no mans person I am Pope and 't is in my power to null or confirm their Acts as I think good my self Let not the Cardinals inquire now what means the Popes made use of to invade and usurp the authority they formerly injoy'd because they are sure to be answer'd with nothing but violence insolence and threats against which they having not courage enough to defend themselves do sit down contented only with the Title and appearance and it is certain at this day that the Cardinals have no more authority over the Church than the Duke of Savoy has over the Kingdom of Cyprus of which he will be call'd King notwithstanding so the Cardinals will be call'd Princes of the Church whilst the Pope runs away with the power doing and undoing as he pleases giving offices and preferments at his pleasure and imposing his own Laws without contradiction insomuch that the Consistories Congregations and Colledges are only for the service and assistance of the Pope who suffers not the Cardinals to transact any thing but by his direction and if they do he revoaks it so that it is too true they have nothing left but a bare outside authority All this would be past over nevertheless and their affliction would not be so great were it the Popes only that commanded the Cardinals but the misery is for more than an age past so many Nephews as have been in Rome so many Popes have there been to command them for the Popes communicating the authority they usurp'd with each of their Nephews they know very well which way to put in execution and have no need to be taught how to make their advantages Is it not a melancholly and most deplorable sight to see two sorry little-headed Nephews make so many Logger-headed Cardinals to tremble that one poor single Nephew should keep the whole Colledge in awe That two pittiful Relations of the Pope's born and brought up in obscurity should be more considerable in Rome than so many Princes of most noble Extraction That the Popes should give more ear to the advice of a Nephew newly taken from School and many times from the Shop than to the Councels of so many Cardinals us'd and accustom'd to publick affairs and zealous of the Service of God That they should command that know not how to command and they be forc'd to obey those they ought in all equity to command That the foreign and extraneous Nephews should have freer and more uninterrupted access to the Vatican than the Cardinals that are born in Rome Now if affairs be carry'd in this manner in the Court of Rome in respect of Spiritual and Temporal Things how can the Cardinals be properly call'd Princes that leave the Church in the hands of other people It is the Nephews that are the Princes that hold the Patrimony of Saint Peter in their possession that divide it from the Church without any resistance and appropriate it as a Patrimony for their particular Families Nor ought the Nephews on the other side to permit seeing they have the authority in them the Cardinals to bear the Title of Princes of the Church lest very ill consequences should follow They have no other right of Dominion over them than by Usurpation and Tyranny and Tyranny is sometimes rais'd above the Majesty of Princes Now if the Cardinals be Princes of the Church without any Soveraignty the Nephews that have got that Soveraignty without any title must be Tyrants and therefore to remove this inconvenience it is necessary either to leave the Dominion of the Church to the Cardinals that have the Title or to give the Nephews the Title that have the Power already and exercise it with great Authority There is not a Heretick a Gentile a Jew a Catholick nor a Protestant but knows the Government of the Church by the Nephews is Tyrannical because the Authority they have to govern it is deriv'd only from the Popes who have no Authority to dispose of that which belongs legally to the Cardinals Christ as if on purpose to prevent disputes said expresly when he gave the power of the Keyes to Saint Peter Tibi dabo claves Regni coelorum observe the word Tibi to Thee that is to Peter I give the Keyes of my Church and not to his Nephews It is my pleasure that you Command and give Laws not your Relations and Kindred Tibi dabo claves Regni coelorum And therefore Saint Peter who understood his duty very well would never admit any of his own Relations to the Government of the Church but only such as were call'd by the Divine mouth of our most blessed Saviour Now a dayes the Popes proceed quite contrary glossing as they please upon the Gospel robbing them as soon as they are entred into the Vatican of all their Authority and giving it to their Nephews and instead of governing the Church with the assistance of the Cardinals in whom the power is directly from our Saviour they govern with the assistance of their Nephews that cannot with any justice enter into the Vatican nor take possession of an Authority that belongs only to the Cardinals It is clear the Cardinals are the true successors of the Apostles so that if the Apostles receiv'd none of their Jurisdiction from Saint Peter but immediately from God and if Saint Peter did never command them neither can nor ought the Popes to command the Cardinals nor are they oblig'd to obey them in what relates to the Government of the Church seeing they have as much power in those affairs as the Popes For my part when I shall see the Popes hold the same correspondence with the Cardinals that Saint Peter did with the Apostles I shall believe them true Popes so on the other side I shall believe the Cardinals true Princes of the Holy Church when I shall see them replete with holy zeal and labouring for the recovery of that Jurisidiction which hath been so unjustly taken from them If they shall at any time be restor'd to the exercise of that Authority they formerly for several ages possess'd they will make the Popes the Church and themselves happy and fortunate and bless'd themselves bless'd because that respect which at present is given by the Faithfull to the Purple only will be kindled in the hearts of all Christendom and break out into a flame of devotion to behold them with such passion and solicitousness endeavouring the good of Christianity the Church fortunate because it shall be no more worryed nor tormented with the tongues and pens of Historians but see every day new Christians sprouting up in her bosom And lastly the Popes shall be happy in having Companions in the care of the Flock of Christ in discharging themselves of a part of that burthen that is not to be sustain'd by one but with great danger of sinking under it Let not the Cardinals therefore any longer delay the wresting again that Dominion out of the hands of the Nephews that by Divine
business was the salvation of his Soul In the Primitive Church the Popes as may be seen in their lives did not intermeddle or pry into any bodies actions but for the advantage of the Church that the Bishops might be holy in their conversations as their function was holy and the Sacraments administred with decency In those dayes the Bishops made the Election to vacant Bishopricks and by degrees came in Cardinals who also had the creation of Cardinals There was no discourse then but of the miraculous Sanctity of the Popes No importunity of their Kindred pressing and soliciting them to turn out such a good man and advance a much wickeder to his place It was then the Glory of the Pope to be call'd the head of the Christian Common-wealth and indeed the Counsels Consistories and Synods having the Election of all Officers and the disposal of all Dignities it was no other but a Commonwealth but how the present Writers in their Volumes can call Christendom a Republick I cannot understand whilst it is enslay'd to his Holiness and under the Tyranny of his Arms Excommunications and Inquisitions and forc'd by the irrational opinions of Priests to an adoration of the Pope in Rome as if he were a God in Heaven It were much to be desir'd and would be much to the advantage of the Church if that motu proprio or Arbitrary power of the Pope were taken away Christendome reduc'd again to a Republique and the Church set once more at Liberty I mean if the Election of Cardinals were performed as secretly as possible in the Consistory by the Cardinals themselves and so that of Bishops by a Provincial Synod to be call'd upon the death or translation of any of them or if that should be too expensive by the Consistory of Cardinals and not left to the single disposition of the Pope who regards nothing but the interest and satisfaction of his Family When Judas his place amongst the Apostles became void St. Peter from whom the Popes derive the power of the Keys proceeded not to the nomination of another himself or declar'd his Successor without more adoe but he call'd the Colledge of Apostles together by whose Lots St. Mathew was chosen to succeed him without any mention of St. Peter or of any bodyes Preceedency there The Apostles were all first and all last without any difference of priority But this Chapter is left out of their Bibles they will read nothing but for their own advantage And this is manifest because when a Cardinal dyes the Pope calls not the Colledge of Cardinals together to create a Successor but in spight of the example of the Apostles in spight of all Justice and Equity he chooses one himself and declares him Cardinal usurping in this manner the right of the Cardinals who are Successors to the Apostles also and to whom that right of Election doth belong This inconvenience seems at first sight very hard to be remedyed but upon serious consideration it will be easie For in the vacancy of the Chair when they are Absolute and Supream when the Church is a kind of Republick and all the Jurisdiction is in their hands what should hinder them if they had any regard to their lawfull and just Privileges from resuming that power which they have been robb'd of and constraining his Holiness to confirm it Would the Cardinals but once undertake this those Princes that have any zeal for the liberty of the Church would not fail to undertake it too and second them with Arms upon occasion as the Emperours both of the East and West have formerly done then they might new model the Laws settle the preceedency of the Synods and Consistories before the Pope as it was in the Primitive dayes renounce the Popes Decrees and establish their own declare him as an Apostle indeed amongst the rest of the Apostles but not as a God and in short clip the wings of his Authority so as to leave him Head only of a Commonwealth Nor indeed were this well executed would the Popes have any reason to complain for what can they pretend but that they be allow'd as much Authority as St. Peter had and why should not the Cardinals have as much as the rest of the Apostles whose true Heirs they are if the Pope therefore be as St. Peter why should not they be as the rest of the Apostles I have said before that to fill up the vacancy that was made by the Treason of Judas St. Peter did not by his Papal Authority make Election of another but by the Prayers and Assembly of the rest of the Apostles who were as it were the Pilots and Steers-men in the Ship of the Church Moreover Christ being dead St. Peter could not hope for any greater Authority than he had left him in these words What thou bindest on Earth shall be bound in Heaven so as from that time he had power to exercise his authority which say they was to preside in Elections to command in their Assemblies and to exercise over the Apostles the same authority which the Popes do now over the Cardinals But in those dayes things were well manag'd however they go now Then the Church was truly Apostolical and obedient exactly to the Laws of the Apostles now it is Roman and conformable only to the Interest or Capriccio of the Pope St. Peter then had no money to distribute nor no offices to bestow and therefore there were no books nor no Authors to be found that flatter'd him or attributed more to him than Christ had given him now they are so rich and have so many preferments to bestow that they can debauch their Divines and make them write as they please In that age there was nothing but poverty and piety in this there is nothing but craftiness and wealth then there was nothing but Christ in the thoughts of St. Peter and the Apostles and now in the Popes minds there is nothing but their Nephews It is not to be found in any place of the Scripture that St. Peter commanded the rest of the Apostles or that they acknowledg'd him head of the Church or Superior to themselves Whereas on the contrary 't is to be seen in the Acts of the Apostles that Peter was sent by the rest of the Apostles in the company of St. John to preach the Gospel in Samaria and St. Paul not only writes that he was not esteem'd inferiour to the best of the Apostles but he went up and down ordering all things as he thought necessary for the advantage of the Church without communicating any thing with St. Peter of what he judg'd convenient to do Things being so upon what grounds is it that the Popes keep the Cardinals at that distance Christ recommended his Church to the Apostles in general without any exception as appears by those words in St. John As my Father sent me so have I also sent you and whose sins soever you pardon shall be pardon'd and again in
St. Mathew Be not in any case called Masters because there is one that is your Master but be as if you were all Brothers Can any thing be more clear can any thing be of greater proof When Christ spake these words to his Apostles St. Peter was present and therefore like but not Superiour to the rest So as what authority is that the present Divines give to St. Peter over the Apostles and by consequence to the Popes over the Cardinals In my judgement both sides are too blame the Popes to usurp and exalt themselves so much and the Cardinals to prostitute and debase themselves These are the errours that occasion if not the greatest part of our Heresies at least the most stubborn and perverse part of them it being most certain that a great part of their Passion and Acrimony against the Church would be taken away could they but see things honestly administred by an equal concurrence both in Cardinals and Pope But to return from this point from which also we have in some measure been forc'd to digress I will speak now of the infallibility of the Church Let us first examine if there be or ever was such a Church in the world to whom God had vouchsaf'd out of his profound Counsels to bestow any such privilege There is no need of studying or using any long and elaborate arguments to prove that all Churches whatsoever have been subject to Errour dayly experience presenting us with continnal examples that they have fallen into errour as great as can be imagin'd by man The Jewish Church that flourish'd so long under their Patriarchs and Prophets that before the coming of our Saviour had the honour to be call'd the only visible Church of God though it was govern'd by pious and experienc'd Pastors Err notwithstanding and was most miserably involv'd in the puddle of Idolatry so as we read in the Chrenicles That for many days together the Israelites had neither God nor Law nor Priest amongst them all to direct them And the Prophet Esau with Tears in his Eyes and Sorrow in his Heart complains That all their Governors were blind And the Prophet Ezechiel tells us that this Idolatry over-spread the Church as well in Egypt as in Israel But we need not trouble our brains for an instance of their erring the Golden Calf the people made to themselves and worshipp'd as a God in spight of Aaron and Moses who went up into the Mount to receive the Tables of the Law is too sad an evidence Jeremiah complains with great anguish of the miseries of Juda that was fallen into that profound and bottomless impiety it was a question whether there were more Cities or Idols in her Dominions And at the time of our Saviours coming into the world he found the Church infected with an infinite number of Heresies and Innovations introduc'd by the false Doctrines disseminated by those very Scribes and Pharisees that govern'd it Let the Scriptures be look'd over never so seriously let the Ecclesiastical Histories be examin'd never so strictly I am sure there is not any particular Church to be found since the time of the Apostles that retains its proper and Primitive Purity and has not deviated by some corruption or other from its first method and form So as St. Paul had very good reason in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans to exhort them to have a care they did not wander from the truth The Church of Rome notwithstanding all this believes her self infallible or at least some Divines would perswade her so In Genoa there was a Priest called Father Zachary as I remember I am sure he was a Dominican that Preach'd upon that Subject he was a great Orator and had a vast memory he us'd all the arguments were possible to prove it and amongst the rest this one in St. Mathew And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it which he urg'd with that vehemence that he declar'd that as often and every time the Church did err so often should Christ himself break his promise with the Church The Father being himself both Opponent and Respondent there was no answer given to that position yet it may be very well alleadg d that Christ in those words spake not of any particular Church but only of the Church of his Elect and therefore assures us also in other places that all the Machinations Persecutions and Conspiracres of the three implacable Enemies of mankind united shall not be able to extinguish and irradicate that Church because Gods Foundations are firm and unmoveable and he knows who are his own As it is in the Apostle to Timothy to which may be added those words of our Saviour The Heaven and the Earth shall pass away but my Word shall not fail intending thereby the Church where the word of God is preach'd And if it happens at any time that any particular Church deviates from the right way which is the way of truth the only foundation of the Church and upon which our Salvation is built God of his mercy will raise up another to convince that of the errour it is fallen into Amongst all the Churches since the beginning of the world there has not been found that unconstancy and confusion as in the Church of Rome so many Anti-Popes Schisms Heresies Controversies Confusions Suspensions Persecutions so many false Opinions Scandals Tyrannies and Intestine Quarrels as there Several times have they been known to adore two Popes in the same Province at once at another time three of several Nations the very Colledge of Cardinals being divided some of them favouring one side some another and some of them believing neither of them lawfull This I am sure that at the Election of one Pope there grew such Schism in the Church the people were in great perplexity and confusion and not knowing by reason of the difference amongst the Cardinals which was the true Christian Church they were to follow they remain'd not only months but years in that irresolution as if they had belong'd neither to God nor the Devil Is it not too true Their Ecclesiasticks themselves do not only dispute in their Councels but fall out and quarrel with that vehemence and passion they will sooner leave the Councel than their Opinions so pertinaciously proud are they of any thing that is their own though with the greatest scandal to the people who in that uncertainty of the truth forsake not only their fiery and unreasonable Opinions but their Religion it self But what shall I say Are there not Bishops that Preach false Doctrine in their Diocess chaulking out Rules of living to the people contrary to the meaning of the Gospel and what is taught in Rome And have there not been Popes that have been disclaimed by their Clergy From hence it may be easily concluded that their Opinion that hold the Church infallible is false and erroneous and if the Church be fallible much more the Pope who though Governour
't is ignorance and indiscretion that causes all this and should the like case happen to me I could very well make the Father an answer The other was of a certain young Student that went to a Jesuite to Confession amongst other of his Confessions he told him that he had lay'n a whole night with his Fatherships Neice and began to faint almost under the shame and apprehension of his Sin so that he had no mind to proceed but the good Father to incourage him told him That it was no such great matter to lye a night with the Neice for he had ly'n ten years together with the Mother And with this good exhortation he sent the young man back to his house And this second Example I heard my self in a Sermon in a certain Town in the Territories of the Venetian Preach'd by an Augustine Fryer who by his face look'd as like to do such a business as the Jesuite And thousands of these instances may be heard dayly in their Pulpits the Church of Rome by reason of the licentiousness of its Ministers being the laughing-stock of the Catholicks and the obloquy of the Protestant And truly 't is sad that those Confessions that were at first requir'd as conducing to the Salvation of Souls should be turn'd now by the iniquity of the Confessors into the scandal of the Church The Bishops shut their eyes at every thing because the Cardinals connive at them The Cardinals commit all things to the Pope contenting themselves with the magnificence of their Station The Pope because they let him alone in a Pinnacle of Grandeur above all exhalation of scandal leaves them to themselves and retains his opinion of their Piety not regarding what Heresies the Ignorance Malice or Lasciviousness of his Confessors may create To this the Ecclesiastick answers that we ought not to look so severely to the faults of the scandalous because they are but frailties and so will be judged by the Divine Justice it self And for instance they alledge the example of Judas who was a Traytor even in the company of the Holy Apostles so as our eye they say ought not to be upon him but upon the rest To which I answer that if there were indeed but one ill Churchman in twelve all Hereticks both Jew and Gentile would be converted to the Faith but as the case stands there is scarce one good to be found in ten thousand bad and therefore how can they be converted that have so many scandals in their prospect But some will say perhaps how can these things be redress'd I answer with the greatest facility in the world if the Cardinals pleas'd I speak not of the Pope because let the Divines say what they will for His absoluteness to speak the truth the Church of God is not a Monarchy but a Republique the Cardinals and Bishops being Supreme and Soveraign Senators and the Pope as Christs Vicar President of the Senate for though Christ created St. Peter his Vicar he took not away the Authority from the rest of the Apostles they alwayes with Supreme Authority in their Colledge decreeing what ever they thought necessary for the benefit of the Church St. Peter being allow'd no more than his single voice So that the Care and Government of the Church belonging by legal succession to the Cardinals the right of appointing remedies against such scandals as do afflict us belongs likewise to them And indeed whilst the Church was under a kind of Aristocrasie Miracles and Holiness and Goodness were observ'd to flourish But since the Priests began to flatter the Popes conceiving preferment and advantages easilier obtain'd by the adulation of one person than a Senate they put all into the hands of the Pope and made him a Monarch so that Miracles were lost immediately Sanctity was banish'd and a thousand wickednesses introduc'd because that which was Monarchy in the hands of the Pope became Tyranny in those of the Nephews Insomuch that to reduce the Church to its Primitive Holiness it will be necessary to restore it to its antient Aristocrasie Since my being at Rome I heard of hundreds of Decrees put out by the Congregation of Regolars but I never heard of any of them put in Execution as they ought to have been the Popes for the most part having dash'd them motu proprio besides the application being superficial and only to the top branches of the Tree it was impossible it should reach the Corruption that was in the Root The wickedness of the Churchmen is like a Wart upon a mans hand the more you cut it unless you cut it to the bottom the greater it grows To put out fire it is necessary to remove that matter that sustains it and if the Cardinals would apply any remedy to the scandals that throng dayly out of the Cloysters to the detriment of the Church they ought not to consider the nature of the Fryers after they are made Fryers so much as the qualities of those who make themselves Fryers The Method of the Italians in this age I speak not of other Countreys is good indeed for the advancement of their Arms but not at all for the benefit of the Church For example an Italian that has three Sons picks out the wisest and most gentile and Marryes him to keep up his Family him that is most sprightly and vigorous he sends to the Wars and if any be more foolish or extravagant than other he is sent to the Covent In short those Fathers whose Sons are given to Theft to Drunkenness Lust Dissoluteness or Prodigality if they be Lyers Swearers Cheats Blasphemers c. do presently devote them to the Cloyster where putting on the Habit of a Fryer they put them out of their sight indeed but put them into a Religious house where they become Devils because wickedness or rather a heap of wickedness cannot be taken away by fifteen yards of Cloth Were these disorders but regulated a great part of the scandal that lyes at present upon the Church would be taken away 't is a shame the worst should be given to God and the best to the Devil 't were better to suppress Cloysters and Fryers than to suffer such Fryers to be made In the Church of Rome the quality of the persons that are to enter into Religious Habits is not so much consider'd as their quantity so their number be great no matter for the rest Cheats Back-biters the Hunch-back'd the Lame and the Blind are all admitted into the Cloysters as if the number not the qualities made the Religion O most diabolical policy and fit to be exploded Did it belong to me to supplicate the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals I would do it upon my knees because I observe goodness and piety declining in the Church and all by reason of the multitudes of Priests whose qualities ought to be more regarded than their numbers One truly Religious man is worth a thousand wicked and edifies the Church more with
ordination belongs to themselves Let them force themselves and endeavour the repose of the Church let them have an eye over the affairs of the poor whose lawfull Princes they are and let them not as they value the praise of the World and the benediction of Christ forget the Jurisdiction that was given them by him If the Popes by debasing the Authority of the Cardinals have erected their own Monarchy why do not the Cardinals by depressing that of the Pope exalt themselves to the condition of Senators in the Christian Common-wealth If the Popes have thought good for the private advantage of their particular Families to change to the great detriment of the Cardinals the Republick of Christ into a Monarchy for their Nephews why shall not the Cardinals for the benefit of the Church subvert that Monarchy and re-establish the Republick of Christ Christ did not call them to the Apostleship to make them Deacons of Apostles but that they should watch over and superintend that the Offices of the Deacons were executed well In Republicks the Dukes are not chosen to destroy the Senators but on the contrary they keep up the Grandeur of the Senators to render their own Authority the more Majestick Let the Cardinals therefore have a care it fares not with them as it did with a Souldier of Alexander who being ask'd his Name by the Emperor and answering Alexander his actions being not answerable to his Name the Emperor reply'd Either leave the Name of Alexander or do as Alexander does And certainly the Cardinals ought either to act like Cardinals and vindicate that dignity God has given them as principal Ministers in his Church or relinquish that Eminent Title The habit makes not a Monk nor the Purple Robe a Cardinal if that were so there would not want Purple to make Cardinals nor habits to make Monks The zeal of Religion the safety of the Christian Common-wealth the protection of the People the care of the Cures the administration of the wealth of the Church the banishment of Vice Sweatings and Labourings and Watchings for the augmentation of the number of the Faithfull and the propagation of Christianity are as the Poles upon which the Wheel of Cardinalism ought to turn If a Cardinal goes this way to work tyres and harrasseth out himself in prosecution of the virtues aforesaid he will be a Cardinal indeed though he wears no Purple but if he shuts his eyes and leaves all things forsaken and deserted he may have as much of the Purple as he please but he will have nothing of the Cardinal The Cardinals tremble at the very Name of the Pope and yet it is they themselves that give him his Papacy They humble themselves at the beck of him who proceeds from their own bowels they are contented to be stript of their Authority to invest him with it that robb'd them The Protestants deny the whole power of the Pope and in their Schools bring many arguments to refute it yet they allow more dignity to the Cardinals than they know how to ask of his Holiness They say that if the Pope could be contented to be a Cardinal amongst the Cardinals and the Cardinals as Popes with the Pope the Church of God would be restor'd to the true form in which it was created in the infancy of Christianity when the Apostles were Peters and Peter as the Apostles and they would not find that difficulty of closing with our Church which by that means would be Universal and not particular whereas now they are glad of any opportunity to distract it because they see it particular by reason of the absolute Authority that is given to the Pope I was a while since invited to dinner by a Friend of mine and by accident there were several Protestants and some Catholicks at the Table About the latter end of dinner the Catholicks with great freedom began to discourse it was in the time of the vacancy of the Chair of the discord and dissention amongst the Cardinals one of them instanc'd the example of the Apostles who when the Holy Spirit descended upon them were Congregati in unum applying all to the difference betwixt the Apostolick Colledge in these times in which they are at variance and what it was in the Primitive when there was nothing but meekness and charity and love Amongst the rest there was a French Gentleman indifferently well learn'd and of a pleasant conversation who taking the word from the other reply'd smilingly that those words Congregati in unum might very justly be apply'd to the Apostolick Colledge in being with this difference only that the Apostles then were Congregati in unum with Christ and now they are Congregati in unum with the Pope And â—e had gone further had he not been interrupted and forc'd to rise from the Table upon an unexpected visit that was made which altered the whole discourse I who had then this Cardinalism in my head and resolv'd to make an end of it and publish it to the world began to make some reflection upon what the French man had said and I found his opinion was not â—ll grounded so much did it correspond with mine For in truth in Rome where the Congregations are infinite the Cardinals are Congregati in unum not in their judgements or desires in which many times there is so much discrepancy that every Cardinal has a several opinion but in a resolution to do whatever his Holiness commands them They are Congregati in unum because in the Consistories they conclude of nothing but what is dictated by the Pope From whence it happen'd that a Cardinal of a very profound judgement that liv'd in the time of Innocent the tenth being ask'd one day whether he went he answer'd To Donna Olimpia's Congregation implying that that Lady having the absolute management of his Holiness her Cousin it was necessary to observe her orders exactly whether they were good or bad and indeed some few that would needs peevishly and obstinately withstand her Commands found but little ease or advantage by it Were the Cardinals Congregati in unum for a good understanding amongst themselves as they are Congregati in unum to do what ever they are commanded by the Pope the Church would be better serv'd than it is the State would flourish in plenty and peace and the Nephews reduc'd to their primitive indigence and necessity The Popes do rejoyce if not contrive to see the minds of the Cardinals divided as much fearing the consequence of their unity and a certain great Pope that lived in our age was wont to say That the division of the Cardinals was the exaltation of the Popes a saying as Diabolical as Politick which discover'd clearly that the intentions of the Popes were fix'd upon the Supremacy they injoy that is to keep and conserve the Monarchy of the Church in their own absolute Dominion though to the utter destruction of all that oppos'd them and because there is no
that these my most humble demonstrations will not be unacceptable as proceeding from a sincere heart passionately affected to your Honour driving only at the Establishment of the high opinion the world has conceiv'd of your virtue and to stop the mouths of those Hereticks whose invectives will be obstreperous and high when they see your Holiness contrary to your protestations and promises both within the Conclave and without going on in the same road with those that with so much scandal to the world and so much desolation to the people have call'd in their Kindred have destroy'd the Patrimony of Christ and built themselves Palaces for their Luxury out of the rubbish of the Church and with an insatiable appetite suck up the very blood of her Subjects But that I may not consume the little time I have left in superfluous discourses with a Prince so pious as your Holiness I shall principally beseech you in visceribus Christi that you would out of your profound prudence find out some way to extinguish those sparks that otherwise will break out into such a flame as may put the whole world into a combustion The Apostolick See did never commit a greater fault against its honour and authority than when desirous to act like a Temporal Prince it quarrell'd with those Princes that were as it were the Arms that sustain'd and render'd it formidable and respected Examples of this kind are too frequent and which is worse too well known to every body so that if it did not belong to me to judge of the actions of the Popes which indeed ought rather to be reverenc'd than rebuk'd yet with your Holiness I may take the confidence to lay before your eyes the example of Urban the eight one of the worthiest amongst all the Popes whose memory is immortal and to whom I do confess my self a servant with all my heart That good old man suffer'd himself to our great misfortune to be ingag'd into a troublesome war the success of which will be sadly remembred for several reasons but particularly for the expence of fourteen millions of money for the indigence it brought upon the Treasury for the total desolation of the Ecclesiastick State for the oppression of the people for the disesteem brought upon the Apostolick See and the Pontifical dignity by so dishonourable a peace for shortning the life of so great a Pope who for his Heroick virtues deserv'd to have lived several ages What advantages that War left to his family the whole world is witness of thence it was from the highest achme of authority from a long and absolute dominion it became the laughing-stock of fortune the contempt of the whole world and reduc'd into a little Kingdom amongst the storms and calamities of the War to seek Sanctuary for their lives against the universal hatred and persecution of its Enemies and forc'd to beg patronage and restauration from a Prince that was not at all satisfy'd with their proceedings The great and undaunted courage your Holiness express'd in not truckling to their threats nor suffering your self to be affrighted by any violence is commendable indeed yet let me with all humility suggest we live not now in that age which immortaliz'd the magnanimity of Alexander the third Gregory the seventh and other Popes who arm'd themselves with invincible constancy in defence of that which belong'd to God and his Spouse At this time the world is so possest with an opinion of the wickedness or frailties rather of the Clergy and that the cause is but Temporal and Capricious that the case is quite alter'd and I do easily foresee it will be the greater diminution to your Holinesses honour the longer you delay with the Sword of Prudence to cut asunder that knot that will otherwise grow dayly more inextricable And this your Holiness is oblig'd to do in imitation of him whose person you represent Discite a me quia milis sum humilis Corde in charity to his exhausted Flock for the safety of your own Family and for the suppression of a Malignant report that the present disorder in your Holinesses Court is but the effect of a visit the French Ambassador deny'd to your Nephews God forgive them that perswaded your Holiness to Arms how contrary to the judgement of the Consistory your Holiness cannot but remember by the humble instances of your faithful servants God knows when the fatal consequences will be remov'd which portend so much mischief and calamity that make me desirous to end my dayes quickly rather than live to be a spectator of so lamentable a Catastrophe Your Holiness is alone against a Powerful Victorious Rich and Fortunate Monarch that declares himself affended the Cardinals by misfortune rather than by any fault of yours dissatisfy'd the Treasure exhaust the people drawn dry and discontented so as there are hardly any of them that will espouse the interest of the Nephews when they will do so little for your own In these great advantages your Holiness knows very well how often I have reminded you and I do it more earnestly than ever of that Parable in the Gospel Quis Rex iturus committere bellum adversus alium regem non sedens prius cogitat si possit cum decem millibus occurrere illi qui cum viginti millibus venit and who knows but the Princes themselves that bear so little affection to the Temporal power of the Popes that they are alwayes undermining its foundations do for politick reasons incourage and foment those murmers and though they promise your Holiness their assistance to ingage you but that they will afterwards desert you as they did Paul the fifth in his aâ—fference with the Venetians Or else your Holiness relying upon some of them and they perhaps weak and declining upon any sudden or unhappy accident what strange resolution will be taken But if by the benefit of things confederacy should succeed well what would the world say when it sees that to oppose the satisfaction desired by the first born Son of the Church in reparation of certain injuries pretended it was not valued though there was a new rupture occasion'd between the two Crowns that had been but lately united after so many years Wars and perhaps it would fall to the share of your Holinesses family to remain expos'd to the indignation of a Prince whose authority extends as far as Europe it self Especially if which God forbid it makes not its reconciliation in your Holiness his dayes because your Holiness being tyr'd with delay in a business that ought to have been compos'd as soon as it was begun will leave the care of it to your Successor with great hazard of seeing the Tragedy of the house of Caraffa so memorable to all ages acted over again The Princes also are dissatisfy'd to see the Popes after they had opposâ—d the Temporal Sword against every body pretend at last to recover themselves under the Standard of the Cross and to sheâ—ld themselves
what purpose is it to expose ones self to Martyrdom To what purpose to pass so many Seas to preach up the Name of Christ with so much peril in the most remote parts of the Earth amongst the greatest Infidels if it be depis'd even in Christendom in the very bowels of Religion and in the midst not only of Rome but the Vatican it self And now I would fain know what likelihood there is that the Cardinals should oppose their own breasts against that violence of the Barbarians that seem to threaten so nearly the destruction of Christendom if they be affraid to speak one word to the Pope against those Governours that by fleecing the people do bring the State into great misery and distress How shall they take the Sword into their hands to encounter those Hereticks that destroy our Images and violate our Holy Temples if they can patiently behold the plundering of our Altars and the robbing of the Almes that is given to the poor How shall they defend the Christian Faith that suffer the blood of Christ to be devour'd How shall they dare to preach to such as are in Rebellion and Enmity if they be affraid to speak to the Popes that are their Friends How shall they be faithfull keepers of the flock of Christ if they be fearfull as Lambs toward those Wolves that devour his flock In short how can they stop the mouths of those with a good conscience that do blame the defects of the Popes when they themselves are the causes of those defects This I am sure of the Purple they wear would be much more honourable did they take more care to preserve the Treasure of the Church and for my part I am of opinion the Popes would be more wary of introducing their Kinred into the Vatican if they observ'd the Cardinals more vigilant nor would the Nephews commit such notorious robberies if they did but see that their eyes were upon them The Cardinal Pallavicino the Jesuite who in plain terms was a person that could frame and accommodate himself to another mans humour thereby to work him over to his own he was one of those that cry'd up Alexander in the beginning of his Papacy above the Skies and all because he would not admit his Nephews into Rome Insomuch that in his History of the Councel of Trent that came out from the Press about that time he made a Parallel betwixt his Holiness and his Saviour and upon this ground because being ask'd by a certain publique Ambassador if he would not receive his Kindred his Holiness reply'd in the words of our Saviour Who are my Brothers but they that do the will of the Lord. It is not possible to imagine the great and extravagant praises he gave the Pope in all quarters of Rome for his aversion to the Nipotisme extolling him for the greatest Pope that ever sate in the Vatican he prophesied a golden Age again to the Church in a short time and supplyes of Inhabitants to the City he went up and down all the Courts of the Cardinals giving God thanks for his great mercy towards the Church in sending it a Pope so clearly disinterested and unaddicted to the advancement of his private Family In short he exhorted them all by the authority his reputation and intimacy with the Pope gave him that it was the duty of the Cardinals themselves to conserve that great benefit to the Church and in case Alexander should relapse that they should oblige his Successors to keep their Nephews out of the Vatican But the humour of the Pope being altered at length in this point and instead of his former aversion he become most partial to his Nephews Pallavicino also began to change his note and harp no more upon that string he found himself oblig'd to stop his mouth in all things and to sanctifie the defects of the Nephews as he was the Popes Confessor or else to ruine and precipitate his own fortunes and those of his Order This politick deportment was a great affliction to his Conscience for he was indeed a well meaning man and intirely devoted to the benefit of the Church He found out a hundred querks and pretences to excuse the commendations he had formerly given the Pope and being one day in discourse and ask'd by a Cardinal that was his Confident if he would magnifie no more his Holiness his impartiality to his Relation he couragiously reply'd That he then had spake of the Pope as Pope and did now speak of Alexander as Alexander He endeavour'd by all possible means to force his own nature and not to be concern'd at those evils which he was too sensible did hourly increase to the great detriment of the Church by the ill Government of the Nephews But notwithstanding all this the more he saw Don Mario advanc'd the more did indignation swell in his Bowels to think that there could be no remedy found to quench that fire that seem'd formerly extinct insomuch that he many times shut himself up alone in his Chamber and made as many Soliloquies as King Midas his Barber At last it pleas'd God as he himself declar'd to a friend of his upon his death bed by his special grace to take away his life in the vacancy of the Apostolick Chair He was much affected with the great affairs of the Church as he signified in a paper he left written with his own hand wherein he protested his intentions were alwayes so far from defending the errors of the Nephews that he would not so much as excuse them The writing contain'd five principal points The first was that the Church would never find any repose in her afflictions nor be free from the Calumnies of the Hereticks till the Nephews were banish'd from Rome The second was that whilst every Pope had liberty to inrich his own Kindred as they did the Treasure of the Church in a short time would be imbezled and dispers'd into Foreign Countreys The third was that there was no hopes of seeing the Charity and Benevolence of the faithful increas'd for they being scandaliz'd to see the Charitable Alms bestow'd and left by other people to the Church dissipated and consum'd did choose to squander away themselves what they had rather than by giving it to the Church to increase the number of Extravagants there The fourth that the Cardinals could not with a safe Conscience suffer the dissipation of the Treasure of the Church by the prodigality of the Nephews and that they were oblig'd therefore as his Holiness Assistants to endeavour to remedie it And in the last place by good arguments he shew'd which was the most proper time for the application of so necessary an expedient and he concluded the vacancy of the Chair would be the most convenient because if a new Pope was once Created and a new Nepotism set up it would be impossible to compass their ends This writing fell into the hands of the Cardinals who call'd a particular Congregation
select persons of piety for the service of the Church and that he will fill up the Sacred Colledge with Cardinals illustrious by their Blood their Virtues and their Bounty THE ITALIAN PRINTER TO THE READER THE absence of the Author has been the occasion that certain little Errors if you will not Christen them great ones have slip'd in this Third Part. The truth is when the Author sent the Manuscript to my hands by one of his Friends we being at great distance from one another I promis'd to do my endeavour to Correct it and I was as good as my word doing all that I was able though my good will was above my abilities yet I believe there is scarce any Error to be found which your discretion may not correct in the reading and that is it I do most humbly intreat I am oblig'd also in the behalf of the Author to admonish that if you find any palpable Error in point of History you would dispence with it because the time was so short from the Composition to the Printing The curiosity and impatience of some persons made me snatch the Manuscript out of the hands of the Corrector and perhaps some of my Workmen printed some of them before he saw them at all I am to desire you likewise from the Author himself that you would not censure him that he has inserted into this Third Part some things which have been written by other men he believ'd he has done for the best and truly I am of opinion you will not say the contrary there being no reason a thing should be left out where it will stand well because it was in another place where perhaps it stood worse Your Bricklayers and your Writers are in my judgement alike or rather your Writers and your Bricklayers the Bricklayers think Old Materials much better to build with than New as finishing more exquisitely with a mixture of Old and New The Old is New to him that begins and the New is Old to him that finishes Whilst this whole Work was a Printing I gave it leaf by leaf to a Friend of mine very well vers'd in the greatest Curiosities to peruse He told me this Third Part was the best and more necessary to be publish'd than all the rest and I do easily perswade my self you will be of his opinion But you must read it impartially or it will scarce turn to accompt Have a care of doing as he did who read Books only to satisfie his Friend Yet in this Work I shall be oblig'd to you if you will correct the Errors of the Press as you go along The Conclave of Clement the 9th after which the Politick Aphorisms do follow was taken out of the hands of a Conclavist who indeed had no intention to publish them but only to shew it to his Friends I suppose it is conformable to the truth of the History being the person who collected it is very impartial I had two of them in my hands which I shew'd to a Friend of mine a Virtuoso and well skill'd in the Interests of the Court of Rome that he might judge which of the two were the best and most proper to be publish'd having kept them some dayes in his hands he return'd them both to me with his opinion in writing that this was to be preferr'd Those who know already how passages have gone may read it for Observation and those who know nothing for their Curiosity Of the Politick Aphorisms I shall say nothing because they carry their Subtilty and Excellence in the very Name of the Author Some would have had the Author taken pains to make a Table of the most Considerable Matters with reference to the several Pages but the Author did not think it convenient to lengthen it out unnecessarily with another Table seeing in every Book there was one large enough before However I have made an Index of some proper Names especially of the Cardinals and Popes but left out for the greater ease of the Reader some such Sirnames and Names as are many times multiply'd according to the necessity of the History If you find no satisfaction in this Cardinalisme you will find it perhaps in his EVROPA MORTA which the Author has promis'd a while ago and I do promise on my part to use my utmost endeavours to facilitate the Reading by a carefull and faithfull Correction of the Press May you live happy in the mean time and be as candid in Correcting the Errors as I am affectionate in declaring my self Your Servant Il CARDINALISMO di Santa Chiesa OF THE HISTORY OF CARDINALS In III. Parts PART III. BOOK I. The Contents In which is discours'd of the resemblance of the Church to a Ship and the reason why Of the City of Rome born to Lord it over other Nations Of what is requisite for the understanding of the Pontifical Election Of the age of Holiness in the Church Of the reasons why there were no difficulties in the infancy of the Church about the Election of Popes Of a Pidgeon that sate upon the head of Fabianus Romanus and made him be declar'd Pope The reason why Sanctity decay'd in the Church Of the felicity of Peace experimented by the Ecclesiasticks Of the introduction of Pride Of the Emperours and how little they regarded the Spiritual affairs of the Church Of a dissention at the Election of Pope Simacus Of certain scandals which sprang up during Pope Bonifaces vacancy of the See Of Pelagius Romanus and his succeeding of Virgilius Of certain Priviledges granted by the Pope to Attila King of the Goths call'd FLAGELLUM DEI. Of the authority assum'd by the Emperours in the Election of the Pope Of the Reception given by the Emperour to Constantine the first at Constantinople Of the great hatred Philippus call'd Bardono bore to the Pontifical Grandeur Of the Election of Pope Zachary a Grecian without any Communication with the Emperour Of the deposal of Chilperick by the Pope his being stripp'd of all Title to the kingdome of France and the reason wherefore Of the Emperours being declared excluded from all right in the Pontifical Election Of Berrha's the Widdow of Charlemains journey to Rome to demand justice of the Pope and of the success of her journey Of a particular alliance betwixt Charles the Great and the Pope Of a popular tumult that happen'd in Rome against the person of Pope Adrian Of the Creation of Pope Stephen by the people against the consent of the Emperour Of the Popes journey into France to clear himself to that King of the accusations against him Of the industry Pope Pascal us'd to increase his authority Of the Election of Eugenius the second a most eloquent man Of the threatnings of King Lewis against the Pope Of the reason why the Popes chang'd their Names at first Of the desire the Romans had to shake off the Yoke of the Empire Of two Popes successors to Adrian Of Adrian the third's Bull against the