the which practice though endeavoured for the space of above five hundred years to be introduced is yet contrary to the Scriptures and the Example of Christ and his Saints That the Doctrine which teaches that in case of Controversie between the Pope and a Prince it may be lawful to persecute such a Prince either by open War or secret Treason and that Dispensations may be given to Subjects to rebel against such a Prince is a damnable seditious and sacrilegious Position That by Divine Law the Clergy are not exempted from subjection to the Secular Power either as to their Persons or Estates though by many immunities and priviledges granted to them by the favour of pious Princes from Constantine to Frederick II. several exemptions have been granted according to the exigence of times and convenience of places That the Exemptions which Popes have given to the Clergy from the Secular Power have not been received in many places and where they have been received the Concessions and Grants are no farther obligatory to the Prince than whilest they are consistent with the present state and convenience of the Publick Another Point insisted upon was this That the Pope was not Infallible but onely in such matters wherein God had promised him his Divine assistance which according to the Doctrine of some Modern Divines was onely in necessary points of Faith And that the Power of binding and loosing was onely Clave non Errante That according to the Doctrine of St. Austin An Excommunication against a multitude or against any one who Commands in Chief is dangerous and sacrilegious That the new name of Blind Obedience invented by Ignatius Loyola was unknown to the antient Church and every good Divine the which as it takes away our Election and desire of knowledg in every good work so it exposes Men to the danger of offending God and hath been the cause of those many Seditions which have arisen in the World for the space of forty years past The Popish Party on the other side proceeded on these Maxims That the temporal Power of Princes is subject to the Ecclesiastical on which ground the Pope hath Power to depose Princes from their Authority for Errours committed in their Government when the Pope judges it may be beneficial to the Church That the Pope hath Power to absolve Subjects from Allegiance to their Prince the which some moderate and modest Men explaining said not that Christ had given this temporal Power absolutely to the Pope but indirectly as it was necessary to the better Government of the Spiritual but others who were more bold did not think it worth the while to mince the matter but confidently wrote That the Pope was endued with all Authority both in Heaven and Earth and made Supreme over all Princes of the World who were his Vassals and may punish them for their faults and errours that he is the Supreme Temporal Monarch over all the World and appeals may be made to the Pope from all Temporal Princes That he can give Laws to all Princes and annull theirs As to the Exemption of the Clergy they all denied that they were subject to the temporal Law and that this priviledg was not given them by the favour of Princes but as some would have it Jure Divino others by the Constitutions and Decrees of Councils and Popes but in this they all agreed that they were not subject to the Prince not so much as in cases of Treason and that they were not obliged to obey the Laws of the Land wherein they lived but onely Vi Directivâ And some were so bold as to proceed so far as to say that the Clergy were Judges whether the Laws of Princes were just or not and whether the people were obliged to obey them That in regard the Pope who hath the Spirit of God cannot err his Sentences are to be observed whether they be just or unjust That so powerful and authentick is the Opinion of the Pope that it ought to prevail against all other determinations of the World That the Pope is God upon Earth the Sun of â—â—stice and light of Religion that the sentence of God and of thâ— Pope are the same and their Tribunal the same but it is very observable what Bellarmine asserted That to restrain obedience due to the Pope unto matters appertaining onely to the Soul is to reduce it to nothing that St. Paul appealed unto Caesar who was not his Judg and not to St. Peter was because he would not make himself in those days ridiculous That the antient Popes professed subjection to the Emperours was to comply with the humour and affection of those times Others also have added That the Empire of the Pope was to be introduced by degrees and insisted upon with some moderation out of respect to the infirmities of Princes who were lately become Proselytes to the Church But to return now to the matter of Treaty Towards the end of August an other Overture was made which was the summary of all this Negotiation though various things were afterwards treated without any effect For about the 17th of August Monsieur de Fresnes the French Minister at Venice did in the name of his Master propose as entrance to an Accommodation That the Senate should suspend the Execution of those Laws which gave offence to the Pope conditionally that the Pope suspend the Censures of his Monitory for the space of four or six Months but if this Expedient would not be accepted then it was proposed That the Prisoners should be consigned into the hands of the Pope at the instance and desire of the King without prejudice to the Right and Reason of the Senate for that it was necessary to give some colour of submission and condescention to the demands of the Pope there being no President that any Pope did ever recal his Boles unless that which by Authority of the Council of Constance was repealed These Proposals being debated in the Senate it was in the first place concluded and agreed That the liberty of the Publick was to be conserved and preferred before all other worldly respects whatsoever That the Prisoners indeed might be resigned into the hands of the Pope at the instance and request of the French King without being made a precedent in like cases or be a prejudice to the Liberty in times to come but that to suspend the force of the Laws was a certain violation of it and a shake of the Foundation of that Government which had for many hundreds of years been rooted and established for that every suspension of a Law doth argue either weakness in the Authority or in the Council which being the substance of this Consult it was given for Answer to Monsieur de Fresnes the French Ambassadour as also to the Spanish Ambassadour de Cardenas who insisted on the like Terms Whilest these things were negotiating by the forein Ministers and that the Senate was resolved to adhere to that
any Tax or Imposition on Christian Princes and require from them whatsoever they judged for the common good and welfare of Christendom But the Pope did not think this ground to have sufficient foundation on which to build and commence a quarrel but rather on the matters which did more neerly relate to the Interest of the Papal Sea It was not long before an occasion of this nature offered it self by means of one Scipio Saraceno a Prebend of Vicenza who had contemptuously torn off and broken the Seals which the Magistrates had fixed on the Episcopal Chancery during the vacancy of that Office and likewise finding that he could not debauch a Lady of known Vertue whom he tempted in the Churches and Streets and in all places where he could have any convenience to meet her he became so enraged with lust and malice that he besmeared with filthiness and tar the Gate and front of her House which being a high affront and disgrace to the Lady she with the advice of her Friends cited this insolent Prebend before the Court of Justice at Venice who as readily and willingly appeared being encouraged and bolstred up by the Bishop of Citta Nuova a person of great esteem in Venice and one who was Director of the Affairs of all the Nuntios and Papal Ministers at that place The Nuntio who was desirous to obtain a licentious exemption of all Priests from the Secular Power embraced the cause of the Prebendary with all readiness imaginable and immediately dispatched the news hereof to the Pope and to the Bishop of Vicenza who was then at Rome where after divers Consultations it was resolved as an essential Point relating to the Ecclesiastical liberty that the Cause of the Prebend should be maintained and defended and therefore the Pope who was glad of this occasion to assert the Authority and Rites of the Churches stormed and raved with the Venetian Ambassadour telling him that he would not endure or suffer the imprisonment of an Ecclesiastical Person by the Precepts of a Secular Tribunal nor would he admit that a Judg of temporal matters should take cognisance of any Cause wherein a Priest or Churchman was concerned Of all which the Ambassadour gave advice to the Senate The Pope at an other Audience complained to the said Ambassadour that the Senate of Venice had since the death of Clement VIII made a Statute of Mortmain whereby Lay-persons were forbidden and restrained from bequeathing or bestowing their Estates on the Church which Statute though it were founded on an old Law yet the new one was more restrictive but both of them being against the antient Canons Councils and Imperial Laws were in themselves void and null being scandalous and impious in that they made the state and condition of Churchmen worse than that of infamous persons and therefore those who made these Laws did incur the Censures of the Church in the like terms the Nuntio at Venice explained the mind of the Pope unto the Senate and when the Ambassadours arrived at Rome to congratulate the Pope for his exaltation to that dignity he could not refrain even before the Ceremony was ended to make his resentments and complaints of those Laws made in derogation of the Rites and immunities belonging to the Church And thus we have laid down the true state of the quarrel between the Pope and the Venetians to which we shall add a third Point namely a Law made at Venice in the year 1603. prohibiting the building of Churches without consent and license for it obtained from the Senate which the Pope termed a piece of Heresie These being the three Points in Controversie the Senate for answer thereunto commanded their Ambassadour to represent in their name unto his Holiness That the just Right and Title they had to judg Ecclesiastical Persons in Secular Causes was founded in the natural Power of the Supreme Prince and confirmed by an uninterrupted course of a thousand years the which may be proved by the Pontifical Briefs extant in their publick Archives or Records That the Law of Mort-main or Statute restraining Laymen from alienation of their Estates to the Church was not onely enacted at Venice or peculiar to the Cities under that Metropolis but exercised in other Christian Kingdoms and States and that this Law was more conducing to the welfare of Venice than to any other people being that which could onely conserve its Forces entire against the common Enemy of Christendom which would otherwise be enfeebled by those daily Legacies and Endowments which were bequeathed and conferred on the Church The Pope was so netled with this way of reasoning that he sat all the time uneasie in his Seat shrugging his shoulders and turning his head which intimated the unquietness of his mind At length he replyed That those arguments were invalid and of no force for that there was no foundation to be made on the accustomed course of their Judicature which was so much the worse by how much more they pretended Antiquity And as to the Briefs there was no authentick Register or Record of them but what was found at Rome and that the others were forged Copies and cheats imposed on the Clergy And as to their Acts and Ordinances he was so well acquainted and versed in them since the time of his youthful Studies and that having passed the Offices of Vice-Legat Auditor of the Chamber and Vicar of the Pope he was sufficiently assured that that Law could not stand and that the old Act made in the year 1536. which takes from the Laiety a power of disposing of their own private Estates was in it self void and of no force and a tyrannical imposition on the Subject That the Senate themselves were so sensible of this injurious Law that they were ashamed to issue forth any Copies of it and if in case a Law of this nature were found in any other Country it was established by the Authority and with the concurrence of the Popes and then he concluded that he was resolved not to make a long work of it for that in case he were not obeyed he would make use of such Remedies as he thought convenient being so positive in this matter and zealous for the Church that he was ready to spill his blood in this righteous Cause and in the defence thereof That in case it were necessary to give a stop to the alienation of Lands or a restraint of building Churches he would always have been ready to have followed the sentiments of the State and to have concurred in just causes with the desires of the Secular Council but as to the point of drawing the Clergy to the Secular Tribunals he would never admit that such as were his Subjects should be liable to the sentence of an other Jurisdiction this in fine was his resolution on the three foregoing Cases in which he was resolved to be obeyed and make use of that Power which God had given him over all things and over all
THE LIVES OF THE POPES From the time of our Saviour Jesus Christ TO THE REIGN OF SIXTUS IV. Written Originally in Latine by BAPTISTA PLATINA Native of Cremona And Translated into ENGLISH And the same History continued from the Year 1471. to this present time wherein the most remarkable Passages of Christendom both in Church and State are Treated of and Described By PAUL RYCAUT Esq LONDON Printed for Christopher Wilkinson at the Black Boy over against S. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet 1685. TO THE READER THE History of Platina of the Lives of the Popes being rendred into English by an unknown hand was delivered to me by the Bookseller and considering that Platina was an Author of good Reputation and Authority in the World I often wished that he had lived in that Age in which he might have deduced his History from ancient to the present times or that some other of our learned men would have continued the same in the Language of our own Country for since our Tongue is so well refined and so copious it ought justly to comprehend all those Histories Sciences and Arts which are related and made known in forreign Languages But observing that this Work was neglected and not thought worthy the labour of better Pens I essayed to do it in my own rude and plain Style without affectation or ornament more than what the simplicity of naked truth would afford me in search of which I have always had recourse to the best and to the most impartial Authors who have neither disguised the Vices of Men by flattery nor out of prejudice branded those Actions with shame and obloquy which might have admitted of a fairer character Nor have I mixed any thing of Religion in this History but where the nature of the relation could not subsist without it for in regard the Court and not the Church of Rome is the subject on which I treat I have made the Points of Religion accidental only to the following Discourses But as to Platina himself Trithemius in his Treatise of Ecclesiastical Writers gives him this Character He was born sayes he at Cremona was Breviary to the Pope and a man learned in all Sciences he was an excellent Philosopher and a famous Orator of an acute and ready wit and perswasive eloquence he was couragious and so constant to his principles that under Pope Paul II. he was deprived of his Estate and Preferments and after having endured the wrack or torture he was cruelly cast into Prison where he remained during the Reign of this Paul II. afterwards he was set at liberty by Sixtus IV. to whom he dedicated this following History of the Popes He died at Rome of the Plague Aged 60 years A. D. 1481. Frederick III. being Emperour and Sixtus IV. being Pope AN INTRODUCTION To the following HISTORY THIS continuation of Plaetina the subject of which is the Lives and Reigns of the Popes is a Treatise purely historical collected from feveral Latin French and Italian Authors whose design being solely to transmit matter of Fact to posterity did not intermeddle with points of Religion but as they accidentally occurred in the connexion of History there being a vast difference between the Church of Rome and the Court of Rome To this latter Notion which consists of a Pope who is Sovereign and of seventy Cardinals or more who are his Counsellours besides a great number of Prelats we shall confine our Discourse And whereas the Pope is a Prince who hath a Temporal Dominion under his Government and Jurisdiction it is no wonder if he and the Creatures and Confidents who attend him in all his Counsels should act by Maximes purely civil and political whence it is that Popes are approached with so much more awe and profound Reverence than is performed towards Kings and Emperours because the Spiritual comes in to maintain and uphold the Authority of the Temporal and both being united do mutually support each other hence proceed all the flatteries used in that Court all the contrivances which Ambition can suggest to raise Families and make those great who are in Authority And in short nothing is omitted which the Wit of Man and the Artifices of the most refined Heads in the World such as those are at Rome can devise to conserve and exalt the Interest and Authority of that Court. The Original of this Jurisdiction which is encreased to such a degree of Power and Greatness as is become suspected by Kings and formidable to its people sprang at first from those words of our Saviour to his Apostles Whose sins ye shall forgive on Earth shall be forgiven in Heaven and whose sins ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven the which large and extensive priviledg was attended with a Commission to feed Christs Flock to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments and with an exhortation to all the faithful to love one the other and to pardon and forgive each other their offences The Primitive Church which was always zealous to reconcile the Brethren and procure pardon of the Offender from the person offended did ordain according to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians that the Saints or Christians should not maintain a process of Law one against the other at the Bar or Tribunals of Infidels but that they should rather appoint and constitute some of the Faithful who were Men of approved wisdom and integrity to hear and examine and determine all their differences This manner of trial was certainly submitted unto with great charity of the both parties and with an unbiassed sentence of the Judg for the first had no power over them to enforce execution unless the constraint of their own Consciences which bore witness that the adjudgment was from God Nor did the Ecclesiastical Judg pronounce sentence without regret sorrow and grief for the Delinquent as appears by the words of St. Paul 2 Cor. chap. 2. where the sorrow of the Offender is said to be so great as to require comfort and that the Judg also did partake in the like affliction and anguish of heart with him This dispensation of the Ecclesiastical Censures being a work of great Charity was an Office onely proper for such as had attained to a good esteem for piety and to the degree and dignity of a Bishop But as the Faithful encreased and the Churches became numerous so the deliberations on Causes were too heavy and burdensom for the Bishop alone and therefore though the Bills and Processes at Law were received by the hands of the Bishop they were yet afterwards transferred to the consideration of the Ancients who were called Presbyters which being digested by them received their ultimate determination and sentence from the General Assembly of the Church the which practice was in use in the year of our Lord 250. as appears by the Epistles of St. Cyprian wherein he writes to the Presbyters of his Diocese of Carthage that he intended not
not only honour and reputation but profit and advantage by it since there was a certain person who proffered to undertake that work at his own private charge upon condition that the Land when it was drein'd might have been granted to him for his reward The Mountain being partly undermin'd partly cut through the length of three miles the Passage was at the end of eleven years with much ado finish'd there being no less than 30000 labourers continually employ'd in it It was he likewise that made the Harbour of Ostia by drawing an Arm of the Sea on each hand and so breaking the violence of the Waves a Work the footsteps of which are not to be seen at this day without Wonder Having put to death his Wife Messalina for Adultery he afterwards against all Law both Humane and Divine married Agrippina the Daughter of his Brother Germanicus by whom in the fourteenth year of his Empire he was poison'd with Mushrooms prepared by her for that purpose In his time St. Peter came to Rome the principal City of the World both because he judg'd it a Seat best accommodated to the Pontifical dignity and because likewise he understood that Simon Magus a certain Samaritan had planted there who by his Sorceries had so far seduced the People that they believed him to be a God For his Statue had been already erected at Rome between the two Bridges with this Latin Inscription Simoni Deo Sancto i. e. to Simon the Holy God This man while he stai'd in Samaria pretended Faith in Christ so far as to obtain Baptism from Philip one of the seven Deacons which afterwards abusing to ill ends he laid the foundation of divers Heresies To him was joyn'd one Sebene a shameless Strumpet who was his Companion and partner in Villany To such an heighth of impudence did this lewd Fellow arrive that he challenged St. Peter to work Miracles with him and particularly he undertook to raise to life a dead child which indeed at first seem'd somewhat to move at his Charms But it being manifest presently that the Child nevertheless continued dead still at St. Peters command in the Name of Jesus it immediately arose Simon being enraged hereat profered as a further trial which of them was the more holy man and more beloved of God to fly from the Capitol to the Aventine in the sight of all the People provided Peter would follow him While he was yet flying at the prayer of Peter who with hands lift up to Heaven beseeched God not to suffer so great a multitude to be deluded with Magical Arts down he fell and broke his Leg with grief of which Mis-adventure he not long after died at Aricia whither his followers had conveighed him after this foul disgrace From him the Hereticks called Simoniaci had their original who pretended to buy and sell the Gift of the Holy Ghost and who asserted the Creatures to proceed from a certain superiour Power but not to be from God After this St. Peter applying himself both by Preaching and Example to the propagating of the Word of God was by the Christian Romans earnestly desired that John surnamed Mark who was his Son in Baptism and a person of a most approved life and conversation might be employed by him in writing a Gospel St. Hierom saith that he being a Priest in Israel a Levite according to the flesh after his conversion to the Christian Faith wrote his Gospel in Italy shewing what he owed to his own Parentage and Extraction and what to Christ. Which Gospel as we now have it was approved by the testimony of St. Peter Being afterwards sent into Egypt as Philo the Jew a famous Writer tells us after that by Preaching and Writing he had well form'd the Alexandrian Church being a man very eminent both for his Life and Learning in the eighth year of the Emperor Nero he died and was buried at Alexandria in whose place succeeded Anianus The year before died James surnamed Justus the Brother of our Lord being the Son of Joseph by another Wife or as some will have it Sisters son to Mary Christ's Mother Egefippus who lived near the Apostles times affirms of him that he was holy in his Mothers Womb that he drank neither Wine nor strong drink nor ever tasted flesh that he neither shaved nor bathed nor anointed himself nor ever wore any other but linnen garments He was often accustomed to enter into the Holy of Holies where he continued so incessantly in his Prayers for the Welfare of the People that his knees were grown hard and callous like those of Camels But Festus leaving the Government of Judoea before Albinus his successor arrived there the High Priest Ananus the son of Ananus requiring James publickly to deny Christ to be the Son of God upon his refusal he gave order he should be stoned to Death who after he had been thrown down headlong from a pinacle of the Temple continuing yet half alive and with hands stretch'd forth towards Heaven praying for his persecutors was at last kill'd outright with a blow of a Fullers Club. Josephus reports him to have been a man of so great sanctity that it was the general belief that his murder was the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem This is that James whom our Lord appeared to after his Resurrection and to whom having blessed Bread and broken it he said Brother eat thy Bread because the son of man is risen He presided over the Church of Jerusalem thirty years that is to the seventh year of Nero. His Sepulchre with an Inscription hard by the Temple from which he had been cast down was yet in being in Andrian's time It is evident likewise that Barnabas by birth a Cypriot surnamed Joses a Levite died before St. Peter's martyrdom He being chosen together with Paul an Apostle of the Gentiles wrote only one Epistle of matters concerning the Church and that too is reckoned Apocryphal There happening to be a difference between him and Paul occasioned by Mark a Disciple he accompanied with the said Mark went to Cyprus where Preaching the faith of Christ he was crowned with Martyrdom Paul first called Saul was descended of the Tribe of Benjamin of a Town of Judoea called Giscalis which being taken in War by the Romans he with his Parents removed to Tarsus a City of Cilicia And being sent thence to Jerusalem to study the Law he had his Education under the learned Gamaliel After this receiving Letters from the High Priest he became a Persecutor of those that professed Christ to be the true God and particularly was present and assistant at the death of St. Stephen the Protomartyr But as he was going to Damascus being by the Divine Spirit wonderfully converted to the Faith he became a chosen Vessel and from that time took the name of Paul from a Pro-consul of Cyprus whom by his preaching he had converted to Christianity After this he together with
his constancy and Resolution was left with his Mother a Widow and six Brethren in a very low condition all his Fathers Estate being confiscated because they owned Christ to be the true God Hereupon he was forced to teach a Grammar-School to get a livelihood for himself and his Relations and among others he had for his Scholar Plutarchus who afterwards became a Martyr Not long after applying himself wholly to Religion he undertook the Office of a Catechist or Preacher He was a person of very great parts and skil'd in all Languages and kinds of Learning He was wonderfully temperate and abstemious as to meat and drink and all other things imitating the poverty of Christ and for many years walking bare-foot and moreover in his younger days he made himself an Example of that passage in the Gospel there be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heavens sake Many were so encouraged in Religion by his Pattern that they did with great 〈◊〉 lay down their lives for Christianity and particularly a Woman named 〈◊〉 who was put to death by pouring scalding Pitch upon her Head As for Zephyrinus having at four Decembrian Ordinations made thirteen Presbyters seven Deacons thirteen Bishops he died in the time of Severus and was buried in the Via Appia not 〈◊〉 from the Sepulchre of Calistus August the 26th He was in the Chair eight years seven months ten days and the See was vacant six days S. CALISTUS I. CALISTUS an Italian of 〈◊〉 Son of Domitius lived in the time of Severus an Emperour whose fortune changed with his mind For no sooner did he raise the fifth Persecution against the Christians but he was presently exposed to a multitude of dangers and engaged in several Wars on the one side by Piscennius Niger who was the cause of great Commotions in Syria on the other by Clodius Albinus whom yet he vanquish'd with great slaughter in Gaul But passing over from thence into Britain being deserted of his Friends and accompanied only with calamities he died at 〈◊〉 in the fifth year of his Empire leaving behind him two Sons Bassianus and Geta the latter of which was look'd upon and put to death as a publick Enemy both because of his abominably dissolute 〈◊〉 but especially because he had with his own hand slain Papinian the great Asylum of the Civil Law But Bassianus receiving from the 〈◊〉 the name of Antoninus became possess'd of the Empire and took the 〈◊〉 of Caracalla from a kind of long Vests which he bestow'd by way of largess among the 〈◊〉 He was of a nature more cruel than his Father and so impotently vicious thatthere was no kind of Villany which he was not guilty of He is said to have slain his Brother Geta and to have married his own Step-mother He left behind him nothing great and magnificent to perpetuate his memory save only the Antoninian Baths which bore his name as being begun by him but were indeed finish'd by the Emperour Alexander Severus and the Causey he made in the Via Nova He made it Capital for any to wear Amulets about their necks for the cure of Quartan or Tertian Agues But at length undertaking a War against the Parthians he was surprized by his Enemies between Edessa and Charroe and stab'd in the seventh year of his Reign as he was alighting off his Horse to ease Nature But during the most confused state of things and 〈◊〉 the Government of the most dissolute Emperours Calistus was not at all diverted from his purpose of Establishing a solemn Fast three times in the year to be observed on the Sabbath or Saturday particularly to implore a blessing upon the fruits of the Earth Corn Wine and Oyl viz. in the fourth month the seventh and the tenth beginning the year according to the custom of the Jews Though afterwards he changed his opinion and appointed it at the four seasons of the year viz. Spring Summer Autumn and Winter at which times in succeeding Ages holy Orders were 〈◊〉 which before was used to be only in the month of December He also ordained that Accusations against Clergymen should not be admitted of in any Court if the informers were either infamous or liable to just suspicion or avowed Enemies of the accused Moreover he adjudged those to be Hereticks who maintained that Priests after they 〈◊〉 once convicted of any notorious Crime were not to be restored to their former Dignity though they shewed never so great signs of their repentance Damasus tells us that he built Saint Maries Church in Trastevere but I cannot imagine that of his founding to be the magnificent vast one which continues there at this time since in those days of frequent Persecution all things were carried secretly and the Christians had only small Chappels and those private and hidden and for the most part under-ground He likewise built a Burial-place 〈◊〉 by his own name in the Via Appia at the very place where the ashes of a multitude of Martyrs had been formerly reposited so that 〈◊〉 Reader must not think it strange that we have already said of several that they were 〈◊〉 in the Coemetery of 〈◊〉 though it had not that name till now I 〈◊〉 self with some of my Friends have religiously went to view it 〈◊〉 the ashes and bones of the Martyrs are 〈◊〉 to be seen and 〈◊〉 and Chappels in which the Christians privately communicated when through the Edicts of some Emperours they could not do it publickly In his time lived Tertullian an African the Son of a Proconsular Centurion whom S. Hierom reckoneth next to 〈◊〉 and Apollonius the principal of the Latin Writers He was a man of excellent Parts and wrote a multitude of books I have 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 at Concordia a little Town in Italy one Paul who said that when he was very young he was at Rome acquainted with S. Cyprian's Amanuensis who assured him that S. Cyprian never passed a day without the reading of Tertullian But having continued half his life-time a Presbyter at Rome through the Envy and Reproaches of the Roman Clergy he afterwards 〈◊〉 Montanist and wrote several Pieces against the Orthodox Doctrine particularly those de Pudicitiâ de Monogamiâ and de 〈◊〉 He also composed six Books against Apollonius At the same time likewise Origen flourished and did great service for the Church For he opposed the Heresie of the Ebionites who asserted our 〈◊〉 to be a 〈◊〉 Man the Son of Joseph and Mary and press'd the observation of Mosaical Rites both which Errours were 〈◊〉 by Symmachus Moreover by his Learning he brought over to the Orthodox faith one Ambrosius who had been as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 or as Hierom will have it a Marcionite to whom with 〈◊〉 a Presbyter he dedicated his book de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that violent opposer of Christianity and who was Origen's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot yet sometimes 〈◊〉 commending him calling him 〈◊〉 most learned and Prince of
Father Zeno. In the mean time Odoacer invading Italy with a great Army of his Heruli and Turingians conquers and takes Prisoner Orestes a Noble Roman near Pavia and then causes him to be put to death in the sight of his whole Army at Placentia Hereupon Zeno pitying the calamitous state of Italy speedily sends Theodoric King of the Goths a man whom he had before very much esteem'd with a mighty force to oppose him who having in a pitch'd Battel not far from Aquileia near the River Sontio overcome Odoacer's Captains and having oftentimes the like success against Odoacer himself at length he besieg'd him three years together in Ravenna and reduc'd him to that extremity that with the advice of John the Bishop of that City he consented to admit Theodoric as his Partner in the Empire But the day following both Odoacer and his Son were contrary to promise and agreement slain by which means Theodorick possess'd himself of the Government of all Italy without any opposition In the mean time Simplicius dedicated the Churches of S. Stephen the Protomartyr on Mons Caolius and that of S. Andrew the Apostle not far from S. Maries the Great in which there appear to this day some footsteps of Antiquity which I have many a time beheld with sorrow for their neglect to whose charge such noble piles of building now ready to fall are committed That this Church was of his founding appears by certain Verses wrought in Mosaick work which I have seen in it He dedicated also another Church to S. Stephen near the Licinian Palace where the Virgins body had been buried He also appointed the Weekly-waitings of the Presbyters in their turns at the Churches of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Laurence the Martyr for the receiving of Penitents and baptizing of Proselytes Moreover he divided the City among the Presbyters into five Precincts or Regions the first of S. Peter 2. S. Paul 3. S. Laurence 4. S. John Lateran 5. S. Maria Maggiore He also ordained that no Clergy-man should hold a Benefice of any Lay-man a Constitution which was afterwards confirm'd by Gregory and other Popes At this time the Bishop of Rome's Primacy was countenanced by the Letters of Acacius Bishop of Constantinople and Timothy a learned man in which they beg him to censure Peter Mog Bishop of Alexandria an assertour of the Eutychian Heresie Which was accordingly done but with Proviso that he should be receiv'd into the Communion of the Church again if within a certain time prefix'd he retracted his Errours Some say that during his Pontificate lived Remigius Bishop of Reims who as History tells us baptized Clodoveus the French King Now also Theodorus Bishop 〈◊〉 Syria wrote largely against Eutyches and compiled ten Books of 〈◊〉 History in imitation of Eusebius Coesariensis At this time almost all Egypt was infected with the heretical Doctrine of Dioscorus concerning whom we have already spoken and Huneric King of the Vandals a Zealot 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Faction raised a Persecution against the Orthodox Christians in Afrique Upon this Eudocia Niece to Theodosius a Catholick Lady and Wife to Huneric left her heretical Husband upon pretence of a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem to perform a Vow which she had made but upon so long a Journey the effect of which prov'd intolerable to the tenderness of her sex she there soon died 'T is said that at this time were found the bones of the Prophet Elisha which were carried into Alexandria as also the body of S. Barnabas the Apostle together with the Gospel of S. Matthew written with his own hand As for Simplicius himself having by his Constitutions and Donations very muchpromoted the interest of the Church of Rome and having at several Ordinations made fifty eight Presbyters eleven Deacons eighty six Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church on the second day of March He was inthe Chair fifteen years one month seven days and by his death the See was vacant twenty six days FELIX III. FELIX by birth a Roman Son of Felix a Presbyter was Bishop from the time of Odoacer whose power in Italy lasted fourteen years till the Reign of Theodoric Who though he made Ravenna the seat of the Empire yet the City of Rome was much indebted to his Bounty For he re-built the Sepulchre of Octavius exhibited shews to the people according to ancient custom repaired the publick Buildings and Churches and indeed neglected nothing that became a good and generous Prince And to confirm and establish the Empire he married Andefleda Daughter of Clodoveus King of France and gave in marriage his Sister to Huneric King of the Vandals and one of his Daughters to Alaric King of the Visigoths and the other to King Gondibate Felix now fully understanding that Peter Mog the Eutychian who had been banished for his heretical Opinions upon the complaint and at the desire of Acacius was by the same Acacius recall'd from Exile suspected that there was a private Agreement between them and therefore excommunicated them both by the authority of the Apostolick See which was confirm'd in a Synod of the Orthodox But three years after the Emperour Zeno testifying that they were penitent Felix sends two Bishops Messenus and Vitalis with full power upon enquiry into the truth of their repentance to absolve them These Legates arriving at the City Heraclea were soon corrupted with bribes and neglected to act according to their Commission Whereupon Felix out of a just indignation having first called a Council upon that occasion excommunicates them too as Simoniacks and betrayers of the trust reposed in them Though Messenus who confess'd his fault and begg'd time to evince the sincerity of his repentance had it accordingly granted him The same Felix also built the Church of S. Agapetus near that of S. Laurence and ordained that Churches should be consecrated by none but Bishops 'T is said that at this time Theodorus a Greek Presbyter wrote against the Hereticks a Book of the Harmony of the Old and new Testament and some reckon among the men of Note in this Age the Learned and famous Divine John Damascene who wrote the Book of Sentences imitating therein Gregory Nazianzene Gregory Nyssene and Didymus of Alexandria and compiled also certain Treatises of Medicin in which he gives an account of the Causes and Cure of Diseases Our Felix having at two Decembrian Ordinations made twenty eight Presbyters five Deacons thirty Bishops died and was buried in the Church of S. Paul He sat in the Chair eight years eleven months seventeen days and by his death the See was vacant five days GELASIUS I. GELASIUS an African Son of Valerius was Bishop of Rome at the time when Theodoric made War upon his Wives Father Clodoveus the French King for that he had slain his Daughter's Husband Alaric King of the Visigoths and seiz'd Gascoigne They were both allied to him by marriage but the cause of Alaric seem'd to him the more just
whereupon the Senate and people of Rome being divided into two Parties the dissention rose to such an heighth that to compromise the business a Council was by mutual consent called at Ravenna where the whole matter being discuss'd in the presence of Theodoric he at length determined on the side of Symmachus and confirmed him in the Pontificate who by a singular act of Grace made his very Competitour Laurence Bishop of Nocera Yet about four years after some busie and factious Clergy-men being countenanced and assisted by Festus and Probinus two of the Senatorian Order set up for Laurence again upon which King Theodoric was so highly displeas'd that he sends Peter Bishop of 〈◊〉 to Rome to depose them both and possess himself of the Chair But Symmachus called a Synod of an hundred and twenty Bishops wherein with great presence of mind he purg'd himself of all things 〈◊〉 to his Charge and by a general suffrage obtained the banishment of Laurence and Peter who had occasion'd all this mischief Hereupon so great a 〈◊〉 arose in the City that multitudes both of the Clergy and Laity were slain in all parts not so much as the Monastick Virgins escaping In this Tumult Gordianus a Presbyter and a very good man was kill'd in the Church of S. Peter ad Vincula nor had an end been put to slaughter here had not Faustus the Consul in compassion to the Clergy appear'd in Arms against Probinus the Author of so great a Calamity After this the Christians having some small respite Clodoveus banishing the Arian Hereticks restores the Orthodox and Constitutes Paris the Capital City of his Kingdom Symmachus at this time expell'd the Manichees out of the City and caused their Books to be burn'd before the Gates of S. John Lateran Several Churches he built from the ground and several others he repair'd and beautifi'd That of S. Andrew the Apostle near S. Peters he entirely built enriching it with divers Ornaments of Silver and Gold and he adorn'd S. Peters it self and its Portico with chequer'd Marble making the steps of Ascent into it more and larger than they were before Moreover he erected Episcopal Palaces He built also the Church of S. Agatha the Martyr in the Via Aurelia and that of S. Pancrace He repaired and adorn'd with painting the Cupola of S. Pauls and built from the foundations the Church of SS Silvester and Martin the Altars of which he very richly adorned He made also the steps that lead into the Church of S. John and S. Paul and enlarged S. Michaels He built from the ground the Oratories of Cosmus and Damianus being assisted in that work by Albinus and Glaphyras two men of principal Note Besides this near the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul he builded two Hospitals making provision of all things necessary for the poor who should dwell in them For he was in all respects very charitable and sent supplies of Money and Cloaths to the Bishops and other Clergy in Africa and Sardinia who had suffered banishment for the profession of the true Religion He repaired the Church of S. Felicitas and the Cupola of that of S. Agnes which was decay'd and almost ready to fall He also at his own charge redeemed multitudes of Captives in several Provinces He ordained that on Sundays and the Birth-days of the Martyrs the Hymn Glory be to God on High should be sung and indeed left nothing undone which he thought might tend to the Glory of Almighty God In his time Gennadius Bishop of Marseille a great imitatour of S. Augustine did good service to the Church He wrote one Book against Heresies wherein he shews what is necessary to every man in order to his Salvation and another de viris illustribus in imitation of S. Hierom. As for Symmachus having at several Ordinations made ninety Presbyters sixteen Deacons one hundred twenty two Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peters Church July the 19th He sat in the Chair fifteen years six months twenty two days and by his death the See was vacant seven days HORMISDA I. HORMISDA the Son of Justus born at 〈◊〉 lived in the time of Theodoric and Anastasius as far as to the Consulship of Boethius and Symmachus These two upon suspicion of designing against his Government were by Theodoric at first banish'd and afterwards imprisoned Boethius during his confinement wrote several things extant to this day and translated and made Commentaries upon the greatest part of Aristotles Works He was throughly skill'd in the Mathematicks as his Books of Musick and Arithmetick clearly demonstrate But at length both he and Symmachus were put to death by the order of Theodoric Some tell us that the cause of Boethius his sufferings was the zeal he shewed in opposing the Arians who were favoured by Theodoric but I think the former Opinion to be more probable Hormisda with the advice of Theodoric held now a Provincial Synod at Rome in which the Eutychians were again condemn'd by universal consent He also sent Letters and Messengers to John Bishop of Constantinople admonishing him to renounce that Heresie and to believe there are two Natures in Christ the Divine and Humane But John continued refractory trusting to the interest he had with the Emperour Anastasius who not long after was struck dead by a Thunderbolt which was believ'd to be a just Judgment upon him both for his patronizing so pernicious an Heresie and especially for his ill usage of the Legates sent to him by Hormisda whom contrary to the Law of Nations he treated very contumeliously and sent them home in a shattered leaky Vessel ordering them to return directly into Italy without touching at any shore in Greece 'T is said that he bid them tell the Bishop that he must know it to be the part of an Emperour to Command not to obey the Dictates of the Bishop of Rome or any other These Legates were Euodius Bishop of Pavia Fortunatus Bishop of Catina Venantius a Presbyter of Rome and Vitalis a Deacon Anastasius dying in the twenty seventh year of his Reign Justine a Patron of the Catholick Faith succeeds him who forthwith sends Ambassadours to the Bishop of Rome to acknowledge the Authority of the Apostolick See and to desire the Bishop to interpose his Ecclesiastical Power for the setling the peace of the Church Whereupon Hormisda with the consent of Theodoric sends Germanus Bishop of Capua John and Blandus Presbyters and Felix and 〈◊〉 Deacons his Legates to Justine by whom they were receiv'd with all imaginable expressions and testimonies of Honour 〈◊〉 Respect John the Bishop of Constantinople with multitudes of the Orthodox Clergy and other Persons of principal Note going forth in Complement to meet them and congratulate their Arrival But the followers of Acacius dreading their coming had shut themselves up in a very strong Church and upon Consultation what to do sent Messengers to the Emperour declaring that they would by no means subscribe to
beautifying the Churches restoring the Aqueducts and such like publick Works which I need not particularly enumerate performed at his vast Expence But while he was employed in these matters there happened such an Inundation of the River Tyber as bore down a principal Gate and Bridg and several Buildings of the City and did otherwise great Damage In this Extremity Adrian took care to send Boats to convey Provisions to such as while the Waters were so high could not stir out of their Houses And afterwards he comforted with his Advice and supported with his Charity the principal sufferers in that Calamity nor did he spare any Cost in repairing the publick Loss In short Adrian left nothing undone that became a good Prince and excellent Pope defending the Christian Religion maintaining the Roman Liberty and asserting the Cause of the Poor the Orphans and Widows After he had held the Chair with great honour twenty three years ten months he died and was buried in S. Peters December the 27th LEO III. LEO the third a Roman Son of Azzupius was upon the account of Merit advanced to the Pontificate having been from his Youth so throughly educated and instructed in Ecclesiastical Learning that he deserved to be preferred before all others A modest upright and well-spoken Person and such a Favourer of learned Men that he encouraged them by the Proposal of generous Rewards to resort from all Parts to him and was wonderfully pleased with their Conversation Moreover to visit and exhort the sick to relieve the Poor to comfort the dejected and to reduce the erroneous by his Preaching and Admonition in which through his Art and Eloquence he had gained a great Perfection was his peculiar Providence He was naturally of a meek Temper a Lover of all Mankind slow to Anger ready to commiserate eminent for Piety and a vigorous Promoter and Defender of the Honour of God and his Church Hereupon he was as I have said unanimously elected to the Papal See on S. Stephen's day and the day following with general Acclamations seated in S. Peter's Chair At this time Irene Mother of Constantine the Emperour not being able to bear her Son 's ill Courses and being instigated thereto by certain of the Citizens returns to Constantinople puts out his Eyes and throws him into Prison where as an undutiful Son he miserably ended his days In the mean time Charles having Disturbance given him on many sides sends his Son Pipin against the Hungarians whom having worsted in several Engagements he at length totally subdued Adelphonsus likewise King of Asturia and Gallicia having received Auxiliary Forces from Charles vanquished the Saracens and took Lisbon upon the hearing of which Victory of his the Garrison of Barcelona forthwith yielded up to Charles Moreover the Bavarians who made Inroads upon the Inhabitants of Friuli were now overcome by Henry Charle's Lieutenant there At this time Leo with the Clergy and People being employed in the Solcmn Procession 〈◊〉 by Pope Gregory he was through the treachery of Paschal and Campulus two of the principal Clergy seized near the Church of S. Sylvester stripped of his Pontifical Habit so cruelly beaten and misused that it was thought he had been deprived both of his Sight and Speech and then closely imprisoned in the Monastery of S. Erasmus From whence yet soon after by the diligence of Albinus one belonging to his Bed-chamber he made his Escape and was secretly conveyed to the Vatican where he lay concealed till Vinigisius Duke of Spoleto being privately invited thereunto came and with a 〈◊〉 Guard of Soldiers to secure him on his way from any Violence which his Enemies might offer to him carried him off safely to Spoleto The Factious being not now able to wreak their malice upon the Persons of Leo and Albinus express their Rage in pulling down their Houses nay so hardy and daring were they as to go to Charles who was now making War upon the Saxons and to whom they understood Leo had repaired on purpose to complain of and accuse the Pope But Charles deferring the debate of the matter to another time sends the Pope to Rome with an honourable Retinue promising that himself would be there in a little time in order to the composing of the Affairs of Italy Leo in his passage being come as far as Ponte Molle was there in Honour met by the Clergy and People of Rome who congratulated his Return and introduced him into the City And Charles without making any long stay passing through Mentz and Noremberg into Friuli severely chastises the Citizens of Treviso for having put to Death Henry their Governour and having constituted another to succeed him in that Office he thence goes first to Ravenna and presently after to Rome where his Presence was earnestly desired and expected At his Entrance into the City all imaginable expressions of Honour as good reason was were made to him On the eighth day of his being there in the presence of the People and Clergy assembled in S. Peter's Church he asked all the Bishops who had come thither out of all the parts of Italy and France what their Opinion was concerning the Life aud Conversation of the Pope But Answer was made by all with one Voice that the Apostolick See the Head of all Churches ought to be judged by none especially not by a Laick Hereupon Charles laying aside any farther Enquiry into the matter Pope Leo who extreamly wished that he might be put upon that way of purging himself going up into the Pulpit and holding the Gospels in his hands declared upon his Oath that he was innocent of all those things which were laid to his Charge This was done on the thirteenth day of December A. D. 800. While things went thus at Rome Pipin by his Fathers Order advancing against the Beneventans who under Grimoald's Conduct made Inroads upon their Neighbours and having given them so many Defeats that at length they were scarce able to defend themselves within the Walls of their City he left the farther management of that War to Vinigisius Duke of Spoleto and returned to his Father who was now in a short time to be crowned Emperour For the Pope that he might make some Requital to Charles who had deserved so well of the Church and also because he saw that the Emperours of Constantinople were hardly able to maintain that Title upon which account Rome and all Italy had suffered great Calamities after Mass in S. Peter's Church with the Consent and at the Request of the People of Rome declares with a loud Voice the said Charles to be Emperour and put the Imperial Diadem upon his Head the People repeating thrice this Acclamation Long Life and Victory to Charles Augustus whom God has Crowned the Great and Pacifick Emperour Then the Pope annointed him and his Son Pipin whom in like manner he pronounced King of Italy Charles being now invested with Imperial Power gave Order that Campulus and Paschal the
about Only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Barcelona though he had disturbance given him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Land yet continued firm to the Emperour Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gifts of Body and Mind and despising the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortune applyed himself to Works of Bounty and 〈◊〉 and particularly took so much care in the matter of Provision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorts of it and especially Grain was no where cheaper than at 〈◊〉 Moreover he supported the Lives and defended the Cause of the Poor the Fatherless and Widow in such a manner that he deservedly gain'd the name of the Father of the Poor The same course 〈◊〉 living he also took before his Pontificate both while he was a 〈◊〉 of S. Sabina in the Aventine which Church when he came to be Pope he beautified and also while he was Arch-Priest of the Lateran Church from which place he was afterwards for his great Merit by an unanimous Choice advanced to the Papal Chair By his Procurement and Intercession likewise all the Prisoners and Exiles in France returned at 〈◊〉 to Rome who being strip'd of all they 〈◊〉 were relieved and supported by his Charity Nor was it his fault that Sico Duke of Benevent did not quit the Siege of 〈◊〉 which he at this time reduced to great Straits and carried from thence the Body of S. Ianuarius to Benevent where he honourably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Great Church with Desiderius and 〈◊〉 For the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voured to persuade Sico to undertake an Expedition against the Sara cens who had already possess'd themselves of Palermo in Sicily 〈◊〉 good Man having after this manner continued four years in the 〈◊〉 died lamented of all who grieved for themselves rather 〈◊〉 for him to whom Death was a welcom Passage into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was buried in S. Peter's VALENTINE I. VALENTINE a Roman son of Leontius being only a Deacon not a Priest was yet for his extraordinary Sanctity deservedly preferred to the Pontificate Nor will it appear strange if we consider that having from his Youth upwards been instructed in Learning and Piety by chose good Popes Paschal and 〈◊〉 he did not give his Mind to Pleasures and Sports as most young men are wont to do but applied himself to the acquiring of knowledg by the reading of the Antients and the Rule of good living from the Example of holy Bishops He was moreover a Person of such ready Parts and prevailing Eloquence that he had a great Facility in persuading to or against what he pleased without offering any thing that was not found learned and decent Finally both in his private Station and while he was Pope he came 〈◊〉 none of his Predecessours in Devotion Mercy and Charity For these Reasons he was unanimously elected to the Chair but 〈◊〉 as a punishment upon the sins of that Age he died on the fortieth day of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's all People lamenting that they were bereft of such a Man who if he had lived would have been an almost impregnable Support to the Roman Liberty and the Christian Religion While the See was vacant Sicardus Duke of 〈◊〉 who after his Father's Death ruled tyrannically for the want of a Bride which he expected cast Deus-dedit Abbot of Monte Cassino into Prison where he died with the Reputation of being a Holy Man GREGORY IV. GREGORY the fourth a Roman Son of John and Cardinal of S. Mark entred upon the Pontificate at the time when the Saracens possess'd of Asia shut up the Passage to the Holy Land from the Christians and the Moors passing with their Fleet into 〈◊〉 wasted a great part of that Island having as is already said made themselves Masters of Palermo Nor could the Venetians though at the Desire of Michael Emperour of Constantinople they sailed thither check their Proceedings the Moors having more Ships and Men than they The State of Venice was now in its Increase having had it 's Original from the Veneti at the time when Attila with his 〈◊〉 took and destroyed Aquileia Concordia Altino with other Cities of the Province anciently called Venetia that People having no other 〈◊〉 against the Cruelty of the 〈◊〉 but only the Fens and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patricius was now Duke of Venice whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chuse to mention because in his time the Body of S. Mark was by some Venetian Merchants brought from Alexandria to Venice where that Saint is now had in great Veneration a most magnificent Church being in the principal part of the City built and dedicated to him and adorned and enriched with very great Donations And srom hence it was that the Venetians first bore upon their Standards and Banners the Picture of S. Mark as the Patron of their City But Gregory understanding that the Venetians were not able to expel these Barbarians out of the Island sends to Louis and Lotharius desiring them to send Aid to the Sicilians at the first Opportunity They were very shy of the Business allcdging that that War belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople but yet declared themselves ready to 〈◊〉 their share of Men and Moneys for the undertaking of it But in the mean time while Ambassadours were sent srom one to the other about that Assair Boniface Earl of Corsica with his Brother Bertarius and the Assistance of some of the People of Tuscany sailing into Asrica engaged four times with the Enemy between Vtica and Carthage where he made so great a Slaughter that the Moors were forced as formerly in Scipio's time to re-call their Forces from Sicily to the Succour of their own Countrey in Distress and by this means Sicily was delivered from them Boniface then returns with his victorious Fleet laden with vast Spoils from Africa into Corsica Some there are that write that during this 〈◊〉 in Italy the Emperour Lotharius envying the preference that his 〈◊〉 Louis did in all matters give to his youngest Brother Charles afterwards surnam'd the Bald he put him in Prison but soon after set him sree and that the Barbarians taking hold of the opportunity embark'd in a great Fleet from Asrica for Italy and arriv'd at Centum Celloe which City since call'd Civilavecchia some will have to be demolish'd by 'em and that from 〈◊〉 marching to Rome they took that City but this is not probable What is said concerning Centum-Celloe I shall not deny and I doubt not but that they attempted the taking of Rome it self but Guy Marquess of Lombardy defended it so stoutly that having burnt the Suburbs and the Churches of SS Peter and Paul in the Via Latina they withdrew to Monte-Cassino where they destroy'd the Town of S. German and the Monastery of S. Benet which slood on the Hill and going down to the Sea-side near the River Garigliano whither their Fleet was brought from Ostia they invaded Tarentum and Sicily and as I said before were recalled home by their own Countrey-men at that time broken in War by the Valour of Boniface I take it to be
worth mention died after he had been Pope two years and was buried in S. Peter's Church This Pope we may commend in this one instance that he did not persecute with ignominy and scandal the memory of any of his Predecessors for he lived quietly and soberly and had nothing chargeable upon him that was blame-worthy LANDUS LANDUS a Roman succeeded Anastasius but his life was so obscure that some do not reckon him for a Pope especially Vincentius the Historian But Martin and Cusentinus are of another mind together with Gothifredus who writes that this Landus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Authority hindred a Battel between Berengarius and 〈◊〉 Son of Count Guido though others say that Rodulphus overcame Berengarius near Verona and enjoy'd the Empire three years There was indeed at this time a great contention for the Empire between the Italians Germans and French which was the cause of many cruel Wars which were not ended without great destruction of men and mischief to each Countrey The Romans and Italians labour'd might and main to preserve the Empire in their own Countrey against the Power of those barbarous people but they wanted some man that could lead them on in so great an Enterprise for those noble Spirits who had rendred the name of Italy famous through the World were now not onely extinct but even those virtuous Inclinations were quite stisled which gave life to such glorious actions Landus died in the sixth month and twenty first day of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peters's Church JOHN XI JOHN the eleventh a Roman natural Son to Pope Sergius in the year 909. succeeded He was before Arch-bishop of Ravenna and had been deposed by the people in a Tumult but upon the death of Landus he obtain'd the Papal Chair and shew'd more of the Spirit of a Soldier than of a Clergy-man Indeed the Church and all Italy had then need of such a Pope For the Greeks as we said before being vanquish'd by Landulphus had call'd the Saracens into Italy who marching through Calabria and Apulia into Lucaia and Campania threaten'd sudden destruction to the City of Rome The nearness of the danger alarm'd Pope John who taking Albericus Marquess of Tuscany to his assistance musters up an Army fights the Saracens and gets the better and beats them out of the territories of the City but not looking upon his Victory as considerable except he follow'd the pursuit he attaques them at Minturnoe upon the shore of the River Garigliano and conquers them with so great a slaughter that they resolv'd to leave Italy onely burning first all those places on that shore which were in their hands But they alter'd their minds afterward and fortifying Mount Gargano they harass'd the Countrey thereabout with their Incursions Mean while John taking all the honour of this action to himself makes his entrance into Rome after the manner of a Triumph which gave so great distast to Albericus that a Tumult arose upon it in which Albericus was repulsed and flying to Orta fortified the Town and Castle and enticed the Hungari into Italy who brought more destruction and ruin upon the Countrey than the Saracens had done before for they carried away the Youth of both Sexes killing all that were stricken in years nor did they spare the very Tuscans for whose indemnity Albericus had agreed in the Treaty with them nay they were more cruel to them than to other Italians for they burnt and demolish'd all the Towns they had possess'd 'T is my Opinion that Berengarius who then held Lombardy onely gave them liberty of passage into Tuscany upon condition they march'd quietly through his Countrey without hurting his Subjects But the Hungari having once tasted the sweet Spoils of Italy did frequently visit it afterward which Calamities so much enraged the Romans that not being able to wreak their spite upon the Enemy who was too mighty and fierce for them they took Albericus and beheaded him John also in a Mutiny of the Soldiers was by the followers of Count Guido taken and put in Prison In his room another John was put up but because he seiz'd the Chair by force and was soon deposed he deserves not to be among the Popes LEO VI. LEO the sixth a Roman was canonically elected Pope acted nothing tyrannically in his whole life but liv'd soberly and modestly taking care of Religion as far as an Age of so corrupt manners would bear For he made it his endeavour to quiet the minds of the Citizens who through the rashness and folly of former Popes were inclining to Tumults to compose the Affairs of Italy to make Peace with forein Enemies and to drive the Barbarians from the skirts of his Countrey than which nothing could be done to better purpose or more commendably in so short a time for in the seventh month and fifteenth day of his Pontificate he died and was buried in S. Peters's Church to the great grief of the Citizens of Rome STEPHEN VII STEPHEN the seventh a Roman according to some Authors came to be Pope at the time when the Hungari who were over-running Germany and Saxony were by Henry King of Germany overcome with a great slaughter near Merspurg 'T is said also that at this time Rodulphus King of Burgundy made his descent into Italy with a great Army against Berengarius II. who by the treachery of his own men was driven out of his Kingdom and fled to the Hungarians for refuge who taking up Arms in his cause the third year after his expulsion under the conduct of one Salardus invade Italy with huge forces and take Pavia by storm destroying the greatest part of it with fire and sword The Italians hereupon finding Rodulphus to want strength and courage call in Hugh Count of Arles It was not without contention that Rodulphus gave place to him but his Enemies bearing hard upon him he retreated into Burgundy After this 〈◊〉 finding occasion to mistrust those Persons that call'd him in banish'd many of them who fled to Arnoldus Duke of Bavaria a man 〈◊〉 of Rule and persuade him to make War upon Italy He passes the Alpes and is immediately receiv'd within the Walls of Verona by the Citizens with great kindness and friendship but Hugh marching against him beats him in a pitch'd Battel and soon re-takes Verona Mean while Berengarius dies in Bavaria or as others say in 〈◊〉 and Berengarius III. Grand-son of Berengarius I. by his Daughter comes into Italy and in the year 935. gets the Empire Some there are that ascribe these Actions I have mention'd to the time of this Pope but I would rather assign them to some of those Popes that preceded and succeeded because though I have set them down in short yet they must needs require a long time to be brought about But in so great a diversity of opinions concerning times I chose rather to place them somewhere than utterly to omit things which were certainly once done for the uncertainty
by censure of Excommunication to come in and in the space of one years time to purge themselves of the contumacy with which they stood charged In pursuance of which Decree the Embassador and other Agents from France did in the name of the King abjure all the Acts and Decrees made and ordained by the Conventicle at Pisa promising to acknowledg and hold for true and sacred all those Acts and conclusions which should be declared by the Council of Lateran and that six of those Prelates which were present at the Convention of Pisa should repair to Rome and in the name and behalf of all the Gallican Church renounce and disown that Convention and promise to submit and hold and esteem for Sacred and Obligatory whatsoever should be determined in their case or in any other matter by the Lateran Council and that then upon such submission the Council should grant a full and plenary Pardon and Absolution for all those Crimes committed by them against the Church of Rome But whilst these things were in Treaty Lewis XII being surprized by a Fever died the first day of January 1515. at Paris in whose place Francis de Valois the first of that name Duke of Angolesme succeeded Francis having made a Peace with the King of England assumed the Title of Duke of Milan as appertaining to him not only by the ancient right of the Dukes of Orleans but also as comprehended in the Investiture made by the Emperor in the Treaty of Cambray to recover which he made a League with the Venetians and passing into Italy with a powerful Army declared War against Maximilian Sforza Duke of Milan who on the other side had made an Alliance with the Emperor the Switzers and the King of Spain The Pope being jealous of the French believing that so soon as they were become Masters of Milan they would also design upon Piacenza and Parma favoured the cause of Duke Sforza and encouraged the Switzers by his Legate the Cardinal of Sedan to continue firm and constant in defence of Italy against the French Arms that so their ancient glory which had been in former years crowned with so much success might be maintained by them and the Title of Restorers of the Italian Liberty be for ever continued to their Honor. The Switzers having their valour provoked by such incitements as these encountred the French Army which under the auspicious Conduct of King Francis was passed into Italy near Marignan where after a sharp conflict the Venetians coming in to the assistance of the French the Switzers were overthrown and forced to retreat into Milan which afterwards was surrendred and Duke Sforza being taken Prisoner was sent into France with an allowance of five and thirty thousand Crowns a year which he agreed to receive in lieu of his Dukedom After this success Parma and Piacenza which had been annexed to the Church by the Arms of Julius II. fell into the possession of the French for Leo not having the courage to defend them made them a Sacrifice to the Conqueror and the price of his Peace with France the which was concluded at Bologna where an interview was appointed between the King and Pope Leo. The Pope entered the City on the 8th of December 1515. and the King two days after having been received on the Confines of the Country of Reggia by the Cardinals of Fieschi and Medicis whom the Pope had appointed to be his Legates Apostolical to him The King so soon as he entered was immediately conducted into the Consistory where before the Pope by a Speech delivered by his Chancellor he professed all Obedience to the Papal Chair and afterwards was lodged three days in the same Palace with the Pope during which time all the signs of good will and amity interceded between them and all matters agreed which had relation to Naples Modena and other controversies and thus all things being amicably concluded the King returned to Milan and in a short time after into France leaving the Duke of Bourbon Lieutenant in his place The Pope also went to Florence where having passed the Winter he in the Spring returned to Rome And now Pope Leo being a little at repose designed the assistance of Maximilian the Emperor with whom he was in League to make his Brother Julian Lord of Siena and Lucca and thereunto to adjoyn the Dukedoms of Vrbin and Ferrara but Julian unexpectedly dying the same fortune was intended for Laurence his Nephew Son of his Brother Peter de Medicis and in the mean time until this design could be ripened and put in practice the Pope committed to him the Government of Florence with condition that he should act nothing without the privity and consent of the Citizens And now to prepare a way for taking the Dutchy of Vrbin from Francisco Maria de la Rovere the Pope began with his Church Censures causing the Accusations against him to be published wherein he expressed that being in Pay and under a Sallary from the Church he had denied him the Service of those Regiments for which he had received Pay and had secretly compounded with the Enemy That he had killed the Cardinal of Pavia for which he was alsolved by Grace and not by Justice as also for many other Murders committed by him These and other were the Crimes which were alledged against him but yet nothing animated the Pope so much with anger and disdain against him as that he had denied unto his Brother Julian his aid and assistance to return to Florence The success of the War was this So soon as Renzo di Cere the Popes General with a considerable Army showed himself upon the Frontiers of the Dutchy the City of Vrbin with other Towns belonging to it surrendred to the Pope the Duke himself retiring to Pesaro which also yielded together with Sinigaglia and in the space of four days all submitted to the obedience of the Pope and then the Duke with all his Family saved himself in Mantua These successes were followed by new designs upon Siena from whence by force of Arms he compelled the Prince Borghese and Cardinal Alfonso his Brother both Sons of Pandolfo Petrucci to retire and make place for Raphael Petrucci his old Friend and Companion in his Exile at which the Cardinal was so enraged and excited beyond all patience that he conspired against the life of the Pope which not succeeding proved afterwards the cause of his own destruction For this Alfonso Cardinal of Siena revolving often in his mind the ingratitude of this Pope who by the labors and dangers of Pandolfo Petrucci his Father was with all his Family restored to the Government of Florence and yet had in recompense of these benefits caused him and his Brother Borghese to be thrust out of Siena the which thoughts boiling in his mind he resolved once with his own hand to stab the Pope but being diverted from that intention by the danger of the Fact and by the ill
fame of a wickedness without example to have a Pope killed by the hand of a Cardinal he changed the Plot of the Dagger to Poison which by the help of Baptista Vercelli a famous Chirurgeon and his familiar Confident he hoped to effect in this manner The Pope being greatly afflicted with an old Fistula in his Fundament this Baptista was to be preferred as an able man for this work and then in dressing of the Wound he was to have injected Poison into it but Baptista being long in getting admission to the Popes privacy Alfonso grew impatient of delays and not being able to contain himself continually uttered something of passion which gave the Pope just cause of suspicion that this Alfonso was practising something against his life at length by some Letters which were intercepted the Conspiracy was detected which the Pope dissembling invited Alfonso to Rome with promises of Reconciliation and Preferment and for his encouragement thereunto he gave him Letters of safe conduct and his promise to the Spanish Embassador not to violate the same But so soon as Alfonso arrived the Pope so little esteemed the Faith he had given that he caused him to be Arrested with his Friend Cardinal De Sauli a Genoese one so familiar and intimate with him that it was believed that one could not be guilty or designing any action without the privity and consent of the other These two Cardinals being committed to Prison in the Castle of S. Angelo the Spanish Embassador complained of the breach of Faith which being given to the Kings Embassador ought to have been observed with the same sacred fidelity as given to the King himself Whereunto the Pope made answer that in matters of a Conspiracy designing against the life of the Pope no safe conduct was sufficient unless in some clause of it the Crime it self had been specified with a peculiar Proviso and that in cases of Poisoning which is detestable to God and man no sufficient provision can be made for security of the Offender unless the Crime it self be first mentioned and pardoned The matter being fully examined and Alfonso and Bandinello in a full Consistory being found guilty they were by publick sentence of the Consistory deprived of the Dignity of Cardinals and delivered over to the Secular Power which being done the night following Alfonso was Strangled but the Sentence of Bandinello was changed to a perpetual Imprisonment from which afterwards for a certain sum of money he gained a release The success which the Pope had against the Duke of Vrbin was different to that which he had against Alfonso Duke of Ferrara for he being a watchful man and a good Soldier defended himself against all the contrivances and attempts of the Pope Towards the end of the year 1517. the King of Spain died leaving his Nephew Charles of Austria sole Heir of all his Kingdoms and Dominions in Naples Sicily and Spain between whom and the French King there passed as yet a fair and amicable correspondence Notwithstanding which things were troublesom in Italy and 〈◊〉 â—espight of all the endeavours of the Pope who desired nothing so much 〈◊〉 peace all things were unquiet and tended to War for the Switzers 〈◊〉 â—hose minds were rather inflamed with indignation in remembrance of their late Defeat at Marignan than abated or humbled entered into a League with Maximilian the Emperor to drive the French out of all their Possessions in Italy in opposition whereunto the French joyning with the Venetians recovered Brescia out of the hands of the Spaniards and Verona from the Emperor and the Venetians by the support of this Alliance made no account of any amity with others nor offered their Obedience to the Pope notwithstanding the endeavours of Altobello Bishop of Pola whom he had commissionated to be his Legate at Venice not without some just reflections as a matter unworthy the Pontificial Majesty Francisco Maria Duke of Vrbin continued still his War against the Pope for recovery of his State but his success was ill both against the City of Osimo and also before the Town of Corinaldo from whence with great blemish of honor he was forced to raise his Siege Nor was he more fortunate in his attempt to recover Pesaro for having put to Sea several Ships to cut off all Provisions from the Town they were encountred by another Fleet set out by those of Rimini consisting of sixteen Sail with Barks and Brigantines which going in convoy with Vessels laden with Provisions to Pesaro met the Navy of Francisco Maria and engaging with them sunk the Admiral and destroyed their whole Fleet with which ill success Francisco Maria despairing of his enterprize departed thence At Rimini he also was worsted and forced to return with his Army into Tuscany where being in great want of Provisions and the Soldiers without Pay lived by Prey and Pillage whereby they began to be no less terrible to their friends than to their enemies and to grow weary of the War having no hope to better their condition either by a Battel or protraction of time The Pope also on the other side became poor having exhausted his Treasury and doubtful of the Faith of his Allies especially of the King of France who was slow and backward in the payment of those monies agreed by Articles so that Peace being the best expedient for good to both parties propositions were made for a Peace between the Legate and Francisco Maria which by the Mediation of Monsieur D'Escut General of the French Forces in Italy and Don Hugo de Monaco Vice-King of Sicily was accorded on these conditions That the Pope should pay to the Spanish Footmen five and forty thousand Ducats and to the Gascoins and Germans threescore thousand and that upon such payment they should all depart within eight days out of the State of the Church the Jurisdiction of Florence and the Territories of Vrbin That Francisco Maria should leave and abandon all his Possessions in that State within the term aforesaid with Licence to carry with him all his moveables and Artillery with his famous Library which with great charge and diligence had been collected by Frederick his Grandfather by the Mothers side That the Pope should absolve him of all Censures and pardon all the Subjects of the State of Vrbin and those who had been enemies in this War the Spaniards Gascoins and Germans having received their monies marched to the Kingdom of Naples and Francisco Maria abandoned of all his Allies returned to Mantua accompanied only with one hundred Horse and six hundred Footmen In this manner ended the War with Vrbin which tho it continued but eight months yet had exhausted the Coffers of the Pope of eight hundred thousand Ducats the greatest part of which he had drawn from the Commonwealth of Florence on the score of his great interest in that City and indeed his Charges were the greater because that with much ignominy he was forced to purchase his
Assembling was deferred from May until the first of November following The month of November approaching near the Pope published an other Bull appointing the Council to be held at Vicenza a City under the Jurisdiction of the Venetians upon the first of May next in the year 1538. deputing for his Legates the Cardinals Campeggio Simonetta and Jeronimo Alexandro alledging for cause of such prolongation the nearness of the Winter which would be very incommodious to those who were to travel thither from remote parts Howsoever upon divers obstacles and inconveniences thereupon occurring the place for meeting of this Council was altered and the time deferred for some years after as will appear by the sequel hereof In the mean time Henry the Eighth King of England who in the year 1535. was by Act of Parliament Authorized Head of the Church of England did now absolutely throw off all Obedience to the Papal Sea at which time the whole Clergy of England was charged by the Kings Learned Council to be in a Praemunire for supporting and maintaining the Legantine power of Cardinal Wolsey and were thereupon called by Process into the Kings Bench but before that day of appearance came they in their Convocation concluded an humble submission in writing and offered the King a hundred thousand pounds to have their Pardon by Parliament which offer after some pause and deliberation was accepted and their pardon promised Until this time the Popes that is Clement VII and this present Paul the third had subtilly dissembled matters between them and Henry King of England intending if necessity had required to have confirmed his Divorce from Queen Catharine to which end Cardinal Campeggio was sent into England and joyned in Commission with the Cardinal of York with Authority to give Sentence in favour of the King and that the matter might receive a speedy dispatch and not be spun out by length of time required in the solemnity of Judgment and passing Sentence a Brief was ready framed and drawn up and the Bull or Seal thereunto affixed whereby the Marriage with Queen Catherine was made null and void in the most ample manner and with Terms and Clauses so full as nothing could be more expressive nor more large than that Instrument with instructions notwithstanding not to present or publish the same unless they received assurances that Henry would continue firm and constant in his Obedience to the Authority of the Church and in this manner things stood and thus far had proceeded in the year 1528. Clement the Seventh being then Pope and so remained in suspense until the time of this present Paul the Third when Henry bidding defiance to the Papal Authority proceeded to actions never to be reconciled with that Church whereupon the Pope issued out his Bull dated the 30th of August 1535. whereby he cited King Henry to appear personally before him and the College of Cardinals at Rome to give answer to all those Cruelties Sacrileges Adulteries and other Crimes whereof he stood accused and in case of refusal he pronounced him and all his Subjects to remain under censure of Excommunication declaring him actually deprived of his Crown and Kingdom his Subjects absolved from all Obedience all actions of Religion interdicted and forbidden to be performed or celebrated in his Dominions commanding all Ecclesiastical persons to depart from his Kingdoms and the Nobles to rise up in Rebellion against him But all this lightning and thunder of Excommunication did little terrifie the resolved mind of King Henry but rather incensed him to proceed in that course which since that time hath laid the happy beginning of that blessed Reformation under which by Gods mercy we enjoy the true and glorious light of the Gospel On these terms England stood in reference to the Pope when publication was made of a General Council to be held at Mantoua and then altered to Vicenza in which case King Henry judging himself concerned in despight of his Excommunication published a Manifesto in his own name and in the name of all his Nobility whereby he protested against any such Convocation assembled by the Popes Authority as being in it self of none effect excepting also against the place as unsecure and the Country as infested with continual Wars But whereas he was desirous of a General Council as being the only means whereby to reform the dissolute matters of the Clergy and suppress the exorbitant Tyrannies and Usurpations of the Clergy he should willingly give his consent thereunto provided that such Convocation were assembled by the Authority of the Christian Kings and Princes who had the sole power and disposal of such matters for as to the Pope he esteemed him only as a Bishop in his own Diocess with no farther extent of Jurisdiction than that which reacheth thereunto the which also was most reasonable at this time when the abuses of the Court of Rome were the chief matters to be reformed and to be presented to the cognisance and censure of such a Council Besides this great defection of England from the Papal Obedience which gave a fatal blow to the Church of Rome the Doctrin of Luther daily grew and dilated it self in all parts of Germany and France with much disturbance for allaying of which and establishment of the truth of the Gospel there was no other remedy mentioned and cried up by all parties but a General Council but this admitted of so many scruples disputes and nicities as to the time and place that nothing could as yet be resolved In the mean time the Turks taking advantage upon the discord amongst Christians entered Dalmatia with Fire and Sword and took the strong Town of Clissa which the pope had fortified with all sorts of Provisions and Ammunition which misfortune the Pope greatly resenting ordered solemn Processions to be made in Rome at which he was present in person and walked on foot and sent his Legates to most Christian Princes exhorting them to lay aside the Quarrels and Wars amongst themselves and unite together against the Common Enemy in order whereunto a League was made between the Pope the Emperor and the Venetians the conditions whereof were that the Emperor should set 82 Gallies to Sea and the Venetians the like number and the Pope 38 with which force of 200 Sail they agreed to invest the Turks Dominions in some parts of Greece Andrea D'Oria was constituted Admiral of the Emperors Fleet Vicenzo Capello of the Venetians and Marco Grimano Patriarch of Aquileia of the Popes and in case any descent were made or Forces landed then Fernando Gonzaga Vice-King of Sicily was to be Generalissimo or Commander in Chief but the success did not answer so great preparations which proved rather dishonorable than advantagious for this formidable Fleet being at Sea near the Promontory of Antium had sight of the Fleet of Barbarosso and might with much ease have charged and vanquished them but Andrea D'Oria the Emperors Admiral refused to engage so that leaving the
Enemy they all divided themselves into three Squadrons under their respective Commanders sailing away in manner of a flight to the great ignominy and shame of the Christian Arms which inglorious action did greatly displease the Pope and more especially the Venetians who instead of some great benefit which they expected in return for all their expence and hazard lost Castlenuovo which was soon afterwards taken by the Enemy Howsoever this publick Disgrace was in some manner repaired by the favour and good will of the Emperor towards the Pope whh bestowed on his Son Pier-luigi the City of Novara and gave Margaret of Austria the Widow of Alexander de Medicis in marriage to his Nephew Ottavio with a Portion of 250 thousand Ducats It happened about this time that Francis Naria da Meltro Duke of Camerin died the Pope immediately resolved to make seizure of Camerino pretending that that place was devolved to the Church ever since the death of John Maria Varano whom Leo X. had made Duke of that place for that he leaving no Heirs Male Feltro had by Usurpation taken possession of that place in right only of Julia the Daughter of John Maria Varano whom his Son Guido Vbaldo had taken to Wife and held the same in despight of Clement the late Pope And now whereas the present Duke was a youth of tender age and no experience the Pope made use of this opportunity to lay his claim which he had concealed during the life of the old Duke and to make it good raised an Army and marched against Camerino with which this young Duke being terrified surrendred the place without other difficulty to the Pope who having satisfied all pretenders to any Arrears by disbursement of great sums of mony he invested his Nephew Ottavio Farnese in the place creating him Duke of Camerino chief Prefect of Rome and Censuary of the Church By this and other expences the Chamber was greatly exhausted of its Treasure to recruit which the Pope laid new Gabels and Impositions on all Commodities in his Dominions and especially upon Salt the which so discontented the People of Perugia that from a mutiny they took Arms and appeared in open Rebellion but being soon queâ—led by the Popes Forces all their Immunities and Privileges were seized whereby they were forced to send their Messengers to Rome with all humility and submission to beg Pardon from the Pope promising all Loyalty and Obedience for the future Ascanius Colonna making also some disturbance on the like occasion was for his contumacy deprived of his Estate in Campagna Paliano was dismantled and his Fortress of Rocca entirely demolished Things being thus reduced and settled in the Temporal State he converted his thoughts to the quiet and security of the Church and considering that disturbances in the world proceeded commonly from want of good Instruction and corruption of manners he commanded the Bishops to their respective Diocesses enjoyning them to reside there and teach their Flocks with good Lectures by their own exemplary lives In the year 1540. he augmented and enlarged the Immunities and Privileges of the Chamber and the Authority of the Referendaries He gave liberty to Clergy men to dispose of their Estates by Testament without leave or interruption of the Apostolical Chamber He gave liberty also to Jews which were converted to Christianity to dispose of their Estates according to their own will and pleasure and reformed many abuses in the administration of Civil and Criminal Causes and towards the end of this year constituted Cardinal Farnese his Nephew Legate at Avignon in the place of the Cardinal D'Auch deceased The Pope as we have declared before shewing himself unresolved in the matter of a Council being very wavering as to the time and place tho he seemed always ready to agree thereunto and from the first time that he was created Pope evidenced an earnest desire above all things to comply with the Christian Princes in that particular at length the Emperor and Princes of Germany finding their Country tossed and embroiled with various disputes of Religion resolved to call a Diet at Regensburg supposing that a National Assembly might settle and determin Controversies in want and for defect of a General Council and in pursuance thereof a Diet was opened at Regensburg about the beginning of March 1541. At this Diet the Emperor himself was present with great hopes that all Controversies about Religion would be here determined and Germany united in the same opinion Hereunto the Pope sent Cardinal Gaspar Contarini to be his Legat a person of excellent prudence and learning accompanied with several others well instructed in the Interest of the Court of Rome and with publick Notaries skilful in drawing up Authentick Acts and Forms of Law to whom above all things it was committed in charge not to receive any Papers or Memorials which might tend to the least abatement or diminution of the Papal Authority but in such case to break up abruptly referring those matters to the determination of a General Council In short after long Conferences and Debates the Diet broke up on the 28th of July the Emperor referring all that had been done or transacted there to a General Council or to a National Synod of Germany or to a Diet of the Empire promising to go himself into Italy to treat with the Pope on that matter and in case the Pope should appear refractory thereunto that then notwithstanding he would within the space of eighteen months by virtue of his own Authority issue forth his Writs for calling a Diet of the Empire for setling the Affairs of Religion and prevail with the Pope to send his Legat to it And in the mean time he commanded the Protestants not to receive any other new Doctrins than such as had already been debated and enjoyned the Bishops to reform the abuses of their Churches He forbad also the dissolution of Monasteries or any seizure to be made on the Estate of the Church and any person or persons whatsoever to change or alter his or their Religion And for the better satisfaction and contentment of the Protestants that in those points which were still under Controversie he left every man free and at liberty in his own judgment and farther that such Monasteries as were not yet demolished should still remain but howsoever should be reduced to a Godly and Christian way of practice That the Goods of the Church should not be seized but left for maintainance of the Ministers without any distinction or difference relating to their Sect in Religion He also prorogued the Assembly at Ausburg until such time as the points there in Controversie could come to the decision of a General Council or a Diet of the Empire After this the Emperor passed into Italy and at Luca met the Pope where in a long discourse he treated at large concerning a Council and the management of a War against the Turks the result of which was this That
the Oar in the Gallies of the Turks Of the Christians after the fight was ended upon the numbers wanting in every Vessel the account of the slain amounted to seven thousand six hundred fifty six This signal Victory was attributed as much to the devout Prayers and Benediction of the Pope as to the valour of the Soldiers and conduct of the Captains the report of which as it filled all Europe with joy so it made way for the glories of Don John who was received into Messina with all the Triumphs and Festivals which that City could express also Antonio Colonna was with the like honour and triumph received at Rome Nor did the Venetian General want such encouragements and honours as that Republick commonly bestows in reward of Valour and Merit In memory of which signal Victory they stamped divers Medals with this Inscription Anno Magnae Navalis Victoriae Dei gratiâ contra Turcas This memorable Victory was obtained in the time of this Pius V. who was certainly one of the best of the Popes and therefore I know not why we may not say without offence to any that this happy success might be given in reward of the Devotion and Piety of this Pope for I am persuaded that God hath a particular care of godly Kings and Princes for whose sake as he often blesseth their people so he bestows some memorable blessings on them of signal Remark in their Reign On which persuasion I am apt to believe that as God bestowed this Victory on the Christians in the time of this Pius V. against that great Sultan Selim II. So now in these our days he hath given Victory and unexpected success to the Christians before the Walls of Vienna against Mahomet IV. in reward of the great Piety and Devotion of Leopold the Emperour whose Devotion and Prayers joyned to the Arms of the King of Poland and of other Princes have operated Miracles and delivered Germany in a wonderful manner from the power of the Turk And yet notwithstanding the religious temper of this Pope we find that he excommunicated Queen Elizabeth as far as his Bull would operate he deposed her from Royal Dignities and conferred her Crown on Mary Queen of Scots and persuaded Philip King of Spain to seize on the effects of the English Merchants at Antwerp and other parts of the Low-Countries and to assist the Catholick Subjects in England in their godly and religious Conspiracies as Gabutius calls them against the Queen their natural Sovereign Pius oblatam occasionem haud contemnendam esse ratus efflatigabat ab Rege ut Anglorum in Elizabetham pie conspirantium studia foveret Thus we see how far a mistaken zeal may transport good Men which though it may in some measure excuse from the aggravation of a Crime yet it cannot prove sufficient to set Men entirely upright at the great day of the just Ballance This Pope added also to his other Excellencies the Virtue of loving wife and learned Men and such as were endued with a vivacity and acuteness of parts for he scarce preferred any to considerable Dignity but such as were excellent in some degree or other and of the twenty one Cardinals which he created at three several times there were five of them at least who were Men of extraordinary Abilities and famous in their Generation He founded certain publick places for Learning and Piety amongst which he endowed a College in the University of Pavia for the Education of Youth and affixed over it the Arms of the Ghislers at Boschi the place of his Birth he built a Monastery for Dominican Friers and endowed it with a competent Revenue and to demonstrate his gratitude to his Antient Benefactors he created a Magnificent Sepulcre in memory of Paul V. by whom he was created Cardinal and in short he made many new Buildings and repaired several that were decayed in the Vatican and both within and without the City of Rome After all which about the middle of March 1572. he became indisposed by a stoppage of Urin of which he commonly had a fit in that Month the which illness encreasing upon him gave him notice that his end approached from which time converting all his thoughts to holy and pious meditations he spent the short remainder of his time in the preparation of his Soul for death which happened on the first of May following the same day he died his Body was embowel'd and three little stones found at the neck of his bladder which the Physitians declared to be the cause of his death He was generally lamented by all and especially by vertuous Men for considering his principles his Enemies had nothing worse to object than that he gave a Dispensation to Philip King of Spain to marry with the Daughter of his Sister and of Maximilian his near Kinsman and yet would never be induced to consent unto the Marriage of Margaret of Valois Sister of the King of France with Henry King of Navarre making the difference of Religion a greater bar to Marriage than the degrees of consanguinity forbidden by the Levitical Law The day after his death his Body being clothed in the habit of a Jacobin was carried into the Church of St. Peter where the people assembled in great numbers to render him Honour and Veneration every one touching their Beads and Rosaries at his Body in the same manner as was their practice at the Reliques of Saints and afterwards he was honourably buried in the same Church where his Body lay deposited until afterwards Sixtus V. in grateful remembrance of the benefits he had received from him transported it to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and erected a stately Monument over it in a Chappel built for that purpose with this Epitaph inscribed upon it Pio V. Pont. Max ex Ordine Praedicatorum Sixtus V. Pont. Max. ex Ordine Minorum grati animi monumentum posuit GREGORY XIII PIVS the Fifth being dead and his Funeral Rites after the accustomed manner being performed the Cardinals entred the Conclave and with common consent elected Hugo Buoncompagno who was Priest and Cardinal of S. Sixtus to the dignity of Pope he was born at Bologna of the antient Family of the Buoncompagni his Father was called Christopher and his Mother Agnola Marascalchi by whom he was at first educated in the Studies of the Civil Law in which having made great proficiency he took his degree of Doctor in the University of Bologna at the age of twenty eight years and in a short time was made Judg of the Court of Trade erected in that City for tryal of Mercantile Causes afterwards in hopes of better preferment he went to Rome where he was constituted an Assistant to the Senator who was Judg of the Court held in the Capitol and the year following he was made Clerk of the Signet for Dispensasations and other Beneficences In the time of Paul III. he was employed at the Council of Trent and made Vice-Auditor of the
first year of his Reign had been celebrated with the like glory as was the former his beginning would have been too happy and auspitious Therefore that the ensuing year might prove more fortunate he intended to make it his chief employment of the whole Winter to offer his Prayers and supplications to God with fasting Masses and Processions that he would be pleased to favour and assist the Cause and Arms of the Christians against the Enemies of the Cross of Christ But whilst the Pope was meditating of these things and contriving means to prosecute the War with most advantage the Venetians unexpectedly about the beginning of the year 1573. clapt up a Peace with the Turks by the mediation of their Bailo who then with the French Ambassadour at Constantinople had treated the Conditions with good success to which Sultan Selim the more readily inclined for having done right to his honour by the Conquest of Cyprus and by taking several Fortresses in Dalmatia he more easily condescended to terms of Peace without diminution or disparagement as was supposed to the greatness of his Power But both the Pope and the Spaniards were not satisfied with the Venetians for having without their consent and privity and contrary to the Articles of their League made this Peace with the Turk In excuse for which the Venetians dispatched their Ambassadours to the Pope and King of Spain giving them to understand that the extream urgency of their Affairs which by many circumstances were rendered difficult had forced them to an Accommodation with the Turk and in like terms they expressed themselves to Cardinal Buoncompagno the Pope's Nephew whom Gregory had in the year 1574. sent unto Venice to complement Henry King of Poland who by the death of Charles IX was returning by that way into France to take possession of that Kingdom In this manner the Pope being eased of his expensive War against the Turk converted the current of his Treasure to the assistance of Henry III. against his Protestant Subjects in France for supply of which he raised the sum of four hundred thousand Crowns by Impositions which he laid on Cities belonging to the Church and confirmed the Bull given by Pius V. for sale of Church-Lands of which there remaining as yet to the value of fifty thousand Crowns of yearly Rent unsold he constituted the Cardinals of Bourbon Guise and Lewis d' Eâ—â—e Commissioners for the Sales Nor was this Pope in other matters esteemed less generous and magnificent for to the Duke of Bruswick who came to visit him at Rome he made a Present of seven thousand Crowns and erected many Churches there from the foundation and built Colleges and Churches to the number of twenty seven in divers remote parts of the World for Seminaries and places of Worship and Religion And for the more solemn and ornamental Celebration of the Jubilee in the year 1575. he enlarged the Street leading from the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore to the Lateran for the more commodious passage of Pilgrims and having repaired the Portico or Porch of S. Maries which was become ruinous he caused this Inscription to he engraven over it Gregorius XIII Pont. Max. Eugenii labantem Porticum refecit magnificentius restituit Viam rectam ad Lateranum aperuit Anno Jubilei MD. LXXV In this year arose dangerous Discords and civil Dissentions between the antient and the new Nobility of Genoua to which latter the Commonalty of the City adhered having by them been possessed with an Opinion that the Antient Nobles in favour of whom most of their Laws ran intended to usurp such an Authority over them as should be little different from Slavery this jealousie made so deep an impression in the minds of the people that they betook themselves to Arms and had proceeded to blood and ruin had not a stop been made thereunto by the Wisdom and Oratory of Senarega the Chancellour who being a moderate Person and one of whose prudence and honesty the people had a great Opinion persuaded both Parties to remit their differences to the Pope the Emperor Maximilian and the King of Spain The which being accorded on all hands Senarega was in behalf of the New Nobility dispeeded to the Pope with whom whilst he was stating the case between both Parties Intelligence was brought to Rome that Don John d' Austria was then at Gaeta preparing a very great Fleet against Genoua in expectation and with probable hopes to prevail by the means and advantages of those intestine Discords of the City But the Pope at the request and upon the applications made by Senarega dispatched a Letter to Don John exhorting him to desist from his Design which was so displeasing to him that in case he persisted therein he was resolved to raise all the force of Italy to oppose his Enterprise the which Menaces having given a stop to the proceedings of Don John several persons were substituted Arbitrators in these differences by the Pope the Emperor and the King of Spain namely Cardinal Morone Castacciaro Borgia and Idiaquez who taking the state of the whole matter into their consideration rectified and reformed many antient Statutes established new in their places and so governed all things with that even hand that an accord was made and concluded in the Month of May 1576. with that satisfaction to both Parties that the Citizens and Inhabitants who had retired from Genoua for fear of the civil Dissensions returned again to enjoy their repose and ease according to their accustomed Liberty Nor was the Pope less concerned for the Peace of Poland where great differences arose amongst the Nobility as hath been accustomary about the election of a King For Henry III. of France having as we have said resigned his Elective Government to take possession of his hereditary Kingdom of France the Election of a new King administred great cause of dispute and argument by reason of the many powerful Princes which stood in competition and were Candidates for the Election as namely the Emperor Maximilian II. and Ernest his Son with his Brother the Arch Duke of Austria Stephen Battori Prince of Transilvania Alphonso II. Duke of Ferrara together with the Great Duke of Moscovy The Contests between these mighty Rivals proceeded to that degree that nothing but force of Arms could determine the Controversie which the Arch-bishop of Gnesne with many other Associates intending to prove forsook the place of Election and with armed Bands declared for Maximilian the Emperor against whom an other party appeared in favour of Anne Daughter of the Royal Family of Jagellona in Poland intending in right of her to confer in Marriage the Crown upon Battori Prince of Transilvania but these dissentions were soon after concluded by the death of Maximilian the Emperor Battori being after his Marriage with Anne by general consent of all the Nobles received and crowned King of Poland and thereupon sent his Ambassadours to Rome to pay his respects and obedience to the
differences And whereas this Republick hath always endeavoured to maintain a perfect good understanding with the Apostolical Chair so now more especially it remains satisfied in having at length obtained this their most just desire of which it is thought fit to give them notice Adding farther That all matters being performed on both sides which were most equal and the censures taken off the Protest also was revoked In the Evening the Senate assembled for choice of an Ambassadour to be sent to Rome and reside with his Holiness the Person elected was the Cavalier Contarini who in Company with three others had formerly been employed to congratulate with the Pope for his assumption to the Papal Chair and herewith ended this great Controversie between the Pope and the Venetians which had disturbed all Christendom and might have been the ruin and destruction of the Papal Authority had not the Pope wisely in time been made sensible thereof and granted every thing almost which the Venetians required In the beginning and progress of this whole matter we may observe the spirit of this Paul V. who aspired to make himself as great as Sixtus V. and seemed to follow much of his way and method but he undertok an Enterprise which was too difficult and out of his power his Errour in which was grounded on a mistake that he was better able to cope or deal with a Republick than with a Monarch for that the first being composed of divers Heads and humours might sooner admit a division in Councils than in a single person and that many of them being zealous and most of them superstitious in Religion might be affected by Ecclesiastical Censures and terrified by Excommunications But the contrary was made to appear by the effects which most evidently have signalized the Wisdom and Constancy of this Republick which would never be obliged to become pliant and flexible by all the fires of Hell and damnation which the Pope could threaten And indeed it farther appears that as the Republick was of Opinion that the Censures of the Pope were invalid when they were not established on just and legal causes so likewise they believed that they could not depart from the least scruple of their temporal Power which God had given them without betraying that Trust which God had committed to their charge and herein they were so resolute and constant that lest they should seem to acknowledg a fault in any one step of the late transactions they would not so much as accept of the Cardinals Blessing lest it should seem to be given in form of Absolution This Controversie being ended which had hitherto allayed all the joy and contentment which the Pope conceived for his late exaltation to the Papal Dignity the Venetians in pursuance of the Articles agreed dispatched the four Ambassadours to Rome namely Francisco Molino Procurator of St. Mark John Mocenigo Peter Dudo Francisco Contareno all Knights and Senatours of Chief Renown whom the Pope received with all imaginable honour being overjoyed to have put an end to a business so full of danger to himself and in which his measures having failed him he no longer argued in defence of his Cause nor entertained the Ambassadours with Expostulations concerning matters past which having had little foundation in any reasons he was desirous to pretermit and to have buried in silence Soon after the promotion of this Pope in the Month of November 1605. that diabolical Plot of the Gun-powder Treason to blow up the King and Queen of England all the Nobles and Commons assembled in Parliament was happily and by God's immediate Providence discovered the particulars of which being recorded in our Chronicles and believed to have been contrived at Rome we shall not need to relate in this place onely that King James for security of himself and his Dominions issued forth a Proclamation commanding all Roman Priests Seminaries and Jesuits as being the chief Incendiaries of troubles to depart the Kingdom of England and not to return upon pain of the severity of those Laws which were made against them as also all Recusants to return home to their Dwellings and not to remain in London or come within ten miles of the Court without special License After which Proclamation the Oath of Allegiance was presently administred to all sorts of people and their names certified to the Lords of the Council who refused to take it The form of this Oath administred to the Recusants in England was brought to Rome and examined and discussed by the College of Cardinals who after mature and serious deliberation did unanimously concur that the said Oath could not be lawfully taken by any true Catholick with a safe Conscience Wherefore the Pope signified so much by his Brief exhorting his people in England to refuse the said Oath and with patience constancy and faith to suffer those persecutions which for this cause were laid upon them In the year 1607. the King of Congo sent an Ambassadour to this Pope called Anthony Emanuel Vunthi for so the Jesuits and other Missionaries into those parts had named him he was received honourably at Rome where the Pope promised to furnish him with several learned and godly Preachers which should return with him into his own Country and there labour to encrease and propagate the Gospel but this Ambassadour falling sick soon after his arrival at Rome was buried in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and with him ceased the design of sending Apostles into those parts Howsoever the Arch-Bishop of Goa in imitation of the late Ambassadour from Congo procured Letters from the King of Persia to this Pope dated at Spahaun the 20th day of January 1608. and were afterwards followed by an Ambassadour called Ali Golikek Mordar who arrived at Rome in the year 1609. and was received into the Vatican where the Pope sate on his Throne and on each side the Cardinals in form and manner of a Consistory Those Writers who favour the Papal Cause pretend that the King of Persia sent then to acknowledg Obedience to the Pope who for that cause returned solemn thanks to God for having enlightned those remote parts with the rays of his Gospel and that the Sun of Righteousness was arisen in those parts after so long a Night of obscure Gentilism and false Religion But the success of following times proved the mistake of this matter the King 's of Persia continuing still in the Doctrine of their Prophet Ali and therefore it may with more reason be asserted and believed that this Ambassadour from Persia was sent in favour and at the instigation of some of the Persian Subjects who were or had been Christians of the Armenian Church which by some Friers crept in amongst them had been seduced from their own to the Roman Church which was not difficult to perform if we consider the poverty of those poor Armenians who were easily inclined to the profession of that Faith upon promises of preferments in the Church so that
was excluded Campori made the greater bustle and so also did Aquino but great and strong Parties opposing against them vacated their Elections At length Cardinal Borghese naming Ludovisio was followed by a general concurrence of almost all the Cardinals almost we may say because Campori upon the news thereof turned pale and ready to fall into a swoon Aldobrandino also and Aquino fell sick and were carried out of the Conclave and Aquino having now lost all hopes of being made Pope took it so grievously to heart that in two days he departed this life Thus Ludovisio being elected he was conducted into the Chappel Parlina where he was vested in his Pontificalibus and acknowledged and adored for Pope on the 21th of February 1621. and took the name of Gregory XV. This Pope was born at Bologna on the third of January 1554. his Father was Count Pompeo Ludovisio and his Mother Camilla Blanchina he was in his youthful years educated in the Jesuits Colledg at Rome where he was instructed in all sorts of Humane and Philosophical Learning returning afterwards to Bologna he studied the Civil Law in which he arrived to the degree of Doctor and thence again setling himself at Rome he gained the friendship of three succeeding Popes by Gregory XIII he was chosen and created Principal Judg of the Capitol by Clement VIII he was made Referendary of both Signatures and presided in all Civil Causes in the place of Deputy to Cardinal Rusticuccio the Pope's Vicar he was afterwards assumed into Commission with the Auditors of the Rota which Office one of his Ancestors named Lodowick Ludovisio had about one hundred and fifty years before with great satisfaction and prudence admitted He was likewise by the same Clement VIII adjoyned in Commission with Maffeo Barbarini Clerk of the Apostolical Chamber who afterwards was Pope and sent to Beneventum to appease Tumults and Seditions arisen between the Officers of the Pope and those of the King of Spain And lastly Paul V. created him Arch-bishop of Bologna upon promotion to which Prelacy he wrote a Letter to his Diocesans full of Charity and paternal affection which was printed at Bologna and is extant at this day About this time a War was begun between Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy and Ferdinand Duke of Mantoua grounded on certain differences about some places in the Dutchy of Montferrat which were the cause of great trouble in Milan and other places of Italy in regard that Philip III. King of Spain took part with the Duke of Mantoua to appease which disturbances and compose which differences Pope Paul employed this Alexander Ludovisio qualifying him with the Title of his Nuntio in those three Provinces to confer with the Ambassadours of France and Spain in which negotiation he so well acquitted himself and with such honour towards the Papal Sea that Peace being concluded and all Disputes ended the Pope in reward of the pains and prudence of Ludovisio on the 20th of November 1616. promoted him to the degree of Cardinal with which Title he resided in his Diocese until news came of the death of Paul V when he immediately repaired to Rome and entred the Conclave on the 8th of February with the other Cardinal and on the 21th of that month was himself created Pope Some few days after which being crowned in St. Peter's Church with the usual pomp he took possession of the Sovereign Power of the Church in the Church of St. John de Lateran which Ceremonies being past he published Jubilies and Pardons over all Christendom to all such who should with sincere minds pray for the prosperity and happiness of his Reign At this time a War began to be inflamed between the Inhabitants and Neighbours of the Valteline in which the Kings of Spain and France became involved the causes and original of which doth not appertain to this History Spain being desirous to interest Gregory in this Cause offered to deposite the Forts of the Valteline in his hands making great ostentations of their desires to Peace and quietness but in Rome the Opinions and Counsels upon an offer of such importance were doubtful and divided for those who penetrated the most deeply into matters of Policy were not willing that the Authority of the Church and Power of the Pope should be so far engaged or that the professed neutrality and mediation should run so much hazard for that being once accepted by the Pope the Conditions of Peace would be rendered more difficult and perhaps impossible for if in case an agreement should happen between two Kings of restoring all things to their former estate it would be difficult to conceive with what decency the Pope could restore into the hands of the Protestants whom he esteemed Hereticks those places which were committed to his Guardianship and custody The Venetian Republick being of the same Opinion sent Soranzo Ambassadour Extraordinary to Rome to disuade the Pope from lending his Name and Authority to the interests of Spain but he yielding an Ear to his Nephews who were overcome by Pensions and Benefices from Spain was possessed with an Opinion and belief that at the appearing of his Colours all the Arms of the Enemy would out of Veneration fall from their hands upon which the glorious memorial of Peace preserved and Religion protected would remain as an Ornament to his Name and a Crown upon his Sepulcre But the French shewed themselves displeased that Gregory had not expected the sence of that Crown upon the matter before he resolved to accept the Deposite howsoever in the French Councils the Opinion prevailed that the Pope should accept of the Deposite with certain limitations and reserves and it was declared that the Deposite should remain until the end of July it being now the month of May within which time the Forts being demolished and all restraints upon the Grisons and Armies removed which did oppress them affairs should be restored to their former State which not being performed the League should supplicate the Pope to join himself to their Arms thereby to obtain the effect In pursuance of these resolutions the Duke of Fiano the Pope's own Brother a dull and sottish Man was sent with fifteen thousand Foot and five hundred Horse to take possession of the Towns to be deposited but had been resisted in the Valley had not the Governour of Milan removed all obstacles but these matters came to no maturity for amidst these transactions the Pope departed this life In the year 1622. Lewis XIII of France was involved in great Wars against his Protestant Subjects and rendered himself Master of the Provinces of Poictou Xantonge Gascony Dauphino and Languedoc Philip IV. King of Spain was employed in Wars against the Hollanders likewise the Emperour Ferdinand II. waged Wars with the Protestants in Germany and with assistance of Marquis Spinola and the Duke of Bavaria despoiled the Prince Palatine of the Rhine of his Dominions and having the plunder of Heidelberg the Duke of Bavaria
be delayed or refused to them So soon as the Barberins were fully restored and received into intimate favour with the Pope the Power of the Cardinal Patron began to decline being seldom or never admitted to secret Consultations so that Ambassadours to make the shorter work omitting the usual address by way of the Cardinal Patron applied themselves to the Barberins to whom the Pope began to disclose all the secrets of his heart being confident of success by the reputation they had gained in the management of Affairs for the space of twenty two years of their Uncle's Reign so that there remained but a shadow of Power to the adopted Nephew For as the Authority and Interest of the Barberins encreased so that of the Cardinal Patron abated at first the Pope seemed very cold and neglective of him but at length burst out into storms of rage and indignation against him he forbad him his presence banished him the Court deprived him of the title of Cardinal Patron disclaimed the Adoption to be his Nephew with express Order that he should no longer be called Pamfilio but Astalli all his Revenues Offices and Preferments were sequestred and at length was banished from Rome and not permitted to carry any of his moveables with him These extravagant changes and sports of fortune made most Men laugh none being able to assign the Cause or Original thereof For they could not attribute it to his Avarice or his unjust gains for besides his ordinary Emoluments which might be worth to him about fifty thousand Crowns a year attended with a great expence he had not laid up one farthing the poor Man had once made a little Money of a vacant Benefice which so soon as Donna Olympia had smelt out she ran with open mouth to the Pope and complained and caused him to refund all into her Apron Azzolini by exclusion of Astalli being created Cardinal was admitted into the Cabal where deep designs and plots were hatching the Barberins suggested the conquering of the Kingdom of Naples blaming the Pope for not making his advantage of the Insurrection of Masinello in the year 1647. Howsoever in this declining Estate of the Spaniards the design upon Naples seemed very feasible The Barberins promised to maintain an Army of ten thousand Men at their own cost until they had reduced that Kingdom to the Dominion of the Church provided that the principality of Salerno might remain to their Family independant of any other Prince and with such fancies and projects as these did they tire and torment the decaying carcass of the dying Pope But as the Pope daily languished so Donna Olympia was ever more industrious taking bribes with both hands bestowing Benefices and Livings in all parts of Italy having in the Marca onely which is but a small Province disposed of three hundred thirty six Benefices which were commonly known besides what had passed underhand and at that time the Sin of Simony was become so scandalous and common that People began to abhor Churchmen and hate their Ministery to which they had attained by abominable practices These transactions at Rome were equally displeasing to the Courts both of France and Spain who now considering that the two Parties and Families of Pamfilio and Barberin were united in one they imagined them able to stand on their own bottoms and to have power sufficient to elect a Pope in despight of those two Kingdoms or opposition of the Medices The Spaniards were most of all vexed at this Conjunction entertaining an inveterate hatred against the Barberins to whom they attributed all the Affronts and neglects passed upon them in the time of their Uncle and judged the loss of Piombino and Portolongone to proceed from them and on score of their quarrel with the Pope the French also though angry enough with the person of Cardinal Barberin whom they considered as unconstant faithless and wedded to his own Interest yet entertained more gentle thoughts of Cardinal Antonio whom having obliged with the honour of Grand Almoner of France with the Bishoprick of Poictiers and the Order of the Holy Ghost they imagined that the impressions they had made upon him by such obliging favours could never be defaced by time or altered by a new Conversation Nor did they wholly lose all hopes of conserving this Interest which was the cause that when the French Ambassadour at Rome made his Complement to young Barberin Son of the Prefect on his promotion to the degree of a Cardinal he put him in mind of the good correspondence which had passed between his Uncle Vrban VIII and the Court of France what affection that good Pope demonstrated to Henry IV. and after him to Lewis XIII and afterwards to his present Majesty now reigning the memory of which was so grateful to him and the Queen Regent that they could not but rejoice in all the good fortune of their Family wishing it might still advance and be exalted to a greater height of grandeur and glory And now all the Art was and great labour used by the Pope Donna Olympia and Cardinal Barberin to draw off Cardinal Antonio from his patiality and concernment which he had a thousand times vowed in the Interest of France the which abated much of their confidence in him and gave a stop to many of their great designs the French Ambassadour endeavoured to keep him firm by many obliging favours the Pope persuaded him to a neutrality which was most agreeable to a good Italian and a religious Cardinal his Brother urged him to cast off the blue Ribbon of his Order as incompatible with the great Cross of Malta and to entertain no intimate communication with the French Ambassadour nor to affix the Arms of France over the gate of his Palace but Antonio giving no ear to any of these insinuations Francisco plainly told the Pope that the onely way to reclaim his Brother from the French was to shew his displeasure by refusing to restore to him the Offices and Places of Trust which Vrban VIII had conferred upon him and to bestow that of Great Chamberlain on his Nephew Charles lately made Cardinal but this course seemed too violent both to the Pope and Donna Olympia they took a contrary way and caused a Brief to be carried to Cardinal Antonio for restitution of all his Offices and Places the which was delivered him by the Prince of Palestrina his Nephew that so he might seem to have gained these favours from the Pamfilians and not from the French After which Cardinal Antonio with all liberty avowed his concernment for France which appeared much more generous to the Pope than the dissimulations of Cardinal Barberin in whom the Pope could never retain a perfect confidence nor an entire affection that it is believed had the Pope lived but some years longer he would have been as weary of the Barberins as he had declared himself satisfied in them after some few months experience of their conduct the misfortune of this Pope
was that he never knew how to make choice of a wise Chief or Directour of his own Party Cardinal Pamfilio was ever esteemed as a Partisan of Spain and of the Medices His whole Family Mother Children Daughters Sons in law and Daughters in law were engaged in mortal Feuds one against another The Faction of the Barberins was not well united for the greatest part of the Creatures of Vrban VIII entertained a secret rancour and venom against Cardinal Francis Barberin who after having vowed himself a thousand times to the Interest of the Pope of Donna Olympia and that Family turned his Coat and endeavoured with all obsequious diligence to be received into the Service and friendship of Spain Thus having continued the History of the Barberins with almost an uninterrupted course or mixture of other Affairs we must return a little back to other passages of moment which intervened in the Reign of this present Pope After the death of Edward Duke of Parma which happened in the year 1649. the Montists wanting the usual payments agreed by the Duke in the time of Vrban VIII and afterwards confirmed by him at the conclusion of the late Peace made their complaints to the present Pope upon which license was obtained and Briefs were issued from the Camera to proceed against the Lands and Estate possessed by that Duke in the state of Castro The prosecution of this matter was more violently carried on by the persuasions of Donna Olympia because she was dissatisfied with that Duke for not selling to her his Naboth's Vineyard which was a certain Castle in the Dominion of Castro and because as she supposed he had been instrumental in persuading the Princess of Rossano who was his kinswoman to take Sanctuary under the protection of France from the Wiles and Plots of her Step-mother The Officers and Soldiers of the Duke made resistance against the Commissioners of the Camera who came to make seisures for payment of the Montists which greatly enraged the Pope who was impatient and frowned at the least opposition made to his Commands but the Great Duke of Toscany apprehensive that the consequences hereof might be an engagement to a second War he endeavoured by means of Cardinal Albornozzi to compose the differences making divers propositions to facilitate the payments and satisfie the Montists but whilest these matters were depending it unfortunately happened that the Bishop of Castro was murdered by certain Assassinates who attended his passage on the confines of the Ecelesiastical State The Pope being furiously enraged by the perpetration of this impious fact which he attributed to the machinations of the Duke of Parma immediately dispeeded certain Troops under the command of David Vidman and Girolamo Gabriel to lay Siege unto the City of Castro At that time the French being Masters of Piombino and Portolongone and having an Army in Lombardy under the command of the Duke of Modena and Mareschal du Plessis Praslin kept the Spaniards in awe and gave countenance to the designs of the Duke of Parma in maintenance of his right invaded by the Pope the Duke encouraged by hopes given him by the French and with an opinion that the Pope who was aged and loved ease and quietness would gladly compound upon reasonable terms so soon as he found himself pressed by any vigorous opposition he therefore imitating the example of his Father raised a considerable Army which he committed to the conduct of Marquis Gaufrid with Orders to march directly into the Dominions of the Pope and lest in their passage thither they should commit Violences or acts of Hostility or burden the people he furnished Money sufficient to defray all the charges necessary for maintenance of the Army whereby he might make appear the caution he used to give no offence and that his War was onely defensive and designed to no other end than to protect and maintain his own Subjects and Estate This tenderness of doing hurt to any had been well accepted and interpreted if the success had answered the hopes and expectations of the Duke but the contrary happened out for so soon as Gaufrid was entered into the Dominions of the Church he was encountred by the Marquis Mattei a knowing and an experienced Captain to whom the Pope had committed the charge and defence of those Countries and being strengthened by a considerable force and with many Gentlemen Voluntiers who came from Ferrara and Bologna to signalize their Valour he gave Battel to the Enemy and soon routed and defeated the Army of Parma the General Gaufrid shamefully flying fell under the heavy displeasure and disgrace of his Prince and being accused by his Enemies of many enormous Crimes and miscarriages and of not having observed the Orders of his Master he was with much ignominy put to death whereby he gave a new Example to the World of the mutability of fortune which from an obscure beginning and birth being raised on a sudden to the highest degree of reputation and esteem with his Master was with as swift a turn tumbled and precipitated down to an abyss of shame and dishonour The Garrison of Castro losing all hopes of relief and succours by this defeat surrendered the Town upon Articles into the hands of the Pope who being enraged for the murder committed on the Bishop commanded for expiation of that Offence that the City should be demolished and accordingly it was so entirely ruined that not one stone remained upon another The Duke in the mean time being terrified with these acts of severity and with the victorious Arms of the Pamfilians who threatned the other Dominions of Parma and finding that neither French nor Spaniards nor other Princes did much take his cause and sufferings to heart he resolved to compound with the Pope by a sale of the Dukedom of Castro and Ronciglione with all the Territories and dependences thereunto belonging with Power howsoever of Redemption within the space of eight years And thus ended these differences for the present which several years afterwards broke out into new troubles and will ever remain an occasion of quarrel and scandal until such time as equal expedients and proportionate to justice are given for mutual satisfaction After the City was thus destroyed the Pope set up a Pillar with this Inscription Here was CASTRO and several Crosses in the places where Churches had been with the same Motto The Bishoprick of Castro with all the Benefices and emoluments thereof was afterwards annexed to the neighbouring Metropolis of Aquapendente It is very certain that this Pope was extreamly rigorous in doing justice well vers'd in business and might have deserved the character of a skilful and an understanding Person had he not blemished his Reign with his unpardonable weakness towards a rapatious Woman and therefore we shall as well repeat his good actions as his bad and give the Reader some instances of his Vertues as well as of his Vices He was a severe lover of Justice in his Officers and would
they were both received with great honour and respect at the Court of Rome but if either of them had acquired a greater esteem than the other it was the Duke of Crequi a person extreamly handsom and well fashioned of a most antient and illustrious Family first Gentleman of the King's Bed-Chamber and in all things so well accomplished that the Court of Rome esteemed it self highly honoured by the presence and administration of so noble a Personage his onely fault was that he was haughty and of an humour so fierce as became a Camp better than the more polite and gentle comportments of an Italian Court or the conversation of Ecclesiastical Persons Howsoever his deportment was pleasing enough to the Pope and Cardinals so long as Don Mario and the Nephews comported themselves as they did at first within the limits of some reasonable modesty but so soon as they began to pass those terms and become insolent this Ambassadour could not long sustain their pride before their resentments broke forth into outragious violences as we shall have occasion to discourse when we come to the year 1662. In the year 1655. Christina Queen of Sweden renounced the Protestant Religion in which she had been educated and with it her Crown which she resigned to her kinsman Charles Gustavus conserving to herself a Rent of one hundred thousand Crowns a year out of the Dukedom of Pomerania and making publick profession of the Roman Catholick Religion she resolved to spend her days at Rome where she might enjoy it in the most pompous and triumphant manner and where she might not onely delight herself in conversation with grave Cardinals and the most learned Men in the World of whom she was a great Admirer but also being favoured by the Pope could on all occasions have recourse to him for Pardons Indulgences and his paternal Benediction Wherefore leaving her Kingdom she apparrelled herself in the habit of a Man in which disguise passing through Denmark and the lower Germany she came by way of Holland to Brussels where in the Privy-Chamber of the Arch-Duke Leopold at that time Governour of the Low-Countries and in presence of him and all his Nobles on the Eve of Christmas she solemnly abjured the Heresies of Luther and made profession of the Roman Catholick Faith The Plague raging that year at Rome she deferred her journey thither until health was restored to that City and Country at which time Alexander VII being created Pope she prosecuted her design of setling her Habitation in Rome which she having signified to the Pope and received his license she made at his desire an other solemn abjuration of Lutherism at Inspruck which might dispose and prepare her more solemn reception into Italy When the Queen was in Germany the Pope dispatched Luke Holsten a Hamburgher by Nation who was keeper of the Vatican Library to make her Majesty a Complement in his name the which Person was the more acceptable to her in respect of the fame and reputation he had acquired of being the most learned Man of that age When she approached near unto Rome he sent four Nuntios to meet her viz. the Arch-bishop of Thebes the Arch-bishop of Ravenna with the Dean and Clerk of the Apostolical Chamber where attendance was truly Royal and magnificent at her entrance into the City she was met by two Legats à Latere namely Cardinal John Charles de Medices Brother to the great Duke of Toscany and Cardinal Frederick Brother of the Lantgrave of Hessen who with a pompous train conducted her to the Vatican Palace where she was lodged with all the Royalty appertaining to a Queen Many and various were the Ceremonies which passed at the reception of this great Person after which on Christmas day she was confirmed by the Pope in St. Peter's Church who superadded the name of Alexandra to that of Christina In the year 1657. the Venetians were hardly pressed by the formidable Power of the Ottoman Arms and being unable by their own force to wage a War against that potent Enemy the Senate omitted no applications or addresses to persuade forein Princes to yield them succour either by Men or Money But Wars raging in all parts of Christendom administred trouble and care sufficient for every Prince to consult and provide for his own affairs and safety The Czar of Moscovy to whom the Venetians sent their Ambassadour promised fair and gave good words but with little other effect it being difficult to concert matters or engage affections or reconcile the Interest of Princes so remote Thus the Venetians becoming destitute of all succours from forein Powers addressed themselves to the Pope as their ultimate refuge in all their distresses beseeching his Holiness to grant them such sums of Mony as might supply their present occasions But alas Rome being but newly recovered from a languishing state of Pestilence and from other calamities before mentioned during which immense sums had been issued from the publick Treasury to sustain the Commonalty in their scarcity and want the Pope alledged just Causes to excuse the disbursment of Money from his Treasury which had of late years been miserably exhausted by the Avarice of those who had had the management of it Howsoever though the Pope pretended himself not able to issue out Money from his own Exchequer yet he hearkened to some Proposals and expedients for raising it by the sale of certain Lands and Rents belonging to the two Orders of the Crociferi and of the Santo Spirito which the Pope's Authority and the cause for which they were sold being for maintenance of a War against Infidels and of the Christian Cause against Turks was sufficient to warrant and hallow the sale and give a lawful Title to any Purchaser The Order of the Crociferi was very ancient and possessed several Monasteries dispersed in all parts of Italy but that of the Spirito Santo consisted of three Monasteries onely and all within the Dominion of the Republick by which they had been endowed under the protection and government of the Council of Ten howsoever the desolation of these Monasteries could not pass without the severe Censures and reflections of the World and though the Friers of those Orders were much fallen from the integrity of their antient institution and become corrupt and debauched in their lives and manners yet their clamours could not be suppressed nor the calumnies which they daily uttered against the Pope and the Republick be quieted Howsoever a Bull being passed and a Decree of the Senate for sale of the Lands together with those of some other smaller Monasteries the Pope's Nuntio with three Senators were commissionated to sell and pass the Title to the Purchasers whereby the Senate raised above a million of Ducats which were all employed to carry forward a War against the Turk Whilest this good correspondence passed between the Pope and the Republick and that the Venetians had daily need of succours and assistances from the Church
which related to the welfare of the Church he took this Omen for an Admonition obliging him to govern with the same Spirit which animated his Predecessour Sylverius Wherefore attending to the welfare of his Subjects and to the advancement of the Christian Cause he eased as we have said his People of several Taxes and in lieu thereof charged himself with a Debt of a million of Crowns to extinguish which and to make that provision which the Venetians required against the Turk who that year hardly pressed the City of Candia he assented to the dissolution of certain Religious Houses which seemed superfluous and of little benefit or concernment to the Church namely the Canons of St. George in Alga the Gesuati the Jeronimites of Fiesole which being places remote and of no great use were formerly under the consideration of Innocent X. and Alexander VII and by both marked out with design to be reduced when the emergent pressures of the Republick should require a supply And now that time being come for the Vizier Kuperlee had for above the space of a whole year besieged the City of Candia had strongly intrenched himself and being daily re inforced with new supplies was in a probable and fair way to gain the Town and therewith to become Master of all the Island of Candia Wherefore the Pope issued his Bull granting licence to the Venetian Republick to sell the Lands and Revenues belonging to those places afore-mentioned within their Dominions and to make use of the Money to carry on their War and expel the Turks from the Kingdom of Candia In this conjuncture the Pope intended to avail himself of the urgencies and necessities of the Republick and to induce them thereby to consent to the abolition of certain Laws which were and had been very derogatory to the Power of the Court of Rome but the wise Republick adhering to the same principles which influenced them in the time of Paul V. declared their unshaken constancy and resolution to admit no innovation of such a nature as was demanded of which the Pope being well advised relinquished his pretensions it seeming unseasonable to take an advantage on the present emergencies of the Republick to obtain that from them which could not be granted without unhinging the whole frame of the publick Liberty And though the suppression of these Convents proceeded currently within the Dominions of the Republick yet on this occasion great difficulties and Disputes arose between the Court of Rome and the Governments of Milan and Naples For at Milan they pretended that these Convents being of Royal foundation could not be dissolved without the King's consent and at Naples they refused to admit that the Money arising from the dissolved Convents should be disposed according to the will and pleasure of the Court of Rome denying all Power to the Archbishop to intermeddle therein as Delegate to the Pope by vertue of his Ecclesiastical Authority and this Controversie was maintained with that heat that the Provost of Naples opposed the Arch bishop with armed Bands when he came to execute the Decrees of Rome on which the Pope made use of his thundering Excommunications howsoever they availed little for the heats were blown into a flame and the matters become so intriguesom as not to be composed until the time of Clement X. the succeeding Pope Howsoever this Pope being in an extraordinary manner zealous for the success of the Christian Cause against the Turk and sollicitous for the preservation of Candia omitted no means which might conduce to the safety of it And therefore after the example of his Predecessours he laboured to engage the Christian Princes in a holy League against the Turk but in regard that it could not possibly be performed until such time as a Peace was concluded between France and Spain the Pope recalled his Nephew Cardinal Rospigliosi from Bruxels where for the space of three years he had resided in quality of Internuntio by Commission from Alexander VII ordering him in his return home to pass through Paris and in a private manner to complement the King endeavouring to discover the inclinations of his Majesty to a Peace with Spain and how he was disposed to yield those succours which were necessarily required for the preservation of Candia In pursuance hereof Rospigliosi performed the Offices enjoined him by his Uncle so well that he inclined the mind of his Majesty to succour Candia which was languishing and almost ready to expire and to yield itself to the prevailing Arms of the Turk and hence it was that Count S. Paul the Duke of Beaufort and Monsieur la Fenillade with many other Cavaliers adventuring themselves in this generous Enterprise at least prolonged the fate though not able to divert it or rescue Candia from the subjection of it's unchristian Enemies Moreover Rospigliosi made those impressions of kindness and good correspondence between the King and the Pope as continued during the whole term of his Uncle's Reign and as an evidence of this friendship the Pope upon return of his Nephew at Rome dispatched the Arch-bishop of Thebes in quality of Legat in Extraordinary into France and Frederick Borromeo with a like Character into Spain which Legats finding a disposition in both Kings towards a Peace so well negotiated in behalf of the interest of Rome that Lewis XIV of France and the Queen Regent of Spain her Son being in his minority appointed Aquisgrane for the place to treat a Peace of which the Pope was by mutual consent of both Kings ordained the sole Umpire and Moderator The zeal which affected the Pope for the succour and relief of Candia was so great that he laboured with all his Power to bring the Peace between the two Crowns to a speedy issue but the French King proceeding in a prosperous course of his Arms concluded that his successes did merit and require the grant of such conditions from his Catholick Majesty as were not consistent with the honour and welfare of that Crown and therefore resolved to make an entire Conquest of the Franch Compte before he entered into farther Treaties or restrain himself within any narrower bounds or limits than those he designed Whereupon the Prince of Conde being declared General for this Expedition in the beginning of the year 1668. he marched to Digion in Burgundy to prepare military Affairs in a readiness to begin early the ensuing Campaign the King also notwithstanding the inconvenience of the Winter season thought fit to be there present in Person which gave that life to action that neither cold or rains or shortness of the days interrupted the progress of the War the Officers and Soldiers issuing from their Winter quarters with the same chearfulness as in the Summer readily invested the most considerable places of the Franch Compte which in a few days surrendred themselves to the victorious Arms of the French leaving the World to wonder at those effects of fear which a sudden surprize had
conjectures as these could have no foundation nor gain belief amongst those who understand the constitution of Rome and the nature of the Cardinal who was more inclined to heap up for himself than sow for others But the more probable Opinion was that Spain was desirous to stand fair with the Pope because France was at odds with him giving thereby a testimony to the World of the unquietness of that Nation which is contentedy with nothing of moderation and in fine that their behaviour towards all is insolent and insupportable The year 1675. which was the Jubily or holy year being entered the City of Rome was after the usual manner filled with multitudes of Pilgrims and Strangers who crowded to obtain the benefit of Pardons and Indulgences which are plentifully issued and bestowed at that time That year six Cardinals were created namely Alexander Crescentio a Roman Marescotti of Bologna Rocci a Roman Albritii a Neapolitan Spada a Roman and Philip Howard of the Illustrious Family of Norfolk who was a Dominican having been Great Almoner to the Queen of England this advancement was much facilitated by her Majesties recommendations The which promotions the French King would not own because the Bishop of Marseglia whom the King of Poland had recommended as we have related at the beginning of this Pope's Reign was rejected to please the humour of the Spaniards And indeed herein his most Christian Majesty seemed to have just cause of discontent for though in the year 1671. Cesar d' Estreé Brother of the Duke of that name and called Bishop of Laon was created Cardinal yet that honour being conferredat the nomination of the King of Portugal in recompence of some services rendered to that Crown and united onely to the bare recommendations of France it was not esteemed as a favour done to that King but to Portugal onely of which Kingdom d' Estreé was made Protectour Howsoever Altieri would not understand it for other than a favour done to France without which and the interest of the Duke d' Estreé his Brother then Ambassadour at Rome it had scarce been obtained for that Duke amongst other Commissions brought from Rome had particular instructions to demand of the Pope the restitution of Castro and Ronciglione to the Duke of Parma according to the Treaty of Pisa but that being a morsel not easily digested by the Pope Monsieur d' Estreé made his way thereupon to gain the Cardinal's Cap for his Brother by a relaxation of that demand About the beginning of the year 1676. there arose a Controversie between the Pope and the Vice-King of Naples concerning the seizure of certain Banditi within the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical State by Officers from the Vice-King upon which Dispute the Son of the Duke of Sora was banished from Rome upon pain of death in case he should return This Pope Canonized Cajetan Tienne founder of the Order of Regular Clarks Francis Borgia General of the Jesuits Philip Beniti restorer of the Order of the Servillians Lewis Bertran and Rose of St. Mary both of the Dominican Order Under these Circumstances Altieri remained with France when Pope Clement the 10th died some few hours before whose death Altieri pressed him to fill up the four vacant places of Cardinals and though the Queen of Sweden and Cardinal Barbarino joyned with him in the same request yet the Pope would not hearken to them nor grant their desire And when at last Altieri became more importunate with him than before designing to supply the four vacant places with Creatures of his own who might be able to fortifie his Interest against the next Conclave the good Pope turned to him and with some Anger said You may well content your self that you have been Pope for six years Suffer me now to follow my own inclinations and be Pope for six hours onely It was now generally concluded and believed that Altieri was so fallen into disreputation with the whole College of Cardinals and with the People of Rome and so hated by all the Prelates that immediately after the Pope's death he would be removed from all his Offices and deprived of his Suffrage in the ensuing Conclave But Altieri had so well feathered his Nest during his Reign under his reputed Uncle that his Riches procured him Friends and reconciled the minds of those who were most estranged from him so that he conserved his Office of Chamberlain with other honourable Charges and obtained a confirmation for his Nephew Don Gasparo in his place of General and afterwards entered triumphant into the Conclave onely his main task was in what manner to reconcile himself to the favour of the most Christian King in regard the Cardinals of that Party declared that they would neither act nor treat with Altieri until he had first given satisfaction to his Majesty INNOCENT XI SO soon as Clement X. had expired his last breath Altieri who was Cardinal Chamberlain gave notice thereof to all the Officers of the Houshold upon which news all the Prelates and Grooms of the Bedchamber in decent and mourning Habits repaired to the Palace of Monte-Cavallo where they found the Body of the Pope laid out on a Pallet covered with Crimson Velvet and there in presence of them all Altieri whose Office it was brake the Sigillum Piscatorium or the Pope's Seal in pieces and the Notaries of the Camera took an Inventory of all the Goods found in the Palace After which the body of the Pope was dedivered to those who were to embalm it and then the Bell of the Capitol was rung out to give notice of the death of the Pope to all the City And now Cardinal Altieri having nothing more to do at Monte-Cavallo repaired to his own new Palace near the Jesu attended with a numerous train where he received the Visits of Cardinals Princes Ambassadours Prelates and Nobles who came to condole with him for the death of his Uncle During the time that the Funeral Obsequies were solemnizing the Cardinals were busied in forming Parties against the time of Election the first day of which was the second of August when a considerable number of Cardinals being assembled in St. Peter's entered in form of Procession two by two with gravity and Order into the Conclave the next day some others were added to them in all to the number of fifty two so on the third day of August the Conclave was shut and Guards set by the Prince Savelli to whose Office it appertained as Marshal of the Conclave On the 4th instant the Mass of Veni Creator being sung the Cardinals began the Choice by way of Scrutiny The Persons nominated were Vidone Barberigo Odescalchi Spinola and Cerri all which had almost an equality of Votes Odescalchi had eleven but proceeding towards the Evening by way of Accession seven Votes only appeared for him On the sixth day in the Morning Scrutiny being made twenty seven Votes were given for Cardinal Corsini but in the Evening