because I cry aloud and tell the people of their crimes and the Sons of the Church of their sins and have laid violent hands upon me even unto blood For the Kings of the Earth stood up and the Princes of the World with some Ecclesiasticks and others have conspired against the Lord and me his Anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast their yoke from us and this they did that they might either kill or banish me Of these one was King Henry as they call him Henry I say Son to Henry the Emperour who exalted his horns and lifted up his heel too proudly against the Church of God in a conspiracy with many Bishops of Italy Germany and France whose ambition your authority has yet opposed This same person came to me in Lombardy when he was rather forced by necessity than sober in his resolutions and begg'd to be absolv'd from his Anathema and accordingly I receiv'd him because I thought him a Penitent but only admitted him to the Communion of the Church not restored him to his Kingdom from which I had justly expelled him in the Council at Rome nor did I give the Subjects of the Kingdom leave to pay him their former Allegiance And this I did that if he delay'd his reconcilement with the neighbouring Nations whom he had always vexed and should refuse to restore as well Ecclesiastical as Secular Estates according to his word he might be forc'd to his duty by Anathema's and Arms. Some Bishops of Germany made use of this opportunity as also certain Princes who had been long tormented by this wild beast thought fit to chuse Rodolphus for their King and Governour since Henry had lost his Throne by his flagitious actions And truly Rodolphus like a modest and just King sent Embassadours to let me know he was forced to take the Government into his hand though he was not so desirous of Dominion but that he would rather obey us than those that had chosen him to the Kingdom That he would always be at Gods and our disposal and that we might believe him he offered his Sons for hostages for his performance Thereupon Henry began to rage and first to desire us that we would use our spiritual Sword to depose Rodolphus I answered him That I would see who had most right and would send Agents thither to examine the matter and then I my self would judg whose cause was the juster Henry would not suffer our Legates to determine the matter but kill'd a great many men both Ecclesiastical and Laick plunder'd and prophan'd Churches and by this means made himself obnoxious to an Anathema Wherefore I trusting in Gods mercy and judgment in the patronage of the blessed Virgin and relying upon your Authority do lay Henry and his accomplices under a Curse and once more deprive him of his regal Power interdicting all Christians whom I absolve from all Oaths of Allegiance to him from obeying Henry in any case whatever but command 'em to receive Rodolphus as their King whom many Princes of the Realm have chosen since Henry was deposed For it is fit that seeing Henry is deprived of his Power for his pride and contumacy Rodolphus who is beloved by all should be invested with the Kingly power and dignity for his Piety and Religion Go to then ye Princes of the holy Apostles and confirm what I have 〈◊〉 by your authority that all men at last may know that if you can bind and loose in Heaven that We also upon Earth can take away and give Kingdoms Principalities Empires and whatsoever is in the possession of Mortals For if you can judg of things divine what may we think of things prophane here below And if you may judg of Angels that govern proud Princes what may you not do to their Servants Let all Kings and Princes of the World take notice by his example what you can do in Heaven how God esteems you and then let 'em not contemn the Decrees of the Church And I 〈◊〉 you suddenly to execute judgment upon Henry that all may see that son of Iniquity did not lose his Kingdom by chance but by your permission and consent And this I have requested of you that he may repent and be saved in the day of Judgment by the help of your prayers Given at Rome the 5th of March Indiction III. After that he degraded Gilbert the Author of all this discord and Schism from the Church of Ravenna and commanded all Priests belonging to that Church to pay no obedience to him who was the cause of all their misfortunes and therefore Anathematized And that the people might not want a Governour he imitated Peter who used to send 〈◊〉 in his own room upon occasion and sent 'em another Arch bishop with full power to extirpate Gilbert's Faction and confirm mens minds in the faith But then Henry who was rather provoked than chastized by these Censures and had taken the Bishop of Ostia then Legate as he return'd home called a Council of the disaffected Bishops and chose Gilbert formerly Arch-bishop of Ravenna Pope and called him Clement But being teazed by the 〈◊〉 he left his new Pope for a time and went against them where he engaged and received a great overthrow Rodolphus though he was Conquerour yet was found dead at a little distance of a wound which he received They say Henry was so affrighted at that bloody ingagement that he could scarce be found in seventeen days and that the Germans in the mean time had put his Son Henry in his room by the name of Henry IV. Both these coming after with an united Body of Men into Italy to settle their Pope Clement in the Pontificate and to turn 〈◊〉 Gregory they easily subdu'd Maude who came to meet 'em with a small Army This same Maude when her first Husband died not long before that time was married to Azo Marquis d'Este her former Husbands near kinsman by blood and related to her in the third degree of Affinity But when the matter was known she was divorced from Azo at Gregory's persuasion Henry having conquer'd Maude at Parma march'd to Rome and her Husband Azo after an hostile manner and pitch'd his Camp in the Prati di Nerone and going into the Borgo di Sancto Pietro he and his Pope Clement prophaned St. Peter's Church and demolish'd the Portico and did the like by St. Pauls But seeing he could not get into the City he went to Tivoli from whence as from a Castle he made daily incursions upon the Romans till by wasting all that came near him he reduced them to such necessity that they desired Peace upon any terms of which notice being given to Henry by some deserters who got out of the Town he drew his men up and entred in whereupon the Pope who could not trust the People betook himself into the Castle St. Angelo where he was besieged for some time they within maintaining the place stoutly Gregory's Nephew
especially Peter and John were look'd upon as utterly illiterate men Their manner of living was measur'd by the common Good none of them challenged any propriety in any thing and whatsoever Religious Oblation was laid at their feet they either divided it between themselves for the supply of the necessities of Nature or else distributed it to the Poor These Disciples had each of them his Province assigned to him to St. Thomas was allotted Parthia to St. Matthew Aethiopia to St. Bartholomew India on this side Ganges to St. Andrew Scythia and Asia to St. John who after a long series of toyl and care died during his abode at Ephesus But to St. Peter the chief of the Apostles were assigned Pontus Galatia Bithynia and Cappadocia who being by birth a Galilean of the City of Bethsaida the son of John and Brother of Andrew the Apostle sate first in the Episcopal See of Antioch for seven years in the days of Tiberius This Emperour was Son-in-law and Heir to Augustus and for the space of twenty three years his administration of the Government had so much of change and variety in it that we cannot reckon him altogether a bad or absolutely a good Prince He was a Man of great Learnning and weighty Eloquence his Wars he managed not in Person but by his Lieutenants and shew'd a great deal of Prudence in suppressing any sudden commotions Having by Arts of flattery enticed sevcral Princes to his Court he never suffered them to return home again as particularly among others Archelaus of Cappadocia whose Kingdom he made a Province of the Empire Many of the Senators were banish'd and some of them slain by him C. Asinius Gallus the Pleader son of Asinius Pollio was by his Order put to death with the most exquisite torments and Vocienus Montanus Narbonensis one of the same profession died in the Baleares whither Tiberius had confined him Moreover Historians tell us that that his Brother Drusus was poisoned at his command And yet upon occasion he exercised so much lenity that when certain Publicans and Governours of Provinces moved him to raise the publick taxes he gave them this Answer That a good Shepherd does indeed shear but not flay his sheep Tiberius dying C. Coesar who with a jocular reflection upon his education in the Camp had the surname of Caligula succeeded him in the Empire he was the son of Drusus son-in-law to Augustus and Nephew to Tiberius The greatest Villain in the World and one who never did any worthy Action either at home or abroad His Avarice put him upon all manner of Oppression his Lust was such that he did not forbear to violate the Chastity of his own Sisters and his cruelty was so great that he is reported oftentimes to have cryed out Oh! That all the people of Rome had but one Neck At his Command all who were under proscription were put to Death for having recalled a certain person from banishment and enquiring of him what the Exiles did chiefly wish for the man imprudently answering that they desired nothing more than the Death of the Emperour he thereupon gave order that every man of them should be executed He would often complain of the condition of his times that they were not rendred remarkable by any publick Calamities as those of Tiberius had been in whose Reign no less than 20000 men had been slain by the fall of a Theatre at Tarracina He express'd so much envy at the renown of Virgil and Livy that he was very near taking away their Writings and Images out of all the Libraries the former of which he would censure as a man of no Wit and little Learning the latter as a verbose and negligent Historian and it was his common by-word concerning Seneca That his Writings were like a rope of Sand. Agrippa the son of King Herod who had been cast into prison by Tiberius for accusing Herod was by him set at liberty and made King of Judoea while Herod himself was confin'd to perpetual banishment at Lyons He caused himself to be translated into the number of the Gods and ordered the setting up Images in the Temple of Jerusalem At last he was assaulted and slain by some of his own Officers in the third year and tenth month of his Empire Among his Writings were found two Rolls or Lists one of which had a Dagger the other a Sword stamp'd upon it for a Seal they both contain'd the Names and Characters of certain principal men both of the Senatorian and Equestrian Order whom he had design'd to slaughter There was found likewise a large Chest fill'd with several sorts of Poisons which being at the Command of Claudius Coesar not long after thrown into the Sea 't is reported that the Waters were so infected thereby that there died abundance of Fish which the Tide cast up in vast numbers upon the neighbouring shores I thought good to give this account of these Monsters of men that thereby it might the better appear that God could then have scarce forborn destroying the whole World unless he had sent his Son and his Apostles by whose bloud manking though equal to Lycaon in impiety was yet redeem'd from destruction In their times lived that St. Peter whom our Saviour upon his ackowledgment of him to be the Christ bespake in these words Blessed art thou Simon Bar Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven and Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Power of binding and loosing This Apostle being a Person of most unwearied industry when he had sufficiently setled the Churches of Asia and confuted the Opinion of those who maintained the necessity of Circumcision came into Italy in the second year of Claudius This Claudius who was Uncle to Caligula and had been all along very contumeliously treated and bussoon'd by his Nephew being now Emperor making an Expedition into Britain had the Island surrendred up to him an Enterprise which none before Julius Coesar nor any after Claudius durst undertake he also added the Isles of Orkney to the Roman Empire He banish'd out of the City of Rome the seditious Jews and suppress'd the tumults in Judoea which had been rais'd by certain false Prophets And while Cumanus was appointed by him Procurator of Judoea there were crush'd to Death in the Porches of the Temple of Jerusalem during the days of Unlcavened bread to the number of thirty thousand Jews At the same time also there was a great dearth and scarcity of provision throughout the whole World a Calamity which had been foretold by â—â—â—gabus the Prophet Being secure of any hostilities from abroad he finish'd the Aquaeduct that had been begun by Caligula whose ruines are yet to be seen in the Lateran He attempted also to empty the Lake Fucinus being prompted thereto by the hope of getting
quitting all hopes of gaining the City 〈◊〉 the Siege and returns to Milain Mauritius now began to treat Gregory more respectfully but it proceeded not from a voluntary but forc'd Repentance he having heard that a certain person in the habit of a Monk with a drawn Sword in his hand had proclaim'd aloud in the Market-place of Constantinople that the Emperour should in a short time die by the Sword The same was confirmed to him by a Dream of his own in which he saw himself his Empress and their Children murdered And accordingly not long after the Soldiers being discontented for want of Pay create Phocas who was a Centurion in the Army Emperour and Assassine Mauritius in the nineteenth year of his Reign But Gregory having added what Ornaments he could to the Churches in Rome and dedicated by the name of S. Agatha the Martyr the Church of the Goths in Suburra built by 〈◊〉 Ricimerius a man of Consular Dignity converted his Father's House into a Monastery wherein he received and entertained Strangers and supplyed with meat and drink the poor which from all parts slocked to it He was certainly a person every way praise-worthy whether we regard his Life and Conversation or his Learning or his Abilities in things both Divine and Humane Nor ought we to suffer him to be censured by a few ignorant men as if the ancient 〈◊〉 Buildings were demolish'd by his Order upon this pretence which they make for him lest Strangers coming out of Devotion to Rome should less regard the consecrated places and spend all their Gaze upon Triumphal Arches and Monuments of Antiquity No such reproach can justly be fastned upon this great Bishop especially considering that he was a Native of the City and one to whom next after God his Countrey was most dear even above his Life 'T is certain that many of those ruin'd Structures were devour'd by Time and many might as we daily see be pull'd down to build new Houses and for the rest 't is probable that for the sake of the Brass used in the concavity of the Arches and the conjunctures of the Marble or other square stones they might be battered and defaced not only by the barbarous Nations but by the Romans too if Epirotes Dalmatians Pannonians and other sorry people who from all parts of the World resorted hither may be called Romans Now Gregory having used all means to establish the Church of God died in the second year of the Emperour Phocas having been in the Chair thirteen years six months ten days and the loss of him being lamented by all men was buried in S. Peter's March 12. By his Death the See was vacant five months nineteen days SABINIANUS I. SABINIAN Gregorie's Successour deserv'd not to have the place of his Nativity remembred being a person of mean Birth and meaner Reputation and one who violently opposed the great things which his Predecessour had done Particularly there being a great 〈◊〉 during his Pontificate and the poor pressing him hard to imitate the pious Charity of Gregory he made them no other Answer but this That Gregory was a man who design'd to make himself popular and to that end had profusely wasted the Revenues of the Church Nay the ill-natured wretch arrived to such a degree of Rage and Envy against Gregory that he was within a very little of causing his Books to be burn'd Some tell us that Sabinian was at the instigation of some Romans thus highly incensed against Gregory because he had mutilated and thrown down the Statues of the Antients which had been set up throughout the City but this is a Charge as dissonant from truth as that of his demolishing the old Fabricks concerning which we have spoken in his Life and considering the Antiquity of these Statues and the casualties which might 〈◊〉 them and the designs which mens Covetousness or Curiosity might have upon them 't is fairly probable that they might be mangled or lost without Gregorie's being at all concern'd therein But to go on with Sabinian it was he who instituted the 〈◊〉 of Canonical hours for Prayer in the Church and who ordained that Tapers should be kept continually burning especially in the Church of S. Peter Some tell us that with the consent of Phocas a Peace was now made with the Lombards and their King Agilulphus's Daughter who had been taken Captive in the War restored to him At this time appeared divers Prodigies portending the Calamities which ensued A bright Comet was seen in the Air at Constantinople a Child was born with four feet and at the Island 〈◊〉 were seen two Sea-monsters in humane shape Some write that in the Pontificate of Sabinian John Patriarch of Alexandria and 〈◊〉 Bishop of Carthage both persons famous for Piety and Learning did wonderfully improve the Dignity of those Churches Moreover 〈◊〉 a very learned man and an intimate Friend of 〈◊〉 wrote very much against Vincent Bishop of Saragoza who had sallen off to the Arian Heresie he also wrote to his Sister a Book concerning Virginity entituled Aureolus But Sabinian having been in the Chair one year five months nine days died and was buried in the Church of S Peter By his Death the See was vacant eleven months twenty six days BONIFACE III. BONIFACE the third a Roman with much ado obtained of the Emperour Phocas that the See of S. Peter the Apostle should by all be acknowledged and styled the Head of all the Churches A Title which had been stickled for by the Church of Constantinople through the encouragement of some former Princes who asserted that the Supremacy ought to reside there where the Seat of the Empire was But the Roman Bishops alledged that Rome of which Constantinople was but a Colony ought to be accounted the chief City of the Empire since the Greeks themselves in their Writings styled their Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Emperour of the Romans and the Constantinopolitans even in that Age were called Romans not Greeks Not to mention that Peter the Chief of the Apostles bequeathed the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven to his Successours the Bishops of Rome and left the Power which God had given him not to Constantinople but to Rome This only I say that several Princes and particularly Constantine had granted to the Roman See only the priviledg of calling and dissolving Councils and of rejecting or confirming their Decrees And does not a Church which has with so much integrity and constancy bastled and 〈◊〉 all manner of Heresies as the Roman See hath done deserve think you the preference of others The same Boniface in a Synod of 〈◊〉 two Bishops thirty Presbyters and three Deacons ordained that upon pain of Excommunication no person should succeed in the place of any deceased Pope or other Bishop till at least the third day after the death of his Predecessour and that whoever should by Bribes or by making of Parties and Interests endeavour to raise themselves to the
Picture in the Vatican back into the City a Mule which was in the way belonging to Peter Barbus Cardinal of S. Mark 's was throng'd to death and two hundred Men and three Horses trodden to Dirt and suffocated in the crow'd upon the Bridg near S. Angelo Besides many that fell from the sides of the Bridg into the River and perish'd in the Water It is certain there were one hundred thirty six buried upon that occasion in S. Celsus's and the rest carried to Campo Sancto Hereupon Pope Nicolas who was heartily sorry for them pull'd down certain little Cottages that straighten'd the way to the Bridg and spent most of that Year in Processions daily visiting one noted Church or other whither he was attended by all the Cardinals He likewise took care that though there were such a vast number of people yet they should want nothing that was necessary for them nor was he wanting with Curses and Guards to deter High-way Men from molesting those Strangers that came to the City at that time The next year he heard that Frederick the Emperour was coming to the City to receive his Imperial Crown and to marry Leonora Daughter to the King of Portugal and Alphonso's Niece wherefore he fortified the Gates and Towers of the City as also the Castle of S. Angelo as well as he could out of fear I suppose lest the Emperour 's coming should make some new commotion there he being naturally very timorous For that reason he call'd all his Forces to Rome and to oblige the People chose thirteen Senators to govern the thirteen Wards of the City and gave 'em thirteen Scarlet Gowns The Emperour upon his arrival was met by thirteen Cardinals with all the Nobility and Magistracy of the City and having passed the Castle gate was saluted at S. Peter's by the Pope himself by whom he was conducted into the Church with his Empress Leonora whom he had met at Siena lately arrived out of Spain upon March 9. 1452. And from thence after Mass said they departed and lodg'd in that House which stands by S. Peter's Stairs to this day though it looks better than it did because it was beautified at the cost and charge of the Cardinal of Constance For some days after the Pope said Mass in his own Person and blessed the Emperour and Empress after the usual manner at Weddings before the Bridegroom lies with his Bride and presented them with the Crown Imperial upon the eighteenth of that month in the same place As the Emperour was going after his Coronation to S. John's he made several Knights upon the Bridg at S. Angelo Then he and his Empress went into Naples to see King Alphonso by whom he was receiv'd with all splendour and magnificence and afterward returning to Rome by Sea he took his Journey immediately for his own Countrey because he heard that some Princes in Germany and Hungary were upon new Designs on the behalf of King Ladislaus a fine young Gentleman whom he had brought along with him When he departed two Cardinals attended upon him several miles that is to say the Cardinal of Bologna who was the Pope's Brother and Carvagialla Cardinal of S. Angelo Now when the Emperour was gone the Venetians raised a great Army and march'd into Cremona where they spoil'd all they came near besieging Soncio and the adjacent Towns which they not long after took together with some Troops of Horse that fell into their hands because Francis had not his Men ready so soon as he should have had But after that when Lewis Gonzaga his Friend and Ally came up he went into Brescia and brought the Venetians to such an extremity that they durst not venture out of their Fens to fight in the open Campaigne For that reason the Venetians were willing to protract the time as placing all their hopes of Victory in delays because they thought Francis could not hold out long at such a charge for want of Money They likewise hoped that the Millaineses would think of their Liberty which he had lately extorted from them and whilst Francis was engaged in such an important War endeavour to shake off the yoke of servitude by some new commotions Ferdinand at this time by the command of his Father Alphonso marched into Tuscany with about eight thousand Horse and four thousand Foot against the Florentines and when he had tempted Cortona to rebel he took Foiano a Town near Arezzo after forty days Siege with the loss of a great many Men on both sides He march'd from thence into Siena and after he had vainly attempted the taking of Castellina he fell down into the Sea-coast of Siena to Winter but took some Castles from those of Volaterra by the way Sigismund Malatesta who was General of the Florentine Army observ'd his motions all along with Design to take an opportunity of doing his business the more successfully But the Florentines fearing the Power of Alphonso and the Venetians both by Sea and Land resolv'd with the consent of Francis to call in forein Aid and upon that account they sent Angelus Accioiolus a Knight their Envoy into France who recounting the continual kindnesses between the Florentines and that Crown induced him to command the Duke of Savoy and the Grisons that had taken up Arms against Francis not to injure the Friend and Ally of the Florentines either by word or deed if they would have him their Friend He also persuaded Renatus to accept of his assistance by Men and Money in order to retrieve the Kingdom of Naples from whence he had been expelled by Alphonso seeing the King was at that time engaged in the Florentine Wars After this Embassy the Florentines and Francis grew so prosperous that the Venetians were glad to make Peace their Army which they had sent against the Prince of Mantua under the command of Charles Gonzaga being routed not far from Godio This Army had been raised and dispatch'd away under Gonzaga to hinder the Mantuan and Brandoline who were bringing together Forces for the service of Sforza from joyning with him by which means he would have easily been able to overcome their less powerful Army under Gentilis Carviagalla came the year before to the Armies to make Peace between them in the name of Nicolas but went away without any satisfaction calling both God and Man to witness it was not long of Nicolas that a Peace was not setled in Italy but that he was desirous it should be so that War might be made against the Turks by the unanimous consent of Christendom For he had heard that the Turks were making preparations against Constantinople and therefore sent Cardinal Ruten thither who was a Constantinopolitan born to promise the Emperour and the Citizens his Assistance if they would return to the Catholick Church as they had promised in the Council of Florence In the mean time Renatus who was desirous to recover the Kingdom of Naples in order whereunto Francis and the Florentines
of which was consented unto by his Majesty and summoned to meet the first of October following Thus far concerning the Regale we have extracted in short by way of Epitome from the Treatise of Dr. Burnet on that Subject Now as to what follow'd The Assembly met at the time appinted at the opening of which the Bishop of Meaux preached a most Eloquent Sermon with much applause After which the point of the Regale was put to the question and argued learnedly on both sides and in conclusion the greatest part were of Opinion that the Right unto the Regalia were inherent in the Crown and that the pretensions thereunto were Usurpations by the Church as appears by this following Declaration The Declaration of the Clergy of the Gallican Church concerning the Ecclesiastical Power We the Arch-Bishops and Bishops Representatives of the Gallican Church being by command of his Majesty assembled at Paris together with others of the Clergy in the same manner delegated with us after long debate and mature consideration have thought fit to declare and determine these several particulars following 1. First That a Power is given by God to St. Peter and his Successours who are the Vicars of Christ and to the Church to order and regulate all Spiritual matters but not to intermeddle in Civil or Temporal matters according to that saying of our Lord My Kingdom is not of this World And again Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods And agreeable hereunto is that of the Apostle Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers which are are ordained of God and whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God Wherefore Kings and Princes by the Law of God are not liable in Temporal matters to the Ecclesiastical Power nor by the Power of the Keys can they be Deposed either directly or indirectly or can their Subjects be absolved from their Fealty and Obedience to them or from their Oaths of Allegiance the which we confirm and determine as principles not onely necessary for conservation of the publick peace and tranquillity but for the better government of the Church and as truths agreeable to the Word of God the tradition of the Fathers and to the example and practise of Saints and Holy Men. 2. Secondly That the Apostolical See and the Successours of St. Peter who are the Vicars of Christ have a full and plenary power in all Spiritual matters in such manner as is given to them by the Holy Oecumenical Synod of Constance which is received by the Apostolical See and in such manner as hath been confirmed by the constant use and practise of the Popes of Rome and the whole Church and observed by the Religion of the Gallican Church and decreed by the Authority of the General Councils in the fourth and fifth Sessions And the Gallican Church doth condemn the Opinions of those who esteeming those Decrees of doubtful Authority do endeavour to restrain them to certain times of Schism and to invalidate the present power thereof 3. Thirdly Hence it is that the 3d exercise of the Apostolical power is to be regulated by Canons established by the Spirit of God and thereunto all the World is to bear respect and Reverence Likewise the Rules Manners and Institutions received by the Kingdom and Church of France as also the customs of our Forefathers are to remain unalterable the which is a clear demonstration of the greatness of the Apostolical See that the Statutes and Ordinances thereof are established and confirmed by and with the consent of the Churches 4. Fourthly In questions of Faith the Pope is Chief Judg and his Decrees extend themselves to the Churches in general and to every one in particular nor can his judgment be repealed unless by the consent and determination of the Universal Church 5. Fifthly These particulars received from the Doctrine of our Fore-fathers we have by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Decreed to send unto all the Gallican Churches and the Bishops presiding over them And we do all concur in the same sence and meaning of them Subscribed by Arch-Bishops and Bishops and Clergy as before related and registred as required by the King's Attorney General March 23. 1682. The Pope who during his Reign had not as yet assumed any to the degree of Cardinal to supply the places of those who were dead the College was diminished twenty six in their number which when the Pope considered and that old Men were every day dying and falling off he was inspired to replenish the places with a supply of sixteen new Cardinals which were these that follow 1. John Baptista Spinola of sixty seven years of Age a Genoese who was Governour of Rome and Secretary of the Congregation of Regulars 2. Anthony Pignatelli a Napolitan of sixty six years of age Bishop of Lecca and Master of the Pope's Chamber 3. Stephen Brancaccio a Napolitan of sixty four years of age 4. Stephen Agostini of sixty five years of age Arch-Bishop of Heraclea and Datary to the Pope 5. Francis Bonvisi of Luca aged sixty three years Arch-Bishop of Thessalonica and Nuntio residing at Vienna 6. Savo Mellini a Roman aged thirty seven years Arch-Bishop of Cesarea and Nuntio in Spain 7. Frederick Visconti of Milan aged sixty three Auditor of the Rota and Arch-Bishop of Milan 8. Marco Gallio of Como aged sixty nine years Bishop of Rimini and Vice-gerent of Rome 9. Flaminio del Tayo of Siena aged eighty years Auditor of the Rota and Chief Penitentiary 10. Raymond Capizucchi a Roman aged sixty nine years Master of the Palace 11. John Baptista de Luca a Napolitan aged sixty four years Auditor to the Pope 12. Laurentio Brancati of Laurea in Calabria aged sixty four years Library-keeper of the Vatican 13. Vrbano Lacchetti of Florence aged forty four years Auditor of the Apostolical Chamber 14. John Francisco Ginetti a Roman aged sixty years Treasurer of the Apostolical Chamber 15. Benedict Pamfilio aged twenty eight years Grand Prior of Rome 16. Michael Angelo Ricci aged sixty five years Secretary of the Congregation of Indulgences The other ten Hats remaining were kept in the hand of the Pope for a reserve wherewith to gratifie Kings and Princes whensoever they should desire to have some of their own Creatures preferred to that Dignity All the sixteen preceding Cardinals took their promotion very patiently and without much reluctancy excepting Tayo who was eighty years of age and Ricci both which made some modest refusals as unworthy of that great honour but the Pope instantly constraining them they with humility submitted And here it is observable that this Pope is not very forward to create Cardinals but rather inclinable to lessen and reduce their number which of late years hath increased to that degree as to become a burthen to the Church But to return unto the Assembly at Paris which after many Debates and deliberate
should succeed him a Right for ever to chuse a Successour and certainly he could not mean a Successour to the Kingdom of Germany which was hereditary and independent of the Roman See and therefore it can onely have reference to the Imperial Dignity Now whereas by the decease of Otho the 3d. who died without issue this Right of the Emperour devolved to the States who succeeded to the Sovereign Authority for it is a sure Maxim That the King cannot die they therefore challenged and appropriated to themselves the same Right of chusing Emperours the which afterwards they resigned and transferred to the seven Electors who exercise the same power unto this day three of which viz. Mentz Triers and Colen are Ecclesiasticks being Arch-bishops and Arch-Chancellours to shew and keep in remembrance that the Ecclesiastical State had once a Right in the Election of Emperours But Historians are so much at variance in this point and relate it with such variety that we shall not search farther into this matter but proceed to our purpose of the Election of Popes and of the formality therein used in this Age. We have in our foregoing Discourse mentioned that Popes were antiently chosen by the Nobility Clergy and people of Rome which was certainly the Original Custom Though the Book of the Sacred Ceremonies used in the Church of Rome tells us That St. Peter named Clemens for his Successour provided that it might so seem good to the Senators of the Roman Church that is to the Presbyters of which St. Peter had constituted a College of twenty four before his death with power and Authority to decide and determine all matters of difficulty arising in the Church The which Presbyters having little or no regard to the nomination and appointment of St. Peter chose Linus and after him Cletus and then Clemens succeeded who was rather recommended than chosen by St. Peter that so it might more plainly appear that Popes had not a Right to Elect their Successours for if that priviledg was denied to St. Peter much more ought it to be unto those who succeeded him These twenty four Presbyters were in the time of Pope Sylvester the first called Cardinals that is Princes in the Church on whom Innocent the 4th at the Council of Lions bestowed the red Hat as a mark and badg of their Dignity afterwards Schisms and Dissentions arising amongst the Senators the Clergy and people of Rome were admitted to be present at the Election but to have no Voice or Suffrage therein afterwards the force and violence of the people was such that they would have a Voice and concur with others in their Votes This popular way of Election caused such heats and disturbances that the Emperours were constrained for keeping the peace to interpose by their Authority and to Order that no Election should stand good until it was confirmed by the Imperial approbation The Kingdom of the Lombards being overthrown in the year 776. the Roman Empire was translated from the Greek to the German Princes and then Charles the Great assumed and exercised this power of Electing or what is all one the confirming of Popes Afterwards a Series of pious Emperours succeeding and considering that the Supreme Bishop was Instituted and Ordained by Christ himself to be a Shepherd to the Emperour as well as to feed his other Flock and to purge and spiritually to judg them they renounced the power of confirming Popes and entirely transferred it to the Roman Presbyters the Clergy and the people This popular manner of Election produced parties Schisms and contentions which often broke forth into bloud and wounds so that there was scarce a Regular Election for a long time the strongest always possessing the Chair until he was subverted by another more powerful than himself so that in the space of few years nine several Men seized on the Papal Chair namely Benedict the 9th Sylvester the 3d. Gregory the 6th Clement the 2d Damasus the 2d Leo the 2d Victor the 2d Stephen the 9th and Benedict the 10th To which last Nicolas the 2d succeeding a person of unparallel'd Sanctity and Wisdom did in the year 1051. study to cure and prevent these riotous courses for the future which upon the choice of every Pope were ready to bring and precipitate every thing into confusion For a Remedy whereunto he established a Law which was afterwards confirmed by the Council of Lateran that the election of the Popes should entirely rest and remain in the power of the Cardinals the which Law or Canon was afterwards confirmed by Alexander the 3d. and by Gregory the 10th in the Council of Lions and at Vienna by Clement the 6th The which happy Constitution hath tended much to the peace and quiet of the Church and as a Rule hereof Alexander the 3d. instituted at a General Council that he onely should be esteemed to have been canonically elected who had obtained his Choice by at least two Thirds of the College of Cardinals This power of Election hath ever since that time rested in the power of the Cardinals who after the Octaves appointed for solemnizing the Funerals of the deceased Pope have on the 9th or 10th day entered the Conclave in order to a new Election The Conclave is for the most part held at the Vatican Palace where in a long Gallery are erected small Apartments or Cells made of boards covered with purple Cloth for every Cardinal which place is appointed for the more convenient conference each with other to every Cardinal is allowed no more than two Servants which are called his Conclavists unless in case of sickness or other infirmity when three may be admitted The Cardinals being entered the Conclave is strictly guarded with the City Militia to hinder all commerce and intercourse of Letters from without The Gallery also is very closely watched being kept by a Master of the Ceremonies so that when the Cardinals have their Dishes served up to them they are visited and inspected by him lest any Letters or Advices should be concealed within the Meat According to this first Institution the Cardinals have a free use of several dishes of Meat for the first three days and whilst they are eating or doing any thing else in their Cells the outward Curtains are to be open and undrawn unless in the Night when they sleep or at other times that they take their repose when great care is taken that no undecent noise or disturbance be given It hath been accustomary of late years for the Cardinals to premise certain particular points and Articles necessary and convenient for the better government of the Church which are subscribed by the whole Community and every one takes an Oath to observe them in case he should prove to be the person chosen and promoted to the Pontifical Dignity After which matters are performed they proceed to an Election There are three ways by which Popes are chosen namely by Scrutiny by Access or
in a different manner depend on the Court France hath no great Obligation or dependency upon Rome unless it be in some respects to the privileges of the Gallican Church But Spain is engaged in a kind of Partnership with Rome in Government and Jurisdiction and is beholden thereunto for a great part of its Revenue The Income of the Crusada granted by the Popes to the Kings of Spain is one of the chief branches of the Royal Revenue The Tribunals of the Inquisition are absolutely constituted by the Ecclesiastical Authority which gives such an unlimited power to the Nuntios Judges and Officers of the Pope within the Catholick Dominions as doth very much eclipse and diminish the greatness of that Monarch whereunto when we add the Tribute yearly paid by that King to the Pope for the Kingdom of Naples it seems as if they two held the reins of Government in partnership together onely with this difference that though the Pope hath intermixt his power with the Temporal yet the King dares not interpose in matters Ecclesiastical Hence we may see how dangerous it is for Kings to admit Partners with them in their Thrones Never was the Monarchy of Spain more abased and rendered inglorious than when the Inquisition was set up and an other power introduced to allay and attemper the Sovereign Authority wherefore France having no need of such dependencies hath always kept up and asserted the Right of Monarchy not suffering it to be debased by the Concessions of Regalia or other mean Compliances And indeed how much more happy now is the Crown of Great Britain than in the time of King John who was forced to yield that of England to the Pope and his Successours and how considerable and flourishing hath it been since it hath disowned all dependencies on forein power either in Church or State in defence of which may His Sacred Majesty King James the Second who is the Supreme Moderator and Governour thereof upon Earth live long and Reign happily and when it shall please the King of Kings to translate Him from a fading to an Immortal Crown there may never fail one of his Royal Line to sit upon His Throne and defend His Loyal People against all the Encroachments and Usurpations of forein Jurisdiction An Alphabetical TABLE OF THE POPES Whose Lives were written by B. Platina A ADeodatus Pag. 114 Adrian I. 145 II. 169 III. 172 IV. 240 V. 281 Agapetus I. 90 II. 183 Agatho 117 Alexander I. 15 II. 206 III. 242 IV. 269 V. 341 Anacletus 12 Anastasius I. 66 II. 83 III. 179 IV. 240 Anicetus 21 Anterus 33 B Benedict I. 97 II. 120 III. 166 IV. 177 V. 186 VI. 188 VII 189 VIII 196 IX 199 X. 204 XI 298 XII 310 Boniface I. 72 II. 89 III. 102 IV. 103 V. 105 VI. 174 VII 189 VIII 294 IX 330 C Caius 43 Calistus I. 28 II. 231 III. 383 Celestine I. 73 II. 236 III. 252 IV. 265 V. 293 Christopher 178 Clemens I. 11 II. 201 III. 251 IV. 275 V. 299 VI. 312 Cletus 9 Conon 122 Constans Constantine 128 Cornelius 35 D Damasus I. 61 II. 201 Deus-dedit 104 Dionysius 40 Donus I. 115 II. 188 E Eleutherius 24 Euaristus 14 Eugenius I. 112 II. 155 III. 238 IV. 357 Eusebius 48 Eutychianus 42 F Fabianus 34 Felix I. 41 II. 59 III. 80 Formosus 173 G Gelasius I. 81 II. 228 Gregory I. 99 II. 130 III. 134 IV. 157 V. 192 VI. 200 VII 207 VIII 250 IX 260 X. 278 XI 320 XII 339 H Hadrian V. Adrian  Hilarius 78 Honorius I. 196 II. 233 III. 258 IV. 288 Hormisda 85 Hyginus 19 I Innocent I. 68 II. 234 III. 254 IV. 265 V. 280 VI. 315 VII 336 John I. 86 II. 90 III. 95 IV. 109 V. 121 VI. 125 VII 127 VIII 165 IX 170 X. 176 XI 180 XII 182 XIII 184 XIV 187 XV. 190 XVI 191 XVII ibid. XVIII 193 XIX 195 XX. ibib XXI 198 XXII 282 XXIII 305 XXIV 343 Julius I. 56 L Landus 179 Leo I. 76 II. 119 III. 149 IV. 162 V. 177 VI. 181 VII 182 VIII 186 IX 202 Liberius 56 Linus 7 Lucius I. 37 II. 237 III. 247 M Marcellinus 44 Marcellus 47 Marcus 55 Martin I. 111 II. 171 III. 183 IV. 285 V. 347 Miltiades 49 N Nicolas I. 167 II. 205 III. 283 IV. 290 V. 373 P Paschal I. 154 II. 220 Paul I. 141 II. 401 Pelagius I. 94 II. 98 S. Peter 1 Pius I. 20 II. 389 Pontianus 31 R Romanus 175 S Sabinianus 101 Sergius I. 123 II. 160 III. 178 IV. 196 Severinus 108 Simplicius 79 Sisinnius 128 Sixtus I. 16 II. 39 III. 74 Soter 23 Stephen I. 38 II. 138 III. 142 IV. 153 V. 172 VI. 174 VII 181 VIII 183 IX 204 Sylverius 91 Sylvester I. 50 II. 194 III. 199 Symmachus 84 Syricius 64 T Telesphorus 18 Theodore I. 110 II. 175 U Valentine 157 Victor I. 25 II. 203 III. 215 Vigilius 92 Vitalianus 113 Vrban I. 30 II. 216 III. 248 IV. 273 V. 319 VI. 323 X Xistus V. Sixtus Z Zacharias 136 Zephyrinus 26 Zozimus 70 A TABLE Of those POPES Names whose Lives are written in the Continuation A A Drian VI. created Pope Jan. 9. 1522. Page 40 Alexander VI. created Pope August 11. 1492. p. 12. Alexander VII created Pope April 7. 1655. p. 320 C Clement VII created Pope November 19. 1523. p. 46 Clement VIII created Pope January 30. 1592. p. 211 Clement IX created Pope June 20. 1667. p. 344 Clement X. created Pope April 29 1670. p. 357 G Gregory XIII created Pope May 13. 1572. p. 163 Gregory XIV created Pope December 15. 1590. p. 207 Gregory XV. created Pope Feb. 21. 1621. p. 267 I Innocent VIII created Pope August 29. 1684. p. 8 Innocent IX created Pope October 29. 1591. p. 210 Innocent X. created Pope September 15. 1644. p. 293 Innocent XI created Pope September 21. 1676. p. 376 Julius II. created Pope November 1. 1503. p. 20 Julius III. created Pope Febr. 17. 1550. p. 88 L Leo X. created Pope March 11. 1513. p. 29 Leo XI created Pope April 1. 1605. p. 225 M Marcellus II. created Pope April 9. 1555. p. 107 P Paul III. created Pope October 12. 1534. p. 67 Paul IV. created Pope May 23. 1555. p. 109 Paul V. created Pope May 16. 1605. p. 227 Pius III. created Pope Septemb. 22. 1503. p. 19 Pius V. created Pope Decemb. 24. 1559. being Christmas Eve p. 119 Pius IV. created Pope January 7. 1566. p. 157 S Sixtus IV. created Pope August 9. 1471. p. 1. Sixtus V. created Pope April 24. 1585. p. 172 U Urban VII created Pope September 15. 1590. p. 205 Urban VIII created Pope August 6. 1623. p. 271 THE LIVES OF THE BISHOPS and POPES OF ROME S. PETER the Apostle AFTER the Death and Resurrection of Christ and the Completion of the days of Pentecost the Disciples received the Holy Ghost and being filled with the Spirit they published the wonderful works of God in divers Tongues though most of them
only in Christ. But these Seducers at the Instance of Honorius who was very diligent to reclaim Heraclius were afterwards banished And Honorius having now some respite from other cares by his Learning and Example proved a great Reformer of the Clergy The Church of S. Peter he covered with Brass taken out of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus repaired that of S. Agnes in the Via Nomentana as appears by an Inscription in Verse therein and likewise that of S. Pancras in the Via Aurelia built those of S. Anastasius S. Cyriacus seven miles from Rome in the Via Ostiensis and S. Severinus in Tivoli all which he made very stately and adorn'd with Gold Silver Porphyry Marble and all manner of Ornamental workmanship He repaired also the Coemetery of SS Marcellinus and Peter in the Via Labicana and was at the charge of building other Churches besides those before-mentioned Moreover he ordained that every Saturday a Procession with Litanies should be made from S. Apollinaris to S. Peter's But having been in the Chair twelve years eleven months seventeen days he died and was buried in the Church of S. Peter October the 12th By his death the See was vacant one year seven months eighteen days SEVERINUS I. SEVERINUS a Roman Son of Labienus being chosen in the place of Honorius deceased was confirmed therein by Isaacius Exarch of Italy the Election of the Clergy and People being at this time reckoned null and void without the Assent of the Emperours or their Exarchs Now Isaacius having made a Journey to Rome upon the occasion of confirming this Pope that he might not lose his labour fairly sets himself to plunder the Lateran Treasury being assisted in that attempt by several Citizens though he were resisted for a time but in vain by the Clergy of that Church the principal of which he afterwards banished The ground of this Action was Isaacius's Resentment that the Clergy alone should grow rich without contributing to the Charge of the Wars especially at a time when the Soldiers were reduc'd to the greatest want and extremity Part of the spoil he distributed among the Soldiers part he carried away with him to Ravenna and of the rest he made a Present to the Emperour Those of the Saracens who had been listed by Heraclius being discontented for want of Pay march'd into Syria and made themselves Masters of Damascus a City subject to the Empire Then joyning with the other Arabians and being furnished with Provisions and Arms and heated by Mahomet's Zeal they over-run Phoenicia and Egypt and put to the Sword all those who refused to subscribe to their Government and Mahomet's Religion Advancing thence against the Persians and having slain Hormisda the Persian King they ceased not to commit all manner of outrages upon that People till they had entirely reduced them to subjection But Heraclius having intelligence of what work these Saracens made especially upon their taking of Antioch and searing that they might possess themselves of Jerusalem it self which they not long after did took care to have the Cross of our Saviour conveyed to Constantinople that it might not again come into the hands of the Agarens for so the Greeks in contempt call the Arabians as descending from Agar Abraham's Servant But Mahomet as we are told dying at Mecha was succeeded in the Command by Calipha and he by Hali who being laid aside for his being too superstitious the Egyptians make another Calipha their Commander 'T is said also that to complete the Calamities of the Roman Empire Sisebute King of the Goths did at this time recover out of the hands of the Romans all the Cities of Spain and so a period was put to the Roman Government in that Countrey As for 〈◊〉 who was a person of extraordinary Piety and Religion a Lover of the Poor kind to those in affliction liberal to all and in adorning of Churches very munificent having been in the Chair one year two months he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church August the 2d The See was then vacant four months twenty days JOHN IV. JOHN the fourth a Dalmatian Son of Venantius entring upon the Pontificate forthwith expressed a wonderful Compassion in employing the remainder of the Treasury of the Church which Isaacius had left behind him for the redemption of a multitude of Istrians and Dalmatians who had been taken Captive In the mean time Rhotaris who succeeded Arioaldus in the Kingdom of Lombardy though he were a person eminent for Justice and Piety yet became a Favourer of the Arians and permitted that in every City of his Kingdom there should be at the same time two Bishops of equal Authority the one a Catholick and the other an Arian He was a Prince of great Parts and reduc'd the Laws which Memory and Use alone had before retain'd methodically into a Book which he ordered to be called the Edict His Excellency in Military Skill appear'd in that he made himself Master of all Tuscany and Liguria with the Sea-coast as far as Marseille But in the sixth year of his Reign he died and 〈◊〉 the Kingdom to his Son Rhodoaldus 'T is reported that a certain Priest entring by night into the Church of S. John Baptist and there opening the Tomb in which the Body of Rhotaris lay rob'd it of all the things of value with which the Bodies of Kings are wont to be interred Hereupon John Baptist a Saint to whom Rhotaris had been in his life-time very much devoted appear'd to the Priest and threatned him with Death if he ever entred his Church again The like happened even in our times to Cardinal Luigi Patriarch of Aquileia whose Sepulchre was broke open and pillaged by those very men whom he himself had enriched and raised from a mean condition to the Sacerdotal Dignity Rhodoaldus entring upon the Government of the Kingdom marries Gundiberga the Daughter of Queen Theudelinda who imitating her Mother's Devotion built and richly adorned a Church in Honour to S. John Baptist at Terracina in like manner as Theudelinda had done at Monza But Rhodoaldus being taken in Adultery was slain by the Husband of the Adulteress Successour to him was Aripertus Son of Gudualdus and Brother of Queen Theudelinda he built our Saviour's Chappel at Pavia and very much beautified and plentifully endowed it Pope John fearing now lest the Bodies of Vincentius and Anastasius might sometime or other be violated by the barbarous Nations took care to have them safely conveyed to Rome and with great Solemnity reposited them in the Oratory of S. John Baptist near the Baptistery of the Lateran We are told that in his Pontificate Vincentius Bishop of Beauvais and Muardus Arch-bishop of Reims were in great esteem for their Learning and Sanctity Moreover Reginulpha a French Lady was very eminent for Piety and Renaldus Bishop of Trajetto famous for his Life and Miracles Jodocus also was not inferiour to any of these who though he were the Son of a King of the
publickly put to Death Many of his Enemies he cut off by sundry kinds of Death and many he imprison'd some one or other of which he would every day order to be kill'd when the wiping of his Nose put him in mind of the injury that had been done him Moreover having caused the eyes of Callinicus the Patriarch of Constantinople to be put out he banish'd him to Rome and made Cyrus an Abbat who had maintain'd him in Pontus Patriarch in his stead Being acted by the same foolish humour as he had been before his loss of the Empire in the time of Pope Sergius he sends to Rome two Metropolitans to persuade Pope John to hold a Synod wherein they of the Western Church might confirm the truth of what those of the East believed concerning the Consubstantiality of the Son with the Father sending to him the Articles to which he would have him Subscribe The Pope sends the Men back again to the Emperour without doing any thing in the matter but yet he did not by his Censures and Interdicts correct the erroneous 〈◊〉 concerning God as it was fit he should and as it would have become a steady and resolute Pope to have done Some write though without good authority that Arithpertus King of the Lombards from a religious Principle gave the Cottian Alpes and all the Tract that reaches from Piedmont to the Coast of Genoa to the Church of Rome Others say that this Donation was only confirmed by Arithpertus But since there is no certainty concerning the Donation it self and the Lawyers call it the Chaff because it yields no Corn and it appears in no respect to have been the Gift of Constantine how can there be any evidence of its Confirmation I return to Pope John a Person who spake and lived very well and who built an Oratory in the Church of S. Peter in honour to the Blessed Virgin upon the Walls of which on each hand were wrought in Mosaick Work the 〈◊〉 of several of the holy Fathers Moreover he repaired the Church of S. Eugenia which had long before been decayed through Age. He adorn'd also the Coemeteries of the Martyrs Marcellinus and Marcus and Pope Damasus Finally he beautified divers other Churches with the Pictures and Statues of the Saints wherein the Painters and Statuaries had so well imitated the Gravity and Majesty of his own aspect that whosoever looked upon them thought they saw the Pope himself Having been in the Chair two years seven months seventeen days he died and was buried October the 18th in the Church of S. Peter before the Altar of the Blessed Virgin which himself had built The See was then vacant three months SISINNIUS SISINNIUS or as others call him Sozimus a Syrian his Fathers name John lived in the Pontificate no more than twenty days in which time 't is said the body of S. Benedict was by stealth conveyed away from Mount Cassino by reason of the solitude of the place and carried into France Now Sisinnius though he were so afflicted with the Gout both in his Hands and Feet that he could neither walk nor feed himself yet he took such 〈◊〉 both of the City and Church of Rome as to leave nothing undone which became a good Pope He had already prepared all materials for the raising the decayed Walls of the City and the repairing and beautifying of the old ruined Churches but he died suddenly and was buried in S. Peter's February the 6th The See was then vacant one month eighteen days CONSTANTINE I. CONSTANTINE another 〈◊〉 his Father's name likewise John was created Pope at the time when there happened to be a Famine at Rome which lasted three years in which exigence he was so charitable to all but especially the poorer sort that men thought him to have been sent down from Heaven for their relief In the mean time 〈◊〉 out of the hatred he bore to the name of Pontus sends Mauritius one of the Patrician Order and Helias one of his Guards with a Fleet to the Chersonese where he had been in Exile with Commission to put all above the age of fourteen to the Sword which to glut the Emperours Rage they accordingly put in execution And that we may not think that Cruelty was his only Vice he became guilty of so great Ingratitude as in an hostile manner to surprize King Trebellius by the Aid of whose Forces he had been restored to the Empire at a time when he was engaged in a War with the Thracians But Trebellius not only bore the Choque but also forced him to retreat with Loss There was no alteration from his former course of Life wrought in him by the Calamities he had underwent in any thing save in this that he now venerated and defended the Apostolick See contrary to 〈◊〉 he had formerly used to do For when Felix having been consecrated Arch-Bishop of Ravenna by the Pope was required according to custom to send in writing his ackowledgment of the Papal Authority and Money to Rome which he stifly refused to do Justinian upon knowledg of the matter presently sends order to Theodorus a Patrician his Admiral with the first opportunity to leave Sicily and go against the Ravennates He obeying the Emperours Order and having in 〈◊〉 gain'd a Victory over them exercises the greatest cruelty towards them and sends Felix bound in Chains to Constantinople whom Justinian afterwards banish'd into Pontus having first deprived him of his sight after this Manner He caused him to fix his Eyes long upon a red-hot Concave-vessel of Brass out of which there issued a firey Pyramid which easiy overcame his Eyes and blinded him Yet Constantine did by no means approve of this Cruelty being more desirous of his 〈◊〉 than his Punishment While the Pope and Emperour were thus employed Aisprandus endeavouring with the Aid of the Bavarians to recover the Kingdom of his Ancestours comes into Italy and engaging in a pitch'd Battel with Arithpertus vanquishes him and gains the Kingdom of the Lombards Arithpertus himself by a too fearful and hasty flight being drown'd in a swift River But Aisprandus not long after dying did with general approbation leave his Son Luithprandus Successour to his Kingdom Justinian being now very desirous to see Pope Constantine having sent Ships to convey him safely makes it his request that he would come to him Constantine yielding thereunto and approaching now near to Constant inople Tiberius Justinian's Son with a Princely Retinue and Cyrus the Patriarch with all the Clergy in honour to him go out eight miles to meet him and being dress'd in his Pontificalibus they conduct him with solemn Pomp into the City and lead him into the Palace Going from thence to Nicomedia whither also the Emperour was to come from Nice he was received there after the same manner as at Constantinople Justinian entring the City soon after 〈◊〉 only embraced the Pope but also kiss'd his Feet in sign of honour Having on the days following
necessary he should oppose the Enemy in Person For both the Gascons had revolted whom in a short time he reduc'd and those of Bretaigne began to endeavour a change of Government whom in like manner by his Arms he kept in Obedience and moreover at an Assembly held at Aken he granted Peace to the Ambassadours sent from the Saracens inhabiting Saragosa Stephen being now upon his departure in Imitation of our Saviour who spared even his Enemies obtained of Louis that all those whom Charles had punished with Banishment or Imprisonment for their Conspiracy against Leo might have their Liberty He also carried with him a Cross of great Weight and Value made at the Charge of Louis and by him dedicated to S. Peter But returning to Rome he died in the seventh month of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's and by his Death the See was vacant eleven days PASCHAL I. PASCHAL a Roman Son of Bonosus was created Pope without any Interposition of the Emperours Authority Whereupon at his first Investiture in that Office he forthwith sends Nuntio's to Louis excusing himself and laying all the blame upon the Clergy and People of Rome who had forcibly compell'd him to undertake it Louis accepting this for Satisfaction from Paschal sends to the Clergy and People admonishing them to observe the ancient Constitution and to beware how they presum'd for time to come to infringe the Rights of the Emperour Also in the Assembly held at Aken he associated to himself in the Empire his eldest Son Lotharius and declared Pipin his second Son King of Aquitain and Louis his third Son King of Bavaria But Bernardus King of Italy having upon the Instigation of certain Bishops and seditious Citizens revolted from the Empire and compelled some Cities and States to swear Allegiance to himself Louis being hereat incensed sends a strong Army into Italy whose Passage over the Alpes Bernardus endeavouring to oppose he was vanquished The Heads of the Rebellion being taken were presently cut off and Bernardus himself though he very submissively begg'd forgiveness was put to Death at Aken Those Bishops who had been Authors of the mischief were by a Decree of Synod confined into several Monasteries This Tumult for so it was rather than a War being thus composed Louis moves with his Army against the Saxons rebelling now afresh and overcomes and slays Viromarchus their hardy Chief who aspired to the Kingdom After this he sends his Son Lotharius whom he had declared King of Italy to the Pope by whom he was anointed in the Church of S. Peter's with the Title of Augustus But there arising great Commotions in Italy and Lotharius seeing himself unable to withstand them he goes to his Father in order to provide greater Force Upon which Theodorus the Primicerius and Leo the Nomenclator having had their Eyes first pull'd out were murdered in a Tumult in the Lateran Palace There was some who laid the blame of this Disorder upon Paschal himself but he in a Synod of thirty Bishops did both by Conjectures and by Reasons and by his Oath purge himself of it Louis rested himself satisfied herewith and as Anastasius tells us that no future Disturbance might arise from uncertain Pretensions writing to Paschal he declared in his Letters what Cities of Tuscany were subject to the Empire viz. Arezzo Volterra Chiusi Florence which had been repaired and enlarged by his Father Charles the Great Pistoia Luca Pisa Peragia and Orvieto the others he allowed to be under the Jurisdiction of the Church of Rome He added moreover Todi in Umbria and Romagna beyond the Appennine with the Exarchate of Ravenna The same Anastasius says that Louis granted to Paschal a free Power the same which he also tells us was given by Charles to Pope Adrian of chusing Bishops whereas before the Emperours were wont to be advised and their consent and Confirmation desired in the Case Our Paschal who for his Piety and Learning had been by Pope Stephen made Prior of the Monastery of S. Stephen in the Vatican being now in the Chair both caused the Bodies of several Saints which before lay neglectedly to be conveyed into the City with great Solemnity and honourably interred and also by paying their Creditors procured the Release of divers poor Prisoners He also built from the ground the Church of S. Praxedes the B. Martyr not far from the old one which through Age and the Clergy's neglect was run to Ruin This Church having consecrated he oftentimes celebrated Mass in it and also reposited therein the Bodies of many Saints which lay about unregarded in the Coemeteries In the same Church was an Oratory dedicated to S. Agnes which he made very stately and ornamental Moreover he built the Church of S. Cecily as appears still by an Inscription on the Nave of it in which he in like manner reposited the Bodies of that Virgin her self and her affianced Husband Valerianus as also of Tiburtius and Maximus Martyrs and Urban and Lucius Bishops of Rome adorning it with all kinds of Marble and enriching it with Presents of Gold and Silver He also repaired the Church of S. Mary ad Praesepe that had been decayed by Age and alter'd the Nave of it to advantage In fine having been very exemplary for Religion and Piety Good Nature and Bounty after he had been in the Chair seven years two months seven days he died and was buried in S. Peter's The See was then vacant only four days EUGENIUS II. EUGENIUS the second a Roman Son of Boemundus was for his Sanctity Learning Humanity and Eloquence unanimously chosen into the Pontificate at that time particularly when Lotharius coming into Italy made choice of a Magistrate for the Administration of Justice and Execution of the Laws among the People of Rome who after a long and heavy Servitude had enjoyed some Liberty under the Emperour Charles and his Sons In the mean time Louis after he had for forty days been spoiling and laying waste the Countrey of Bretagne with Fire and Sword having received Hostages he goes to Roan and there gives Audience to the Ambassadours of 〈◊〉 Emperour of Constantinople who came to consult what his Opinion was concerning the Images of the Saints whether they were to be utterly abolished and destroyed or kept up and restored again But 〈◊〉 referred them to the Pope who was principally concerned to determine in the Matter After this he marched against the Bulgarians who were now making Inrodes into the Pannonia's and at first repelled them but Haydo Governour of Aquitain upon confidence of 〈◊〉 Forces from Abderamann King of the Saracens having rebelled he was obliged to quit this War and so the Bulgarians in an hostile manner march'd without controll through the middle of the hostile manner march'd without controll through the 〈◊〉 of the Pannonia's into Dalmatia But before Louis advanced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great part of Spain had revolted to Haydo who sent out a 〈◊〉 which annoyed the Sea-port Towns all
of the Christian name He re-edified the City-Walls and Gates that had suffer'd by Age and raised from the Ground fifteen Forts 〈◊〉 the defence of the City of which two were very necessary one 〈◊〉 the right 〈◊〉 other on the left hand of the Tiber below the Hills Janiculus and Aventinus to hinder the Ships of any Enemy from entring the Town He by his diligence found out the Bodies of the Sancti quatuor coronati and built a Church to them after a magnificent manner and reposited their bodies under the Altar viz. Sempronianus Claudius Nicostratus Castorius to which he added those of Severus Severianus Carpophorus Victorinus Marius Felicissimus Agapetus Hippolytus Aquila Priscus Aquinus Narcissus Marcellinus Felix Apollos Benedict Venantius Diogenes Liberalis Festus Marcellus the head of S. Protus Cecilia Alexander Sixtus Sebastian Praxedes But while he was diligently intent upon these Affairs as became so holy a man news was brought that the Saracens were coming with a huge Fleet to sack the City and that the Neapolitans and the Inhabitants upon that shore would come to his assistance whereupon with what forces he could raise he march'd to Ostia and summon'd thither the Auxiliaries designing upon the first opportunity to fight the Enemy But first this holy Pope exhorted his Souldiers to receive the Sacrament which being devoutly perform'd he prayed to God thus O God whose right hand did support the blessed Peter when he walk'd upon the Waves and sav'd him from drowning and delivered from the deep his fellow-Apostle Paul when he was thrice shipwrack'd hear us mercifully and grant that for their merits the hands of these thy faithful ones fighting against the Enemies of thy holy Church may by thy almighty arm be confirm'd and strengthened that thy holy Name may appear glorious before all Nations in the Victory that shall be gained Having pronounc'd this by making the sign of the Cross he gave the signal for Battel and the onset was made by his Souldiers with great briskness as if they had been sure of Victory which after a tedious Dispute was theirs the Enemies being put to flight many of them perish'd in the fight but most were taken alive and brought to Rome where the Citizens would have some of them hang'd without the City for a 〈◊〉 to the rest very much against the mind of Leo who was very remarkable for Gentleness and Clemency but it was not for him to oppose the rage of a multitude Those that were taken alive Leo made use of in 〈◊〉 those Churches which the Saracens had heretofore ruin'd and burnt and in building the Wall about the Vatican which from his own name he call'd 〈◊〉 Leonina This he did lest the Enemy should with one slight assault take and sack the Church of S. Peter as heretofore they were wont The Gates also had his Prayers for upon that which leads to S. Peregrin this was graven in Marble O God who by giving to thy Apostle S. Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven didst 〈◊〉 upon him the Pontifical Authority of binding and loosing grant that by the help of his intercession we may be delivered from all mischievous Attempts and that this City which now with thy assistance I have newly founded may be free or ever from thine anger and may have many and great Victories over those Enemies against whom it is built And on the second Gate near S. Angelo that leads into the fields were these words O God who from the beginning of the World didst vouchsafe to preserve and establish this holy Catholick and Apostolical Church of Rome mercifully blot 〈◊〉 the hand-writing of our iniquity and grant that this City which we assisted by the Intercession of the Apostles Peter and Paul have newly dedicated to thy holy name may remain secure from the evil machinations of its Enemies The third was on the front of the Gate by which we go to the Saxons School in these words Grant we beseech thee almighty and merciful God that crying to thee with our whole heart and the blessed Apostle Peter interceding for us we may obtain thy favour We continually beg of thy mercy that the City which I thy servant Leo IV. Bishop of Rome have dedicated anew and called Leonina from my own name may continue safe and prosperous This City he began in the first year of his Pontificate and finish'd in his sixth and gave it to be a habitation for the men of Corsica who had been driven out of that Island by the Saracens to each of whom also he assign'd a piece of ground for his maintenance But I wonder now that another Inscription is to be read on these Gates in dull Hexameter Verse which I cannot by any means think to be Leo's though it go under his name Of the Spoils of the Saracens he made several donations of Gold and Silver to the Churches of Rome Some write that 't was by his command that S. Mary's Church in the new street and the Tower in the Vatican next S. Peter's now to be seen were built Beside he restor'd the Silver-door of S. Peter which had been pillag'd by the Saracens He held a Synod of 47. Bishops wherein Anastasius Presbyter Cardinal of S. Marcellus was by the Papal Canons convict of several Crimes upon which he was condemned and excommunicate the chief allegation being that for five years he had not resided in his Parish Moreover he brought Colonies from Sardinia and Corsica which now upon the repulse of the 〈◊〉 had some respite and planted them in Hostia which partly by reason of the unhealthiness of the Air and partly by being so often 〈◊〉 was left without Inhabitants Lastly he fully satisfied Lotharius who having been inform'd that Leo was upon a design of translating the Empire to the Constantinopolitans came himself to Rome But the Informers being caught in Lies received condign punishment and the friendship was on both sides renewed 'T is said that Johannes Scotus a learned Divine liv'd at this time who coming into France by the command of K. Lewis translated S. Dionysius's Book de Hierarchia out of Greek into Latin but was soon after as they say stab'd with a Bodkin by some of his Scholars but the occasion of this villanous act is not any where recorded 'T is said too that now Ethelwolph K. of England out of devotion made his Countrey tributary to the Church of Rome by charging a penny yearly upon every house Our holy Pope Leo having deserv'd well of the Church of God of the City of Rome and of the whole Christian name for his Wisdom Gravity Diligence Learning and the Magnificence of his works died in the eighth year third month and sixth day of his Pontificate on the 17. day of July and was buried in S. Peter's Church The Sea was then void two months and fifteen days JOHN VIII JOHN of English Extraction but born at Mentz is said to have arriv'd at the Popedom by evil Arts for disguising
order to Rome where he publickly interdicted Gregory from doing any thing for the future that belong'd to the Office of a Pope commanding the Cardinals to leave Gregory and come to him for they were like to have another Pope Gregory not able to endure such an affront upon God and the Church deprived Sigifred and the rest of the Clergy that took Henry's part of all their dignities and preferments and likewise laid a Curse upon the Emperour himself after he had degraded him from his Imperial Honour And of this Degradation or Deprivation the form was as followeth Blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles I beseech thee hearken unto me and heat thy servant whom thou hast educated from my infancy and preserved to this day from the hands of wicked men that hate and persecute me for the faith I have in Thee Thou art my best Witness Thou and the holy Mother of Jesus Christ together with Paul thy fellow Martyr that I did 〈◊〉 enter upon the Papacy without reluctance not that I thought it robbery lawfully to rise into thy Chair but I was more willing to spend my days in Pilgrimage than at that time to supply thy place for ostentation and vain-glory I must needs confess that it was thy goodness and not my deserts that brought me to the Cure of Christendom and gave me the power of loosing and binding and therefore in confidence of that and for the honour and safety of the Church I do deprive King Henry son to Henry who was formerly Emperour of all Imperial Power in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost for that He so boldly and rashly laid violent hands upon thy Church and I absolve all his Christian Subjects from their Oaths that bind 'em to pay Allegiance to true and lawful Kings For it is fit that he should lose his honour who would diminish the Honour of the Church And furthermore because he has contemn'd mine or rather thy admonitions concerning his own and his peoples salvation and separated himself from the Church of God which he would fain destroy I set him under a Curse as being well assured that thou art Peter upon whose Rock as a true foundation Christ Jesus our King has built his Church There were at that time a great many that talk'd of Peace when the Execration was past to whom Gregory made answer that he did not 〈◊〉 conditions of Peace if Henry would first make his peace with God You said he must needs know what injury he has done the Church and how often I have admonished him to reform his life and conversation And this I did in respect to Henry his Father's memory who was my very good Friend but to no purpose he having entertain'd principles quite contrary to his Father's Nevertheless some of those that were present continu'd to urge him and persuade him that a King ought not to have been anathematiz'd so hastily To whom the Pope reply'd When said he Christ committed his Church to Peter and said Feed my sheep did he except Kings No when he gave Peter the power to bind and loose he excepted none nor exempted any man from his Authority Wherefore he that says He cannot be bound by the Churches power must needs confess he cannot any more be absolved by it now whosoever is so impudent as to affirm this makes himself a perfect Separatist from Christ and his Church When Henry heard what Gregory had done he wrote many Letters to several Nations complaining that he was condemn'd by the Pope against all Law and Reason 〈◊〉 Gregory on the other hand demonstrated not only by words and Letters but also by Reason and Witnesses in the face of the World that he had done nothing but what was just and right But in the mean time part of the Kingdom revolted from Henry and the Saxons prepared for a War against him upon which the German Princes fearing some misfortune might 〈◊〉 their Country decreed in a publick Assembly that if Gregory would come into Germany Henry should humbly beg his pardon and the King swore he would do it Thereupon the Pope who was induced by the promises and prayers of the Arch-bishop of Treves Henry's Embassadour was going on his journey toward Augst but when he came to Vercelli was privately inform'd by the Bishop of that place who is Chancellour of all Italy that Henry was coming against him with an Army At which the Pope forbare to go any further but went to Canosso a Town near Rheggio under the Countess Matilda Henry also made thither as fast as he could with his whole Army and laying aside his regal Habit he went barefoot to the gate of the Town to move the Townsmens pity and desired to be let in But he was deny'd entrance and took it very patiently or at least seemed so to do though it were a sharp Winter and all things bound up in frost Notwithstanding he tarried in the Suburbs three days and begg'd pardon continually till at last by the intercession of Maude and Adelaus an Earl of Savoy together with the Abbat of Clugny he was introduced absolved and reconciled to the Church having sworn to a Peace and promised future obedience The form of the Kings Oath was this I King Henry do affirm that I will keep all the conditions and engagements that are in the Peace which our Lord Gregory the Seventh has drawn up according to his mind and will take care that the said Pope shall go where he pleases without the least molestation either to Him or his Attendants especially through all our Dominions and that I will be no hinderance to him in the exercise of his Pontifical authority in any place whatsoever and this I swear I will observe Done at Canosso January the 28. Indiction the 15th But when he had succeeded according to his wish and all people were gone to their several homes Henry moved toward Pavia but lost Cincius by the way who dy'd of a Fever and yet Henry though that Villain was gone did not desist from innovation For he broke the Peace and thereby vexed the German Princes to such a degree that they declared Rodolphus Duke of Saxony King and rejected Henry That moved Henry to petition the Pope that he would disposses Rodolphus of the Kingdom by Excommunication But seeing he could not obtain so great a favour he betook himself to his Arms and engaged him in a bloody Battel where the Victory was uncertain on both sides And then they each sent Embassadours to the Pope to beg of him that he would assist 'em to which he made no other answer but that he would have 'em quit their Arms. But notwithstanding Henry and Rodolphus fought a second time without any odds and therefore when they had engaged the third time and kill'd a great many men on both sides Henry who seemed to have a little the better of it would not hear Rodolphus's Embassadours that came to him for Peace but wrote to the
vindicate those times from obscurity and ignominy for Richard was then a famous Doctor and wrote many things gravely and copiously particularly a Book concerning the Trinity beside that he was an eloquent as well as profound Preacher At this time almost all Europe was afflicted with Famine which put our Pope upon acts of Charity which he perform'd liberally both openly and in secret but he died when he had been Pope one year four months and twenty four days and was buried in the Lateran in a Tomb of Porphyry HADRIAN IV. HADRIAN the Fourth an English man born near S. Albans in Hertfordshire having been sent into Norway to preach the Gospel he converted that Nation to the Christian faith and was therefore by Pope Eugenius made Bishop of Alba and Cardinal Upon the death of Anastasius being elected Pope he was applied to by the Romans both with Prayers and threats for an investiture of their Consuls in the absolute administration of the Government of the City but he positively refused and the Clergy of Rome desiring him to go to the Lateran to be consecrated he also denied so to do unless Arnold of Brescia who had been condemn'd for a Heretick by Eugenius were first expell'd the City This so enrag'd the People that they set upon the Cardinal of S. Pudentiana in the Via Sacra as he was going to the Pope and gave him a wound or two This the Pope took so ill that he set them under Excommunication till at last they chang'd their minds and both banish'd Arnold and forc'd their Consuls to lay down their Offices leaving to the Pope the absolute Power of governing the City Mean time William King of Sicily who succeeded Roger takes the Subburbs of Benevent and both Ceperano and Bauco from the Church which so enrag'd the Pope that he Anathematiz'd him and absolv'd all his Subjects of their Allegiance that so they might be at liberty to rebel But at this time the Emperour Frederick I. of Schwaben was entred into Lombardy with an Army and besieging Tortona which had revolted from the Empire he took it by force and thence with great speed he continued his march towards Rome The Pope was then at Viterbo from whence he went to visit Orvieto and Civita Castellana places belonging to the Church to confirm them in their Allegiance but finding himself unable to cope with the Imperial Army by his Nuntio's he struck up a Peace and met the Emperor near Sutri who alighting from his Horse address'd to him with all that Ceremony which was due to the true Vicar of Christ From hence they went to Rome where Frederick was to be Crown'd by the Pope in S. Peter's Church but the Gates being shut lest any tumult should happen between the Citizens and the Soldiers the Romans yet broke forth by Ponte S. Angelo and set upon the Germans whom they look'd upon as of the Pope's side and kill'd many This unsufferable riot angred the Emperour so that having brought his Army which was encamp'd in the prati di Nerone into the City he drove the Romans from the Vatican and slew and took Prisoners multitudes of them till being appeased by the intercession of the Pope he let those he had taken go free But when afterward according to custom the Pope and Emperour were to go together to the Lateran and found it would be unsafe because of the seditious humour of the Citizens they went first to Magliana and there crossing the River they pass'd by the way of Sabina and Ponte Lucano to the Lateran and perform'd the Coronation with the usual Solemnity While matters went thus at Rome those of Tivoli surrendred themselves to Frederick professing a perfect submission but when he understood that it was a part of S. Peter's Patrimony he restor'd it to Hadrian and without any long stay return'd into Germany The Pope also at the request of the great men of Puglia remov'd to Benevent where by his presence alone he regain'd from William to the Church a great part of his Kingdom In the mean time Paloeologus an illustrious personage came Ambassadour from Emanuel II. Emperour of Constantinople first by Sea to Ancona and then by Land to Benevent with an offer to the Pope of fifty thousand pounds in Gold and a Promise to chase William out of Sicily if upon the good success of the Expedition three maritime Cities of Puglia might be put into his possession which no sooner came to William's Ear but he sued for the Pope's mercy promising not onely to restore what he had taken from the Church but to add somewhat more and that he would employ his Force to constrain the rebellious Romans to their duty if he might be honour'd with the Title of King of both Sicilies The Pope could not grant this because several Cardinals opposed it Wherefore William getting a good Army together enters Puglia after an hostile manner destroying all with fire and sword and setting upon the Greeks and Apulians who were encamp'd near Brundusium he easily overcame them upon which those of Otranto and Puglia immediately made their submissions to him The Pope then was very angry with those Cardinals who had opposed the Peace before and took William into favour and gave him the Title of both Kingdoms he having first taken an Oath thereafter not to attempt to do any thing which might be a detriment to the Church of Rome Matters being thus composed to his mind the Pope taking his journey through the Countries of Cassino Marsi Reati Narin and Todi came at last to Orvieto which place he was the first Pope that made his habitation and beautified He was afterward by the earnest intreaties of the Romans persuaded to go to Rome but being here teiz'd by the Consuls who would be setting up for liberty he went to Arignano where not long after he died having been Pope four years and ten months leaving the Estates of the Church in a very good condition for he had built several Castles on the lake of S Christina and so fortified Radifano with a Wall and Citadel that it was almost inexpugnable The History of these times was written in an elegant style by Richard a Monk of Glugni much quoted by other Writers The body of Pope Hadrian being brought to Rome was buried in S. Peter's Church near the Sepulcre of Pope Eugenius ALEXANDER III. ALEXANDER the Third born at Siena his Father's name Ranuccio upon the death of Hadrian was by the suffrages of twenty two Cardinals chosen Pope though other three Cardinals set up Octavian a Roman Cardinal of S. Clement by the name of Victor which gave beginning to a Schism But Alexander lest the Church of Rome should suffer by the continuance thereof dispatch'd Legats to Frederick the Emperour then laying Siege to Cremona to desire him to interpose his Imperial Authority in extinguishing the Sedition He return'd for Answer that both Popes should betake themselves to Pavia whither he would come and hear their Case
matter he died at Pisa the fifty seventh day of his Pontificate CLEMENT III. CLEMENT the Third a Roman Son of John surnam'd the Scholar as soon as he was made Pope sent forth a Bull to encourage Men to go to the Holy War for Saladine following the course of his Victories had taken twenty five Towns in the Principality of Antioch and at last had by bribing the Patriarch rendred himself Master of Antioch it self This gave the alarm to the Christian Princes so that now complying with the Pope's exhortations they raised Men the chief of those who engaged in the Expedition were the Emperour Frederic Philip King of France Richard King of England and Otho Duke of Burgundy beside many Arch-bishops and Bishops who accompanied them The Venetians and Pisans set forth their several Fleets well equip'd that of Venice was under the command of the Arch-bishop of Ravenna and that of Pisa under their own Arch-bishop And William King of Sicily having clear'd the Sea of Pirates took care to supply them by the way out of Puglia and Sicily with all sorts of Provisions Beside these the Friselanders Danes and Flemings with a Fleet of fifty Gallies landing on the African shore did the Saracens much mischief taking and plundering Siluma one of their Cities Bela also King of Poland out of good will to the Christian Cause made Peace with the Hungarians that so the passage through that Country might be more easie and safe for those who were to take their way through it to this great Expedition At last they all arriv'd at Tyre and from thence they march'd unanimously to Ptolemais and besieg'd it where Saladine with a great Army came and beat up their quarters so that having the Enemy before them and behind they were forc'd to fight The Battel was long and bloody and the Victory inclin'd to the Christians side when the mischance of a Horse slipping out of the hand of a common Soldier gave them an occasion of flight our Men thinking that the Saracens had got the better but Geoffrey of Lusignan who was left to guard the Camp in the nick of time giving a brisk Onset shock'd their pursuit and gave the Christians an opportunity to rally However 't is certain the Christians lost two thousand men that day beside that the Master of the Templers and Andrew Earl of Bremen died afterward of their wounds In the mean time the Siege lasting long the Christians were reduc'd to so great a want of all things that they were forc'd to procure Victuals of the Enemy which Saladine having notice of laid hold on the opportunity and deserted his Camp which he left without any Guard but furnish'd with all manner of necessaries which when the Christians altogether in disorder enter'd and fell to plundering Saladine return'd and kill'd many of them ere they were aware or prepared to receive him Yet did not the Christians quit this tedious and toilsom Siege though to their other distresses this was added that a Dysentery rag'd in their Camp of which Disease Sibyl the Wife of Guy with four Sons which she had by him all died While matters went thus in Asia William King of Sicily died at Palermo not leaving behind him any lawful Heir so that that Kingdom fell to the Church but the Noblemen of the Island set up Tancred in his room natural Son of Roger the Norman by a Concubine a Man of so great cowardize and sloth that William would not believe him to be Roger's Bastard Pope Clement not willing to lose his right sends away an Army thither with all speed between whom and Tancred who opposed them the Country was fill'd with slaughters and outrages Frederic the Emperour was now by the way of Hungary and Thrace march'd with his Army as far as Constantinople in order to advance against the Enemies of Christ where Isaac the Emperour of the Greeks fearing his Power persuaded him to cross the Bosporus which he did and Clement still hastening him on by Letters and Nuntio's he sate down before Philomena a City of the Turks and took it then he wasted the Country about Iconium and possess'd himself of all Armenia minor but going one time into a rapid stream to wash himself without regarding the depth he was drown'd and his Soldiers retreating towards Antioch either were lost or died so that his Army came to nothing The two Kings Philip and Richard having pass'd the Gallic and Tyrrhene Seas arriv'd together at Messina after which they met with different fortune for Philip had a good Voyage and coming safe to Ptolemais brought great strength and courage to the Christian forces but Richard being born by contrary Winds to the coast of Cyprus and being by the Greeks denied the liberty of landing he entred the Island by force and conquering it he plac'd therein Garisons of his own and then went to Ptolemais That City was then stoutly attack'd but Saladine had put in it so strong a Garison that with their frequent Sallies they did the Christians much damage Pope Clement now thought good to defer his Controversie with Tancred till the Christians should have more success against the Saracens and betook himself to regulate some Ecclesiastical Affairs and with great severity animadverted upon the scandalous lives of Clergy-men Moreover he built the Monastery of S. Laurence without the Walls and with great expence repair'd the Lateran Palace and adorn'd the Church there with excellent Mosaic work not long after dying when he had been Pope three years and five months and was buried in the Lateran Church with great Funeral Pomp. CELESTINE III. CELESTINE the Third a Roman Son of Peter surnam'd Bubo succeeded to the Chair who grudging that Tancred should enjoy the Kingdom of Sicily secretly gets away Constantia Daughter to the late King Roger out of a Nunnery at Palermo and though she was under the Vow of Chastity yet granting her the Apostostical Dispensation gives her to Wife to Henry VI. Son of Frederic Barbarossa upon these terms that he should be empowered to attempt the recovery of both the Sicilies which he should enjoy in the name of a Dowry with his said Wife paying a yearly tribute to the Pope as Feudatary of the Church Henry was so sensible of this extraordinary kindness of the Pope that he restor'd to him Tusculum which he had before strengthen'd with a good Garison which Celestine immediately bestowing upon the Romans they so spoil'd and ruin'd it that the very stones of the demolish'd City were brought to Rome and many of them were for a long time to be seen in the Campidoglio as Monuments of this great devastation Henry and his Wife Constantia laying Siege to Naples were forc'd to raise it by reason of a Plague which rag'd in their Army but the Christians who had now for two years besieg'd Ptolemais had it surrendred to them upon condition that they restoring that piece of our Lord's Cross which we before told you was lost should march
pretensions but strengthen'd himself with good Garisons both in Tuscany in Italy and Schwaben in Germany The like with a more than Womanly fortitude also did Constantia the relict of Henry in Sicily on the behalf of her Son Frederic II. yet a Child rendring the Frontier-places defensible against any Enemy Though these Animosities every day grew higher yet Innocent still thought of renewing the War in the Holy Land and to that Expedition he stir'd up Boniface Marquess of Montferrat Baldwin Earl of Flanders Henry Count S. Paul and Lewis of Savoy who all arriving at Venice could not persuade that State to rig out their Fleet for the Service till they had all promised to recover Zara for them which again was revolted to the Hungarians the Fleet then being fitted out they first routed those of Trieste who piratically infested the Sea and then after a long Siege re-took Zara. While these things were acted in the Adriatic Alexius dethrones his Brother Isaac Emperor of Constantinople who had been a good Friend to the Latins and putting out his Eyes throws him in Prison But his young Son Alexius escap'd by flight to the Christian Camp and begs the assistance of those Commanders for his Father against the Usurper which they consented to give him on condition that his end being atchiev'd the Greek Church should be subjected to the Latin and that thirty thousand Marks of Gold should be paid for the damage which Emanuel the late Emperour had done to the French and Venetians and thus when they had agreed they set sail from Zara and passing by Candy that Island submitted itself which young Alexius bestow'd upon his Kinsman Boniface of Montferrat Hence they proceeded to Constantinople which while they besieged by Sea and Land Theodore Lascari Son-in-law to Alexius endeavouring to sally forth was driven back and the City after two days close Siege was taken by storm Alexius got away in the night leaving behind him a great quantity of Gold in the custody of Irene a Nun. Isaac the Father with his Son Alexius then entred the City but liv'd not long after the Father dying of sickness and the Son being poison'd Upon this Boniface of Montferrat gets the Kingdom of Thessaly but wanting Money he was persuaded by Baldwin to sell Candy to the Venetians which he did and having receiv'd a vast sum for it he beleaguer'd Adrianople then opprest by the Usurper but this gave so much distast to the Walachians who live on the further side of the Danube and to the Bulgarians that fearing the number of his Enemies he took his way to Constantinople intending to go meet the Turkish Sultan of Iconium who having taken the City Satellia from the Greeks did much and continually incommode the Christians Innocent encompass'd thus with Enemies raised what Forces soever he could to reinforce from time to time our Armies but when he heard that Hilminoline a Saracen with a great Fleet had cross'd the Streights into Spain and had sate down with his Army before Toledo he publish'd a Bull inciting all those that could bear Arms to oppose this torrent whereupon numbers of French men got together in order to assist the Spaniards but perceiving they were not welcome to them they return'd home so that Hilminoline in a short time over-run all Spain after a hostile manner and came as far as Arles and Avignon filling all places where he came with spoil and slaughter This Calamity roused the four Kings of Spain that is of Castile Aragon Portugal and Navarre so that joyning their forces together they set upon the Saracens and gave them a total rout leaving nothing to 'em of what they had but onely Granado At this time sprung up a Heresie at Tholouse which by Innocent's means the blessed Dominic who was afterwards made a Saint repress'd with the aid of Simon Montfort for it had gone so far that he had need of the help of the Arm of Flesh as well as of Arguments and spiritual Weapons Mean time Otho Emperour of the Romans was every where worsted by Philip and at last besieg'd by him in the City of Cologn where he making in Person a successless Sally the Citizens shut him out and surrendred to Philip who yet did not long out-live the Action being soon after treacherously made away by the Count Palatine Upon his death the Electors chose the Duke of Saxony Emperour nam'd Otho V. who the next year was crown'd by Innocent at Rome The Venetians now being very powerful at Sea and the State having greater matters in hand private Men had leave to make themselves Masters of what Islands they pleased provided they continued their Allegiance to the Government upon which many Citizens entred upon several Isles in the Ionian and Aegaean Seas and at the publick charge were seiz'd Corfu Modone and Corone Otho having as is aforesaid receiv'd the Imperial Crown of the Pope against all justice and right possesses himself of Montefiascone Radicofano and several other Towns belonging to the Church and then marches into the Kingdom of Naples designing to take that Kingdom from Frederic II. who was young and as yet under Guardians which so angred the Pope that having first admonish'd him without any effect he excommunicated him at last and depriv'd him of his Imperial Title and the King of Bohemia with the Arch bishops of Mentz and Triers by the persuasion of the Duke of Austria and Landgrave of Turingia chuse Frederick King of Sicily then in the twentieth year of his age Emperour in his stead Otho hereupon returns into Germany to take care of his Paternal Estate by which means Innocent had an opportunity to his mind to recover whatsoever he had taken from the Church Those of Candy now rebelling against the Venetians they were by force of Arms reduc'd An. Dom. 1214. and brought into the constitution of a Colony many Citizens being sent to live among 'em and to observe ' em At this time Frederic II. came to Rome to receive the Imperial Diadem but could not prevail with him to bestow it upon him so he return'd into Germany and there was by the Arch-bishop of Mentz Crown'd King of Germany and then made an Alliance and League with the King of France which added so much to the strength of that King that he invaded the Realm of John King of England with such success that John was fain to make use of Divine aids as well as humane force to resist him by making his Kingdoms of England and Ireland tributary to the Church of Rome in the payment of one hundred Marks yearly which for some years after was perform'd Frederic now in pursuit of Otho who had been totally defeated by the King of France takes in Aquisgrane and there by Authority receiv'd from Pope Innocent he sets up the Standard of the Holy Cross promising speedily to march to the assistance of the Christians against the Saracens in Asia beside that he might shew with what a grateful mind
and Messengers to be absolv'd by him and promised if he could obtain his request to be ever after his most humble Servant but the Pope being well aware of the crafty temper of the Man not onely warns the Christian Soldiers to have a care of him as of one that was always plotting mischief but having rais'd an Army he sends it under John King of Jerusalem against Rainaldo who then was harassing the Marca di Ancona and fill'd all places with rapine and devastation and with other Forces under Cardinal Colonna he drove the Emperours Lieutenant with his mercenary Saracens out of S. Germans and had all the places from thence to Capua deliver'd to him by surrender in a short time These successes of the Pope so affrighted those of Vmbria and Marca di Ancona who had serv'd under Frederic that they deserted whatsoever they held and retreated into Naples In the mean time Frederic was return'd from Asia to Brundusium and being now very desirous of Peace offer'd his requests to the Pope that he would please to take him into favour to acknowledg him Emperour and a true Feudatary of the Church for the Kingdom of Sicily Which he at last obtain'd but not till he had paid down one hundred and twenty thousand ounces of Gold for the use of the Church of Rome to make good the damages he had done it and these Conditions he was forc'd to come to Anagni and there to implore of his Holiness While Gregory as became a faithful Shepherd was thus careful on all hands and was gone to Perugia to settle matters in that City then much disordered by some banish'd persons who were newly return'd there arose a greater Sedition and Heresie at Rome than had been known before for Hannibal of the Family of the Hannibali joyning with some Priests was made use of to head the People of Rome in a Conspiracy they carried on against the Church of God but the divine Vengeance speedily put a stop to their wicked designs for the River Tiber rising over his Banks did them much mischief and this was accompanied with so devouring a Plague that hardly one man in ten was left alive The Pope coming to Rome behav'd himself with wonderful Clemency and forgave the People of Rome their fault onely putting Hannibal out of the Senate and convicting the Priests of their Heresie he brought them to recant their Error and to profess as true Christians ought to do then turning his thoughts to adorning the City he caused the old Common-shores to be cleansed and repair'd and new ones to be made at the same time yet consulting not onely the Ornament but the healthiness of the place Then leaving Rome for his healths sake at Riete as some will have it he canoniz'd S. Dominic who founded the Order of Friers Predicants and at Spoleto he did the same by S. Antony who was born at Lisbon but died at Padua and was the second after S. Francis head of the Order of Minors hence he return'd to Anagni and fortified the circumjacent Town not a little apprehending the factious humour of the Romans whose chief Senator after the antient manner had proposed a Law to be made and the People had pass'd it that should oblige all the Towns lying about Rome to pay a certain Tax to themselves the Pope hereupon fearlesly takes his journey to Rome though the Cardinals dissuaded him meaning to endeavour by admonition or correction to bring the Romans off from these insolences but when he found it signified nothing what he did he departed to Riete whither also came the Emperour Frederic and they having discourse about the present state of Affairs they both came to this resolution that they would join their forces together and unanimously march against the Romans But at this time as he had always used to do Frederic put a trick upon the Pope for returning himself into Germany he left Order with his Men that they should in all junctures act as the Romans would have ' em The Pope was much mov'd at this treachery of his and proposed a good Reward to any German Soldiers who would leave their Leaders and serve under him whereupon so great multitudes came over to his side that the Romans dar'd not any where shew themselves in open field against the Army of the Church Gregory having by this means recover'd the Patrimony of St. Peter and the Contrada de' Sabini he slighted the Ambassadours of the Soldan who came humbly to sue for Peace and sent Friers of the Orders of S. Francis and S. Dominic throughout Europe by their preaching to stir up the Christians to the War against the Saracens by whose means greater numbers were got together than ever were before and in the mean time that it was under debate who should command this great Army the Pope canoniz'd Elizabeth Daughter to the King of Hungary a most holy Woman and famous for the Miracles wrought by her At length Theobald King of Navarre Almeric Montfort Henry Count of Bari and Campania with the Christian forces passing through Germany and Hungary arriv'd first at Constantinople where crossing the Bosporus they came at last to Ptolemais laying the Country waste far and near But they were not long after set upon by a vast Army of the Enemy and compell'd to retreat defending themselves from their pursuers for two days and there lost all their best Men. Thus in a short time came this Expedition to nothing which had cost so much industry to be brought about merely through the unskilfulness of the Commanders The Pope was extremely troubled at this Calamity and resolv'd to return to Rome at the earnest instance of the Citizens there to put up Prayers and supplications to appease the Divine Wrath which the sins of Mankind had provok'd but his intention was frustrated by Peter Frangipani who being of the Imperial Faction opposed him so he left Perugia and went to Viterbo to meet the Emperour with an Army who as intelligence was brought him had already entred Lombardy and without any just cause wasted the Territories of the Confederate Cities and was about to lay Siege to some of 'em whose Forces were almost broken already having receiv'd one mischief upon the neck of another from Ezelino who then Lorded it over Padua This Ezelino surnam'd the Roman was Grand-son to a German Commander who under Otho III. led an Army of his Countrymen into Italy and now having a body of Men which he receiv'd of Frederic under his command procur'd to himself a great Dominion in the Country of Lombardy bringing under his jurisdiction Treviso Padoua Vincenza Verona and Brescia and Frederic not shewing any regard to the stipulations and agreements which had theretofore been ratified between his Ancestors and them makes War upon the Milaneses and the associated Cities and in a great Battel fought between 'em at a place call'd Nova Corte he overcame 'em with great loss on their side which put the Pope so
manner of filthiness The tidings of which mov'd Innocent to urge King Lewis to hasten his march towards Asia with those Forces he had already got together for that intent He complied and arriv'd at Cyprus but it was at so unseasonable a time of the year that he was forc'd to take up his Winter quarters there but as soon as Spring came on he sail'd to Damiata where he got the better of the Soldan's Navy and defeated his Land-forces who would have hindred his coming on Shore where he pitch'd his Camp for so long as till the rest of his Troops could arrive from Italy But these were very much retarded by the fury of Frederic who weaning himself after a while from the pleasures in which he had been immers'd takes up his Arms again and fills the whole Country with confusion and compells several Cities in which were many factious Persons to throw off their subjection to the Pope the chief of which were the Inhabitants of Forli Arimino Vrbin and all the Marca di Ancona In Vmbria none stood to their Allegiance but those of Todi Perugia and Assisi and in Tuscany onely the Florentines were on the Pope's side who therefore were so harass'd by the Army of Frederic that they were forc'd at last to banish so many of their fellow-Citizens as were of the Guelphs Faction The Bologneses had better luck for giving Battel to Henry one of Frederic's Generals they overthrew him and cut him to pieces Some write that 't was at this time that Frederic passing into Sicily died at Palermo while others affirm that he was taken desperately sick in Puglia and when he began to recover he was smother'd to death with a Pillow by one Manfred who was his natural Son begotten upon a Noble-Woman his Concubine Howsoever this was 't is certain that some time before his death he had made Manfred Prince of Tarento and had bestow'd upon him beside that Principality many other Towns and Territories He left Conrade whom he had by his Wife Jole Daughter to John King of Jerusalem Heir of all his Estates but he was afterwards taken off by Poison as was manifest by the means of Manfred having before seiz'd upon Naples and Aquino and sack'd them much against the mind of the Pope who vigorously opposed these proceedings though in vain in order to procure the peace of Italy that he might have liberty to transport the Italian Soldiers to recruit the Army of King Lewis then lying before Damiata But Damiata was now taken and Robert Earl of Poitiers coming with fresh supplies from France he marches from thence with his Army towards the City of Pharamia whither the Soldan apprehending his design was already come with great Forces There happen'd to be a River betwixt the two Armies by reason whereof they could not join Battel but they had frequent light Skirmishes both Generals keeping themselves within their Camps in one of which Robert rashly venturing too far was taken Prisoner by the Enemy By this time Innocent had almost extinguish'd those flames of War with which Italy had so long been consum'd and intended to have return'd to Rome having first canoniz'd Edmund Arch-bishop of Canterbury but when he came to Perugia he thought good to decline his journey to Rome understanding the Senate there arrogated to themselves more Power than stood with the dignity of the Pope and Court of Rome and there he canoniz'd and enroll'd among the holy Martyrs Peter of Verona a preaching Frier who had been murthered by some Hereticks between Milan and Como and the same honour he gave to S. Stanislaus Bishop of Cracow who in his life-time was very famous for working Miracles Hence he was invited by the Noblemen of the Kingdom of Sicily and immediately departed for Naples then newly repair'd where he died and was buried in S. Laurence's Church when he had been Pope fourteen years six months twelve days just in the nick of time when he had hopes to have brought into his possession all that Kingdom It was by the Decree of this excellent Pope Innocent that the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin was commanded to be observ'd yearly in the Church of God as a Festival He with good advice fill'd up the places in the College of Cardinals which had long been vacant with very worthy personages and ordain'd that when they rode abroad they should always wear a red Hat for an honourable distinction of the degree they held Moreover this learned Pope though raised to the highest dignity in the Church compil'd and publish'd several things for he composed the Apparatus or Glosses to the Decretals which are of great use to the Canonists because they contain many nice disquisitions which render the Text wonderfully plain and he put forth another upon the Councils which Hostiensis in his Summa calls the Authenticks He wrote also a Book concerning the Jurisdiction of the Emperour and the Authority of the Pope in answer to one Peter surnam'd Vinea who asserted that the Empire and every person and thing thereunto belonging were absolutely subject to the Emperour to which Book Innocent afterwards gave the Title of his Apologetick He was extremely delighted with the conversation of learned Men whom also he remembred to prefer to dignities in the Church particularly one Hugo who wrote Comments and Concordances upon the holy Bible a Person famous for his learning and good life he advanc'd to be Cardinal of S. Sabina which great promotion yet did not make him leave his former course of life being a Frier of the Order of S. Dominic In this Pope's Reign and by his Order Alexander of the Order of Friers Minors who was well in years when he took upon him a religious Habit wrote a very copious sum of Theology by the procurement also of this Pope and enabled by his bounty Bernardus Parmensis and Compostellanus two very learned Men at this time made publick their Works upon the Decretals which they call'd Apparatus Innocent had not long been dead when he was follow'd by his Nephew William whose Tomb is yet to be seen in the Church of S. Laurence without the Walls ALEXANDER IV. ALEXANDER the Fourth a Campanian born at Anagni was chosen Pope in the room of Innocent and streight sends monitory Letters to Manfred that he should not at his peril attempt any thing that might be a diminution of the honour of holy Church for he calling to his aid the Saracens from Nocera had surprised the Church-Forces utterly unprepared that were in Foggia and either put 'em to the Sword or took 'em Prisoners and pretending that Conradine was dead and that himself was his rightful Heir he had taken upon him to rule as King In the mean while the Christians who we told you had encamp'd near the City of Pharamia were very much visited with sickness and press'd with want of Provisions that part of Nile being prepossess'd by the Enemy by which they were wont to be
manner in Lombardy the Emperor went through Piacenza to Genoa along with Amadeus of Savoy attended by the Agents from Pisa and Genoa Thither came Embassadors from Robert of Naples and Frederick King of Sicily not long after the former to make a shew of friendship and the latter to assure him of the real love which they had for him For Robert had sent his Mareschal into Tuscany with two thousand Horse to assist the Floretines and those of Lucca if need were against the Emperor But Henry went by Sea to Pisa and having sent his Land-forces before him did the men of Lucca a great deal of damage Hitherto I thought fit to relate all the inconveniences which were brought upon the Italians which some impute wholly to Clement who solicited Henry to come with an Army into Italy Whilst others tell us that Clement did it for the advantage of the Country because of the civil Discords among 'em which were the cause of much blood-shed in every City nay in every little Castle The Citizens were slain old men murther'd young Children dash'd against the ground with a boundless cruelty Whereupon Clement used that saying of Homer Let there be but one chief Lord one Judg of all matters Henry went on toward Rome and sent Lewis of Savoy Son to Amadeus with five hundred Horse before who taking up his quarters at one Stephen Columna's House near the Lateran put the Vrsin Faction in a terrible fear But Henry came first to Viterbo and thence to Rome where he was very kindly received not onely by all the Nobility but by the Citizens in general After that being Crown'd by three Cardinals he made the Romans swear Allegiance to him as the custom is and made a great Feast to which he invited all the Noblemen of the City except the Vrsins But lest in such a concourse of people there should arise any tumult through the animosities of some men he planted his Soldiers in the Theatres Baths and other fortified places in the strength of which Guards he was so confident that he had the courage to demand of the people a Tribute which they never used to pay Hereupon all the Citizens of both Factions fled to the Vrsins who had set good Guards about their House which stood near the Tiber and hard by Hadrians Bridg. At that the Emperor was so enraged that he summoned the Sea-Archers whom the men of Pisa had sent him to march into the City against the Romans but they were surprised and soon routed by John the Brother of King Robert who had placed his Sea-forces under the Mount di S. Sabina He also let in the Horse who quarter'd not far off and by the aid of the Roman people forced the Emperour himself to retreat as far as Tivoli After him John Robert's Brother went away by Command from the Cardinals and left the City quiet But Henry going from Perugia arrived at Arezzo where he accused Robert the King of Treason and because he did not appear upon Summons deprived him of his Kingdom against the mind of Clement who thought he had done a thing of such consequence in a very improper place besides that it was none of his Prerogative For he said It was Popes peculiar Province to dispose of the Kingdom of Sicily on both sides the Pharo The Emperor marching from Arezzo led his Army toward Florence and Lucca who were Allies to Robert But seeing he was not able to storm a Town he possess'd himself of Poggibonci which when he had fortified he declared War against the Seneses because they were so niggardly and sparing in supplying him with Provisions But falling sick he went to the Bath at Macerata from whence he came back to Bonconvento much weaker than he was before There after some days he died but it was suspected he was poison'd by a Monk at Florence who was induced by large Rewards and Promises to give him the Eucharist dipped in Poison The State of Pisa now that the Emperor was dead feared the power of the Florentines and therefore chose Vgutio Fagiolano their Captain and sole Governor who not long after reduced those of Lucca and took away their Lands from 'em by the assistance of the Cavalry that had served under Henry In the mean time Clement was very much troubled not onely at all the other evils that Italy underwent but that S. Constantines Church should be burnt down Wherefore he sent Money to the Clergy and people of Rome toward the repair of that Church though there was such scarcity and Dearth in his Country at that time that he could hardly buy himself Victuals and Drink Which miseries were foretold by frequent Eclipses of the Sun several Comets and the Plague which was almost Epidemical But Clement apply'd himself to settle the State of the Church and therefore he exercised his Episcopal Function three times not onely in making several Cardinals who were excellent Men but in three Councils which he called in several places and at several times he did many things with prudence and deliberation For he suppress'd Dulcinus's Sect as I told you that opposed the Churchmen and took off the Templers who were fallen into very great Errors as denying Christ c. and gave their goods to the Knights of Jerusalem He likewise withstood the King of France at Poictou when he made unreasonable and unhandsom Demands for the King would have had Boniface censur'd and Nogaretius and Sarra absolv'd The first request he never obtein'd but the second he at last had granted to him upon Nogaretius's Promise that he would go against the Saracens for Penance Which expedition Clement himself had a great mind to as appears by his Councils Afterwards he canonized Caelestin the fifth by the name of Peter the Confessor because approved by Miracles and set forth the Clementines which he composed during the Council at Vienna But in succeeding time he was afflicted with divers Diseases for he was troubled sometimes with a Dysentery sometimes with a pain in his Stomach or his Sides of which he dy'd in the eighth year tenth month and fifteenth day of his Pontificate The Sea was then vacant two years three months and seventeen days whilst the Cardinals were at a stand whom they should choose Nor was there less Discord among the Electors of the Empire upon the Death of Henry some proposing Lewis of Bavaria others Frederick Duke of Austria And these two engaging in War one against the other Frederick was Conquer'd at which Lewis grew so proud that he not onely called himself Emperor without Authority from Rome but favour'd the Viconti in Lombardy so far that they got into Millain And this he did to make his own passage more easie toward Rome where he was to receive a golden Crown according to the usual Custom Then began the people of Tuscany and all the Guelphs to tremble when they saw Lewis Emperor and that he was likely to recover all the rights of the Empire in
animosities arisen in the Kingdom of Naples For King Robert dying without Issue male bequeathed Johanna Daughter of Andrew his Nephew for a Wife to King Charles of Hungary's Son who came at that time a Youth to Naples But Johanna hating him for a dull fellow kill'd him by surprise in the City which was generally against the Match and was married to his Cousin German one Lewis Son to a former Prince of Tarento who was known to be Robert's Brother But Lewis King of Hungary and Brother of her first Husband resolving to revenge so great a piece of Villany came into Italy with a very well order'd Army and first attaqued the Sulmoneses who had the boldness to oppose him But in the mean while the manner of choosing Senators at Rome was alter'd by Apostolical Authority and Nicolas de Renty Citizen of Rome and publick Notary a man very earnest and high for Liberty when he had taken the Capitol gain'd so much good will and Authority among all the people that he could incline them to what he pleased And that he might work upon them the more effectually he used this Motto Nicolas the severe and merciful Patron of Liberty Peace and Justice and the illustrious Redeemer of the Sacred State of Rome With these great Words he created such an admiration of himself that all the people of Italy desired by their Embassadors to enter into League and friendship with him Beside that some forein Nations look'd upon the glory of the Roman Empire to be now reviving But his vain Boasting continu'd not long for whilst he was kind to some Citizens and an Enemy to others he all on the sudden was accounted instead of a Patron a Tyrant So that in the seventh month of his Government of his own accord without any bodies knowledg on a dark Night he went disguised from Rome into Bohemia to Charles the Son of John whom Clement a little before had made the Electors put in nomination for Emperor because he was so fine a Scholar besides that he had a mind to affront the Bavarian by setting up a Competitor So the Tribune i.e. Nicolas was taken by Charles and carry'd to Avignion for a Present to the Pope But Lewis having gotten into Sulmona after a long Siege makes himself easily master of the whole Kingdom since Johanna and the Adulterer Lewis were fled for fear into Narbonne and had left onely the Duke of Durazzo Nephew to King Robert to protect the Kingdom who was conquer'd and taken by Charles and put to Death But the Plague being very hot all over Italy Charles left sufficient Garisons there and return'd into Hungary in the third month after his arrival which was just about the time when John the Arch-Bishop a man of great courage and conduct received from the Pope the Lieutenancy of Millain upon the death of his Brother Luchino But Clement kept Nicolas in Prison and sent some Cardinals to Rome to settle the State of the City to whom Francis Petrarcha wrote persuading them to chuse Senators impartially out of the Commonalty if they would appease the Tumults since it did not sufficiently appear in Rome who were of the Senatorian and who of the Plebeian rank because they were almost all Foreigners and born of strange Parents Upon this Petro Sarra of Columna and John Vrsini were declared Senators At this time the Plague raged so all over Italy for three years that there was scarce one man in ten that escaped Nor is that any wonder for there was such a concourse of men from all places to Rome at the Jubilee which was then celebrated that they not onely brought the Contagion along with 'em but by the throng and bustle and sweating that was among 'em infected all places and persons At that time the Town of Colle and Geminiano were made subject to the Florentines and Bologna to the Arch-Bishop of Millain by the voluntary surrender of the Citizens At which the Pope being disturb'd sent a Legate into Italy to instigate the Florentines and Mastino Scala against the Viconti But when Mastino was dead the Arch-Bishop endeavour'd to draw Canegrande Son to Mastino and all the Gibellins in Romagna and Tuscany to make an Alliance with him and sent his Nephew Bernabos to Bologna to keep the Citizens in Obedience In the mean time the Florentines without any resistance set upon the Pistoians and the Prateses and at length reduced 'em by main force But after that being harrass'd by the Arch-Bishop's force under the command of John Aulegius they could hardly defend themselves within their Walls At that time Anguillara and Borgo di Sancto Sepolchro belonging to the Church revolted to the Viscounts and then also we read that the Genoeses and Venetians fought a Sea-Battel in which the Genoeses at first were conquer'd but afterward they were more victorious under the Command of Admiral Philip Auria and not onely took the Island Scio from the Venetians but kill'd a great many men in Vbaea now called Necroponte But Clement resolving at last to consult the quiet of Italy Decreed that Lewis Prince of Taranto should be King of Naples renew'd the Peace with the Hungarian bought the City of Avignion of Queen Joan whose Inheritance it was and paid for it by remitting of a certain Fee that amounted to rather more than the price of it and was due from her to the Church of Rome upon the account of the Kingdom of Naples But whilst Olegio Viconti besieged Scarperia in Muciallia those of Siena Arezzo and Perugia being affrighted enter'd into a new Confederacy with the Florentines against the Viconti The Pisans could not shew their friendship to the Viconti for the Gambacorti a Noble Family that were Allies of Florence who being now unable to withstand the Viconti alone call'd Charles the Emperor into Italy At this the Pope was concern'd and fearing Italy might be destroy'd with fire and sword as the Emperor threaten'd he deliver'd Bologni ro the Viconti upon Condition that they should pay the Church twelve thousand pound a year and made Peace between the Viconti and the Florentines upon these terms That neither of 'em should molest those of Pisa Lucca Siena or Perugia and that Borgo di Sancto Sepolchro should be subject to the Church and the Viconti should preserve the Liberty of the Cortoneses He also endeavour'd to compose the differences between Philip of France and Edward of England but in vain for they were so incens'd to fight that in one Battel Edward kill'd twenty thousand French and after eleventh months Siege victoriously took Calais by storm The same success he had against the Scots But the Pope having done the Duty of a good Shepherd seeing he could not advantage Christendom abroad he consulted how to do the Church some good at home For he chose excellent Persons for Cardinals especially Giles a Spaniard who was Arch-Bishop of Toledo Nicolas Cappocius a Roman Citizen Rainaldo Vrsina Protonotary of the Church of
of Bavaria whom the Electors of the Empire having deposed Wenceslaus of Bohemia for his sloth had chosen Emperor to come into Italy upon condition that he should not have the promised reward till he was advanc'd as far as the Dutchy of Millain But when he was come to Brescia near the Lago di Grada and had receiv'd part of the Money he engaged with Galeatius and losing the day fled to Trent The Venetians and Florentines promised him great things to keep him from going back into Germany but all would not do At that time Boniface whether out of fear of the Power of the Viconti or out of covetousness to enlarge the Churches Patrimony was the first that imposed Annates or yearly payments upon Ecclesiastical Benefices upon this condition that whoever got a Benefice should pay half an years Revenue into the Apostolical Treasury Yet there are those who attribute this Invention to John XXII Now all Countreys admitted of this usage except the English who granted it onely in case of Bishopricks but not in other Benefices Being thus strengthened with Money and choosing Magistrates as he pleased both in the City and all over the Church Dominions the Pope restored Ladislaus a Youth Son to Charles King of Naples into his Fathers Kingdom which was usurp'd by such as sided at that time with Lewis of Anjou And to do it the more easily and honourably he abolish'd that deprivation of Charles which Vrban had promulged at Nocera and sent Cardinal Florentino to Cajeta which was the onely place that had continu'd Loyal to crown the Youth there where he had been so loyally preserv'd Galeatius thus rid of the Emperor sent his Army under the command of Albrick against John Bentivoglio who had turn'd out the Garison and made himself Master of Bologna At this time Francis Gonzaga fought in Galeatius's Army for they two were friends again as also Pandulphus Malatesta Charle's Brother and Ottobon Rossi of Parma The names of these Men terrified the Florentines so that they sent Bernardo their General to assist the Bolognians their Allies which so encourag'd the Bolognians that they engaged the Enemy before their Walls but had the worst and lost all their Horse as also Bernardo who was kill'd in the fight James Carrara was taken but preserv'd at the request of Francis Gonzaga Bentivoglio fled with a small number into the City which whilst he stoutly defended he fell into an Ambuscade where he was kill'd the Enemy not being able to take him alive so that now Galeatius easily became Master of Bologna and struck great terrour into the Florentines threatning suddenly to turn all the force of his Arms upon them But not long after he died at Marignan of a Fever Anno Dom. 1402. whose death long wish'd for by the Florentines freed them from many fears and was presignified by a Comet which appear'd some time before Upon this many Usurpers arose either those who were chief in their Cities or who had command among the Soldiery by corrupting the Garisons seiz'd their several Towns there being now no one Man of Authority and Power to correct their ambitions and excesses infinite mischiefs hapned That fatal Sedition too of the Guelphs and Gibellins was renew'd which ran through Italy two hundred years and above and raised such civil Wars among the several Cities that they fought till they had almost destroy'd each other Vgolinus Cavalcabos having vanquish'd the Gibellins was Lord of Cremona whilst Otho the third got Parma expelling the Rossi The Soardi seiz'd Bergamo the Rusconii took Como the Vignati possess'd themselves of Lodi and Fazino Cane an excellent General made himself Master of Vercelli Alessandria and many other Towns thereabout I omit others who having been expell'd by Galeatius then were in some hopes of recovering their usurped Dominions especially William Scala and Charles Viconti Son to Bernabos who sollicited all the Princes and People to revolt Upon this account Piras Ordelaphus was banish'd his Country and got possession of Forli and Albrick Earl of Cuni would have reduced Faenza then brought to extremity if he had not been sent for in haste by Ladislaus by the Popes advice and made Great Constable of Naples The Pope had sent his Brother also thither with a competenr Army to assist the King but he being expelled by the Neapolitans moved toward Perugia and soon made that City subject to the Pope Baltesar Cassa also a Neapolitan Cardinal of S. Eustachius compell'd the Bolognians to return to the Church-party after he had besieged them for some time in which expedition Brachius Montonius led the Church-forces as being a Person well skill'd in Military Affairs and left for that reason in Romagna by Albrick For he had fought under him from his youth and been a Commander as had Sfortia who was born in Cotignola a Town of Romagna By whose valour and prowess the Militia of Italy so improved that whoever wanted a Commander would make use of one of them Hence those Military Factions so increased that all the troubles of Italy for sixty years might be imputed to one of them For he that was oppress'd by the Brachians immediately hired the Sfortians to revenge his quarrel But Albrick from whom as from the Trojan Horse so many Generals did come made Naples yield to Ladislaus after a long Siege At which Victory all the Princes of the Kingdom and all the Cities surrender'd themselves to the King But Ladislaus over desirous of enlarging his Kingly power before he had laid a good foundation in Naples was sent for into Hungary to accept of that Kingdom by hereditary right and in order thereunto sent over his Forces But whilst he was besieging Zara his Friends sent him word that the Neapolitans were like to revolt wherefore having taken Zara and sold it to the Venetians he return'd to Naples and calling back Albrick out of Romagna he deposed all the Nobles and banish'd those that refused to obey him But he was very severe upon the Family of Sanseverino and put the chiefest of them to death Boniface being troubled at such a tedious confusion of Affairs at length died of a Pleurisie in the fourteenth year and the ninth month of his Pontificate Anno Dom. 1404. He was buried at S. Peters in a Marble Tomb of Mosaic work still to be seen with his Coat of Arms which shews also that he built much in S. Angelo the Capitol and the Vatican Nor had any thing been wanting to the glory of this Pope if he had not been too partial to his Relations Simony being often committed by reason that his Brethren and Friends who came to Rome in great multitudes to get Money ask'd for every thing that fell in his gift without any reason As for Indulgencies and those plenary too they were sold about at such a rate that the Authority of the Keys and the Popes Bulls was brought into contempt Boniface indeed endeavour'd to amend these things but was forced
in Humanity and Divinity that he soon became a publick Reader and wrote very acutely and learnedly upon the Books of the Sentences He was also reckon'd a great Orator and a great Preacher And therefore he was sent for by John Galeatius Duke of Millain and made his chief Counsellor After that at Galeatius's request he was made Bishop of Vincenza then translated to Novara and last of all being made Arch-Bishop of Millain he was created Cardinal of the Twelve Apostles by Innocent VII From which step he rose to the Pontifical Dignity and was deservedly stiled Alexander because he might compare with any Prince for liberality and greatness of mind For he was so munificent to the poor and all that deserved his bounty that in a short time he left himself nothing That made him use to say in a joke that he was a rich Bishop a poor Cardinal and a beggarly Pope For he was free from that desire of getting which increaseth usually with a Mans Estate and his Age. But it is a Vice that cannot be found among good Men that contemn the World who the older they grow the less Viaticum or provision they know they shall want for their Journey and therefore they restrain their Desires bridle their Covetousness and extinquish all evil lusts Nay Alexander was a Person of that Courage as to depose that powerful King Ladislaus who in the absence of several Popes had for a long time much spoil'd and harass'd the Church Dominions and taken some Towns by force at Pisa in the Council there by approbation of all that were present and declared his Kingdom to belong to Lewis Duke of Anjou But when the Council of Pisa brake up the Pope went to Bologna of which Baldesar Cossa Cardinal of S. Eustachius was Governour Him Alexander confirm'd in his Office because by his industry and conduct the Council was held at Pisa and because he was a Man fit to oppose Usurpers or such as encroached upon the Church Revenues Yet there was more of rusticity boldness and worldliness in him than his profession required He led a military Life and his manners were Soldier-like and he took the liberty of doing many things not fit to be named But when Alexander was very sick and knew his death was very near he exhorted the Cardinals that visited him to Concord and Peace and to defend the Honour of the Church And swore by that Death he was just now about to undergo and by the Conscience of his well-acted Life that he did not think or believe that any thing was Decreed in the Pisan Council but with all justice and integrity without any deceit or fraud This said and the People weeping that stood by he repeated that saying of our Saviour with much ado My peace I give unto you my peace I leave with you and immediately dy'd in the eighth month of his Pontificate and was buried at Bologna in the Church of the Friers Minors in which year there was a Famine and a Plague JOHN XXIV JOHN the Twenty Fourth a Noble Neapolitan formerly called Cossa Baldesar was chosen Pope at Bologna by general consent though some say the Election was carried by force because he was not only Legate of Bologna but had Soldiers in the City and Country planted for the purpose so that if he could not get it by fair means he would by foul However it was it is most certain that he was made Pope and always aspired to that Dignity For when he was a Youth and studied Civil Law at Bologna for some years he took his Degree there according to Custom and then went to Rome And being ask'd by some Friends whether he was going he answer'd To the Pontificate When he came to Rome he was entertain'd by Boniface IX and made one of his Privy Chamber Then he was made Cardinal of S. Eustachius's and sent as Legate à Latere to Bologna which he in a short space subjected to the Church together with a great part of Romagna beating aut some Usurpers and putting others to death But after nine years when he had enlarged the City of Bologna in a wonderful manner by a long Peace and gotten a great deal of Money Alexander died and then he used Bribery especially to the Cardinals that Gregory had made who were yet poor and so was made Pope Thereupon he sent Agents to the Electors of the Empire to desire of 'em that they would choose Sigismund of Lucenburg King of Hungary and Bohemia Emperor as being a person very stout and fit as he said for all brave Actions For this was his way to get into Sigismunds's favour And that succeeding according to his mind he told 'em before-hand that whereas it had been order'd in an Assembly at Pisa that a Council should be call'd at such a certain time he would hold it at Rome and no where else And that all might have the freer access thither he endeavour'd to settle Italy especially that part near the Alps in which the War did daily encrease by the instigation of Fazinus Canis who could not keep his mercenary Soldiers under his Command without employment For he used to maintain them by rapine and plunder At that juncture it happen'd that the Pavians whom Philip could not contain in awe by reason of his Minority were grown factious and took up Arms. Then the Gibellins under the conduct of the Beccarian Family brought Fazinus and his Army into the City and were to have the Guelphs Estates for doing it But Fazinus entering the Town with his Soldiers spared neither one nor the other but plunder'd both And when the Gibellins complain'd that their goods too were plunder'd against his Promise he reply'd The Gibellins in their Persons should be safe but their Goods were Guelphs which he would give as Spoil to the Soldiers deriding the folly and covetousness of both Factions When he went from thence he left a good Garison both at the Gates and in the Fort pretending to be Philips Protector till he grew of Age and so went against Pandulphus Malatesta where he teazed the Brescians and the Bergameses with frequent inroads and ravagings nor did he spare those of Cremona at that time govern'd by Cabrinus Fundulus During these transactions the King of Hungary who was going as he pretended to Rome freely to receive the Imperial Crown sent twelve thousand Horse and eight thousand Foot against the Venetians and seizing Friuli he set upon Treviso Against this great Army the Venetians sent Charles Malatesta to keep them off not so much by fighting as by protracting of the time The Venetians had like also to have lost Verona the same year by treachery of some of the Citizens who had more mind to try what they could get by violence than to preserve their Liberty But those that were guilty were punish'd and there was an end of that Fazinus Canis died the same year after which several persons conspiring together kill'd John Maria
civil Animosities and have pursu'd that great Conquest by Land and Sea as Calixtus advis'd But the Turk recovering strength took Trabisond killing the Emperour and then Bossina where he took and slew the King All wise Men perceiving as from a Watch-Tower and advertising the Christians of the Calamities that were like to befal Calixtus especially never desisted from exhorting the Christian Princes by Letters and Messengers to open their eyes at last amidst such great dangers for that they would seek a remedy in vain when the Enemy was recruited But whilst the good Man was thinking and talking of these things James Picenninus revolted from the Venetians and march'd into the Territories of Siena with a numerous body of Horse and Foot to demand of the Sieneses some thousands of pounds which he said they ow'd him upon his Father Nicolas's account who had formerly fought under their Commission The Sieneses fearing the worst sent to the Princes of Italy to assist 'em as they were bound by Contract especially the Pope who first advised 'em not to give James one farthing and then sent his Forces against him and admonish'd the Princes of Italy to do the same lest a flame should break out in Italy which might be too fierce for them to quench The Italians fearing the Pope's words would prove too true sent speedy succours to the Sieneses onely Alphonso favoured James and sent for him to his House as being mindful of the Friendship he had formerly contracted with Nicolas Picenninus his Father nor would he assist the Sieneses as he ought to have done nay he so far animated Count Petilian against them that he seemed to be the chief cause of all the mischief But when the Auxiliaries came in not onely from Francis Sfortia but the Venetians also Picenninus was reduced to that pass in some few Battles that if he were not routed he was mightily weaken'd especially at Orbitello insomuch that he was fain to take shipping in Alphonso's Gallies that were sent to him in his distress and sail into his own Country without any success in that great Attempt Thus by the assistance of Calixtus and his Allies were the Sieneses freed from great danger though they were still troubled with intestine and domestick as well as forein broils by reason of some Citizens that contemn'd their present Liberty and follow'd Alphonso's Faction by whom also 't is thought that great War was first raised But the honest Citizens turn'd out or kill'd the rest and do to this day retain that Liberty which they purchased at so dear a rate Nor did they omit to punish the licentiousness of the Soldiers or those that fled from their Colours as Gilbert Corrigia whom they put to death and gave his Men for a common prey to the rest Sigismund Malatesta had like to have been serv'd in the same sauce who at that time fought under them for protracting the War and driving away their Cattel out of their grounds as if he had been an Enemy That year there happen'd such an Earthquake in the Kingdom of Naples upon the seventh of December that many Churches and Houses fell down to the great destruction of Man and Beast especially at Naples Capua Cajetta Aversa and other Cities in old Campania whose ruines I since have seen with great astonishment when I went thither to look after Antiquities Then also did Alphonso often repeat his Vow which he had made against the Turks and said he would shortly perform it but he could never be brought to the Holy War for all that so mightily was he taken with the delights of Naples But Calixtus when he had setled the Affairs of Italy created nine Cardinals of whom two were his Nephews by two Sisters of his to wit Roderick Borgia and John Miliano his Sisters Son He also made Aeneas Bishop of Siena a Cardinal and made use of him to procure the peace of Italy whilst the Sieneses were teazed with War The Earl Tagliacocius being dead whom the Pope had made Governour of the City the year before there rose a Controversie between Neapolio Vrsin and the Count Aversus for that the later had possession of Monticello not far from Tivoli he pretending it belong'd to his Daughter-in-law who was the Count's Daughter and Neapolio urg'd on the other side that it ought to be his himself being reckon'd to be of the Vrsine Family Whilst these two contended thus for their Patrimony and that with Arms too the Roman people suffer'd very greatly But when this Controversie also was over and both sides commanded to lay down their Arms Calixtus made his Nephew Borgia not onely Governour of the City in the room of the Count deceased but made him General of the Church-Forces that he might keep the great Men of the City the better in order Alphonso not long after dying without a lawful Heir Calixtus had the courage to demand that Kingdom and said it belong'd to the Sea Apostolick as an Escheat Whereupon Armies were raised on both sides and Ferdinand Alphonso's Heir fear'd Calixtus's resolution for he knew his nature and the greatness of his Soul But his death also put all things into confusion and freed Ferdinand from great consternation of mind Calixtus died in the third year the third month and sixteenth day of his Pontificate and was buried in the Vatican on the left hand of St. Peter's in the Round Church dedicated to St. Marie del Febri which was formerly repaired by Nicolas Borgia also his Nephew died not long after at Civita Vechia whither he had fled to save himself from the Vrsins whom he had disobliged by favouring the opposite Faction But to give you a short Character of Calixtus He was a very upright Man and is to be commended for one thing above all That when he was Bishop or Cardinal he would never keep any Benefice in Commendam but said he was content with one Wife and that a Virgin i.e. the Church of Valenza as the Canon Law ordains Besides he was very charitable to poor Christians both in publick and private and gave portions to several poor Virgins when they married kept indigent Noblemen at his own charge and when occasion was he was munificent to Princes especially those that could assist the Church of Christ He likewise sent Lewis of Bologna of the Order of St. Francis Vsun-Cassanus Prince of Persia and Armenia and to the King of the Tartars with many great Presents to animate them against the Turk and by his persuasion they did the Enemy great damage and sent their Embassadours that were design'd to come to Calixtus after he dy'd to Pope Pius which was an admirable Rarity to us not onely upon account of the distant Countries from whence they came but their habit which was unusual and very strange to our eyes They say that Vsun-Cassanus after many Victories over the Enemy wrote to the Pope that he had conquer'd the Foe by the Pope's prayers and that he would one day
the opposers of the Church of Rome both within and without Italy he canonized Catharine of Siena and abrogated the French Pragmatic Sanction He restored Ferdinand of Aragon to the Kingdom of Naples encreased the Churches Patrimony and made the first Allum Mines at Tolfa He was an Admirer of Justice and Religion and an excellent Orator But he died at Ancona as he was going to the War against the Turks where he had his Navy ready and the Duke and Senate of Venice for his fellow Soldiers in Christ He was brought thence into the City by order of the Cardinals and buried in the place where he commanded St. Andrew the Apostle's head which was brought hither to him from Morea to be laid He lived fifty eight years nine months and twenty seven days and when he dy'd left the College of Cardinals forty five thousand pound gather'd out of the Church Revenues to maintain the War against the Turks But the Cardinals committed all this Money and the Galleys that were then in the Port of Ancona to Christopher Maurus Duke of Venice who arrived there two days before Pius died upon condition that he should use the Ships according to their directions and should send the Money to Matthias King of Hungary who was continually at War with the Turk Thus died Pius who was a personage of such true courage and singular prudence as he seemed to be born not to ease or pleasure but to manage the most important Affairs He always endeavour'd to augment the Majesty and grandieur of the Pontifical Chair nor did he ever leave chastizing of Kings Dukes States Usurpers that wronged either himself or any other Church-Man till he made 'em acknowledg their Errour And therefore he was an Enemy to Lewis King of France because he endeavour'd to diminish the Liberties of the Church and extorted from him the Pragmatic Sanction which was most pernicious to the Sea of Rome He threaten'd Borsius Duke of Modena who being a Feudatary of the Church of Rome yet favour'd Sigismund Malatesta and the French who were no Friends to the Church But he censur'd Sigismund Duke of Austria most grievously for taking Nicolas Cusanus Cardinal of St. Peter ad vincula and keeping him some days in Prison He deprived Dieterus Isimbergensis Bishop of Mayence who hated the Church of Rome and put another in his place and so likewise he displaced the Arch-Bishop of Benevento who was upon new projects and endeavour'd to betray Benevento to the French He likewise deprived Francis Copinus who in his Embassady to England assumed more Power than the Sea Apostolick had given him to the destruction of many Men him he deprived of his Bishoprick of Teramo He also made Terracino Benevento Sora Arpino and a great part of Campagnia subject to the Church He never granted any thing to any King Duke or State for fear or covetousness and would reprove Men severely that ask'd what he could not grant without detriment to the Church and dishonour to himself and strook such terrour into some Lords of Italy especially that they continued very true to their Faith and Allegiance But as he always plagued his publick Enemies so likewise he Cherish'd his Friends as much He dearly loved Frederick the Emperour Matthias King of Hungary Ferdinand Son to Alphonso Philip of Burgundy Francis Sfortia and Lewis Gonzaga He added twelve Cardinals to the former number the Cardinal of Rieti Spoleto Trani Alexander Saxoferratensis Bartholomew Roverella James of Lucca Francis Son to his Sister Laodamia Francis Gonzaga Son to the Marquess Lewis all Italians But then there were others from beyond the Alps as Salseburgensis Lewis Libretus of Artois and Vergelensis Moreover he so ordered his method of living that he could never be accused of idleness or sloth He rose as soon as 't was day for his health sake and having said his Prayers very devoutly went about his worldly affairs When he had done his mornings work and walk'd about the Gardens for his recreation he went to Dinner in which he used an indifferent sort of Diet not curious and dainty For he seldom bid 'em get him this or that particular Dish but whatever they set before him he ate of He was very abstemious and when he did drink Wine it was always diluted with Water and pleasant rather than rough upon the Palate After Meals he either discoursed or disputed half an hour with his Chaplains and then going into his Bed-Chamber he took a nap after which he went to Prayers again and then wrote or read as long as his business would permit The same also he did after Supper for he both read and dictated till midnight as he lay in his Bed nor did he sleep above five or six hours He was a short Man gray-hair'd before his time and had a wrinkled Face before he was old In his aspect he bore severity tempered with good-nature and in his garb was neither finical nor negligent but so contrived it as to be consistent with the pains which he usually took He could patiently endure both hunger and thirst because he was naturally very strong and yet his long journeys frequent labour and Watchings had impair'd him His usual Diseases were the Cough the Stone and Gout wherewith he was often so tormented that no body could say he was alive but by his Voice And even in his sickness he was very accessible but sparing of Words and unwilling to deny any Man's Petition He laid out all the Money he got together and did neither love Gold nor contemn it but would never be by whilst it was told out or laid up He seemed not to cherish the Wits of his Age because three grievous Wars which he had undertook had so continually exhausted the Pontifical Treasury that he was oftentimes much in Debt and yet he preferred many learned Men to places both in the Court and Church He would willingly hear an Oration or a Poem and always submitted his own Writings to the judgment of the Learned He hated Lyars and Sycophants was soon angry and soon pleased again He pardon'd those that reviled or scoff'd at him unless they injur'd the Sea Apostolick the Dignity whereof he always had such a respect for as upon that account often to fall out with great Kings and Princes He was very kind to his Houshold Servants for those that he sound in an errour through folly or ignorance he admonish'd like a Father He never reproved any one for speaking or thinking ill of him because in a free City he desired every body should utter their minds And when one told him that he had an ill Report he reply'd go into the Campo di fiore and you 'l hear a great many talk against me If at any time he had a mind to change the Air of Rome for a better he went especially in the Summer to Tivoli or his own Country Siena But he was mightily pleased with the retirement of an Abby in Siena which is very
necessary for a War with assistance of the King's Forces he surprised and subdued 'em within fourteen days after he attaqued 'em reducing nine Castles under the jurisdiction of the Church of which some were so well fortified both by Art and Nature that they seemed impregnable Deiphobus fearing lest if he were taken he should be sent to the King made his escape But Francis his Brother and his Son were taken and kept five years in Castel St. Angelo till upon the Creation of Sixtus they were freed And hence afterward arose great enmity between the Pope and the King when Ferdinand demanded that Paul would remit the Tribute which he was to pay the Church as a reward for his great merits and would retrench or take off part of it for the future seeing his Uncle enjoy'd the Kingdom of Sicily though he paid Tribute for that and Naples too and told him That he ought to consider his Deserts and what might happen for that he had always some Batalions in Arms not more upon his own than upon the Pope's account as he found in the late War against the Aversans Paul on the other hand recounted the Churches merits toward Ferdinand and so they spun out the Debate a long time by these kind of wranglings each of 'em seeking an opportunity to recover their Right In the mean time the King was very cautious how he caused any new Commotions because he fear'd James Picenninus's Power who had Sulmona in Abruzzo and some other Towns in his possession whom afterward his Father-in-law Francis Sfortia sent to the King who gave him his word that he should come and go in safety when he pleased But all things did not go according to James's expectation for he was taken at Naples by Ferdinand as so was his Son and there thrown into Prison and not long after put to Death though there was a false report given out that he fell down in the Prison and broke his Leg as he was inconsiderately staring through the Window to see the King's Galleys that came from Ischia with Victory over the French There were who thought him still alive which I can never believe because there was no Man in all Italy more fit if you look upon him as a Soldier to subvert the Government of King Ferdinand The Duke of Millain's Daughter when she heard of it tarry'd by the way at Siena as she was going to her Husband at Naples to persuade the World that her Father was not any way concern'd with Ferdinand in contriving the Death of Picenninus But what People thought of it we very well know There were likewise some that said the Pope knew of it before hand because at that time the Arch-Bishop of Millain went often from the Pope to the King and from the King back again and because Paul said when he heard of his Imprisonment that the Judg of Appeals was taken off But that of Virgil is too true Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae Little do Men their future Fortune know For Paul could not have made use of any one to fit to curb Ferdinand as James Picenninus was if he had been alive when their Debate arose about the Tribute for which a War was like to have been proclaimed For when he had kept his Daughter-in-laws and his Son's Wedding and that thereby and by the death of James his Kingdom was setled Ferdinand was instant with the Pope that he would retrench the Tribute and give him back certain Towns which belong'd to the Kingdom but were in possession of the Church Thereupon Paul sent to him Bartholomew Roverella Cardinal Priest of St. Clements as Legate who did in some measure satisfie the King And at that time I believe they both fear'd lest the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon which all Men were then astonish'd at might portend some changes in Government Nor can you think the heavenly Bodies have no efficacy for the year after Francis Sfortia Duke of Millain and Genoua died For he had gotten Genoua two years before being after a long War surrender'd by the Citizens For they having rejected the French Government which they had formerly courted kill'd six thousand of the French under the Nose of King Renatus who came with some Galleys well arm'd to retrieve the City that had now revolted from the French When Francis Sfortia Duke of Millain was dead Paul summon'd the Cardinals to consult what was to be done They all concluded that he must send Letters and Nuncioes to all the Princes of Italy and to all States to persuade 'em against Innovations and to maintain the establish'd Peace especially at that unhappy time when we were so threatned by the Turk the common Enemy And afterward he sent the Bishop of Conca to Millain to persuade that State to have regard to the Allegiance they had sworn to Galeatius Francis's Son At that time Galeatius was absent in France whither his Father had sent him with an Army to assist King Lewis against the Princes of his Kingdom that acknowledg'd not his Authority For Francis was bound by the League he made with him when he possest himself of Genoa to supply him with some Auxiliaries Besides the Allegiance which they had contracted obliged him to it for he had married the Sister of the Queen and the Duke of Savoy When he heard of his Father's Death he relinquish'd the War which he engaged in upon the King's account against the Duke of Burgundy and going from Lions return'd with a small Retinue and in a disguise to his own Country where he peaceably possess'd himself of his paternal inheritance by the help of his Mother who kept the people in Obedience till he came But Paul when the Affairs of Italy were thus composed hearing that the Rhodian Soldiers were ready to starve he summon'd the Grand Master and the great Clergymen to Rome to consider of a Relief who after frequent meetings in St. Peters died for grief and Age and was buried in that Church not far from St. Andrew's Chappel in whose room Charles Vrsin was chosen and sent immediately to defend the Island In the mean time when Paul heard that there were a great many Hereticks in Tagliacozzo he having heard their cause severely branded the Lord of the place eight Men and six Women which were caught and brought before him being those that were most obstinate but dealt more favourably with those that confessed their Error and begg'd pardon They were of those perverse sort of Hereticks who say there never was any true Vicar of Christ since St. Peter but who had imitated Christ's Poverty Then he encreased the number of Cardinals and made ten at one time of which number were Francis of Savona General of the Order of Minors M. Barbo Bishop of Vincenza whose Advice he always took in great Affairs Oliver Arch-Bishop of Naples Amicus Bishop of Aquila and Theodore Montferrat and the rest were partly French Hungarians and English Having thus
reason disposed his affairs for a second War in order whereunto he in the first place Excommunicated Ferdinand absolved his Subjects from their Obedience and deprived him of his Kingdom but because this would prove insignificant unless it were made good by some more effectual means he sent to the King of France for the aid he had formerly promised and having raised a considerable Army of Switzers and Italians under the command of Francis Cibo and having also the countenance of all Italy in detestation of this false treatment Ferdinand being terrified therewith inclined to a Peace and really to accept with unfeigned devotion and obedience such conditions as the Pope should be pleased to impose upon him and in farther pursuance of this Peace the Vrsini were induced to prostrate themselves at the feet of the Pope in which humble posture he generously granted to them all those Petitions and requests which they submissively offered to him and at the same time bestowed the like favours in the pardon of Cardinal Baldri a Frenchman who had treacherously conspired against him And farther to evidence his natural inclinations to Peace he reconciled the enmities of Colonna and Vrsini two potent Families in Rome who by their Dissentions and Wars had miserably spoiled and vexed each other This Peace produced a League between the King the Venetians the Florentines and the Duke of Milan and in short begat a general peace in all Christendom which continued for the space of five years during which time great preparations were made against the Turk which had in all probability happily succeeded had not that honorable and glorious design been unhappily interrupted by the Death of this Pope Yet some time before his decease being in the year 1488. he had the honor to have Zizimé the Brother of Bajazet Emperor of the Turks to be his Prisoner being taken and sent to Rome by the Knights of Rhodes And tho this Sultan was splendidly received and treated yet he could not be induced either by fair persuasions or ruder menaces to prostrate or humble himself at the feet of the Pope wherefore being remanded back to safe custody in the Vatican he lived there for all the time of this Pope during which his Brother Bajazet Emperor of the Turks sent yearly to Rome forty thousand Crowns for his maintainance and to render his Brother more acceptable there he sent with an honorable Embassy the Key of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem to the Pope together with the Lance with which Longinus pierced the side of our Saviour both which he received with great humility and devotion lodging the Key in a Chappel in S. Peter's Church where it is to be seen unto this day and laid the Spear in a Marble Chest which he purposely erected in a Chappel within the Church of the Vatican In the time of this Pope Innocent there was but one Creation of Cardinals at which eight only were made amongst which Laurence Cibo the natural Son of his Brother was one In the year 1489. he permitted that the Mass might be celebrated in Norway without Wine because that the Country being cold and the distance far the Wine was either frozen or turned Vinegar before it could be brought thither This Pope as we have said was generous and magnificent in all his actions performing many things at his own cost and charge for the honor and adornment of the City For he built a house of pleasure and delight for recreation of the Popes called the Belvedere he re-built the Deanry of S. Narcis from the foundation he made many Galleries in the Palace of the Vatican he erected a Fountain in the front before S. Peters and adorned many other places in the City and having disposed all things in order to the quiet and happiness of Italy he ended his days and died the 25th day of July 1491. being about the age of sixty years He was buried in a Sepulchre of Brass near the Altar which he had lately made for the Spear Lionel Bishop of Concordia Preached his Funeral Sermon wherein he recounted the most memorable passages of his life Over his Tomb this Epitaph was Engraven Ego autem in Innocentia mea Ingressus sum Redime me Domine miserere mei ALEXANDER VI. INNOCENT being deceased Roderigo who was made a Bishop and afterwards Cardinal Albano and Porto by Sixtus was elected Pope calling himself by the name of Alexander the Sixth and fate in the Papal Chair for the space of eleven years and upwards he was born at Valentia in Spain his Father was Geoffery Lenzola a rich and noble Gentleman and his Mother was the Sister of Pope Calixtus the Fourth by the favour of which Uncle he was designed from his Youth to be created Arch-Bishop of Valentia and in the year 1456. was actually made Cardinal-Deacon of S. Nicolas and Chancellor of the Roman Church and was afterwards by Sixtus the Fourth employed upon many important Affairs and Embassies for the Church and particularly to intercede and mediate in the differences between the Kings of Spain Portugal and Aragon who had all pretensions to the Kingdom of Castile by which Offices and places having gained great honor and interest he was by the suffrages of two and twenty Cardinals elected Pope But several Writers such as Guicciardin Onufrius and others brand the Election of this Pope with the infamy of Simonaical corruption for reporting that most of the Cardinals were bribed by sums of Mony and promises of Offices and high Preferments to give their Votes in his favour those who were most active and had taken the greatest Bribes for this promotion were the Cardinal Ascagnus who in reward had the Office of Chancellor conferred upon him likewise Julian Bishop of Ostia and Raphael Riario who were busie and talking Cardinals But Alexander who was an excellent dissembler until his turn was served and who loved the Treason but not the Traytor or the Office but not the corrupt ways to it hated this abominable practice in his heart so that by violent deaths by Banishment and other various calamities he found means to bring all those unto ruine who had thus basely conspired to his promotion and particularly Baptista Orsino to whom was given the magnificent Palace of Borgia and John Michael on whom was conferred the Bishoprick of Porto with all the Wardrobe of the Pope which was of inestimable value were both put to death one being publickly executed in the Castle and the other secretly made away by Poison This sort of treatment towards his Friends induced Guichardin in his History of this Pope to represent him under the notion of a person without Truth without Faith or Religion of an unsatiable avarice and insuperable pride and passionate in the raising and advancement of his Bastard Sons which were many in number to places of dignity and profit the which character is farther confirmed by all the Italian Poets and Historians of those times who ascribe strange
whom he had made Superiors over those contrivances Thus the people being full of hatred and disdain against the Pope refused in the time of his greatest exigency to afford him any relief and defence against his enemies who therefore without opposition entered into the new Suburbs which being sacked by them they passed no farther for fear of the Cannon from the Castle then they proceeded to the Popes Palace and the great Church of S. Peters which they plundered and rifled laying their Sacrilegious hands on every thing that was rich or of value but at length the tumult being appeased for this Riot did not continue above three hours by reason that they did no hurt or damage to any particular person the Pope who found himself within the Walls of the Castle without any provision or sustenance for himself or his defendants sent to Don Hugo de Moncada desiring that he might have a parly and treaty with him for the better understanding of matters between them Tho Cardinal Pompeo was greatly averse to all proposals or addresses for accommodation yet Don Hugo under the Popes Faith having received the Cardinals Cibo and Rodolfo who were of the Popes kindred as Hostages for his security went into the Castle to treat and discourse with the Pope where after many words had passed an agreement was concluded in these terms That a Truce should be made between the Pope and the Confederates on one side and of the Emperor on the other for the space of four months That in the mean time the Pope should withdraw his Army out of the Dukedom of Milan causing them immediately to retire on the side of the River Po towards Rome and call home his Fleet at Sea under the command of Andrew Doria That he should pardon the Cardinal Pompeo with all others of the Family of Colonna and for security hereof should deliver Philip Strozzi a wealthy person who had married the Daughter of Peter de Medicis and one of the Sons of James Salviati for Hostages and to send them to Naples within the space of two months on penalty of thirty thousand Ducats for default thereof And lastly that Don Hugo should depart from Rome with his whole Army causing every thing to be restored which had sacrilegiously been robbed and plundered from the holy places The Truce being thus concluded much to the dissatisfaction of Cardinal Pompeo and others of the Family of Colonna Don Hugo chearfully departed from Rome supposing that he had thereby performed sufficient service for the Emperor and the Pope as readily accepted the Agreement wanting provisions in the Castle and all other means to make a resistance But the Pope so soon as he found himself at liberty and freed of those fears and dangers which encompassed him having no regard to that Faith he had given under such compulsive circumstances as Imprisonment and Arms nor care of the Hostages he had delivered resolved not longer to maintain the Truce and thereupon recalled his Forces to Rome being two thousand Switzers and seven Companies of Italian Infantry under the command of John de Medicis to which adding new Levies as an Auxiliary force he in the first place deprived Pompeo of his Cardinals Hat and published both him and all the Family of Colonna Excommunicated and enemies to the Church and so farther prosecuting them by Arms he demolished and laid wast Jubiaco which was the Country House and only place of Pleasure in which Pompeo delighted and divertised himself and sent Vitelli with his Companies to burn and destroy all the Towns and Countries of the Colonnians as namely Marina Montfortin Gallicano and Tagarolo Whilst these things were in action the Emperor judging it not time to sit quiet and secure commanded Charles de Lonoia Vice-King of Naples to put in a readiness six thousand Spaniards and ordered thirty Sail of stout men of War to be speedily equipped and sent to the Coast of Italy and wrote also to his Brother Ferdinand to persuade George Franispergio a Captain of great authority and renown in Augusta that he would speedily with three Regiments of Germans pass into Italy whose march aed passage over the Po whilst John de Medicis endeavoured to hinder he was unhappily killed by a shot from one of the Enemies Sakers which breaking his thigh a little above his knee he was carried to Mantoua where he died within a few days after to the great prejudice of the Enterprise and loss to the Pope for being a young man of nine and twenty years of age whose Arms alone the Enemy feared whose time and years his Experience and Virtue surpassed and being of a most excellent temper neither too forward and precipitate nor yet too wary and diffident gave evident indications of becoming with time one of the most eminent Captains in the world In this manner the Truce being absolutely broken a most cruel War began again in Italy for the Imperialists entering the Ecclesiastical State had some skirmishes with the Popes Forces about Frosolone and matters pressing hard to their disadvantage the French King was intreated to make a diversion by attempting the subjection of the Kingdom of Naples Hereupon it being determined to invade Naples both by Sea and Land Monsieur De Vaudemont who by the ancient Right of King René laid claim to that Kingdom was appointed for that enterprise and being arrived with his Fleet he at the first on-set took Salerno and thence with great courage and hopes marching to Naples it self was repulsed by the Forces under the command of Don Hugo de Moncada Howsoever the Pope re-inforcing his Army with new Levies under the command of his Legate Augustin Trivultio one greatly affected to the French interest the Imperialists were worsted and at length forced to raise their Siege from before Frosolene and retire farther within the Jurisdiction of that Kingdom But this good fortune passed no farther For after various successes and many troubles and desolations in Italy the Pope wanting mony grew weary of the War and being disappointed by the French King who was great in his promises but little in his performances having always failed in his times of payment and neither complied in the supplies of men or mony he resolved to close with the propositions made him by Francis de Quignones in behalf of the Emperor in reward of which mediation he was afterwards promoted to the dignity of Cardinal In short the Articles agreed were these That there should be a cessation of Arms for eight months the Pope paying 60000 Ducats to the Imperial Army That whatsoever had been taken from the Church the Kingdom of Naples and the Family of Colonna should be made good and rendered That Pompeo Colonna should be restored to the dignity of Cardinal and absolved from all Ecclesiastical censures which condition was more grievous to the Pope than all the rest That the French King and the Venetians should have liberty within a certain time to enter into the
in that friendly manner that his Servants and Dependants were glad to be so happily mistaken but this good Nature being forced and constrained did soon vanish and then his fierce and supercilious temper returning to its natural course all his actions were influenced with a spirit of Pride and haughty severity An instance of which he gave to the Steward of his House when he demanded of him in what manner he was pleased to be served his Answer was short saying as became a Prince His Coronation he ordered with more Pomp and Ceremony than was ever before practised and in all things he affected Magnificence and State and was no less indulgent to his Nephews than the most tender and fondest of the Popes Soon after his Coronation he ordered the first Consistory to be publick that he might with the greater State and Pomp give Audience to the Ambassadours of England who in the time of Pope Julius had been dispatched thence from Queen Mary and Philip her Husband The Ambassadours being introduced to his presence and prostrating themselves at his feet did one after the other for so the Pope would have it confess and acknowledg the faults and errors of the Kingdom of England in having strayed and deviated from the flock of Christ and the Sheepfold of the Church but now repenting and returning again did humbly beg Absolution and to be received into the bosom of the Church though by the obstinacy and perseverance in their Errors they had rendered themselves unworthy of such mercy and indulgence The Pope having for some time beheld these Ambassadours at his feet and contemplated their humble posture with some satisfaction of spirit raised them at length from the floor and embraced them with the tenderness of a Father testifying great satisfaction in the happy conversion of this Kingdom and because the Queen and King were the happy Instruments of this blessed and religious work in reward of so much Piety he confirmed their right and title to Ireland and by virtue of that Power which he had received from God to dispose of all Earthly Crowns he conferred on them that Kingdom dignifying them amongst their other Titles with that of King and Queen of Ireland Which piece of vanity though ridiculous to others was extreamly pleasing to the Pope who fancied himself in that Throne of Fools Paradise to which the Devil had in his Pride exalted himself when he tempted our Saviour with all the Kingdoms of the Earth But then afterwards in private Conference with the Ambassadours he blamed England for having but in part shewed their penitence for that whilst they retained any thing of the goods of the Church and did not make restitution to the utmost farthing a Curse would remain on the Kingdom and the people remain in a perpetual snare and danger of Damnation He farther told them That the sooner and the more readily they paid the Peter-pence for collection of which he had sent an Officer into England the more easily would the Gates of Heaven be opened to them for how could they expect that St. Peter should turn his Keys whilest they denied him those Fees which were the dues of his Office In fine the Ambassadours having behaved themselves with humility which was the onely means to procure the favour of this Pope they departed from Rome laden with Praises Honours and Graces from his Holiness and then attending to a full Reformation in England he purged the Universities of Oxford and Cambridg of those Tenents and Lectures which had been there taught by Peter Martir and Bucer and deprived Cranmer of his Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury Having thus obtained his pleasure and Designs over England he next endeavoured to gain an Ascendant over the Emperor and King of France both of which courted him to that Degree that he expected to have them both at his Service and Devotion but in regard it was impossible to entertain them both in the same equality of respect and dearness both Parties strained to outvy each other in Proposals of advantage which might give them admission to his favour in pursuance of which the Cardinal of Lorain who was well acquainted with the humour of the Pope publickly declared in a full Consistory that besides the many steps which the King of France had made in Obedience to the Papal Chair he did acknowledg that the Gallican Church had need of Reformation towards which he was ready to afford all the aid and assistance to the Pope that he was able and to act therein by such ways and methods as his Holiness should direct whether it were by sending his Prelats to the Council or by any other means that should be esteemed more proper and expedient The which so took with the Pope that France for that time gained a preeminence in his favour And yet notwithstanding this Pride and rudeness in his nature he did several things at the beginning to gratify and please the People of Rome which he performed by abating the Taxes and Imposts laid on Provisions and in other things acted with such obliging circumstances that the People in acknowledgment for such abundant favours erected a Statue of Marble for him in the Capitol He regulated the Manners of the Jews and retrenched that liberty and freedom they used and for the better distinction of them ordered them to wear yellow Hats He published several severe Decrees against such as denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ and that he died for the redemption of Mankind In short besides many good Laws and Acts which he ordained against corrupt and dissolute Manners which were grievous to the Clergy who were unaccustomed to a Severity He selected a hundred Citizens of the Gentry of Rome which he created Knights of the Faith to be a standing Life-Guard to the Popes He repealed several Decrees of Julius III. and imprisoned many of those who had been his Creatures and familiar Friends Amongst the Counsellours and Familiar Confidents which he entertained there was none who had at first had a greater share in his favour than Osio whom he declared Datary and chief Notary or Register of Petitions and created Bishop of Riete but he being of a rude and morose temper did always clash against the humour of the Pope which was hard and inflexible like his which therefore ill according together Osio was by the instigation also of the Pope's Relations who were always busie at his ear deprived of his favour and sent Prisoner to the Castle where he remained for the space of four years In the next place by a new Decree he retrieved all those goods and Ecclesiastical Revenues which had been alienated from the Church since the time of Julius II. to his days He reformed also the abuses which were crept into the Office of the Penitentiaries and regulated the Habit and Tables of the Clergy and refused to admit any into Benefices but such as had been approved for holiness of Life and severity of Manners Towards the three Conservators
of Rome he behaved himself with great respect enlarging their Power and Authority adjoyning thereunto the jurisdiction of Tivoli which belonged to the Cardinal of Ferrara and to the People he enlarged their Priviledges and confirmed all their former Immunities by a new Charter But all this indulgence and kindness towards the Citizens was but in order to some Design of a higher nature which soon after discovered it self for whilest he was thus busied in matters of Government and things laudable enough in themselves he suffered some reports of a Plot against his Life to take impression in his mind which being suggested by many probable circumstances he immediately seized on the Persons of as many as were suspected to be guilty thereof and committed them to Prison and then joyning with the French and Switzers he commenced a War against Philip King of Spain by which those antient Feuds and Animosities between those Kings which had for some time been extinguished or as it were raked up in the Embers began again to revive and be enflamed The original and cause whereof was this Ever since the time that Rome had been sacked by the Spaniards who had plundered and sequestred the Estate and Rents of the Family of Caraffa this Pope Paul the 4th conceived an implacable anger and an inveterate hatred against that whole Nation the which also was encreased by that ill treatment and injustice which the Vice-King of Naples once used towards his own Person for he being created by Paul III. Arch bishop of Naples was debarred from the possession and benefits thereof by the Vice-King on no other pretence than that he was suspected to favour the French Party the which so enraged his impetuous spirit that with all the arguments which subtilty and malice could draw from the Topicks of Religion and publick good to the Church he endeavoured to persuade Paul III to a War against Naples promising him to assist him with the whole Estate of his Family and with all the interest he had which he pretended to be very great in that Kingdom but Paul III. being too prudent to give ear to his persuasions and Discourses commended his Piety and zeal towards the Church but refused to engage himself in that hazardous War So that the anger and fury of this Paul IV. being suppressed until he became Pope did then burst forth and vent it self so that then with thoughts full of disdain against the Spaniards and with imagination that the Napolitans would gladly shake off their yoke and be eased of the Spanish Servitude and that France would enter into the Alliance with him he positively resolved on a War swallowing already into his thoughts the enjoyment and addition of that Rich Kingdom to the Dominions of the Church This Design was promoted by a stricter Union with France occasioned in this manner Henry King of France had taken from Charles Sforza Prior of Lombardy two Gallies the which coming afterwards into the Port of Civita Vecchia Alexander the Brother of Charles and Chief Clark of the Camera or Chamberlain made seizure of them and without any respect to that Protection under which they were within the Pope's Harbour he carried them away by force to Gaeta of which the French Ministers at Rome complaining to the Pope he conceived not onely anger and indignation against Alexander but suspecting that such an action could not be contrived without the privity of his Brother the Cardinal he loudly exclaimed against him and clapt his Secretary Lotini into Prison who was lately returned with some secret Negotiations from the Emperour Charles V. the which serving to encrease and heighten the differences between them many Cabals and Consults were formed amongst the Cardinals of the Imperial Faction at which the Pope being alarm'd he reinforced his Guards and levied Soldiers and to break the seditious Meetings clapt the Cardinal and Camilla Colonna and the Abbot of Brisegna who was a Spaniard into Prison Mark Anthony Colonna who upon these stories was fled from Rome was cited to appear there and give answer to the Accusations charged against him but afterwards the Gallies being again restored to the French King Cardinal Sforza and Camillo Colonna upon Bail given were freed from Imprisonment but Alexander Sforza who was Chamberlain not appearing upon the Summons was deprived of his Office and because Mark Anthony Colonna did not appear at the time prefixed by the Summons all his Estate within the Territories of the Church was sequestred and seized to the use of the Pope with which Joan of Aragon the Mother of Colonna being greatly affrighted escaped secretly from Rome about the beginning of the year 1556. contrary to the Command and Injunction of the Pope with which he was so incensed that he then resolved to act and put all those mischiefs into practice against the House of Colonna which he had before onely meditated and contrived in his thoughts and in pursuance thereof he in the first place excommunicated Mark Anthony and his Father Ascanio Colonna and having confiscated all their Estate within the Dominions of the Church he bestowed it on his Nephew John Count of Montorio whom he created Duke of Paliano and not long after he declared Anthony Carafa an other Nephew to be Marquis of Montebello having lately dispossessed Count Bagno of that Marquisate for having converted those Moneys which the King of France sent to the Pope for carrying on the War in Italy to his own use All which served to incense the spirits of a great and powerful Faction and raise those Wars which ended in miserable desolation of Italy But the Pope who was of Opinion and often said that a happy Peace was onely to be procured by a calamitous War did in Order thereunto fortifie Paliano with all provisions requisite thereunto for that being a place situate on the frontiers of Naples was of great importance in that conjuncture And lest the Truce which was made for five years between the Emperor and France should be an obstruction to this War he dispatched Charles Caraffa his Legat to Henry II. pretending that his Message was in order to a farther accommodation and to convert the Truce into an everlasting Peace but the Negotiations of Caraffa being of an other nature he possessed Henry with great hopes and expectation of success by a War with Naples wherefore though at first he sent but two thousand Men for assistance of the Pope seeming to reserve some little respect to the Truce so lately concluded yet afterwards the Popes forces not being able to withstand the Power of the Imperialists a greater Army of twelve thousand Foot and two thousand Horse were sent to Naples under the conduct of Francis Duke of Guise With these Auxiliary aids the spirit of the Pope being highly swelled and become implacable he imprisoned Juliano Sesarini Camillo Colonna with his Bother the Arch-Bishop of Taranto and divers others whom he suspected to be in any manner affected and inclinable to the
he commanded his Followers to revenge this affront with their Arms which they readily obeying immediately shot Rustici dead from his Horse and so mortally hurt Orsini and Savello that in two days after they died of their wounds This unhappy accident troubled all Rome but especially incensed the party and Creatures of Orsini to that degree that rising in a tumult they ran with Weapons in their hands to kill all the Sbiri or Bayliffs they could find and having way-laid all the Avenues where they could make an escape the confusion continued for the space of two days and rendered the City a sad spectacle of blood and massacre In the mean time the Pope and civil Government not being able to apply a Remedy gave way to the fury of the people which as it was believed would have been inflamed higher by opposition of the civil Magistrate The Head bayliff having hidden himself for some days was at length taken and beheaded at Rome But this evil ended not here for from this fatal accident another quarrel arose between Vitelli who was Deputy to Buoncompagno General of the Church and Lodwick Orsino Brother of Raimond who was lately killed in prosecution of which Orsino taking with him several persons in disguise and Masks assaulted Vitelli in his way from Monte Magnopoli to Rome and shot him dead with a Carbine in his Coach for which offence Orsino being condemned to banishment he departed from Rome and went to live at Padoua where having taken up his Lodgings he soon after committed a like murther on Vittoria the Wife of Paul Giordano and her Brother for which Crime being prosecuted by the Justice of Venice he fortified himself within his House resolving to preserve himself by force of Arms but not being long able to hold out against the Soldiers which were sent against it the House was almost levelled to the ground and the Defendants taken Prisoners which being all punished by death or other Sentences of Justice this fatal Tragedy was at length ended After these sorrowful Stories the Pope being willing to cheer and comfort the City created nineteen Cardinals amongst which his Nephew was made one with the title of St. Sixtus and John Anthony Fachinesti of Bologna who was afterwards made Pope by the name of Innocent IX After which he received no small contentment to see his Stately Structure of the Jesuits College finished at Rome over the Gate of which these words were Engraven Greg. XIII P.M. Religioni Bonis Artibus MDLXXXIII in memory and in gratitude for which the Jesuits at their own expence painted in their wide Court or Area all the Colleges and Foundations which this Pope had built and endowed in divers parts of the World and particularly in reference to their own College this Inscription was engraven in Capital Letters Gregorio XIII Pont. Max. Hujus Collegii Fundatori Societatis Jesu amplissimis ab eo Privelegiis Munita Ingentibus Aucta Beneficiis Vniversa in hoc totius Ordinis Seminario parentis Optimi Maximi Memoriam suique grati animi Monumentum P. Nor were these favours ill bestowed on the Jesuits who had always been so industrious and true Drudges to the Sea of Rome that they brought Proselytes from the most remote parts of the World and in the year 1585. after a long Navigation of three years conducted four Ambassadours to Rome from the Island of Japan in the East-Indies sent from some great Lords and from the Community of Christians converted in that Country to the Faith of the Gospel The arrival of such Strangers at Rome filled all the City with Discourse and Novelty and were entertained with free treatment at the expence of the Church being lodged in the Jesuits College who were the Authors or Apostles of their conversion though some years afterwards by the indiscreet management of the Jesuits who usurped too much on the civil Jurisdiction and temporal Power of that Kingdom Christianity was totally extirpated by the most cruel persecution that the most fierce Enemies to the Gospel of Christ had ever exercised against his People for the particulars whereof which are most doleful and Tragical to relate and not pertinent to this History we shall refer the Reader to the Writers of the Description of Japan But as to these four Ambassadours who were all young Men not much exceeding the age of twenty years they had remained but few days in Rome before Pope Gregory departed this life He was rather surprized with death than reduced thereunto by long sickness his indisposition being discovered by his countenance before he was really sensible thereof within himself his Distemper was esteemed by the Physitians to be a Quinsy with which he was suffocated and died the tenth day of April 1585. being aged eighty three years and three months He may be numbred amongst the good Popes having ended his days with a general good esteem of all and especially of the people of Rome who bewailed his death and in honour to his memory engraved these words under his Statue of Brass which he had in his life-time caused to be erected in the Capitol Gregorio XIII Opt. Max. ob farinae vectigal sublatum Vrbem Templis Operibus Magnificentis exornatam H.S. Octingenties Singulari beneficentiâ in egenos distributum Ob Seminaria Exterarum Nationum in urbe ac toto pene Terraram Orbe Religionis propagandae causa instituta Ob paternam in omnes gentes caritatem Qua ex ultimis Novi Orbis insulis Japoniorum Regum Legatos Triennii Navigatione Ad obedientiam Apostolicae Sedi Exhibendam Primum venientes Romam Pro Pontificia dignitate accepit S.P.Q.R. The Pope being dead his Corps were with funeral Pomp brought into St. Peter's Church and buried in a Chappel which he himself had erected which was afterwards richly adorned and beautified by his Kindred and Relations He was naturally of a cheerful Countenance and pleasing Aspect and being of a good habit of Body and sound temperament by temperance and sobriety he conserved that good constitution unto old Age he used much Exercise and delighted in Riding being so active that to his latter time he could mount on Horseback without the help of his Servants the place of his Recreation and retirement was Monte Dragone at Frescati about ten Miles distant from Rome where he frequently enjoyed the fresh Air which is accounted the most healthful of all Italy This Palace now belongs to the Prince Borghese and is situated in a most delightful prospect from one of the open Galleries of which I copied these Verses Thessala quid Tempe qui quaeris Adonidis hortos Haec tibi pro cunctis villa Dragonis erit Prospicis hinc Tybur colles rura Catonis Pulchrior aspectu quae tibi Scena subit The greatest care and trouble which this Pope susteined in the time of his Reign was to suppress the unruly numbers of the Banditi who were grown to that bold insolence that they commanded and
soon as it was convenient revenged the blood of his Friend Starace in such a signal manner that the Pope changed his Note and began to applaud him and â—estow the Character on him of a most Excellent Governour These Commotions happened at Naples some few days after Sixtus was elected Pope and before he was scarce warm in his Chair for had he been well setled therein it may reasonably be collected from some sayings of his that he would rather have nourished and somented those broils then instigated the Vice-King to punish the Authors of them for having always had an ambition to convert the feud of that Kingdom into an actual possession he would have made use of those late disturbances to inflame the minds of the people and exasperate them against the Government as a means to introduce his own Authority into the place thereof and so much may be collected from his words one day to Cardinal Rusticucci when discoursing of the death of Starace This Man said he might have done us great Service had he lived at least one year longer Sixtus all this time would not suffer or endure any Counsellour to advise or direct him in his Affairs but affected to manage all by his own wisdom and conduct howsoever he was desirous of Confidents and familiar Acquaintance with whom he might discourse matters and use for Spies to inform him of all passages in the World amongst this sort of Creatures his Nephew Cardinal Montalto possessed a considerable share of his affection for though he was but a young Man yet he was of a mature judgment and for his years well practised in the Affairs of the World howsoever he gave him this caution that he should beware how the kindness he had for him did encourage him to a confidence of making any request for Benefits or favours either for himself or others the like Admonition he gave also to his Sister and his other Nephews whom he tenderly loved and laboured to make rich oftentimes forbidding them to ask any thing of him For said he I charge you never to make any motion to me in behalf of any for we resolve to do all our selves and consider that what bribes soever you take are but unlawful and ill-gotten goods but what Money you receive from us will be hallowed and blessed Notwithstanding this severity and morose humour of Sixtus he would sometimes divertise himself with more pleasant and delightful entertainments amongst which he took a particular contentment to read a Book of Memoirs or recital of several passages which in the time when he was a young Frier he had wrote for his own remembrance the which being now Pope he was much pleased to read and contemplate One whereof was That being at Macerata he had occasion to buy a pair of shooes for which the Shoo-maker demanded seven Giulios or three shillings and six pence English Frier Montalto desirous to get them cheaper offered him three shillings and assured him that some time or other he would bring him the other six pence Yes said the Shoo-maker and when when you are Pope I warrant you Yes said he stay but till then and I promise to pay you the Money with full Interest until that time The Shoo-maker laughing delivered him the shooes and said since I find you disposed to accept the Popedom be sure you remember to pay this Debt when you are exalted to that Dignity Sixtus as I say reading this passage in his Book immediately wrote to Macerata to know if this Shoo-maker were living which when he understood he ordered the Governour of the place to send him up by one of his Officers The poor Shoo-maker surprized and affrighted with the news that the Pope desired to see him in Rome for he neither remembred any thing either of the shooes or of the Giulio it being a matter of forty years standing so that at every step he made he was still thinking and wondring at these Summons recalling to mind all the sins he had committed in his life considering for which of them he was thither cited Being come to Rome and introduced to the Pope's presence He asked him whether he remembred ever to have seen him at Macerata the poor Shoo-maker trembling told him No. Nor do you remember ever to have sold me a pair of shooes No said the poor Fellow shrinking up his shoulders but said the Pope we well remember that we are your Debtor and have sent for you to pay you your Money for we owe you a Giulio on account of a pair of shooes which we are now to pay you with Interest according to agreement and so calling for the Steward of his House to pay him the Giulio with the Interest upon it for forty years which amounted to two Giulios more he then dismissed the Shoo-maker bidding him go in peace The Shoo-maker having received his three Giulios murmured and complained very much that the Pope should send for him and bring hâ—m from so remote a place and from his Trade and Employment which was above twenty Crowns charge and damage to him onely to give him three Giulios or eighteen pence which he always carried in his hand and complained to every one he met The news of the Shoo-maker's laments being brought to the Pope by his Spies he presently sent for him again and demanded of him if he had a Son the Shoo-maker answering yes and that he was an honest good Priest of the Order of the Servi whereupon the Pope caused him to be called to Rome and before the departure of his Father invested him in a small Bishoprick within the Kingdom of Naples and then bid the Shoo-maker make up his Account and see to what sum the Interest of his Giulio had amounted Many are the stories of this nature recounted of this Pope which we shall omit contenting our selves to have given the Reader this familiar Tale which seems too light and frivolous for History yet since it is our end and design to give a Character of the Popes their humour and disposition may some times be more clearly shewn by familiar passages than by the more profound transactions of business The Jesuits who formerly were in high esteem with Gregory XIII and influenced his Counsels in such manner as that he acted nothing but by their pleasure and direction were very studious to insinuate themselves in the like good Opinion of Sixtus and to that end courted Cardinal Montalto inviting him often to the Recreations and Exercises of their Schools that if possible they might prefer a Confessor to the Pope which motion when it was made to Sixtus he in great indignation answered That it were better that the Jesuits confessed to the Pope than the Pope to the Jesuits Howsoever they still continued their courtship towards him and invited him one day to hear Mass in the new Chappel built by Gregory and being introduced thereunto by way of the Cloisters he was detained a while by the young
him thence and secured him in the Nuntio's Prison The news of this Attempt allarm'd all the Protestant Cantons who by way of Reprisals seized the first Priest they could meet and confined him within their own Prison resolving not to set him at liberty without the release or enlargement of the other This Accident caused great disturbance and commotions both amongst the Protestants and Catholicks Diets being called on both sides matters ran so high that a general rupture or War was feared of all the Cantons The Nuntio being also sensible of these disorders and not knowing unto what they might amount wrote to the Pope the whole sum of this matter to which he returned answer in this manner We have sent you to pacifie and quiet matters and not to make disturbances to give ease and repose to the Catholicks and not to put Arms into the hands of the Hereticks to convert the one and not to put the others into danger no people will be contented to lose their own right the point of Jurisdiction is more nice and brittle than a Christal Glass and therefore those cases are to be managed tenderly and with severe caution troubles and disquiets are dangerous to Catholicks but to Hereticks it may be profitable to fish in troubled Waters to give to Hereticks is a great evil but to take from them is highly dangerous Be therefore prudent in this case both for your own quiet and for mine The Nuntio collecting from this Answer that it was the Pope's pleasure to accommodate these matters He ordered it so that the Priest should be set at liberty but by way of escape rather than by formal enlargement the like expedient the Protestants took as to the other Priest by which means these matters were pacified and concluded Henry III. King of France as before related having composed his quarrel with the Pope about reception of his Nuntio the Bishop of Nazaret so good and fair a correspondence passed between them that the King adventured to demand license of the Pope to raise a hundred thousand Crowns from the revenue of the Church Sixtus who was unwilling to deprive the Church of such a sum nor yet to disoblige the King by a plain and positive refusal entertained his Ambassadour the Marquess Pisani with a delatory Answer such as this We shall consider we shall do nothing rashly but with Mature consideration which being often repeated and the Ambassadours wearied with such insignificant puts off which according to the stile of Italy and Rome imported no less than a civil denial acquainted the King with their Sentiments in the case which were that nothing could be expected from the Pope's bounty or concession upon which advice and upon a belief that this refusal was instilled by such Instruments as were employed in the Catholick League and particularly by the Duke of Guise and his party the King resolved to stand on his own bottom and to steer a course between the League and the Hugonots for as he durst not confide in the Catholick League so he feared the issue of the War against his Protestant Subjects both which though to appearance were equally dangerous yet a peace with the latter seemed most safe and desireable in pursuance of this Counsel a peace being concluded with the Protestants by negotiation of the Queen the promotors of the League of which the Duke of Guise was the Chief dispatched an Express immediately to Rome giving the Pope to understand the matter in these precise words That the cause of Religion was betrayed That the Cause of the Hugonots was openly and publickly favoured That the measures of the War were broken and all expectation of good and benefit lost which might redound by means of the League to the Catholick Cause That the heart of the King seemed much estranged to the Catholick party resolving to espouse protect and maintain the Heresie in France The Pope so soon as he received this Intelligence called the French Ambassadour to whom with words full of disdain and fury he complained of the proceedings of the King whom he mentioned as one infected with Heresie and already alienated and estranged from the Papal Sea and having called a Consistory Letters were wrote to the Nuntio Nazaret with Orders to intimate the Pope's just complaints to the King giving him to understand how much he did resent the Resolution he had taken to the prejudice of the Catholick Church which was of such ill consequence as took deep impression in the mind of the Pope and would be recorded with everlasting Characters of Infamy in the Histories of his Reign The Nuntio having received these Instructions and being backed by the instigation of the Duke of Guise represented the Pope's sence in warm and passionate terms In return unto which the King contrary to the equal temper of his nature retorted an Answer in brisk and sharp Expressions That it was a fine and easie matter for the Pope to stand and behold at a distance the miseries and afflictions of his Country and to give Counsel without assistance or contribution to the War for want of which and of a license to alienate so much of the Lands of the Church as might serve to raise the sum of a hundred thousand Crowns he was forced for preservation of his Kingdom and Regal Dignity to accept those Conditions which they called ruinous to the Church And then moderating his passion a little in more gentle and mild terms he desired the Nuntio to assure the Pope That he would ever adhere and remain constant to the faith of the Catholick Church and act in every thing to the advancement of it so far as he was able and that the want onely of Money had forced him to this resolution These particulars being wrote to Rome quieted a little the mind of the Pope who did all the time before do nothing either in the Consistory with the Cardinals or in his Discourses with the forein Ministers but rail and storm against the French King But being now satisfied by his Nuntio that the King had changed his mind and would be induced to continue the War against the Protestants provided he could be assisted with Aid from the Church the Pope immediately appointed a Bull to be drawn up and sealed giving Authority and Power to the King not onely to raise a hundred thousand Crowns out of the Estate of the Church as the King had demanded but also twenty thousand Crowns more for better encouragement to continue and persevere in the assurances given enjoyning the Nuntio to raise those sums on the Clergy without any contradiction or delatory proceedings Thus as Sixtus was zealous and profuse in such Expences as he judged conducive to the support of the Papal Authority so he was no less generous in works which might tend to the honour and ornament of it In which consideration reflecting one day on the manner and garb in which he desired his Nuntios might live in the Courts of forein
Briga But being pursued thither by the Enemy he was there besieged and afterwards taken Prisoner towards the end of January 1588. The Pope who was greatly concerned for this disgrace of Maximilian dispeeded Cardinal Aldobrandino into Poland to treat a Peace and an Accommodation between Maximilian and the Prince the which after various difficulties and Disputes was happily concluded about the beginning of March 1589. The Articles of which were that Maximilian should renounce all Title and pretence to the Crown of Poland by reason of the late Election or any other demand whatsoever and that the Prince of Sweden should remain the lawful and undoubted King which being agreed the Prince took possession and was named Sigismond III. The Pope who was no less zealous for the success of the King's Arms in France against his Protestant Subjects sent a Sword to the Duke of Guise who was chief of the Catholick League as he had lately done to the Prince Farnese who was Governour of Flanders the which was delivered by a Bishop who was purposely sent to present it and therewith to tender his paternal love and benediction to the Duke assuring him that he possessed a large room in the heart and breast of the Pope The Ceremony of delivering this Sword was performed with such pomp and triumph at Paris and with such popular acclamations of the multitude in favour of Guise as administred just cause of jealousie and fear to the King and though Guise was ambitious enough to be pleased therewith yet being immoderate and irregular his modesty told him that they were undecent The King in the mean time being eclipsed by the popular grandeur of Guise and by the troubles of a Civil War with which his Kingdom was infested did seem to resent the favours which the Pope shewed to Guise as unseasonable of which when Sixtus had knowledg and of the popular acclamations at the delivery of his Sword he was much troubled for he being of a humour always desirous to maintain Sovereignty in its highest degree of Honour and Power did by a Letter to the King exhort him to maintain his Prerogatives and conserve the honour of his Crown against the Insolencies and rebellions of his Subjects adding That a Canker in the bowels of his State was curable onely by cauterizing and by fire and Sword and that it was necessary to vent some of that blood which was too redundant in the veins of his Subjects The King made frequent reflections on this Letter and often gave it to the Duke of Guise to read and consider and being one day in Parliament where many Debates arose touching the ways and means by which the Civil Wars might be accommodated and a good understanding produced between him and his Subjects the King declared the great aversion of his mind to blood or other extremities which though he might justly by the Counsels and persuasions of the Pope yet he was more tender of the lives of his Subjects than to cure his troubles by such severe Remedies and to confirm the truth thereof he produced the Pope's Letter causing it publickly to be read in that Assembly which when the Parliament heard they Blessed themselves and as well the Catholicks as Protestants remained astonished and scandalized at this cruelty of the Universal Pastor who with such little remorse could suck the blood of Christ's Sheep as if he had rather been the Wolf than Shepherd of the Christian Flock Which when the Pope understood and was informed of all the Satyrs and Libels which the Protestants had composed on this occasion he was greatly disturbed that the King should so publickly expose his Counsels which he designed for his secret directions and having signified his resentment thereof by his Nuntio he would never afterwards adventure to write him a Letter but on all occasions of business referred himself by word of mouth to the report of his Nuntio And now Sixtus whose thoughts were ever employed on means which might enlarge or make great the Church did much incite Philip II. King of Spain to make War on Elizabeth Queen of England pressing him to re-assume his Right to that Kingdom which he had once governed and for encouragement thereunto he promised Count Olivarez the King's Ambassadour at Rome that so soon as the Spanish Army should be landed on any part of the English shoar he would immediately contribute a million of Crowns to that Design Nor was the Pope moved hereunto out of a zeal onely to Religion but out of a secular Design supposing that the chief Flower of the Nobility and Soldiery of Naples being drained thence on this Enterprize he might have a more facil passage to the possession of that Kingdom In pursuance therefore of this Design a great and wonderful Fleet of vast Caracks to the number of one hundred and fifty Sail being set to Sea on which were twenty three thousand Land Soldiers with two thousand pieces of Cannon of which the Duke of Medina Sidonia was made General they entered the Channel of England where being met by a small Fleet of Ships under the Command of Sir Francis Drake several broad-sides passed between them but at length the Divine Providence assisting England and defending the Protestant Cause the valour of the English and the successful direction of the Fire-ships prevailed with admirable fortune over the Spaniards against whom also God himself fighting as we may say by his Storms and Tempests totally defeated and destroyed this invincible Armada as we may more at large read in our Chronicles of England Sixtus having received the news of this unhappy defeat wrote Letters to Philip to condole with him for the loss and therewith taking an occasion to blame the management and conduct of his Officers he attributed the miscarriage of all to the want of care and experience of the Chief Commanders by which reflection of disgrace his intent was to prevent all Demands from him of reparation for this loss and on this subject he proceeded in a publick Consistory to blame and tax every Individual Chief both in the Army and in the Council of ill administration onely he took upon him to excuse Alexander Farnese Governour of the Low-Countries and to answer the aspersions which his Enemies had charged upon him declaring him to be the onely person who for his personal Valour and excellency of his Conduct was the most approved Captain of that Age. This Letter of Condolance wrote by the Pope was dispatched to his Nuntio at Madrid to be delivered to the King whose constancy of mind and evenness of temper was such that though the Nuntio well knew he had no need of Cordials or consolatory Exhortations yet the Commands of his Master were to be obeyed and the formality observed Whilest King Philip was reading the Letter he often smiled as if the Stile had rather been to congratulate his Victory than to condole for his loss Howsoever he thanked the Nuntio and promised to return an Answer thereunto
that which was of greatest importance to him was the success of the League against Henry King of Navarre to support and strengthen which he dispatched the Bishop of Viterbo into France with Instructions and Money to favour the Party and Interest of the Allies against the King and his Protestant Party who stood Excommunicated by Pope Sixtus Iâ— is not our part here to relate all the passages and successes of that War being that which appertains to the History of France we can onely say that Henry IV. being victorious in all the Battels which he fought and having entered all the Provinces of that Kingdom with Triumph we may imagine that France stood at that time on its vertical point of becoming all Protestant But certainly that wise King considering that Victory in War is not sufficient to settle a Prince quiet and secure in his Throne unless his inauguration be attended with the affection of his People and a concurrence or conformity with the professed and established Religion of the Country did suffer himself to be overborn by those arguments which were produced in favour of the Church of Rome whose greatest weight consisted in those considerations which had respect to the Union and peace of the Kingdom And thereupon all the pretences of opposition to their lawful Sovereign being taken off from the people Meaux Lion Orleans and Bourges with other places which stood in Rebellion against him submitted to his pleasure and the King was received into Paris with all joy and triumph imaginable The King having made profession of the Roman Catholick Faith was absolved by the Arch-bishop of Bourges in the Church at St. Denys at which the Pope was highly displeased in regard the absolution of Monarchs in cases of Heresie could not be performed but by the Pope himself in Person or by immediate Deputation from him Howsoever the Duke of Nevers being sent Ambassadour to Rome carrying with him from the Nuntio Attestations of the King 's sincere conversion which was confirmed not long afterwards by the Sieur du Perron the Excommunication was taken off which Pope Sixtus had thundred against him and having received him for the eldest Son of the Church the Pope solemnly gave him his Absolution and blessing in the year 1595. In this year Pope Clement restrained the liberal Grants of Indulgences which having for Money been issued to every Chapman they became common even to contempt for remedy of which he imposed a greater difficulty on the concessions of them He also at that time relieved the people of Rome by abatements on the price of Corn having caused great quantities to be imported from Sicily he likewise suppressed by his Naval Force the many Pirats which infested the Mediterranean Sea and concluded a League between himself the Emperor the Prince of Transilvania and the Princes of Germany against the Turk for the effectual prosecution of which he afterwards in the year 1597. sent ten thousand Men into Hungary paid at his own charge under the conduct of Francis Aldebrandino which being joyned with six thousand which the Emperour sent into Transilvania and other Forces raised and paid by the circles of the Empire composed a strong and formidable Army against the Turk Howsoever the Wars between France and Spain still continuing without any probable appearance of accommodation the Turk availed himself of those unhappy divisions and forced the Emperor to raise the Siege of Raab and shamefully caused the Transilvanians to retreat from Temeswar and being victorious in all parts of Hungary threatned to enter Germany by force of Arms with which the Pope being greatly alarm'd and fearing the success of the common Enemy of Christendom bended all his thoughts towards making a Peace between Spain and France which he hoped to effect in that juncture of time when the circumstances of Christendom made it almost necessary to put an end unto the War In this grand Affair he employed Cardinal Alexander de Medicis who was afterwards his Successour to be his Legat to Henry IV. of France and by his Nuntio who resided with Philip II. in the Court of Spain he used many instances and warm Exhortations persuading both of them that laying aside the hatred and animosities which were between them they would seriously apply themselves to embrace such Conditions which might produce Amity and a Christian peace between them that so they might join in a League against the Turk who was now victorious and breathed out ruin and destruction to all Christendom but because these two Princes were high spirited and haughty as not to be the first to condescend and ask a peace the General of the Cordelier Friers was employed by the Pope to carry the Offers and proposals of mediation between one and the other in which he had such success that labouring with the Legat and Monsieur de Sillery who was aftewards made Chancellour of France they agreed at St. Quintin on the most difficult and disputable Points and Conditions which were afterwards perfected and concluded at Vervins in the year 1598. But that which had like to have interrupted and spoiled all this Treaty was the restitution of the Marquisat of Salluces which the French King demanded of the Duke of Savoy but lest this pretension should frustrate and defeat the former Agreement the King was contented to constitute the Pope sole Arbitrator and Judg of this difference promising to stand to his Umpirage and Award provided that his Sentence were published in one year after the Date of this present Peace But this Peace did not produce that union of Arms against the common Enemy as the Pope expected the Kings resolving to make use of this Peace for the quiet and repose of their Subjects and therefore taking no notice of any preparations against the Turk they dispatched their respective Letters to the Pope freighted with Salutes and Thanks for the good Offices he had performed towards the happy establishment and conclusion of a Peace But before this Peace was agreed in the Month of October 1599. Alfonso d' Este the second of that Name Duke of Ferrara died without issue Male by which the City of Ferrara and the Territory thereunto belonging devolved to the Papal Chair which the Pope made known to the Cardinals in a full Consistory with his Claim thereunto according to antient Articles agreed between the Ancestors of the Duke of Ferrara and the Sea of Rome But news coming afterwards that Cesare d' Este Bastard brother of the Duke deceased had made seisure and taken possession of the Dukedom by vertue of his Brother's Testament resolving to defend his Title thereunto by force of Arms the Pope was greatly troubled and incensed and immediately gave Orders to raise an Army of twenty five thousand Foot and three thousand Horse to march under the Command of his Nephew Cardinal Aldobrandino John Francis Aldobrandino being as we have said at that time in Hungary and to make these temporal Arms the more available he accompanied
which though it be a year of repentance yet it is also a year of Jubilee and of spiritual joy and comfort Now because the love of Christ for whom we are Ambassadours to all Nations constraineth us and the zeal which we have for your Souls doth consume our spirit we exhort and beseech you all by the blood which Jesus Christ hath spilt and by his coming in the last day of Judgment especially at this time of Jubilee That every one be converted from the evil of his way and turn unto the Lord with a pure heart and good conscience and faith unfeigned because the Lord is gracious and merciful full of compassion and long-suffering Wherefore according to the duty of our Pastoral Office we do call and chearfully invite you Our dear Children in Christ namely the Emperor the Kings and Catholick Princes with all the faithful of Christ wheresoever dispersed in the most remote parts of the World that they would be present at this joyful solemnity of the Jubilee though we cannot but at the same time be miserably afflicted with consideration of the great numbers of people who have separated themselves from the union and Communion of the Catholick and Apostolical Church within the last Age of one hundred years past did with one mind and heart celebrate this holy year of Jubilee for the eternal salvation of whose souls we would gladly and willingly spill our blood and give our lives Wherefore you who are obedient Children and Catholick and beloved of God and us Venite Ascendite ad locum quem elegit Dominus Come unto this spiritual Jerusalem and to this holy Mount of Sion not according to the letter but Allegorically and by spiritual understanding because that from this place the holy light of Evangelical truth hath from the first beginning of the Primitive Church been diffused through all Nations This is that happy City whose faith the Apostle praises and commends in these words I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole World This is the City where the Chief of the Apostles Peter and Paul did vent their Doctrine with the effusion of their blood that Rome being the sacred Seat of St. Peter might become the capital City of the World the Mother of all the Faithful and the Majesty of all the other Churches Here is the Rock of Faith placed and from hence springs the fountain of the Priestly unity from hence are derived the clear streams of the purest Doctrine here are found the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven with full power to bind and loose and lastly here is conserved that Treasure of Indulgences which shall never fail of which the Roman High Priest is the principal keeper and Dispenser And though he doth dispense some part hereof every year as occasion doth require yet more especially in this Holy year of Jubilee a greater affluence thereof is dispersed when according to the solemnity of the most antient Churches of Rome when the gates are opened by the pious and liberal hands that so entering into the presence of God with joy and having cast off from their shoulders the yoke of sin and the tyranny of the Enemy you may be reconciled unto God by means of the Sacrament and therefore come you as true Children Heirs of Heaven and Possessours of Paradise Given at Rome near St. Peters in the year of our Lord's Incarnation 1599. June 18. in the 8th year of our Pontificate The Copy of this Letter being sent to all Christian Princes in communion with the Court of Rome the Pope busily employed himself in making preparations and provisions for entertainment of Pilgrims who in the following year of Jubilee crouded in those numbers to gain the Indulgences and Pardons as of Men and Women the account made amounted unto three Millions of Persons But the Pope was not so busily employed in his preparations for the Jubilee but that he attended to the decision of the Controversie of the Marquisat of Saluces which as we have said was at the late Treaty at Vervins put into his hands and power to be concluded and determined in the space of one year In order unto which the President Bruslard was dispatched to Rome in behalf of the French King and the Count d' Archonas of the Duke of Savoy and both met there about the beginning of this year 1599. the Cause being pleaded before the Pope both Parties pressed the Arguments so home in favour of the right of their respective matters that the Pope esteeming the Point difficult to be decided required some longer time before he would undertake to pass his judgment and in the interim proposed that the Marquisat should remain in his hands as a Depositary and an indifferent person between both Parties And though neither the King nor the Duke were well pleased with these delatory proceedings yet the King was contented to allow two Months for such determination but the Duke who had been possessed by the suggestions of his Minister at Rome that the Pope required to be the Depositary with design to bestow the Marquisat on one of his Nephews conceived such a jealousie of the Pope's intentions that he began to decline the Umpirage which when the Pope understood he with great indignation refused to interpose farther resolving neither to meddle with the Arbitration nor the Deposite The King who knew well in what manner to do right unto himself by his Sword was not much concerned for the rejection which the Pope had made of the Arbitration and the Duke being contented to have his Cause pass by other formalities than that of the Consistory judged his right more secure and more easily convincing by a personal Treaty with the King himself which matter being now taken out of the hand of the Pope we leave to the temporal determination of these Princes and proceed to other matters more agreeable to this History Henry IV. of France being in good favour and correspondence with Clement VIII treated with him about obtaining a Divorce or rather a dissolution of marriage between him and Margaret Dutchess of Valois to which this Pope might perhaps be more inclinable and easie on some reflections he made on the ill consequences which the delays of the like Divorce to Henry VIII of England produced to the Papal Power The Cardinal d' Ossac with the President Monsieur de Silery having Orders to prosecute this matter in the Court of Rome represented to the Pope the state of the marriage with Queen Margaret and that though the King their Master had ever since his conversion to the Catholick Religion entertained reverend and obedient thoughts towards the Papal Sea and might on score of being the eldest Son of the Church expected more than ordinary favours yet on consideration of the Nullity of this Marriage he desired nothing more than common justice The Pope who was very desirous to favour and
oblige the King referred the disquisition and examination of the Marriage to the Cardinal Joyeuse the Bishop of Modena who was Nuntio for the Pope in France and the Arch-bishop of Arles whom he delegated to consider of those reasons which were offered to invalidate the legality of the Marriage In the mean time Henry treating a Contract of marriage with his Mistris Gabriele d' Estrees God disposed otherwise of that intention and the Delegates who were willing to comply with the desires of the King declared the Marriage Null having been in the third degree of consanguinity by which both parties were set at liberty and put in the same estate and condition as before their Matrimony Of which the King having received information from his Ambassadour Monsieur de Sillery then residing at Rome he immediately dispatched the Sieur d' Alincourt Governour of Pontois to render his humble thanks to the Pope for his obliging determination and to demand his Counsel concerning the Alliance which he intended to make with the House de Medicis having placed his affections on the Princess Mary Niece to the Grand Duke of Florence The Sieur de Sillery taking Post upon this Errand arrived at Rome the 6th of February being Ash-wednesday in the year 1600. and the year of Jubilee which made that Lent the more Solemn and devout than that of common years for it was commanded that Prayers of forty hours continuance should be made in the Churches of the Jesuits the Pope himself with the Colledg of Cardinals began the first hour and every hour afterwards was employed in Prayers and ended with an Exhortation made by some Cardinal or Learned Prelat To gain the Indulgences of this Jubilee though many personages of great quality did resort to Rome yet none was of higher dignity than the Duke de Bar who Incognito and with a small train and equipage travelled to Rome to gain a Dispensation for his Marriage which he had celebrated between himself and the Princess Catharine the Onely Sister of the French King for having performed the same within the degrees of consanguinity forbidden by the Church the Bishop of Lorain and others had refused to admit him to the Sacrament and Communion of the Church Thus we see whilest the King sues for a Divorce the Duke desires a confirmation and dispensation of his Marriage and both were granted though the same reasons and considerations were in both cases the same ground which might dissolve the one might null the other and the same salve might serve for both Cures In short the Duke de Bar applyed himself with all the humility and submission imaginable to the Papal Chair and carrying with him the King 's recommendatory Letters to the Cardinals Aldobrandino Ossac and his Ambassadour he obtained as much favour in his Cause as he could expect or desire On the other side in pursuance of the late Divorce the Sieurs de Sillery and Alincourt went to Florence to treat a new Marriage between the King and the Princess Mary de Medicis As the Duke of Florence received the honour of this Match with great readiness it being an addition to the grandeur of his House so the Pope to forward the same contributed on his part a hundred thousand Crowns with many Jewels by way of Dowry or Portion which was agreed to be six hundred thousand Crowns in ready Mony So soon as the Articles were signed the Duke of Florence published the intended Marriage and the King to bring it to a consummation being then at Lions in order to his Journey to Grenoble deputed Bellegarde his Grand Escuyer with Commission to the Grand Duke to espouse Mary de Medicis in his name and the Pope to have a farther hand in this work deputed his Nephew Cardinal Aldobrandino to be his Legat at Florence and to be present at the Nuptials which he accordingly performed and bestowed the Benediction in the Pope's Name The Cardinal having performed this piece of service hastned away by order of the Pope to Tortona there to find the Duke and stipulate with him the conditions of a firm Peace for the King had already commenced a War and taken several places both in Savoy and Bresse The Cardinal representing before the Duke the danger and inequality of a War with France persuaded him to resign his pretensions and interest to the Marquisat of Saluses and having obtained this promise he proceeded to Lions where managing this Affair with the King a Peace was concluded and published in the year 1601. on Conditions that the Duke should quit all claim to the Marquisat of Saluces in exchange for Bresse and some other Countries In the mean time the Queen embarqued at Ligorne with seventeen Gallies arrived happily at Marseille and thence was conducted with great honour and pomp to Lions where meeting with the King the marriage was consummated and the Nuptial Benediction given by Cardinal Aldobrandino the Pope's Legat before the great Altar of St. John's Church in the City of Lions All these kindnesses passed between the Pope and the King the Pope resolved to make use of this good Correspondence to intercede in behalf of the Jesuits whose whole Order having for certain reasons been banished and exterminated from the Dominions of France was now at the instance and desire of the King restored again under certain Conditions to their possessions and habitations in that Kingdom And in regard the Emperor was at the same time hardly pressed by the Turk the Pope as at other times furnished him with a hundred thousand Crowns which was a seasonable Recruit and supply in those exegencies of the Empire And now it was about the year 1603. that Elizabeth Queen of England dying and James VI. King of Scotland succeeding to the Crown when the Pope conceived great hopes and expectations that by means of this King whom he fancied to be a favourer of the Roman Church the Kingdoms of Great Britain would submit unto and acknowledg the Papal Authority but what ground or reasons there were for such an Opinion or why the Roman Catholicks in England had conceived and for forty years together had framed such a fancy to themselves no rational account can be given but this conceit soon vanishing by the contrary effects which appeared the Papists of England made two Remonstrances to the new King in favour of their Religion desiring at least that a liberty of Conscience might be granted to them but these had no more effect than the Declaration which the Protestants made the same year in favour of their Religion in France The Cardinals Bonvisi and Ossac dying this year at Rome Henry the French King did greatly urge the Pope for a promotion of Cardinals recommending several of his own Creatures and Friends to that Dignity And though the Pope was very desirous to have reduced the Order of Cardinals to their ancient number yet being overcome by the instances of some Friends he bestowed a Cardinals Cap on the
any Tax or Imposition on Christian Princes and require from them whatsoever they judged for the common good and welfare of Christendom But the Pope did not think this ground to have sufficient foundation on which to build and commence a quarrel but rather on the matters which did more neerly relate to the Interest of the Papal Sea It was not long before an occasion of this nature offered it self by means of one Scipio Saraceno a Prebend of Vicenza who had contemptuously torn off and broken the Seals which the Magistrates had fixed on the Episcopal Chancery during the vacancy of that Office and likewise finding that he could not debauch a Lady of known Vertue whom he tempted in the Churches and Streets and in all places where he could have any convenience to meet her he became so enraged with lust and malice that he besmeared with filthiness and tar the Gate and front of her House which being a high affront and disgrace to the Lady she with the advice of her Friends cited this insolent Prebend before the Court of Justice at Venice who as readily and willingly appeared being encouraged and bolstred up by the Bishop of Citta Nuova a person of great esteem in Venice and one who was Director of the Affairs of all the Nuntios and Papal Ministers at that place The Nuntio who was desirous to obtain a licentious exemption of all Priests from the Secular Power embraced the cause of the Prebendary with all readiness imaginable and immediately dispatched the news hereof to the Pope and to the Bishop of Vicenza who was then at Rome where after divers Consultations it was resolved as an essential Point relating to the Ecclesiastical liberty that the Cause of the Prebend should be maintained and defended and therefore the Pope who was glad of this occasion to assert the Authority and Rites of the Churches stormed and raved with the Venetian Ambassadour telling him that he would not endure or suffer the imprisonment of an Ecclesiastical Person by the Precepts of a Secular Tribunal nor would he admit that a Judg of temporal matters should take cognisance of any Cause wherein a Priest or Churchman was concerned Of all which the Ambassadour gave advice to the Senate The Pope at an other Audience complained to the said Ambassadour that the Senate of Venice had since the death of Clement VIII made a Statute of Mortmain whereby Lay-persons were forbidden and restrained from bequeathing or bestowing their Estates on the Church which Statute though it were founded on an old Law yet the new one was more restrictive but both of them being against the antient Canons Councils and Imperial Laws were in themselves void and null being scandalous and impious in that they made the state and condition of Churchmen worse than that of infamous persons and therefore those who made these Laws did incur the Censures of the Church in the like terms the Nuntio at Venice explained the mind of the Pope unto the Senate and when the Ambassadours arrived at Rome to congratulate the Pope for his exaltation to that dignity he could not refrain even before the Ceremony was ended to make his resentments and complaints of those Laws made in derogation of the Rites and immunities belonging to the Church And thus we have laid down the true state of the quarrel between the Pope and the Venetians to which we shall add a third Point namely a Law made at Venice in the year 1603. prohibiting the building of Churches without consent and license for it obtained from the Senate which the Pope termed a piece of Heresie These being the three Points in Controversie the Senate for answer thereunto commanded their Ambassadour to represent in their name unto his Holiness That the just Right and Title they had to judg Ecclesiastical Persons in Secular Causes was founded in the natural Power of the Supreme Prince and confirmed by an uninterrupted course of a thousand years the which may be proved by the Pontifical Briefs extant in their publick Archives or Records That the Law of Mort-main or Statute restraining Laymen from alienation of their Estates to the Church was not onely enacted at Venice or peculiar to the Cities under that Metropolis but exercised in other Christian Kingdoms and States and that this Law was more conducing to the welfare of Venice than to any other people being that which could onely conserve its Forces entire against the common Enemy of Christendom which would otherwise be enfeebled by those daily Legacies and Endowments which were bequeathed and conferred on the Church The Pope was so netled with this way of reasoning that he sat all the time uneasie in his Seat shrugging his shoulders and turning his head which intimated the unquietness of his mind At length he replyed That those arguments were invalid and of no force for that there was no foundation to be made on the accustomed course of their Judicature which was so much the worse by how much more they pretended Antiquity And as to the Briefs there was no authentick Register or Record of them but what was found at Rome and that the others were forged Copies and cheats imposed on the Clergy And as to their Acts and Ordinances he was so well acquainted and versed in them since the time of his youthful Studies and that having passed the Offices of Vice-Legat Auditor of the Chamber and Vicar of the Pope he was sufficiently assured that that Law could not stand and that the old Act made in the year 1536. which takes from the Laiety a power of disposing of their own private Estates was in it self void and of no force and a tyrannical imposition on the Subject That the Senate themselves were so sensible of this injurious Law that they were ashamed to issue forth any Copies of it and if in case a Law of this nature were found in any other Country it was established by the Authority and with the concurrence of the Popes and then he concluded that he was resolved not to make a long work of it for that in case he were not obeyed he would make use of such Remedies as he thought convenient being so positive in this matter and zealous for the Church that he was ready to spill his blood in this righteous Cause and in the defence thereof That in case it were necessary to give a stop to the alienation of Lands or a restraint of building Churches he would always have been ready to have followed the sentiments of the State and to have concurred in just causes with the desires of the Secular Council but as to the point of drawing the Clergy to the Secular Tribunals he would never admit that such as were his Subjects should be liable to the sentence of an other Jurisdiction this in fine was his resolution on the three foregoing Cases in which he was resolved to be obeyed and make use of that Power which God had given him over all things and over all
gave Orders to all his People to treat the Ambassadour and his Retinue with all kindness and due respect and moreover wrote a Letter to the Pope complaining of the late design of his Nuntio attempting to publish Ecclesiastical Censures against forein Princes within his Kingdom which was a new and an unknown practice within his State and had been refused in the Case of Henry III. King of France and in the Cause of Cesare d' Este Duke of Ferrara much less could he be induced to allow of such proceedings against the State of Venice whose Cause was the same with that of his own Kingdom And considering that that State had merited well of Christendom by the opposition they made with their Arms against the common Enemy he exhorted his Holiness to supersede farther proceedings for Causes which ought to be stifled and which for better peace of the Church ought never to be brought into question or Dispute Francis Soranzo a Cavalier of Venice being at this time Ambassadour at the Emperor's Court did rightly inform the Imperial Ministers with the true state of the difference between the Pope and that Republick and in regard the Constitutions of all Germany were the same they could not do less than approve the Cause of the Venetians and condemn the Cause of the Pope which confirmed the Protestants in their reasons which they alledged for detaining Ecclesiastical Benefices in their own hands Howsoever the Great Chancellour and Marshal Prainer were of different Opinions taking part with the Pope against the affections sence and Interest of the whole Court When news came first to the Court of Spain of the differences between the Pope and the Venetians the constancy and firmness of that State to the Principles of their Government was highly applauded being the common Cause of all Secular Princes Howsoever the Nuntio made it his business to have the Venetian Ambassadour declared in all Pulpits to be under Excommunication The Genoeses also who were powerful in that Court being touched with envy on old grudges and for having lately yielded that Point of their liberty to the Pope which Venice still conserved did all the ill offices they were able against the Republick but above all the Ambassadour of Tuscany joyning with the Jesuits shewed himself an open Enemy and so prevailed with the King and Council that a Congregation of twelve Divines was held at Madrid in presence of the Cardinal of Toledo to consider whether the Ambassadour of Venice ought to be admitted into the Church at the time of Celebration of Divine Offices the result of which was that the Ambassadour should not be excluded every one concurring in that Opinion the Nuntio and Jesuits onely excepted So soon as the news came to Paris that the Monitory was published against Venice Barberino the Pope's Nuntio made urgent addresses to the King that Priuli the Venetian Ambassadour should be excluded from admission into the Church but his desire was positively rejected both because the King was willing to remain Neuter and because it was and is a Maxim of that Kingdom That Popes have no power over the Temporal Government of Princes and have no Authority on account for Secular matters to proceed against them or their Officers by Ecclesiastical Censures In England we may easily imagine what Opinion was conceived of these proceedings for when Giustiniano the Ambassadour of Venice had acquainted King James with the state of the difference between the Pope and the Republick the King did much applaud the Laws and Constitutions of Venice and the constancy and resolution of the Senate in the maintenance of them adding That he would gladly see a free Council established which was the onely means to reform the Church of God and put an end to all Controversies amongst Christians which had no other original or source than onely from the usurpation of Popes and ambition of the Clergy in which holy and sacred Design he did not doubt but that the French King and all other Christian Princes would readily concur and that perhaps a beginning thereof might arise from these troubles and labours of the Republick And farther the King added That the Popes exalting themselves above God were the ruin of the Church and that it was no wonder that their Pride admitted of no serious reflections or moderate advices being puffed up and elated by the common adulation and flattery which was used towards them The States of the Vnited Provinces wrote very obliging Letters to Venice proffering to assist them with Arms and Provisions in case they came to an open rupture and acts of hostility with the Pope In the mean time many effectual good Offices were performed both at Rome and Venice by the Dukes of Mantoua and Savoy and by Guicciardin Ambassadour of the Great Duke of Tuscany and more especially by Monsieur de Fresnes the French Ambassadour at Venice To all which instances and applications from several Princes the Senate thought fit to make this general Answer First they returned thanks for the good endeavours and labours towards a Mediation and then complained of the firm resolutions of the Pope which could not be shaken or made plyable by any reasonable terms which the Republick could offer That there could be no hopes of accommodation until the Pope by taking off his Censures did open a way to Treaties and terms of Peace That the Pope had proceeded so far in his injuries and affronts as were past all manner of reconciliation and yet the Republick which was truly Catholick would still bear their due respect to the Pope so far as was consistent with their liberty and with that right of Government which was committed to them by God But whilest matters were thus in Treaty at Venice and Rome and in the Courts of Princes the Jesuits who were vigilant and intent to do all the mischiefs they were able against the Republick did not cease to disperse Scandals and Libels as well without Italy as within and to preach and rail against them in their Pulpits and Schools endeavouring to possess their Auditories with the most malicious impressions they could beget or frame in minds of Men they also wrote Letters into all places defaming the Republick some who would not adventure into the Dominions of Venice treated on the Confines with their Disciples and Votaries and others in disguise entered within the Dominions sowing Division and Faction in all parts promising extraordinary Indulgences to all such as should observe the Interdict They also forged several Letters entitling one from the Republick of Genoua to the Senate of Venice another from the City of Verona to the City of Brescia which were most scandalous and abominable Papers Then in other Writings they justified themselves for having in their Sermons inveighed against the Republick calling it a Lutheran Heretical and tyrannical Government with infinite other abominable Epithets In fine it was proved that the Jesuits were the causes of all these disturbances having instigated the