C. 997. having brought home his Army out of Syria into Italy reigned together with his Son whom he joyned to him as a Partner in the Empire five years He was the first Christian Emperour and 't is said of him that he never presumed to go to the holy Mysteries before he had confessed After the third year of his Reign the thousandth year from the building of the City being compleated he caused to be celebrated the Secular Games which were wont to be repeated every hundredth year They were first instituted by Valerius 〈◊〉 after the expulsion of the Kings and had their name from the Latin word seculum which signifies the space of an hundred years But by the fraud of Decius both the Philips were slain though in divers places the Father being put to death at Verona the Son at Rome Fabianus distributed the several Regions of the City among the seven Deacons by whom the Acts of the Martyrs written by the Notaries were to be collected and digested for the example of others who professed the Faith of Christ. He also built Monuments in the Coemeteries for the honour of the Martyrs Further he ordained that every year at some Sacrament the Chrism or holy Oyl should be new consecrated and the old burnt in the Church In his time sprang up the Novatian Heresie For Novatianus a Presbyter of the City of Rome out of an eager desire of being Bishop put all things into a great disorder that the Pontificate might not come into the hands of Cornelius who was Successor to Fabianus Having separated himself from the Church he gave to himself and his Followers the Denomination of the Pure and denied that Apostates though truly penitent ought to be received into the Church Upon this occasion a Council of sixty Bishops as many Presbyters and several Deacons was held at Rome in which the opinion of Novatianus was condemned as false for that according to the example of our Saviour Pardon is to be denied to no man that repents At the same time Origen opposed the heretical Doctrine of certain persons who affirmed that the Souls of men died with their bodies and were both together to be raised again at the Resurrection as also that of the Helchesaites who altogether rejected the Apostle S. Paul and asserted that though a man in his Torments should outwardly deny Christ yet he might be free from Guilt provided his heart were upright The same Author wrote against Celsus an Epicurean who opposed the Christians and sent Letters concerning Religion to the Emperour Philip and his Wife Severa and wrote also many things concerning the order of Faith to Fabianus Alexander Bishop of Cappadocia having from a desire to see the holy Places made a Journey to Jerusalem was there compell'd by Narcissus Bishop of that City and now grown old to be his Assistant in the Administration of that Bishoprick But the Persecution under Decius growing hot at the same that Babylas suffered Martyrdom at Antioch he being carried to Coesarea was there put to death for the faith of Christ. As for Fabianus concerning whom it is commonly believed that when enquiry was made for a Successour to Anterus a Dove lighted upon his head in the same shape with that which descended upon the head of Jesus at Jordan he received a Crown of Martyrdom after that at five Ordinations which he held in the month of December he had ordained twenty two Presbyters seven Deacons eleven Bishops and was interr'd in the Coemetery of Calistus in the Via Appia Jan. the 19th He was in the Chair fourteen years eleven months eleven days and by his death the See was vacant six days S. CORNELIUS CORNELIUS a Romam the Son of Castinus lived in the times of the Emperour Decius Who being born at Buda in Hungary upon the death of the two Philips assumed the Empire proving a bitter Enemy to the Christians because those Philips had been favourers of their Religion But having with his Son Caesar reigned only two years he was so suddenly cut off by the Goths that not so much as his dead body was ever found A just Judgment upon him who raising the seventh Persecution had put to death a multitude of most holy Men. During the Pontificate of Cornelius whose Judgment was that Apostates upon their Repentance ought to be received Novatus irregularly ordained Novatianus and Nicostratus upon which occasion the Confessour's who had fallen off from Cornelius being of the same opinion with Maximus the Presbyter and Moyses reconciled themselves to the Church again and thereby gained the name of Confessours indeed But not long after these Hereticks pressing hard upon him Cornelius is banished to Centumcelioe to him Cyprian Bishop of Carthage being himself imprison'd wrote Letters by which he came to understand both the calamity of his Friend and the confirmation of his own Exile There are extant 〈◊〉 other Epistles of Cyprian to Cornelius full of Religion and Piety but the choicest of them is accounted to be that wherein he accuses and condemns Novatus a certain Disciple of his Concerning the same Heresie Dionysius B. of Alexandria who had once been Scholar to Origen wrote to Cornelius and in another Epislle reproves Novatianus for having deserted the Communion of the Roman Church and pretending that he was forced against his will to take the 〈◊〉 upon him to whom he thus replies That thou wert says he O Novatian chosen to that Dignity against thy Will will appear when thou dost voluntarily leave it Cornelius before he went into banishment at the Instance of Lucina a holy 〈◊〉 by night removed the bodies of S. 〈◊〉 and S. 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 the publick burial places where they seemed to be less secure that of S. Paul was by Lucina her self reposited in ground of her own in the 〈◊〉 Oxiensis near the place where he suffer'd and that of Peter was by 〈◊〉 laid near the place where he also was Martyr'd not far 〈◊〉 the Temple of Apollo But when Decius came to understand that 〈◊〉 had received Leters from Cyprian he caused him to be brought from Ceutumcelioe to Rome and in the Temple of Tellus the 〈◊〉 Praefect being 〈◊〉 he thus 〈◊〉 with him Are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 that neither regarding the gods nor fearing the commands and threatning of Princes you keep a 〈◊〉 tending to endanger the publick Weal To whom Cornelius replied That the Letters which he receiv'd and return'd were only concerning the Praises of Christ and the Design of the Redemption of Souls lut contain'd nothing in them tending to the Diminution of the Empire At this Decius being enraged gave order that the holy man should first be scourged with a kind of Whips that had small globes of Lead 〈◊〉 to the end of them that afterwards he should be carried to the Temple of Mars to pay Adoration to his Image and upon his refusal so to do that he should be put to death The good man
be receiv'd upon its own credit though it had never been back'd with Miracles That there were three Persons in the Godhead not proved to be so by Reason but by considering who said so That those Men who pretended to measure the Heavens and the Earth were rather bold than certain what they did was right That to find out the motion of the Stars had more pleasure in it than proâ—it That God's Friends enjoy'd both this Life and that to come That without Vertue there was no true Joy That as a covetous Man is never satisfied with Money so a Learned Man should not be with Knowledg But that he who knew never so much might yet find somewhat to be studied That common Men should value Learning as Silver Noblemen as Gold and Princes as Jewels That good Physitians did not seek the Money but the health of the party diseas'd That a florid Speech did not move wise Men but Fools That those Laws are Sacred which restrain Licentiousness That the Laws had Power over the Commonalty but were feeble to the greater sort That great Controversies were decided by the Sword and not by the Laws A Citizen should look upon his Family as subject to the City the City to his Country his Country to the World and the World to God That the chief place with Kings was slippery That as all Rivers run into the Sea so do all Vices into Courts That Flatterers draw Kings whether they please That Kings hearken to none more easily than to Sycophants That the tongue of a Flatterer was a King's greatest Plague That a King who would trust no body was good for nothing and he that believed every body was no better That it is necessary he that governs many should himself be rul'd by many That he deserv'd not the name of a King who measur'd the Publick by his private abvantage That he who neglected holy Duties did not deserve the Church Revenue nor a King his Taxes that did not constant Justice He said those that went to Law were the Birds the Court the Field the Judg the Net and the Lawyers the Fowlers That Men ought to be presented to Dignities and not Dignities to the Men. That some Men had Offices and did not deserve 'em whilst others deserv'd 'em and had 'em not That the burthen of a Pope was heavy but he was happy who bore it stoutly That an illiterate Bishop was like an Ass That ill Physicians kill'd the body and ignorant Priests the Soul That a wandring Monk was the Devil's Bondslave That Virtue had enriched the Clergy but Vice made 'em poor That there was great reason for the prohibiting of Priests to marry but greater for allowing it again That no Treasure was preferrable to a faithful Friend That Life was like a Friend and Envy like Death That he cherishes an Enemy who pardons his Son too often That a covetous Man never pleases any body but by his Death That Mens faults are conceal'd by Liberality and discover'd by Avarice That it was a slavish Vice to tell Lyes That the Use of Wine had augmented the Cares and the Distempers of mankind That a Man ought to take as much Wine as would raise and not overwhelm his Soul That Lust did fully and stain every age of Man but quite extinguish old Age. That Gold it self and Jewels could not purchase Content That it was pleasant to the good but terrible to the bad to die That a noble Death was to be preferr'd before a dishonourable Life in the Opinion of all Philosophers And this is all or most that can be written of Pius except I add that he canonized St. Catharine of Siena and laid up St. Andrew's head that was sent from Morea to Rome in St. Peter's Church with great Veneration and Processions perform'd by the Clergy and People in a Chappel built on purpose after he had clear'd the Church in that place especially and removed the Sepulchres of some Popes and Cardinals that took up too much room PAVL II. PAVL the Second formerly called Peter Barbo a Venetian whose Father 's Name was Nicolas and his Mothers Polyxena Cardinal Priest of St. Marks was made Pope August 30. 1664. being Pope Eugenius's Nephew by his Sister he was just going as a Merchant to Sea an Employment not ungentile among the Venetians and not disapproved of by Solon and having carry'd his Scritore and other Implements on Board he heard that his Uncle Gabriel Condelmerius was chosen Pope Whereupon he stay'd ashore and at the request of his Friends and his elder Brother Paul Barbo apply'd himself to his Book though he was pretty well in years under the Discipline and tutelage of James Ricionius who used to commend his Diligence He had also other Masters but made no great proficency considering his Age however he preferr'd 'em all when he came to be Pope excepting only Ricion to shew that it was none of their faults he was not made a Scholar But Paul Barbo who was a stout and a wise Man and knew his Brother's nature inclined him rather to ease than business intreated Eugenius whom he went to visit at Florence to send for Peter and give him some Ecclesiastical preferment He did so and Peter was made first Arch-Deacon of Bologna with which not long after he held the Bishoprick of Cervia in Commendam and was made a Protonotary one of that Rank who receive the greatest Fees In this condition he lived for some years till at last he was made a Cardinal at the same time with Alouisius a Physician of Padua whom they afterward call'd Patriarch and Chamberlain which was done at the request of some Friends of Eugenius's who desired to have a Man that might thwart Alouisius upon occasion And indeed it happened afterward that they grew such Enemies as never were known by the insinuations of others especially whose interest it was to foment the Quarrel For Peter was vexed that he should be inferiour to any Man about Eugenius since he was his Nephew and of a Patrician Family in Venice Upon this account he fell out most grievously with Francis Condelmerius the Vice-Chancellour who was Eugenius's Cousin-german and when he died he turn'd all his fury upon the Patriarch though they two had been often seemingly reconcil'd by the intercession of Friends Hereupon they were such Enemies to one another in several Popes Reigns that they did not spare each others either Estate or honour but mutually reviled each other in words which I will not relate lest I should seem to believe ' em But when Eugenius was dead and Nicolas the Fifth in his place he prevailed so far upon him by his kindness and flattery that he not onely got the uppermost place of all his Nation in Nicolas's Court but by assistance of Nicolas's Brother did so animate him against Alouisius that he retrenched the Chamberlain's Office For Peter Barbo was naturally fair spoken and could feign good nature when occasion serv'd But he was
followers to inhabit had disturbance given him by one Saul an Hebrew by birth and Religion whom Stilico to the foul breach of Articles had sent with a Party for that purpose It was an easie matter to surprize and disorder the Goths who little suspected any such Practices and were peaceably celebrating the Feast of Easter But the day following Alaricus engaging with them slew Saul and made an universal slaughter of his men and then changing his former course towards Gaul moves against Stilico and the Roman Army These he overcame and then after a long and grievous Siege takes the City of Rome it self Anno U. C. MCLXIIII A. C. CCCCXII Notwithstanding this Success Alaricus exercised so much Moderation and Clemency that he commanded his Soldiers to put as few to the Sword as might be and particularly to spare all that should fly for refuge to the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul After three days Plunder he leaves the City which had suffered less damage than was thought for very little of it being burnt and marches against the Lucani and Bruti and having taken and sacked Cosenza he there dies Whereupon the Goths with one consent made his kinsman Athaulphus his Successour who returning to Rome with his Army was so wrought upon by the Emperour Honorius's Sister Galla Placidia whom he had married that he restrained his Soldiers from committing any farther outrages and left the City to its own Government He had it certainly once in his purpose to have razed to the ground the then City of Rome and to have built a new one which he would have called Gotthia and have left to the ensuing Emperours his own Name so that they should not any longer have had the Title of Augusti but Athaulphi But Placidia not only brought his mind off from that project but also prevailed with him to enter into a League with Honorius and Theodosius the second the Son of Arcadius deceased Zosimus notwithstanding all these disturbances made several Ecclesiastical Constitutions allowed the blessing of Wax-Tapers on the Saturday before Easter in the several Parishes forbad the Clergy to frequent publick Drinking-houses though allowing them all innocent liberty among themselves or any Servant to be made a Clergy-man because that Order ought to consist of none but free and ingenuous persons Whereas now not only Servants and Bastards but the vile off-spring of the most flagitious Parents are admitted to that Dignity whose Enormities will certainly at long-run prove fatal to the Church 'T is said that Zosimus at this time sent Faustinus a Bishop and two Presbyters of the City to the Council of Carthage by them declaring that no Debates concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs ought to be managed any where without permission of the Church of Rome During his Pontificate lived Lucius a Bishop of the Arian Faction who wrote certain Books upon several Subjects Diodorus also Bishop of Tarsus during his being a Presbyter of Antioch was a great Writer following the sense of Eusebius but not able to reach his style for want of skill in secular Learning Tiberianus likewise who had been accused together with Priscillian wrote an Apology to free himself from the suspicion of Heresie Euagrius a man of smart and brisk parts translated into Latin the Life of S. Anthony written in Greek by Athanasius Ambrosius of Alexandria a Scholar of Didymus wrote a large Volume against Apollinarius At this time flourished those two famous Bishops Theophilus of Alexandria and John of Constantinople for the greatness of his Eloquence deservedly surnamed Chrysostom who so far prevailed upon Theodorus and Maximus two Condisciples of his that they left their Masters Libanius the Rhetorician and Andragatius the Philosopher and became Proselytes to Christianity This Libanius lying now at the point of death being asked whom he would leave sucsessour in his School made answer that he desired no other than Chrysosiom were he not a Christian. At this time the Decrees of the Council of Carthage being sent to Zosimus were by him confirmed and thereby the Pelagian Heresie condemned throughout the World Some tell us that Petronius Bishop of Bononia and Possidonius an African Bishop had now gain'd a mighty reputation for Sanctity that Primasius wrote largely against the Heresies to Bishop Fortunatus and that Proba Wife to Adelphus the Proconsul composed an Historical Poem of our Saviours Life consisting wholly of Virgilian Verse though others attribute the honour of this performance to Eudocia Empress of Theodosius the younger But certainly the most learned person of the Age he lived in was Augustinus Saint Ambrose his Convert Bishop of Hippo in Africa a most strenuous Defender of the Christian Faith both in Discourse and Writing As for Zosimus having ordained ten Presbyters three Deacons eight Bishops he died and was buried in the Via Tiburtina near the body of Saint Laurence the Martyr December 26th He sat in the Chair one year three months twelve days and by his death the See was vacant eleven days BONIFACIUS I. BONIFACE a Roman Son of Jucundus a Presbyter was Bishop in the time of Honorius At this time a great dissention 〈◊〉 among the Clergy for though Boniface was chosen Bishop in one Church of the City 〈◊〉 one Party yet Eulalius was elected and set up against him by a contrary Faction in another This when Honorius who was now at Milain came to understand at the Solicitation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Placidia and her Son Valentiman they were both banish'd the City But about seven months after 〈◊〉 was re-call'd and confirmed in the Pontifical Dignity In the mean time Athaulphus dying Vallias was made King of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being terrified by the Judgments inflicted on his People restored Placidia whom he had always used very honourably to her Brother 〈◊〉 and entred into a League with him giving very good Hostages for the confirmation of it as did also the Alanes Vandals and 〈◊〉 This I lacidia Henorius gave in marriage to Constantius whom he had declared 〈◊〉 who had by her a Son named Valentinian but she being afterwards banish'd by her Brother went into the East with her Sons 〈◊〉 and Valentinian Our Bonisace ordained that no Woman though a Nun should touch the consecrated Pall or Incense and that no Servant or Debtor should be admitted into the Clergy Moreover he built an Oratory upon the ground where S. Felicitas the Martyr was buried and very much adorned her Tomb. During his Pontificate flourished divers famous men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter Son of Eusebius born at a Town called 〈◊〉 seated in the Confines of Dalmatia and Hungaria but demolished by the Goths It is not to my purpose to rehearse how great benefit the Church of God reaped from his Life and Writings since he is known to have been a person of extraordinary 〈◊〉 and his Works are had in so great honour and esteem that no Author is more read by learned Men than he He died at Bethlehem on the last day of
Soon after his growing ambition prompts him to endeavour the gaining of the Western Empire and therefore getting together in a very little time a great Army he begins his March upon that Design This Aetius having intelligence of forthwith sends Ambassadours to Tholouse to King Theodorick to strike up a Peace with whom so strict a League was concluded that they both jointly engage in the War against Attila at a common charge and with equal Forces The Romans and Theodorick had for their Auxiliaries the Alanes Burgundians Franks Saxons and indeed almost all the people of the West At length Attila comes upon them in the Fields of Catalaunia and Battel is joyn'd with great Valour and Resolution on either side The Fight was long and sharp a Voice being over-heard none knowing from whence it came was the occasion of putting an end to the Dispute In this Engagement were slain on both sides eighteen thousand men neither Army flying or giving ground And yet 't is said that Theodorick Father of King Thurismond was killed in this Action Sixtus had not long enjoyed the Pontificate before he was publickly accused by one Bassus but in a Synod of fifty seven Bishops he made such a Defence of himself that he was by them all with one consent acquitted Bassus his false Accuser was with the consent of Valentinian and his Mother Placidia excommunicated and condemn'd to banishment but with this compassionate provision that at the point of death the Viaticum of the Blessed Sacrament should be denied him the forfeiture of his Estate was adjudged not to the Emperour but the Church 'T is said that in the third month of his Exile he died and that our Bishop Sixtus did with his own hands wrap up and embalm his Corps and then bury it in S. Peters Church Moreover Sixtus repaired and enlarged the Church of the Blessed Virgin which was anciently called by the name of Liberius near the Market place of Livia then had the name of S. Mary at the Manger and last of all was called S. Maries the Geeat That Sixtus did very much beautifie and make great additions to it appears from the Inscription on the front of the first Arch in these words Xystus Episcopus Plebi Dei for according to the Greek Orthography the name begins with X and y though by Custom it is now written Sixtus with S and i. To this Church that Bishop was very liberal and munificent among other instances adorning with Porphyry stone the Ambo or Desk where the Gospel and Epistles are read Besides what he did himself at his persuasion the Emperour Valentinian also was very liberal in works of this nature For over the Confessory of S. Peter which he richly adorned he placed the Image of 〈◊〉 Saviour of Gold set with Jewels and renewed those Silver Ornaments in the Cupola of the Lateran Church which the Goths had taken away Some are of an Opinion that in his time one Peter a Roman Presbyter by Nation a Sclavonian built the Church of S. Sabina upon the Aventine not far from the Monastery of S. Boniface where S. Alexius is interred 〈◊〉 I rather think this to have been done in the Pontificate of Coelestine the first as appears from an Inscription in Heroick Verse yet remaining which expresses as much 'T is said also that at this time 〈◊〉 Eusebius of Cremona and Philip two Scholars of S. Hierom both very elegant Writers as also Eucherius Bishop of Lyons a man of great Learning and Eloquence and Hilarius Bishop of Arles a pious Man and of no mean parts Our Sixtus having employed all his Estate in the building and adorning of Churches and relieving the poor and having made twenty eight Presbyters twelve Deacons fifty two Bishops died and was buried in a Vault in the Via Tiburtina near the body of S. Laurence He was in the Chair eight years nine days and by his death the See was vacant twenty two days LEO I. LEO a Tuscan Son of Quintianus lived at the time when Attila having return'd into Hungary from the Fight of Catalonia and there recruited his Army invaded Italy and first set down before Aquileia a Frontier City of that Province which held out a Siege 〈◊〉 three years Despairing hereupon of success he was just about to raise the Leaguer when observing the Storks to carry their young ones out of the City into the Fields being encouraged by this Omen he renews his Batteries and making a fierce assault at length takes the miserable City sacks and burns it sparing neither Age nor Sex but acting agreeably to the Title he assum'd to himself of being God's Scourge The Huns having hereby gain'd an Inlet into Italy over-run all the Countrey about Venice possessing themselves of the Cities and demolishing Milain and Pavia From hence Attila marching towards Rome and being come to the place where the Menzo runs into the Po ready to pass the River the holy Bishop Leo out of a tender sense of the calamitous state of Italy and of the City of Rome and with the advice of Valentinian goes forth and meets him persuading him not to proceed any farther but to take warning by Alaricus who soon after his taking that City was by the Judgment of God removed out of the World Attila takes the good Bishops Counsel being moved thereunto by a Vision which he saw while they were discoursing together of two men supposed to be S. Peter and S. Paul brandishing their naked swords over his head and threatning him with death if he were refractory Desisting therefore from his design he returns into Hungary where not long after he was choaked with his own bloud violently breaking out at his Nostrils through excess of drinking Leo returning to the City applyes himself wholly to the defence of the 〈◊〉 Faith which was now violently opposed by several kinds of Hereticks but especially by the Nestorians and Eutychians Nestorius 〈◊〉 of Constantinople affirmed the Blessed Virgin to be Mother not of God but of Man only that so he might make the Humanity and Divinity of Christ to be two distinct persons one the Son of God the other the Son of Man But Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople that he might broach an Heresie in contradiction to the former utterly confounded the divine and humane Nature of Christ asserting them to be one and not at all to be distinguished This Heresie being condemned by Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople with the consent of Theodosius a Synod is called at Ephesus in which Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria being President Eutyches was restored and Flavianus censured But Theodosius dying and his successour Marcianus proving a Friend to the Orthodox Doctrine Leo calls a Council at Chalcedon wherein by the authority of six hundred and thirty Bishops it was decreed as an Article of Faith that there are two Natures in Christ and that one and the same Christ is God and Man by which consequently both Nestorius and Eutyches the pestilent Patron of the
Manichees were condemned Moreover the Books of the Manichees were publickly burnt and the pride and heretical Opinions of Dioscorus discountenanced and suppress'd In the mean time Valentinian being treacherously murdered Maximus usurps the Empire and against her will marries Eudoxia the Widow of Valentinian Upon this occasion the Vandals being called out of Afric Genseric being their Leader force their entrance into the City of Rome throw the Body of Maximus who had been kill'd in the Tumult by one Ursus a Roman Soldier into the River Tyber plunder and burn the City pillage the Churches and refuse to hearken to Bishop Leo begging them what ever spoils they carried away only to spare the City it self and the Temples However on the fourteenth day from their entrance into Rome they left it and taking away with them Eudoxia and her Daughter with a great number of other Captives they return'd into Africa Leo being now very intent upon making good the damages sustain'd from this People prevailed upon Demetria a pious Virgin to build upon her own ground in the Via Latina three miles from the City a Church to S. Stephen and did the same himself in the Via Appia in honour to S. Cornelius The Churches which had been in any part ruined he repaired and those of the sacred Vessels belonging to them which had been bruised and broken he caused to be mended and those which had been taken away to be made anew Moreover he built three Apartments in the Churches of S. John S. Peter and S. Paul appointed certain of the Roman Clergy whom he called Cubicularii to keep and take charge of the Sepulchres of the Apostles built a Monastery near S. Peters introduced into the Canon of the Mass the Clause Hoc sanctum sacrificium this holy Sacrifice c. and ordained that no Recluse should be capable of receiving the Consecrated Veils unless it did appear that she had preserv'd her Chastity spotless for the space of forty years But while the good man was employed in these things there started up of a sudden the Heresie of the Acephali so called because they were a company of foolish undisciplin'd Schismaticks or if it be not a quibble because they wanted both Brains and Head These men decried the Council of Chalcedon denied the propriety of two Substances in Christ and asserted that there could be but one Nature in one Person But our Leo abundantly confuted their absurd Doctrines in his elegant and learned Epistles written to the Faithful upon that Argument Men of Note in his time were Paulinus Bishop of Nola Prosper of Aquitain a learned man and Mamercus Bishop of Vienne who as 't is said was the first that appointed processionary Supplications or Litanies upon the occasion of the frequent Earthquakes with which Gaul was at that time very much afflicted To conclude Leo having ordained eighty one Presbyters thirty one Deacons and eighty one Bishops died and was buried in the Vatican near S. Peter April the 10th He sat in the Chair twenty one years one month thirteen days and by his death the See was vacant eight days HILARIUS I. HILARIUS a Sardinian the Son of Crispinus continued in the Chair till the time of the Emperour Leo Who being chosen Emperour upon the death of Marcianus creates his Son of his own name Augustus During his Reign the Roman State suffered very much by reason of certain Ambitious men who endeavoured to get the Government into their own hands And Genseric the Vandal King being tempted with so fair an opportunity sails out of Afrique into Italy with design to gain the Empire for himself Leo having intelligence hereof sends Basilicus a Patrician with a mighty Fleet to the Assistance of Anthemius the Emperour of the West These two with joint force and courage meet Genseric near Populonia and force him to an Engagement at Sea in which being routed with a great slaughter of his men he was glad to make an inglorious flight into Africa again In the mean time Ricimer a Patrician having on the Mountains of Trent conquer'd Biorgus King of the Alanes and being puff'd up with that Victory was purposed to attempt the City of Rome had not 〈◊〉 Bishop of Pavia made him and Anthemius Friends Hilary notwithstanding this confused state of things did not neglect the care of Ecclesiastical Affairs For he ordained that no Bishop should chuse his own Successour a Constitution which belongs as well to all other Ecclesiastical Degrees as that of Episcopacy he also made a Decretal which he dispersed throughout Christendom and wrote certain Epistles concerning the Catholick Faith by which the three Synods of Nice Ephesus and Chalcedon were confirmed and the Hereticks Eutyches Nestorius and Dioscorus with their Adherents condemned In the Baptistery of the Lateran Church he built three Oratories which were adorned with Gold and precious Stones their Gates of Brass covered with wrought Silver those he dedicated to S. John Baptist S. John Evangelist and S. Cross. In the last of these was reposited some of the wood of the Cross nclosed in Gold and set with Jewels and a Golden Agnus upon a Pillar of Onyx He added moreover the Oratory of S. Stephen built two Libraries adjoyning and founded a Monastery I shall not here recite the almost numberless Donations which he made to several Churches of Gold Silver Marble and Jewels Some tell us that Germanus Bishop of Auxerre and Lupus Bishop of Troyes lived in his time both great supporters of the Christian cause which was now very much undermined by the endeavours of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Pelagians Gennadius also Bishop of Constantinople did great service to the Church by the integrity of his Life and the excellency of his Parts and Learning During the Pontificate of our Hilary Victorinus of Aquitain a famous Arithmetician reduced the Easter account to the course of the Moon far out-doing Eusebius and Theophilus who had attempted it before him And among those that flourished at this time by some is reckoned Merline the famous English Bard concerning whom we are told more than enough As for Hilary himself having performed the duty of a good Bishop both in building and adorning of Churches and also in Teaching Admonishing Censuring and giving Alms where need required and having also ordained twenty five Presbyters five Deacons twenty two Bishops he died and was buried in the Sepulchre of S. Laurence near the body of Bishop Sixtus He sat in the Chair seven years three months ten days and by his death the See was vacant ten days SIMPICIUS I. SIMPLICIUS Son of Castinus born at Tivoli was Bishop during the Reigns of Leo the second and Zeno. For Leo the first falling sick makes choice of Leo the second Son of Zeno Isauricus and his own Nephew by Ariadne his Sister to be his Successour who not long after being seiz'd by a violent Distemper and apprehending himself to be at the point of death leaves the Empire to his
the determination of the Apostolick See unless an account were first given them why Acacius was Excommunicated But Justine soon forc'd them out of the Church and City too and Hormisda dealt in the same manner with the Manichees who began to spring up afresh in Rome whose Books he caused to be burn'd before the Gates of S. John Lateran About this time Transamund King of the Vandals dying in Afric his Son 〈◊〉 whom he had by the Captive Daughter of Valentinian succeeded him in the Kingdom He inherited none of his Fathers Errours but following the Counsel of his religious Mother re-call'd all the Catholicks whom Transamund had banish'd and permitted them the free exercise of their Religion At this time also several rich Presents were sent to Rome for the Ornament of the Churches there by Clodoveus King of France and Justine the Emperour King Theodoric also richly adorn'd the Church of S. Peter nor was Hormisda himself behind these Princes in bounty and munificence to the Church Having setled things according to his mind and ordained twenty one Presbyters fifty five Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church August the 6th in the Consulship of Maximus He sat in the Chair nine years eighteen days and by his death the See was vacant six days JOHN I. IOHN by birth a Tuscan Son of Constantius was in the Chair from the Consulship of Maximus to that of Olybrius in the time of King Theodoric and the Emperour Justine Who out of his great zeal for the Orthodox Faith and that he might utterly extinguish the name of Hereticks banish'd the Arians and gave their Churches to the Catholicks This was so highly resented by Theodoric that he sends John himself with Theodorus and the two Agapeti his Ambassadours to Justine to advise him to restore the Arians or upon his refusal to let him know that he would pull down all the Catholick Churches in Italy These Ambassadours were at first very kindly and honourably received But having given an account of their Embassie and finding Justine wholly averse to grant what they desired they betook themselves to Tears and Prayers humbly beseeching him to prevent the ruin of Italy and all the Orthodox Christians in it by which means the good Prince was prevailed upon to recall the Arians and to grant them a Toleration Some write that it was in this Bishops time that Symmachus and Boethius were brought back from Exile imprison'd and slain by the cruelty and rage of Theodoric However certain it is that they were put to death by Theodoric's order and it matters not much whether it were in the Pontificate of Hormisda or John Which John returning from Constantinople Theodoric was so highly incens'd against him for his agreement with the Emperour Justine both in Faith and manners that it was a chance that he had not taken away his life immediately but throw him into Prison he did at Ravenna where through stench and nastiness and want of necessary provision the good man at length died A Cruelty for which the divine Vengeance sorely punished Theodoric not long after for he died suddenly of a fit of an Apoplexy and his Soul if you will take the word of a devout Hermit who reported it was cast into the flames of the Island Lipara Theodoric was succeeded in the Kingdom by his Daughter Amalasuntha with her Son Athalaric whom she had by her Husband Eucherius A Woman who with a prudence above her Sex rectified her Fathers ill Decrees restored the confiscated Estates of Boethius and Symmachus to their Children and caused her Son to be instructed in all kinds of good Literature though she were herein opposed by the Goths who cried out that their King was not to be bred a Scholar but a Soldier Much about this time died Justine being very Aged leaving the Empire to his Sisters Son Justinian and Clodoveus King of France leaving four Sons his Successors in that Kingdon Persons of Note and esteem at this time were Benedict of Nursia who setled among the Italians the Rules and Canons of the Monastick life and Bridget a devout Virgin of Scotland and John Presbyter of Antioch who wrote much against those that held that Christ should be worshipped in one Nature only To these Isidore adds one Cyprignius a Spanish Bishop who wrote elegantly upon the Apocalypse Our John before he went to Constantinople had repaired three Coemeteries namely that of Nereus and Achilleus in the Via Ardeatina that of the Martyrs SS Felix and Adauctus and that of Priscilla He also adorn'd the Altar of S. Peters with Gold and Jewels He likewise brought with him from Constantinople a Paten of Gold and a Chalice of Gold set with precious stones the Presents of the Emperour Justine but these I suppose to have been lost together with his life At several Ordinations he consecrated fifteen Bishops 'T is said that his Body was brought from Ravenna to Rome and buried in S. Peter's Church July the 27th Olybrius being then Consul He sat in the Chair two years eight months and by his death the Seewas vacant fifty eight days FELIX IV. FELIX the fourth a Sammite the Son of Costorius lived in the time of the Emperour Justinian Whose General Belisarius was victorious over the Persians and passing into Afric by his singular courage and conduct subdued and almost quite rooted out the Vandals whose King Gilimer he took Prisoner and brought him home with him in Triumph About this time Amalasuntha having a long time lived very uneasily with her malecontented Goths and having buried her wayward and unruly Son Athalaric associates her kinsman Theodatus in the Government This Theodatus was so great a Proficient in Greek and Latin Learning that he wrote an elegant History of his own times and was throughly skilled in the Platonick Philosophy And though he were not naturally of an active Martial temper yet at the desire of Amalasuntha he undertook a War against the Burgundians and Alemanni and manag'd it very succcesfully Felix in the mean while being careful of the affairs of the Church excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople for Heresie and built in the Via Sacra near the Forum Romanum the Church of S. Cosmus and Damianus as appears from the Verses yet remaining wrought in Mosaick work He also re-built the Church of S. Saturninus in the Via Salaria which had been consumed by fire Some write that in this Age lived Cassiodorus who while he was a Senator wrote several things in Politicks and when he became a Monk composed a Comment upon the Psalms 'T is said also that Priscian of Caesarea the famous Grammarian now wrote his Book of Grammar Arator likewise a Sub-Deacon of Rome translated the Gospels into Hexameter Verse and Justinian Bishop of Valence was had in great esteem for what he preach'd and wrote concerning the Christian Faith As for Felix himself having ordained fifty five Presbyters four Deacons twenty nine Bishops he
died and was buried in S. Peter's Church October the 12th He was in the Chair four years two months thirteen days and by his death the See was vacant three days BONIFACE II. BONIFACE the second a Roman Son of Sigismund was also in the time of Justinian A Prince whose vast Parts and Learning qualified him for that great Work which for the publick Good he undertook of collecting and methodizing the scattered Roman Laws and retrenching those which were useless and superfluous Yet herein he made use of the Advice and assistance of John a Patrician Trebonianus Theophilus and Dorotheus men of great Learning and Authority With their help an immense number of near two thousand Volumes of Decrees made from the building of the City to this time confusedly heaped together were digested under their respective Titles into fifty Books which are sometimes called Digests and sometimes Pandects because they contain the whole Civil Law He made also an Epitome of the Laws in four Books which go under the name of Institutes or Justinian's Code Moreover some tell us that Justinian wrote certain Books concerning the Incarnation of our Lord and that at his own charge he built the Temple of S. Sophia than which there is not a more noble and magnificent Pile of Buildings in the World In his Reign 〈◊〉 was made Bishop of Rome though not without some opposition for the Clergy being divided one Party of them chose Dioscorus into the place of Felix deceased The Contention about this matter lasted twenty eight days but the death of Dioscorus put an end to the Controversie Things being quiet Boniface applyed himself to the setling of the Church and decreed that no Bishop should appoint his own successour which was afterwards confirm'd by several following Bishops of Rome He decreed also that upon the decease of any Bishop of Rome another should be chosen to succeed him if it might be within three days to prevent any bandying or dissention which might be occasioned by delay He ordained likewise that the Clergy should be seperated and placed distinct from the Laity at the time of Celebration At the same time many of the Roman Nobility were so wrought upon by the Sanctity of Benedict that they retired to Mount Cassino and became Monks there among whom the more eminent were Maurus and Placidius Other men of Note and esteem were Dionysius the Abbat famous for the extraordinary Skill and Judgment which he shewed in his Paschal Cycle Famundus whose writings against certain Eutychians then springing up were very much commended and Martin who by his Preaching and Writings converted the People of Soissons from the Arian Heresie to the Truth But Boniface having sat in the Pontifical Chair two years two days died and was buried in S. Peter's Church The See was then vacant two months JOHN II. 〈◊〉 the second a Roman Son of Projectus lived in the time of Justinian and soon after his entrance upon the Pontificate condemned Anthemius an Arian Bishop some say that he had been Bishop of Constantinople Justinian to shew his 〈◊〉 to the Roman See sent Hypatius and Demetrius two Bishops to 〈◊〉 both to complement John in his name and to make to S. Peter's Church several rich Presents During this Embassie Mundus Justinian's General took the strong City of Salona and gain'd a Victory over the Goths though not without great loss on the Conquering side For Mundus himself together with his Son a Valiant and brave young Gentleman was slain in that Engagement the news of which misforfortune was extreamly laid to heart by Justinian he having always had a great value for that Leaders Courage and Fidelity Our Bishop John of whom Historians say very little having at one Ordination made 〈◊〉 Presbyters twenty one Bishops died and was buried in S. Peter's Church May 27. He sat in the Chair two years four months and by his death the See was vacant six days AGAPETUS I. AGAPETUS a Roman Son of Gordianus a Presbyter of the Church of S. John and S. Paul being created Bishop by Theodatus who was by him forthwith sent to the Emperour Justinian was highly incens'd against that King for his having first banish'd Amalasuntha the Mother of Athalaric into the Island of the Lake of Bolsena and afterwards caused her to be put to death there For she was a Woman so well acquainted with Greek and Latin Learning that she durst engage in Disputation with any profess'd Scholar Moreover she was so throughly skilled in the Languages of all the barbarous Invadors of the Roman Empire that she could discourse any of them without an Interpreter Her Death Justinian so highly resented that he threatned to make War upon Theodatus for that reason Hereupon Agapetus was sent to him who being receiv'd with great honour and affection and having obtain'd the peace he was sent to sue for he was then practis'd with to confirm the Eutychian Opinions But Justinian finding that the good man utterly detested any such proposal from desiring and 〈◊〉 he fell to Threats and Menaces Upon which Agapetus told him that he should have been glad to be sent to Justinian a Christian Prince but that he found a Diocletian an Enemy and Persecutor of Christians By this boldness of Speech and Gods appointment Justinian was so wrought upon that he embraced the Catholick Faith and having despos'd Anthemius Bishop of Constantinople who patroniz'd the Eutychian Heresie put into his place Menas one of the Orthodox who was consecrated by Agapetus himself But not long after Agapetus died at Constantinople and his body being wrap'd up in Lead was convey'd to Rome and buried in S. Peter's Church He sat in the Chair eleven months twenty one days and by his death the See was vacant one month twenty nine days SYLVERIUS SYLVERIUS a Campanian Son of Bishop Hormisda was chosen Bishop of Rome at the command of Theodatus though till this time the Emperours only not the Kings had interposed their Authority in that matter But the Menaces of Theodatus prevailed who had threatned to put to death every man of the Clergy who would not subscribe his name to the choice of Sylverius For this reason and that he might also revenge the death of Amala suntha Justinian sends Belisarius a Patrician with an Army into Italy In his passage thither he first put in at Sicily and brought that Island to the Emperours devotion In the mean time Theodatus dying and the Goths having chosen themselves a King against the will of Justinian Belisarius quits Sicily that he might deliver Italy from the Tyranny of the Goths Coming into Campania and the City of Naples refusing to obey the Emperours Summons he took it by Storm and plundered it putting to the Sword all the Goths that were in Garrison there and a great part of the Citizens carrying away their Children and what other spoil they could lay their hands on The Soldiers pillaged the very Churches violated the chastity of Cloystered Virgins
and was not yet punish'd according to his Demerits Those of the Clergy who had accompanied him from Rome were some of them banish'd others condemn'd to dig in the Mines But at the request of the Romans who had now a better Opinion of him and upon the importunity of Narses whom Justinian had sent to Rome to oppose the Goths Vigilius and all the others who were confin'd had liberty granted them to return into Italy But in their passage thither being come as far as Syracuse in 〈◊〉 Vigilius who had out-liv'd so many Calamities and Troubles died there of the Stone and his body was carried to Rome and buried in the Church of S. Marcellus in the Via Salaria He lived in the Pontificate at Rome and elsewhere seventeen years six months twenty six days and by his death the See was vacant three months five days PELAGIUS I. PELAGIUS a Roman lived in the time when Totilas King of the Goths advancing with a great Army from Treviso over-run and spoiled Italy in such a manner that from his salvage Cruelty he was called God's Scourge Coming as far as Mount Cassino in his way to Campania though he were in the habit of a common Soldier yet he was discovered by S. Benedict who spared not by threatning of divine Vengeance to terrifie him from raging so furiously against the Christians Moving thence towards Abruzzo he dismantled 〈◊〉 besieged Naples took Cumoe where yet he exercised an extraordinary Respect and Civility towards the Roman Women whom he found in it permitting them to go to Rome to their Friends without any violence or rudeness offered to them After this having taken Naples and made himself Master of all that part of Italy which lies towards Sicily he marches to Rome and having first seized the Port by which 〈◊〉 should come to the City he reduced them to such extremity for want of Provisions that some were forced to feed upon Mans-flesh At length forcing his entrance at the Gate which leads to Ostia he possessed himself of the City which having plundered he set on fire Some tell us that Totilas designed to save the Buildings of the City and sent Messengers about by Night to publish his pleasure in that particular but his Orders therein were not obeyed Justinian having Intelligence of these proceedings speedily dispatches Narses the Eunuch with a great Army into Italy 'T is said that this Narses was at first a Bookseller but being advanced to an Office near the Emperour's Person Justinian finding him to be a man of great merit raised him to the Dignity of a Patrician And indeed in all the accomplishments of Religion and Vertue and Clemency and Generosity and sweetness of temper he was a most exemplary and extraordinary Person Narses with the addition of some Auxiliary Forces from Alboinus King of the Lombards advances against the Goths routs them and makes a great slaughter in the pursuit of them Totilas lost his life ingloriously at Brissello and Theias who was chosen King in his stead though he behaved himself bravely yet was slain by Narses not far from Nocera And thus both the Name and Power of the Goths were extinct together in the seventy second year after that their King Theodoric first entred Italy Not long after died Justinian in the fortieth year of his Reign a Prince worthy to have his memory perpetuated to all Posterity and who according to the custom of preceding Emperours deserves the additional Titles of Alemanicus Gotthicus Wandalicus Persicus Africanus though he only advised but did not act in the successful Expeditions made against those Nations Pelagius in the midst of these disturbances not neglecting the Affairs of the Church ordained that Hereticks and Schismaticks might be suppressed by the Secular Power when they would not be reclaim'd by Reason and Argument Being accused that he was the occasion of the Calamities that befell Vigilius as having a greater interest with Justinian than Vigilius had in the sight of the Clergy and People he laid his hand upon the Cross and the Gospel and by a solemn Oath purged himself from that Charge Narses coming to Rome made a Procession from the Church of S. Pancras to S. Peter's with Thanksgiving for his late success and set himself with all possible application to repair the Damage which the City had receiv'd by the Goths In conjunction with Pelagius he ordained that no Person should be admitted to any holy Orders or Ecclesiastical Dignity by the way of canvassing or Birbery Pelagius making his Notary Valentinus a very religious person Treasurer of the Church begins the building of the Church of SS Philip and James Some tell us that the learned Monk Cassiodorus who had been first Consul then a Senator and afterwards renouncing all human Greatness embraced a Monastick life lived to this time and that Victor Bishop of Capua now wrote a Book concerning Easter in which he particularly discovered the mistakes of Dionysius the Roman Abbat who had with little care and skill composed a Paschal Cycle Moreover Sabinus Bishop of Canosa and Gregory Bishop of Langres and Vedastus a Scholar of S. Remigius and Bishop of Arras were Ornaments to the Pontificate of Pelagius and Herculanus Bishop of Perugia who had been put to Death by Totylas was Canonized Pelagius having at two Decembrian Ordinations made twenty six Presbyters eleven Deacons thirty nine Bishops died and was buried in S. Peter's He was in the Chair eleven years ten months twenty eight days The See was then vacant twenty six days JOHN III. JOHN the third the Son of Anastasius descended of a Noble Family lived in the time of Justine who succeeded Justinian but was in nothing like him For he was Covetous lewd rapacious a contemner of God and Men to such a degree that his Vices made him srantick so that his Wife Sophia managed all affairs till the time of Tiberius the second This Woman being prompted thereto by some envious persons who hated Narses recalls him out of Italy in these reproachful words That she would have the Eunuch come home and spin This he very highly resenting as well he might returns answer That he would spin such a Web as none of his Enemies should ever be able to unweave And he was as good as word For he presently sends and invites Alboinus King of the Lombards with all his people then possessed of Pannonia to come and seat themselves in the more plentiful Countrey of Italy Alboinus complying with the proposal of Narses and entring Italy with a vast number of men with their Wives and Children first possesses himself of Friuli and Marca Trivigiana thence passing into Insubria he takes and sacks Milain and at length makes himself Master of Pavia after it had held out a Siege of three years Being thus slush'd with Victory he goes to Verona which he constitutes the the Capital City of his Kingdom where being once at an Entertainment over-heated with Wine he compelled his Wife
only in Christ. But these Seducers at the Instance of Honorius who was very diligent to reclaim Heraclius were afterwards banished And Honorius having now some respite from other cares by his Learning and Example proved a great Reformer of the Clergy The Church of S. Peter he covered with Brass taken out of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus repaired that of S. Agnes in the Via Nomentana as appears by an Inscription in Verse therein and likewise that of S. Pancras in the Via Aurelia built those of S. Anastasius S. Cyriacus seven miles from Rome in the Via Ostiensis and S. Severinus in Tivoli all which he made very stately and adorn'd with Gold Silver Porphyry Marble and all manner of Ornamental workmanship He repaired also the Coemetery of SS Marcellinus and Peter in the Via Labicana and was at the charge of building other Churches besides those before-mentioned Moreover he ordained that every Saturday a Procession with Litanies should be made from S. Apollinaris to S. Peter's But having been in the Chair twelve years eleven months seventeen days he died and was buried in the Church of S. Peter October the 12th By his death the See was vacant one year seven months eighteen days SEVERINUS I. SEVERINUS a Roman Son of Labienus being chosen in the place of Honorius deceased was confirmed therein by Isaacius Exarch of Italy the Election of the Clergy and People being at this time reckoned null and void without the Assent of the Emperours or their Exarchs Now Isaacius having made a Journey to Rome upon the occasion of confirming this Pope that he might not lose his labour fairly sets himself to plunder the Lateran Treasury being assisted in that attempt by several Citizens though he were resisted for a time but in vain by the Clergy of that Church the principal of which he afterwards banished The ground of this Action was Isaacius's Resentment that the Clergy alone should grow rich without contributing to the Charge of the Wars especially at a time when the Soldiers were reduc'd to the greatest want and extremity Part of the spoil he distributed among the Soldiers part he carried away with him to Ravenna and of the rest he made a Present to the Emperour Those of the Saracens who had been listed by Heraclius being discontented for want of Pay march'd into Syria and made themselves Masters of Damascus a City subject to the Empire Then joyning with the other Arabians and being furnished with Provisions and Arms and heated by Mahomet's Zeal they over-run Phoenicia and Egypt and put to the Sword all those who refused to subscribe to their Government and Mahomet's Religion Advancing thence against the Persians and having slain Hormisda the Persian King they ceased not to commit all manner of outrages upon that People till they had entirely reduced them to subjection But Heraclius having intelligence of what work these Saracens made especially upon their taking of Antioch and searing that they might possess themselves of Jerusalem it self which they not long after did took care to have the Cross of our Saviour conveyed to Constantinople that it might not again come into the hands of the Agarens for so the Greeks in contempt call the Arabians as descending from Agar Abraham's Servant But Mahomet as we are told dying at Mecha was succeeded in the Command by Calipha and he by Hali who being laid aside for his being too superstitious the Egyptians make another Calipha their Commander 'T is said also that to complete the Calamities of the Roman Empire Sisebute King of the Goths did at this time recover out of the hands of the Romans all the Cities of Spain and so a period was put to the Roman Government in that Countrey As for 〈◊〉 who was a person of extraordinary Piety and Religion a Lover of the Poor kind to those in affliction liberal to all and in adorning of Churches very munificent having been in the Chair one year two months he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church August the 2d The See was then vacant four months twenty days JOHN IV. JOHN the fourth a Dalmatian Son of Venantius entring upon the Pontificate forthwith expressed a wonderful Compassion in employing the remainder of the Treasury of the Church which Isaacius had left behind him for the redemption of a multitude of Istrians and Dalmatians who had been taken Captive In the mean time Rhotaris who succeeded Arioaldus in the Kingdom of Lombardy though he were a person eminent for Justice and Piety yet became a Favourer of the Arians and permitted that in every City of his Kingdom there should be at the same time two Bishops of equal Authority the one a Catholick and the other an Arian He was a Prince of great Parts and reduc'd the Laws which Memory and Use alone had before retain'd methodically into a Book which he ordered to be called the Edict His Excellency in Military Skill appear'd in that he made himself Master of all Tuscany and Liguria with the Sea-coast as far as Marseille But in the sixth year of his Reign he died and 〈◊〉 the Kingdom to his Son Rhodoaldus 'T is reported that a certain Priest entring by night into the Church of S. John Baptist and there opening the Tomb in which the Body of Rhotaris lay rob'd it of all the things of value with which the Bodies of Kings are wont to be interred Hereupon John Baptist a Saint to whom Rhotaris had been in his life-time very much devoted appear'd to the Priest and threatned him with Death if he ever entred his Church again The like happened even in our times to Cardinal Luigi Patriarch of Aquileia whose Sepulchre was broke open and pillaged by those very men whom he himself had enriched and raised from a mean condition to the Sacerdotal Dignity Rhodoaldus entring upon the Government of the Kingdom marries Gundiberga the Daughter of Queen Theudelinda who imitating her Mother's Devotion built and richly adorned a Church in Honour to S. John Baptist at Terracina in like manner as Theudelinda had done at Monza But Rhodoaldus being taken in Adultery was slain by the Husband of the Adulteress Successour to him was Aripertus Son of Gudualdus and Brother of Queen Theudelinda he built our Saviour's Chappel at Pavia and very much beautified and plentifully endowed it Pope John fearing now lest the Bodies of Vincentius and Anastasius might sometime or other be violated by the barbarous Nations took care to have them safely conveyed to Rome and with great Solemnity reposited them in the Oratory of S. John Baptist near the Baptistery of the Lateran We are told that in his Pontificate Vincentius Bishop of Beauvais and Muardus Arch-bishop of Reims were in great esteem for their Learning and Sanctity Moreover Reginulpha a French Lady was very eminent for Piety and Renaldus Bishop of Trajetto famous for his Life and Miracles Jodocus also was not inferiour to any of these who though he were the Son of a King of the
as well as lay in his power fourteen years six months died and was buried in S. Peter's January the 27th The See was then vacant four months fifteen days ADEODATUS I. ADEODATUS a Roman Son of Jovinian was of a Monk created Pope at the time when Lupus Duke of Friuli endeavoured to posses himself of the Kingdom of Italy For Grimoaldus being as we have said called by his Son Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum to aid him against Constantius the Emperour at his departure commended his People to the care of Lupus and so according to the Proverb left the Sheep to the keeping of the Wolf For Lupus taking the advantage of Grimoaldus his absence involves all Tuscany Romandiola and a great part of Lombardy in tumult and confusion Hereupon Grimoaldus by gifts and promises prevails with Caganus to advance with his Avares against Lupus which he did and in the first Engagement had the worst of it But the next day renewing the Fight he overcame and slew Lupus and then sack'd and laid waste all Friuli Grimoaldus upon Constantius his leaving Italy returns into Lombardy and in his way on the Saturday before Easter takes Forlimpopoli puts all the Inhabitants of it to the sword plunders it and then levels it to the ground upon the score of an injury which he had received there from the people of Ravenna in his passage to the Aid of his Son Now Arnefites the Son of Lupus being assisted by the Dalmatians endeavoured to recover his Father's Dukedom but near the River Natisone he was vanquish'd and slain by the Lombards The Inhabitants of Vderzo had a share in his Misfortune being forced to quit their Countrey for having countenanced him in his pretensions At this time Sicily also was in a bad condition for Soldiers were sent thither out of all the Provinces of Italy to make head against Mezentius by whose treachery Constantius had been murdered Who being overcome and slain and the Soldiers again dispersed the Saracens arriving with a great Fleet surprize Syracuse and possess themselves of the whole Island After some time they return to Alexandria loaded with spoil and carry away with them those Ornaments of the City of Rome which Constantius had brought to Syracuse with design to transmit them to Constantinople These miseries and Calamities had been portended by a Comet which appeared three months together by great Rains and frequent Thunders such as had not been at any time known before But such is the blindness of Mankind that though they be warn'd of future Evils yet they do not as they ought provide against them 'T is reported that all the standing Corn which had been lodg'd by the continued Rains grew yet up again and came to maturity especially in Lombardy In the mean time Adeodatus being a person of great Piety and Humanity merciful towards Offenders bountiful to the poor hospitable towards strangers and compassionate towards all in Calamity repaired and dedicated the Church of S. Peter in the Via Portuensis He also added to the Building and Revenues of the Monastery of S. Erasmus on Mons Coelius wherein himself had been a Monk Moreover he appointed frequent Litanies upon the account of those Prodigies which we have said appear'd at that time At length having been in the Chair four years two months five days he died and was with general lamentation buried in S. Peter's June the 26th The See was then vacant four months twenty days DONUS I. DONUS a Roman Son of Mauritius was made Pope at the time when Grimoaldus King of the Lombards drawing a Bow high to shoot at a Pigeon and thereby straining his Nerves and Veins though it were nine days after he had been let Blood in the Arm yet thereupon it fell a bleeding afresh and could not be stanch'd till he died There were in this King several excellent Endowments both of Body and Mind He was a person of great Wisdom and Prudence in all Affairs and added several things very useful to Rhotaris his Edict which afterwards receiv'd the Form of a Law He was of a middle Stature strong Constitution had a bald head and long beard and was every way fitted for Action He was buried at Pavia in the Church of S. Ambrose which he had built at his own charge Pertharis Son of King Aripertus who as we have said had been deprived of his Right by Grimoaldus passing now during his Exile out of France into Britain was prompted by a Voice which he knew not from whence it came that Grimoaldus being dead he should seek to recover his paternal Inheritance Encouraged by this Voice though the Author of it were uncertain he returned into Italy and within three months after Grimoaldus's Death became repossess'd of his Father's Kingdom without any opposition About the same time died Dagobert the French King a subtil and crafty Prince and who was equally fitted for Counsel and Action whose Soul when it had been carried by Devils almost as far as the Island of Lipara is reported to have been delivered out of their Clutches by Dennis and Maurice the Martyrs and Martin the Confessour Saints for whom as his Patrons he had all his life-time a great veneration and had been very liberal in beautifying and enriching their Churches Now Pope Donus consulting the honour of the Church paved the Porch of S. Peter's called Paradise with Marble which he took as I suppose from the Pyramide over against Castel S. Angelo Moreover he repaired and dedicated in the Via Ostiensis the Church of the Apostles and in the Via Appia that of S. Euphemia He also appointed the several degrees of honour and distance to be yielded to the several Orders of the Clergy And discovering in the Boethian Monastery a Company of Syrian Monks who were of the Nestorian Heresie them he censured and dispersed into divers other Monasteries assigning their own to Roman Monks By his eminent Learning and Piety and through the submission of Theodorus Bishop of 〈◊〉 he reduced to Obedience to the Apostolick See the Church of Ravenna which had for a considerable time separated it self from that of Rome and upon that account had got the name of Allocephalis Some tell us that in his time Projectus a Bishop underwent the torment and acquired the glory of Martyrdom for the cause of Christianity and that Mezelindis a Woman of incomparable Chastity being solicited by her Lover Ardenius and upon her not yielding to his desires put to divers Torments by him yet prayed so fervently even for her Persecutor whom God for this Crime had struck with blindness that upon her Prayers his Sight was restored to him Our Donus having been in the Chair five years ten days died and was buried in S. Peter's April the 10th The See was then vacant two months sixteen days AGATHO I. AGATHO a Sicilian was Anno Dom. 702. of a Monk made Pope a person of great Piety and who cured a Leper whom he chanced to meet with only by a
Salutations and Respects having pass'd on both sides they entred the Church and being come up to the Altar Charles and the Pope the Romans and the French took a mutual Oath to maintain a perpetual Friendship and to be Enemies to the Enemies of each other After which Charles making his Entrance into the City devoutly visited all the Churches and made several Presents to them Four days after his being there he by Oath confirmed and amply enlarged the Donation of his Father Pipin to Gregory the third containing according to Anastasius in 〈◊〉 all that reaches from the long since demolished City Luna to the Alpes the Isle of Corfica and the whole Tract between Luca and Parma together with Friuli the Exarchate of Ravenna and the Dukedoms of Spoleto and Benevent These Affairs being thus setled Charles taking his leave of Adrian returns into Lombardy and becomes Master of Pavia on the sixth month after the investing of it Towards Desiderius however he was so favourable as that though he berest him of his Kingdom yet he spared his Life and only confined him with his Wife and Children to Lyons Advancing thence again Arachis Duke of Benevent who was Son-in-law to Desiderius and had been an Abettour of his rash Proceedings he soon forced him to sue for a Peace and received his two Sons for Hostages After this in his Passage farther he religiously visited Mount Cassino and confirmed all the Grants which had been made by other Princes to the Monastery of S. Benedict And so the Affairs of all Italy being composed and strong Guards left in the most important places of Lombardy he returns with great Spoil and mighty Glory into his Kingdom or France carrying with him his Brother Caroloman's Relict and Sons whom he always treated with Respect and Honour and also Paul a Deacon of the Church of Aquileia a Person for his Parts and Learning highly belov'd by Desiderius to whom he gave his Freedom and had for some time a great Esteem for him But understanding afterwards that the man was assisting to a Design of Desiderius's his Flight he banish'd him into the Island of Tremiti from whence after some years making his Escape and coming to Arachis at the Request of Adelperga Daughter to Desiderius and the Wife of Arachis he added two Books to the History of Eutropius giving an account of what passed from the time of the Emperour Julian to that of Justinian the first After the Death of Arachis he betook himself to the Monastery of Cassino where leading the remainder of his life very devoutly he oftentimes wrote elegant and obliging Letters to Charles and received again the like from that King who had preserved him for the sake of his Learning Thus ended the Kingdom of the Lombards in the two hundred and fourth year after their coming into Italy and in the year of our Lord seven hundred seventy six Charles now without any delay marches against the idolatrous Saxons who during his absence in Italy had rebelled uttterly subdues that People with whom he had been engaged in War for thirty years before and compells them to receive Christianity Then turning his Army against the Spaniards who were also fallen away from the Faith he took the Cities of Pampelona and Saragoza and permitted his Souldiers to plunder them not granting a Peace to these Spaniards but upon condition they would entirely embrace the Christian Doctrine After this returning into France matters having went according to his mind as he passed the Pyrenean Hills he fell into an Ambuscade of the Gascons in engaging with whom though he gallantly defended himself yet he lost Anselmus and Egibardus two brave Commanders Some tell us that in this Encounter Rolandus Charles's Sister's Son perished after he had made a great slaughter of the Enemy though whether he died of Thirst as is commonly said or of the wounds he received is uncertain At length these Gascons were vanquished by Charles and received from him the deserved Punishment of their Revolt and Perfidy At this time Taxillo Duke of Bojaria Desiderius's Son-in-law having gained the Huns to be on his side made an Attempt of War against the French which yet Charles by his great Expedition almost made an end of before it was quite begun and to him also upon Hostages given he granted a Peace While these things were transacting in France Constantine Emperour of the East was seized with a Leprosy from whence perhaps arose the groundless Opinion of the Leprosy of Constantine the Great through the confusion of their Names and dying left Leo the fourth his Successour who so strangely doated upon precious Stones that robbing the Church of S. Sophia of its Jewels he made with them a Crown of a vast weight and value which he wore so often that either through the Weight or from the coldness of the Stones in it he shortly fell sick and died The same I believe to have happened in our Time to Paul the Second who so effeminately prided himself in such Ornaments almost exhausting the Treasury of the 〈◊〉 to purchase Jewels at any rate that as often as he appeared publickly instead of wearing a plain Mitre he looked like the Picture of Cybele with Turrets on her Head from whence what with the weight of the Jewels and the sweat of his gross Body I am apt to think arose that Apoplexy of which he died suddenly After the Death of Leo his Relict Irene and his Son Constantine managing the Empire in a Council of three 〈◊〉 and fifty Bishops held the second time at Nice it was 〈◊〉 that whosoever mantained that the Images of the Saints were to be destroyed should be censured with perpetual Excommunication But young Constantine through the persuasion of some ill men about him treading in the Footsteps of his Father soon after revoked this Constitution and wholly deprived his Mother of any share in the Administration of Affairs Then putting away his Wife he received to his Bed and caused to be crowned Empress Theodora one of her Maids Moreover he gave Order to those Commanders he had in Italy to give disturbance to their Neighbours but they were at the first Message terrified from any Attempts by the prevailing Authority of Charles who at this time was advancing with his Forces against the Sclaves and Hunns or we may call them Hungarians because by their Incursions they had molested all the Countrey about the Danow whom having vanquished he marched into Franconia the Countrey of his Ancestours from whence the Franks or French derive their Name which Province he having with ease brought to his Devotion two years after Theophylact and Stephen two Bishops of great Note held a Synod of Frank and German Bishops wherein that which the Greeks called the Seventh Synod and the Felician Heresie touching the Destruction of Images was condemned Adrian being now by the Interest and Power of Charles secured from the fear of any warlike Incursions applies himself to the repairing the City
Pontificate the Enemy of mankind answer'd as he is wont ambiguously that he should live long if he came not near Jerusalem So that when in the fourth year first month and tenth day of his Papacy he was at Rome at Mass in the Church of Holy Cross in Jerusalem it came into his mind that now he must die where he heartily repenting confess'd his fault before the people exhorting them all to lay aside Ambition and to withstand the Stratagems of the Devil betaking themselves to a holy and pious life then he desired them that after his death they would lay the trunk of his Body however torn and dismembred as it deserved to be in a Cart and there to bury it where the Horses should of their own accord carry it and then as 't is said that wicked Men might see that yet there was some room for pardon left with God for them if they at any time repent by the Divinc Will and Providence the Horses of their own accord went to the Church of the Lateran where his body was buried Martinus writes beside that as well from the clattering of this Pope's bones as from the Sweat or rather moisture of his Tomb People are wont to gather Presages and those most manifest of the approaching death of any Pope and that this is hinted in the Epitaph on his Tomb. Whether it be true or no let the Pope's whom it concerns look to 't JOHN XIX JOHN the Nineteenth whose Surname and Family because of their baseness are not recorded died four months and twenty days after he was made Pope So that because of the shortness of his Pontificate there was nothing memorable done either by himself or any other in the time unless that many Prodigies Apparitions and Comets were seen and many Towns ruin'd by Earth-quakes foreshewing the Calamities that were to come Some ease in which yet was given by Hugh the Viceroy of Italy under Otho and Governour of Tuscany for he manag'd his Province with so great Justice and Integrity that no one complain'd for want of an excellent Prince Who afterward dying at Pistoia the Tuscans universally bewailed him as a publick Parent not suffering any manner of Respect to be wanting to his Funeral In this place I therefore thought good to mention the deserv'd praises of Hugo that Governours of Countries may know that it is much better by a just and generous administration to acquire glory and honour than by unjust ways to heap up Riches with everlasting shame and ignominy JOHN XX. JOHN the Twentieth a Roman of the Ward of Port-Metropolitan being made Pope indulg'd himself in an easie way of living and did nothing worth mentioning But Robert King of France deserv'd the highest commendations who at this time led a Life as devout as Kingly excelling all the cotemporary Christian Kings in Knowledg and religious living and being himself excell'd by no Man in controversial Learning he not owning that Opinion which the Princes of our times have embrac'd that it is not worth a Potentates while to be learned but that it behoves them that are to rule the Nations to take their rules of Government from the precepts of others which yet cannot be done without reading and study What else indeed is an illiterate Prince but the Image of a Lion commanding the other beasts 'T is necessary they should be able to moderate their own passions as well as the peoples who would be thought fit to govern others With great reason therefore it is that we speak well of Robert whose devotion was such that as ost as he had leisure from his warlike Employments he would sing the canonical hours with the Priests and so great were his merits in this way that once when he had beleaguer'd a Town of his Enemies and neglected the Siege to attend the canonical hours the Walls miraculously sell down and his Men immediately rushing in took the place But John according to some Authors having sate in the Chair four years and four months died and was buried in S. Peter's Church The Sea was then vacant nineteen days SERGIUS IV. SERGIUS the Fourth a Roman Son of Martin succeeded a Man of a most holy life and sweet conversation both before and in his Pontificate He was charitable to the poor chearful among his Friends and Acquaintants merciful to those who were faulty and mild even with the perverse Beside he was so prudent that in all the time he sate in the Chair nothing was committed which could reflect any charge of negligence upon his Government For placing all his thoughts in Heaven which all Popes ought to do and having a mind imbued with much natural goodness he brought about all things to his mind By his counsel and advice the Princes of Italy entred into a League for driving the Saracens out of Sicily and accordingly made equal preparations of Men. There were then in Italy most of the Sons of Tancred the great Duke of Normandy among whom was William surnam'd Ferrebach a Man of so great courage that taking for his Companion in the Expedition Malochus General of the Forces of Michael Catalaicus Emperor of Constantinople he in a short time clear'd that Island of Saracens the Princes of Capoua and Salerno lending some assistance Afterward Malochus using injustice in the division of the Spoil William thought good to dissemble for the time but returning into Italy with forty thousand Normans who were just come from the Holy War he seizes upon all Apulia which was subject to the Greeks and at Melfi meets Malochus with his Army fights and defeats him and thus by the valour of William the Kingdom of Apulia was transferred from the Greeks to the Normans for he dying without Heirs his Brother Drogo succeeded him and to him succeeded Humfrey a younger Brother from whom descended Robert Guiscardi and his Brother Roger. While this past in Apulia Italy and almost all the World too labouring under a Famine and Pestilence the holy Man Sergius died in the second year and fifteenth day of his Popedom and was buried in S. Peter's Church The Sea was then vacant eight days BENEDICT VIII BENEDICT the Eighth born at Frascato his Father's name was Gregory as soon as he was made Pope Crown'd Henry I. of Bavaria Emperor in the room of Otho III. deceased according to the Decree of Gregory V. Some say that Otho died at Rome and that his body was carried into Germany others say 't was buried in S. Peter's Church However that may be 't is certain that Henry Duke of Bavaria who was an excellent and a most holy person was now created Emperor and that he had an Empress equally praise-worthy for Charity Devotion and Affability But whilst he was employed in composing the affairs of Germany the Saracens entred Italy took Capua and besieg'd Bari the Inhabitants whereof being reduced to extremity for want of Provisions the Venetians with their Fleet reliev'd them and with the assistance of the Greeks set upon
when he petition'd with all humility to send him a Pall he did it and restor'd him to his Authority in this form of words We are persuaded by thy Letter to send thy Brotherhood a Pall together with the Blessing of the Sea Apostolick which kind of Honour was never before conferr'd upon any person absent from us After that he gave a Pall and several priviledges to the Arch bishop of Toledo who came to Rome and swore fidelity to the Pope and made him Primate of all Spain But he laid a Curse upon the King of Portugal and all the Diocese of St. James because he had thrown the Bishop of that Province into Prison without hearing what he had to say for himself About the same time Henry Bishop of Soissons came to Urban at Rome and freely quitted his Bishoprick which he had received from the King of France without any hopes of Restitution Whereupon Urban lest his Diocese should suffer for want of a Bishop restored him to his Bishoprick though he were unwilling to take it but he was sworn in this manner I for the future will not communicate with any that are excommunicated by this Sea wittingly and willingly nor will I ever be present at the Consecrations of those that accept of Bishopricks or Abbies against Law and Reason from Laymen and so help me God and this holy Gospel I never intend to break my resolution So also they say he dealt with the Bishop of Bellay Nor can any one say he was pertinacious for doing so for he knew how and when to alter his mind upon occasion which every good Man should do For when he had admitted a Clerk whom Gibert the Anti-Pope had made a Sub deacon to second Orders he chang'd his mind because it was a thing of ill Example and like to be of very pernicious consequence He confirm'd the Order of Cistercians which was first set up in Burgundy and some say the Carthusians began their Order in his time though others say it was in the time of Victor III. But when Urban had settled the Church of God not onely by his pains and Example but by his Writings too which he set forth against the Hereticks he died near St. Nicolas's in the House of Peter Leo an eminent Citizen twelve years four months and nineteen days after he came to the Popedom upon the 28th of August His Body was carried over Tiber to avoid the contrivances of his Enemies who would have done him an injury if possible after death and buried very honourably in St. Peter's at the Vatican PASCHAL II. PASCHAL the Second before call'd Raynerius an Italian of Romagna whose Father's name was Crescentius and his Mother Alphacia was chosen Pope about that time when the Christians fought in Asia and took Antioch into which they were lett by Pyrrhus an eminent Citizen For he admired Böemunds valour so much that he promised to surrender the City to 'em if the rest of the Christians would let Böemund be Governour of it The Christians when they enter'd the City spared almost all but onely that they were severe upon the Saracens and Cassianus their King who fled to the Mountains was kill'd by the Armenians They had taken all but the Castle which whilest Böemund attaqued he was shot through the thigh with an Arrow which pained him so that he was fain to desist from the Siege for several days But when Corbanes the King of persia's General came up with Sensadolus Castianus's Son to retake Antioch Böemund was by that time well of his Wound met and would have engaged ' em But the Enemy kept up in the Mountains and could not be tempted to fight by any means Whereupon Böemund being necessitated for lack of Provisions was resolv'd to fight 'em though the place was much to his disadvantage So he order'd that Lance wherewith Longinus pierced Christ's side which they found in St. Andrew's Church at Antioch to be carry'd before 'em as the best Ensign they could have and marching up to 'em he defeated them with the slaughter of an hundred thousand though at first they made a brisk resistance Besides that they say there were fifteen thousand Camels taken in their Camp and so much plunder carry'd off that from the greatest extremity of want they were advanced to the greatest abundance of all things necessary The Governour of the Castle when he knew of it surrender'd the Castle to Böemund and embraced the Christian Faith and all that were in the Garrison if they would do the like were permitted to march off with Bag and Baggage whither they pleased After that there arose a great debate betwixt Böemund and Raymund when Böemund demanded Antioch and Raymund said it belong'd to the Emperour of Constantinople by the contract they had before freely made But the Priests to whom it was referr'd gave it to Böemund without any more ado In the mean time Hugo Magnus who was gone to Constantinople to compose things died and then the other Officers all but Raymund who besieged Caesarea in Cappadocia resolv'd to go to Jerusalem with their Army and rendezvouz'd in Lycia But by the way they attempted to take Tortosa and after they had spent three months in vain they raised the Siege and march'd to Tripoli the petit King of which place furnish'd 'em liberally with Mony Provisions and Arms and thereby obtain'd a Peace upon Condition that he if Jerusalem were taken should embrace the Christian Religion Hence they removed and passing by Coesarea in Palestine came at five encampings to Jerusalem which stands upon an high Hill and is divided also by several Dales so that it cannot be besieged but by a very great Army Beside there wants Fountains and River-waters which are necessary for an Army For there is no other rivolet but Siloe and that very little in the Summer time and sometimes nothing at all which runs down Mount Sion into the Valley of 〈◊〉 Yet there are a great many Cisterns in the City and the Countrey to furnish the Citizens with Water but cannot supply great Armies and Beasts of carriage Notwithstanding the Christians got what Provisions they could and attaqued the City in four places very fiercely whilest the Jerusalemites defended it as stoutly and upon the 13th of July they took it by storm the thirty ninth day after they began to besiege it in the year 1499. four hundred and ninety years after the Saracens took it under the Reign of Heraclius Godfrey was most to be commended in that action for that he first master'd that part of the Wall which was allotted for him and his Brother to storm and help'd Balion down into the City to open the Gates for the Christians at whose entrance there was such a slaughter both in the City and especially in the Temple that Men were above the ancles in bloud And the same day they had taken the Temple too if Night had not come upon ' em However the next day the Attaque was
vindicate those times from obscurity and ignominy for Richard was then a famous Doctor and wrote many things gravely and copiously particularly a Book concerning the Trinity beside that he was an eloquent as well as profound Preacher At this time almost all Europe was afflicted with Famine which put our Pope upon acts of Charity which he perform'd liberally both openly and in secret but he died when he had been Pope one year four months and twenty four days and was buried in the Lateran in a Tomb of Porphyry HADRIAN IV. HADRIAN the Fourth an English man born near S. Albans in Hertfordshire having been sent into Norway to preach the Gospel he converted that Nation to the Christian faith and was therefore by Pope Eugenius made Bishop of Alba and Cardinal Upon the death of Anastasius being elected Pope he was applied to by the Romans both with Prayers and threats for an investiture of their Consuls in the absolute administration of the Government of the City but he positively refused and the Clergy of Rome desiring him to go to the Lateran to be consecrated he also denied so to do unless Arnold of Brescia who had been condemn'd for a Heretick by Eugenius were first expell'd the City This so enrag'd the People that they set upon the Cardinal of S. Pudentiana in the Via Sacra as he was going to the Pope and gave him a wound or two This the Pope took so ill that he set them under Excommunication till at last they chang'd their minds and both banish'd Arnold and forc'd their Consuls to lay down their Offices leaving to the Pope the absolute Power of governing the City Mean time William King of Sicily who succeeded Roger takes the Subburbs of Benevent and both Ceperano and Bauco from the Church which so enrag'd the Pope that he Anathematiz'd him and absolv'd all his Subjects of their Allegiance that so they might be at liberty to rebel But at this time the Emperour Frederick I. of Schwaben was entred into Lombardy with an Army and besieging Tortona which had revolted from the Empire he took it by force and thence with great speed he continued his march towards Rome The Pope was then at Viterbo from whence he went to visit Orvieto and Civita Castellana places belonging to the Church to confirm them in their Allegiance but finding himself unable to cope with the Imperial Army by his Nuntio's he struck up a Peace and met the Emperor near Sutri who alighting from his Horse address'd to him with all that Ceremony which was due to the true Vicar of Christ From hence they went to Rome where Frederick was to be Crown'd by the Pope in S. Peter's Church but the Gates being shut lest any tumult should happen between the Citizens and the Soldiers the Romans yet broke forth by Ponte S. Angelo and set upon the Germans whom they look'd upon as of the Pope's side and kill'd many This unsufferable riot angred the Emperour so that having brought his Army which was encamp'd in the prati di Nerone into the City he drove the Romans from the Vatican and slew and took Prisoners multitudes of them till being appeased by the intercession of the Pope he let those he had taken go free But when afterward according to custom the Pope and Emperour were to go together to the Lateran and found it would be unsafe because of the seditious humour of the Citizens they went first to Magliana and there crossing the River they pass'd by the way of Sabina and Ponte Lucano to the Lateran and perform'd the Coronation with the usual Solemnity While matters went thus at Rome those of Tivoli surrendred themselves to Frederick professing a perfect submission but when he understood that it was a part of S. Peter's Patrimony he restor'd it to Hadrian and without any long stay return'd into Germany The Pope also at the request of the great men of Puglia remov'd to Benevent where by his presence alone he regain'd from William to the Church a great part of his Kingdom In the mean time Paloeologus an illustrious personage came Ambassadour from Emanuel II. Emperour of Constantinople first by Sea to Ancona and then by Land to Benevent with an offer to the Pope of fifty thousand pounds in Gold and a Promise to chase William out of Sicily if upon the good success of the Expedition three maritime Cities of Puglia might be put into his possession which no sooner came to William's Ear but he sued for the Pope's mercy promising not onely to restore what he had taken from the Church but to add somewhat more and that he would employ his Force to constrain the rebellious Romans to their duty if he might be honour'd with the Title of King of both Sicilies The Pope could not grant this because several Cardinals opposed it Wherefore William getting a good Army together enters Puglia after an hostile manner destroying all with fire and sword and setting upon the Greeks and Apulians who were encamp'd near Brundusium he easily overcame them upon which those of Otranto and Puglia immediately made their submissions to him The Pope then was very angry with those Cardinals who had opposed the Peace before and took William into favour and gave him the Title of both Kingdoms he having first taken an Oath thereafter not to attempt to do any thing which might be a detriment to the Church of Rome Matters being thus composed to his mind the Pope taking his journey through the Countries of Cassino Marsi Reati Narin and Todi came at last to Orvieto which place he was the first Pope that made his habitation and beautified He was afterward by the earnest intreaties of the Romans persuaded to go to Rome but being here teiz'd by the Consuls who would be setting up for liberty he went to Arignano where not long after he died having been Pope four years and ten months leaving the Estates of the Church in a very good condition for he had built several Castles on the lake of S Christina and so fortified Radifano with a Wall and Citadel that it was almost inexpugnable The History of these times was written in an elegant style by Richard a Monk of Glugni much quoted by other Writers The body of Pope Hadrian being brought to Rome was buried in S. Peter's Church near the Sepulcre of Pope Eugenius ALEXANDER III. ALEXANDER the Third born at Siena his Father's name Ranuccio upon the death of Hadrian was by the suffrages of twenty two Cardinals chosen Pope though other three Cardinals set up Octavian a Roman Cardinal of S. Clement by the name of Victor which gave beginning to a Schism But Alexander lest the Church of Rome should suffer by the continuance thereof dispatch'd Legats to Frederick the Emperour then laying Siege to Cremona to desire him to interpose his Imperial Authority in extinguishing the Sedition He return'd for Answer that both Popes should betake themselves to Pavia whither he would come and hear their Case
appears in his Titles And yet he had his faults too amidst all these commendations For he is said to have lov'd his Relations to such a degree as that he would rob others to give to them For he took Castles from some Noble Romans and gave 'em to his own kindred particularly that at Soriano Where though he was a most temperate man yet he died suddenly in the third year eighth month and fifteenth day of his Pontificate Whose death they say some body foretold by a presage drawn from the swelling of the River Tiber. For it rose so high that it was four feet and more above the Altar in round S. Maries But his body was carried to Rome and buried in the Chappel of S. Nicolas which he built in S. Peter's in a Marble Tomb beautified with Fret-work still to be seen An. Dom. 1280. eight days after the Assumption This year Charles the King adorn'd and honour'd the Body of S. Magdalen which S. Maximin had buried in a Town of his own name with a more magnificent Tomb and a bigger Chappel and laid her head up in a Silver Case separate from her body Now they say that upon the death of Nicolas the Sea was vacant five months For whilst the Cardinals were about electing a new Pope at Viterbo and one Richard of the Family of the Hannibals which is the best in all Rome was Keeper of the Conclave two Cardinals of the Vrsini did what they could to hinder the Election unless Richard who was a bitter Enemy to the Vrsini would restore Vrsus Nephew to Nicolas lately deceased to his Government of Viterbo from which he had not long before deposed him For this reason the people of Viterbo sided with Richard went into the Conclave took the Cardinals and imprison'd them Which when it was known at Rome the same faction of the Hannibals drove the Vrsini out of the City who seeing they were forced to depart went all together and retir'd as far as Proeneste So that the French Cardinals when the Vrsini were gone out-voted the Italians and chose a French Pope about the end of the fifth month MARTIN IV. MARTIN the fourth formerly called Simon a Cardinal Priest of S. Caecilie and a French man of Tours being chosen Pope would not be crown'd at Viterbo because he thought that City ought not to be made use of in such a solemn occasion where the Cardinals had been so assaulted And therefore he went to Orvieto an ancient City and there performed all the Ceremonies upon the 23d day of March. And upon Easter day he created six Cardinals of which the Earl of Millain had the Title of S. Marcellin and Peter and Benedict Cajetanus had that of S. Nicolas in the Prison As for Charles the King he not onely receiv'd him kindly when he came to him but he gave him his former Senatorian Dignity whereof Nicolas had deprived him But this was not so very well approv'd on by all because it was like to cause great Tumults in the City the Vrsini being now restored and the Hannibali banish'd For Charles was a mighty Enemy to the Vrsini for Nicolas's sake whom he hated For this reason John to revenge the injuries done to his Brother Latinus and in defence of the Dignity conferr'd upon himself by the Romans got a good Army together and marching toward Viterbo spoiled all their Countrey far and near But Martin who was then in Montefiascone being concern'd at the misery of the Viterbeses sent Matthew a Cardinal of the Vrsine Family to Rome in all haste to compose the business who took John the Captain of the Roman People whom he met upon the Road along with him Thither came all the Heads of the Factions by command from the Legat especially Richard Hannibal to be absolved by the Legat from that Interdiction that he incurr'd at Viterbo for breaking into the Conclave and imprisoning the Cardinals Vrsini He therefore laid himself at the Cardinals feet with a Rope about his neck as the greatest sign of penitence and after he had beg'd pardon was absolv'd Peace being thus made between both the factions and the Roman Army called back from plundering the Viterboses the Pope immediately grants the Romans a Power to choose two Senators out of themselves that should govern the City Accordingly two were chosen Hannibal Son of Peter Hannibali and Pandulphus Savelli who ruled the City very well all the time they were in Office Especially at that time when Pope Martin at the request of Charles King of Sicily excommunicated Palaeologus for not keeping the Articles of Alliance made between them But then Palaeologus fearing Charles's Power made a private League with Peter King of Aragon who laid claim to the Kingdom of Sicily in right of his Wife Constantia Manfred's Daughter and Corradin's Niece Hereupon they prepared a great Navy at the common charge of 'em both which made the Pope send to Peter to know of him what he meant by all those preparations Peter told him that if he thought his Shirt could know what his intentions were he would tear it from his Body So the Legat went away without any satisfaction And Peter when he had gotten his Navy ready sails into Africa where he pillaged the Coast at Tunis extreamly and then returning into Sardinia expected to hear of some new commotions in Sicily by the contrivance of John Prochita according to an agreement they had made In the mean time new broils arose in Lombardy For the Viconti a noble Family there under the command of Luchino drave the Turriani another potent Family out of Millain Which Luchino was afterwards sent as Lieutenant to the Emperor into Tuscany where he resided at St. Miniato and plagued the Flâ—rentines and Luccases with grievous incursions not regarding the Popes interdictions with which he thought to have affrighted him from troubling these his Friends and Allies Those also of Perugia were now in Arms and did so press the Fuligneses that they took their City and demolish'd part of the Walls Thereupon the Pope excommunicated 'em but paying a good sum of money to him for penance they soon obtained his pardon In the mean time the Sicilians whose motions Peter attended in Sardinia could no longer endure the pride and licentiousness of the French and therefore were persuaded by John Prochita to enter into a Conspiracy against Charlâ—s that upon such a day in the Evening when they should hear such a Bell ring they should fall on and kill the French without respect to Sex or Age. In which action 't is said they were so true to their barbarous Promise that even those Sicilian Women were killed who were with Child by French men Hence comes it that the Sicilian Vespers is grown a By-word for any great Massacre At this time Guido Appius met with ill fortune when he was sent in the Popes name with eight hundred French Horse to recover Roâ—agna For as they sate before Forli and the Citizens would fain
Provisions be sent in nor the Army march out from the place without apparent danger and just then beyond all hopes there was a Peace declared which had been in agitation between Philip and Francis by the mediation of one Eusebiolus surnamed Chain without Picenninus's knowledg When Picenninus heard of it he exclaim'd at Heaven and Earth and Philip's inconstancy who with a certain Victory before him desired Peace like a conquer'd Person The Armies departing the Peace was declared at Capriana in the year 1442 upon these terms That Francis should marry Blanch the Daughter of Philip and have with her as a Dowry Pontremoli and Cremona with all the Country belonging to it except Picigitono and the Castles which the Mantouan and Pallavicini possess'd and that all those places that Philip and his Allies had taken as also the Venetians and their Confederates except Asola Lonato and Pescheria which were the Prince of Mantoua's before that War should be restored and he that would not accept of these Articles should be look'd upon as a common Enemy Eugeneus lik'd not this Peace because Francis had neglected him whilst he talk'd of restoring what was lost without mentioning Bologna which Picenninus had possession of wherefore he resolv'd to go from Florence to Rome and there advise concerning the recovery of the Church Patrimony because that was a place where he might take more freedom But that he might find all things quiet he sent Alouisius Patavinus Cardinal of S. Laurence before to put out the Seculars and restore the Canons regular to the Lateran who had been expelled by the Secular Priests upon a Controversie that was between 'em who should carry the Body of Christ upon Corpus Christi day in Procession Gino Albanese an excellent Soldier was put to death because he would have broken the Peace between Eugenius and Alphonso Palus Lamolara also a stout Man of whose parts he was jealous was also put to death And when things were setled in this manner Eugenius came to Rome September 28. 1443. though the Florentines did all they could to keep him there being met by all the City with all the veneration imaginable and lay that night at the Porta del popolo And the next Day as he was going to S. Peters to Prayers as the custom is he walk'd in his Pontifical Robes through the City and heard the People were in a mutiny for that the Taxes were doubled and a new Impost laid upon Wine Thereupon he commanded silence and in the presence of 'em all abolish'd that Exaction as tyrannical at which they immediately cry'd out Long live Eugenius whereas before they had cry'd Down with these new Gabells the inventors of them After nineteen Days he went to the Lateran and declared he would hold a General Council there and sent Letters and Messengers to acquaint the several Princes with his Design For he had a mind to weaken and destroy the Council of Basil by this means When things were thus composed at Rome he remember'd the injuries he had receiv'd and sent Picenninus the General against the Anconeses whom Francis had subdu'd who going from Bologna toward Perugia made those of Tiferno who were Allies of the Floretines revolt to gratifie Eugenius who was angry with the Florentines for supplying Francis with Mony to oppose him and keep Ancona Alphonso too who the year before had long besieged Naples and at last through a Common-shore got into the Town and taken it beating out René of Anjou was so far taken with the same and courage of Picenninus that he not onely chose him General of his Army but to honour him the more adopted him into the Family of Aragon who as soon as he had receiv'd Money of Eugenius and Alphonso to defray the War went into Ancona and reduced many Towns to the Church which Francis Sfortia who was come thither with a good Army from Cremona vainly strove to defend About that time John Francis Gonzaga dy'd and the Venetians and Florentines who were concern'd for the time to come made Lewis Gonzaga Son and Heir to John Francis their Stipendiary that he if occasion were might oppose Philip. In the mean time things were pretty quiet in those parts of Italy that lie next the Alps when Hannibal Bentivoglio who was kept Prisoner sometime in the Castle of Pelegrini by command from Picenninus for suspicion of a Conspiracy escaped and went back to Bologna where he excited the People to liberty and seiz'd Francis Picenninus Governour of the City and all his Men. Which done he recall'd all the Exiles whether of his own or the contrary Faction especially one Baptista Canedolus by name After which the Bolognians sent Embassadours to the Venetians and Florentines to desire their Alliance Which the Embassadours having obtein'd they returned home and presently took the Castle which was yet in the Enemies hands by the help of those recruits that were sent 'em from their Friends and as soon as they had taken destroy'd it chasing Alouisius Vermes out of Bologna Then Philip taking it ill that the Bolognians should be in League with the Venetians and Florentines hired some Friends of Baptista promising them assistance to take Hannibal off that themselves and their Faction might be sole Governours in the City And Canedolus who was ready at Roguery prevailed with a certain Man of Bologna who had a Son accidentally then newly born to choose Hannibal Godfather and the next Day the Child was carried to be Christen'd which being over the Father of the Child invited Hannibal to S. John's Church because it was S. John's Day Hannibal comply'd with the Traitor in that too not thinking of any Design but in the way thither he was set upon by a company of the Conspirators that got about him and was slain though two Servants that he had who loved him did what they could to defend him But the people of Bologna when they knew it were so concern'd for the indignity that they presently took up Arms and kill'd all the chief of the Canedolian Faction particularly Baptista whose body they dragg'd through the City and buried it very ignominiously At the same time also there happen'd a great piece of villany to be acted at Rome for Angellottus Cardinal of S. Marks was deprived of his life and all the Money that he had so covetously gathered and scraped together by his own Valet de Chamber The Villain was taken and tortur'd to Death and then being cut into four parts was hang'd upon the four Gates of the City But the Venetians and Florentines fearing lest Bologna which was very commodiously seated for both of 'em in time of War should fall into Philip's hands sent immediately some Troops thither to assist them The Venetians were not out in their guess for Philip designed to send Picenninus thither with an Army at the request of the Exiles if he had not dy'd before he could set out They say he dy'd for grief that his Son
Sieneses and sending them away to solicite their Fellow-Citizens he promised them to be there in such a time But Nicolas the Pope who was a lover of peace and quietness after he had kept his Coronation as the fashion is and made many Processions on foot in his own Person he sent Cardinal Morinensis to Ferrara a place which being neutral was fit for the Treaty that by the persuasion and Authority of his Legat the Factions might be the more induced to a composure Thither also did Alphonsa Philip the Venetians and Florentines send their Embassadours who after a long Debate gave Philip leave to choose whether he would make a Truce with the Venetians and Florentines for five years both sides keeping what they had or conclude a Peace and change Crema for those Towns which the Venetians had taken upon the River Adda leaving onely Cassan at the Pope's disposal as being his due by compact to make amends for the injuries which he first received But that also was afterward thrown in to make the Peace more lasting And one of Philip's Embassadours was sent to make the Proposal to him who found him dead of an Apoplexy the day before he came to Millain August 8. 1447. Morinensis hearing of Philip's death sent for all the Embassadours in haste to his House and urg'd for Peace as earnestly as ever The Venetians when they were ask'd if they would continue of their former Opinion made answer That they could not tell what they might do now Philip was dead but that they would write to the Senate concerning that Affair and do as they should order them In the mean time the other Embassadours that were there knowing the Venetians ambition to govern all Italy dissolv'd the Assembly and went every one to their own Home the Pope's Legat exhorting them to Concord but all in vain But the Venetians whose Camp was at Sorefina near Cremona in hopes to take that tumultuous City by surrender with the help of the Guelphs when they heard of Philip's death march'd presently to Lody which having taken they receiv'd those of Piacenza into their Alliance upon the same terms as them of Lodi and sent one thousand five hundred Horse thither immediately to assist the people of Piacenza if any body should molest ' em Francis Sfortia who at that time was beaten out of Ancona and quartered in Bologna to refresh his Army whose Arms Horses and Men were almost spent with this long War when he heard that the Venetians had seiz'd all upon his Father-in-law's death went great days Journeys till he came to Cremona and was chosen General by the universal consent of the Millaineses over all their Forces against the Venetians And having made a Bridg over the River Po which he fortified with Castles and Artillery to hinder the Venetians from coming with a Navy to Piacenza he passed the Adda at Picigitono and encamp'd not far from the Enemy who lay at Camurago And there they had some light Skirmishes to try I suppose the Enemies courage The People of Pavia were so much encouraged at Francis's coming and so glad to see him because they hated to be subject to the Millaineses upon an old grudg that was between them and on the other hand would rather suffer any thing than submit to the Venetians who had formerly despised their Alliance insomuch that they deliver'd their City up to Francis without any more ado by consent of the Governour of the Castle which was such an Addition to his grandieur that Sfortia presently affected to be Lord of the whole Dutchy of Millain These things passed in Lombardy and thereabouts whilst Alphonso at the same time fell down with his Army into the Sea-coast of Siena and had subdued them though the Pope was against it had not the Florentines who knew the King's intention sent a Messenger to Siena to advise them that Alphonso who was covetous of Dominion was no less their Enemy than the Florentines The Sieneses hearing what danger they were in they did not deny the King any kind of provisions but yet they would not suffer any of his Soldiers to come within their Walls So that the King when he observ'd their caution march'd down into Volaterra and Pisa and took many Castles there partly by surrender and partly by storm which yet the Florentines recover'd not long after all but Castiglione under the command of Sigismund Malatesta whom they had corrupted to come over from Alphonso to their side In the mean time Nicolas the Pope continually persuaded the King and the Venetians to Peace rather than War but they who were grown proud and unruly would not hearken to his good Advice Thereupon Francis raised a great Army out of the main strength of Italy uniting the Brachian and Sfortian Soldiers and pitch'd his Camp in the middle of Autumn at Piacenza in which was a good Garrison of Venetians and beating down part of the Walls with Cannon he stay'd before it so long till the Po rose to that prodigious heighth that his Galeoones came up to the very Walls and so attacking it both by Land and Water at last he took and plunder'd it This was a great Honour to Francis to take so great a City and that in the Winter-time when it rained so hard that the Soldiers were ready to leave their Tents Yet Nicolas was even then still talking of Peace and the Florentines were urgent with their Allies the Venetians because they fear'd the King's Power who was then with his Army in Tuscany But nothing was done in it because the Venetians were unwilling to restore Lodi to the Millaineses which they earnestly sought So that Nicolas after so many attempts to no purpose laid aside all thoughts of making Peace by such means and applying himself to religious exercises he order'd Days of Humiliation to be kept for appeasing God's anger and Prayers for the Peace of Christendom And at the Solemnities the Pope himself assisted with all the Clergy in Procession from S. Peter's to S. Mark 's with great Piety and Religion But the wrath of God was not abated for all that so much had Men probably deserved it For two years after there was such a Plague in almost all places that few survived out of great numbers And this Calamity was foretold by frequent Earthquakes and an Eclipse of the Sun nay it had been often foretold by the Friers Predicants especially one Robert a Franciscan and famous Preacher who so moved the people of Rome with his Sermons that the Women and Children ran about the City desiring God to be merciful unto them And least any misfortune should be lacking in Italy the Wars which we told you were begun before did so increase that one would have thought it impossible to have put an end to them For Francis Sfortia the next Summer having taken some Castles from the Venetians went with his Land and Sea-forces against their Navy which block'd up the Cremoneses and forced it to
intreaties he could use This and other matters raising and exalting these feuds the Pope applied himself to the French King intending to joyn in League with him and other Princes of that party and the Emperor finding no effects or issue of Affairs at Trent repaired to the Diet at Ausburg The Diet there began on the first of September where the Emperor presiding in person laboured with all the earnestness and with all the art and endeavours he was able to compose the differences and settle a Peace in Germany but in regard the point of Religion was the cause of all their Troubles whensoever that came into question it occasioned great Commotions For the Ecclesiastical Electors or such as belonged to the Church did desire and urge that an entire and absolute reference of all things should be given to the Council at Trent without any reserve or condition The Secular Electors who adhered to the Doctrin of Luther were contented also to refer the matters in dispute to the Council provided that neither the Pope nor any other deputed from him should preside thereat and that the Council should be free and holy and that what Bishop soever was thereunto admitted should be absolved from any Oath he had taken which might render him partial to the Papal Sea During the time of this Diet at Ausbourg the Pope remained in a continual trouble of spirit not knowing what those Sessions might produce During which on the 10th of September advice was brought him that his Son Pier-luigi Duke of Piacenza was murdered in his own Palace by certain Gentlemen who had conspired against him and who in an ignominious manner had thrown his Body into the Streets to be a spectacle to the people and in a few hours after several Troops arrived from Milan by order of Ferrand Gonzaga Governor to take possession of the City The which unhappy fate and violent death of a Son as it sensibly touched the Pope with natural grief so the loss of so fair a City did serve to augment the sence of this mischief which by all the circumstances of it did appear to have been perpetrated by the knowledg and contrivance of the Emperor This unexpected outrage caused great consternation at Bologna and gave interruption to the proceedings of the Council at that place for the Pope in his great affliction could not bend his thoughts to any transactions there only he forced his mind to read the particulars of what was debated and concluded at Ausbourg which were twice a week dispatched thence by an express the which Diet being held until the year 1548. with various discourses and arguments and nothing as yet concluded But being the general sense of all that it was necessary for the common quiet of Germany to center at length in some resolutions and that such resolutions tending to a composure could not be expected from the Council which was now transferred from Trent to Bologna at least during the Reign of this Pope wherefore it was proposed to make choice of some few persons to whom the care of this work should be committed but not being able to agree in the persons to be elected the choice was remitted solely to the Emperor who at length pitched upon three persons namely Julius â—flug Michael S. don and John Islebe to be the Compilers of a Formulary of Religion the which after several consultations being reduced to a method it was reviewed and examined so often by such different Heads and Judgments with additions and retrenchments puttings out and in that at length being finished it looked like a patched piece compounded by men of dissenting Judgments and differing designs Howsoever being compleated it contained five and thirty Chapters or Heads a Copy of which was delivered to the Legat by order of the Emperor to be sent to Rome to receive the Pope's Opinion and Approbation thereunto But lest this Formulary of Religion should give scandal to the Pope and Cardinals as if the Emperor in a Diet had given new forms of Faith and Religion the Title Page of this Book was qualified by an Interim that is that the same Heads and Points contained in that Book should be no longer Authentick or esteemed Catholick or obliging Doctrins than until such time as the same should be altered and changed by the more unerring determinations of a General Council to whose judgment they were submitted When this Book came to Rome where the Pope was now retired it caused great consternation and noise The Clergy exclaimed highly That a Temporal Prince in an Assembly composed only of Seculars should adventure to handle all matters and Points of Religion upon which the Learned Men and such as were read in Histories called to mind the Henoticon in the time of Zenon the Ecthesis in the time of Heraclius and the Typus of Constance who were Emperors and the Schisms and Divisions in the Church caused by the Imperial Constitutions relating to Religion with which they compared and adjoyned this Interim of Charles V. And farther that which gave the greatest cause of fear was lest this Interim should be an Introduction to a greater Change and that the Emperor intended this compliance with the Protestant Doctrins to be a prelude or a preparative to a total defection from the Church of Rome after the manner and example of Henry VIII King of England The Pope who was wise and accustomed to dissemble matters until such time as he was able to remedy or revenge them reflecting with mature consideration on this present emergency did make an other judgment thereof than appeared to ordinary understandings for he concluded that this new Formulary did tend more to the prejudice of the Emperor than to the Ecclesiastical State wondering greatly that a Prince of so much Prudence should so far be elated with his late Successes as to believe himself able to be the Arbitrator and Moderator of all mankind or to be in a capacity by his single Interest to oppose both the great and prevailing parties in the world It was possible for a Prince adhering to one of them to suppress the other but to oppose both at the same time would be a match unequal For the Pope wisely foresaw that these Doctrins for the most part would be as displeasing to all Catholicks in general as to the Court of Rome and would be no less contradicted by the Protestants so that being oppugned on all sides it would consequently fall by the contrariety of Factions To which end the Pope seeming in himself little concerned did yet under-hand suggest jealousies in the minds of the German Prelates the which being dexterously insinuated by the Cardinal Sfodrato the Popes Legate who according to his Instructions gave in a memorial to the Emperor representing the ill foundation and consequences of this new Formulary of Doctrins and then took his leave and departed that he might not be present when the same was published In short this matter succeeded according to the
of the Catholick Religion had by the Authority of the Inquisition established condemned some to the Gallies and others to the Fire yet finding that these severities operated little upon minds already prepossessed with an Opinion of Religion and Conscience he was desirous to make trial of the more gentle and soft means of Instructions lest his People becoming desperate under their hardship and torments should be persuaded to believe it lawful to take up Arms in defence of their Persons and their Religion The Pope ill relished this Proposal declaring that he would never consent to have his Authority put to compromise or his Power compounded for that he was well acquainted with what obstinacy the Hereticks maintained their Doctrines which were never to be confuted but by the Sword the which he esteemed to be the most effectual way of Instruction and having persuaded the Duke to that remedy a War was begun in the Valleys which continued for a long time Nor were the disturbances in France less grievous than in Savoy where many were put to death for no other cause than for their zeal to the true reformed Religion and the salvation of their own Souls though it is true that many who were ambitious and desirous of Novelty did under this guise and cloak of Religion and with pretence of rescuing the King and the Dignity of the Sovereign Magistrate from the usurpations and tyranny of the Duke of Guise and his Party take up Arms and enter into Rebellion against their King but being afterwards beaten and many killed others were afterwards tried and for their Offences justly condemned to die and to all others who being misguided by Religion should lay down their Arms in the space of twenty four hours Proclamation was made that they should be received to mercy by a full and plenary Pardon from his Majesty But now the humours of the People being moved and hopes conceived of obtaining liberty of Conscience great tumults were raised in Provence Languedoc Poitou and other places so that how to suppress these tumults and quiet the minds of the people which were feavered with the heats of Religion was the great matter debated in the Councils of France and whereas it was objected by the Cardinal Armagnac that no Ecclesiastical remedy could be applyed without the assent and concurrence of the Pope this scruple was soon exploded by the contrary Opinion of the most of the Council who alledged that God had given to every Nation a full Power and Authority within it self to provide remedies necessary and agreeable to the present government of their State without having recourse to forein and far distant Powers for as it were unreasonable in case of fire and terrible incendiations within the City of Paris to expect till waters were brought from the Tybur to extinguish the flames and in the mean time neglect the use of the more near and convenient streams of the Seine and Mearne so also would it be in this great conflagration of civil-War to neglect remedies at home until we can fetch them from remote and distant Countries In short therefore it was agreed that a National Council should be assembled composed of all the Prelats of the Kingdom whose business it should be to consult and find out means to give a stop to the growing evils and to the course of those infections which were ready to poison and overwhelm the whole Kingdom Howsoever lest this Edict for summoning a National Council should be ill taken by the Pope and interpreted for a point of disrespect to the Apostolical Sea without his consent thereunto or at least an intimation given thereof it was ordered that the Ambassadour residing at Rome should by word of mouth represent the many dangers and growing evils within the Kingdom of France which could be cured by no other remedy than a National Assembly and that the dangers thereof were so pressing as not to admit the slow Methods of forein Assistance These matters being exactly in this manner represented to the Pope were very ill resented by him judging that such an Assembly of Prelats could not be convened without a breach of the Ecclesiastical Canons nor without prejudice to the Papal Authority which to make more clearly appear he resolved to dispatch the Bishop of Viterbo into France to make known unto his Majesty That such an Assembly was never admitted by former Popes in any Country or Kingdom whatsoever they being well assured that such a meeting would serve to no other end than to administer unto greater division and confusion and produce a Schism in the Church Catholick and That it would serve farther to exalt the pride of the Prelats inspiring them with an Opinion of some superiour Authority inherent in them above that of the Pope or of the King but if he would apply a true and an effectual remedy none could be so successful as a General Council which he had resolved shortly to assemble and that in the mean time nothing could be so available as that the Bishops be commanded to repair to their respective Dioceses and the Curats to their Parishes and there to watch over their Flocks and hinder Thieves and Wolves from breaking within the Fold and finally desired that their Spiritual Authority might be reinforced by the Power of the Civil Magistrate and the Arms of Regal force The Bishop of Viterbo being with these Instructions dispeeded into France he was farther commanded in his Journey thither to negotiate matters in the same form at the Court of Savoy and to incite the Duke to make War upon Geneva which they called the Nest of Heresie and the root from whence sprang all the false Doctrines of the new Religion the Bishop accordingly did not fail on his part to represent all matters to the Duke agreeable to his Instructions and found in him a ready disposition to embrace all the Proposals made him by the Pope especially the Enterprise against Geneva provided that with the consent both of Spain and France he might possess and enjoy that City This Demand was easily admitted on the side of Spain but they well knew that it would never be granted by France which had long aspired to that Dominion to which the Spaniards would accord being more willing to see that place the Capital Throne of the new Religion than a Seat of the French Power for that being near to the Dukedom of Burgundy might prove an ill Neighbour to that part of the Spanish Dominions Howsoever that the King of Spain might follow the Pope's inclinations in concurrence with the French as far as prudence and caution directed he dispatched Don Antonio de Toledo his Ambassadour into France to offer unto that King his utmost assistance and to joyn his Arms unto his for the total ruin and extirpation of Heresie But the Court of France would yield no ear to either of these Propositions they would gladly indeed have had the possession of Geneva but the Enterprise seemed difficult
the Oar in the Gallies of the Turks Of the Christians after the fight was ended upon the numbers wanting in every Vessel the account of the slain amounted to seven thousand six hundred fifty six This signal Victory was attributed as much to the devout Prayers and Benediction of the Pope as to the valour of the Soldiers and conduct of the Captains the report of which as it filled all Europe with joy so it made way for the glories of Don John who was received into Messina with all the Triumphs and Festivals which that City could express also Antonio Colonna was with the like honour and triumph received at Rome Nor did the Venetian General want such encouragements and honours as that Republick commonly bestows in reward of Valour and Merit In memory of which signal Victory they stamped divers Medals with this Inscription Anno Magnae Navalis Victoriae Dei gratiâ contra Turcas This memorable Victory was obtained in the time of this Pius V. who was certainly one of the best of the Popes and therefore I know not why we may not say without offence to any that this happy success might be given in reward of the Devotion and Piety of this Pope for I am persuaded that God hath a particular care of godly Kings and Princes for whose sake as he often blesseth their people so he bestows some memorable blessings on them of signal Remark in their Reign On which persuasion I am apt to believe that as God bestowed this Victory on the Christians in the time of this Pius V. against that great Sultan Selim II. So now in these our days he hath given Victory and unexpected success to the Christians before the Walls of Vienna against Mahomet IV. in reward of the great Piety and Devotion of Leopold the Emperour whose Devotion and Prayers joyned to the Arms of the King of Poland and of other Princes have operated Miracles and delivered Germany in a wonderful manner from the power of the Turk And yet notwithstanding the religious temper of this Pope we find that he excommunicated Queen Elizabeth as far as his Bull would operate he deposed her from Royal Dignities and conferred her Crown on Mary Queen of Scots and persuaded Philip King of Spain to seize on the effects of the English Merchants at Antwerp and other parts of the Low-Countries and to assist the Catholick Subjects in England in their godly and religious Conspiracies as Gabutius calls them against the Queen their natural Sovereign Pius oblatam occasionem haud contemnendam esse ratus efflatigabat ab Rege ut Anglorum in Elizabetham pie conspirantium studia foveret Thus we see how far a mistaken zeal may transport good Men which though it may in some measure excuse from the aggravation of a Crime yet it cannot prove sufficient to set Men entirely upright at the great day of the just Ballance This Pope added also to his other Excellencies the Virtue of loving wife and learned Men and such as were endued with a vivacity and acuteness of parts for he scarce preferred any to considerable Dignity but such as were excellent in some degree or other and of the twenty one Cardinals which he created at three several times there were five of them at least who were Men of extraordinary Abilities and famous in their Generation He founded certain publick places for Learning and Piety amongst which he endowed a College in the University of Pavia for the Education of Youth and affixed over it the Arms of the Ghislers at Boschi the place of his Birth he built a Monastery for Dominican Friers and endowed it with a competent Revenue and to demonstrate his gratitude to his Antient Benefactors he created a Magnificent Sepulcre in memory of Paul V. by whom he was created Cardinal and in short he made many new Buildings and repaired several that were decayed in the Vatican and both within and without the City of Rome After all which about the middle of March 1572. he became indisposed by a stoppage of Urin of which he commonly had a fit in that Month the which illness encreasing upon him gave him notice that his end approached from which time converting all his thoughts to holy and pious meditations he spent the short remainder of his time in the preparation of his Soul for death which happened on the first of May following the same day he died his Body was embowel'd and three little stones found at the neck of his bladder which the Physitians declared to be the cause of his death He was generally lamented by all and especially by vertuous Men for considering his principles his Enemies had nothing worse to object than that he gave a Dispensation to Philip King of Spain to marry with the Daughter of his Sister and of Maximilian his near Kinsman and yet would never be induced to consent unto the Marriage of Margaret of Valois Sister of the King of France with Henry King of Navarre making the difference of Religion a greater bar to Marriage than the degrees of consanguinity forbidden by the Levitical Law The day after his death his Body being clothed in the habit of a Jacobin was carried into the Church of St. Peter where the people assembled in great numbers to render him Honour and Veneration every one touching their Beads and Rosaries at his Body in the same manner as was their practice at the Reliques of Saints and afterwards he was honourably buried in the same Church where his Body lay deposited until afterwards Sixtus V. in grateful remembrance of the benefits he had received from him transported it to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and erected a stately Monument over it in a Chappel built for that purpose with this Epitaph inscribed upon it Pio V. Pont. Max ex Ordine Praedicatorum Sixtus V. Pont. Max. ex Ordine Minorum grati animi monumentum posuit GREGORY XIII PIVS the Fifth being dead and his Funeral Rites after the accustomed manner being performed the Cardinals entred the Conclave and with common consent elected Hugo Buoncompagno who was Priest and Cardinal of S. Sixtus to the dignity of Pope he was born at Bologna of the antient Family of the Buoncompagni his Father was called Christopher and his Mother Agnola Marascalchi by whom he was at first educated in the Studies of the Civil Law in which having made great proficiency he took his degree of Doctor in the University of Bologna at the age of twenty eight years and in a short time was made Judg of the Court of Trade erected in that City for tryal of Mercantile Causes afterwards in hopes of better preferment he went to Rome where he was constituted an Assistant to the Senator who was Judg of the Court held in the Capitol and the year following he was made Clerk of the Signet for Dispensasations and other Beneficences In the time of Paul III. he was employed at the Council of Trent and made Vice-Auditor of the
in such manner as they are set down by Ciacconius in vitâ Innocentii X. Primam praedictarum Propositionum scilicet Aliqua Dei praecepta hominibus justis volentibus conantibus secundum praesentes quas habent vires sunt impossibilia deest quoque illis gratia quâ possibilia fiant Temerariam impiam blasphemam Anathemate damnatam haereticam declaramus uti talem damnamus Secundam Interiori gratiae in statu naturae lapsae nunquam resistitur Haereticam declaramus uti talem damnamus Tertiam Ad merendum demerendum in statu naturae lapsae non requiritur in homine libertas à necessitate sed sufficit libertas à coactione Haereticam declaramus uti talem damnamus Quartam Semipelagiani admittebant praevenientis gratiae interioris necessitatem ad singulos actus etiam ad initium fidei in hoc erant haeretici quod vellent eam gratiam talem esse cui posset humana voluntas resistere vel obtemperare Falsam Haereticam declaramus uti talem damnamus Quintam Semipelagianum est dicere Christum pro omnibus omnino mortuum esse aut sanguinem fudisse Falsam temerariam scandalosam intellectam eo sensu ut Christus pro salute duntaxat Praedestinatorum mortuus sit impiam blasphemam contumeliosam Divinae pietati derogantem Haereticam declaramus uti talem damnamus But notwithstanding this infallible determination the Jansenists keep up their Party in France and will not be run down unless confuted by more convincing Arguments Towards the end of this Pope's Reign Francis Piccolomini General of the Jesuits Order signified to Innocent the intentions of Christina Queen of Sweden to relinquish her Kingdom and embrace the Roman Catholick Faith which that she might profess in greater liberty and more to her Christian Edification she resolved to make the Holy City of Rome the place of her habitation where she resolved to spend the remainder of her days This news was received with great joy at Rome but more especially by the Pope who finding his strength decaying and languishing was much troubled that his life would not last until he could see the Queen of Sweden and a general peace restored amongst Christian Princes This Pope at ten promotions created thirty nine Cardinals according to Livello but Ciconius enumerates forty of which two of them were afterwards Popes namely Fabio Ghigi who was Alexander VII and Benedetto Odescalchi who is Innocent XI now at present reigning After the month of September 1654. the Pope began to decline past all hopes of recovery and though he were nursed by Donna Olympia with all tenderness and care yet old age was such an incurable Disease that there was no Herb or Medicine in Nature to cure it and yet this good Lady did what she could to prolong his life she kept him from the disturbances of Business not admitting any Person to discourse at his Bed-side unless in her presence and then she would mind them of the Pope's weakness and interrupt Ambassadours in the midst of their Audience desiring them to defer their Business until a time that he might be in a more strong and able disposition of health It is said that the Pope continued ten days without any use of Reason in which time Donna Olympia got at least half a Million for she made use of her time setting every thing at low and mean Rates so that she did not want Chapmen for all vacant Benefices and Ecclesiastical preferments At length on the 7th of January 1655. Innocent died at his Palace of Monte Cavallo which is Mons Quirinalis after he had governed ten years and three months and twenty three days being aged eighty years and eight months His Body was interred for some time in St. Peter's Church but was afterwards removed by Prince Pamfilio to the Church of St. Agnes where he erected a stately Monument in memory of his Uncle Innocent X. The death of the Pope was no sooner divulged through the City but all People began to rejoice the Cardinals were pleased in expectation and hope of their own promotions the Clergy were pleased because the Church was freed from the Simony and scandal of Donna Olympia and the Commonalty rejoiced for the enjoyment of that liberty which is commonly indulged at the vacancy of the Sea and every one expected that Donna Olympia would be torn in pieces by the multitude who had long since threatned her being the person whom they perfectly hated Howsoever nothing happened for as they say in Rome When the Dog is dead all the malice dies with him And so it fared with Donna Olympia who being allied to many great Families was protected by them none daring to offer her any injury lest it should be revenged by her more powerful Relations ALEXANDER VII INNOCENT X. being dead and the eight or nine days past which are according to custom appointed for the solemn celebration of the Funeral Rites of the deceased Pope The Cardinals after having sung the Mass which they call de Spiritu Sancto or the Mass invoking the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Ghost to assist them in the election of the Pope and having heard a Sermon to that purpose preached by Abbat Rospigliosi they entered the Conclave on the 18th of January 1655. It would require much time to set down all the passages of this Conclave for indeed the Intrigues were so many and so various that they daily twisted and streightned the knot of difficulties in such manner that little less than three months time was required to unty it and then also it was rather cut than unloosed when the Cardinals were wearied with their own divisions factions and contrivances For besides the usual factions of Spain and France there arose a third called the Flying Squadron which consisted of the new Colledg of such Cardinals as had been created by Innocent X. and consequently the friends of Donna Olympia who resolved if possible to continue an Oar in the Boat of St. Peter stickled very hard to have the Election fall on some of the new Colledg under whom she hoped to find good quarter and to enjoy the ill-gotten Goods and Riches she had amassed by Simony and other Villanies to effect this and to manage this Party to best advantage she proposed to put this Flying Squadron under one Head which she nominated to be John Carlo de Medicis who for his Noble Birth and Seniority having been the first Cardinal that was created by the late Pope might deserve to be the Chief Directour of that Interest but the Squadron refused that formality saying That each of them had a Head of his own and feet to walk upon nor would Maldachini who was Nephew to Donna Olympia be persuaded into this Combination but rather declared himself openly to be her Enemy howsoever his Power was little in the Conclave though he made more noise than all the rest which his Aunt termed the braying of an Ass whose
conjectures as these could have no foundation nor gain belief amongst those who understand the constitution of Rome and the nature of the Cardinal who was more inclined to heap up for himself than sow for others But the more probable Opinion was that Spain was desirous to stand fair with the Pope because France was at odds with him giving thereby a testimony to the World of the unquietness of that Nation which is contentedy with nothing of moderation and in fine that their behaviour towards all is insolent and insupportable The year 1675. which was the Jubily or holy year being entered the City of Rome was after the usual manner filled with multitudes of Pilgrims and Strangers who crowded to obtain the benefit of Pardons and Indulgences which are plentifully issued and bestowed at that time That year six Cardinals were created namely Alexander Crescentio a Roman Marescotti of Bologna Rocci a Roman Albritii a Neapolitan Spada a Roman and Philip Howard of the Illustrious Family of Norfolk who was a Dominican having been Great Almoner to the Queen of England this advancement was much facilitated by her Majesties recommendations The which promotions the French King would not own because the Bishop of Marseglia whom the King of Poland had recommended as we have related at the beginning of this Pope's Reign was rejected to please the humour of the Spaniards And indeed herein his most Christian Majesty seemed to have just cause of discontent for though in the year 1671. Cesar d' Estreé Brother of the Duke of that name and called Bishop of Laon was created Cardinal yet that honour being conferredat the nomination of the King of Portugal in recompence of some services rendered to that Crown and united onely to the bare recommendations of France it was not esteemed as a favour done to that King but to Portugal onely of which Kingdom d' Estreé was made Protectour Howsoever Altieri would not understand it for other than a favour done to France without which and the interest of the Duke d' Estreé his Brother then Ambassadour at Rome it had scarce been obtained for that Duke amongst other Commissions brought from Rome had particular instructions to demand of the Pope the restitution of Castro and Ronciglione to the Duke of Parma according to the Treaty of Pisa but that being a morsel not easily digested by the Pope Monsieur d' Estreé made his way thereupon to gain the Cardinal's Cap for his Brother by a relaxation of that demand About the beginning of the year 1676. there arose a Controversie between the Pope and the Vice-King of Naples concerning the seizure of certain Banditi within the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical State by Officers from the Vice-King upon which Dispute the Son of the Duke of Sora was banished from Rome upon pain of death in case he should return This Pope Canonized Cajetan Tienne founder of the Order of Regular Clarks Francis Borgia General of the Jesuits Philip Beniti restorer of the Order of the Servillians Lewis Bertran and Rose of St. Mary both of the Dominican Order Under these Circumstances Altieri remained with France when Pope Clement the 10th died some few hours before whose death Altieri pressed him to fill up the four vacant places of Cardinals and though the Queen of Sweden and Cardinal Barbarino joyned with him in the same request yet the Pope would not hearken to them nor grant their desire And when at last Altieri became more importunate with him than before designing to supply the four vacant places with Creatures of his own who might be able to fortifie his Interest against the next Conclave the good Pope turned to him and with some Anger said You may well content your self that you have been Pope for six years Suffer me now to follow my own inclinations and be Pope for six hours onely It was now generally concluded and believed that Altieri was so fallen into disreputation with the whole College of Cardinals and with the People of Rome and so hated by all the Prelates that immediately after the Pope's death he would be removed from all his Offices and deprived of his Suffrage in the ensuing Conclave But Altieri had so well feathered his Nest during his Reign under his reputed Uncle that his Riches procured him Friends and reconciled the minds of those who were most estranged from him so that he conserved his Office of Chamberlain with other honourable Charges and obtained a confirmation for his Nephew Don Gasparo in his place of General and afterwards entered triumphant into the Conclave onely his main task was in what manner to reconcile himself to the favour of the most Christian King in regard the Cardinals of that Party declared that they would neither act nor treat with Altieri until he had first given satisfaction to his Majesty INNOCENT XI SO soon as Clement X. had expired his last breath Altieri who was Cardinal Chamberlain gave notice thereof to all the Officers of the Houshold upon which news all the Prelates and Grooms of the Bedchamber in decent and mourning Habits repaired to the Palace of Monte-Cavallo where they found the Body of the Pope laid out on a Pallet covered with Crimson Velvet and there in presence of them all Altieri whose Office it was brake the Sigillum Piscatorium or the Pope's Seal in pieces and the Notaries of the Camera took an Inventory of all the Goods found in the Palace After which the body of the Pope was dedivered to those who were to embalm it and then the Bell of the Capitol was rung out to give notice of the death of the Pope to all the City And now Cardinal Altieri having nothing more to do at Monte-Cavallo repaired to his own new Palace near the Jesu attended with a numerous train where he received the Visits of Cardinals Princes Ambassadours Prelates and Nobles who came to condole with him for the death of his Uncle During the time that the Funeral Obsequies were solemnizing the Cardinals were busied in forming Parties against the time of Election the first day of which was the second of August when a considerable number of Cardinals being assembled in St. Peter's entered in form of Procession two by two with gravity and Order into the Conclave the next day some others were added to them in all to the number of fifty two so on the third day of August the Conclave was shut and Guards set by the Prince Savelli to whose Office it appertained as Marshal of the Conclave On the 4th instant the Mass of Veni Creator being sung the Cardinals began the Choice by way of Scrutiny The Persons nominated were Vidone Barberigo Odescalchi Spinola and Cerri all which had almost an equality of Votes Odescalchi had eleven but proceeding towards the Evening by way of Accession seven Votes only appeared for him On the sixth day in the Morning Scrutiny being made twenty seven Votes were given for Cardinal Corsini but in the Evening
Assistances and Contributions he made to the Emperour whereby to enable him to carry forward his War against the Turk who is the formidable Enemy of all Christendom Nor did he onely furnish him with great sums of Money at divers times but invited and instantly exhorted the King of Poland to undertake that Heroick Act whereby the City of Vienna was delivered and all Austria rescued from desolation and from being a prey to the Mahometan Arms And farther his Negotiations prevailed to engage the Venetians in the same War and to complicate a triple League between these Princes Thus have we seen that during the Reign of this Pope nothing hath been acted by him but what was designed to the common Good of his Church and State for having laid aside all the private considerations of his Nephews and Family his cares have been diverted towards the Common Good so that being freed from the importunities of a Cardinal Patron and the unsatiable Avarice of Favourites and other dependencies his Government is much less subject to Pasquils or libellous Censures but on the contrary applauded and honoured by all wise and good Men so that continuing in this steddy course through the whole remainder of his Reign he may be esteemed and numbered in the rank and degree of the good Popes FINIS AN INDEX Of the principal matters in the Lives of the POPES written by B. Platina For the Names of the Popes themselves see the Table at the beginning of the Book A. ABimelech Chieftain of the Saracens 121 124. Abraxas of Basilides the Heretick 16. Acephali Hereticks 77. Adauctus a pious Roman 45. Adelphonsus King of Asturia and Gallicia 149. Adrian Emperour his qualities and works 15 16 17 19. S. Aegidius a Grecian 133. Aelius Pertinax Emperour 25. Aemilianus Emperour 37. Aeneas Sylvius created Pope 389. Aetius a Roman General 75. Agarens who they are 108. Agrippa Castor a learned Christian 16. Aisprandus gets the Kingdom of Lombardy 129. Aistulphus King of the Lombards 137 139 his death 140. Alalchis Duke of Trent 120. Alaric King of the Goths takes Rome 70. Albericus Marquess of Tuscany 180. Albert Duke of Austria chosen Emperour 363. Alboinus 94. Aldeprandus King of the Lombards 137. Alexander Severus Emperour 31. Alexander Bishop of Cappadocia 35. Alexius Emperor of Constantinople his treachery to the Christian Forces 217. Allocephalis a nick-name for Ravenna 116. Almeric King of Jerusalem 242. Amadeus Duke of Savoy set up for an Anti-Pope submits 377. Amalasunta Queen of Italy 87. S. Ambrose chosen Bishop of Milan 66. appears to the Emperor Conrade 198. Amoreus a King of the Saracens 135. Anastasius gets the Empire of Constantinople 130. Anastasius a Heretick 133. Anastasius the Library-keeper 171. Anatolius Bishop of Laodicea 42. Andrew Earl of Bremen 251. Andrew King of Hungary 258. Angelot a Cardinal murther'd 369. Antioch besieg'd by the Christians 219. taken 220. Anti-Pope See Schism Antoninus Pius Emperour his Virtues 18. Ant. Verus Emperour 20 21. Antoninus Heliogabalus his vicious life 30. Antony the Hermit 54. S. Antony Canoniz'd 262. Apelles a Heretick 23. Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis 21. Another Bishop of Laodicea his heretical Opinion 69. Apollonius a learned Christian martyr'd 24. Aquila translated the Old Testament 17. Aquileia destroy'd 76. Arator a Christian Poet 88. Arcadius Emperour 70. Arioaldus 〈◊〉 of the Lombards 106. Aristides a Philosopher converted to Christianity 15. Arithpertus King of the Lombards 127. loses his Kingdom and life 129. Arius the Heretick 51 56 his death 57. Arnulphus Emperour 173. Another of that name Patriarch of Jerusalem 221. Another a great Preacher murther'd by the procurement of some Priests 234. Asterius an Arian Philosopher 59. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria 56. Athaulphus King of the Goths 71. Athimus a King of the Saracens 134. Attila King of the Hunns invades Illyricum 73 fights the joint Forces of the Romans Goths c. 75. Audoenus Bishop of Roan 122. S. Augustin Bishop of Hippo 71 his body translated 135. Avignon taken by the Saracens 134. re-taken 135. Aurelianus Emperour 41. Aurelius Commodus Emperour 20 23 24. B Babylas the Martyr his Body remov'd 62. Baianus Prince of the Bulgarians 188. Balahac a King of the Persians 232. Baldequan King of Damascus 233. Baldus a great Lawyer 320. Baldwin of Bulloign 217. gets a Signiory in Asia 218. made King of Jerusalem 224. taken Prisoner 232. Baldwin Emperour of Constantinople 265. Baltasar Cossa Anti Pope reconcil'd to the Pope 352. Banderesii what 320. Bardesanes a Christian Writer 25. S. Barnabas the Apostle 5. S. Bartholomew his body translated 158 190. Baruti taken by the Turks and rased 291. Basil the learned Bishop of Caesarea 67. Basilides the Heretick his death 16. Bassianus See Caracalla Bede the Venerable when he lived 126. Belisarius 88. comes into Italy 91. beats Vitiges from Rome and takes him Prisoner 92. S. Benedict 87. his body translated 137. Berengarius I. King of Italy 173. made Emperour 178. the second of that name 181. the third 184. Berengarius of Tours a learned Man 190. condemned for a Heretick 203. recants 205. Bernard Abbat of Clairvaux 227. Bernardus King of Italy 154. Beryllus a Heretick 32. Bishop not to be ordain'd by fewer than three Bishops 13 22. to be attended by seven Deacons when Preaching 14. the accusation of a Layman not to be admitted against him ibid. when cited by the See Apostolick to be receiv'd again by his Flock without a Certificate 17. not to be censur'd by the Metropolitan without consent of his fellow-Bishops 19. Bishops of Rome allow'd to wear a golden Diadem 51. Blastus a Heretick 25. Blood of Christ a Relique at Mantua 151. Bocca di Porco a name not fit for a Pope 160. Bodies of Saints translated 163. Boemund a great General engaged in the Holy War 217. wounded 220 dies 225. Constantine Son of Heraclius 110. routed by the Bulgarians 117. Another of the same name Leprous 148 Constantine an Anti-Pope 142 Constantius Caesar 44. Emperour 47. Another of the same name 58 59. Another who spoils Rome 114 Constitutions See Decrees Corporal to be made of fine Linen onely 17 Council of Nice 51. Of Constantinople 117 169. Of Lions 280. Of Constance 345. Of Basil 362. General Councils where and when holden 118 Court of Rome when remov'd to France 300. returns to Rome 322 Crescentius Consul of Rome 192 Holy Cross found by Helena Constantine's Mother 48. brought from Jerusalem to Constantinople 108 Cunigunda Empress 197 Cup in the Holy Sacrament Orders of Pius I. if any be spilt 20 21 S. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage 36. martyr'd 37 S. Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem 69 D J. Damascenus a learned Divine 81 Damrata besieged by the Christians and retaken 258. deliver'd 259 Dante 's Aligerius a learned Man 297 Deacons appointed to attend a Bishop when he Preaches 14 Decius Emperour 35 Decrees of Anacletus 13. Euaristus 14. Alexander I. 16. Sixtus I. 17. Telesphorus 18. Hyginus 19. Pius I. 20. Anicetus 22.
Soter 23. Eleutherius 24. Victor I. 28. Zephyrinus 27. Calistus I. 28. Anterus 33. Stephen I. 38. Felix 41. Eutychianus 42. Caius 43. Miltiades 50. Of the Nicene Council 52. Of Sylvester ibid. Of Damasus 63. Siricius 65. Anastasius 67. Zosimus 71. Boniface I. 72. Stephen III. 144. Gregory III. 136. Nicolas I. 168 Desiderius King of the Lombards 140. takes several Cities in Italy 145. is overthrown by Charlemagne 146 Devil in the shape of Moses beguiles the Jews 74 Didymus a learned Christian 65 Dionysius Bishop of Corinth 23 Dioscorus the Heretick 77 Disciples of Christ their several Provinces 1. Dominic 256. Founder of the Order of Preaching Friers 257. Canoniz'd 262 Domitian the Emperour his Character 11 Donation of Charlemagne to the Church 147. Of Maude the Countess 226 Donatus a Sectary 59 Dorothea a Virgin her Chastity 50 Dorotheus a learned Christian 42 Dulcinus and Margaret Hereticks put to death 300 E Easter observ'd always on a Sunday upon what occasion 20 25 Ebionites Hereticks 52 Ecelino Tyrant of Padua 270 Edessa taken by the Turks 236 Edmund Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Canoniz'd 268 Edward Prince of England his Voyage to the Holy Land 278 stab'd ibid. being King he mediates between the Kings of France and Aragon 289. War between him and the French King 291. obtains a great Sea Victory over 'em 311. Another by Land 315. besieges Paris 318 Egesippus a learned Christian Writer 22.83 Elizabeth Daughter to the King of Hungary Canoniz'd 262 Elisha's Body found 80 Ember-Weeks when first instituted 28 31 Emmanuel II. Emperor of Constantinople his treachery to the Christians 237 Encratitae Hereticks 21 English first make themselves Masters of Great Britain 73 Ephrem Syrus a learned Writer 67 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine ib. Epiphanius Bishop of Pavia p. 82 Este the Family Lords of Ferrara and Modena 300. 28 of that House hang'd at once 302. drive the Church Forces out of Ferrara 307 Ethelwolph King of England 164 Evagrius a learned Christian 71 Eudocia the Catholick p. 80 Eunomius a Heretick 61 Eusebius surnam'd Pamphilus and why 48 Eusebius Emissenus 58 Eusebius of Cremona 76 Eutropius Epitomizer of the Roman History 73 Eutyches the Heretick p. 76 Exarchate of Ravenna extinguish'd 140 F Fast not to be observ'd on a Sunday 50 Faustus Bishop 83 Flavianus Bishop 77 Florence made a free City 289 Florianus Emperour 42 Florinus a Heretick 25 Forlimpopoli sack'd and ruin'd 114 S. Francis Founder of the Order of Friers Minors 257. Canoniz'd 262 Frangipani a Roman Family 229 Fratricelli a holy Brotherhood 297 Frederic Emperour engag'd in the Holy War 251 Frederic II. his Contests with the Pope 260. Frederic III. comes to Rome 378 Friscus of the House of Este murthers his Father 301 Fucinus the Lake drein'd 3 Fulgentius Bishop 83 Fulk Earl of Anjou King of Jerusalem 236 G Galba Emperour his good and bad qualities 7 Galerius Emperour 47 Gallienus Emperour 37 Gallus Emperour 37 Gascons subdu'd by Charlemagne 148 Gemblours the Monastery when and by whom built 182 Gennadius Bishop 78 Genoeses routed by the Venetians 271. a mortal hatred between 'em 281 326. defeat the Pisans 289. invade Cyprus 321 Genseric King of the Vandals 74. routed 78 Germanus Bishop 82 Geta Emperour slain 28 Gibellines and Guelphs 264 Gildo a General of the Empire sets up for himself 70 Gisulphus D. of Benevent 125. Another 202 Gloria Patri when added to the ends of Psalms 63 Godfathers and Godmothers a Decree concerning them 19 Godfrey King of Jerusalem 221. defeats the Army of the King of Babylon ibid. Gordianus Emperour 34 Goths driven from Rome 91 Granada in Spain seiz'd by the Saracens 126 Gratianus Emperour 66 Gratian who compil'd the Decrees 257 Gregorius Baeticus a learned Bishop 65 Gregory Nazianzen 67 Gregory Patriarch of Constantinople a Monothelite 117 S. Gregory his body translated 159 Grimoaldus D. of Beneventum 112 114. makes himself King of the Lombards 115. his death ibid. Another 150 Guelphs and Gibellines when first so distinguish'd 264 Guido Bonatus an Astrologer 286 Guy of Lusignan King of Jerusalem 248. taken Prisoner 249 H Hannibali and Vrsini two factions at Rome 285 Hawkwood an English-man 319.319 the Pope's General 320. in several Services 321 331 332 Haydo Governour of Aquitain rebels 155 Haymo Brother to Venerable Bede 126 Helchesaites Hereticks 35 Helena Mother to the Emperour Constantine finds the Holy Cross 48 Henry D. of Bavaria Emperour 196 Henry II. Son of Conrade Emperour 199 Henry III. Emperour 206. depriv'd by Pope Gregory 209 Henry IV. Emperour 225 Henry of Luxemburg invades Italy 302. is Crown'd at Rome 303 Henry King of England meets the Pope 235. satisfies him about the murther of Thomas Becket 245 Henry Son of Richard of Cornwal murther'd 279 Heraclea taken by the Christians 218 Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem 248 Heraclius a learned Christian 27 Heraclius Emperour 104. his Actions 105 Hermes a Christian Writer 20 Hilarius Bishop of Poictiers 65 Hilarius Bishop of Arles 76 Hildebrand a Monk 202. made Pope 207 Hilminoline a Saracen General 256 Holy-Water See Water Holy-War See War Honorius Emperour 70 Host ordered to be made of Unleavened Bread onely 16 Hubert a Bishop in Bretagne 122 Hugo de Sancto Victore 233 Hungari a Scythian People 173 come into Italy 180 181 Hunns a Scythian Nation 173 179 John Hus burnt for a Heretick 346 Hymns added to the Divine Service 17 18 125 I James surnamed Justus his Acts and martyrdom 4 S. Januarius his Body translated 156 Iconium taken by the Christians 218 S. Jerom the learned Presbyter 69. his death 72 Jerom of Prague burnt for a Heretick 346 Jerusalem taken by Titus 9. permitted by Julian the Apostate to be rebuilt 62. taken by the Saracens 108. recover'd by the Christians 221. retaken by the Saracens 250. dismantled 258 S. Ignatius his martyrdom 13 Images in Churches ordered by the Emperour to be pull'd down 132 141. Decrees thereupon at Rome 144. at Nice 148 Inventio Crucis 48 Inundations of the Tiber 131 149 167 Joan Queen of Naples kills her Husband 313 Pope Joan 165 S. John the Apostle banish'd into Patmos 12 John Bishop of Bergamo 121 John Arch Bishop of Ravenna submits to the Pope 168 John King of Jerusalem 258 Joppa taken by the Christians 222 Josephus when he liv'd 8 Jovinian Emperour 63 Irene Empress of Constantinople 149 Isidore Bishop of Sevil 105 Jubilee first kept every fiftieth year 296 Julian surnam'd the Apostate 59.61 his death 62 Julianus Emperour 65 Julius Africanus an eminent Writer 33 Justin Martyr when he liv'd and his Works 18 Justin Emperour 86 Justinian I. Emperour 88. his Actions 89 Justinian II. terrifies the Saracens into submission 121. breaks faith with them 123. is deposed and his Nose cut off 124. restored 126. his severity upon his Enemies 127. and ingratitude to his Friend 128. slain 129 Juvencus a noble Christian 56 L Lactantius Firmianus when he lived 48 Lambert a holy Martyr 125 Latinianus a Bishop 102
Lent first Instituted 18 Leo Emperour 78.79 his Edict against Images 132 S. Leo his body translated 125 Leodegarius Bishop of Autun 122 Leontius makes himself Emperour 124. deposed ibid. Lewis surnam'd the Godly Emperour 153 Lewis King of Bavaria 154 Lewis Son of Lotharius 100. Crown'd King of Italy 161. being Emperor he comes to Rome 167 Lewis King of France engages in the holy War 267 Lewis of the French Bloud Royal canoniz'd 295 Libanius the Orator 71 Licinius Emperour 49 Lions a Council there 280 Lombards their coming into Italy 96 Lotharingia Lorain why so call'd 160 Lotharius Emperour 154.160 Lucca made a free City 289. taken by the Germans and sold 308 Lucifer Bishop of Cagliari 59 Lucina a Roman Lady leaves the Church her Heir 47 Lucius King of Britain 24 Lucius an Heretical Bishop violent against the Orthodox 64 Luithprandus King of the Lombards 129. takes Ravenna 131. besieges Rome 134. his character 136 Luke the Evangelist 10 Lupus Duke of Friuli 114 M Macarius Bishop of Antioch a Monothelite 117 Macedonius a Heretick 61 Mahomet the Impostor 105 Malchion an eloquent Presbyter 38 Manes a Persian Impostor 41 Manfred Prince of Tarento 267. made King of Sicily 270. is kill'd 275 Manichees their Heresie 42 Marcion the Heretick 19 S. Mark employ'd by S. Peter to write his Gospel 4. his Body translated to Venice 158 Marriages a Decree concerning them 23 S. Martin's body works a Miracle 172 Martyrs their Acts ordain'd to be written and preserv'd 33 34. Masses yearly to be celebrated upon their account 41 Mathild or Maud a noble Countess 204. her death 206 Mauritius Emperour 98 Maxentius Emperour 48 49 Maximian Herculeus Emperour 44.48 Maximian Galerius Caesar 44. Emperour 47 Maximine Emperour 33.49 Maximus the Tyrant 77. a learned Christian of that name 127 Melito Bishop of Sardis 20 Merlin the British Prophet 79 Messalina Wife to the Emperour Claudius put to death for Adultery 3 Mezelindis a Woman of incomparable chastity 116 Milain taken by Sforza 377 Minutius Felix when he liv'd 31 Modestus a Christian Writer 25 Monothelites a Council held concerning them 117 Montanists Hereticks 21 Guido Montfort murthers Henry Son of Richard of Cornwall 273 Simon Montfort 256 Moors invade Calabria 176 N Names of Popes when first chang'd 160 Naples taken by Belisarius 91. besieg'd 253 Narses the Eunuch 94 Nepos a Heretick 39 Nero Emperour his Vices 6. kills himself 7 Nerva Cocceius Emperour his character 12 Nectorius his Heresie 74 Nice in Bithynia a Council there 51 Nicetas an Eunuch Patriarch of Constantinople 141 S. Nicolas his Body translated 216 Nicopolis taken by the Christians 218 Nogaret a French Cavalier 298 Normans have a part of France allow'd them to inhabit 172 Novatianus his Heresie 34. opposed by whom 36 O Odoacer King of the Heruli invades Italy 79 Olympius the Exarch 111 Optatus Milevitanus when he liv'd 66 Holy Orders not to be conferr'd at once 65. not upon maim'd or infirm persons 67. nor Foreiners without Testimonials ibid. nor on Servants 71. nor Debtors 72 Organs introduced first into the Church 114 Origen a learned Christian 27.29.32 Ostia the Harbour there by whom made 3 Otho Emperour an Account of his life 7 Otho II. Emperour 184 conquers Boleslaus King of Bohemia 183 comes to Rome 185 Otho Abbat of Clugny 207 Otho Duke of Burgundy engag'd in the Holy War 251 P Palaeologus Michael assumes the Empire of Constantinople 272 Pallavicino a powerful Gibelline 270.273 Pamphilus a learned Presbyter 43 Pantheon given to the Christians 103 Papias Bishop of Hierapolis 14 Papias the Lombard Glossographer 257 Paris when and by whom made an University 152 Parishes Rome when first so divided 14 Paschal an Arch-deacon endeavours to make himself Pope 123. convict of Sorcery ibid. S. Paul the Apostle 5. beheaded 6 Paulus Samosatenus a Heretick 26.40 Paulus Diaconus when he liv'd 147 Pelagius his Heresie condemn'd 69 Pepin Duke of Austrasia 124. King of France 137.141 his death 142 Pepin Son of Charlemagne 149.150 dies at Milan 151 Pepin Son of Lewis the Godly King of Aquitain 154 Perinus King of Cyprus 321 Pertheris King of the Lombards 120 Peter an Hermite excites the Christian Princes to the Holy War 217 Peter Abelardus a learned Men 238 Peter of Verona canoniz'd 268 Peter King of Aragon 287. his Kingdom given away by the Pope 288 Peter Luna Anti-Pope 338. his death 356 Petrarcha a learned Man 311 S. Petronilla S. Peter's Daughter her body translated 141 S. Philip the Apostle 10 Philip the Emperour 34 Philip King of France engag'd in the Holy War 251. returns home 253 Philippicus Emperour of Constantinople 129. deposed and his Eyes put out 130 Philo Judaeus when he liv'd 8 Phocas Emperour 101 Photinus a learned Bishop 18. Another of that name an Ebionite 65 Photinians Hereticks condemn'd 52 Picenninus a great Commander 361 Pisans overthrown by the Venetians 253. by the Genoeses 289. their City taken by the Florentines 339 Pistoia taken and rased 301 Plague through Europe 98 Platina the Author of this History imprison'd by Pope Paul II. 403. and tortur'd 410 Pliny the second occasions a persecution of the Christians to be stay'd 13 Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna 19 Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus 26 Posthumus an Usurper in Gallia 38 Pragmatic Sanction 396 Presbyters not to be ordain'd but by a Bishop 65 Primates who are to bear that Title 22 Priscian the Grammarian 88 Priscilla a Roman Matron builds a Cemetery 47 Priscillian his Heresie condemn'd 69 Probus Emperour 43 Projectus a Bishop martyr'd 116 Ptolemais besieged by the Christians 251. taken 253. retaken by the Infidels 292 Q Quadragesimal Fast See Lent Quadratus a learned Disciple 14 Quintilian's Works when and by whom found out 382 Quintillus Emperour 40 Quotiliani Hereticks 25 R Rabanus a learned Monk 159 Racherius Bishop of Verona 182 Rachis King of the Lombards 137 Ravenna the Church there reconcil'd to that of Rome 116. the pride of their Bishops repress'd by the Pope 119. the City taken by the Lombards 131. the Exarchate extinguish'd 140 Raymund a Commander in the holy War 217. a Debate between him and Boemund 220 Reggio surprizsed by treachery 320 Remigius Bishop of Rhemes 80 Rhodes taken by the Turks 111 Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum 119 Richard King of England engaged in the holy War 251. strikes up a Peace with Saladine 253. is taken Prisoner 254 Robert Guiscardi a great General 202. defeats the Saracens 203. and Greeks 204 Rodulphus King of Burgundy 181. of Habspurg Emperour 280. sells to several Cities of Italy their freedom 289 Rome sack'd by the Vandals 77. besieg'd by the Lombards 96 Rothifredus King of the Normans 171 Ruffinus a Roman General 70 S Sabellius Author of the Sabellian Heresie 39. his Heresie condemn'd 52 Sabinus King of the Bulgarians 141 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper various Decrees about it 16.17.20.27.125 Saladine King of Egypt 246. defeats the Christians 249. takes Jerusalem 250. his death and Character 254 Sanctuaries in