St. Mathew Be not in any case called Masters because there is one that is your Master but be as if you were all Brothers Can any thing be more clear can any thing be of greater proof When Christ spake these words to his Apostles St. Peter was present and therefore like but not Superiour to the rest So as what authority is that the present Divines give to St. Peter over the Apostles and by consequence to the Popes over the Cardinals In my judgement both sides are too blame the Popes to usurp and exalt themselves so much and the Cardinals to prostitute and debase themselves These are the errours that occasion if not the greatest part of our Heresies at least the most stubborn and perverse part of them it being most certain that a great part of their Passion and Acrimony against the Church would be taken away could they but see things honestly administred by an equal concurrence both in Cardinals and Pope But to return from this point from which also we have in some measure been forc'd to digress I will speak now of the infallibility of the Church Let us first examine if there be or ever was such a Church in the world to whom God had vouchsaf'd out of his profound Counsels to bestow any such privilege There is no need of studying or using any long and elaborate arguments to prove that all Churches whatsoever have been subject to Errour dayly experience presenting us with continnal examples that they have fallen into errour as great as can be imagin'd by man The Jewish Church that flourish'd so long under their Patriarchs and Prophets that before the coming of our Saviour had the honour to be call'd the only visible Church of God though it was govern'd by pious and experienc'd Pastors Err notwithstanding and was most miserably involv'd in the puddle of Idolatry so as we read in the Chrenicles That for many days together the Israelites had neither God nor Law nor Priest amongst them all to direct them And the Prophet Esau with Tears in his Eyes and Sorrow in his Heart complains That all their Governors were blind And the Prophet Ezechiel tells us that this Idolatry over-spread the Church as well in Egypt as in Israel But we need not trouble our brains for an instance of their erring the Golden Calf the people made to themselves and worshipp'd as a God in spight of Aaron and Moses who went up into the Mount to receive the Tables of the Law is too sad an evidence Jeremiah complains with great anguish of the miseries of Juda that was fallen into that profound and bottomless impiety it was a question whether there were more Cities or Idols in her Dominions And at the time of our Saviours coming into the world he found the Church infected with an infinite number of Heresies and Innovations introduc'd by the false Doctrines disseminated by those very Scribes and Pharisees that govern'd it Let the Scriptures be look'd over never so seriously let the Ecclesiastical Histories be examin'd never so strictly I am sure there is not any particular Church to be found since the time of the Apostles that retains its proper and Primitive Purity and has not deviated by some corruption or other from its first method and form So as St. Paul had very good reason in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans to exhort them to have a care they did not wander from the truth The Church of Rome notwithstanding all this believes her self infallible or at least some Divines would perswade her so In Genoa there was a Priest called Father Zachary as I remember I am sure he was a Dominican that Preach'd upon that Subject he was a great Orator and had a vast memory he us'd all the arguments were possible to prove it and amongst the rest this one in St. Mathew And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it which he urg'd with that vehemence that he declar'd that as often and every time the Church did err so often should Christ himself break his promise with the Church The Father being himself both Opponent and Respondent there was no answer given to that position yet it may be very well alleadg d that Christ in those words spake not of any particular Church but only of the Church of his Elect and therefore assures us also in other places that all the Machinations Persecutions and Conspiracres of the three implacable Enemies of mankind united shall not be able to extinguish and irradicate that Church because Gods Foundations are firm and unmoveable and he knows who are his own As it is in the Apostle to Timothy to which may be added those words of our Saviour The Heaven and the Earth shall pass away but my Word shall not fail intending thereby the Church where the word of God is preach'd And if it happens at any time that any particular Church deviates from the right way which is the way of truth the only foundation of the Church and upon which our Salvation is built God of his mercy will raise up another to convince that of the errour it is fallen into Amongst all the Churches since the beginning of the world there has not been found that unconstancy and confusion as in the Church of Rome so many Anti-Popes Schisms Heresies Controversies Confusions Suspensions Persecutions so many false Opinions Scandals Tyrannies and Intestine Quarrels as there Several times have they been known to adore two Popes in the same Province at once at another time three of several Nations the very Colledge of Cardinals being divided some of them favouring one side some another and some of them believing neither of them lawfull This I am sure that at the Election of one Pope there grew such Schism in the Church the people were in great perplexity and confusion and not knowing by reason of the difference amongst the Cardinals which was the true Christian Church they were to follow they remain'd not only months but years in that irresolution as if they had belong'd neither to God nor the Devil Is it not too true Their Ecclesiasticks themselves do not only dispute in their Councels but fall out and quarrel with that vehemence and passion they will sooner leave the Councel than their Opinions so pertinaciously proud are they of any thing that is their own though with the greatest scandal to the people who in that uncertainty of the truth forsake not only their fiery and unreasonable Opinions but their Religion it self But what shall I say Are there not Bishops that Preach false Doctrine in their Diocess chaulking out Rules of living to the people contrary to the meaning of the Gospel and what is taught in Rome And have there not been Popes that have been disclaimed by their Clergy From hence it may be easily concluded that their Opinion that hold the Church infallible is false and erroneous and if the Church be fallible much more the Pope who though Governour
of Placenza Preaching upon the same Text before the same Duke reiterated three or four times That those Princes that had the honour to wear Crowns upon their heads ought not to come in competition with the Priests They wearing their Miters to show that as the high Priest which is God himself intitled himself King of Heaven so the Priests who are but inferior Deities ought to be receiv'd by all the world as Kings and Supreme Lords of the Earth In Cenoa in the presence of the Duke and by consequence of the whole Senate there was a Carmelite with great gravity and as if he had been actuated by some Spirit delivered this Doctrine That Kings Princes and Senators were as good as nothing That the Priest was all in all That if their Dignity was much greater than it was it was to be thrown down at the feet of the Priests forasmuch as their Office was but Humane and the Priests Divine they were men and not Gods but the Priests both Gods and Men. Not much unlike this was the discourse held by a Franciscan in a Church in Milan in the presence of the Marquess Caracena having made a parallel before betwixt God and a Priest he pronounc'd this very boldly That God as he was God had preceedence of a Priest but that a Priest as God and Priest too was to have preceedence of our Saviour so as those two were to be united before a Priest could be equall'd But that which in my judgement savour'd most of Buffonry and Blasphemy in the whole Sermon was another Comparison he had betwixt a King and a Priest in these very termes That Kings were made up of Humane flesh but Priests of the Spirit of God That Kings were indeed above other men but that Priests were Superiour to Kings That Kings did converse with their Courtiers but Priests with Angels the Courtiers of Heaven That Kings had a Temporal Jurisdiction but that the Authority of the Priesthood was Spiritual And lastly That Kings could command the Creature 't was true but 't was the Priest that commanded the Creator That Kings had much trouble and difficulty to make the people obey them but that the Priests by virtue of the words of Consecration constrain'd God Almighty himself to descend into their hands upon the very first signal Never in my whole life was my mind under greater disturbance than at that time to hear that Beast of a Priest deseminate such Doctrine and that which aggravated my indignation was that I could not resolve with my self whose indiscretion was greatest the Franciscan in preaching after that rate or Carazens in hearing him Before this time I made it my business to magnifie the Valour and Prudence of that person after this I could never have that reverence for him to see him prostitute his attention to such wicked discourse and with patience endure such insufferable insolence the whole Sermon being but a drol and derision of Kings and their Ministers as if he had design'd to mock and jeer the veneration they had for their lawfull Prince out of the breasts of the people But this was Venial in respect of what was maintain'd by another Father who deserv'd the next day to have ascended again but to the Gallows and not the Pulpit and I am confident my Reader will be of the same mind God Almighty be my witness if I add or diminish any thing in my Relation Being in the City of Naples in Lent 1647. it was my fortune to hear a Franciscan Preach in the Church dedicated to Saint Mary but with more Volubility than Virtue True it is I was not present at the beginning I came time enough to understand that the principal drift of his discourse was to evince the people that the Religious which he restrain'd to their Preachers and Priests were oblig'd to reprehend the Errors and Enormities of all people but especially of Kings and advancing in this manner with great Oratory he pronounc'd the Priests to be as Gods to all Princes and to prove it produc'd that place of Scripture where God Almighty commanded Moses to go unto Pharaoh said this to him I have made thee a God to Pharaoh and Aaron thy Brother shall be thy Prophet c. From which words he drew several consequences and amongst the rest this That the Princes of this Age were the Pharaohs of Christendome and the Priests the Gods of those Pharaohs and in the height of his Rapture he cryed out two or three times Ah Pharaohs Pharaohs why will you be disobedient to the Priests that are your Gods From such kind of discourses as this it is that all the Tumults and Revolutions of the people do proceed as was too lately manifest in the Kingdom of Naples Nay would to God that furious Rebellion had not been hatch'd in the Studies of the Priest where 't is to be fear'd the ruine of Secular Monarchie is principally contriv'd For my part I could swear without much scruple that the Ecclesiasticks are the greatest Rebels because in their Commotions they pervert the zeal of the people towards God joyning it with their passion and indignation towards man In the presence of Madam Royall in Turin a certain Priest that is still living and therefore I will not name him in a Sermon he was preaching upon the Excellence of the Sacerdotal dignity could not hold from crying out twice or thrice Princes Princes so many Priests so many Princes But that which pleas'd me most of all was the conclusion of his Sermon in which casting up his eyes very gratefully to Heaven he us'd this Expression O Lord I give thee thanks thou hast decreed me to be a Priest and not a Prince I believe my Priesthood of more value than all the Principalities in the world as I am a Priest I am a Prince whereas had I been a Prince I should have been nothing And these are the excellent Harangues the Italian Preachers do frequently make in the presence of their Soveraigns From hence it is the Grandeur and Lordlyness of the Cardinals does spring From such discourses as these it is that the Sacerdotal Monarchy is sprung which gnaws and devours insensibly the very bowells of Secular Principalities whilst the Ecclesiasticks advance themselves dayly by preaching up themselves Monarchs and Gods upon Earth whereby they secure what they have got are adding hourly new dignities to their Priesthood and that to such a height that at this time it may be said as properly at Rome as the good Father said at Turin Princes Princes as many Princes as Cardinals God Almighty has been pleas'd I should be a poor man not a Prince so as my condition is to obey not to command Yet had the Divine Providence seen it fit to have alter'd my Station and brought me forth a Prince into the world I should not certainly have suffer'd such liberty of publique discourse within my Dominions or that Christians by such Gibberish should be brought into a
Duties The first Pastors of the Church rejoyc'd to keep themselves at a distance from the Interests of Princes as fearing to defile the Innocent Purity of the Flock of Christ with the Diabolical pollutions of Secular policies But their Successors beginning to be curious and to pry into the most occult and private policies of Princes they would not suffer the Court of Rome to be medling there but gave themselves over to endeavour the introduction of their own Interests into the Cabinet of the Interests of the Popes For certain ages Rome was free from those intricacies that are familiar in Temporal States contenting it self to conduct the Flock of Christ to the Fold with her Pastoral Sheephook only I mean her Spiritual Arms but no sooner was she become greedy of Principality and Dominion but the Princes observing her Crosier to be chang'd into a Sword and the Book of the Gospel into an Epitomy of Politicks began also to imitate Rome seeing Rome following their Rules in Temporal Affairs For three hundred years and upwards the Primitive Church continu'd in a most Holy decorum without the least obstacle in the Election of her Popes they being then contented with the bare Title of Bishops of Rome The Elections were not made by the Interest of Princes or the Capriccio of Nephews as they are now but by a Holy Zeal in the Bowels of the Electors who us'd to meet sometimes in this place sometimes in that and many times in the Woods by reason of the cruelty of those Tyrants that envy'd the tranquility of the Christians They had in those dayes no secret nor private Votes because the inward designs of those Primitive Chistians were suitable and correspondent to their outward zeal and profession of good works The Deacons that is they who endued with greater Charity and Devotion serv'd the Church sometimes in collecting of Alms for the common necessities sometimes in distributing Relief to the necessities of the poor were admitted to the Election together with such Priests and Curats as were nearest to the City of Rome With what simplicity and integrity they proceeded to the Election of Popes in the Primitive times of the Church may be argued from what happen'd in the Vacancy of Pope Anthero who dyed according to Eusebius's calculation in the year 243. The Holy Fathers were met according to their usual custom to consult about a Successor and whilst they were discoursing of the virtues of this man and the abilities of another it happen'd that Fabiano Romano pass'd by near the place of their Assembly in order to the looking to some grounds of his which he did not disdain to cultivate many times with his own hands He was no sooner come over against the place wherein the Electors were met but a Pidgeon from a Neigbouring Dove-house alighting upon his Shoulder gave occasion to the Fathers to arise from their Seats at the first notice of it and esteeming it a Prodigye they proclaim'd him Pope unanimously every one being confident it was the intention of the Holy Ghost who was represented in that Dove Fabianus who thought of nothing less than to be chosen Pope was astonish'd at the business and not judging himself worthy of so great a Ministry he begg d upon his knees to be excus'd but his humility being overcome by the perswasion of the Electors he at â—ast embrac'd the Pastoral Cure of the Church in which after he had exercis'd it for the space of seven years with great advantage to the Christians he ended his dayes under the Tyranny of the barbarous Emperour Decius who at that time us'd great cruelty to the Christians constraining them from the City into the Woods which they were glad to make their houses of God seeing that the Emperour was pleas'd to make Cities places for wild Beasts and for Devils The Popedome was not ambition'd but avoided by the Ecclesiasticks because it commonly lost them their lives that exercis'd it He that found himself too weak and timerous to suffer Martyrdome renounc'd the Papacy and confess'd the imbecility of his nature and indeed who would ever have receiv'd much less have sought an office which brought no other advantages along with it than the persecution of Tyrants Now adayes what broyls what intrigues what differences are there at the creation of Popes where is he who would desire Votes to be made a Martyr For my part I dare affirm the Church would be as Holy in these times and perhaps more now we are as it were in the latter end of it than it was then in its beginning if the Popes were call'd to Poverty and not Riches to Martyrdom not Magnificence and to the care of the Church and not of Governments But whether do my thoughts transport me Let us return to our business and assert that the Church was Holy without Discord or Schism or Heresie to the dayes of San Silvester which were about the year 325. till that time the Popes having been Elected with tranquility and peace and no small satisfaction both to the Electors and Elected The Holiness of the Church I mean that Holiness that respects the Election of Popes began to cease under the Emperour Constantine because the Persecution of the Christians ceas'd Constantine suffer'd the Church to enjoy Peace that is of the body possibly but with greater torture to their minds for with the ease and wealth which he bestow'd upon the Ecclesiasticks with the conveniences of Houses and the Government of Cities which he assign'd to the Popes Charity began to grow cold Zeal to be weaken'd and Devotion to be lost and those Ecclesiasticks who formerly imploy'd their whole times in heaping up Penitencies and Fastings by those good works to purchase the Glory of Heaven began after that time to apply themselves to the acquisition of money to the begging of Abbeys and Bishopricks by those means to procure the glory of the world As soon then as Riches were introduc'd into the Church Schism and Heresie were introduc'd amongst the Clergy and Pride which began then to spread and worm it self into the hearts of those who were formerly meek and humble and sâ—câ— as shunn'd dignity and hid themselves from preferments insomuch as that Papacy which was avoided by every body as a thing that brought nothing but persecutions along with it began to be aspir'd too as soon as they perceiv'd their fear turn'd into security their flight into repose and their torments into happiness For if formerly by reason of the poverty of the Popedome they were subject to Tyrants they believ'd afterwards by virtue of their wealth to make Martyrs even of the Tyrants themselves No sooner did the Popes appear with their Miters of Gold and with their Scepters in their hands commanding the people but all of them design'd the destruction of the Secular Power to ingrandize the Pontifical Majesty to make themselves courted by the Vulgar and honour'd by the Great ones but the Emperours growing jealous of them began
his whole Army he let the Clergy and the People understand he would have a Pope of his own choosing and accordingly he nam'd a certain German call'd Bruno who was his Kinsman The Clergy and the People excus'd themselves at first pretending that the Election was free and that it was convenient that several persons should be introduc'd into the Scrutiny but the Emperour insisting that he would have no other to avoid the falling into his displeasure the Electors were constrain'd to create the said Bruno under the name of Gregory the fifth But as soon as the Emperour was return'd into Germany the People took up Arms under the conduct of the Consul Crescentius and drove the poor Pope Gregory not only out of the Vatican but our of Rome who betook himself immediately to the Emperour to make his complaints of their insolence towards his person but whilst he was upon his way the People and the Clergy created the Bishop of Placenza a Grecian born Pope who took upon him the name of John the 13. The Emperour receiv'd Gregory very kindly in his Court treated him as Pope and with his whole Army brought him back to Rome which he took by force and exercis'd the greatest cruelty imaginable against the Romans but the greatest part of his indignation fell upon John and Crescentius the first of which was kill'd in Prison strangled as some report poyson'd as others but be it which way it will he dy'd there and Crescentius was hang'd without the walls of the City in the sight of all the people The Clergy endeavour'd what they could to exclude the people from the Election of the Pope but they knew not which way to bring it to a resolution because they understood very well they were naturally inclin'd to Novelties and Sedition In the year 1004. it happen'd that John the 19th was created Pope and had the Title of Secco added to his name and because the people at the beginning of his creation were averse and with great difficulty consented at last when they saw the Clergy resolv'd to have no body else John who was an Italian as soon as he was created retain'd it in his mind apply'd himself to be reveng'd and endeavour'd the total Exclusion of the people from the Election of the Pope being provok'd by the constant solicitations of the Clergy And that he might with the greater facility bring it about he ingrandiz'd the Title of Cardinal giving them great Priviledges and amplifying their Authority and Jurisdiction to a great heighth which design succeeding and the Cardinals rising to an eminent pitch John publish'd a Bull for the Exclusion of the people pretending they were to be instructed and not to instruct and that they were to follow the Clergy and not the Clergy them which Bull was afterwards confirm'd and much inlarged by Gregory the 7th in the year 1075. and by Innocent the second a Roman in the year 1135. This Bull of Pope John the 19th was effectual for a while according as they were able to deal with the Emperours Forces and to their affection to the Apostolick See yet the people did not forbear in the mean time by their insolence and power to endeavour their re-establishment in so much that the Cardinals were oftentimes constrain'd to go out of Rome to elect their new Popes upon the vacancy of the Chair The more the people strove to work themselves in again into the Elections the more the Cardinals sought to exclude them which occasion'd great scandals and schisms in the Church and of this there happen'd so tragical an instance in Rome in the year 1045. that the Christians had reason to bewail it for several years And this happen'd by reason that the Emperor pretended to a power of electing the Pope by virtue of several Bulls which were extant to that purpose and did clearly make out his claim the people on the other side press'd very hard to be restored to the posture they were in before they were interrupted by John the 19th The Cardinals who for several years had had the sole faculty of electing the Pope resolv'd to adhere to their Priviledges and keep out both Emperor and people and all parties continuing firm to their pretensions each of them created his Pope viz. Benedict the 9th a Florentine Silvester the 3d. a Roman and Gregory the 6th all three of them residing in Rome Gregory in the Palace of Santa Maria Maggiore Silvester in the Palace of Saint Peter and Benedict in the Palace of Saint John Lateran which was one of the antientest in Rome These dissentions gave no small impediment to the growth of Christianity nor no little diminution to the number of the Faithfull but of great advantage to the enemies of the Faith A thousand cogitations and jealousies boil'd in the hearts of the Christians in every City they discours'd of it and the service of God grew languid and cold Henry the third who was at that time Emperor of Germany fore-seeing the ill consequences these Schisms would bring upon the Church and the quiet of the Empire in particular without losing one moment of time he came with great diligence to Rome where he was no sooner arriv'd but by his own absolute Authority he call'd a Synod in which the three good Popes were condemned and Clement the second chosen The Cardinals made many instances and supplications to the Emperor that the Pope might be elected by the Ecclesiastical Synod alone without the intervention of the people but the Emperor thought it not seasonable to disgust them least after he was departed they should fall again to their Schisms and by this means Clement was elected by the votes both of the Clergy the people and the Emperor The first solemn Ceremony this Pope performed was the Coronation of the Emperor in which there was no consideration of expence That Ceremony being past the Emperor prepar'd for his Voyage but Clement beseech'd him to give him his helping hand before his departure in what he was resolv'd to do which was to renew the Bull of John the 18th for exclusion of the people de novo from the election of the Pope and because History did mention the Tragedies that succeeded by reason of such exclusion attempted so many times without effect the Emperor and Pope in spight of the people consulted together and resolv'd to make the people themselves condescend to their own exclusion by a solemn abjuration The people refus'd it with a thousand protestations but finding the Emperor resolute and threatning corporal punishments to such as durst oppose it the Pope preparing to thunder out his Excommunications against all that refus'd it and they being on the other side tyr'd out with Wars Sackings of Towns animosities and calamities suffer'd upon the score of Elections they condescended to their demands and submitted to swear upon the hands of the Pope who held the Book of the Gospel open in the presence of the Emperor which Oath was taken not
in other things apprehending some violence fortify'd himself in his Palace and was besieg'd there the space of five or six months But being weary of being close so long he embarqu'd in the Rhone upon certain Gallies which he had caus'd to be put in order for such an enterprize whilst he was besieg'd in his Palace and in them he escap'd into Catalonia which was his own Country Some there are who will have it that these Princes undertook to discourse in this manner to Benedict at the great instance and importunity of the French Cardinals who hated the said Benedict because he was a Catalonian and not a Frenchman besides which there were other reasons that render'd him odious and particularly whilst they were treating after the death of Clement the Anti-pope to choose a Cardinal of France they could not agree among themselves so that to remedy that they thought good to choose a third person which was Benedict as soon as he was created Anti-pope to shew his zeal for the good of the Church he began to make Laws for the reformation of abuses and many times he admonish'd the Cardinals to live with more Sanctity and abstain from Simony otherwise he would have them punish'd severely In short he was outwardly as meek as a Lamb but inwardly as rapacious as a Woolf The Cardinals therefore not being able to endure his humour they unanimously sollicited these Princes to put a remedy to the business and prevail that Benedict should be depos'd and another more worthy be elected Pope in his place The Italian Cardinals and the Cardinals of other Nations which were present in Rome after the death of Innocent having observ'd the great negligence the three last Popes had used and how little care they took to prevent the ruine which so long a Schism carry'd with it besides other evils they saw daily springing in Christendom Being enter'd into the Conclave in a place near Saint Peters they swore all of them solemnly upon the Holy Evangelists which their Dean held in his hand that they would every one of them renounce the Papacy if they were chosen so that the French or Catalonian Anti-pope renounc'd his Anti-papacy first The cause of this resolution was to satisfie the French who having introduc'd the custome of creating of Popes according to their own mode it seem'd impossible to turn them out of that way with reputation unless the Italians resolv'd to do the same and the rather because Benedict declar'd it would be in vain to think of a remedy for the scandal of the Church without a renunciation of both the Popes whereas if they renounc'd another would be chosen out of the whole Colledge of Cardinals that would be true and undoubted Pope whom the Princes and the people would make no difficulty to obey In the year 1406. Angelo Corraro a Venetian was created in Rome he was Cardinal of Saint Mark and took upon him the name of Gregory the 12th before he came out of the Conclave they made him promise in writing under the hand of the Notary to observe what he had promis'd and subscrib'd with his own hand and at last gave him an Oath but the place where these two Popes were to meet as we shall see by and by being in dispute and they not like to come to an agreement both Gregory and Benedict alleadging a thousand difficulties the French Cardinals resolv'd to abandon Benedict and the Italians Gregory and to declare them breakers of their Faith The Cardinals of Avignon and of Rome both being come to this resolution they met at Pisa and by common consent depriv'd Gregory and Benedict too all the rest of the Nations concurring with them but Catalonia and the hither part of Spain a strange thing the Spaniards who have been the greatest Schismaticks in the World are at present the zealousest Catholicks in the Universe The King of Scots and the Comte d'Armignac were favourers of Benedict But in despight of their contradictions the Cardinals resolv'd by common consent to create a Pope who in such calamitous times should govern the Church of Christ with Holiness and Piety and accordingly they elected Pietro Filardo a Minor Fryer and Archbishop of Milan who took upon him the name of Alexander the 5th a name suitable with his actions he being the most generous person that perhaps ever was amongst the Princes for which reason it was pleasantly said by himself that he was a rich Bishop a poor Cardinal and a beggerly Pope Gregory understanding the news of Alexanders creation and the sentence of the Cardinals against him and Benedict fled towards Romagna urging and insisting where-ever he came upon a General Council he stay'd at Rimini for some time where he was magnificently entertain'd by Carlo Malatesta Benedict after he had held a Council in the City of Perpignan by the intervention of his own friends he retir'd again for his greater security into his Castle of Paniscola where he had been a long time before But though these two Anti-popes had been depriv'd by the Council of Pisa nevertheless they desisted not from their Ecclesiastical and Papal functions creating of Cardinals and particularly Gregory created Gabriel Condolmero Cardinal who was afterwards Eugenius the 4th as we shall shew in its proper place He liv'd not above eight months Pope after his death the Cardinals assembled at Bologna where Alexander dyed and created Baltasar Cossa a Neopolitan Pope who would be call'd John the 22. This Election according to the opinion of several Writers was violent and forc'd because the said Baltasar being Legate not only of the Town but the Province of Bologna he had a certain number of Souldiers under his command which as soon as Alexander was dead he began to double and augment from whence it was collected that not being able to obtain it any other way he did it in order to his Election to the Papacy Be it as it will he was created Pope a Dignity he alwayes aspir'd to and that so ardently that having studied the Law for some time in his youth at Bologna and having commenc'd Doctor he departed for Rome on the way he met with a Friend of his who ask'd him whither he was going he answer'd him immediately I am going Brother to acquire the Papacy Being come to Rome he was made secret Chamberlain to Boniface the 9th and a while after created Cardinal of Saint Eustachius he was sent Legate to Bologna which City and the Country belonging to it he reduc'd in a short time to the obedience of the Church and a great part of Romagna therewith banishing and driving away some malefactors and executing others For the space of nine years he gain'd great honour and authority in Toland and a vast quantity of wealth After Alexander was dead he brib'd the Cardinals with his money especially those poor ones which Gregory created by which means he arriv'd at his so much desir'd Papacy Christendom being weary to see so many Schisms
contempt of their Soveraigns and inslav'd by a blind obedience of the Church For my part I think those kind of delinquencies no less than Treason and that though such expressions appear at first sight but trifles and rhetorical ornaments yet 't is not to be imagin'd what influence they have upon the people how much they inflame and enamour them with the service of the Church and how much they lessen their devotion to their Prince whilst they perswade them that their Princes are inferiour to themselves That Race of Incendiaries is fit for nothing but the fire or to be banish'd out of every Kingdom as unworthy to dispense the Oracles of God that their Pulpits may be supply'd by sober and learned men and such as will preach the Word of God and not the Policies of Man the Doctrine Christ hath left us in the Gospel and not such Insinuations and Inveglements as they make use of in their Pulpits that thereby the affection of the people may not be perverted from their Prince but that they may be inflam'd and excited to a more cheerfull Obedience Had the Priesthood no designs against the Authority of Princes their proceedings would be with more sincerity than they are and they would give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars I have known contention in more than three or four Cities in Italy betwixt the chief Magistrate and the Bishop and the occasion was that the Bishop pretended to the presentation of the Preacher and the Prince would allow none of them to preach without his License So as by reason of these controversies Lent has several times past without any News from the Preacher I call it News because their preaching is now adayes little else but Novelties or which is worse Trifles or Sacrilegious Speculations unworthy to be publish'd in any Christian Church Amongst the Protestants also there are the same differences The Clergy pretend to the Election of their Ministers and that they can do it at their pleasure which notwithstanding is not conceded by the Civil Magistrate who will not suffer any to preach in his presence but such as he chooses himself so as in a certain City I could name there have some Cures been void above two years together because they could not agree in the Election of their Preacher But from whence I would fain know does their pretension proceed If the Clergy be Subjects upon what grounds is it they would behave themselves like Princes The privilege of Licensing or Electing of Ministers is in my judgement absolutely politick and therefore pertaining to the Civil Magistrate and not to the Church to whom the power of Ordination belongs indeed but not the power to Present and in this case it is of very great importance that all Princes and Magistrates be vigilant For the end of the Clergy in preferring their Preachers in the Cities is nothing else but that seeing themselves excluded from all secular jurisdiction they would this way take their Liberty and publish what Doctrines they please It is convenient therefore that all Soveraigns should consider that the people are at their dispose and that such Ministers are to be put over them as are suitable with the Genius of the people Moses could not readily resolve to go and speak unto Pharaoh till it pleas'd God to constrain him by the force of his power Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say However in these times the Prelats presume to put what Preachers they please upon their Princes and such sometimes as are ignorant in the Fundamentals of Christianity and that fall upon discourse nautious and unpleasant to the Palats of their Princes But of all Nations France is the happiest for preserving intirely the privileges of that Church it will by no means admit of that Ecclesiastical Grandeur and Authority which the Clergy have usurp'd in other Countries and which with great arrogance they do still exercise as if they were Princes and not subordinate at all And for conservation of the privileges of the Gallican Church the King of France loses no opportunity in the year 1626. as soon as news arriv'd at Paris that there was a Scandalous Book printed at Rome the year before intituled Antonii Sancterelli Jesuitae de Heresi Schismati Apostasiâ— c. in which he spake to the disparagement of the Power of Princes but magnity'd and exalted the Authority of the Pope The Parliament was immediately call'd by his Majesties Order and every period of the book strictly examin'd and having deliberated as was fit in a business of that importance at last by an Arrest of the whole Parliament it was Decreed that these following Articles should be Seal'd Subscrib'd confirm'd and Sworn to by the Jesuits in the presence of the whole Court of Parliament to the no small disgust and dissatisfaction of that Order The Articles were these That the King of France holds not his Kingdom from any thing but from the bounty of God Almighty and the power of his Sword That the King in his own Dominions had no Superiour but God That the Pope cannot upon any occasion whatsoever Interdict or Excommunicate either the King or his Kingdom nor in any case dispence with the Allegiance and Fidelity his Subjects were oblig'd unto him These Articles were receiv'd with no small compunction by the Jesuits whose design being alwayes to aggrandise the Pontifical Authority by the diminution of the Regal they could not advance the one but by depression of the other The President of the Parliament having demanded of the said Fathers if they did approve of that book of Santerelli's they answered no they did not being ask'd again why then their General at Rome had approv'd it they made answer That those who were at Rome could do no less than comply with the Court of Rome The President to entrap them perchance as indeed it fell out demanded immediately If you had been at Rome what would you have done to which they reply'd We would have done as they have done that are there which being heard by a Grave Person of the long Robe he spake out these words aloud I believe our Father Jesuits have two Consciences at their Command one of them for Rome and the other for Paris Venice is a place as eminent for Devotion in Religion for Piety and Zeal in the Service of God and the Church not only as any Republique in Christendome but as Rome or the Pope himself Yet when any thing is in agitation about the Popes Authority or the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction they will by no means permit the Clergy of their Dominions to Intrench or Usurp upon their Supremacy which they acknowledg'd only from Heaven and the Conduct and Valour of their Ancestors In Venice the Churchmen are Subjects not Princes 't is the Senate that Governs all with an effectual and Independant Authority as well in Spiritual things as Temporal insomuch that the Introduction of any
solemn Entry of the Queen of Sweedland I heard an Expression of a Roman that gave me so great scandal that from my Cradle I was not in greater perplexity than at that time and all upon occasion of the Grandeur the Pope had usurp'd under pretence of Religion Being one day in St. Peters Church to see the aforesaid Queen Baptiz'd and observing the Pope and Cardinals with most incredible Majesty walking about in most sumptuous Habits I turn'd about to my Camerade and told him in my judgement I did believe there could not be richer Cloaths seen in the whole World The Roman heard me and crowding himself towards us gave me this answer The Habits Sir of the Pope Cardinals and Prelats are very rich indeed but my Wife shews her bare breech for it Neither my Camerade nor I gave him any answer suspecting him for some Court Spye that use to insinuate themselves as it were by accident into peoples company and speak ill of the Pope to make discovery of what their affections are But this poor Roman spake as he thought by the rest of his discourse making it plain how miserable the people of Rome were that were forc'd to deny themselves bread to enable them to pay the Taxes and Impositions laid upon them by the Pope So as the poor man concluded that the Catholick Religion in the Ecclesiastick State was the cause of the distress of the people and of all the pleasures and extravagancies in the Ecclesiasticks To this purpose I remember a certain Sermon I heard in a Covent in Rome and in the presence of two Cardinals one of them Sacchetti but the others name I have forgot The Sermon and the whole design of it made such an impression in me I think of it a hundred times a day and shall in this place insert the most memorable part of it The Preacher was a bare-footed Franciscan he seem'd a poor pittiful creature to look on but he was the more experienc'd in morality and declaim'd with that zeal and vigor against vice he rais'd devotion in the hearts of his whole Auditory The first Sunday in Lent this Holy Father being got into the Pulpit in the presence of two Cardinals and a very great Auditory besides after an Ave Maria and two or three cringes with his knee as is usual rising up again upon his feet he put his Cappuce or Cowle upon his head and pulling it down so low that we could scarce see his eyes in which posture having paus'd a while without speaking a word fixing his eyes upon the Cardinals that stood before him without naming any Text at all he breaks out abruptly into these words St. Peter was a fool St. Paul was a fool all the Apostles were fools the Martyrs were fools and all the Primitive Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ our Redeemer were fools The Cardinals at these words grew as insensible as Statues the people on the other side stood gaping in expectation of what would follow most of us imagining there was some mystery in the business and I among the rest admiring what freak this should be was very well contented to attend whilst the Father after some moments of silence which he had used on purpose to observe the distraction of the people began his discourse as followeth You that are Prelats do not you believe you shall be sav'd Yes good Father we do I know your answer And you of the common sort of people you are certain of Paradice Without question you will say yes Yes say I By turning night into day by feasting sporting and luxury with travelling all day in your Coaches and seeing Comedyes at night with wearing of Purple and Scarlet Silver and Gold and having your Silken trains carryed after you in the Street yes by spoyling the Walls of the Church to adorn the Walls of your Chambers and by taking from Christ to bestow upon the World is it in this manner O Romans you would be Saved The Apostles certainly and all the Saints of the Primitive Church might have been Saved the same way and then as certainly they were mad-men and fools to wander up and down in solitude and misery begging their bread for the love of God They were out of their wits to run up and down bare-foot and bare-legg'd preaching of Repentance and lying whole weeks together upon the ground and at last indure Injuries Imprisonments Persecutions and Death you are mistaken O Romans the Apostles and Primitive Saints were full of Sanctity and Prudence it is you are the fools to propose a new way of Salvation to your selves invented by your own intemperance and vanity you you are the fools you are the mad-men that think to save your Souls by ways not only contrary to the Precepts of the Gospel but against all reason whatsoever And these were the express words that he us'd which as soon as I went home I set down in writing lest I should forget them After this the Father named this Text Ductus est Jesus in Desertum admiring his patience which he apply'd with several places of Scripture and arguments of his own very proper for such select matter to us with great fervour and zeal I went home very well satisfi'd with the Preacher but in great apprehension for him believing as an Article of my Faith he would have been burnt next day in the Inquisition I was beginning a Psalm of Mercy for his Soul but my memory was too weak to go thorow with it but if I had my labour had been but lost the good Father had no need of it at all for he continued his Preaching in the same Church and with a greater concourse than before to my no small admiration for this I am certain of a Heretick nor the worst Enemy the Church of Rome had not only durst not but could not have found out more ignominious language against the City of Rome when two Cardinals were present To speak the truth that Sermon put a thousand thoughts into my head about matters of Religion which indeed are those I do most naturally apply my self to I would willingly have given any thing I had been absent and have repented me several times of going to Church that day and not without reason for from that day to this it has still run in my thoughts with what difference and contrariety they live now to the manner they lived in the minority of the Church when this City flourish'd with Godly men and Martyrs If a Heretick be ask'd whether he thinks to be saved or not I mean such a one as would cheat his own Father minds nothing but Roguery a continual Swearer and Debaucher one that goes to Church only for fear of the Magistrate ask such a one what he thinks of his Salvation and he will tell you he is most certain of it if you ask by what means he will answer with greater arrogance still by vertue of the blood of our Saviour that was
his friends but he begins now to abate a little but without desertion of his ordinary Grandeur because he observes his Holiness so much affected to the house of Chigi Don Sigismond however has another way and has pleas'd himself still to converse familiarly with all people and civilly to salute the ordinariest person about the Pope but with Majesty enough too which makes him be belov'd and respected not as a Nephew of the Popes only but as a person of worth He was alwayes observ'd to be highly prudent but especially at the death of his Unckle when the people being inrag'd against the Family of Chigi ran up and down the Streets exclaiming against them in such bitter language that the Chigi being netled threatned nothing but revenge upon the persons that were the occasions of those insolencies But Sigismond who had ambition after the Cardinalship dissembled all and kept himself from all such discourse that he might have no occasion to quarrel and this he did either out of the design aforesaid or out of the natural benignity wherewith he is so abundantly stor'd The truth is the branch of Don Agostino had no reason to be troubl'd at the people for they troubl'd themselves not much either with him nor his brother Sigismond but rather with Don Mario and the Cardinal against whom their Insolencies ran very high but for all this all things are quiet and they seeing the inclination of the present Pope to that Family the people do now honour and esteem them more than ever In this Scene there were many extravagancies to be seen the nature of Metamorphoses being too obvious at Rome for Clement either that he reserv'd his other designs or that he counterfited to the end that he might not draw upon himself the odium of the People by the defence of a Family they hated so much at the beginning of the Pontificate he pretended a longius ire and abstain'd from conferring any honour or shewing the least appearance of affection to the Chigi in so much that it was the general discourse of the City that Don Mario was thinking to retire to Siena Don Agostino and Don Sigismond to Riccia and Cardinal Chigi under pretence of visiting his Abbeys would withdraw himself from Court for some time in discontent whereupon many of the Wits went up and down the Streets dispersing of these Inscriptions SEDENTE CLEMENTE NONO PONTIFICE OPTIMO MAXIMO NOVO ROMANAE REIPVBLICAE REPARATORE DE CHISIO SEMINE TARQVINII PVBLICAE QVIETIS APERTO JANO AB VRBE EXVLARVNT Anno Domini 1667. Of all these extravagancies of fortune Don Agostino who is the least hated by the people felt the most trouble as holding now all his hopes desperate of ever seeing his Brother Sigismond a Cardinal upon which all his designs depended Cardinal Chigi that had got all the money all this while did but laugh or at least pretend to laugh at the business expecting to see the fury of the people to cool by degrees as it did in a short time his Holiness with great prudence taking off some of the Gabels made them forget their animosity to the Chigi who were the Authors of laying them on However there were thousands of Libels and Satyrs flew abroad against Don Mario and the Cardinal his Son but not one against Don Agostino or his Brother But as soon as Don Mario dyed the odium of the people dyed with him and seem'd to be buried in his Grave About the same time his Holiness began to shew his partiality to the Family of the Chigi giving Don Sigismond hopes of a Cap and turning his ear to the proposition of Matrimony betwixt the Princess Chigi and his Holiness his Nephew which is believ'd already concluded or at least in a very fair way The people rejoyc'd exceedingly at the promotion of Don Sigismond and much more than the Family of the Chigi did expect Seignor Agostino and Cardinal Chigi solemniz'd it with great Feasts as well to express their own joy as to comply with the congratulations of other people The Visits were innumerable and the whole World amaz'd at the Magnificence The Ambassadors Cardinals Prelates and Noblemen of Rome though the most of them were acquainted with him when he was but a private person yet upon this occasion they took no ordinary delight to see with what Majesty and Decorum his new Cardinalship receiv'd his Visits corresponding with every body and satisfying them not so much with multiplicity as with the materiality of his Complements which is a quality remarkable in him ever since his coming to Rome It is generally believ'd he will be assiduous in the Congregations because he has shewn himself so in his Domestick and Scholastick Exercises besides which he gives great signs of good nature and affection in whatever he undertakes nor are the poor in the last place with him he is often seen in publick as if he took delight to ostentate his Purple yet he does it not out of pride being as humble as is necessary and no more He speaks his mind freely but is never transported correcting himself still when he finds himself in the wrong which he is in but very seldom In short he would do all that is possible would he but endeavour to suppress certain passionate effluctions from his youth that make him ambitious of being thought the best Cardinal in the Court that he may arrive at a higher fortune thereby The Spaniards caress him and begin to make use of their Statagems to get him over to their party which may be compass'd in several respects but especially because Don Agostino is a Fâ—udatary to the Empire It will be now necessary we expect the success of the other promotions of Clement the ninth whose intention of filling the Sacred Colledge with persons of Eminency as well in Name as in Action is honourable and good he has declar'd he will be very vigilant that no passion of his may adumbrate that Holy resolution but to speak the truth there have been infinite of other Popes that have arriv'd at the Vatican with the same thoughts who in a short time have alter'd their minds and chosen their Cardinals winking if not blindfold suffering themselves to be overswayed by their own passions or by their Nephews The World is certainly corrupt all over and inferiour people prevail sooner for Preferments than their superiours especially in Rome where the Ecclesiasticks are but men as in other places The Court murmurs exceedingly to see so many deserving persons stand idle without imployment and yet his Holiness has taken many Offices from some to bestow them upon others according as Cardinal Albici advises him who has a great share in his affection There are two reasons may be the cause of it either that the number of the meritorious is very great or his Holinesses capacity of discerning them very small Let it be which way it will 't is our duty to pray to God to inspire him with judgement to
to open their eyes and watch over their actions that they might not be taken at unawares endeavouring to defend that Jurisdiction which the Popes began by degrees to usurp with the Spiritual Arms of the Cross so that though they thought not before of the Interest of the Church they found themselves oblig'd afterwards to have an eye upon those of the Popes yet not so much out of any inclination of their own as because the Popes had the same designs upon them Notwithstanding all this whether it was out of respect to the memory of San Silvester or Constantine I know not it is sufficient that the Emperours suffer'd several years to pass after the death of those two persons without medling or concerning themselves at all in the Election of the Popes which was a great error in their Politicks For the succeeding Popes had opportunity in that time to advance their own Interests to the prejudice of the Empire and Emperors who taking no care to bridle and restrain the Interests of Rome contented themselves to live quietly at Constantinople and to send out their Orders to their Vicars and Prefects in Rome that they should endeavour with all possible industry to hinder the proceedings of the Popes but with express caution that they should by no means interpose in the Election of the Popes that being to be left to the Clergy and the people who by unanimous consent had had possession of the said Election for several years The introduction of the people into the Election of the Pope may be said to be casual there being no Pontifical Bull visible that gave them admission but it is to be suppos'd it fell out by reason of the Deacons who were admitted from the very time of the Apostles into the disposition of Ecclesiastical Charges and because as the Churches encreas'd and the number of the Faithfull was augmented so also was the number of the Deacons in the Assemblies in so much that by little and little they grew so numerous the said Deacons being not of the Order of the Clergy but of the Laity that they brought in the people and the Clergy having introduc'd the Deacons thought it not meet to turn out the people who possess'd the places of the Deacons At first the number of the Ecclesiastick Electors was much greater than the Deacons but the Deacons being become the people there became a greater inequality in the Electors and perhaps not without some displeasure to the Clergy who would willingly see the people excluded Whilst the Clergy were holy that is addicted to the service of God to the edification of their Neighbours to the augmentation of the Faithfull and the propagation of the Faith whilst they were retir'd from the Corruptions of the age and macerating their Flesh with Sackcloth and Fasting the people willingly joyn'd with them in the Election of the Popes because it belonging to the Clergy to give the first votes the people could not imagine those persons subject to Error who had no other aim than the service of God and therefore they willingly concurr'd delighting to confirm the opinion of the Clergy because they judg'd it holy and good But as soon as pride began to have place in the breasts of the Ecclesiasticks and that they pleas'd themselves with the enjoyments of Mundane advantages as soon as they began to deviate from the wayes of Heaven and the people observ'd their tendency to be too great towards the Earth they began likewise to press and insist upon their own opinion not trusting to the opinion of the Clergy because they saw them so deplorably void of all holiness From hence there succeeded infinite disputes and innumerable dissentions in so much that that action which was formerly sacred and solemn became prophane and scandalous by degrees they contending not only with words and invectives but with blows many times the people labouring to the utmost the division of the Clergy and the Clergy the dis-union of the people so that they form'd themselves into flying Squadrons both on the one side and the other Great was the scandal which happen'd in the year of our Lord 500. by reason of the differences in the Election of Simacus betwixt the Clergy and People each of them endeavouring to engage those that were without in so much that the Communalty of the City were forc'd to take Armes and with threats to oblige the Electors to a conclusion The Prefect or Imperial Vicar at Rome signify'd in the behalf of the Emperor that if they did not agree his Master would be constrain'd to bring an Army to Rome to the prejudice of the whole City with which the Electors being affrightned they agreed in the Election of Simacus For certain years after this they chose their Popes with little or no controversie till that in the year 531. they began to relapse into their former disputes obliging the City to take Armes the second time whose threatnings prevail'd to put an end to that Election also by their declaring Boniface the second Pope which said Boniface being an Assertor of the interest of the Clergy as soon as he was assum'd to the Papacy he endeavour'd to apply a remedy to those scandals and to give the greatest share to the Clergy And Virgilius his successor in the Papacy observing things to run clearly with them establish'd a Decree that the Election of the Popes should remain absolutely in the hands of the Clergy for the future to the exclusion of the people which Decree gave so great dissatisfaction to the Romans that they watch'd for an opportunity to revenge it About this time Attila who was call'd Flagellum Dei with great triumph to the Goths whose King he was over-run all Italy and with great cruelty and slaughter threatned the total destruction of Rome Pelagius the Pope who succeeded Virgilius not thinking it safe in such a conjuncture to have a discontented people and Tyrant upon his shoulders at one time to gain the favour both of the one and the other publish'd a Bull forbidding the Clergies Election of the Pope without the consent both of the People and Emperor and so it came to pass that they introduc'd into the Elections the Ambassadors of the Emperor and the People in the same numbers as before The Emperor and People were very well pleas'd with it and took possession of their Priviledges in the next vacancy of the Chair all of them together electing John the 3d. But in the year 583. Rome being besieg'd the Clergy and the People chose Pelagius the second Pope without giving any share or participation to the Emperor who vow'd revenge as soon as he had the news But the new Pope to pacifie his choller dispatch'd an Ambassador to make his excuse and to assure him for the future there should be no Election made without his consent to which end he confirm'd the Bull of Pelagius the first which Bull and confirmation continued in force successively till the year
Ghost descended upon the Apostles because they were met together with one mind but how can we expect him who are so strangely divided At length all these disputes being ended and the Cardinals weary of going up and down to the places of their Assemblies and doubting moreover by their delay to bring in some new schism into the Church which seem'd already to be whispering in Germany two thirds of the Cardinals agreed to the Election of Tibaldo Visconte a Milanese Archdeacon of Lodi who was not as yet return'd from his Voyage into Asia whether he was sent by the command of Innocent the 4th upon whose Election Cardinal Gâ—ovanni del Porto made these Verses in Latine Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus unus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum The Cardinals themselves being out of hope Archdeacon Tibald was created Pope Gregory as soon as he received the Keys of the Vatican endeavour'd what he could to make peace betwixt the Venetian and the Genoese who for several years together had been at wars with one another with great effusion of Christian blood and no small detriment to the Apostolick See He Excommunicated the Florentines for usurping certain Cities belonging to the Ecclesiastical State Having perpetrated these things and all things succeeding according as he design'd he went into France in the year 1273. he gave beginning to the Councel of Lyons mention'd before Philip King of France was present at that Councel with an infinite number of noble and learned persons both French and English Michael Paleologus the Emperour of Constantinople agreed the second time to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome though his Predecessors had done as much twelve times and always revolted upon that business there were several Sessions and disputes and all of them in the presence of his Holiness and the King of France The principal cause of this Assembly was that Gregory might be enabled to remedy several abuses in the Church and more particularly by their advice to find out some way of preventing the tedious vacancies after the deaths of the Popes And because Gregory understood well enough the root from whence that evil did spring and that it proceeded from a liberty the Cardinals took of assembling where they pleased of breaking up and meeting again as they thought good delaying and protracting the Elections by the Contentions and Correspondencies they had abroad Gregory ordain'd that the Cardinals for the future should be oblig'd to shut themselves up in some particular place from whence they should not stir till the Election was finish't but in case of sickness or other urgent necessity nor should any body be permitted to goe into them besides such as were appointed for the service of the Cardinals none of them being allow'd during the whole time of their seclusion to have communication with any of the City And this is the place call'd at present the Conclave which indeed signifies no more then the place where the Cardinals are shut up for the Election of the Pope Before Gregories dayes that is from the time of San Silvester to Gregory's Popedome they were not us'd to be shut up in a Conclave but if they were in Rome the Electors met either in the Church of St. John Lateran or of Saint Peter or in sâ—me other place as occasion offer'd if they were out of Rome they met in the Cathedral of the place where they were or in some other Church more convenient But all this brought nothing but prejudice and inconvenience to the Church because the Electors did many times neglect to use that diligence which was due not regarding expedition in their Elections of the Pope whilst they had liberty to command to goe and come as they thought fit and to live in their own houses at their pleasure and therefore it may rationally be said that the invention of the Conclave by Gregory was holy and good and worthy of a Pope of his piety and zeal There were likewise establish't by the said Gregory several Laws and Orders for the Conclave which were afterwards by several Popes put into better form till that in Process of time they were reduc't into that state which for greater convenience I shall insert in this place The Principal Laws which are usually observ'd in the creation of the Pope THe first Article is That the Election be made in a proper and convenient place and ordinarily there where the last Pope dy'd If it should happen the Pope should die in any Town or Village in which the Election cannot so commodiously be made let it be made in that City to whose jurisdiction the said Town or Village does belong provided it be not under interdiction for in that case they are to choose another City in the same Diocese or at least not far off But if the Residence was in another place in the time of the preceeding Pope then the Conclave is to meet not in the place where the Pope shall die but where he kept his Residence whilst he liv'd and this is establish'd in two Bulls of Gregory the tenth and Clement the fifth The second is That after the death of the Pope there shall be no discourse of the Election of a Successor till ten days be past in which time the absent Cardinals are to be expected and the nine days obsequies for the deceas'd Pope be celebrated with due respect by all the Cardinals that are present in the place The third That it be not permitted to any Cardinal that is absent to send his vote in any manner whatsoever by which it is intended that they are deprived of their Voice as often as they are absent from the Election though for considerable reasons The fourth That the nine days Ceremony for the death of the Pope being over the Mass dello Spirito Santo solemnly said and the Prayer de Eligendo Pontifice recited Let all the Cardinals that are present in the Palace which shall be call'd the Conclave which is to be in a secure place close in all parts and well guarded be shut in with two or three servants only for their necessities Let it not be lawfull for any to enter after the Conclave is shut up nor for any to come forth except in the case of infirmity and if any body be oblig'd either to go in or out let it be by the consent of the whole College Nor is this Conclave to have any Wall or partition to distinguish one Chamber from another but let there be certain traverses or Curtains of Linnen or cloth to divide their Lodgings and be they given to the Cardinals by lott to prevent all controversies for place The fifth That it be not only unlawful to elect those that are absent but that it be not permitted to the Cardinals to choose any but one of their own Order and of those that are present in the Conclave And this is decreed by Paul the second The sixth That the place and the gates and
the renunciation But first that he might seem to do it upon good grounds he would needs make a Law that it should be lawfull for any Pope to renounce the Papacy and commanded it should be establish'd by the consent of all the Cardinals who willingly made him a Golden Bridge to send him going This Law and Constitution was afterwards confirm'd by Boniface the eighth his Successor as is to be seen in the sixth Book of the Decretals but the Popes are not so simple to make use of it for all that It was propos'd that this renunciation should be made in some publick place in the Church but that was not thought convenient least the people who lov'd Celestine very much should commit some extravagance and by violence hinder Celestine's resolution wherefore they thought it expedient to have it done in the Consistory of Cardinals as it follow'd in the sixth month of his Papacy after which Celestine return'd to his Cell from whence he came The same day in which Celestine did renounce things being well prepar'd before hand in Gaetan's favour who was the forger and contriver of all this mischief the Cardinals without the form of the Conclave chose the said Gaetan with open Votes that they might not leave the Church without a Pastor much apprehending the popular fury for as much as there was not any of them consenting to the renunciation Benedetto Gaetano being declar'd Pope and the name of Boniface the eighth assum'd he began his Reign with so much insolence arrogance rashness and tyranny that in a short time he gain'd the Title of Nero the eighth Sciarra Colonna took him Prisoner at Anagni and carry'd him to Rome where at the end of 35. dayes he dyed of anger in the eighth year of his Pontificate So that some took occasion to say that he was made Pope like a Woolf he govern'd like a Lyon and dy'd like a Dog which character was so true that Histories have taken great delight to mention it reporting it with great infamy to the Roman Church and to those who elected him Great was the joy all Christendom receiv'd at the death of a Pope so unworthy of that dignity the Princes and Cardinals celebrated the news with Bone-fires The people hated this Pope for several reasons but especially for having order'd Celestine with so much ingratitude to be slain and persecuted the Gibellines in such sort that the Noblest Families in Italy were glad for fear to hide themselves like savage Beasts in the most profound Caverns of the Mountains Some report he was poyson'd with an Italian Fig which is not much wide of the truth But be it as it will he dy'd in prison the 11th of October 1303. and the Cardinals went into the Conclave the 21. of the same month Many believ'd the Election would be tedious by the great care the Princes seem'd to take that they might not be ill satisfy'd as they were with Boniface Amongst the Cardinals some there were which adher'd to the Guelfs and others to the Gibellines these were very curious that the succeeding Pope should not be of the humour of his Predecessor the Guelfs desir'd such another so that in appearance there was great likelihood of a long Conclave But things fell out clear contrary for the next morning after the Cardinals entred they came to an agreement to elect the Cardinal d' Ostia call'd Fra Nicholas di Treviso of the Order of the Preachers who took upon him the name of Benedict the 9th or the 11th The Guelfs condescended readily to this Election Benedict being a Creature of Boniface's and by consequence a Guelf And the Gibellines did so too as not knowing amongst all the Cardinals where to find one less their Enemy than he and the rather because though Benedict had been secret Counsellor and privy to the most occult designs of Boniface he never seem'd by his Counsels to have done any thing contrary to the repose of the Gibellines but endeavour'd to mollifie Boniface and to remove the great prejudice he had to the poor Gibellines who being satisfy'd with his proceedings they concurr'd willingly to the Election of Benedict who was not ingratefull for he receiv'd into favour all the Cardinals who had been persecuted and as Gibellines depriv'd by his Predecessor Benedict dyed in Perugia in the eighth month of his Pontificate in which City the whole Court being at that time it was resolv'd a new Pope should be chosen but private interest prevail'd against the publique good for the Cardinals for above two months together went up and down trifling away their time in disputes and clamours scandalous to Christendom but pleasant to the Infidels The reason was the Cardinals were divided into three factions one stuck close to Charles King of Naples who would have a Pope according to his way another was for the principal Barons of Rome who being back'd by several Princes of Christendom endeavour'd to spin out the Election as long as they could expecting by such delay other Votes from abroad and the third stood firm to the interest of Philip King of France who with a very liberal hand had sent no small sums of money and other Presents to Cardinal Pietro Colonna to the end that with James his Unkle a Cardinal of the same name they might keep up the interest of France On the other sides there were the Cardinals Vrâ—â—â—o Napoleone and Matiâ—o every one negotiating for himself and with stedfast resolution never to yield to one another The Cardinals not being able to endure their restraint any longer in the Popes house which was the place appointed for the Election and observing things go on the pace of a Tortoise that is tediously slow for as much as their animosities continued they left their apartment went abroad into the City some here some there into the most delectable places following their pleasures and recreations and thinking of nothing less than the Election of his Holiness The people of Perugia taking offence at all this and having more affection for the publique good of the Church than the Cardinals themselves who were Senators thereof took up Armes immediately and with threats obliged them to firâ—t up themselves in the Conclave who were managers of the Ship of Saint Peter The Cardinals fail'd not to be present at the place appointed but persisting still in their passion and pertinacity the people not only put Guards upon them to prevent all Communication without but streightned them in their diet reducing their allowance to a small volume as one may say and threatning that if within five dayes they did not finish the Election they should have nothing given them but Wine and Bread which the people of Perugia did not spare to let them understand Cardinal Peter mov'd by his hopes from the King of France apply'd himself with the money he receiv'd from him to corrupt the minds of such as he knew were covetous of Gold feeding them on with promises besides so that part
on foot was contriving which way to give ease to the Church and therefore by the Orders of all Nations in Christendom John was cited to appear at a General Councel to extinguish the said Schisms he sent two Cardinals immediately into Germany to negotiate with the Princes of that Country and of France about election of a place proper for the celebration of so great a Councel By the major part of the Nations Constance was pitch'd upon as the most convenient city of all At the time appointed they met and John amongst the rest though he had been disswaded by the soberest of his friends presaging the danger he was in of going a Pope and returning a private person as it happen'd For all this John would goe and he carried along with him certain persons excellent in all manner of learning with whom he held the Germans for a long time in variety of disputes and a thousand ambiguities and doubts to resolve upon that which ought to be resolved on But Sigismund arriving at the same time and free liberty being given of discovering other peoples defects there were several great delinquencies objected against John who being conscious of their truth and fearing corporal punishment as well as to be depriv'd of the Papacy he fled out of Constance in the disguise of a footman and retiring to Shaffusen a City belonging to Frederick Duke of Austria whither several Cardinals of his creation fled also By the authority of the Councel John being recited he fled again from Shaffusen to Fribourg designing to throw himself under the protection of the Duke of Burgundy But he was taken and by Order of the Councel imprison'd in the Isle of St. Mark near Constance in the fifth year of his Pontificat The Councel not suspecting John's Escape chose certain grave and learned Judges giving them authority to form diligent process upon the actions and life of John and to report his misdemeanors to the whole body of the Councel There were above forty Articles prov'd against him some of them so small they might have been excus'd but others there were would have begâ—t great scandal to the church if they should have pass'd unpunished and these were such as declar'd him a Heretick a Sodomite a Murderer a Simoniac a Perjur'd person a Blasphemer a Hypocrite a Gamester an Adulterer a Fornicater a Poisoner an Usurer a Profaner and so forth Upon these considerations all the Fathers concurring in the sentence John was legally depos'd and the sentence sent to him to subscribe which being in prison he willingly did That being done he was deliver'd into the hands of Ludovico Bavaro a great favourer of Gregory the 12th to be kept in safe custody till the Councel should determine otherwise of him Three years he continued a prisoner in the castle of Haldelberg under no few afflictions the greatest of them all was that he was not permitted to have any Italians to his servants and the Souldiers that guarded him being all Germans they understood not one word that was spoken on either side so as their discourse was only by signs What manner of life this Pope had led may be argued from his sentence which was given by those only who had been formerly of his parry and had created him Pope for those who were of Gregory's and Benedicts faction were not yet arriv'd at the Councel and receiv'd the news of it upon the way In this Councel a Decree was publish'd by the Fathers which presided declaring that a General Councel lawfully assembled was unquestionably above the Pope and had its power immediately from Christs and that therefore the authority of the Pope must needs be inferiour to theirs Gregory was resolv'd not to be there himself being so perswaded by the Emperour Sigismond and therefore he sent Charles Malatesta a very worthy person in his name who seeing all the Fathers of the Councel resolv'd upon their sentence that Gregory should renounce got up publiquely upon the Seat which was prepar'd for Gregory and as if he had been present himself having read the power he had from Gregory to renounce he renounc'd the Papacy in his name and declar'd him but a private person For this prompt and liberal resignation Gregory was immediately declar'd Legat della Marca and went to his charge but he liv'd not long in his Office dying at Ricanati of pure discontent because Malatesta had made his renuntiation so soon believing that if he had delay'd his renuntiation for a while he might have found out some expedient to have kept the sacred Mantle upon his Shoulders He dy'd therefore before the creation of Martin and was buried in the church of Ricanati and thus two Popes John and Gregory being taken out of the way there remained a third still which was Pieter del Lnna call'd by the name of Benedict the thirteenth who made more difficulty of renouncing the Popedom than the other two and because he had declar'd that he would never consent to the renuntiation to make him do it by force the Emperour Sigismond with the Orators of the Councel went in person to the Kings of France and of England perswading them that they ought to be instrumental in the safety of Christendom and the ease and security of the church which was to be done by forcing Benedict to renounce the Papacy as the other two had done Sigismond having received a satisfactory answer from these two Princes he went to Narbon discours'd personally with Ferdinand King of Arragon whose Subjects or at least the greatest part of them paid obedience to Benedict Amongst the rest one of their resolutions was that Benedict should be perswaded with efficacious arguments not to remain so untractable in resolving to do that which the other two had done And if notwithstanding force of argument was not sufficient to remove him from his pertinacity that in such case the King should force his Subjects to desert the said Benedict and follow whom the Council of Constance should ordain and accordingly he sent a most eloquent Ambassador to him But Benedict who found himself in a strong place and the people affectionate to him suffer'd himself neither to be overcome nor mov'd by their perswasions alleaging still for his answer that he was the true Vicar of Christ and that Constance was not a place convenient for the liberty of an Ecclesiastical Council seeing that John had been condemn'd and depos'd from the Papacy by those very persons who had been formerly his friends and receiv'd him to the Pontifical Dignity The Princes of Spain observing the pertinacity of Benedict concurr'd with the opinion of the Council which was manag'd by five several Nations viz. Italy Germany France Spain and England all that these Nations had then done was approv'd and was publish'd by a Trumpet or a publick Notary As soon as by a general consent all was confirm'd and Benedicts cause had been discuss'd in this order and method for several dayes At last he was
it and indeed it was his Master-piece He propos'd Cardinal Orsino a capital Enemy of Colonna's and who had also some friends amongst the Creatures of Colonna however Medici's design was not to make Orsino Pope but to fright Colonna into an agreement with himself To this end he caus'd it to be spread abroad that Orsino had several practises on foot and accordingly all the Cardinals of his party being together one morning he pretended to go along with them towards the great Hall and being ask'd by the way by Cardinal Monti in these words Whither are we going he reply'd To make Ursin Pope This being reported to Colonna and he fearing such a design believing certainly they would make Vrsin his profess'd Enemy Pope he call'd all the Cardinals his friends together and desired them to give their Votes for Medici and having done that he went out immediately to find him who was passing away the time in the Gallery in expectation perhaps of what happen'd as soon as he saw him he said Your most illustrious Lordship is making Ursin Pope and I am come to make you Pope and embracing him he cry'd out with a loud voice Long live Cardinal Medici the New Pope which was follow'd by the common acclamation â—f he rest of the Cardinals and from thence passing into the Chappel they made their Election immediately after the Ceremony of Adoration he declar'd he would be call'd Clement the 7th and accordingly with that name he was publish'd to the people the 19th of November 1523. In the time of this Pope Rome was sack'd by the Army of the Duke of Borbon in the year 1527. the 14th of May and he made a Prisoner for several months in the Colledge of the Spaniards although some will have it that he was besieg'd only and not imprison'd His Pontificate was sometimes with good fortune and sometimes with bad he govern'd ten years and dy'd in the year 1534. the 25th of September Some few dayes before his death finding his end approach he call'd all the Cardinals then in Rome together and with a Paternal affection recommended to them the brevity of the Conclave protesting that if the Papacy had been hereditary he would not have left it to any body but Alexander Farnese because he did not see a Cardinal more fit than he to govern the Christian Commonwealth or to defend and conserve the Pontifical dignity and therefore he intreated Cardinal Medici particularly to imploy all his interest in his behalf Clement being dead and the Cardinals excited partly by the perswasions of the dying Pope and partly inform'd of the excellent qualities experience prudence and learning of the said Alexander they resolv'd to choose him Pope after a new way before they began the oâ— sequies of Clement and without entring into the Conclave at all but this resolution was constantly impugned by Alexander he begging of the Cardinals that they would not transgress and invert the Orders observ'd in the Elections of the former Popes By this means it was concluded the Exequies should be celebrated first for the space of the usual dayes Farnese in the interim keeping close in his house to avoid the applause of the people as he went up and down the City every body looking on him as already created The 11th of October the Exequies being over 35. Cardinals went into the Conclave being come from several Neighbouring Provinces to be present at the Election of the New Pope There was not much time lost in the Visits of the Ambassadors every one knowing already who was design'd to be Pope The same night Cardinal Medici remembring the instructions of Clement â—ell into discourse but more for form than any thing else with the Cardinal of Lorrain who was in great esteem in the Sacred Colledge and with the Cardinal Trivâ—lâ—â— who had then â—he Government of the French faction In this manner these three follow'd by all the Cardinals their friends went about two a clock in the night to the Chamber of Farnese who was then at rest and putting themselves upon their knees they saluted him Pope and adored him before his Election which likewise was perform'd the next morning betimes by a general concurrence of Votes and being ask'd his name he desir'd to be call'd Paul and accordingly he was proclaim'd to the people by the name of Paul the 3d. In short there has not been any Pope created either before or after him with a more sincere frank unanimous Election than this not protracted by envy not corrupted by ambition not precipitated by fear and that which is more considerable in this Scrutiny all the Cardinal put in their Polizys open so as every one might easily read what his Companion did write There was one Cardinal only and he of no mean authority who being envious of Farnese â—aid some petty designs against him but they were all to no purpose Farnese having notice of it went to him not to desire his Vote but sharply to reprehend him for speaking so bitterly against him the Cardinal being affrighted humbled himself to Farnese and with much ado reconcil'd himself that he might not remain his Enemy perpetually But all that I have said yet of the of the Election of the Pope has been nothing but a meer superficies of the policies of the Court the greatest differences among the Cardinals being introduc'd into the Conclave after the death of Paul the third by reason of the introduction of the factions of the Crowns and the Nephews The Princes would not have been so busie with the interest of the Conclaves if the Popes had been contented to have been Christs Vicar in the Government of Souls only but seeing they thought good to joyn the Sword to the Cross the Princes moved by the interest of the Sword have interested themselves in the interest of the Cross so that as the Popes have render'd themselves considerable and great in Temporals and the command of the people so the Kings to whom God has given the Government of the Earth have been oblig'd to have an eye over that Temporal State which is taken from them by the Spirituals In the time when the Popes were poor and had nothing in their hands but the Keys of Saint Peter which I call the Spirituals the Princes medled in the affairs of the Papacy either as Friends who were zealous of the Service of God or as perverse Adversaries to the Divine Worship But since the Popes became rich and inaâ—ch'd up the Sword of Saint Paul into their hands the Princes are concern'd to see that this Sword be not unsheath'd to the prejudice of their States not to say of their persons though the Popes do too often offend against them In short the love of God and the interest of his Holy Church for a long time elected the Popes by the Votes of the Cardinals now adayes the interest of Crowns and Princes the policies of the World and the reasons of State if they do not choose them
Of the differences betwixt the Factions The description of a Muster of Souldiers The application an Abbot made of that Muster to the Conclave Of the Faction of Chigi and how numerous Of the industry us'd by the French to oblige the Chigi Of a notable saying of a Cardinal upon Chigi's obstinacy not to forsake his own Creatures Of the Faction of the Flying Squadron Of the disorder in the French to see this Squadrone volante managed by Cardinal Imperiale Of the first Scrutiny which prov'd vain Of the Cardinals which receiv'd Votes in the Scrutiny Of the open practises of the French in favour of Farnese Of the promise made by Imperiale when he went into France that he would concurr to the Election of a French Pope and how he brake it Of an idle report spread about the City that Cardinal Rospigliosi was created Pope in the beginning of the Conclave and from whence it proceeded Of the practises for Rospigliosi recommended to Azolino by the Cardinals Barbarino and Chigi Of the entrance of Cardinal Donghi into the Conclave Of Cardinal Ginetti who presented himself to Barbarino and the answer Barbarino gave him Of the creation of Rospigliosi and the Politick Aphorisms of Azolini AMongst all the conferences and politick actions amongst all the managements and publick negotiations transacted by the Cardinals it is certain the action of the Conclave is most worthy to be inquir'd into by all such as have the management of publick affairs The Election of the Emperor carries a Magnificence along with it for being in the power of six or seven Princes partly Temporal partly Spiritual of which number four being obtain'd the Empire is gain'd But the Election of the Pope is after another manner there being many more Princes considerable in this than in the Election of the Emperor himself and that because the Pontificate is of both Spiritual and Temporal consequence The Conclave is not manag'd by six or seven voices but by sixty amongst which there are some who are neither for God nor the Devil others devoted to their own interest only others obliged to follow the resolutions of the Nipotisme others of the French others of the Spaniard some promise fairly with their tongues to one and with their hearts to another and there are some also to be found who take delight in excluding all parties to give a longer impediment to affairs The learnedest of the Cardinals are those which prevail least the most politick are follow'd the worst the most ignorant are the most obstinate in brief things are manag'd in that manner that those very men who have the chiefest share in the whole transactions can scarce give an account of what they have done the affairs of the Conclave to some persons seem easie and easily to be penetrated and for that reason they desire to be prying but as to the point of the Keyes there are so many intricacies and Meanders they can hardly find the way thorow So many Conclavists as there are in the Conclave so many Conclaves are represented to the ears of the Court people imagine things according to their representations and figures but the business is the figures of the Conclave have feet and walk not have eyes and see not have ears and hear not and tongues and speak not The French make many Popes to amuse the Spaniards with jealousies of such plots as they never think of themselves The transactions of the Conclave are of two sorts publick and private the private are managed by the Cardinals in secret where the sound of their voices can scarce penetrate the air much less the ears of any body and these are good but those which are in publick are full of hypocrisie and dissimulation to lull and illude one another and therefore not to be commended They who at the opening of the Conclave do make relation of the managements and transactions in the Election can speak no more than they know which commonly is nothing but what is common because the most politick and most occult affairs are kept close in the minds of the Cardinals who either will not or care not to communicate them to any body For this cause the Conclavists themselves are oftentimes confounded in their relations and I have heard two of them contending about the Conclave of Innocent with great heat one pressing and persisting in what the other did deny and perhaps both of them disputing upon that which was never so much as mention'd in the Conclave But I believe there was never to this day seen a Conclave more imbroyl'd without broyls more confounded without confusions than the last in which Clement the 9th was created a Pope certainly very worthy of the charge as we shall demonstrate in its place Imbroyl'd in sundry respects because France is in its achme of Grandeur and upon the brink of a rupture with Spain which has neither King to govern the Helm nor Cardinal to manage its Faction because the number of Cardinals was so great and many worthy pretenders amongst them because the Faction of Chigi was resolv'd to have no other Pope whatsoever but one of the creatures of Alexander and for several other reasons sufficient to render the Conclave tedious and yet all succeeded without any trouble at all Certainly the facility of concluding this Conclave so soon is commendable and worthy to quicken the curiosity of all people to inquire into the reasons of it If the time of fifteen dayes be consider'd it seems to be long being in Summer time and in the City of Rome but if it be compar'd with the time of other Conclaves preceeding and the variety of interests crossing and thwarting one another it will be thought but short But to speak the truth the Conclave of Clement was much longer than it seems in appearance because the transactions were more without than within and things were resolved before they enter'd the Conclave Two months together Alexander continued dangerously ill whilst Posts were sent every where up and down not only with the news of his languishing condition and the impossibility of his living above two or three dayes but with the certain tydings of his death and twice it was believ'd in the very City of Rome In this tedious agony of Alexanders every one had time to adjust his own business and to bring his affairs to such a pass that his deplorable death could produce no great novelty in the Court nor more pretenders to the Papacy It may be said therefore and with reason that the Conclave of Clement lasted little less than three months that is two before the death of Alexander and the rest afterwards The Cardinals seem'd to precipitate running towards Rome as it were with wings on their feet which hast was occasion'd by the news that the Conclave would be much imbroyl'd and their celerity was so great some of them were arriv'd before the Pope was expir'd and particularly the French Cardinals who were there at the due