up and down at that rate and I am perswaded there will never be an end of their Consistories till they comply with his Holiness his pleasure and you shall yet see this affair of Castro brought about again to the Congregations and Consistories which is as much as to say kept in a perpetual dependance in Rome True it is Alexander found out a good way to excuse his obstinacy and in that he out-did both Innocent and Vrban nor indeed was there ever any Pope knew better how to wynde himself out and throw the fault upon the backs of the Congregations and Consistories When that infamous affront was offer'd to the persons of the Duke and Dutchess of Crequy the King of France being himself injur'd in the person of his Ambassador writ many Letters full of resentment and amongst the rest one to the Queen of Sweden which is inserted at large in the Nepotismo complaining not so much of the Pope as Pope as of Alexander and Fabius that is to say of his Kindred A Cardinal of no small authority and zeal being inform'd of it forbore not upon a good occasion to speak to the Pope himself in these words Most Holy Father his most Christian Majesty does not complain of your person who is Christs Vicar and Head of the Church so much as of your Brother and Nephews who have too great injâ—unce upon you Alexander answer'd That he had not receiv'd his Kindred into Rome but upon the perswasions of the Sacred Colledge Which being told the Cardinal Albici when he was at his Table he reply'd in the absence of the Pope what the other Cardinal omitted in his presence That 't is true the Holy Colledge had entreated him to bring his Nephews to Rome but not to destroy both Rome and the Church too to advance them All this was told me by a Gentleman of credit that was then present in the Cardinal Albici's Chamber when the words were spoke and it is no hard matter to believe it to them that know the humour of his Eminence who freely discharges himself of whatever is in his mind and justifies reason in spight of the World It must needs be confess'd then having so many examples to corroborate and so many experiments to attest it that the Popes use the Cardinals in the Government of the Church for a pretence and no otherwise laying the fault upon those Cardinals rather that comply with the desires of the Pope than upon themselves that act according to the pleasures of their Nephews or for satisfaction of their own private passions Of this kind of proceeding I dare not for my part accuse the Popes who are forc'd to do what they can for the preservation of their Monarchy But the Cardinals I dare who can so easily suffer themselves to be robb'd of their Authority be contented to take Eggs as it were for their money and either out of meer pusillanimity or some other thing part with that which is legally their own and permit their private passions to over-rule the interest of the Publique The Church without doubt would be a hundred times better serv'd and the Court in greater esteem if the Cardinals would restrain the Nephews and not â—nffâ—r the Pope to operate as he pleases When the attempt was made upon the Duke of Crequy his most Christian Majesty supposing it able to oblige the Pope to give him a proportionable reparation apply'd himself to the Sacred Colledge for redress and his Letter was exactly as follows Cousin THe assault that was made the twentieth Currant upon the person of my Cousin the Duke of Crequy my Ambassador Extraordinary his Lady and all the French the Corsi of Rome could meet with in the Streets that day is an enormity so great in all its circumstances that perhaps in no time nor place even amongst the Barbarians themselves can an instance be found in which the jus Gentium hath been with so much inhumanity violated and abus'd And for as much as your Eminence is a Member of that Sacred Body that is the natural Councel of the Popes I have encharged Monsignor Burlemont Auditor of the Rota to wait upon you in this conjuncture and acquaint you with my resentment of so great an offence to the end that by your interposition which I doubt not but you will willingly undertake as far as you shall be able I may receive a satisfaction adequate to the quality and extravagance of the affront But if your Eminences good offices should happen to be ineffectual they shall not be imputed to me after this application whatever mischiefs or calamities shall happen assuring my self I shall be excusable both to God and to Man whatever the consequences be and thus referring the rest to what Mr. Burlemont will present to you by word of mouth I beseech God my good Cousin to preserve you in his holy favour LEWIS St. Germans en Ley 20 Aug. 1662. De Lominie This Letter was read and deliberated in the Sacred Colledge but only in the particulars relating to the satisfying of the King not in his Majesties Complement in these words Of the Sacred Colledge which is the Natural Councel of the Popes The Cardinals spent no long time in reflecting upon that which was the principal point and ought well to have been consider'd because when one of the greatest Monarchs in Christendom does Canonize the Sacred Colledge for the Natural Councel of the Popes what is it but to remember and excite them to maintain that Station God Almighty has plac'd them in that is to have a care the Popes usurp not an absolute authority over the Church and that they do not and undo not at their pleasure without any respect to the quality of the person they offend What is natural to the Church is by special favour from God if the Councel of Cardinals be the natural Councel of the Popes the Popes ought not to usurp any jurisdiction over the Cardinals so as not being at any time subordinate to the Popes when they are united and assembled
out of the minds of the Cardinals for the scandals of their Church are the ediâ—ications of ours disturbances in their Church giving ours repose He that has ears to hear let him hear he that has zeal enough to make reflection upon these words let him make it whilst I betake my self to more deep considerations It is not above a hundred and sixty years since this Nipotismo began to Lord it over the Church and the Cardinals in Rome They insinuated by degrees and multiply'd their authority dayly to that pass that at present of a custom it is become a necessity there being little difference either in their Grandeur or Command betwixt a Pope and a Nephew so strangely is their Majesty confounded About the same time Luther and Calvin one after another began to appear preaching with great vehemence against the errors of the Catholick Church and the exorbitant covetousness of those that govern'd it and in a short time putting the whole world into disorder introducing Reformations in those very Kingdoms that were thought the most Catholick Against this Torrent that ran down with great Victory and Triumph the Emperour Charles the fifth thought good to oppose his zeal perhaps more ambitious of gaining Success to his arms than Provinces to the Pope so that with his Sword in his hand Tryumphing thorough Germany he conquer'd their Captains but not their Preachers he subdued their Soldiers but not their Consciences the Reformists increasing every day It was not Luther and Calvin only that oppos'd themselves against the abuses in the Church or that made themselves heads of the Religious and Reformists There were other persons that appear'd of greater learning of better extraction and of more eminence and credit Nevertheless the Popes of those times knew how to find a remedy and with most accurate diligence they hindred its growth crushing the Brat as it were in the Cradle And yet the Popes then had not so many thousands of men were not in that esteem amongst the Princes had not so many Cities and Provinces under their Dominion nor so many thousand Crowns to expend nor in short made use of their Spiritual and Temporal arms so easily And O God who is it that can dive into the secrets of Heaven or understand why the Church should in its poverty be able to oppose it self to the very face of its Persecutors and so weak and unable now the Popes are grown rich to put a stop to an inundation that sprang from so small a beginning Oh God why have the Popes that pretend to an universal Monarchy given place and submitted to too weak and unarmed men that their hearts should be able to endure to see themselves devour'd without so much as speaking a word that they should be contented to condescend though with shame rather than to contend with honour In this condition do things stand though it ought to be otherwise did not our experience teach us all this it would very hardly be believ'd did not example confirm our Faith our Faith would stagger to believe it did not our eyes behold the Enemies of Rome multiply'd daily and Rome it self neglected these relations would be counted false though they be never so true But let admiration cease when reason appears the minds of the faithful are disturb'd and wander in the very sight of that light that directs them Let all amazement cease seeing the cause of these evâ—s is so manifest He that would know why the Popes for so many ages have shewn themselves so zealous in defence of the Church that is committed to their custody let him go no further than Rome Let him visit the Coffers of the Popes and he shall see that and the reason why being really besotted and asleep notwithstanding their pretences of vigilance they have been this hundred and fifty years purging the Church of Christ of so many Persecutors to the great scandal of Christendome and the great derision of the Hereticks Before the said hundred and fifty years the Popes had no other thoughts than the espousing the interest of the Church so far have some of them been from preferring their own Families that they would sooner have expos'd all their Kindred to the greatest misfortune than in the least have been deficient in their Pastoral Cure As soon as they were sensible of any new Heresie that was broach'd they stirr'd up immediately zeal in their breasts and indignation in their hearts they united their Prayers sent Ambassadors every where and open'd their Treasures of Indulgences to the Reformists and of Gold to the Soldiers The people being fortify'd in this manner and the Princes excited they cheerfully drew their Swords against the Hereticks postponing their own to defend the interest of Christ They glory'd in exposing themselves to a thousand inconveniencies and disasters and to spend their bloods in the preservation of the Christian Faith They emptied their Chests of their Treasure to replenish the Flock of Christ They rais'd Armies of Christians to destroy the barbarous Enemies of Christendome And in a word they thought of nothing but following the example of those Bishops that follow'd the example of Christ But for these hundred and fifty years last past things have gone clear otherwise the Princes are grown cold the Infidels multiply'd the Hereticks increas'd the Credit of the Clergy diminish'd and the Church on all sides afflicted and why so because the Popes of Pastors of Christs Flock being become Monarchs of the Church have had no other thoughts but to make Princes of their Nephews casting off Gods Interest lest they should destroy the Interest of their Kindred History does shew us as the curious may observe in a hundred places and clearly evince that for the space of fifteen ages the Princes took a pride to spend their Treasure in opposition of those that oppos'd the Religion of Christ the reason that excited them was the example of the Popes who having but little gave all they had notwithstanding to the supply and reimbursement of those Princes that imploy'd theirs against the Enemies of Christ And in truth till within these fifteen hundred years the Emperours Kings Princes and Commonwealths did strive and contend to joyn themselves in Leagues with the Popes against the Hereticks and Infidels and rejoyc'd more to be acknowledg'd Defendors of the Faith and Persecutors of the Infidels with their Swords in their hands than Princes with their Scepters and the same glory the Popes took likewise not spending their dayes in pleasure in their Castle of Gondolfo nor strutting in their Gardens of Monte Cavallo but in solliciting and uniting the Princes in a League against the Infidels offering on their part for their supply not only to sell their Consecrated Vessels from their Altars but their very Clothes from their backs But how comes it things being thus manag'd that the Armes of the Christians advanc'd not victoriously to the farthest extremities of Asia How could Heresie reign so long if the Sword of
affairs This Cardinal may with maturity of years make a pass in the Conclave as well as any of the rest GIO. NICOLA CONTI is a Roman of an antient Family that has several times afforded illustrious persons to the Church and by whom it has been serv'd with all punctuality and honour This Lord has had several ordinary imployments and discharg'd himself indifferently well The greatest of his Offices was the Government of Rome which he began to exercise with great severity having declar'd to his Holiness himself that he would proceed in an exact way of Justice without partiality to any body But in a short time he had chang'd his opinion and was observ'd to follow other things instead of severity especially if any thing relating to the satisfaction of the Nephews was in debate for he was grown very carefull of giving them any disgust as complying in every thing there though with never so much injury to Justice Besides this he is thought to have been too indulgent to the recommendations of the Cardinals and Nobility of Rome that are his Friends and Relations at whose instances he has discharg'd several Prisoners that were more worthy to have been corrected Not that he can be charg'd with Bribery his hands are clean enough from that though he be none of the liberalest persons about the Court. It cannot be deny'd but there are several good qualities in him that may make him capable of being an Ornament to his Dignity although he fell into some frailties before he took the Prelacy upon him that are not worthy to be remembred though he be now prudent enough to make the goodness of his deportment satisfie for the evil that is past He fails not to endeavour to raise himself as much as he can and he takes that way that is most likely to give him reputation in the Conclave He deals with the French and the Spaniards so that when he is arrived at a competent age if there be occasion he may incline them both to be his Friends He has many Relations both Souldiers and Prelates that would not be at all offended to see him Pope Alexander had several reasons for his Creation but the chief was to fortifie his own Family by obliging of a person of so great Alliance in Rome he made him Cardinal with the Title of Santa Maria in Traspontina GIACOMO NINI of Siena has been scrambling after Honours and Offices from the time he took the Ecclesiastical habit upon him and has left no stone unturn'd to arrive at his designs His ambition put him forward so that he several times attempted to have been made Nuntio but his insufficiency was too well known at Court to succeed therein he having but little of the Politicks that are necessary to make a good Minister of State as failing often rather out of honesty than any thing else Yet he thinks himself able to deal with the greatest Politicians in Rome because he has a little smattering in Learning and an obliging way with his Complements and fair words which in reality signifie not much for he speaks oftner with his tongue than his heart because he has no great foundation of reason though he wants not some ordinary Maximes Alexander the 7th in consideration of his Country and other things made him Maggior domo of the Apostolical Pallace after he had honour'd him with other offices and finally created him Cardinal in his last Promotion but one with the Title of Santa Maria della pace which Promotion gave great disgust to the Cavalier della Ciaia Unckle to Chigi that at the same time pretended to the Cardinalship and seeing Nini preferr'd was ready to run mad But though Nini had scarce merits enough for a Cap yet he deserv'd more than Ciaia The report was at first that Cardinal Chigi was the person that had driven on the interest of Nini and made him a Cardinal but it appear'd afterwards that it proceeded from the meer pleasure and inclination of the Pope Before his death there happen'd some differences betwixt Chigi and Nini but by the interposition of the Conclave Chigi was oblig'd to reconcile himself with Nini after the best manner he could which he did When Cardinal Anthonio Barbarino went thorough France to the possession of his Arch-Bishoprick he left his Vineyard near San Pancratio to Cardinal Nini during his absence which gave the Spaniard great suspition that he was inclining to the interest of the French GREGORIO BARBARIGO a Venetian was created at the nomination of the State of Venice with the Title of San Tomaso in Parione Nor did the Pope make any difficulty in the Promotion of so worthy a person that had given continual testimonies of an excellent Prelate from the very time he first enter'd into the Ecclesiastical habit and has confirm'd them since by the exemplariness of his life free from those scandals that at present are so numerous in Rome Amongst the rest of his virtues which are considerable and proper for a person of his dignity one eminent one is his Cordial affection for his Countrey by which he obliges that wise Senate that is seldome ungrateful to continue a grateful correspondence with him upon all occasions After the death of Monsignour Giorgio Cornaro the Bishoprick of Padoa was conferr'd upon him which is one of the best Bishopricks I will not say in that State for they have no other like it but in all Italy and because his Predecessor being a great Cavalier and of one the most renowned Family in Venice had suffer'd some abuses to grow till they had obscur'd in great part the glory of the Clergy Barbarigo not being able to see so considerable a Church under such enormities he instituted a Congregation of pious and good Priests to reform them giving them ample authority to effect it This new manner of Congregation unknown to the rest of the Bishops was at first ill interpreted at Rome so that some envious people spake of it after a pungent and satyrical way but the Pope commended it much and exhorted them to follow so good an example The Clergy of Padoa that were dissolute and loose thought that resolution too severe but those of any Piety or Religion commended it to the Skyes In short this Cardinal was alwayes full of zeal both to his Church and to his Countrey PIETRO VIDONI of Cremona made up his fortunes not so much by the exemplarity of his life as by the subtlety of his wit His mind was alwayes inclinable â—o holy Orders and averse to Matrimony though not altogether free from such Carnal affections as are too common in the Clergy of our dayes In the beginning of his Prelacy he fell into certain little errours but he knew well enough how to excuse himself and to stop the mouths of all such as spake any thing to his prejudice In the beginning of Innocents Pontificate he was imploy'd in certain offices but they were of no considerable trust and though he
select persons of piety for the service of the Church and that he will fill up the Sacred Colledge with Cardinals illustrious by their Blood their Virtues and their Bounty THE ITALIAN PRINTER TO THE READER THE absence of the Author has been the occasion that certain little Errors if you will not Christen them great ones have slip'd in this Third Part. The truth is when the Author sent the Manuscript to my hands by one of his Friends we being at great distance from one another I promis'd to do my endeavour to Correct it and I was as good as my word doing all that I was able though my good will was above my abilities yet I believe there is scarce any Error to be found which your discretion may not correct in the reading and that is it I do most humbly intreat I am oblig'd also in the behalf of the Author to admonish that if you find any palpable Error in point of History you would dispence with it because the time was so short from the Composition to the Printing The curiosity and impatience of some persons made me snatch the Manuscript out of the hands of the Corrector and perhaps some of my Workmen printed some of them before he saw them at all I am to desire you likewise from the Author himself that you would not censure him that he has inserted into this Third Part some things which have been written by other men he believ'd he has done for the best and truly I am of opinion you will not say the contrary there being no reason a thing should be left out where it will stand well because it was in another place where perhaps it stood worse Your Bricklayers and your Writers are in my judgement alike or rather your Writers and your Bricklayers the Bricklayers think Old Materials much better to build with than New as finishing more exquisitely with a mixture of Old and New The Old is New to him that begins and the New is Old to him that finishes Whilst this whole Work was a Printing I gave it leaf by leaf to a Friend of mine very well vers'd in the greatest Curiosities to peruse He told me this Third Part was the best and more necessary to be publish'd than all the rest and I do easily perswade my self you will be of his opinion But you must read it impartially or it will scarce turn to accompt Have a care of doing as he did who read Books only to satisfie his Friend Yet in this Work I shall be oblig'd to you if you will correct the Errors of the Press as you go along The Conclave of Clement the 9th after which the Politick Aphorisms do follow was taken out of the hands of a Conclavist who indeed had no intention to publish them but only to shew it to his Friends I suppose it is conformable to the truth of the History being the person who collected it is very impartial I had two of them in my hands which I shew'd to a Friend of mine a Virtuoso and well skill'd in the Interests of the Court of Rome that he might judge which of the two were the best and most proper to be publish'd having kept them some dayes in his hands he return'd them both to me with his opinion in writing that this was to be preferr'd Those who know already how passages have gone may read it for Observation and those who know nothing for their Curiosity Of the Politick Aphorisms I shall say nothing because they carry their Subtilty and Excellence in the very Name of the Author Some would have had the Author taken pains to make a Table of the most Considerable Matters with reference to the several Pages but the Author did not think it convenient to lengthen it out unnecessarily with another Table seeing in every Book there was one large enough before However I have made an Index of some proper Names especially of the Cardinals and Popes but left out for the greater ease of the Reader some such Sirnames and Names as are many times multiply'd according to the necessity of the History If you find no satisfaction in this Cardinalisme you will find it perhaps in his EVROPA MORTA which the Author has promis'd a while ago and I do promise on my part to use my utmost endeavours to facilitate the Reading by a carefull and faithfull Correction of the Press May you live happy in the mean time and be as candid in Correcting the Errors as I am affectionate in declaring my self Your Servant Il CARDINALISMO di Santa Chiesa OF THE HISTORY OF CARDINALS In III. Parts PART III. BOOK I. The Contents In which is discours'd of the resemblance of the Church to a Ship and the reason why Of the City of Rome born to Lord it over other Nations Of what is requisite for the understanding of the Pontifical Election Of the age of Holiness in the Church Of the reasons why there were no difficulties in the infancy of the Church about the Election of Popes Of a Pidgeon that sate upon the head of Fabianus Romanus and made him be declar'd Pope The reason why Sanctity decay'd in the Church Of the felicity of Peace experimented by the Ecclesiasticks Of the introduction of Pride Of the Emperours and how little they regarded the Spiritual affairs of the Church Of a dissention at the Election of Pope Simacus Of certain scandals which sprang up during Pope Bonifaces vacancy of the See Of Pelagius Romanus and his succeeding of Virgilius Of certain Priviledges granted by the Pope to Attila King of the Goths call'd FLAGELLUM DEI. Of the authority assum'd by the Emperours in the Election of the Pope Of the Reception given by the Emperour to Constantine the first at Constantinople Of the great hatred Philippus call'd Bardono bore to the Pontifical Grandeur Of the Election of Pope Zachary a Grecian without any Communication with the Emperour Of the deposal of Chilperick by the Pope his being stripp'd of all Title to the kingdome of France and the reason wherefore Of the Emperours being declared excluded from all right in the Pontifical Election Of Berrha's the Widdow of Charlemains journey to Rome to demand justice of the Pope and of the success of her journey Of a particular alliance betwixt Charles the Great and the Pope Of a popular tumult that happen'd in Rome against the person of Pope Adrian Of the Creation of Pope Stephen by the people against the consent of the Emperour Of the Popes journey into France to clear himself to that King of the accusations against him Of the industry Pope Pascal us'd to increase his authority Of the Election of Eugenius the second a most eloquent man Of the threatnings of King Lewis against the Pope Of the reason why the Popes chang'd their Names at first Of the desire the Romans had to shake off the Yoke of the Empire Of two Popes successors to Adrian Of Adrian the third's Bull against the
607. in which time the Emperor Foca would needs create Boniface Pope in spight both of the major part of the Clergy and the People who rejected him as a person unworthy of so eminent a Dignity However Boniface express'd himself much more affectionate towards the Clergy and the People that were his adversaries than to the Emperor who would have elected him and the reason was because he saw what Authority the Emperors were usurping in the Pontifical Elections and therefore by new Orders and Decrees he confirm'd the Priviledges of the people commanding expresly that they should not for the future make any Election without the intervention of the People and Clergy to whom he gave Authority to do all The Emperors for all this did but laugh at their proceedings and betaking themselves again to the force of their comminations they asserted the Priviledges granted them by the Pelagiusses and would either by force or fair words make the Popes as they pleas'd Hence it was that Severus the second being chosen in the year 535. by the Clergy and the People and the consent of the Emperor also would not act any thing till he was confirm'd by Isacius the Emperors Lieutenant in Italy and all to publish how great the Authority of the Emperor was in the Election of the Popes And the pretenders to the Papacy observing the greatness of the Emperors Authority in the Elections almost all of them apply'd themselves to him for the obtaining of their designs In so much that in the year 688. one Pascal an Arch-priest and Treasurer to Conon who was then Pope did earnestly solicite John Platina at that time the Emperors Vicar in Italy and with great sums of money endeavour'd to oblige him upon the death of the present Pope to assist him in the succession Platina took his money and sent him away well pleas'd with his promises but the Pope being dead instead of assisting of Pascal he endeavour'd the promotion of another which was Sergius the first Yet it is certain had he found the Electors dispos'd he would have chosen him but the Clergy being wholly averse he would not undertake a thing he could not compass without dishonour seeing it was very well known what way Pascal had taken and what money he had consign'd to that purpose But the good Pascal no sooner saw Sergius in the Chair and himself without money and deluded but he did what he could to make the people rise against Sergius but without any effect This faculty of electing of Popes began to lessen in the time of Gregory who being Pope and a zealous assertor of the Ecclesiastical Liberty that he might render the Popedome more considerable he endeavour'd by an insurrection of all Italy against the Emperor then reigning to banish the Emperors of the East out of Italy and to that end he declar'd all such as yielded them obedience Excommunicate for the future and the people partly for fear of Excommunication and partly to set themselves at liberty declar'd themselves free and threatned with Armes in their hands to defend themselves to the last drop of their blood against whoever should endeavour the contrary and thus by the contrivance of Gregory were the Emperors of the East excluded from their Dominion in Italy Zachary a Grecian was chosen Pope in the year 743. by the Clergy and People only without any participation with the Emperor who was wholly excluded from the Election of the Pope And this exclusion continued till the year 760. in the time of Charles the Great and Adrian the first who entring into a League for several respects they granted many Priviledges one to the other viz. Adrian granted to Charles the Great the Title of MOST CHRISTIAN KING and CITIZEN OF ROME which was but a small business for an Emperor and King of France with power to call himself Roman Emperor and last of all Authority to interpose in the Election of Popes Charles the Great on the other side declar'd Adrian true and lawfull Prince of the City of Rome Patriarch of all Italy establishing the Empire of the Pope above all Empires and declaring his own inferiour to it There was but one Pope chosen by the consent of the Emperor and that was Leo the third after his death the Clergy and people in despight of the Priviledges granted to the Empire in regard of the Election of the Pope assembled themselves and created Stephen the fourth without attending the vote or assent of Lewis the Good who succeeded in the Empire after the death of Charles Lewis was disgusted at the Election and declar'd he would go in person to Rome and by force of Armes pull Stephen out of the Vatican and put another in his place as he thought good himself But Stephen having advertisement thereof prevented that mischief by going personally into France and in the presence of Lewis pretending to deposite all his Authority in the hands of the said Emperor which act of humility working upon the natural goodness of Lewis he confirm'd the Priviledges granted by Charles the Great and sent him back again to Rome with considerable Presents After the death of Stephen which was in the year 817. the people and the Clergy created Pascal the first without any notice given to the Emperor who made his complaints and threatned the Pope who was newly elected but he was perswaded to send two Legates in a solemn Embassie to make his excuse which they did so effectually that Lewis was not only satisfy'd with the Election of Pascal but remitted and renounc'd all the pretensions he had to the Election of the Popes It was not without difficulty that Lewis agreed to a thing of such prejudice to the Empire but at length his goodness prevail'd and he granted it In so much that as soon as Pascal was dead there arose great differences and disturbances betwixt the people and the Clergy but being grown more politick that the Emperor might not have occasion to put to his hand they endeavour'd to accommodate all by the choice of a third person which was Eugenius the second excluding Zinzimus for that time In the interim Lewis repented that he had given away his right of Election at the instance of Pope Pascal and therefore Pope Valentine the first being dead in the year 828. he sent to make his claim and to declare that if the next Pope was chosen without his consent he would not fail to bring his whole force into Italy to the detriment of Rome and the Electors especially But the Clergy and the people oppos'd those instances by shewing his Writing of Concession and without more circumlocution by common consent they elected Gregory the fourth who being fearfull of the Emperors indignation dispatch'd an Ambassador to him to desire his Confirmation but he could not obtain it till by Bull he had restor'd the Emperors to their former Prerogatives in the Elections which Gregory willingly consented to in compliance with the humour of the said Lewis
so that the number necessary to make up the two thirds be defective to him that had before suffrages enough in the Access or Adoration shall he remain Pope and may it be resolv'd in favour of 〈…〉 Pope created by Adoration and excluded by the Scrutiny 〈…〉 I answer in few words that this case having never happen'd in any Conclave there has been by consequence no occasion to decide it for it is not usual to determine of casâ—s before they fall out for my part I am of opinion if such a thing should be the Lords Cardinals would either create some Schisme amongst themselves or to prevent that Schisme would agree in favour of him who was elected by Adoration or Access seeing that both those wayes are decreed by several Popes sufficient and valid But yet this case cannot happen because the Adoration or Access being made all is confirm'd by giving open votes in the Scrutiny and perhaps that method is observ'd on purpose to avoid any sort of Schisme which might proceed from the contrary Another question was ask'd me not long since by a German Gentleman at Rome who was present in the Solemn Cavalcade on the Coronation of Clement the 9th and all the particulars of that Solemnity it being an antient custom for the Popes after they are created to be Crowned in Saints Peters Church by the hands of the Cardinal Deacon on which day also the ceremony of the Flax is observ'd which is thus they put a quantity of the finest Flax upon the end of a stick which is burnt in the presence of the Pope whilst one of the Assistants pronounces to him these words Sic transit gloria mundi Sanctissime Pater But this ceremony is modern and was thought convenient after the Popes began to degenerate from what they observ'd in the Primitive times Then the Pontificate was a trouble and an affliction to the Popes and an honour and reputation to Christianity whereas in these times 't is an honour to the Popes and a grievance to Christendome In short heretofore the Popedome was a Glory to the Church and a Martyrdome to the Pope but now 't is a Martyrdome to the Church and a Glory to the Pope And this ceremony imports no more than that if their Glory be past in this world they will go into another to receive the affliction prepar'd for them there for glorifying themselves so much in this But to return to the German he ask'd me if a Pope might exercise the authority which is given him by the Papacy before the ceremony of his Coronation and whether if it should happen that he dy'd before his Coronation he is to be understood a Legal Pope To which I made no great difficulty to answer yes for 't is clear the defect of a ceremony cannot abrogate a Law as those are exactly which create Popes by way of Scrutiny nay Adoration or Access The Creation of a Pope being a formal Law and the Coronation an external Ceremony only Vrban the 7th who liv'd as many dayes as there are Letters in these two words VRBANO SETTIMO dy'd before he was Crown'd and yet in the space of the thirteen dayes of his Papacy he establish'd certain Ordinances which have been punctually observ'd This Vrban having remitted to Cardinal Albano the sum of 3500 Roman Crowns which he was indebted to the Chamber for so much lent him by Sixtus the 5th there were some of the Cardinals no great friends to the said Albano did propoâ—e that he ought to be constrain'd to pay the money because as they pretended the Pope not being Crowned had no capacity to release it But the soberer of the Cardinals over-rul'd it in favour of Albano and the succeeding Pope would have all observ'd which was ordain'd by the said Vrban and certainly it is not to be maintain'd that if the Pope dyes before he be Crown'd he is no true Pope for he is a Legal Pope as soon as he is chosen in the Conclave and may act with as much freedom and authority as if he were Crown'd and to confirm this there are several Pontifical Bulls extant and one amongst the rest in which these words are to be found Vt is qui electus est in Apostolatum si juxta consuetudinem intronizare non valeat electus tamen sicut verus Papa ohtinet auctoritatem regendi R. Eccl. disponendi omnes facultates illius quod B. Gregorium ante suam Coronationem cognovimus fecisse c. Besides Clement 5. excommunicated all those who dare affirm that the Pope before his Coronation cannot do what he may do after it And although as some Lawyers will have it the Emperour before his Coronation by the Pope may administer and do whatever a true and lawful Emperour may do yet before his Coronation by the Pope he is not said to be absolutely Emperour but Emperour Elect whereas the Pope is call'd absolutely Pope and never Pope Elect though he be not Crown'd which is obvious in the words of Clement the 5th in one of the Extravagants in which the Case is discuss'd and the difference made clear why one should be call'd Emperour elect before his Coronation and the other absolutely Pope before his Some believe it arises from this reason because the Pope owns not any Superiour upon Earth but God in Heaven whereas the Emperour must acknowledge the Pope to be superiour to him but this is nothing but the flattery of the Ecclesiasticks because the Popes have been many times declar'd inferiour to Councels and Councels have many times deposed them and they that depose are certainly above them that are depâ—â—ed The Emperour 't is true confesses the Pope head of the Church of which he is but a Member but that does not conclude he is subject to him for the Pope cannot command him nor any other King in any thing but in certain general Cases as he does to the whole body of Christians But I shall pass now to other particularities of the Conclave In the Chapel of Sixtus the 1st and likewise in the Hall of the Consistory and if need be in the Royal Hall there are as many little Chambers built of little Beams of Wood nail'd together and laid a thwart as there are Cardinals alive every one of them 20 foot wide and 22 foot long about one foot distance from one another and no more having nothing but a small vacuity to part them these pieces of timber aloft are rais'd in a four square form like a Canopy supported at the four Corners by certain larger pieces of Timber Over every Chamber there is a letter of the Alphabet in order and because the Cardinals are many and more than the Lettess they are doubled once or twice as occasion requires Now whereas nine days together after the death of the Pope the Cardinals perform the Obsequies in Saint Peters Church on the tenth the Chamberlain in the presence of several Prelates puts the names of all the Cardinals written