persecuted to the death if it be not permitted to any body to put his hand to the Plough and discover the calamities of the people if the most able Preacher be not allowed to reprehend Sin either in the Pope or his Nephews if iniquity that runs like a Torrent through the Streets of Rome and the Chambers of the Vatican must be wink'd at and past by if the wicked must be adored and the holy man despised if those must be clapt in Prison that were worthier to be Judges if the ignorant be advanc'd and the learned be banish'd if the Thefts of the Priests be more numerous than their Masses and if there be no distinction betwixt good and evil Miracles How whilst they who come to complain of the hourly oppressions of the Popes Ministers cannot be admitted into the Gate of the Vatican if the Cardinals Horses be fed with more care than the poor of Jesus Christ if the walls of Churches be left naked to adorn the Palaces of the Nephews if the Inheritances left by Religious persons for pious uses be imploy'd to buy Principalities to satisfie the pomp and pride of the Popes kindred If the Clergy spend more time at Playes and Brothel-houses than they do at Church or at Prayers But how would he that should dare to give these informations to the Pope be welcom'd in Rome with Kindness and Love 'T is madness to imagine it Chains Manicles Prisons and Fagots would be the recompence of his Zeal and his entertainment sooner with the Hangman than with the Pope In Rome in the Vatican those Divines are well look'd upon that write great Volumes in defence of the infallibility and impeccability of the Pope that Canonize the actions of his Nephews that cry up the Glory of his Family to the Skyes pronouncing him one of the greatest Monarchs in the World that insinuate into his ear the satisfaction of the people with his Government and what necessity they had of such a Pastor that make comparisons in their writings and parallels between God and the Pope with a thousand other extravagant flatteries enough to â—urn the stomach of all Religious Men. Oh how sweet are these notes in the Ears of the Popes How harmoniously do they Eccho within the walls of the Vatican In this manner are things now carried at Rome he that doubts it had best go see for my part I am satisfy'd with what I have seen already I am no flatterer of that Court and therefore not like to be so welcome as to take a new Journey However I may perhaps do better service to the Church by blaming and pointing out the Corruptions of its Ministers than the false Priests do with all their Adulation and Oratory But whether do my thoughts wander He who makes the Pope equal with God may be a favourite of Pope but he that compares a Prince to the Pope shall be laid by the heels He which maintains the dignity of a Prince to be inferiour and subordinate to a Popes may be rewarded but he that says Princes are independent is sure to be persecuted He that asserts the Decrees of a Councel to be of more Authority than the Pope's may be Excommunicated for his pains but he that affirms all Councels subject to the Pope shall receive his Benediction he that affirms the Popes power to be Monarchical and depending of God alone may be a favourite but he that pronounces him inferiour to the Church shall be sure to be hated he that holds the Pope to be infallible shall have a Bishoprick whilst he that holds the other side is sent a Slave to the Galleys he that preaches up the Popes power of Excommunicating and deposing of Kings shall be sure to be protected from receiving punishment from his Prince but he that sayes that Doctrine is false shall be hang'd in spight of the intercession of Kings Thus you behold the present State of Rome the Corruptions of this Age the Iniquities in the Church and the pernicious degeneracy of the Popes Those very Divines that think to make the Popes holy by declaring them infallible render them guilty even to their own Consciences whilst the innocent Popes trusting to the flatteries and adulations of these Divines walk on careless and inconsiderate of what they do mistaking even evil for good Pope Sextus the fifth caus'd the Bible to be printed and by a very severe Bull requir'd not only that it should be read but that it should be used in perpetuum In a few years after Clement the seventh succeeds him and with another Bull as rigid as the former suppress'd Sextus's Edition and commanded all the Copyes that could be found to be burnt in the Inquisition John the two and twentieth with his own hands writ and publish'd That the Souls of the Saints injoyed not the Beatifical Vision till after the day of Judgement This opinion being contrary to the formulary of the Church and his Holiness being advis'd of his errour he disclaim'd it himself and publish'd a Bull which is at this day to be seen in the 15th Tome of the Ecclesiastical Annals against the erroniousness of that Opinion Boniface the eight in that wild and extravagant Bull which begins Vnam Sanctam pronounc'd it as one of the principal Articles of Faith that Kings in Temporals as well as Spirituals are absolutely dependant upon the Pope But his Successor Clement the fifth finding the ill effects it had upon the people revok'd that Bull some few years after as pernicious and publish'd another in favour of the Soveraignty of Princes And now let that Reverend Father Diana tell me that Diana who in hope to have been Worshipp'd like an Idol hath made himself ridiculous by his works I mean that great Diana that was Examiner of the Bishops and took more pains than all of them to defend the impeccability of the Pope let him tell me whereas he writes the Pope cannot err these Popes Sextus Quintus or Clement the seventh Boniface the eighth or Clement the fifth did err it cannot be deny'd but one of them did err and iâ— that be clear why must the people be deluded any longer with so false an opinion but that which is of most importance is that they deceive the Popes themselves whom they cry up for Infallible and of this Innocent the tenth in an instance who when the people complain'd to him of the Oppression and ill Government of his Ministers reply'd That his Officers must of necessity be just because he that was infallible â—ad chosen them whereupon the oppressed people return'd home cursing that opinion and those Divines that had perswaded them to 't Paul the fourth was not of that Judgement for being supplicated by a person of great quality in the year 1557. to dissolve a Contract that had been made by words de presenti he refus'd it absolutely and declar'd That his Predecessors had many times deceiv'd themselves in matters of that Nature but for his part he
Nephews go away with the profit That the Nephews break Treaties and the Cardinals are left to make them up again If there be any business of importance transacted in Rome and it succeeds well though done by the advice of the Cardinals the Nephews have the honour of it if the Nephews interrupt or break off any important Negotiation without the knowledge of the Cardinals the miscarriage and disgrace is taken from the Nephews and imputed to the Cardinals though the good Nephews do ordinarily declare and profess the spoyling and perplexing of whatever they manage to give the Cardinals the trouble to find out a remedy by their frequent consultations which they are forc'd to do though to their very great affliction Paulus quintus as a certain Politician of our time writes being brought to an exigence in a business of great importance by the ill conduct or at least the ill fortune of the Cardinal Borghese his Nephew in great melancholly and distress told him Nephew you have brought this affair into a very ill condition to save your Reputation it must be turn'd over to the Cardinals if they can remedy it it shall be our care to see you have the honour who began it so ill and not the Cardinals that accomplish'd it Such Presents as these the Popes Nephews send the Cardinals very often though generally by their insufficiencies they ruine what ever comes before them and then send the business they have broken to pieces to be patch'd up again in their Congregations and Consistories The Cardinals are inrag'd and like to burst with indignation and indeed they can do no less than be angry with those that ruine their affairs by not advising with them or by thinking themselves not oblig'd to do so but when they consider that the Cardinals their Predecessors took but little care of rectifying the ill wayes of the Court they leave things at sixes and sevens as they found according to the example of others that were before them The Nephews do but laugh and mock at all this they live with that latitude and licentiousness as if there were neither God nor Justice for them If the Church has any thing that is good they know how to make the profit on 't if any thing evil let the Cardinals look to that It is reported that Donna Olimpia being in a fear one day that the Cardinals would not espouse the interest of the Duke out of animosity to the Pope her Cousin he pacify'd her with these words Cousin the Cardinals will be of our side in spight of their teeths and defend the State for their own interest although we would ruine it for ours Another Prelat of a sound Judgement and Zeal towards the worship of God and no less experienc'd in the Intrigues of the Court was ask'd by a Gentleman of his acquaintance that travell'd with him what it was the Cardinals did treat on in their Congregations to which he answer'd Sir Let me advise you not to trouble your head about the actions or interest of that Court for it is enough to confound the understanding of the most experienc'd Minister in the world the less you know the better yet in few words I will satisfie your curiosity know then that the Congregations which are very numerous serve only as a pretence to the Pope whereby he would perswade that his affairs are manag'd with great prudence seeing he has the judgement of so many Cardinals in Councel If an old Prelat of that Court spake in this manner to a stranger it is a sign he was well acquainted with the Intrigues of that City and therefore there may some reflection be made upon those words There is certainly great difference betwixt saying and doing betwixt acting and advising I believe really the Popes do consult with the Cardinals but they act with their Nephews that is if the Pope find the Councels of the Cardinals profitable to their Families in the name of God their Councels are receiv'd they are good Councels and the Cardinals are commended as learned Councellors but if it falls out on the other side that the Cardinals to satisfie their Consciences advise any thing for the publique advantage of the Church and of Christendom and contrary to the immoderate increase of Riches and Grandeur in the Nephews In this case the Popes laying aside all reason turn tayl upon the Councel of the Cardinals and aspersing them with inexperience they call their Nephews to the Cabal with whom they do not so much deliberate as operate in spight of whatever was propounded by the Cardinals and which is worse the Popes in all these cases pretend and excuse themselves with the advice of their Cardinals though the business be resolv'd with their Nephews only and of this I shall give you an example Paul the fifth envying the Soveraign Authority that was given to the Venetian by God Nature and the liberality of the Emperors and Popes as soon as he had assum'd the Papacy he began to search out for wayes to subvert it supposing by his threatning to gain some part of his unjust pretensions from that Commonwealth and having a fair opportunity by the means of some Ecclesiasticks that were legally imprison'd by the mature deliberation and prudence of that Senate to bridle the insolence of those that pretended to be exempt from the Supremacy they had gain'd with Sword in hand in defence of the Christian liberty The good Pope thinking this a fair occasion to disgorge the hatred which he had kept so long in his stomach against this Republick he began to thunder out his Excommunications and Interdictions against their Subjects and the liberty of the Senate without any regard to the trouble and disquiet it gave not to Italy only but to all Europe to see that Republick us'd at that rate which God had so miraculously erected to be a Bulwark to Christendom a defence to the Liberties of the Italian Princes a protection and re-establishment to those Popes that were chac'd out of Rome and persecuted by the Barbarians the ornament of Europe and the terrour of Asia The most Christian King Henry the fourth who had a particular esteem for this Republick dispatch'd away an Ambassador Extraordinary to divert his Holiness from a Resolution so dangerously prejudicial to the interest of the Publique The Ambassador fail'd not to perform his duty with all sincerity and being one day in private discourse with his Holiness he told him freely He wondered how his Holiness came to be so easily transported into a resolution that would be so transcendently prejudicial to the reputation of the Church To which the Pope answer'd with some indignation That that resolution could not be call'd light which came from the breast of Gods Vicegerent on Earth and who was acted by Divine inspiration and assisted by the counsell and deliberation of so many Cardinals Thus do they ordinarily excuse themselves thus do they pretend the advice of the Cardinals thus are the guilty
of it quickly and be at ease then to let him tyre us out and at last carry the victory It is not ten months since I met in a Journey with two Roman Gentlemen one a Priest and the other a Secular who were discoursing betwixt themselves about the business of Castro the Priest swearing that upon that single subject there had been more than two hundred Consistories held I who had already wrought my self into the discourse for to speak truth when any thing is spoken of the interest of Rome I open my ears as wide as is possible had the curiosity to desire the cause of it to whom he answer'd like a true Roman though not like a good Priest You must know the Pope does nothing in Rome but what is conformable to his own designs so that the Cardinals not all of them agreeing with his resolutions in the business of Castro the Pope to weary them out tumbles them up and down at that rate and I am perswaded there will never be an end of their Consistories till they comply with his Holiness his pleasure and you shall yet see this affair of Castro brought about again to the Congregations and Consistories which is as much as to say kept in a perpetual dependance in Rome True it is Alexander found out a good way to excuse his obstinacy and in that he out-did both Innocent and Vrban nor indeed was there ever any Pope knew better how to wynde himself out and throw the fault upon the backs of the Congregations and Consistories When that infamous affront was offer'd to the persons of the Duke and Dutchess of Crequy the King of France being himself injur'd in the person of his Ambassador writ many Letters full of resentment and amongst the rest one to the Queen of Sweden which is inserted at large in the Nepotismo complaining not so much of the Pope as Pope as of Alexander and Fabius that is to say of his Kindred A Cardinal of no small authority and zeal being inform'd of it forbore not upon a good occasion to speak to the Pope himself in these words Most Holy Father his most Christian Majesty does not complain of your person who is Christs Vicar and Head of the Church so much as of your Brother and Nephews who have too great injâ—unce upon you Alexander answer'd That he had not receiv'd his Kindred into Rome but upon the perswasions of the Sacred Colledge Which being told the Cardinal Albici when he was at his Table he reply'd in the absence of the Pope what the other Cardinal omitted in his presence That 't is true the Holy Colledge had entreated him to bring his Nephews to Rome but not to destroy both Rome and the Church too to advance them All this was told me by a Gentleman of credit that was then present in the Cardinal Albici's Chamber when the words were spoke and it is no hard matter to believe it to them that know the humour of his Eminence who freely discharges himself of whatever is in his mind and justifies reason in spight of the World It must needs be confess'd then having so many examples to corroborate and so many experiments to attest it that the Popes use the Cardinals in the Government of the Church for a pretence and no otherwise laying the fault upon those Cardinals rather that comply with the desires of the Pope than upon themselves that act according to the pleasures of their Nephews or for satisfaction of their own private passions Of this kind of proceeding I dare not for my part accuse the Popes who are forc'd to do what they can for the preservation of their Monarchy But the Cardinals I dare who can so easily suffer themselves to be robb'd of their Authority be contented to take Eggs as it were for their money and either out of meer pusillanimity or some other thing part with that which is legally their own and permit their private passions to over-rule the interest of the Publique The Church without doubt would be a hundred times better serv'd and the Court in greater esteem if the Cardinals would restrain the Nephews and not â—nffâ—r the Pope to operate as he pleases When the attempt was made upon the Duke of Crequy his most Christian Majesty supposing it able to oblige the Pope to give him a proportionable reparation apply'd himself to the Sacred Colledge for redress and his Letter was exactly as follows Cousin THe assault that was made the twentieth Currant upon the person of my Cousin the Duke of Crequy my Ambassador Extraordinary his Lady and all the French the Corsi of Rome could meet with in the Streets that day is an enormity so great in all its circumstances that perhaps in no time nor place even amongst the Barbarians themselves can an instance be found in which the jus Gentium hath been with so much inhumanity violated and abus'd And for as much as your Eminence is a Member of that Sacred Body that is the natural Councel of the Popes I have encharged Monsignor Burlemont Auditor of the Rota to wait upon you in this conjuncture and acquaint you with my resentment of so great an offence to the end that by your interposition which I doubt not but you will willingly undertake as far as you shall be able I may receive a satisfaction adequate to the quality and extravagance of the affront But if your Eminences good offices should happen to be ineffectual they shall not be imputed to me after this application whatever mischiefs or calamities shall happen assuring my self I shall be excusable both to God and to Man whatever the consequences be and thus referring the rest to what Mr. Burlemont will present to you by word of mouth I beseech God my good Cousin to preserve you in his holy favour LEWIS St. Germans en Ley 20 Aug. 1662. De Lominie This Letter was read and deliberated in the Sacred Colledge but only in the particulars relating to the satisfying of the King not in his Majesties Complement in these words Of the Sacred Colledge which is the Natural Councel of the Popes The Cardinals spent no long time in reflecting upon that which was the principal point and ought well to have been consider'd because when one of the greatest Monarchs in Christendom does Canonize the Sacred Colledge for the Natural Councel of the Popes what is it but to remember and excite them to maintain that Station God Almighty has plac'd them in that is to have a care the Popes usurp not an absolute authority over the Church and that they do not and undo not at their pleasure without any respect to the quality of the person they offend What is natural to the Church is by special favour from God if the Councel of Cardinals be the natural Councel of the Popes the Popes ought not to usurp any jurisdiction over the Cardinals so as not being at any time subordinate to the Popes when they are united and assembled
his whole Army he let the Clergy and the People understand he would have a Pope of his own choosing and accordingly he nam'd a certain German call'd Bruno who was his Kinsman The Clergy and the People excus'd themselves at first pretending that the Election was free and that it was convenient that several persons should be introduc'd into the Scrutiny but the Emperour insisting that he would have no other to avoid the falling into his displeasure the Electors were constrain'd to create the said Bruno under the name of Gregory the fifth But as soon as the Emperour was return'd into Germany the People took up Arms under the conduct of the Consul Crescentius and drove the poor Pope Gregory not only out of the Vatican but our of Rome who betook himself immediately to the Emperour to make his complaints of their insolence towards his person but whilst he was upon his way the People and the Clergy created the Bishop of Placenza a Grecian born Pope who took upon him the name of John the 13. The Emperour receiv'd Gregory very kindly in his Court treated him as Pope and with his whole Army brought him back to Rome which he took by force and exercis'd the greatest cruelty imaginable against the Romans but the greatest part of his indignation fell upon John and Crescentius the first of which was kill'd in Prison strangled as some report poyson'd as others but be it which way it will he dy'd there and Crescentius was hang'd without the walls of the City in the sight of all the people The Clergy endeavour'd what they could to exclude the people from the Election of the Pope but they knew not which way to bring it to a resolution because they understood very well they were naturally inclin'd to Novelties and Sedition In the year 1004. it happen'd that John the 19th was created Pope and had the Title of Secco added to his name and because the people at the beginning of his creation were averse and with great difficulty consented at last when they saw the Clergy resolv'd to have no body else John who was an Italian as soon as he was created retain'd it in his mind apply'd himself to be reveng'd and endeavour'd the total Exclusion of the people from the Election of the Pope being provok'd by the constant solicitations of the Clergy And that he might with the greater facility bring it about he ingrandiz'd the Title of Cardinal giving them great Priviledges and amplifying their Authority and Jurisdiction to a great heighth which design succeeding and the Cardinals rising to an eminent pitch John publish'd a Bull for the Exclusion of the people pretending they were to be instructed and not to instruct and that they were to follow the Clergy and not the Clergy them which Bull was afterwards confirm'd and much inlarged by Gregory the 7th in the year 1075. and by Innocent the second a Roman in the year 1135. This Bull of Pope John the 19th was effectual for a while according as they were able to deal with the Emperours Forces and to their affection to the Apostolick See yet the people did not forbear in the mean time by their insolence and power to endeavour their re-establishment in so much that the Cardinals were oftentimes constrain'd to go out of Rome to elect their new Popes upon the vacancy of the Chair The more the people strove to work themselves in again into the Elections the more the Cardinals sought to exclude them which occasion'd great scandals and schisms in the Church and of this there happen'd so tragical an instance in Rome in the year 1045. that the Christians had reason to bewail it for several years And this happen'd by reason that the Emperor pretended to a power of electing the Pope by virtue of several Bulls which were extant to that purpose and did clearly make out his claim the people on the other side press'd very hard to be restored to the posture they were in before they were interrupted by John the 19th The Cardinals who for several years had had the sole faculty of electing the Pope resolv'd to adhere to their Priviledges and keep out both Emperor and people and all parties continuing firm to their pretensions each of them created his Pope viz. Benedict the 9th a Florentine Silvester the 3d. a Roman and Gregory the 6th all three of them residing in Rome Gregory in the Palace of Santa Maria Maggiore Silvester in the Palace of Saint Peter and Benedict in the Palace of Saint John Lateran which was one of the antientest in Rome These dissentions gave no small impediment to the growth of Christianity nor no little diminution to the number of the Faithfull but of great advantage to the enemies of the Faith A thousand cogitations and jealousies boil'd in the hearts of the Christians in every City they discours'd of it and the service of God grew languid and cold Henry the third who was at that time Emperor of Germany fore-seeing the ill consequences these Schisms would bring upon the Church and the quiet of the Empire in particular without losing one moment of time he came with great diligence to Rome where he was no sooner arriv'd but by his own absolute Authority he call'd a Synod in which the three good Popes were condemned and Clement the second chosen The Cardinals made many instances and supplications to the Emperor that the Pope might be elected by the Ecclesiastical Synod alone without the intervention of the people but the Emperor thought it not seasonable to disgust them least after he was departed they should fall again to their Schisms and by this means Clement was elected by the votes both of the Clergy the people and the Emperor The first solemn Ceremony this Pope performed was the Coronation of the Emperor in which there was no consideration of expence That Ceremony being past the Emperor prepar'd for his Voyage but Clement beseech'd him to give him his helping hand before his departure in what he was resolv'd to do which was to renew the Bull of John the 18th for exclusion of the people de novo from the election of the Pope and because History did mention the Tragedies that succeeded by reason of such exclusion attempted so many times without effect the Emperor and Pope in spight of the people consulted together and resolv'd to make the people themselves condescend to their own exclusion by a solemn abjuration The people refus'd it with a thousand protestations but finding the Emperor resolute and threatning corporal punishments to such as durst oppose it the Pope preparing to thunder out his Excommunications against all that refus'd it and they being on the other side tyr'd out with Wars Sackings of Towns animosities and calamities suffer'd upon the score of Elections they condescended to their demands and submitted to swear upon the hands of the Pope who held the Book of the Gospel open in the presence of the Emperor which Oath was taken not
on foot was contriving which way to give ease to the Church and therefore by the Orders of all Nations in Christendom John was cited to appear at a General Councel to extinguish the said Schisms he sent two Cardinals immediately into Germany to negotiate with the Princes of that Country and of France about election of a place proper for the celebration of so great a Councel By the major part of the Nations Constance was pitch'd upon as the most convenient city of all At the time appointed they met and John amongst the rest though he had been disswaded by the soberest of his friends presaging the danger he was in of going a Pope and returning a private person as it happen'd For all this John would goe and he carried along with him certain persons excellent in all manner of learning with whom he held the Germans for a long time in variety of disputes and a thousand ambiguities and doubts to resolve upon that which ought to be resolved on But Sigismund arriving at the same time and free liberty being given of discovering other peoples defects there were several great delinquencies objected against John who being conscious of their truth and fearing corporal punishment as well as to be depriv'd of the Papacy he fled out of Constance in the disguise of a footman and retiring to Shaffusen a City belonging to Frederick Duke of Austria whither several Cardinals of his creation fled also By the authority of the Councel John being recited he fled again from Shaffusen to Fribourg designing to throw himself under the protection of the Duke of Burgundy But he was taken and by Order of the Councel imprison'd in the Isle of St. Mark near Constance in the fifth year of his Pontificat The Councel not suspecting John's Escape chose certain grave and learned Judges giving them authority to form diligent process upon the actions and life of John and to report his misdemeanors to the whole body of the Councel There were above forty Articles prov'd against him some of them so small they might have been excus'd but others there were would have begâ—t great scandal to the church if they should have pass'd unpunished and these were such as declar'd him a Heretick a Sodomite a Murderer a Simoniac a Perjur'd person a Blasphemer a Hypocrite a Gamester an Adulterer a Fornicater a Poisoner an Usurer a Profaner and so forth Upon these considerations all the Fathers concurring in the sentence John was legally depos'd and the sentence sent to him to subscribe which being in prison he willingly did That being done he was deliver'd into the hands of Ludovico Bavaro a great favourer of Gregory the 12th to be kept in safe custody till the Councel should determine otherwise of him Three years he continued a prisoner in the castle of Haldelberg under no few afflictions the greatest of them all was that he was not permitted to have any Italians to his servants and the Souldiers that guarded him being all Germans they understood not one word that was spoken on either side so as their discourse was only by signs What manner of life this Pope had led may be argued from his sentence which was given by those only who had been formerly of his parry and had created him Pope for those who were of Gregory's and Benedicts faction were not yet arriv'd at the Councel and receiv'd the news of it upon the way In this Councel a Decree was publish'd by the Fathers which presided declaring that a General Councel lawfully assembled was unquestionably above the Pope and had its power immediately from Christs and that therefore the authority of the Pope must needs be inferiour to theirs Gregory was resolv'd not to be there himself being so perswaded by the Emperour Sigismond and therefore he sent Charles Malatesta a very worthy person in his name who seeing all the Fathers of the Councel resolv'd upon their sentence that Gregory should renounce got up publiquely upon the Seat which was prepar'd for Gregory and as if he had been present himself having read the power he had from Gregory to renounce he renounc'd the Papacy in his name and declar'd him but a private person For this prompt and liberal resignation Gregory was immediately declar'd Legat della Marca and went to his charge but he liv'd not long in his Office dying at Ricanati of pure discontent because Malatesta had made his renuntiation so soon believing that if he had delay'd his renuntiation for a while he might have found out some expedient to have kept the sacred Mantle upon his Shoulders He dy'd therefore before the creation of Martin and was buried in the church of Ricanati and thus two Popes John and Gregory being taken out of the way there remained a third still which was Pieter del Lnna call'd by the name of Benedict the thirteenth who made more difficulty of renouncing the Popedom than the other two and because he had declar'd that he would never consent to the renuntiation to make him do it by force the Emperour Sigismond with the Orators of the Councel went in person to the Kings of France and of England perswading them that they ought to be instrumental in the safety of Christendom and the ease and security of the church which was to be done by forcing Benedict to renounce the Papacy as the other two had done Sigismond having received a satisfactory answer from these two Princes he went to Narbon discours'd personally with Ferdinand King of Arragon whose Subjects or at least the greatest part of them paid obedience to Benedict Amongst the rest one of their resolutions was that Benedict should be perswaded with efficacious arguments not to remain so untractable in resolving to do that which the other two had done And if notwithstanding force of argument was not sufficient to remove him from his pertinacity that in such case the King should force his Subjects to desert the said Benedict and follow whom the Council of Constance should ordain and accordingly he sent a most eloquent Ambassador to him But Benedict who found himself in a strong place and the people affectionate to him suffer'd himself neither to be overcome nor mov'd by their perswasions alleaging still for his answer that he was the true Vicar of Christ and that Constance was not a place convenient for the liberty of an Ecclesiastical Council seeing that John had been condemn'd and depos'd from the Papacy by those very persons who had been formerly his friends and receiv'd him to the Pontifical Dignity The Princes of Spain observing the pertinacity of Benedict concurr'd with the opinion of the Council which was manag'd by five several Nations viz. Italy Germany France Spain and England all that these Nations had then done was approv'd and was publish'd by a Trumpet or a publick Notary As soon as by a general consent all was confirm'd and Benedicts cause had been discuss'd in this order and method for several dayes At last he was
depos'd and declar'd void of the Papacy no reckoning being made of those Nations which were absent and continued their obedience to him as the Scots and the Comte d'Armignac did About this time John Hus and Jerome of Pragne his Disciple were burnt and declar'd Hereticks because they asserted that the Clergy ought in imitation of Christ to be poor as he was seeing that from affluence and superfluity of riches sprung nothing but scandal to the people If this opinion be Heresie I would be a Heretick and dye a Martyr with all my heart for I have alwayes believ'd and alwayes shall that the opulence of the Clergy is the cause of their damnation All these things being ratifyed in the Council the Fathers began to consider of the Corruptions in the manners of the Clergy and many there were of opinion that certain Laws and Ordinances were to be establish'd for their reformation But the greatest part held it not fit to meddle with that in the vacancy of the See Whereupon they fell upon the principal point which was the Election of the Pope and that to give the Decrees of the Council the greater Authority And to the end the Election should be without the least scruple or jealousie they concluded to choose six persons of each Nation to go into the Conclave and give their Votes with the Cardinals On the 8th of November 1417. thirty two Cardinals enter'd the Conclave with thirty others for the several Nations which is six apiece and the Church having been four years with so many Popes and never a true one contrary to the judgement and desires of all people on the 11th of the same month which was the Feast of Saint Martin about three in the morning Cardinal di San Gregorio call'd Oddo Colonna before was created Pope with great joy and satisfaction to every body The Emperor Sigismond transported 〈…〉 e tydings without consideration of his Dignity went immediately into the Con 〈…〉 d having given thanks to the Electors who in the great necessity of the Church â—â—â— made so good an Election he threw himself at his Holiness's feet and kiss'd them The Pope embrac'd him and seem'd to treat him as his Brother he gave him thanks 〈…〉 I le that he by his industry had been the occasion that the Church after so many tâ—â—pests and wrecks was brought safe home into her harbour of repose Martin would 〈…〉 ds be 〈…〉 by that name because his Election happen'd upon that Saints day and 〈…〉 express'd himself another Martin in his zeal for the Government of the Flock of Christ giving place neither to rest nor to sleep but devoted to his business wholly â—e heard he approv'd he perswaded he disswaded he encourag'd and deterr'd such as had business with the Apostolical See according as he was convinc'd the desires of the Agents were honest or dishonest many times turning himself to such as had Governments in their hands he cry'd Diligite justitiam qui judicatis terram And certainly the Church of God at that time had great need of so skilfull a Pilot who with the Rudder in his hand should conduct the Ship of Saint Peter toss'd and tumultuating in so many Seas of Schism and Sedition and he did it with that zeal and affection which so eminent a dignity requires That which was the greatest affliction to the new Pope was to see that there was yet one head of the Schismatical Hydra remaining which was Benedict di Luna who with certain Cardinals and Prelates had shut up himself in Paniscola as in a Rock of Schism and so much the more because there were several of the people of Aragon who continued doubtfull whether they should incline to the Orders of the Council and acknowledge Martin to be Head of the Church or pursue their opinion of Benedict By the judgement of the Council therefore the new Pope sent a Legate to Aragon which was the Cardinal di Fiorenza a German and a learned man to the end that under pain of Ecclesiastical Censures he should in due form admonish Pietro di Luna that he should lay down the Papacy and not run himself into the displeasure of the Council and of so many Christian Princes The Cardinals which were with Peter understanding the ultimate resolution of the Pope and the Council and seeing their destruction at hand if they persisted in their pertinacity they went all together to supplicate Peter that he would put an end to the Schisms in the Church seeing that for the benefit of Christendom Gregory and John were already contented to lay down their pretensions Peter reply'd with his usual cunning with which he was abundantly provided that it was not a time to do it then but that he would come to an agreement with Martin if that which was reported of the goodness and integrity of his manners should be true and of that they should leave the thoughts to him and not trouble themselves at all These Cardinals that were speaking with Luna were four two of which observing his resolution to continue the Schism still longer left him and came in to Martin The other two followed the perversness of Peter But in short all Spain submitted to the authority of Martin by whose example the Scots and Armignacks were induc't to do the same and with them the whole Christian Commonwealth except only Paniscola which remain'd divided The affairs of the Church being thus made quiet and serene by the diligence of all the Christian Princes as well secular as Ecclesiastick and particularly by the Emperor Sigismond who took no small pains in the business They began to canvas and consider of the licentious manners of the Clergy and seculars both and to propose certain ways of Reforming them But because the Councel had been already of above four years duration Martin observing them all to be tyred and the Prelates to have suffered a thousand inconveniences he was contented by the unanimous consent of the Fathers to put it off till a more convenient time in which they might discourse of the said reformation more fully It being true as Jerome said that every Province having a peculiar inclination it was impossible easily to reconcile them Besides Martin knowing very well that that Schism proceeded from a small inconsiderable occasion and lasted with so much misery to Christendom so long and understanding moreover the news of the flight of John the 23. he was jealous least it should give a foundation to another Councel and therefore publish'd this Decree upon the calling of Councels viz. that the Councel of Constance being determin'd they should not hold another till the space of five years were run out upon any account whatsoever and that after that they should stay seven years more and after that ten more and so after every ten years they might be assembled in some convenient place to consider of things appertaining to faith and the Christian Commonwealth and to the end that this Decree might be invigorated and
in force Martin would have it confirm'd by a Bull and authenticated in the usual form and besides that every one might know how well he was inclin'd to the meeting of Councels and to take away those suspicions which some people would have conceiv'd of the rectitude of his mind he declar'd by the consent of the whole Councel of Constance Pavia to be a proper place and accordingly he sent out his Briefs every way and it follow'd in the month of April the next year At length being desirous to put an end to the Councel in the year 1418. he made a publique Assembly after which by common consent but especially of Sigismond Ibaldo Cardinal of San Vito by Order from his Holiness pronounc'd these words of dismission Domini ite in pace and therewithall all of them had liberty to depart to their houses In the mean time the Pope was intreated by the Emperour first of all to remain in Germany for a while and afterwards he was invited by the Princes of France to retire into those parts But Martin excus'd himself to them all demonstrating that he could not do it by reason that the Patrimony of Saint Peter which was in Italy did suffer much by the absence of the Pope and Rome the head of the Christian Religion was as being without a Pastor involv'd in such civil seditions as caus'd the Churches of the Saints to go utterly to ruine for which reason it was necessary for him to hasten his journey to Rome as indeed he did travelling by Milan as the nearest way He was Pope 14 years and died of an Apoplexy the 20. of Febr. 1421. The first of March the Cardinals enter'd into the Conclave with a general agreement to choose Gabriel Condulmera a Venetian Pope who in his Legation della Marca given him by Pope Martin gave great essays of his prudence in the correction of those who under pretence of ill Ministers had rebell'd against the Church Before their entrance into the Conclave things seem'd not a little imbroil'd one part of the Cardinals pretending to Elect Cardinal Cesarino another propos'd Anthonio Cassino both of them persons of greater parties than parts But those kind of projects remain'd without for as soon as they were enter'd the Conclave in the first scrutiny which follow'd the very next day after their entrance Condulmera was chosen Pope by the consent of all but 3 in 40. which was the number in the Conclave This was the most expeditious and peaceable Election that had ever happen'd before for it is certain there was never any Pope chosen in the first scrutiny but he Being demanded what name he would be call'd by he took a little time to resolve them and desiring to retire into a private place he staid there a considering above half an hour from whence some of the Cardinals took occasion to say That it was easier for them to choose a Pope than for him to choose a Name Some there were that believ'd that he would draw lots for his Name as if the goodness of the person consisted in his Name it is sufficient that about half an hour after he came forth and declar'd he would be call'd Eugenius the 4th The People receiv'd the Election with great applause but a while after taking disgust they took up Armes against him and he was forc'd out of Rome in the habit of a Monk to escape the fury of the people There were many accidents which happen'd in the Papacy of Eugenius in which he commonly remain'd Victor He chastis'd those Cardinals who under the name of the Council endeavour'd to depose him In the Wars he was alwayes neutral and unconcern'd and it was he who drew over the Jacobites to the Christian Faith But that which afflicted him most was to see that he had lost the obedience of the Germans which happen'd in this manner Philip de Florentini had taken a prejudice against Eugenius because it was he that had caus'd Sforza to be sent into the service of the Venetian to be reveng'd he fell in treaty with those who were assembled in the Council of Basi to cite Eugenius which they did three several times and because Eugenius refus'd to appear and his design did not take he made him be declar'd divested of the Papacy and got Amadeo Duke of Savoy his Father-in-Law to be created in his place who liv'd then in the company of some Gentlemen in Ripalta like a Hermit Amadeo having receiv'd the news of this new Election which was made by 26 Cardinals after he had caus'd himself to be shav'd stript of his Hermitical habit and taken upon him the name of Felix he went immediately for Basil accompanied with a multitude of the Gentry of his own Country where being arriv'd and consecrated he began to exercise the functions of a Pope ordaining confirming consecrating administring the Sacraments excommunicating creating Cardinals and Bishops granting pardons and indulgences and in short deporting himself as he had been Pope indeed By reason of this Schism great seditions were hatch'd in the Church the Christians dividing themselves into three factions one was for Felix another for Eugenius and a third being neuter was for neither of the two one side maintain'd that the Pope was to be inferiour to a Council another asserted the contrary and there wanted not others who deny'd the greatest part of the Popes Authority making a dispute whether he should be call'd the Head of the Church or not About this time Eugenius dyed on the 23. of February 1496. after whose death the King of Aragon dispatch'd Ambassadors to the Sacred Colledge to assure them that they need not have any apprehension of him he being resolv'd to give them assistance upon occasion in the Election of a Pope to which he did exhort the Cardinals At the same time Cardinal Capuano arriv'd at Rome a person of great worth and whom the people cry'd up as a fit person to be chosen Pope But the opinion of the people and of the Colledge did not agree in which there were very few for Capuano's Election It was order'd that the Conclave should be kept in the Church della Minerva though the Canons oppos'd it so that the obsequies of Eugenius being over the Cardinals enter'd into the Conclave the command of their Guards was given to the Ambassador of the Order of Saint John which is as much as to say of the Knights of Malta then of Rhodes but the Keys were kept by the three Archbishops of Ravenna Aquileia and Sermoneta besides the Bishop of Ancona When the Cardinals were entring into the Conclave many of the Roman Barons came to them and Gio. Battista Savelli amongst the rest pretending a right they had to be present at the Election But they were refus'd and made sensible that they had not now the same reason for that as in former times they had had There were but 18. Cardinals in the Conclave though there were 23. living so that the two thirds